567: Chapter 567 Illuminati Team Building, Temples and Civilizational Relics

Chapter 567: Illuminati Team Building, Temples and Traces of Civilization

The dusk in the suburbs was exceptionally quiet, without the hustle and bustle of the city.

Only the occasional barking of dogs from afar and the chirping of homeward-bound birds could be heard.

As several cars arrived one after another, the originally deserted Yunlin Cottage suddenly became lively and bustling.

Two large barbecue grills had already been set up in the yard, and the charcoal fires had just been lit, still emitting wisps of black smoke.

Xiaosa rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, squatting by the grill and frantically fanning it with a cattail-leaf fan in his hand.

After receiving Fang Cheng's call, he was the first to arrive here.

To participate in the team-building activity, this guy obviously put in some thought.

He specially combed a shiny slicked-back hairstyle, wore a crisp dark blue suit, and polished his leather shoes until they shone.

In this crowd of people wearing casual clothes or even bandages, he looked completely out of place, acting just like a real estate agent who had just gotten off work.

Yet he didn't feel awkward in the least; instead, he was exceptionally diligent, eagerly taking on the job of the head chef.

When he was coughing uncontrollably from the smoke, he still grinned at Fang Cheng, who came over to help, and said:

"Chairman, let me handle these trivial matters, you go rest!"

On the other side, Xu Hao had already gotten chummy with roughnecks like Panghu and Feiying.

This kid was full of Jianghu habits, carrying a freshly opened bottle of beer in his hand, and spittingly boasting about his "storm-stirring" underworld past.

Panghu listened with great relish, occasionally bursting into barbell-like laughter, obviously quite receptive to this grassroots atmosphere.

The women gathered around the long table to prepare the ingredients.

Lin Chuqiao, Jiang Yun, and Xiaoya were busy picking vegetables, cutting meat, arranging plates, and skewering meat.

Douzi was somewhat unaccustomed to such a lively occasion.

Like a startled little quail, she shrank tightly behind Jiang Yun, revealing only a pair of large eyes to secretly size up the strangers around her.

Just at this moment, a roar of engines came from outside.

A red convertible sports car stopped steadily at the entrance of the courtyard.

Bailing jumped down from the car, looking as if she had hitched a ride.

This lass tied her hair in a high ponytail and wore sportswear, looking like a happy little bird, chattering non-stop the moment she entered the door.

First, she greeted Fang Cheng and the professor, then her eyes lit up and she went straight over to Jiang Yun's side.

"Wow, a newcomer has finally arrived!"

She wasn't shy at all, curiously looking at Jiang Yun and Douzi shrinking in the back:

"Sister, your skin is so white! And this little sister is so cute, just a bit too thin."

"Don't be afraid, in the future, Sister will buy you more snacks to eat and feed you plump and white!"

Immediately after, the Driving seat door of the sports car opened, and a sturdy young man stepped out.

He wore a limited-edition trendy brand outfit, wore a Patek Philippe watch on his wrist, and took off his sunglasses right after getting out of the car, revealing a handsome yet somewhat cynical face.

He was none other than Lin Chuqiao's cousin, Pan Wendi.

"Ouch! So this is the new base of our Illuminati? It's hidden enough!"

Pan Wendi looked around, and finally his eyes fell on Lin Chuqiao, flattering exaggeratedly:

"Cousin, should I call you Minister now?"

"This is just a temporary stronghold."

Lin Chuqiao gave him an annoyed roll of her eyes.

Fang Cheng walked forward and greeted with a smile:

"You're here?"

"Of course!"

Pan Wendi bumped fists with Fang Cheng, his gaze sweeping over to the barbecue grill, and immediately his face showed excitement:

"For this barbecue, I turned down two gatherings, and didn't even go when that newly famous little star invited me. Well, will wine and meat be all-you-can-have tonight?"

After saying that, this fellow didn't treat himself as an outsider, turning around and plunging straight into the camp of the men.

"Buddy, you've trained these muscles well! Were you a soldier before, or did you specifically box?"

Although Pan Wendi was a rich second generation, he didn't put on airs.

Coupled with the fact that he was a chatterbox, he quickly and familiarly mingled with Xu Hao, Panghu, Feiying, and others.

Not long after, a pickup truck covered in mud spots also arrived subsequently, stopping at the courtyard gate.

As soon as the car stopped steadily, the door was pushed open, and Li Dingjian jumped down from the Driving seat.

He wore a gray jacket and carried a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables in his hand.

Following behind were two people, each carrying a jar of rice wine.

They were Dachui and Monkey, who were responsible for surveillance at the Tubular Building.

Earlier, Li Dingjian stopped by Jiuchang Street on the way and specially picked up the two of them together.

"Uncle."

Fang Cheng hurried to greet him, reaching out to take the heavy basket.

"A-Cheng."

Li Dingjian patted Fang Cheng on the shoulder, his gaze sizing him up and down.

Seeing no signs of injury, a smile finally appeared on his face:

"I brought some home-grown vegetables on the way, freshly picked, fresher than what you buy outside."

"Chairman!"

Dachui and Monkey also stepped forward to greet him.

Fang Cheng nodded to the two of them and replied in a gentle tone:

"You've worked hard, go on inside first."

As all the personnel arrived, Yunlin Cottage became completely lively.

After spending some time together, everyone gradually became familiar with each other.

Everyone was like a member of a big family, naturally getting busy.

Xu Kuan was not good with words, but he was very deft with his hands, quietly fiddling with various equipment for the gathering and managing the scene properly and smoothly.

Jiang Yun and Xiaoya gathered around the sink to wash fruits and vegetables, accompanied by the gurgling sound of water and whispers of idle chat.

Xiaosa was the busiest one.

Dressed in a suit and leather shoes, he shuttled through the crowd, guarding the grill to turn over skewers one moment, and running to the kitchen for seasonings the next.

A layer of fine sweat seeped out on his forehead, and he didn't even care to wipe it.

As the sky gradually darkened, several strings of yellow camping lights were hung up in the courtyard.

Under the dim yellow lights, the charcoal fire burned red-hot.

Cumin and grease dripping onto the charcoal fire made a "sizzling" sound, and the fragrance drifted far away with the evening breeze.

"Don't just stand there, Wendi, you guys go to the house and move a few boxes of beer and drinks. The meat is grilled! Serve it on the table!"

Following Lin Chuqiao's crisp greeting, a dozen plates of golden-brown, oil-dripping meat skewers were served on the table.

Everyone sat down one after another, and the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly reached its peak, with cheers and laughter rising one after another.

Fang Cheng sat in the main seat, and Lin Chuqiao naturally sat beside him.

Instead of picking up her chopsticks, she first wiped her hands with a wet tissue.

Then she picked up a skewer of grilled chicken wings, carefully trimmed off the burnt edges, and gently placed it on Fang Cheng's plate.

Her movements were practiced and natural, without too many words, yet they exuded the tacit understanding and thoughtfulness of a hostess.

Xiaosa beside them had extremely quick wit, immediately getting up to fill the empty cup in front of Fang Cheng with wine.

"Chairman, this rice wine is warmed just right, have a taste."

Holding the wine cup with both hands and slightly bowing his body, he then enthusiastically filled the cups for Lin Chuqiao, the professor, Li Dingjian, and the others one by one.

He looked precisely like a loyal personal secretary.

On another table, however, it was a completely different style.

"Come on, come on, bottoms up!"

Pan Wendi had one foot stepping on a beer crate, holding a draft beer mug in his hand, his face flushed red from drinking.

This wealthy Young Master completely lost his usual fastidiousness, spittingly boasting to Panghu beside him:

"Brother Hu, I'm not bragging to you, in this Dongdu territory, which street am I not familiar with?"

"Another day when the limelight passes, I'll take you to the best nightclub, the chicks there are definitely hot enough..."

"Hehe, I don't understand chicks, I still prefer eating skewers and drinking."

Panghu's mouth was greasy, grasping a handful of meat skewers in his left hand and holding a wine bottle in his right, eating in a heroic and rugged manner.

He wasn't interested in Pan Wendi's schemes, but he was extremely satisfied with this barbecue feast.

Xu Hao, sitting opposite, was also a reckless guy. Suddenly banging his cup on the table, he shouted under the influence of alcohol:

"Young Master Pan, Huzi, A-Fei, from now on we are sworn brothers who have been through life and death together!"

"With the Boss leading our Illuminati, in this Dongdu territory, we are the ones who can walk sideways! Whoever dares to disobey, I, Xu Hao, will be the first to slice them up!"

Feiying listened to their boasting somewhat speechlessly, occasionally clinking cups, yet a relaxed smile hung on the corners of his mouth.

Compared to the hustle and bustle over there, the table of Old Chen, Hawkeye, Dachui, and Monkey showed a composure unique to older men.

All four were men nearing middle age, and they didn't make a loud fuss.

They slowly drank their rice wine, occasionally picking up a couple of peanuts, eating a skewer, and leisurely chatting about past experiences.

The atmosphere wasn't enthusiastic, but it exuded a sense of ease and comfort.

The most relaxed and cheerful table was none other than the women's table.

Like an indefatigable little sparrow, Bailing pinched a small piece of grilled steamed bun in her hand and enthusiastically teased the white mouse on Douzi's shoulder.

"Look, it even uses both hands to hold things when eating!"

Bailing exclaimed in surprise.

Douzi was amused by her. Although she was still somewhat shy, her body was no longer as tense as it was at first.

Holding a cup of juice handed over by Jiang Yun in her hands, she sipped it in small mouthfuls, her eyes curved into crescent shapes.

Jiang Yun occasionally picked food for the plate in front of Douzi while chatting softly with Xiaoya.

And that mouse named Xiaobai also contentedly lay on Douzi's shoulder, holding a small biscuit and gnawing happily.

After three rounds of drinks, Fang Cheng held his wine cup, turned his head to look at Li Dingjian beside him.

"How is the situation at home recently?"

Li Dingjian put down his chopsticks, pulled out a tissue, wiped his mouth, and spoke in a steady tone:

"A-Cheng, don't worry."

"Wanghu Town is such a small rural place to begin with, and its location is remote. Plus, with me staring there, no trouble can break out."

After a pause, his expression looked very solemn, and he added:

"Your mom and grandfather are both in robust health. A-Cheng, go ahead and do whatever you want to do, don't worry too much about home."

Fang Cheng nodded and reached out to refill his wine:

"In the past couple of days, I'll have Dachui and Monkey go over there to set up a few surveillance points in the town and build an intelligence network, so that if there's any disturbance, I can know about it at the first moment."

"Alright."

Li Dingjian didn't decline, picked up his wine cup and took a sip:

"Having a few more pairs of eyes watching is always good. With them helping out, I can have more peace of mind on my end, and you can focus on doing things more securely."

The two clinked glasses, everything understood without words.

Putting down his wine cup, Fang Cheng turned his head, his gaze falling on the professor opposite who was leisurely shelling edamame.

"Professor."

Fang Cheng called out.

Hearing the sound, the professor raised his head, his gaze looking through the lenses, quietly waiting for what came next.

"You are knowledgeable and experienced, there is something I want to ask you."

Fang Cheng straightened his posture and then slowly said:

"How much do you know about the 'Super Ancient Civilization Ruins'?"

Hearing this word, the professor, who was still shelling edamame, paused his movements slightly.

A trace of light flashed in his eyes hidden behind thick lenses, seemingly holding both reminiscence and lingering dread.

"Chairman, you must want to ask about the 'Other Shore World' mentioned by the Masked Man on the rooftop, right?"

The professor put the shelled edamame into his mouth and chewed slowly:

"Actually, Old Chen already mentioned this matter to me last night."

"You asked the right person. In this Dongdu territory, apart from the Special Investigation Team and the military high command, I'm afraid not many people know the ins and outs of that place better than I do."

"Why?"

Fang Cheng couldn't help asking.

The professor picked up the rice wine on the table and took a sip, as if using the alcohol to suppress the waves in his heart, and then slowly exhaled a breath:

"Because a dozen years ago, I had the fortune... or rather misfortune, to go in once."

Speaking of this, he pushed his glasses, his tone becoming a bit heavier:

"At that time, I had just fled to Nanyang for a few years, making a living in a war-torn country with an international mercenary group."

"There were all kinds of people in that team, veterans and desperadoes, every single one of them had blood on their hands. Relying on knowing a bit of astronomy and geography, I barely managed to secure a spot."

"One time, we took a big order from a local warlord with an outrageously high price, with just one job: escort a scientific expedition team deep into the Borneo rainforest to search for a certain ancient temple ruin."

The professor's eyes became a bit hazy, as if piercing through the charcoal fire before him, returning to that humid and bloody rainforest.

"That rainforest was extremely unholy; three people were lost within the first three days of entering."

"Either they contracted miasma and inexplicably grew pustules on their bodies, rotting until their bones were exposed, or they encountered venomous snakes and insects, not even having a chance of treatment."

"The people of the expedition team were all tight-lipped. When asked what they were going to the temple for, they only said they were looking for the 'primeval jungle kingdom of ancient remnants', and wouldn't say half a word more."

When we finally managed to grope our way to the location of the temple ruins, we found that it didn't look like something an ancient civilization could build at all.

The professor paused, as if re-experiencing the sense of shock at that time:

"The entire temple was piled entirely with pitch-black giant stones, so tall that the top could not be seen."

"The main entrance consisted of two huge stone doors, carved with patterns of a certain Vicious Beast, exuding an indescribable oppression."

"On both sides of the stone path stood person-height stone figures, each with a ferocious expression, as if staring at every approaching person."

"Led by the expedition team, we walked inside. The stone walls along the way were carved with dense, strange symbols, completely different from any known ancient writing today."

"At that time, I could barely guess a few characters related to 'sacrifice' and 'passage'."

"Inside was shrouded in mist, and withered bones could be seen everywhere on the ground. Judging by the calcification degree of the bones, they weren't from modern times; they were at least a thousand years old."

"Following the expedition team, we turned through several stone corridors and finally found a huge stone platform in the deepest part of the temple."

"The stone platform was chiseled from a single giant boulder, standing more than ten meters high. The surface of the platform was carved with symbol patterns echoing those on the stone walls, and right in the center sat a fist-sized crystal sphere."

"That sphere was rotating slowly all the time, emitting a faint blue light."

"Getting close made one's head dizzy, as if something was drilling into the brain along the center of the eyebrows."