Chapter 1344 — Who Is the Mastermind Behind the Scenes
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"We heard it. What was that -- did someone use explosives?" Master Hao asked, nodding.
"That was my impression as well. And not far from the husband-and-wife thieves' tent, my men turned up traces of blood..." Old Hei's face was grave. "The thieves themselves have failed to appear here. I suspect this business may have something to do with them."
"Your suspicion is not misplaced. Everyone has come -- only the husband-and-wife thieves are missing. I propose that we go together to their tent and see what sort of trick they are playing." Master Hao nodded his agreement. "I have had my doubts about those two for a long while now."
James naturally had no objection. There were only three parties in the tent; both the organizer of this tomb-raiding venture and the venerable Master Hao had agreed, so what was there for him to say? He nodded. "I have no objections."
"Old fossil -- so you are saying there is something wrong with me?" Suddenly a voice came from outside the tent. The husband-and-wife thieves pushed the flap aside and walked in, regarding Master Hao and the assembled company with cold eyes.
"Male Thief... you are not..." Master Hao caught sight of Wei Zhao, apparently without a scratch on him, and froze.
"What about me, Master Hao?" Wei Zhao regarded him with a half-smile. "Puzzled that I am neither dead nor hurt?"
"That... how should I know? What has it to do with me?" Master Hao's face darkened.
"Did that old fossil with the blown-off hand not tell you?" Wei Zhao asked evenly. "That I was caught in the blast too, and would very likely be done for?"
"You... what are you talking about? I don't understand..." Master Hao's expression grew uglier still.
"You don't understand? Then I shall say it for you. That old fossil told me, before he tried to kill me, that it was you who sent him to do the job. It was only his own arrogance that stopped him finishing me -- and let me learn the secret." Wei Zhao regarded Master Hao with mocking amusement, speaking slowly, weighing every word.
"You... bullshit! Old Hei, this boy is a spy -- today's whole mess is his doing. Let us finish him off together!" So saying, Master Hao reached for his gun. But Old Hei was a beat ahead, his pistol already out and pressed to Master Hao's temple: "It was you. So it was you all along! You had Mr. Qiu killed -- didn't you?"
"Old Hei, don't get the wrong idea... don't listen to the Male Thief's nonsense -- what could this possibly have to do with me?" Master Hao jumped, cold sweat breaking out across his brow. "Old Hei, why so rash? I am the man you brought in to keep order here -- do you think I would go about killing people?"
"Yesterday, when I insisted we take the right-hand road, you insisted on the left. And even after I had already proved one route the correct one, you still demanded we go back and take the left. What were you after?" Wei Zhao asked coldly.
"That... at the time there was no way of knowing yours was the right way. Was there not a fork back there? That is why I said we should go back and try the left." Master Hao defended himself.
"Very well. Then why did you insist on going back to take the left, rather than simply taking it then and there? Going back was a pointless detour, was it not?" Wei Zhao pressed on. "Or did you know that from that point onward the left and the right would lead you to the same place -- which is why you held out for the left only after we had turned back?"