“Please stop!” Xia Lei cried, suddenly clutching his stomach. He looked anxious, embarrassed.
The teaching assistant furrowed his brows. “Mister Ma Lei, what’s the matter?”
“My stomach hurts!” said Xia Lei frantically. “Stop the car! Stop the car!”
“Professor Ferkel’s house has a toilet. I can drive faster.” The assistant stepped on the accelerator.
“I can’t hold it in anymore! Stop now!” roared Xia Lei.
“What’s up with you?!” The assistant did not stop the car, instead drove faster.
Linda also looked at Xia Lei with an odd look. Although she didn't say anything, she was obviously displeased by his behaviour.
He grew more dramatic. “Alright, I’ll fucking shit in your car!”
That worked. The assistant stepped on the brakes.
When the car screeched to a halt, Xia Lei quickly opened the door and slipped into the forest by the road.
“Miss Linda, your friend is very vulgar. He has no sense of courtesy at all.” The assistant was very unhappy.
Although Linda was too, she said, “Let’s not talk about my friend behind his back. You don’t know him.”
The assistant smirked but did not speak. He looked towards the forest only to see Xia Lei taking off his pants and squatting. He looked away in disgust.
Just as he looked away, Xia Lei who was squatting by a tree, took out a satellite phone. When the call went through, he said, “Where are you?”
“We are five kilometres away from you,” said Yelena.
“Take action now,” said Xia Lei. “I suspect I have found the true headquarters of the Knight Hospitallers. Lock in on my coordinates and surround the place.”
“Roger that. We will rush towards your current location in thirty minutes,” said Yelena.
“Remember, don’t attack without my instruction, Hurry over and be on your guard.”
“I understand.” The call ended.
The Knights Hospitallers were both his allies and enemies. If he let the Zodiac team attack this place, then they would become his enemies. This was the true headquarters of the Knight Hospitallers. If he acted rashly, the consequences could be dire.
Arthur once said that there were a thousand elite soldiers guarding the sacred palace of Malta. They were definitely not regular soldiers. This place was the equivalent of an invisible kingdom ruled by the Knight Hospitallers. His small team was not enough. That was why Xia Lei was left with one option. Defeat them with wit. He let the Zodiac team stay close to him for the next step of his plan, not for battle.
A few minutes later, Xia Lei returned to the car, looking much lighter. “Hehe, I’m finally done. I feel much better. Let’s go.”
“Do you think we want to hear you talk about that?” The assistant glared at him in disgust then started the car and set off for the castle.
The main door of the castle was a door made of metal and wood, built through a traditional process that could withstand a battle ram. It was extremely sturdy. However, an old man who dressed like a gardener pushed the heavy door open easily.
“Thank you, Father William Arthur.” The assistant greeted the old man.
The man, William Arthur, merely nodded.
Xia Lei looked at him and thought him and Arthur looked similar. When he thought about it, he wondered if the old man was related to Arthur.
The old man also looked at Xia Lei with a sharp glare.
Xia Lei avoided his gaze.
When they got off the car, the assistant brought Xia Lei and Linda into the hall of the castle.
There was a white-haired old man waiting for them. He looked very strong, like a European version of Shi Boren. Not just his figure, the aura he gave off was similar.
“How do you do, Professor Ferkel.” Linda greeted him respectfully, walking towards him.
“How do you do, Miss Linda.” They both hugged and touched cheeks. “I already heard about the unfortunate incident with Professor Oman. I am devastated. I know you must be grieving too. He was a good man, the Father has brought him home. In the future, we shall see him in heaven.”
‘Thank you, Professor Ferkel.” Linda turned around. “This is my friend, Ma Lei, from China. He helped him. Without him, I think I wouldn’t be here.”
“Then I thank you, Mister Ma Lei.” Professor Ferkel walked up to Xia Lei and extended a hand.
“How do you do, Professor Ferkel.” They shook hands politely.
“Mister Ma Lei, we shall talk later. I’d like to talk to Linda alone,” said Professor Ferkel.
“Alright, can I tour the place? I haven’t been in such an old castle,” said Xia Lei.
“Of course, should I get a person as a guide?”
“I’ll be fine on my own,” said Xia Lei.
“Sure, go ahead.” Professor turned around and said, “Linda, follow me. Let’s talk in my study.”
“Alright.” Linda looked at Xia Lei and then left with Professor Ferkel.
Xia Lei walked towards the entrance.
“Mister Ma Lei, let me remind me that this is private property. Trespassing in rooms will not be taken lightly. Also, please be aware of your environment, don’t dirty the place,” said the assistant. He looked at Xia Lei with disgust and contempt.
If they were outside, Xia Lei might have kicked him. However, he held himself back and smiled. “No problem, I’ll be mindful.”
After leaving the hall, Xia Lei looked around and walked towards a clock tower. It was the tallest structure within the castle. There was a clock at the top and looked very old.
The assistant followed far behind with a solemn face.
When he arrived at the entrance of the tower, Xia Lei stopped and turned around. “I don’t need a guide, why are you following me?”
The assistant said, “I’m worried you might dirty the place. I’ll stop you if you do anything inappropriate.”
“Horsefly,” cursed Xia Lei in Chinese.
“What did you say?” The assistant’s expression darkened.
Xia Lei’s left eye twitched and saw through his clothing. He saw the maltese cross on the man’s chest. This was a member of the Knights Hospitaller. He did not have a gun but did have an Italian army knife.
“Nothing, you can follow me if you want.” Xia Lei entered the tower.
The assistant did not go up with Xia Lei, he waited at the bottom.
Xia Lei climbed up the tower and could see the entire castle. After observing the layout of the castle, he looked towards where he initially came from. The valley was quiet. His vision was blocked by dense vegetation. He could not see the specific location of his people. However, based on what Yelena said, the Zodiac team must be near the castle. He could not see them but they could lock his coordinates based on satellite.
Looking back at the castle, he activated his special vision to look into the castle.
He avoided the thick and sturdy stone walls, only looking through the roof, doors and windows.
The inside of the top floor was the clearest for him because he only had to look through the roof.
Two minutes later, he found Ferkel’s study and saw Ferkel and Linda talking.
Just as he was trying to lip-read, a lady walked into the study. When he saw her face, he was surprised.
This was not any woman. It was one of the four female knights who were definitely not loyal to him at all, Stella.
Stella was wearing a dress styled like a mid-century servant. She carried a silver tray with two coffee cups on it.
Xia Lei was shocked. He wondered, ‘Have the four women become servants now? Such punishment must be a huge blow to the proud women.”
Stella put down the coffee and turned to leave. She seemed to be limping.
His left eye locked on Stella and looked through her dress. He was shocked again by what he saw. There were whip marks all over her body. Some wounds looked fresh too, and they seemed to have bled. There was a stripe on her left knee that had not recovered. It was covered with fabric, inflamed. That was obviously the reason why she was limping.
He was sympathetic but thought, ‘Now you know who treated you well. I spent three million to save you in Siberia. If it were the Knight Hospitallers, you’d probably have to pay the ransom from your own pocket.’
Stella left the study and carefully closed the door. Then, she limped towards the end of the hallway.
Xia Lei looked at the staircase at the end.
There was a woman kneeling, cleaning the wooden steps.
That was Giovanna.
She was also wearing a servant’s outfit, scrubbing the floor with rags. There were wounds on her face, she also had a black eye.
Xia Lei also saw whip marks all over her, She also had bandaged wounds that looked inflamed.
His brows furrowed. “They’re cruel, can’t believe they even refused the girls treatment for their wounds. These wounds could get inflamed and make them sick. But I guess the more they suffer, the more they’d understand how kind I was.”
Stella and Giovanna brushed shoulders as they left, only communicating with a look and did not speak. The two proud knights suffered so much they had lost their edge.
Xia Lei looked back to lock his vision on Professor Ferkel and Linda. He read their lips, deciphering what they said.