Chapter 7: Caution has no great mistakes

  At the time when the Tang Dynasty was worried about the population on its own territory, in the general camp of the Iron Rider Alliance on Canglong Ridge, a group of leaders of the Iron Rider Alliance gathered in the "Zhongyitang" hall of the general camp, speaking loudly and expressing their own opinions on the matter of Mu Hailin, the head of the household, returning safely today after entering the Duanhun Gorge alone.

  The vast majority of the leaders agreed with Mu Hailin's point of view, because they all knew about the legend of Duanhun Gorge and had heard from the elderly that there were endless treasures and fertile land inside.

  Apart from this, all the leaders felt that the terrain of Duanhun Gorge was more treacherous than Canglong Ridge. If they could move the Iron Rider Alliance's main camp to Duanhun Gorge, it would undoubtedly be safer than the current Canglong Ridge.

  As the brothers had almost finished their conversation, Master Cao Mingli, sitting to the left of Mu Hailin, gently stroked his sparse white goatee and coughed softly, signaling the crowd below to quiet down.

  "In the case of Tang Family Manor, which suddenly appeared in the Soul-Taking Gorge, the head of the family has made it very clear. If it's true that the thousand-year-old evil curse in the Soul-Taking Gorge has indeed disappeared, then calling Tang Family Manor a paradise on earth wouldn't be an exaggeration at all." Cao Mingli gazed at the twenty-four high and low-ranking leaders on both sides of the hall with a seemingly smiling yet not quite smiling expression, and continued to speak in a deeply calculating tone:

  However, as far as I know, most people who have been cursed by the Soul-Breaking Gorge's deadly curse can survive for 36 hours before dying. Here, I'd like to declare that I'm not trying to be a prophet of doom, but rather thinking about the lives and safety of all 879 men, women, and children in the Iron Cavalry Alliance. I think Big Boss is being too hasty by planning to lead everyone into the Soul-Breaking Gorge tomorrow.

  "I think Master Cao's concerns are not unfounded." The woman sitting in the third seat on the right side of the hall, a stunning Uyghur beauty with an alluring appearance, was casually trimming her long fingernails with a sharp cow ear knife while saying: "Master, it's not that I don't trust you, but this matter is indeed too big, involving the lives and deaths of hundreds of people in the entire village. It's better to be cautious. If Duanhun Gorge was so easy to pass through, it wouldn't have remained unowned for thousands of years."

  With a loud "bang", Mu Haitao, sitting opposite the beautiful Uyghur woman, slammed his wine bowl heavily on the long wooden table in front of him, his tiger eyes wide open and glaring at her. "Irina, what do you mean?! Could it be that my brother would harm everyone?!"

  "Mu San-ge, don't talk nonsense." Irina lifted her leg and inserted the pointed ear into the deerskin boot, hastily explaining: "Little sister absolutely didn't mean what you said."

  "What do you mean!" Mu Haitao slammed the table and stood up, turning around to point at Cao Mingli, his face sinking as he said: "And you, Master Cao, you were right to be worried, but you all keep saying that my brother is leading our brothers to take risks, I absolutely won't agree! I, along with Kurban, Wumuer, and Qi Dakuai, personally saw my brother fly out of the Soul-Breaking Gorge on a flying boat. And more than 40 of our brothers clearly heard the sound of large-caliber fortress cannons firing in unison from inside the gorge, at least over a hundred heavy artillery shells were fired. If the curse was still there, how could it be possible for someone to build a heavy artillery emplacement inside, and even construct a castle comparable to a military stronghold?!"

  Two mustachioed Uyghur men sitting under Mu Haitao's first, as well as another tall and majestic bald man, nodded in unison after Mu Haitao finished speaking, proving that what Old Three said was true.

  "Duanhun Gorge is already someone else's territory, this is an indisputable fact." Mu Hailin, who had been sitting quietly in the first seat without speaking, finally spoke up, waving his hand to signal Mu Haitao to sit down. His eagle-like eyes scanned each face of everyone present, and he said in a very calm tone:

  "Master Cao and Irina's concerns were not unfounded, I indeed acted too hastily. There are no outsiders present, only our own brothers and sisters. Today, I gathered everyone to discuss important matters, so it's normal for there to be disagreements. Although I, Mu Hailin, am currently the leader of the Iron Rider Alliance, I am not a tyrant who refuses to listen to opposing views. Let's put aside the matter of relocation for now. If I, Mu Hailin, can still live freely in three days' time, we will discuss it again then. That's all for today, everyone can disperse! Master Cao, please stay behind."

  In the midst of everyone's farewell voices, the spacious assembly hall appeared especially empty under the illumination of dozens of torches on both walls.

  Mu Haolin stepped down from the tiger skin chair and sat down in a high-backed armchair beside Cao Mingli, extending his left hand and smiling calmly at Cao Mingli: "Master, I know you're well-versed in medicine, would you trouble yourself to take my pulse and see if there's anything unusual about my body?"

  Cao Mingli didn't exchange pleasantries with Mu Haolin either, his hand reached out to press against the pulse on Mu Haolin's left wrist, his eyes lightly closed, not saying a word.

  After a long while, Cao Mingli's eyelids suddenly opened, and the sharp light in his eyes flashed and disappeared. He said with a straight face: "Master, from the pulse condition, your body is as strong as a dragon and tiger, very good! It's completely different from the rumored that anyone who enters the Duanhun Gorge will come out with a strange disease and chaotic pulse."

  "Thanks to Allah, I, Mu Haolin, will break the curse that has haunted my family for a thousand years!" Mu Haolin laughed loudly and said: "Master, what symptoms will appear in those who have been cursed by the Soul-Breaking Gorge? I believe I know more clearly than you, because every generation of our Mu family has detailed records."

  "The great master has always been cautious in his actions, and I naturally know that." Cao Mingli bowed his head and said: "To say, the great master's decision, I should unconditionally support. However, after listening to the great master's detailed account of entering the Duanhun Gorge, there is one thing that I have been pondering over in my heart."

  "Please speak!" Mu Hailin said with a courteous gesture of his right hand.

  "As the master of the Tang family said, such a grand project as Tangjia Fort, why is it that only Mr. Tang of the Tang Dynasty lives here? The people who participated in the construction of this project have all disappeared without a trace. Was it that they were killed by the Tang Dynasty to silence them, or did they really all withdraw? Before this matter is clarified, I suggest that Master Tang be more cautious!" Cao Mingli said with concern.

  "Canglong Ridge is blocking the only way to Soul-Breaking Gorge. In all these years, have we ever seen anyone enter Soul-Breaking Gorge? Building such a massive project would require countless labor and equipment. It's impossible for these workers and equipment to sneak past our eyes and ears without being detected! Therefore, Master, don't you think this matter is full of suspiciousness? It's too unbelievable!"

  Mu Haolin furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then relaxed it. "As long as we use several large airships and take advantage of the night to directly enter Duanhun Gorge from the sky, no matter how many people or equipment can be transported in. Master, I think your worries are a bit unnecessary. When there's an opportunity, let you personally ride on the airship and circle around in the sky, you'll understand."

  "Is the airship really as wonderful as you say?" Cao Mingli asked incredulously.

  "The airship I took today, according to Mr. Tang, is only the smallest model, and that large airship, just the hull alone is over 150 meters long, can carry more than 100 tons of cargo and passengers at a time!" Mu Hailin said seriously: "Master, there's something I didn't tell you all, Mr. Tang is General Yuan's man!"

  "Pffft!" Cao Mingli sucked in a breath of cold air upon hearing this, "Is this really true?"

  "Indeed!" Mu Hailin nodded solemnly.

  "So that's how it is, some things can be explained now." Cao Mingli said to himself, "It seems that even the current emperor has his eyes on the endless treasure buried in the legendary Duanhun Gorge!"

  "I'm not sure if there's really a treasure, but I can be certain that inside is a large gold mine." Mu Hailin smiled and said: "Mr. Tang was specifically guarding the gold mine for President Yuan, Tangjia Fortress is actually President Yuan's secret treasury."

  Cao Mingli's mouth was agape for a moment before he quickly regained his composure, his face showing concern as he said: "Master, if it's really like this, we've gotten involved in such a huge imperial secret, who knows whether our lives will be guaranteed in the future?"

  If Tang Dynasty could hear this earth-shaking lie at that time, it would make Cao Shifu associate and wonder whether Tang Dynasty should laugh or cry.

  It has to be said that the Tang Dynasty was able to use such a clumsy excuse to gain Mu Hailin's deep trust, and it has a great deal to do with Yang Zengxin, the current governor of Xinjiang, who vigorously promotes "feudal superstition and ghost stories".

  Yang Zengxin was deeply devoted to the feudal tradition and vigorously advocated for and supported religious beliefs. Under his autocratic rule, Xinjiang implemented a closed-door policy of self-protection and ignorant policies. Advanced scientific theories and radical revolutionary ideas had no soil to survive in Xinjiang at that time.

  When the rumor of Yuan Shikai's intention to become emperor reached Xinjiang, Yang Zengxin was extremely supportive. Moreover, the kings and nobles of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang also supported Yuan Shikai's ascension to the throne. It can be said that the idea of imperial power had a great market in Xinjiang at that time.

  The Tang Dynasty did not expect that today, the first phase of the base's construction was completed smoothly and coincidentally on the same day as Yuan Shikai's ascension to the throne.

  A lie often requires a thousand lies to cover it up. I don't know when the Tang Dynasty's lie will be exposed.

  But fortunately for the Tang Dynasty, Muhe Linge never thought that the Tang Dynasty was deceiving him from start to finish.

  In Mu Hai Lin's mind, even the heavens and earth are nothing compared to helping the old Mu family break free from the thousand-year curse of the Soul Severing Canyon!

  Facing Cao Mingli's worries, Mu Hailin waved his hand with a smile: "Don't worry, Master, I still have some discerning eyes, and Mr. Tang is absolutely not that kind of ruthless and heartless person. I can tell you very responsibly, no matter what kind of person Mr. Tang is, he will be the benefactor of our Mu family for generations to come! Even if the Iron Riders Alliance disbands, it's worth it!"

  "Haha, great master, your Mu family isn't afraid of anything, and this old bone of mine doesn't have much to worry about either." Cao Mingli smiled and said: "Since the great master has spoken clearly, I think it's better to move early rather than late. You should know that once rumors spread outside, there will be many people who want to disrupt Soul Valley Master's plans!"

  "Hmm!" Mu Hailin nodded and said: "I'm also worried about this, so I hurriedly gathered everyone together. This way, tomorrow my Mu family will take the lead, other brothers and relatives, three days later they can set off again, this way it can also let those who don't know the inside story put their minds at ease."

  "It's indeed a good opportunity." Cao Mingli stroked his beard, nodded and smiled: "The head of the household, it seems that the opportunity for the Mu family and the Iron Rider Alliance to rise to fame has arrived!"

  "Hahaha!" Mu Hailin Zhide laughed triumphantly, looking up at the sky. "Like this, Master, please help me get rid of that emissary sent by the Revolutionary Party, and then trouble you to personally go to Di Hua and ask General Yang to send someone over to discuss the specific matters of reorganization."

  "What a wise decision by the great leader! I've said it before, those so-called revolutionary parties are all just a bunch of rabble, they'll never amount to anything." Cao Mingli smiled with satisfaction: "Taking advantage of the new emperor's ascension to power, accepting the government's offer of amnesty, in the future we will surely be able to secure a good future for all our brothers in the Iron Rider Alliance."

  "Mr. Tang once said, with a gun is the king of the grasslands!" Mu Hailin raised his hand and bowed in the direction of the Tang family fortress, his face full of reverence. "Mr. Tang also said that President Yuan's ascension to the throne would not be accepted by the people, its foundation would be unstable, and great chaos would ensue. Having an army and guns is our greatest asset for survival."

  "Master Da, do you think Mr. Tang can win against Commander Yang?" Cao Mingli asked thoughtfully.

  Mu Hailin smiled deeply and said, "I have a hunch that before long, the sky of Xinjiang will change!"

  Newcomer on the road, sincerely ask all the good teachers and friends to help me, so that I can walk more steadily and further on the path of creation!

  Every collection and recommendation is the greatest encouragement to me! Thank you all! The ghost here bows to you!