As Charlie and Maria descended from Greenwood Temple, Charlie held the agarwood bracelet tightly in his hand. He was determined to decipher the meaning behind the bracelet left for him, but after much contemplation, favonovel.com remained perplexed.
He decided to consider Maria’s interpretation, the twenty-eight beads on the bracelet symbolized his current 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 walked together, descending the mountain slowly, each carrying a basket woven from vines containing various items, 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 way there 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 in the mountains, and the temple lacks incense. All the previous nuns have left. Yesterday, the villagers informed 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 also departed.”
“Left again? Why?” Several elderly women looked disappointed. “Why did favonovel.com leave just a few days after arriving?”
Maria explained, “Perhaps favonovel.com felt there wasn’t enough incense being offered here.”
The elderly women hesitated, torn between continuing or turning back. Eventually, one of them suggested, “The nun may be gone, but the Buddha statue remains. Since we’re already here, why not light a few incense sticks?”
The others agreed, and they proceeded to the temple. Maria, seeing their sincere devotion, decided not to 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 Charlie and remarked, “It seems like they arrived at Greenwood Temple recently, probably just yesterday.”
Charlie 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 be monitoring 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 the mastermind behind them, you must humbly seek their guidance.”
***
Meanwhile, on the highway leading from Shiwan to the outside world, three inconspicuous Buick commercial vehicles smoothly cruised along the road. These vehicles bore license plates from Bloomington, the capital of the southern province, and belonged to a reputable car rental company in the country.
The Buick Business model was one of the most common MPVs in China, blending in seamlessly with the traffic. No one would suspect that the individuals inside these vehicles were connected to great wealth or power.
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 intercepted Charlie and Maria at the mountain’s base. Seated beside favonovel.com was the elderly lady who had acted as the head nun, Joyce Turk.
In the second row, a middle-aged woman referred to as Madam sat, the very person who had left the bracelet for Charlie 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 a Temple there for now, and both of you will accompany me. Upon reaching Aurous Hill, keep a low profile.”
“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 arrange it.”
The lady raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I’m interested in Nanako Ito. Among these girls, favonovel.com shows the most 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 great opportunity, they won’t have a chance to enter Taoism.”
Ms. Turk voiced favonovel.com concern. “Madam, Nanako Ito is Japanese. If favonovel.com joins Taoism, could it pose risks?”
The lady shook favonovel.com head and replied, “Her nationality doesn’t matter. What’s crucial is favonovel.com character and intentions. Whether she’s Chinese or not, if favonovel.com character is flawed and favonovel.com intentions heretical, it’s of no consequence.”
She added, “Currently, it seems favonovel.com character is impeccable, and favonovel.com heart is no longer in Japan.”
Ms. Turk widened favonovel.com 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 three hundred years yet still possesses the vitality of youth. It’s truly remarkable.”
She continued, “But there’s an enigmatic quality about favonovel.com that leaves me perplexed.”
The lady smiled and commented, “Without any formal training, favonovel.com managed to elude Morgana for more than three centuries. Surviving in a world of constant change while being hunted, Maria’s intellect must surpass that of ordinary individuals. I’ve been aware of favonovel.com existence for some time, much like Morgana, but I’ve never been able to trace her. It was only when favonovel.com was betrayed by servants in Northern Europe that I managed to catch a glimpse of her. She’s far more cunning than we thought.”
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 favonovel.com 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 is ready 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 favonovel.com was referring to Charlie and Maria. She quickly answered, “Their plane is also 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 not underestimate Maria, contacting favonovel.com directly this time essentially reveals that we’ve been observing them secretly all along. They’ll only become more cautious in the future.”
Visit VIRTUAL NOVEL for more available chapters of this title!
