Chapter 38: Becoming Buddha or Devil in an Instant 2

  Section 1

  Sacred Lake of Budam, also known as the Divine Lake, is a famous sacred site of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said to be the dojo of Vajrapani, the embodiment of the Buddha's power. To its southeast lies the majestic Tanggula Mountain, whose main peak pierces the sky and is covered with snow all year round. The vast grasslands surround the lake, making it look like a giant mirror inlaid in the grasslands of southern Tibet. The blue sky, the emerald green lake, the snowy mountains, the lush green grass, and the blooming wildflowers all blend together to form a breathtakingly beautiful picture. Standing before this scenery, Li Wei and his two companions felt their hearts filled with wonder and joy, as if they had entered a paradise on earth. They couldn't help but prostrate themselves in reverence. At dawn, the lake's surface was shrouded in mist, with the surrounding mountains vaguely visible. As the sun rose gradually, the clouds dispersed, and the gentle breeze caressed their faces. The vast expanse of the lake's surface rippled gently, as the monks accompanied Li Wei in continuous prostrations, chanting scriptures from their mouths. Unlike before, Li Wei was no longer distracted; he was truly moved by this sacred scenery.

  As the scripture recitation came to an end, before he even got up, Li Wei suddenly felt a familiar evil aura creeping in, getting closer and closer. He turned his head and noticed that the source of the evil aura was those lamas and disciples who were even more devout, taking a few steps forward and kowtowing with their foreheads to the ground. Li Wei whispered into the monk's ear:

  "They have evil intentions on them, think of a way to get close to them."

  The monk continued to chant and kowtow, and Li Wei and the shaman could only follow suit. Before long, those people arrived at the lake and also started chanting and kowtowing. The monk stopped chanting and listened carefully. After they finished their first round, the monk signaled Li Wei and the shaman not to move, then he got up and walked over to the leading lama and paid his respects. He spoke in Tibetan, saying something in a low voice, and the two of them kept bowing and showing deference to each other, as if they knew each other. Li Wei saw this scene and was secretly delighted, thinking that there might be an opportunity. The sacred lake of Budanm really was efficacious, bringing us good luck. Thinking this, he kowtowed and chanted even more sincerely.

  Section 2

  Tens of thousands of pilgrims flocked to the Lama Temple, and it was Li Wei who played a significant role in discovering these few individuals. However, being able to get close to them was the monk's skill. Studying Buddhist scriptures was his hobby, which helped him at this time. It seems that mastering an extra skill or having an additional talent is still quite important, as there will always be moments when it comes in handy.

  This group of lamas was originally looking for people to join, the more the merrier, the fewer the better to eat. Now that someone has delivered it to their doorstep, how can they refuse? Lamasangye is a fugitive from the border of Tianzhu, he came specifically to find followers to help them cause trouble, spread Tibetan independence speeches, defend the position of Dalai Lama, and dedicate themselves to the Dalai Lama. They happened to pass by Lake Potala today, how could they not come to worship?

  In the midst of coincidence, there is inevitability; in the midst of inevitability, there is coincidence. Thus, Li Wei, the fortune teller, and the three monks joined the team of Sangjie Dajie Lama. The first to feel uncomfortable was Li Wei, as this team was too devout, and he couldn't bear their ascetic life as Buddhist monks. Next was the fortune teller, the only woman in the group. In Zen Buddhism, women can study and practice Buddhism and become nuns, but in Tantric Buddhism, women can only be believers, so she wasn't very welcome. (It's said that some Tantric practitioners also engage in dual cultivation.) Moreover, the Tibetans have a severe patriarchal society; the monk was indeed a monk, having tried even facing the wall and entering meditation. Li Wei sometimes thought that the monk could survive just by drinking water; it's truly a miracle that such a person could appear as a special consultant at Yutong Logistics Company.

  The lama spoke fluently about the Buddhist scriptures, able to talk for three days and three nights without repeating himself. However, when it came to speaking ill of the Chinese, his words were stiff and awkward, stuttering and stumbling, losing all elegance. It seemed that this person was not skilled in telling lies or speaking nonsense, but he still had to speak, as it was his purpose for coming here. Inciting followers to cause trouble was also not his strong suit, firstly because he couldn't bear to do so, and secondly because he didn't dare to. He wasn't like some lamas who were fearless, but he still had to go through the motions, as there were two other lamas with him, and if they didn't carry out the orders of the Dharma Protector Lama, they would be expelled from the Buddhist order and forced to return to secular life. As a result, Li Wei found very little evil in this person. The other two lamas were different, however - their actions were not worthy of their monk's robes. They openly practiced asceticism and endured suffering, but secretly broke their vows and engaged in all sorts of vile and corrupt activities. All of this did not escape Li Wei's eyes, as he was specifically responsible for keeping an eye on these two lamas. The shaman was responsible for finding the source of the evil energy and coming up with a solution. The monk was responsible for studying Buddhist scriptures with the Dharma Protector Lama, spending his days in the company of the scriptures, and was very happy.

  Li Wei didn't keep a close eye on the two evil lamas, but instead chose to blend in with them, catering to their tastes, sharing fine wine and cigarettes, attending banquets and gambling dens together, flattering and fawning over them, addressing them as "Buddha" this and "Buddha" that. Li Wei summarized his multiple experiences of going undercover: "A thousand tricks can be used, but flattery is the most effective; a thousand dollars can be spent, but it's never enough." By hanging out with them every day, he gathered a lot of information. This time, over a hundred lamas who had sneaked across the border from Tibet were involved in the grand operation to spread their teachings. They had collected all the followers and were going to take them to a secret base for indoctrination. Once they entered the base, they would be blindfolded and led on a path, but after that, they wouldn't need to be watched anymore, because everyone who came out of the base became a loyal and devoted follower, willing to sacrifice their lives.

  The "Shangshen Mountain" team, after reporting and researching with their superiors, decided to infiltrate the mysterious Hongfa stronghold, investigate the evil causes among the followers, and eliminate the stronghold while striking at the enemy's arrogance. If possible, they can also infiltrate the Tibetan Lamas' organization in exile and release a small number of lawless elements. To prevent potential dangers, Dr. Blue Tooth will upgrade their work uniform system configuration to ensure absolute safety. The monk thinks that Dalai Lama Sangjie is kind-hearted and has a Bodhisattva's heart, which is clearly different from others, so they should try to win him over. The superiors instructed that the Chinese people have always welcomed patriots; it's good if we can win them over, but there's no need to force it if not. What's most important is the people; only by pacifying the people can we safeguard the country.

  A good sentence to pacify the people can ensure the safety of a country, it is a principle that all wise rulers throughout history have understood. Mencius said "the people are more important than the ruler", Li Shimin said "water can carry a boat but also capsize it". All emperors in history wanted to control and manipulate the people, fooling them, so none of their dynasties lasted forever. Only by putting the people first, loving and caring for them, can a country's fortune be long-lasting.

  Section 3

  The destination of Sangjie Lama is Tuo Tuo, a place near the border between Tianzhu and Tubo, which is currently the only place in China that has no highway or postal service. It's really sinister to choose this place as a secret base for the lamas. Human and animal power are the only means of transportation here, and the people of Tubo live almost isolated from the outside world in primitive conditions. This is the most mysterious place in Tubo, an undeveloped virgin land. The government has invested tens of millions of yuan several times to build roads, but they have been repeatedly destroyed by landslides, mudslides, and floods.

  Along the rugged and uneven mountain road, a group of devotees were trekking through mountains and rivers, braving dangers such as landslides, floods, mudslides, and avalanches. Li Weizhen wished he could fly to heaven, but on this journey, they had to stay in simple shacks, sleep on wooden boards, and eat dry rations. In order not to expose the "Shangshen Mountain" group, they had to follow the devotees on foot. High-ranking lamas were carried by devotees and didn't have to walk, while monks also received this treatment. Li Weizhen and Shenpo could only walk. They entered Tuetuo in the most unsuitable month, sometimes in high mountains, sometimes in deep valleys, sometimes in muddy terrain, and sometimes on icy roads. The rain and snow mixed together, and the cold wind blew fiercely. With the protection of their work uniform system, Li Weizhen and Shenpo weren't suffering too much, but he resented this unfairness and silently cursed the arrogant lama who was being carried.