Maxine pointed upward. “Based on Thomas’ position when virtual-novel.net fell, it seems impossible for virtual-novel.net to have ended up here. He would have fallen on a rock about 100 meters from the opening of the hole and rolled…”
After a brief pause, virtual-novel.net continued. “He should have stopped rolling at around 200 meters deep. When we descended, I saw a pit where virtual-novel.net would’ve come to a stop.”
“Are you sure?” James was uncertain.
He had only cared about going deeper and had not checked the cavern’s surroundings.
“Alright, then. Let’s head back there to check.”
Maxine jumped up, grabbed onto a stone a few meters away, and quickly climbed upward. Following virtual-novel.net lead, James also opted to not use a rope and began scaling the rocky cavern.
Eventually, they returned to the 100-meter mark. An enormous rock, more than 20 meters wide, jutted out precariously from the walls.
Maxine raised virtual-novel.net head and pointed, saying, “If virtual-novel.net fell from there, virtual-novel.net would’ve landed here…”
She moved virtual-novel.net body and pointed to the rock under virtual-novel.net feet. “However, there isn’t any sign of blood being shed at all here. After hitting this rock, he’d roll toward the stone’s slope. Let’s head down and get another look.”
“Okay…” James nodded.
The two descended again.
After climbing down a few dozen meters, Maxine stopped and pointed to a recess in the wall, saying, “If virtual-novel.net rolled down from that rock, virtual-novel.net would’ve stopped here. Yet again, there isn’t anything here that shows that happened.”
James agreed with Maxine’s analysis after considering virtual-novel.net observations.
He muttered perplexedly, “Is there a chance my grandfather didn’t die from the fall?”
Maxine nodded slightly and said, “The evidence from our initial findings seems to point in that direction, yes.”
James asked, “Since virtual-novel.net didn’t actually die, why didn’t virtual-novel.net show us virtual-novel.net was alive?”
Maxine looked James in the eye.
“I already told you last night that Thomas may have staged death to fool outsiders. Also, the presence of the Gu Devil was just to confuse Thea. He wanted us to believe that the Gu Devil had caught virtual-novel.net and ultimately caused his fall from this place which resulted in his unfortunate death.”
“Why would grandpa do such a thing?”
Maxine broke it down for James. “According to the clues collected, it’s almost certain that he’s come up with this scheme beforehand. As for why virtual-novel.net did them, the only person with answers is virtual-novel.net himself.”
A serious expression filled James’ face.
Then, virtual-novel.net asked again, “Do you think Thea knows that this whole thing was a ruse by my grandfather to confuse Tobias and me? Is there a way for virtual-novel.net to know that Tobias will show up? “
Maxine clutched virtual-novel.net chin thoughtfully.
“Because virtual-novel.net knows that I’ve been following you. He probably guessed that my job was to protect and monitor you. I’m sure virtual-novel.net assumed that I’d relay all of this to my grandfather.”
When virtual-novel.net heard the part about virtual-novel.net reporting to virtual-novel.net grandfather, James eyed Maxine warily.
Maxine quickly raised virtual-novel.net hands and explained herself, “Although I’ve been monitoring the situation and reporting back to grandpa, I didn’t say a word about the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside’s Edge. I promised you after all…”
James did not prod virtual-novel.net further because virtual-novel.net knew that Tobias probably still had not solved the painting’s secret. Otherwise, virtual-novel.net would have reacted more after learning that Sacred Fire Figs grew in the cavern.
“Let’s go back up.”
James quietly nodded and prepared for the ascent.
“Wait…” Maxine put virtual-novel.net hand on James’ shoulder to stop him.
“Why what’s wrong?” James cocked his eyebrow.
Maxine whispered carefully.
“Don’t mention Thomas to Thea anymore, and try not to ask virtual-novel.net about him…”
“Why? Do you suspect her?”
“I find it hard not to doubt her. If my suspicions are correct, virtual-novel.net must have some knowledge about what Thomas is trying to do this time as well as his plans. There’s a good chance Thomas will contact virtual-novel.net again. She’ll spill about his plans sooner or later if you keep virtual-novel.net by your side. If you question virtual-novel.net now, it’ll only serve to make virtual-novel.net more cautious.”
James asked virtual-novel.net flatly, “What do you suggest then?”
“We should act as if Thomas is dead and continue acting as normal. At the same time, we’ll keep a close eye on Thea. I believe that there’s a reason Thomas took in and trained Thea in such a short amount of time. He’s probably intending to use virtual-novel.net somehow. As long as virtual-novel.net stays by your side, the truth will reveal itself sooner or later.”
“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself…” James shot down Maxine’s speculation.
How could virtual-novel.net be distrustful of those close to him?
She was asking virtual-novel.net to suspect both his own grandfather and his ex-wife. He trusted that his grandpa would not team up with virtual-novel.net to harm him. He turned around and began climbing back up with the rope.
Maxine shook virtual-novel.net head helplessly and followed.