When I returned to Beijing, I was catching a light snowfall, and when I walked out of the train station, I looked up while smoking a cigarette and saw the snowflakes falling one after another. ”

"Winter is coming......

With a cigarette in my mouth, I walked into the chaotic but bustling crowd. Qianli Yulang scratched his head, didn't understand my sudden emotion, looked at the sky strangely and said, "Isn't it snowing?" ”

In the base below the Miyun Reservoir, I expected that Deputy Director Xia's men and horses did not come back, and what I didn't expect was that Zhong Banian and they did not come back. It is said that something is wrong on the wolf forest's side, which greatly delays their progress.

So when I returned to Beijing, I was the only candidate in the huge base. Coincidentally, after I came back, I happened to meet Old Man Tao and Uncle Jia who came to Beijing to report on their work.

And I took the opportunity to ask Old Man Tao for a lot of information about the Xingyue Demon Palace, for my request, Old Man Tao showed a very strange expression at that time, there is very little information about the Xingyue Demon Palace, about the outer world that existed in the mythological era and is obviously far away from today, many people feel that even if it really exists, it is exaggerated, and even if there is such a huge demon palace hanging above the so-called outside the sky, it must be a great ancient land that is absolutely impossible to be opened by humans.

"Regarding the Xingyue Demon Palace, the earliest exploration began in the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Zhu Di. We all know that Zheng He went to the West seven times, although the first six times cost the people and money, and caused serious financial problems for the Ming Dynasty, which was not wealthy, but at the same time, it also opened up the connection between the Ming Dynasty and the world, bringing back a large number of precious seeds, animals and even foreign envoys. However, judging from the information I obtained in the Immortal Mountain, I found that Zheng He's purpose of going to the West back then seemed to be not pure. He seems to have been to the East China Sea, and visited the connection point between the Star Moon Demon Palace and the East China Sea recorded in ancient books. Zheng He did make a discovery at that time, and recorded it in his journal, but unfortunately the journal was later burned. "Old man Tao said after hearing that I was interested in the Star Moon Demon Palace.

Hearing this, I felt very strange, and asked with a frown: "Aren't all the materials in the Immortal Mountain kept by that immortal official?" It stands to reason that there should not be information from the Ming Dynasty. ”

"I can't say this clearly, we not only found a lot of unique materials in the Ming Dynasty in the materials of the Ming Dynasty, but also found a lot of records of the Qing Dynasty and even the Republic of China. I think there are still many secrets that we don't know. To get back to the point, starting from Zheng He, to the Qing Dynasty, especially during the Qianlong period, envoys from various countries came to surrender and worship, and the whole world has been connected with the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Qianlong once sent many fleets to the East China Sea to look for clues to the Xingyue Demon Palace, but these ships disappeared as many as they went, and none of them returned. After the British Industrial Revolution, when the British and French forces burned the Old Summer Palace at the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty had no time to do these trivial things, so it stopped exploring the Xingyue Demon Palace. However, after the liberation, I knew that there were a few hidden big financiers among the people who were secretly searching for clues to the Star Moon Demon Palace. One of them is your old friend for more than ten years, Mr. Tang. ”

When I heard Mr. Tang's name, I was really taken aback. But on second thought, it's not surprising that these real big-money owners have reached the peak of their pursuit of money, and they may want something I can't imagine. Take Mr. Tang as an example, I have known him for so many years, but I haven't seen him much, and if I think about it, it won't be more than 20 times, and this is counting my mother's business. After so many years, I still can't see through Mr. Tang, he seems to be a fan. There are many things in him that I still can't figure out, such as age, where his wealth comes from, and how many masters and strength he has. Why didn't a big man who could call for the Haotian family at the Sanjiang Ghost Town Conference have a family or organization?

"It looks like the water is very deep in here." I smiled.

"I'll sort out the information of the Star Moon Demon Palace, and then I'll find an opportunity to bring it to you. By the way......" Just when I thought that this conversation was about to end, Old Man Tao walked a few steps to my side, looked at me and said: "Recently, Sha Lao has been active in the upper echelons, although he has been only the director of the 507 Institute on the surface all these years, but secretly he has collected a lot of secrets about the upper echelons. I think that in the last moments, these may be the capital to save his life. ”

"You're saying he's going to threaten the big guys at the top? Does he have the guts? "I was taken aback.

"Hehe, it's hard to say, he is Sha Lao after all. Jia Yi and I will continue to inquire about the specific situation, and we will tell you when we are sure. After he finished speaking, he patted me on the shoulder, smiled on his tired and even pale face, and said softly, "You just rush forward, I and Jia will help you settle these things, with us, you don't have to worry about family affairs." ”

Many years later, I remember that after the winter of 2012, I went to Badaling in Beijing to sweep the graves, and it was also snowing. I stood in front of a tombstone that was not very conspicuous and not very imposing, and laid down a book. Old man Tao had passed away that year, he was a person who rarely smiled, and most of the time he was very serious, but when I was competing for the director of the 507 Institute, he gave me a reassuring smile. And that was the most memorable smile of his life. Even the photos on the tombstones look so calm, yet so serious.

He had very few friends in his life, and I was very irritable when I was forced to read by him, and once I couldn't stand this boring life and complained to him. I asked him how he could shut himself up in his stacks, day after day, year after year, and read boring books every day, which were not plays, obscure, and some of the contents were illegible.

I remember him answering me when he said, "There are people who have a lot of people around them, and they seem to be happy because they are always in a lively party, but not necessarily one of them is a true friend to him. And there is no one around me, and I am a dull person in your eyes, but I have one of the most sincere friends, and that is books. I've never seen books as a burden, because I'm just such a friend. ”

I have remembered these words all my life, and people like Old Man Tao may be regarded as eccentrics in society, but his achievements are beyond the reach of those who regard him as eccentrics in their lifetimes.

In the winter of 2012, the book I put in front of his tombstone was "Strange Tales of the Mountains and Wilds" that I asked Zhu You to write in the words of the ancient demon clan, and since the death of Old Man Tao, no one in the entire rivers and lakes can read the ancient demon script.

I stayed at the base for a few days, and Zhong Ba only brought people back. At that time, I was fishing next to the Miyun Reservoir, the fish were very lazy in winter, and they didn't bite the hook much, so I sat on the deck chair and didn't think about sprinkling fish food, lazily basking in the sun.

After Zhong Banian's car stopped, people came out one after another, and when I heard the movement, I looked back and saw that except for Zhong Banian, everyone in his team seemed to be injured. Obviously, the battle of the wolf forest was not a light burden on them. I smiled and said, "Oh, isn't this our Earth Immortal Master?" Why are you so embarrassed? ”

Zhong Bannian glanced at me when he heard the voice, his eyes were not good, and asked, "You have already returned?" ”

"Hehe, yes, I didn't go to the wolf forest." I shrugged my shoulders and said.

"Looks like I have a chance to send you back to the West in person." Zhong Eight-year-old is arrogant, and his own strength is strong enough, he can't listen to others sarcastically mocking him, and his hostility towards me is a little stronger.

I straightened up, smiled and said, "I have a chance to see the superior, but I don't know who will kill the deer when the time comes." I've handed over the contract, so go too, I see that your people are almost unable to stand. ”

Zhong Bannian's eyes were even more unkind, as if he had the intention of doing something to me, and as soon as he took a few steps towards me, he heard the attendant behind him say a few words, and then glanced at me unhappily and entered the base.