Chapter 1217: Uncle Tong Is Next Door!
The Oil Rat has been found, so the whereabouts of that Old Granny from before became less important.
Huo Sining, along with Qibao, closely followed the Oil Rat onto a long-distance bus heading to Xianyang, traveling all the way from Chang'an to Xianyang.
Perhaps because Huo Sining and Qibao didn't appear to be suspicious individuals, the Oil Rat was unaware that the brother-sister pair sitting on the same bus had already set their sights on him.
After the bus arrived in Xianyang, the Oil Rat carried a large bag straight to a small inn, where he rented a room.
Huo Sining and Qibao also followed into the inn, deliberately booking the room next to the Oil Rat's.
After entering the room, the Oil Rat never came out again. Huo Sining used the Heavenly Eye skill to see this person fiddling with items in his large bag. Huo Sining immediately noticed that among the items were an Army Shovel and a Luoyang Shovel, confirming her suspicion that the Oil Rat had most likely come to Xianyang to rob a tomb!
They waited until afternoon, and the Oil Rat hadn't come out. Fortunately, Huo Sining's storage ring was stocked with plenty of snacks, so she and Qibao weren't in any rush. They just stayed in the room eating and surfing the internet, occasionally monitoring the situation next door.
By evening, there was finally a knock on the door of the room next door.
Huo Sining, who had been watching and waiting, tensed up at the sound, quickly activating the Heavenly Eye and pressing her whole body against the wall. Through the thick brick wall, Huo Sining indeed saw the Oil Rat leap up from the bed, quickly running to open the door.
Several strange people came in, dressed very heavily, each carrying a bag similar in size to the one the Oil Rat had been carrying.
As soon as they entered the room, the Oil Rat quickly locked the door from inside.
The people were wrapped so tightly, like the shell of a boiled egg, but once they were inside the room, most of them shed those thick clothes, sweating profusely, except for one tall, thin man.
It was already May and the weather was getting warmer. Huo Sining and Qibao had already started wearing light clothing, yet the tall, thin man didn't seem to feel warm at all. He remained tightly covered, leaving only his eyes visible, sharply surveying the surroundings with a piercing gaze.
"Is everything ready?"
After scanning the room, the tall, thin man suddenly asked the Oil Rat.
His voice was also very strange, coarse and hoarse like a saw cutting through vocal cords, making one's scalp tingle and body uncomfortable.
The Oil Rat seemed extremely afraid of the man, freezing instantly and nodding nervously.
The Oil Rat's reaction puzzled Huo Sining, prompting her to take another look at the man.
She hadn't studied him for more than three seconds before the man, as if sensing something, turned his head sharply and stared intently at the wall where Huo Sining was observing, as if he could see through the wall.
The man's eyes weren't black, but a bit gray. Just with one glance, he made Huo Sining's whole body turn cold, and a chill ran up her spine.
Huo Sining was startled, as if a wandering ghost would leap out from his eyes.
Even after the man withdrew his gaze, Huo Sining was still apprehensive, her heart pounding incessantly.
"Sister!"
At this point, Qibao, beside her, tugged at Huo Sining's clothes urgently, signaling her with an anxious expression.
Huo Sining was puzzled and quickly whispered, "What's wrong?"
Qibao's expression was strange as she pointed to the room next door and said in a low voice, "Both Sub Gus are in there!"
Huo Sining was momentarily confused by what Qibao meant: "What do you mean?"
Qibao became anxious. The inn's sound insulation was poor, so during the day while surveilling the Oil Rat, they refrained from making any noise for fear of being detected. Now, the little one also dared not speak out loud, turning red with impatience. After thinking for a moment, she picked up the tablet computer Huo Sining had left on the bed and typed a line:
"The Sub Gu I placed on that Old Granny yesterday, and the one on the person from the old house you're looking for, the Thousand-Mile Guider, both are in the next room!"
Understanding Qibao's message, Huo Sining's body trembled slightly. She instinctively turned back, her eyes fixated on the wall.
"Are you sure?!" Huo Sining's face was grave as she felt compelled to confirm once more.
Qibao nodded: "I'm certain. The Thousand-Mile Guider never makes a mistake. Both people are in the next room, among the group that just arrived!"
Through the wall, Huo Sining indeed saw last night's Old Granny who sold her the Phoenix Harmony Jade Pendant. But now the Granny was no longer hunched over, dressed in tight clothing and Martin boots, looking very sprightly. The many wrinkles on her face had vanished, replaced by smooth, delicate skin. This Granny turned out to be no older than a woman in her forties!
Huo Sining felt enlightened. No wonder they hadn't heard from Yang Xiaohan for so long; it seemed that the police had been fooled by this "Old Granny."
This woman disguised herself as an Old Granny. In a place like the Chang'an Ghost Market, at night, with dim lighting, it was indeed hard to discern her true appearance. So she just altered her face slightly, then when leaving the market, she removed her disguise, leaving Yang Xiaohan and the others without a lead. They were probably still staking out in Chang'an, thinking the suspect was hiding there, waiting for the police to catch her.
Realizing this, Huo Sining couldn't help but let out a wry smile, her gaze slipping once more over the faces of the remaining people, gradually eliminating the possibilities until her eyes fell again on the strangely dressed man.
If things were as Qibao had said and Uncle Tong was indeed in this room, then the cold-eyed man's identity was self-evident.
Huo Sining's lips tightened, her brow furrowing deeply.
Her mind was a jumble, unable to clear up the confusion.
Who exactly was Uncle Tong? Why was he here, mingling with tomb robbers? What was his connection to her father Liang Ruining? What other secrets did this man harbor? These mysteries troubled Huo Sining, making her wish she could charge over and question the man right away. Yet, Huo Sining forced herself to hold back.