“Fatty, listen up.”
Han Xiao Liu ignored Wang Fatty. Hu Ba Yi and the others had returned, so he planned to concoct a lie to get them off his back.
After all, what he had obtained was simply too unbelievable.
If news of the Kunlun Divine Tree's appearance leaked, the entire world would go mad. The martial world would undoubtedly be thrown into chaos, and even if Han Xiao Liu was a superhero in the flesh, he wouldn't be able to live in peace.
“We reached the deepest part and discovered a massive abyss, which should be the Void Space. Shirley and I wanted to follow the path upward to investigate, but something unexpected happened.”
“What happened?”
“Shirley fainted midway, and I found it hard to maintain my sanity as well. I carried Shirley a distance further upward and saw the cliff edge at the end, where the Corpse Fragrance Lily was.”
“Corpse Fragrance Lily?”
Hu Ba Yi had definitely heard of the Corpse Fragrance Lily, but they were below and couldn't see the cliff edge from their angle.
“That’s right. The spores released by the Corpse Fragrance Lily induce illusions, and water is the best antidote, so that underground river is the dividing line.”
Han Xiao Liu's explanation was believable to Hu Ba Yi. Wang Fatty's recovered finger bone, combined with the Corpse Fragrance Lily, made sense.
Han Xiao Liu understood that the highest level of lying was to mix truth with falsehood. He simply omitted the part about the Queen of Jingjue and the fight on the cliff edge, so it was highly believable to them.
“In the end, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't go up, and when I came down, the tomb was shaking. I saw the three of you enter a stone chamber to the side, but when I got there carrying Shirley, a stone wall was blocking the entrance. So, I had no choice but to return the way I came. Fortunately, I managed to jump to the top before the stone platform closed, and that's how I escaped.”
Han Xiao Liu’s explanation was half-true and half-false, but nobody could find any fault with it.
Wang Fatty felt incredibly wronged. He had endured all this hardship for nothing, not even a single hair. Then he remembered the jade eyeball.
“Han Xiao Liu, where’s that jade?”
“It shattered. In that situation, how could I have saved it? I’m not a god.”
Han Xiao Liu didn’t plan to keep the jade, as it was too yin-ridden.
“Shattered? How could that be?”
“All my things are here, check for yourself. The car’s outside, here’s the key.”
“Fatty!!!”
Hu Ba Yi was truly furious with his good brother.
Ye Yi Xin’s eyes also held disdain as she looked at Wang Fatty.
Shirley remained silent throughout, listening intently. She had naturally noticed Han Xiao Liu’s omissions and fully agreed with his actions. She also felt somewhat displeased with Wang Fatty.
“Hu Ba Yi, this expedition to the Jingjue Ancient City seems like a failure, but it was actually a success. The Jingjue Ancient City should appear every year, and I now know where it is. So, your efforts were worth it.”
Han Xiao Liu even gave them a pat on the back to prevent them from feeling dejected. After all, if they didn’t have Wang Fatty, it would be less of a problem, but without Hu Ba Yi, the tool, it would be much harder to lift Shirley’s curse.
“Han Boss, you saying that makes us feel a lot better. We won’t bother you anymore. Thanks again.”
Ye Yi Xin followed the two of them as they left, glancing back every few steps.
This left Han Xiao Liu a little flustered. Anyone could see the suggestive look in her eyes.
“Heh, it seems Han Boss has unwittingly captured the heart of a young lady.”
Han Xiao Liu sniffed.
“Don’t you smell that? What a strong vinegar smell…~~”
“You!!! Han Xiao Liu, sometimes you’re so infuriating.”
Shirley spoke the harshest words with a blush, and her fierce yet adorable look made Han Xiao Liu want to tease her.
“Come on, bite me. Anywhere you want.”
He even raised an eyebrow, looking truly provoking.
Shirley realized that Han Xiao Liu was completely different when he was in a tomb and when he wasn't. It was as if he had a split personality.
In a tomb, Han Xiao Liu was undoubtedly a powerful and reliable real man, but in his normal life, perhaps Panjia Garden's evaluation was accurate - he was way too damn mean.
The Han Xiao Liu in front of her right now really looked like a street hustler.
“I’m going to sleep.”
“Should I keep you company?”
Han Xiao Liu blurted it out, but then he realized it was inappropriate, so he quickly found an excuse and left awkwardly.
Shirley’s heart was also complex. She realized she had feelings for Han Xiao Liu, but thinking about her own situation made her conflicted, even a bit self-conscious.
The next morning, Hu Ba Yi and the four of them left for the capital.
Shirley was also going back.
“Han Boss, I’ll go back to the capital first. Are you driving back, this car…?”
“I’m planning to dispose of this car in Yili and get a different one to drive back. I’ll take the scenic route through Inner Mongolia, just to relax.”
“Okay, then have a safe trip. Once I reach the capital, I’ll fly directly to the US. Also, I’ve made a decision. When I get back, I’ll organize my grandfather’s belongings and then return to China to join your team.”
“That’s settled then. I’ll be waiting for your return.”
While shaking her hand, Han Xiao Liu suddenly pulled Shirley into his embrace.
At first, Shirley instinctively tried to resist, but then she relaxed and wrapped her arms around Han Xiao Liu’s strong waist.
The first embrace couldn’t last too long, and Han Xiao Liu wisely let go.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the station, and I’ve already prepared some food for you on the way.”
Shirley blushed and couldn’t bring herself to look at Han Xiao Liu.
“Don’t miss me too much in the US, okay?~”
“Take care of yourself. I’m going.”
Shirley was a straightforward person. She turned and got in the car without hesitation.
Han Xiao Liu’s Jingjue Ancient City expedition finally came to an end.
As Han Xiao Liu drove his newly bought second-hand Toyota Land Cruiser into the Inner Mongolian grasslands, a few SUVs were hot on the tail of an SUV about tens of kilometers ahead of him.