These past two days had been quite leisurely for Lu Hao. They were the most comfortable days he had spent since coming to this world.
During the day, Taozi would teach Lu Hao how to play the clay ocarina in her spare time, while Lu Hao would teach Taozi how to play the dizi in return.
“Lu Hao, you know how to play the dizi!?”
“Well, I don’t, but I can teach you.”
After their simple conversation, it was time for the lesson. It was then that Taozi realized she had been tricked. Lu Hao not only couldn’t play the dizi, but he also couldn’t teach. She was left to figure it out herself.
The days passed one by one.
Lu Hao spent this time immersed in a world of comfort and luxury, singing and playing the dizi at night, occasionally learning the clay ocarina, fully experiencing the music style of this island nation.
Until his “one thousand US dollars” ran out, Taozi took advantage of the situation and rested for a night before suggesting they return.
“Leaving so soon?”
“I’ve already wasted a lot of time.”
Taozi wrinkled her nose, glared at Lu Hao with a playful reproach, and quickly packed up her gear, ready to return to Madrid and resume her life.
Lu Hao watched Taozi packing her things, wanting to say he had another ten thousand US dollars, but ultimately gave up.
Taozi was returning to her life, and he was returning to his adventure.
Two hundred tons of gold were waiting for him to dig up!!
In fact, Taozi knew Lu Hao had more US dollars. After all, they had exchanged paper money at the foreign exchange bank together, and she knew very well how substantial his capital was.
But her personality wasn’t one that indulged in love. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have embarked on a journey to find the meaning of life alone.
Her goal was clear, her personality strong, and when it was time to cut ties, she would cut them decisively, getting back on track with her life.
“Lu Hao, this journey deep into the desert to search for the meaning of life has been very special to me. Thank you for giving me a different kind of journey.”
Taozi left as quickly as she said she would, without hesitation. Before leaving, she gave Lu Hao her blessing: “I hope you find your treasure and achieve your dream. If you don’t mind, when you get back to Madrid, share it with me. I’d love to be your audience.”
“I’ll be waiting for you in Madrid!!”
“I’ll come back to find you.”
Lu Hao gave Taozi a hug and teased her, “When I actually find the gold, my pockets won’t just have ten thousand dollars anymore. Taozi, be careful you don’t get overwhelmed.”
“……I can close my doors and turn away customers.”
Taozi blushed, gave Lu Hao a “ferocious” stare, then couldn’t hold back her happy laughter. She leaned into Lu Hao’s ear and whispered, “I took the blanket from the room with me. Remember to pay the innkeeper for a new one.”
Lu Hao blinked. Was that true!?
So this money was rightfully earned by the innkeeper.
Taozi, having gotten away with something, smiled with her eyes curved into crescent moons. She waved goodbye, “Lu Hao, I should be on my way. I wish you a successful adventure.”
“Taozi, travel safe.”
Lu Hao personally saw Taozi off at the station, then watched as she gradually disappeared until she was completely out of sight. Then he snapped his fingers, counting the days, and cursed under his breath, “Jack, you are really slow!!”
He really couldn’t understand why Jack would go all the way to the desert to find treasure by driving a jeep.
He shook his head. Until Jack arrived, he could only stay in the inn, taking the opportunity to inquire about other treasure hunters.
……
While Lu Hao was muttering about Jack, Jack and his group, after a long journey and overcoming countless difficulties, finally arrived at the outpost.
Their group drove two jeeps, charging into the town with dust flying in their wake.
Based on their agreed meeting point, Jack took Ada, Ilsa, and Colonel Bird to the Desert Inn.
“God bless you~”
The innkeeper greeted every incoming adventurer with immense enthusiasm.
To him, every guest was a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
“Thank you, God.”
Jack led his group to check in, then looked around, but didn’t see Lu Hao. He muttered to himself, The guy agreed to meet at the Desert Inn, where is he?
But in fact, when Jack and his group appeared, Lu Hao, who had nothing to do all day and was observing the guests in the inn, saw them immediately.
He simply wasn’t ready to appear just yet.
“You guys are also here to find gold in the desert!?”
While Jack and his group were having their meal, the innkeeper seized the opportunity to sell them his treasure map, the one his grandfather had traded for a ton of water.
Although Lu Hao had exposed him once before, the treasure map remained tempting for new adventurers.
Jack and Ada were both astute individuals and wouldn’t fall for it.
Only Ilsa was naive enough to believe that a small innkeeper would possess a real treasure map, and that he would sell it to them for only a hundred US dollars.
Then, when she turned around and saw that almost every customer had a treasure map, she was dumbfounded.
Knowing she had been tricked, she still insisted that she had realized something was wrong, but thought there might be some use to it, so she bought it.
Then she started talking about things that made no sense, such as “don’t miss any clues,” and “it’s a blessing to suffer a loss,” which made Jack and Ada burst into laughter. The dining table was filled with cheerful air.
But while they were happily chatting, there was undercurrent of trouble in the inn.
Lu Hao opened his door, leaving a crack, to observe Jack’s room, and clearly heard the sound of rummaging and shuffling in the room.
However, in a place like the Desert Inn, a big melting pot, people wouldn’t pay much attention to this kind of situation.
In this kind of place, stealing was a common way for locals to make money.
It was only when Jack and his group went upstairs that they realized their rooms and luggage had been rummaged through.
They immediately began to suspect each other.
Ilsa, as the granddaughter of Hans’ deputy, was particularly suspect in Ada’s eyes.
After all, after Hans’ deputy hid the gold, he had been missing ever since. It was unknown whether he was alive or dead.
There was always a rumor in the market that Hans’ deputy planned to swallow the gold privately, so he had been hiding incognito, waiting for a chance to reclaim the gold.
Ilsa was furious and slammed the door shut as she stormed back to her room.
Jack was caught in the middle and was at his wit’s end.
At this point, he couldn’t help but blame Lu Hao. If this guy was here, he wouldn’t be caught in the middle of all this.
He had no idea that Lu Hao had been watching the whole show, enjoying the sight of him being put through the ringer. He was secretly delighted.