Tranxending Vision - Chapter 685

Chapter 685: 685

In the Chevrolet Suburban, Xia Lei handed Ning Jing’s last painting to Alessio . “Take a look . What is this place?”

Alessio looked closely at it, and was silent for a while before saying, “Boss, is this place real?”

“I don’t know either . That’s why I’m asking you,” said Xia Lei .

Alessio looked at the painting again . “I can’t tell what place this is, but it looks like a small town in Italy . There are many small towns like this, where the architecture of the Middle Ages have been preserved . This painting looks like it’s of the Middle Ages period though . The people in the painting are all wearing clothing from that time period . ”

He had obviously not spotted the fairly special existence in the painting — the young Asian man in jeans and sports shoes .

“You’re a Sicilian . Is it also like this in Sicily?” Xia Lei did not draw Alessio’s attention to that part of the painting .

Alessio smiled wryly . “There are lots of nice places in Italy, but Sicily is an outlier . It’s quite a bad area since it’s the origin of the mafia . Drugs, violent crimes, all the bad things you can think of will happen there on any given day . You won’t like it . It’s my hometown but I hate it . ”

“What do you know about da Vinci?” Xia Lei asked another question .

“Da Vinci? Heh heh, Boss, all Italians know about da Vinci . To us Italians, da Vinci is like how Li Bai is to you Chinese . The pride of us Italians . ”

Xia Lei gave a laugh . “You know about Li Bai too? There’s more to you than meets the eye . Can you talk to me about da Vinci?”

Alessio’s expression turned awkward . “I only know that he painted the Mona Lisa, and that his hometown is in Vinci . It’s about 100 kilometres north of Arezzo . I haven’t ever been there, but I know about it . That place is pretty famous and a lot of people go there because of da Vinci . ” After a pause, he gave Xia Lei an odd look . “What’s this about, Boss? When did you become interested in da Vinci? Are you going to Italy?”

“Yes . I want to go to Italy and have a look around,” said Xia Lei . “Can you help me arrange things if I want to go to Italy in the near future?”

“Are you talking about sneaking in?” asked Alessio .

Xia Lei nodded . “Yes . I don’t want the CIA to know that I’ve gone to Italy . The FA Organisation too . Could you help me handle this?”

Alessio shrugged . “This small thing? You can count on me . ”

“Any issues with safety?”

“Heh heh, Boss, it’s Italy . She has her own rules . Even the CIA has to go by her rules, or their agent bodies will slouch on the pavement . I’m not some big fish in Italy, but I have friends . I can guarantee that anyone who touches you will regret it . ”

Xia Lei laughed . “That’s settled, then . Please arrange it for me . ”

“No problem . Just wait for my call . ” Alessio stepped out of Xia Lei’s car .

Alessio, did not act in any exaggerated way . He was the Dragon of the Zodiac team, brave, undefeatable, unafraid of death . Other than his identity as a member of the Zodiac team, he had another identity — a member of the Italian mafia . He had grown up in that dark land, and was familiar with everything to do with it . He had his ways, his methods . Picking Alessio to accompany him to Italy was the smartest choice .


Xia Lei returned to Thunder Horse Military Factory after Alessio left, and went to his office .

“Have some tea, Director Xia . ” Qing Caiyue made a cup of tea for Xia Lei .

“Thank you . ” Xia Lei switched his computer on, and entered the words “Mona Lisa” into the Baidu search bar . The related search results popped out on the screen, and he opened up the Baidu Encyclopaedia and read the entry .

Qing Caiyue drew close to Xia Lei and glanced at the contents of his screen . She asked curiously, “Do you like this painting, Director Xia?”

“Are you talking about the Mona Lisa?” said Xia Lei casually .

“Yes, I’m talking about the Mona Lisa . I’ve visited the Louvre in Paris and I’ve seen the painting . ”

“You’ve seen the original work?”

Qing Caiyue’s lips quirked in a smile . “It’s in the Louvre, and you can see it there . Director Xia, if you like this painting, you should see it in the Louvre . It really is a treasure of the art world, and there are many, many legends connected to it . It has many mysteries and they remain unsolved till this day . ”



The memory of Ning Jing being “possessed” suddenly surfaced in Xia Lei’s mind . She was panicky, scared, and had kept saying “Mona Lisa” . Xia Lei thought to himself, ‘She painted the Mona Lisa, and spoke about it continuously . Was she telling me to go to the Louvre to see the painting? Is there really a secret hidden in that painting? Or a clue?’

“Director Xia?”

Xia Lei snapped back to his senses . He gave a laugh . “Nothing, I’m just thinking if I should go see it . ”

“I recommend that you do . But it will be impossible to buy it . It’s a treasure of the Louvre and not up for sale . ”

“It’s just a painting . I don’t want to buy it . You go on with your work, I’m just looking at this,” said Xia Lei .

Qing Caiyue’s slender hand landed on Xia Lei’s shoulder .

Xia Lei paused, and was embarrassed .

Qing Caiyue moved her hand away from Xia Lei’s shoulder and a strand of black hair appeared between her fingers . It was obviously not a strand of male hair because it was long, and fairly soft .

This hair should have come from Ning Jing .

Qing Caiyue said nothing after pulling the hair from Xia Lei’s shoulder . She walked off with it . The expression on her face was strange too, like she wanted to laugh but was holding it in .

Xia Lei grew even more embarrassed . “Uh, it’s not what you’re thinking . ”

Qing Caiyue looked back at Xia Lei and smiled . “What am I thinking about, Director Xia? I’m not thinking anything, but you have to be more careful . It’s not good if anyone sees . ”

Xia Lei was speechless .

And she said she wasn’t thinking of anything?



Xia Lei was rendered speechless by that cheeky smile of Qing Caiyue’s .

He held his naughty thoughts under control, and a wry smile appeared on his lips .

Qing Caiyue looked back at him when she got to the doorway, with a pretty smile on her lips . Xia Lei, however, felt guilty and avoided her gaze . He looked at the Baidu page and quickly refocused his attention somewhere else . A piece of information caught his notice .

The paragraph was about the “hidden secret in Mona Lisa’s eyes” . It seemed that there was a letter “A” or “B” in her left eye, and a letter “E” in her right eye .

Xia Lei immediately discounted the theory that it was the letter “B” . An indescribable excitement rose in his heart . ‘AE! Is this the secret that the Mona Lisa is hiding? The painting is related to the secret of AE and it’s a clue? Ning Jing kept telling me “Mona Lisa”, so this is not a coincidence . Looks like I’ll have to go to France before I go to Italy!’

“Director Xia . ” Qing Caiyue appeared in the doorway again .

Xia Lei looked at and glanced at her . “Yeah? What is it?”

“A gentleman surnamed Yu is here to see you . ” She then added, “And a young lady surnamed Tang . ”

Tang Yuyan’s voice came from outside just as Qing Caiyue was done talking . “Do you want a secretary, Directory Xia? I’d like to change professions . I’ll be your secretary . ”

Tang Yuyan walked in with a sly smile on her face . “Look, am I pretty, Director Xia? My figure’s not bad either, right? C’mon, take me . ”

A headache abruptly descended on Xia Lei . She didn’t make it seem like he was looking for a secretary at all, but like a jibe at him hiring based off looks and that he was a perverted boss .

Qing Caiyue frowned . She was unhappy, but she was no fool . Tang Yuyan dared to act this way in front of Xia Lei, so this meant that she did not have a normal relationship with Xia Lei, right? Qing Caiyue did not want to offend such a person .

Yu Shanhe walked in too . He was the “Mr Yu” whom Qing Caiyue had spoke of, and Xia Lei had guessed that already . However, he could not guess what Yu Shanhe was here for . Tang Yuyan too — he did not understand why she had come here with Yu Shanhe .

“We meet again, Mr Xia . ” Yu Shanhe greeted him with a smile .



Xia Lei stood and also put a smile on his face . “Ah, Mr Yu . Welcome, welcome . Please have a seat . ” He then said, “Caiyue, bring two cups of tea over . ”

“Yes, Director Xia,” said Qing Caiyue obediently .

Tang Yuyan peeked at Qing Caiyue’s buttocks and tsked . “What a plump rump . Beautiful, sexy . Yep, that’s the sort of secretary you should hire . ”

Xia Lei was speechless .

“Ahem . ” Yu Shanhe cleared his throat . This sort of talk from Tang Yuyan was at best a joke, but seemed more like flirtatious banter .

Tang Yuyan then straighten up, but there was still some anger in her eyes when she looked at Xia Lei . She liked Xia Lei, and wanted him . This was an open secret in Bureau 101, but Xia Lei had not acted on this at all, and it brought her a lot of frustration . How could she not be mad at him?

Xia Lei avoided Tang Yuyan’s gaze . “Um . Mr Yu, I trust you bear good tidings?”

“You are right, Mr Xia . I have indeed come with good news,” said Yu Shanhe with a laugh .

“What news?” asked Xia Lei .

Tang Yuyan drew close to Xia Lei’s side and nudged his heel lightly with her toe .

This seemed to be a signal for something . Xia Lei’s heart thumped, but he made no outward reaction .

Yu Shanhe had not noticed Tang Yuyan’s small movement . He said, “Are you still unaware? Thunder Horse Military Factory’s Hellhound One-soldier Cannon has performed very well in the Middle East wars . It’s now highly sought after in the whole world . ”

Xia Lei paused . He had not been aware that the Hellhound One-soldier had been used on the battlefield in the Middle East . If this was true, then it was a good thing for Thunder Horse Military Factory . But Yu Shanhe had not come here just to congratulate him, had he?