Chapter 179 Secret Garden Meeting
"Then I'll get straight to the point. Are you interested in joining us?"
Lin Hanning's voice came through the mirror, no longer the playful, tentative tone of the past. Instead, it was steady, clear, and carried an undeniable weight. Her blue eyes gazed at me through the mirror, their feigned innocence gone, leaving only a calm assessment and a hint of appreciation, as if she were looking at a precious treasure.
I looked at the dark rose petals faintly visible on her collar, and the last bit of hope in my heart disappeared.
Sure enough, everything was designed.
From a "chance" encounter, to the "just right" help, to the formal invitation at this moment.
"Join you?" I leaned against the cold broken wall. Even though my internal strength was disordered and I was in a mess, I tried to make my voice sound calm.
I even felt like laughing, so I just sneered, "An organization that doesn't even dare to speak its name openly, that only hides in the shadows and observes, manipulating the fate of others like chess pieces? I don't even know who you are or what you want to do, so why should I join?"
Lin Hanning wasn't surprised by my sharpness. Instead, a faint, understanding smile appeared on his lips. "Caution is a virtue, especially in this day and age. You can call us the 'Secret Garden Society.'"
Secret Garden Club...
I have some impression of this name. Song Nanxing once mentioned it when I was still in the Investigation Bureau.
A global organization that even the FBI cannot track down seems to be dominating the development of world affairs, but its existence cannot be proven.
The Bureau of Investigation spent many years collaborating with other official forces around the world and only came up with the name "Secret Garden Society".
She continued, "It's not that we don't dare show it to others, but we prefer to... choose the right time and the right person. As for our purpose?" She paused, her eyes sweeping over my arm, which still had cracks on it.
She paused, as if weighing her words, and continued, "What you've experienced is no coincidence. Your 'potential' has long been noticed. We are not your enemies, at least not at this stage. We observe, we evaluate, and we... invest."
"Investment?" I raised my eyebrows.
“Invest in those seed players who have the ability to survive the ‘reincarnation cycle’ and even…create new situations.”
Lin Hanning's tone became serious. "You are undoubtedly one of them, Ji Ling. Everything you doubt, everything you seek answers to—about the evil god, about pollution, about the twisted truth of this world, even about the cloud-lightning pattern your parents left you—maybe you can find your way here."
"There are many people like you."
Lin Hanning threw out a lot of explosion and extinguishing information in one breath.
She even knew the origin of the Cloud Thunder Pattern...
Moreover, I really care about what she said: "There are many people like me."
People like me...are you referring to the container?
If there is more than one container like mine, how are they chosen?
These moved me more than any empty promises. They pointed directly to what I longed for most in my heart: truth, control over power, and a future that might not be so hopeless. Thinking of these things, my heart moved.
"That sounds wonderful," I said, not immediately being carried away. "But what's the price? What does the Secret Garden need me to do? Observe others like you observe me? Or become a knife in your hands, eliminating those who you think will disrupt your plans? Or... thoroughly study my 'unique potential' and turn it into your knowledge base?"
Lin Hanning shook his head slightly. "Secret Garden is neither an army nor a charity. We are more like... a combination of a research institute and a salon. We provide knowledge, resources, a relatively safe environment, and a platform for like-minded people to communicate. In return, members need to share their discoveries and sometimes assist in completing research projects or other tasks. We value wisdom and cooperation, not simple loyalty or sacrifice. As for you..."
She looked at me meaningfully. "We can help you better understand and control the power within you. It's not impossible for you to completely steal Gali's authority and power."
Knowledge, resources, methods of controlling power, God’s authority… every condition she put forward hit exactly what I needed.
I looked at the person in the mirror and fell into deep thought.
Struggling alone, with wolves in front and tigers behind, every step is indeed difficult. Joining a mysterious and powerful organization may lose some freedom and fall into a new unknown, but it may also gain key strength and intelligence to break the deadlock.
Risks and opportunities coexist.
I took a deep breath, suppressed my physical weakness and inner turmoil, and looked directly into Lin Hanning's eyes:
"Where is your 'salon'? How do I get there?" I didn't agree directly, but I had already made my attitude clear.
Lin Hanning's face finally showed a genuinely relaxed smile.
"Okay. I'll send you the address and passkey through this mirror. It will direct you to the nearest access point."
She paused, then added, "I suggest you quickly deal with the trivial matters of your Black Dragon Gang and appease your subordinates. The Secret Garden's 'Salon' isn't fixed to a specific location, and the next opening window is limited."
The faint light on the mirror began to intensify, and a complex and ever-changing set of group and coordinate information directly flooded into my mind. It was not text, but a more direct transmission of consciousness.
"I look forward to meeting you at the salon, Ji Ling. I'm sure there will be things and people there that you'll be interested in." Lin Hanning's figure began to fade. "One last reminder, be careful of the Investigation Bureau. That 'Grave Language'... is very troublesome."
As soon as I finished speaking, the mirror returned to normal, reflecting only my pale and expressionless face.
I clenched the mirror in my hand, feeling the clear coordinates and map in my mind.
Secret Garden Club...Salon...
I silently recited these words, chewing over what Lin Hanning had just said to me.
"Tomb Language" should be the secret-level personnel who came with Gang Jue and the others that day. Secret-level personnel are indeed a group of difficult people, but those who can make Lin Hanning or the "Secret Garden Society" feel troubled are definitely not good people.
Now that she has reminded me, I should also be more careful.
I put away the makeup mirror in my hand, stood up, dusted off the dust on my body, and took Xiaobai back to the Black Dragon Gang.
A new road seems to be opening up before my eyes, but I don’t know whether the end of this road will be the dawn of hope or a deeper vortex.
But no matter what, now that the choice has been made, there is no room for regret.
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