C29 Black Datura Again

After wandering around for a while, I returned to my room, feeling completely out of sorts. It was stark and empty.

Third Uncle's belongings were scattered haphazardly on his bed, and the sight inexplicably tugged at my heartstrings.

Everything had been normal when I left, but now, I was the only one to return. Even though Old Hsiao assured me that Third Uncle and Liang Yue were not in any danger for the next three days, I couldn't shake the emptiness inside me. I was uncertain whether to trust his words.

I splashed my face with cold water in the bathroom, trying to force myself to cool down. Collapsing onto the sofa, my head throbbed with even more intensity the more I dwelled on the situation.

One thing was clear: Old Hsiao's ability to freely access the underground parking lot was no ordinary feat. He had to know something. I was compelled to follow the address he had given me—it was my only lead.

Perhaps the tension had been too much because once I allowed myself to relax, I quickly succumbed to a fitful sleep.

Concerns about the following day plagued my rest, and I rose early in the morning to inquire at the front desk about the location of Peace Lane.

The clerk informed me that Peace Lane was a rather secluded neighborhood in the city, currently undergoing relocation efforts, leaving only a handful of the original residents.

Acknowledging this, I picked up a few items from the hotel's market and charged them to my room.

With my purchases in tow, I navigated two bus transfers and managed to reach Peace Lane just before nine.

The area was lined with single-story houses, some already demolished. After a bit of asking around, I successfully located number 4, a small residence marked by an archway entrance.

The gate was ajar, so I knocked but received no answer. I ventured into the yard.

The courtyard was in disrepair, with a table set in the center. Uncle Hsiao was there, hunched over his breakfast. His frail figure and the way he ate reminded me of a mouse.

As I entered, Uncle Hsiao didn't even look up. He simply asked, "Have you eaten?"

I set down the items I brought and replied, "Uncle Hsiao, I've had my meal. Please, take these..."

Uncle Hsiao paused, setting aside his chopsticks, and nodded, "Have a seat."

I took a chair nearby and, with a sense of urgency, asked, "Uncle Hsiao, about last night..."

Old Hsiao gestured dismissively and spoke, "I'm aware that you're not just anybody. You knew it was dangerous inside, yet you had the courage to go in and investigate. I'll share with you all that I know. I'm doing this not for you, but for that girl Liang Yue. Of all the people in Tianyou Group, she's the only one with a sense of righteousness and compassion. I wouldn't bother with anyone else, but I can't stand by and let anything happen to her."

Eagerly, I nodded, "Okay, go on. My Third Uncle is in there too. I'd risk my life to save him and Liang Yue. What's really happening in that underground parking lot?"

Uncle Hsiao let out a sigh and replied, "All I know is that Wu Tianxiong had it sealed off. As for the specifics of what's down there, I'm not entirely sure."

"Wu Tianxiong? Wu Tianyou's brother?" The mention of Wu Tianxiong immediately conjured up an image of his menacing demeanor.

Uncle Hsiao nodded, "Fortunately, I still have a spare key to the stairwell's iron door. What lies beneath is even more horrifying than you can imagine. If I hadn't been there to pull you out, the outcome would have been too dreadful to consider."

I paused, puzzled, and asked, "Liang Yue and Third Uncle were both there; how could you tell I was different from them?"

With a smile, Uncle Hsiao said, "I have my ways. Unless I'm mistaken, there's something unusual about you, isn't there?"

I dismissed the notion with a wave of my hand, "Nonsense. What flaw could I possibly have? I'm perfectly fine..."

Uncle Hsiao let out a cold laugh, picked up a box of matches from the table, and struck one. Holding the burning match, he leaned in towards me.

Instinctively, I wanted to pull away, but knowing he meant no harm, I stayed still.

He moved the lit match near my right shoulder, then over to my left. To my astonishment, the flame abruptly extinguished above my left shoulder.

Staring at Uncle Hsiao, I was speechless.

After extinguishing the match, he explained, "It's no surprise that both of them were lured away while you remained alert. It seems you, too, lack the full three Yang energies."

Startled, I glanced at Uncle Hsiao. "Uncle Hsiao, do you understand this...?"

Uncle Hsiao nodded. "I know a bit. Otherwise, why would I stay in that chaotic building all night?"

It made sense to me, and I grasped Uncle Hsiao's hand urgently. "Uncle Hsiao, then you must have a way to save Third Uncle and Liang Yue, right?"

He gave a wry smile and shook his head. "I really only have a superficial understanding. It's not enough to save them."

"How can that be? You can't fool me, Uncle Hsiao. You're familiar with Yang Fire, so how can you claim to know so little? Third Uncle said that without some level of expertise, one wouldn't understand these things. Plus, you can move in and out of that basement freely; surely you can rescue them."

Uncle Hsiao shook his head again, struck another match, and waved it over his right shoulder. The match flickered several times before going out.

My eyes widened as I realized that Uncle Hsiao had extinguished a Yang Fire too.

He tossed the spent match aside and said, "See? I told you, their tricks aren't limited to that flute-like object. They have other means. I put some rotten meat in the room, which masked my scent with its stench, allowing me to go unnoticed below."

The odd smell I had detected on Uncle Hsiao and in the room suddenly made sense. I stood up and paced the yard, trying to piece things together. "Uncle Hsiao, you're making my head spin. What's really happening here? How did you extinguish the Yang Fire? Are Third Uncle and the others in danger? How can I possibly save them?"

Uncle Hsiao shook his head. "I know Wu Tianxiong is behind this, but his exact intentions are unclear to me. I don't dare to probe further. The Yang Fire on me was his doing, meant to keep me silent. If I don't comply, I'll never recover my Yang Fire. At my age, without the three Yangs, I couldn't reincarnate if I died. How could I let that happen?"

I wasn't particularly interested in Uncle Hsiao's personal issues. I gestured dismissively and brought up Wu Tianxiong, "Wu Tianxiong? Are you suggesting that he's responsible for all the eerie incidents in this building? Why would he do that? Isn't Wu Tianyou his own brother?"

Uncle Hsiao gestured dismissively, "Wu Tianxiong is no saint. He oversees the real estate dealings for Tianyou Group, including the relocations. He commands a crew that essentially forces evictions, and he's profited handsomely from it. Did you hear about the eight coffins they unearthed when Tianyou Square was first being excavated?"

I nodded in acknowledgment.

Uncle Hsiao went on, "I didn't witness it myself, but I have a feeling those eight coffins ended up in our building's underground parking lot."

I was taken aback, "What? How could that be?"

Uncle Hsiao explained, "There's a strong presence of Yin Qi down there. I hadn't considered it initially, but when Wu Tianxiong visited, I eavesdropped on a phone call he made. He mentioned the coffins, and something about a bone flute, some grass, a spinning top..."

"Bone flute? Grass? Hell Grass, black datura?"

Uncle Hsiao nodded vigorously, "Exactly, Hell Grass and black datura. Are you familiar with these items?"

I waved my hand, "Uncle Hsiao, what else do you know?"

Uncle Hsiao shook his head, "That's all I know. If you're looking to rescue them, act within three days. They should be safe for that period. And about my house – Wu Tianxiong offered me 20,000 yuan to move out. It's Liang Yue who has a heart; she learned about it and offered to speak to Director Wu on my behalf. This house is all I have left. Wu Tianxiong, the scoundrel, he's practically pushing me to my grave..."

Uncle Hsiao could turn any conversation to his own experiences. Once he'd finished discussing the serious matters, he continued to grumble about Wu Tianxiong incessantly.

Realizing I wouldn't get any more information from Uncle Hsiao, I left his home feeling rather dejected. Although I hadn't found a direct way to rescue Third Uncle and Liang Yue from Uncle Hsiao, I did uncover quite a bit.

The problem seemed to center on Wu Tianxiong. It appeared increasingly likely that he was behind the trouble. Additionally, I heard someone mention black datura again.

The mention of black datura suddenly brought another person to mind.

I vividly remembered that when Third Uncle and I were researching in the library, we were greatly assisted by a Professor Ma. He was the one who found the information on black datura for us. He seemed particularly interested in it and even left his address, inviting us to visit.

With the black datura surfacing again, I naturally thought of him.

My mind was in turmoil, and in my desperation, I decided I had to seek out the professor to see if there could be any new leads.

The situation was critical, so I hurried back to the hotel and convinced the manager to let me into Liang Yue's room. Wu Tianyou had given instructions regarding this, so my request was not denied.

Currently, I'm in a neighboring city and have a bit of a journey ahead to reach Bincheng University and find the professor. I found the keys to Liang Yue's jeep in her room and sped off to the university.

After spending the entire morning at Uncle Hsiao's, I didn't reach the university until well after 3 PM.

Upon inquiring, I learned that there indeed was a Professor Ma Ji at the College of Ancient Life Sciences. The name gave me pause—wasn't that the same Ma Ji who was executed by Zhuge Liang?

Uncertain if this was the Ma Ji I sought, I attempted to enter. But the security guard adamantly denied me entry, explaining that Prof. Ma was busy with a research project with his graduate students.

Left with no other option, I sketched a black datura on a piece of paper from memory. I handed it to the guard, explaining that Prof. Ma would agree to see me if he saw the drawing, emphasizing the urgency and the potential loss of life at stake.

The security guard took the note with a mix of skepticism and curiosity and went to find Ma Ji. Shortly thereafter, a flurry of footsteps echoed down the staircase. The first to emerge was the elderly man I had encountered in the library.

I approached to offer my greetings: "Prof. Ma, hello."

"It really is you..." Ma Ji said, delighted to see me. He glanced around and inquired, "Is there another?"

I gave a wry smile. "I'm Lee Yang. The other person is my Third Uncle, but he's not here."

Ma Ji nodded in understanding and pressed on, "So, what's the situation? Have you heard something new about that plant?"

I paused, uncertain, "Well, I can't be sure of its accuracy, but there's definitely news."

Without delay, Ma Ji ushered me into his office and served me a cup of tea. "Alright, let's hear it. What's going on?"