KUNLUN – The Little Lotus

Chapter six

Feng straightened immediately. "Here?" Tian nodded once. "In this city." Without another word or joke, Yu Feng opened the team's encrypted communication network and began sending the mobilization orders.

Lianhua quietly explored her new home. She carried the two shopping bags inside before taking a slow look around. The ground floor consisted of a comfortable living room with a fireplace, while an open kitchen occupied the space beside it. Everything had already been fully furnished, and to her pleasant surprise, the kitchen even included a proper wok stove. A faint smile appeared on her face. She liked it. Climbing the staircase, she found a spacious bedroom, a large bathroom, a guest room, and a smaller bathroom. Just as she was about to head back downstairs, she noticed another staircase leading even higher. Curious, she climbed it and stepped onto the rooftop, where a beautiful glasshouse awaited her. Her eyes lit up immediately. It was perfect. She could cultivate medicinal herbs there all year round, protected from the weather while still receiving plenty of sunlight. From the rooftop she also had an excellent view of the forest behind the property. Many rare herbs were best gathered at night or before sunrise. She made a mental note to explore the forest later that evening. She would also need gardening tools and high-quality soil. Satisfied, she returned downstairs and continued her inspection. Near the back entrance she discovered both a guest restroom and another bathroom with a shower, something she considered extremely practical after spending time outdoors. Finally, she opened the back door. A beautiful garden stretched out before her, complete with a small pond, an elegant stone bridge, and a delicate pagoda standing peacefully among the trees. It looked like the perfect place to enjoy a quiet cup of tea. Overall, she couldn't have been happier with the house.

She began putting away the groceries, making the bed, and arranging the few belongings she had brought with her. While storing the food in the kitchen, something caught her attention. Hidden beside the sacks of potatoes were two narrow wooden doors. They were locked. Curious, she took out the keyring the real estate agent had given her and tried the keys one after another. One fit perfectly. As the lock clicked open, she slowly pulled the doors apart. Behind them, a staircase descended into darkness. Without hesitation, Lianhua made her way downstairs. At the bottom she found a cellar divided into two separate sections. She nodded thoughtfully. One half would make an excellent storage cellar. Just as she reached that conclusion, another door caught her eye. Opening it, she found empty shelves lining the walls. So this had originally been the pantry. While examining the room more closely, she noticed yet another door, almost completely concealed behind one of the shelving units. Sliding the heavy shelf aside, she unlocked the hidden entrance. Beyond it lay a secure room. In the center stood a large steel safe. A genuine smile spread across her face. Kneeling in front of it, she carefully examined the locking mechanism before beginning to manipulate it. Less than five minutes later, the heavy door swung open. Inside stood shelves filled with beautifully crafted wooden chests. Lianhua lifted one onto the central table and slowly opened it. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. Inside rested an extraordinarily rare medicinal herb. One chest after another revealed the same treasure—countless precious herbs that were almost impossible to obtain. She also discovered several handwritten manuscripts describing medicinal plants, their properties, numerous prescriptions, and even an ancient cauldron used for refining medicine. Finally, tucked away in one corner, she found a chest filled with gold. Resting her hand thoughtfully on the lid, she murmured to herself, "I really need to find out who lived here before me." After examining everything carefully, she returned every single item to exactly the place where she had found it. She programmed a new password into the safe, closed the heavy door, slid the shelving unit back into place, and carefully erased every scrape mark it had left on the floor. Satisfied that no trace of her discovery remained, she climbed back upstairs. The cellar had been rather dusty, so she headed directly to her bedroom and prepared a hot bath. The warm water relaxed muscles she hadn't even realized were tense. Afterward she slowly combed her long black hair before braiding it into a single neat braid. Dressed once again in her familiar black trousers and black shirt, she returned to the kitchen and prepared herself a simple meal. Sitting quietly at the kitchen table, she ate slowly, chewing each bite with deliberate care. Once she had finished, she washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen until everything was spotless, and finally allowed herself to enjoy the peaceful silence of the house that, for the first time in this lifetime, truly belonged to her.A quick glance at the clock told Lianhua that it was still fairly early. If she wanted to explore the forest at daybreak tomorrow, she should get some sleep first. She climbed into bed and settled comfortably beneath the blanket. Only then did she notice the large skylight built directly above it. Through the clear glass she could see the night sky stretching endlessly overhead, countless stars shimmering like scattered jewels against the darkness. Quietly, she watched them for a while. A peaceful silence surrounded the little house, interrupted only by the occasional rustling of leaves outside. For the first time in a very long time, she found herself sleeping in a place that truly belonged to her. Slowly, she closed her eyes and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.Outside, dawn had not yet broken when Lianhua opened her eyes again. The world beyond the skylight was still wrapped in darkness, with only the faintest hint of silver appearing along the distant horizon. She let out a small yawn and stretched lazily before slipping out of bed in a single smooth motion. After washing and dressing, she pulled on her familiar black trousers and black shirt. The early morning air would still be cool, so she added a black knitted cardigan before quietly leaving through the back door. Slinging her backpack over one shoulder, she paused for a brief moment to breathe in the crisp morning air. Everything around her was silent. The garden still glistened with dew, and a thin veil of mist drifted above the small pond. Beyond the wooden fence, the forest waited.