Chapter 798: Chapter 795: A Move from the Opponent
As soon as he entered, the shopkeeper eagerly greeted him, "I thought you’d already left. Just in time, a guest just checked out. I’ll have someone tidy up the room for you to move in."
Xiao Tian chuckled lightly, "Even if I had left, my luggage is still here!"
The shopkeeper’s chubby face turned red and he coughed awkwardly, "Right, right, look at me, I’ve been so busy lately." As he spoke, he took out Xiao Tian’s backpack from the counter.
A moment later, the shopkeeper shouted towards the back courtyard, "Xiaoshengzi, hurry and prepare the room for the guest!"
Xiao Tian wasn’t in a hurry to rest. After casually finding a stool to sit on, just as he was about to speak, he saw a skinny young man with a towel draped over his shoulder emerge and rush upstairs.
At this point, seeing Xiao Tian’s curious gaze, the shopkeeper immediately realized what he wanted to ask, and preemptively replied, "He’s a new helper I hired."
Xiao Tian waved his hand, saying, "That’s not what I’m talking about. Today, I walked around outside and noticed there were many people in town, but it seems not many are heading to the scenic area?"
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Tian added, "Or relatively speaking, the number going to the scenic area is less than half."
The shopkeeper squinted his eyes, leaned in, and whispered, "I’ll only tell you this — though I’m not sure of the details, many guests these days have been talking about the same thing..."
Xiao Tian asked, "What about?" Then, as if realizing something, he took out a stack of hundred-yuan bills and handed them over.
"That’s not what I meant," the shopkeeper quickly declined, but after a few rounds, he still kept them, trying hard to contain his surprise.
After putting the money away, the shopkeeper continued mysteriously, "I heard them say something about someone called the Hunter who has a map to a treasure. I didn’t pay attention to the rest, but I imagine they were discussing how to get it."
"A treasure map?!"
These words immediately sent a chill through Xiao Tian’s heart. Hearing the words ’treasure map’ made him involuntarily think of the map inside the Megrez Stone.
Thinking of this, Xiao Tian asked again, "Is the person they’re talking about called the Hunter?"
The shopkeeper was first taken aback, then clapped his head, "Oh right, right, it’s the one called the Hunter. Why? Could it be you also..."
Seeing Xiao Tian’s face darken, the shopkeeper immediately realized his slip of the tongue and then thought about having taken so much money from someone and only giving them such a vague piece of information.
A moment later, the shopkeeper awkwardly smiled, "Well, I’ll give you a 20% discount when you settle the bill later!"
Xiao Tian waved his hand indicating he should mind his own business. Seeing the shopkeeper happily counting money in secret, a feeling of suspicion and curiosity surged over him.
At this moment, Xiao Tian suddenly thought of the mysterious letter he received earlier. The letter mentioned that someone was about to make a move, and now it seems to be the case.
Although Xiao Tian was certain the current events were orchestrations of the mysterious letter’s sender, he couldn’t help but ponder a question—how did he come to know about this affair?!
It’s known from the little girl’s information, what Ghost Face uncovered, and the snippets from the Kunlun Sect, pieced together a vague outline before he decided to head to Kunlun, and this process was almost seamless.
The only ones who had genuinely seen the map within the Megrez Stone, aside from Xiao Tian himself, were Lin Bingxuan, the little girl, and only a few including Ghost Face.
Xiao Tian didn’t suspect his own people, seeing that Ghost Face had already sent the incomplete map to some history experts, it’s not impossible that the information leaked from there.
But if this assumption holds, then there would be even more illogical points, like how the mysterious letter’s sender, even with fragments from Ghost Face’s map, could ascertain it was a treasure map?!
If this was a scheme to frame Xiao Tian and cause him trouble, it seems a bit far-fetched too, doesn’t it?!
At least from Xiao Tian’s perspective, the mysterious letter’s sender shouldn’t resort to such elementary tactics.
While pondering, a sudden urgent phone ring interrupted, Xiao Tian picked up his phone to see Ghost Face’s call, igniting a sense of unease—at this time, it surely wouldn’t be good news.
As expected, as soon as the call connected, Ghost Face quickly spoke, "I just saw on the Dark List, almost everyone is discussing one thing these days..."
Before Ghost Face could finish, Xiao Tian calmly said, "That I have a treasure map?"
"You already know?" Ghost Face asked in surprise. "Has someone already acted against you?"
"No!" After denying, Xiao Tian relayed everything the shopkeeper had shared to Ghost Face.
After listening to Xiao Tian’s words, Ghost Face’s tone suddenly turned somber, "If that’s the case, then it’s indeed troubling. You might not have noticed, but I mentioned it started being discussed a few days ago."
"As of now, a general photo of the Megrez Stone is already published, and many are speculating whose treasure the hidden map might point to."
Ghost Face’s words made Xiao Tian furrow his brows. After a moment, he spoke in a deep voice, "How many days ago specifically?"
"Hang on, I’m checking now!" Ghost Face anticipated Xiao Tian’s question and was already typing rapidly on the keyboard while responding.
A moment later, Ghost Face said word by word, "...Four days ago!" His tone filled with disbelief.
"Four days ago?!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tian was quite alarmed. Four days ago, wasn’t that just when he merged the pendants into the Megrez Stone, and the news had already spread without him even realizing?!
Ghost Face’s voice was evidently lower, "Although it sounds unbelievable, the earliest mention of you obtaining the Megrez Stone was indeed reported four days ago, it just didn’t draw much attention back then."
After saying this, Xiao Tian understood; there must be some hidden hands manipulating this matter, no matter how now that the news about the Megrez Stone is almost universally known.
From this point of view, the identity of the mysterious letter’s sender is likely not simple!
However, although Xiao Tian felt some trouble, he never expected this journey to be smooth sailing. Since the opponent has already made a move, he’ll just have to face it.
"Alright, I got it!"
After hanging up the phone, Xiao Tian just caught sight of the helper coming down from upstairs, who said ingratiatingly, "Upstairs, turn left and go to the end; your room is on the left. Do you need me to take you up?"
"No, thank you!"
After politely declining the offer, Xiao Tian walked upstairs.
Given the circumstances, it also explains why his appearance in the morning attracted immediate attention.
