Female Novel
Chapter 5510
As Charlie and Maria descended from Greenwood Temple, Charlie held the agarwood bracelet tightly inhis hand. He was determined to decipher the meaning behind the bracelet left for him, but after muchcontemplation, he remained perplexed.
He decided to consider Maria’s interpretation, the twenty-eight beads on the bracelet symbolized hiscurrent age. The mysterious sender had deliberately placed these twenty-eight beads within the bracelet,anticipating that Maria would notice the anomaly and return to Greenwood Temple to investigate.
But what message did the sender intend to convey by leaving this bracelet behind?
Puzzled, they descended the mountain only to retrace their steps back up the winding mountain road.
During their uphill journey, they encountered a group of local elderly women. These women walkedtogether, descending the mountain slowly, each carrying a basket woven from vines containing variousitems, including sesame oil, paper money, and earthen incense.
Observing this, Maria approached the elderly women and inquired politely, “Where are you all headed?”
One of the elderly women replied, “We heard that Greenwood Temple has reopened. We’re on our waythere to pay our respects to Buddha and offer incense.”
Maria asked with curiosity, “Has Greenwood Temple been closed for a long time?”
The woman nodded, “It’s been shut for about ten or twenty years. There are fewer and fewer people inthe mountains, and the temple lacks incense. All the previous nuns have left. Yesterday, the villagersinformed us that a new nun had arrived, so we decided to visit together.”
Maria quickly interjected, “You may want to reconsider. The new nun at Greenwood Temple has alsodeparted.”
“Left again? Why?” Several elderly women looked disappointed. “Why did she leave just a few days afterarriving?”
Maria explained, “Perhaps she felt there wasn’t enough incense being offered here.”
The elderly women hesitated, torn between continuing or turning back. Eventually, one of themsuggested, “The nun may be gone, but the Buddha statue remains. Since we’re already here, why notlight a few incense sticks?”
The others agreed, and they proceeded to the temple. Maria, seeing their sincere devotion, decided notto dissuade them any further. She cautioned, “Please take care, and we’ll be on our way.”
After bidding farewell to the elderly women, Maria turned to Jagoan and remarked, “It seems like theyarrived at Greenwood Temple recently, probably just yesterday.”
Jagoan nodded in agreement. “It’s possible they noticed our arrival or Morgana’s intention to come here,prompting them to prepare in advance.”
He added, “What’s certain now is that they know us and Morgana quite well. They might even bemonitoring us in some way at this very moment.”
Maria sighed and said, “The mountains hold many secrets. If you ever get the chance to meet themastermind behind them, you must humbly seek their guidance.”
***
Meanwhile, on the highway leading from Shiwan to the outside world, three inconspicuous Buickcommercial vehicles smoothly cruised along the road. These vehicles bore license plates fromBloomington, the capital of the southern province, and belonged to a reputable car rental company in thecountry.
The Buick Business model was one of the most common MPVs in China, blending in seamlessly with thetraffic. No one would suspect that the individuals inside these vehicles were connected to great wealth orpower.
However, these three Buick Business vehicles had little in common with their commercial counterparts.Undergoing systematic modifications, these vehicles had evolved significantly in terms of power, safety,privacy, and comfort.
In the second Buick Business vehicle, the driver was the young nun who had previously interceptedJagoan and Maria at the mountain’s base. Seated beside her was the elderly lady who had acted as thehead nun, Joyce Turk.
In the second row, a middle-aged woman referred to as Madam sat, the very person who had left thebracelet for Jagoan at Greenwood Temple.
Joyce Turk turned to the lady and inquired respectfully, “Madam, what are our next arrangements?”
Gazing out the window in contemplation, the lady replied, “Let’s head to Aurous Hill. We’ll stay at aTemple there for now, and both of you will accompany me. Upon reaching Aurous Hill, keep a lowprofile.”
“Understood!” Ms. Turk nodded and added, “I’ll inform the abbot.”
She then asked, “Madam, whom would you like to meet next among these girls? I’ll see if I can arrangeit.”
The lady raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I’m interested in Nanako Ito. Among these girls, she shows themost potential for Taoism.”
Ms. Turk nodded and said, “I’ll do my best to arrange it.”
The lady remarked, “I heard she’s studying martial arts at Elys-Champ?”
“Yes,” Ms. Turk confirmed. “She’s there, along with Xion and Aurora.”
The lady commented, “Their talents can’t compare to Nanako Ito’s. Unless they encounter a greatopportunity, they won’t have a chance to enter Taoism.”
Ms. Turk voiced her concern. “Madam, Nanako Ito is Japanese. If she joins Taoism, could it pose risks?”
The lady shook her head and replied, “Her nationality doesn’t matter. What’s crucial is her character andintentions. Whether she’s Chinese or not, if her character is flawed and her intentions heretical, it’s of noconsequence.”
She added, “Currently, it seems her character is impeccable, and her heart is no longer in Japan.”
Ms. Turk widened her eyes and agreed, “You’re right, Madam. I may have worried needlessly.”
The lady asked, “How did you find Maria today?”
Ms. Turk sighed, “Even standing before me, Maria appears untouched by time. She’s lived for over threehundred years yet still possesses the vitality of youth. It’s truly remarkable.”
She continued, “But there’s an enigmatic quality about her that leaves me perplexed.”
The lady smiled and commented, “Without any formal training, she managed to elude Morgana for morethan three centuries. Surviving in a world of constant change while being hunted, Maria’s intellect mustsurpass that of ordinary individuals. I’ve been aware of her existence for some time, much like Morgana,but I’ve never been able to trace her. It was only when she was betrayed by servants in Northern Europethat I managed to catch a glimpse of her. She’s far more cunning than we thought.”novelbin
Ms. Turk inquired cautiously, “Do you think she’ll eventually discover your identity?”
The lady replied, “Most likely. Once we establish contact with them, it’s only a matter of time.”
Ms. Turk asked, “Madam, are we prepared?”
The lady shook her head, “Not yet. So, for now, we’ll exercise utmost caution and leave no traces.”
Ms. Turk nodded and informed her, “Madam, we’ll reach the airport in about forty minutes. The crew isready at any moment. How should we proceed with the route?”
The lady appeared deep in thought and asked, “Where are they?”
Ms. Turk understood that she was referring to Jagoan and Maria. She quickly answered, “Their plane isalso in Interlocken, and they’re likely heading directly to Aurous Hill.”
The lady nodded, took a moment to contemplate, and then suggested, “We should be extra cautious.First, fly to Eastcliff. Upon arrival, switch to another plane to proceed to Aurous Hill. We must notunderestimate Maria, contacting her directly this time essentially reveals that we’ve been observing themsecretly all along. They’ll only become more cautious in the future.”