Tomb Raider: I Am Hu Bayi's Cousin

Chapter 105 Showdown
Hu Ming didn't stand on ceremony and boldly sat down on the only stool in front of the stall.

Behind him, Hu Bayi, Fatty, and Big Gold Tooth stood side by side with their hands behind their backs, their backs straight.

Like the three guardian Vajras, of course, Big Gold Tooth's physique is a bit lacking.

"Sir, may I ask your name?"

Even though he knew the other party was probably just trying to fool them, Hu Bayi still asked in a gentle tone.

"I'm just a blind old man, blind as I am, so just call me Blind Chen!" Chen Yulou readily agreed and said softly.

"Hey! Tell me, when we were sweeping away all the monsters and demons back then, why didn't we arrest you?"

"Explain yourself! How did we end up in such dire straits?"

"If you can't explain it clearly, do you believe I'll smash your fortune-telling stall?"

That's just the fat guy's temper. He lightly slammed his fist on the stall, looking every bit the thug, and threatened.

"Alright, Fatty," Hu Ming couldn't help but chuckle, stopping the fat rascal's lewd behavior.

"I'm not going to play riddles with you here, it's pointless."

"If we have something to say, let's just be direct, okay?"

Looking at Blind Chen, Hu Ming straightened his expression. He had no interest in playing the game of deception and being deceived with him.

"You youngster, I don't quite understand what you mean. How have I misled you? I was clearly trying to show you a way out!"

However, Chen Yulou remained unmoved, calmly playing the role of a reclusive sage.

Looking around, it was already very late at night, and there was no one else around except for a few people. Seeing this, Hu Ming simply spoke his mind.

"Alright, then I'll get straight to the point."

"Years ago, I heard about you. I knew that after you returned from Yunnan, you met a tomb raider on the banks of the Yellow River, and you became very close friends."

"Later, I heard that the tomb raider died in an ancient tomb on the banks of the Yellow River, and his body was never found."

"In the toilet, you probably smelled the earthy smell on us and guessed who we were, which is why you fooled us."

"If I'm not mistaken, you want us brothers to explore that ancient tomb for you and retrieve the body of that tomb raider, right?"

"Am I right? Chen Yulou, the leader of the Unloading Ridge faction, Chief Chen?"

Hu Ming stared intently at Chen Yulou's face and recounted the hidden story in detail.

As Hu Ming made his "speculation," the expressions on Hu Bayi and the others' faces as they looked at Chen Yulou changed.

This person is actually the leader of the Unloading Ridge faction, one of the four major tomb raiding factions? That's quite a big shot!
Chen Yulou's expression also changed; the "reclusive master" look on his face had vanished, replaced by a serious expression.

"Young man... no, young man, may I ask your name?" Knowing a lot is a skill in itself.

They were able to recognize Chen Yulou, who was hiding his identity, at a glance in this bustling marketplace.

I also know some old stories that have been buried by time.

All of this is enough to prove that Hu Ming is not a simple person.

"Hu Ming!" Hu Ming responded softly.

"I wonder where Brother Hu Ming learned about these old stories?"

"Don't worry about that. There are plenty of ways. Besides, those events you held back then caused quite a stir, and many people know about them. Tell me, am I right?"

Hu Ming shook his head, not responding, but instead asked a question.

"...That's right, Brother Hu Ming is right."

"My friend was also a remarkable person; he visited countless large tombs in his lifetime."

"Who would have thought that he would meet with such misfortune on the banks of the Yellow River, and that his body would never be found? As his friend, I can't bear to think about it."

“I know that the ancient tomb that caused my friend’s death must be extremely dangerous, but…” Chen Yulou sighed and said.

But before he could finish speaking, Hu Ming interrupted him: "We brothers will take this job!"

Hu Ming knew that he definitely had to go down and explore the Western Zhou Ghost Tomb beneath the Fishbone Temple.

Whether it's the Tomb Raider Talisman or the second half of the Dragon Bone Heavenly Book!
Moreover, Jin Suanpan could be considered his and Hu Bayi's grand-uncle, since he was a fellow disciple of Sun Guopu, the master of Hu Ming's maternal grandfather Hu Guohua. Furthermore, he was doing Chen Yulou a favor, and Chen Yulou possessed a "human skin map" from the Xianwang Tomb, which had been retrieved from the Dianwang Tomb.

"Wait, Mingzi, don't be impulsive. We don't even know what's going on in there yet."

Hu Bayi quickly stopped Hu Ming and advised him.

"Yeah, Mingzi, that old man didn't even mention the payment, how could you agree so easily?" For the fat man, the payment was more of a concern...

"That tomb raider was named Jin Suanpan (Golden Abacus)."

Hu Ming chuckled and said to Hu Bayi and Fatty.

"The Golden Abacus!?"

"Mingzi, what do you mean..."

The two were taken aback, remembering what Hu Ming had told them about the Tomb Raiders and the Tomb Raider Talisman at the Big Gold Tooth Shop.

"So, old man, as payment, the Tomb Raider Talisman on Jin Suanpan will be ours, is that alright?" the fat man said immediately.

Seeing this, Hu Ming knew that Hu Bayi and Fatty had understood his meaning.

A genuine Tomb Raider Talisman is a real treasure; there's no reason to let it slip by when you encounter it.

This tomb raiding talisman alone is enough to make their trip, not to mention that the deceased was their grandmaster!
"Alright! We'll do it your way, Fatty. We'll take this job!"

Upon seeing this, Hu Bayi nodded and said in a deep voice.

As for how to divide a single Tomb Raider Talisman... well, that'll have to wait until the meat's already in the pot.

Unbeknownst to them, Yang Xueli had already traveled a great distance to find them with two more tomb raiding talismans.

Now that things had been clarified, Hu Ming and the others naturally didn't want to waste any more time with the old man.

After saying their goodbyes, the group turned and left.

They wouldn't give Blind Chen the chance to tell fortunes or feel bones.

Just as a doctor cannot heal himself, the same principle applies to the taboos in the fortune-telling profession.

And bone palpation...

Hu Ming swore that Chen Yulou didn't wash his hands at all after coming out of the toilet!!!
After returning to the room.

Hu Ming and Hu Bayi, the two cousins, lay down on their beds, ready to rest.

But the fat man and the gold-toothed man were still chatting enthusiastically.

It mainly refers to what Hu Ming and Blind Chen just mentioned.

He didn't understand much of what they said; it was all a blur. There were outsiders present, so he didn't say anything.

Now that they're back in their room, they finally couldn't hold back anymore, and the fat guy, being a chatterbox, started joking around happily.

But it's just so damn weird.

As the two chatted, the conversation drifted back to Yang Xueli and Hu Bayi.

"Didn't that old man say we were in deep trouble?"

"I reckon this is mainly about Lao Hu!"

Hu Bayi stood up, looking completely bewildered, and asked the fat man, "Me? No, what? Why am I the one facing such a terrible fate? Fatty, can't you wish me well for once?"

"Hey, I think that old man was just saying, you're bound to fall for a woman sooner or later!"

"What woman? Miss Yang, of course!"

"Let me tell you, Mr. Hu, you're a hero, but what is Miss Yang? She's a den of iniquity, a hero's grave!"

As they spoke, they and Big Gold Tooth looked at Hu Bayi with sly smiles.

Hu Ming, who was standing to the side, smiled and shook his head when he heard this, thinking that having a foreign cousin-in-law wouldn't be bad.

(End of this chapter)