Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared-Chapter 67 - How Could it be Such a Coincidence

67: Chapter 67: How Could it be Such a Coincidence

67 -67: How Could it be Such a Coincidence

Back at the hotel, everyone was gathered together.

Gu Fan unfolded the two maps.

After staring, studying, and deliberating for a good while, they all came to one chilling conclusion: they could not decipher them.

“I can’t believe there’s a basement beneath this palace, Gu Fan, you’re a relic thief.

I am going to arrest you,” Su Hui exclaimed, half-jokingly.

Gu Fan could only laugh it off, though, unable to find humor at the moment.

Lin Xi suggested, “It’s clear that the maps alone aren’t enough – we need an expert in foreign cultures and history to help us understand their meanings.”

“Such people do exist, but they’re experts.

We don’t know them,” Gu Fan scratched his head, expressing frustration.

Unable to hold back, Lu Yi asked, “What does the second drawing mean?

Is that Empress something a demon?

Can she cast magic?”

“I don’t know what these drawings mean, but whatever it is, it’s not going to be easy to deal with,” said Gu Fan, shaking his head, viewing the map of foreign geographical locations in his hand as the most valuable reference material.

Among the crowd, Du Jun scrutinized the maps most carefully, then said, “If these maps genuinely help us find some clues, I can use my father’s connections to find an expert in foreign matters.”

“That’s right.

A wealthy guy like you, with all your connections, surely this is your time to shine.” Gu Fan, Lu Yi and Lin Xi had to concede that Du Jun, indeed, had a role to play.

“Why don’t you give me the maps, Gu Fan?

I’ll take them to an expert,” Du Jun blurted out, giving off a somewhat show-off vibe.

His face was filled with a sense of superiority, as though saying that without him, they would not be able to solve this.

However, Gu Fan put away the maps, “Let’s find the expert first, then we can take the maps and pay him a visit.”

Having heard this, Du Jun’s outstretched arm froze in mid-air, his face looking somewhat unsatisfied.

He initially intended to gain control of the situation by handing over the maps to the experts and leading everyone to solve the riddles.

But Gu Fan did not give him that chance.

Gu Fan, deep in thought, was contemplating.

If Du Jun fails to find an expert in foreign cultures, his only hope lies in a history teacher at his school.

It was that same history teacher who had prompted Gu Fan’s shift of focus to foreign cultures while talking about their history and perhaps could provide even more insight.

However, Jie threw in a comment, “In fact, we’re simply ignorant of the foreign script.

Perhaps we can decipher these maps if we were able to understand it.

We can look for annotations in the library or online.”

Gu Fan shook his head to that, “No, it’s not just about the characters.

The geography also matters.

We definitely need an expert here.

Since there is a museum of foreign cultures here, maybe an expert resides here too.”

“Yeah, that’s a possibility,” everyone agreed.

However, Du Jun objected, “I think it would be better if we followed up our connections back home.

Don’t forget that Xia Yue vanished here.

If locals learned that Gu Fan is also carrying a map, we might get in trouble.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan grew heavy-hearted, wondering how he had not thought about it.

Everybody, in general, agreed with Du Jun’s perspective.

It’s best to head back home first.

Then Du Jun mentioned something crucial, “There’s also the issue of explaining to Xia Yue’s parents.”

The room plunged into a stifling silence, everyone sinking deeper into their gloom.

Gu Fan gave a glance that reflected despair and sighed, “Xia Yue wasn’t the first to disappear.

We’ll handle it the same way we did the previous times.”

“Guess we have no choice then,” every heart in the room was heavy, drained and desperate for the nightmare to end.

It was already late into the night.

Everyone decided to retire for the night, even though trouble sleeping was likely an understatement due to Xia Yue’s disappearance.

But at this point, they could only leave things to the police.

After everyone else returned to their rooms, Gu Fan, unable to sleep, mumbled a few words to Lu Yi and then went out.

He was restless and needed a walk.

Too many people and especially too much talk from Lu Yi crowded the room, making it impossible for Gu Fan to calm down and think things through.

There were a lot of things he needed to sort out – he needed to check for any oversights.

He traced his thoughts back to the beginning – the journey that had seen them reroute to the ancient town due to a sudden earthquake that destroyed the road.

If it weren’t for the earthquake, they would not have ended up in the ancient town.

“Earthquake?

Could it be…” thought Gu Fan.

Was someone or something manipulating the earthquakes?

Coercing them towards the ancient town?

That seemed too extraordinary. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

Yet, upon further thought, there was Lin Xi’s mention of the eerie secret chamber, and the books that spoke of the Empress Qianye seeking eternal life.

If all these assumptions were true, it suggested the existence of inexplicable powers.

Hence, the idea of someone controlling earthquakes might not be entirely absurd.

Well, you could surmise that an earthquake happened, but then how would the people behind the scenes know that their group was going on a trip, passing through the ancient town, and that someone was waiting for them at the disembarking point when they returned from the trip, tracking their movements?

“Wait a second, besides us college students, there was also a bus driver, a tour company bus driver.” The thought made Gu Fan’s heart sink; how had he overlooked this person?

Presume, the masterminds had been waiting for a group of young people to pass through the ancient town.

This group of young people didn’t need to specifically be Gu Fan and his college friends.

It could be anyone, as long as they made up twelve people in total.

And the bus driver, who constantly ran this tourist route, was the informant.

Once he found a group that met the criteria, he would call the people pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Then, once everyone arrived, the puppeteers would trigger a major earthquake, destroying the road, forcing everyone to go to the ancient town.

“Yes, we should investigate this bus driver.” Gu Fan thought about this possibility.

If they could break through the case using the bus driver, then the whole incident could potentially be upended, even without having to clarify its connection with a foreign region.

As Gu Fan was pondering, he saw a familiar figure.

With her cold and stunning appearance, intimidating air, and tall stature, she would stand out even in a crowd of beautiful women.

“It’s you?” The icy beauty recognized Gu Fan, and he gave forced laughter.

“You couldn’t sleep either, could you?

Having nightmares, and like me, coming out to contemplate life?”

Hearing this, the icy beauty couldn’t help but laugh, and her frosty demeanor disappeared, replaced with a friendly smile.

It seemed she wasn’t rejecting Gu Fan anymore.

“I haven’t properly thanked you for what happened during the day.

Consider this a token of gratitude.” The icy beauty took out two cans of beer from her plastic bag and handed one to Gu Fan, who was surprised.

“I didn’t expect that you, who look so demure, would enjoy drinking.”

The icy beauty snorted in response, “What’s wrong with drinking?

Drinking isn’t solely a male activity.”

Gu Fan laughed, “In my imagination, only wild women would drink and smoke.

Your ethereal demeanor seems at odds with beer.”

“That’s just a man’s imagination, also who said it ruins a woman’s image to drink beer?” Having said this, the icy beauty even opened the beer can for Gu Fan, inviting him to drink freely, to his amused helplessness.

The icy beauty added, “By the way, I noticed you arguing with the security guard and nearly getting into a fight.

What happened?”

Gu Fan chuckled awkwardly, “Something bad happened.

One of my friends disappeared in the museum.

I got anxious and wanted to find him.”

“No wonder there were so many police officers.

The spectators who don’t know the full story thought that you were caught stealing artifacts by the security guard.” At the icy beauty’s words, Gu Fan felt embarrassed since he technically did steal an item.

The security guard should’ve apprehended him.

Gu Fan chuckled again, “You onlookers sure know how to whip up rumors.”

The icy beauty quickly explained, “It wasn’t me who started the rumor, it was others.

I just heard it, but I never spread it.”

“Alright, I believe you’re innocent, and thank you for believing in me.” Having said this, Gu Fan raised his can of beer, and the icy beauty generously clinked her can against his.

They both took a sip.

The icy beauty continued, “Strange, how did your friend disappear, and in a museum at that?”

In response, Gu Fan stammered.

He certainly couldn’t talk about any conspiracy.

All he could say was that they somehow got separated, then waited for a long time without seeing his friend.

He couldn’t reach him on the phone and felt something awful had happened.

But the security guard wouldn’t listen, so he had to call the police.

“Seems like it’s really important to be cautious when traveling.

By the way, is your friend male or female?” The icy beauty’s question made Gu Fan feel awkward again.

After hesitating for a moment, he answered, “He’s a male classmate.”

Upon hearing this, the icy beauty looked perplexed, “Really?

Even men aren’t safe now.

I thought only women and children get abducted.

What’s the use of kidnapping men?”

“Yes, I don’t get it either, I just hope the police will solve the case soon.” Gu Fan sighed.

He couldn’t tell the icy beauty that this matter was related to some foreign region, something about immortality, and something about twelve sacrifices.

“Since you invited me to drink, now invite me to smoke.” Gu Fan quickly changed the topic, but the icy beauty gave him a doubtful look then shook her head, “Sorry, I don’t smoke.

I’m afraid I’ve disappointed you.”

“Actually, I don’t smoke either.

Seems like we have something in common.” Gu Fan’s forced attempt at finding a commonality left the icy beauty speechless, realizing she’d been teased, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing this, Gu Fan inwardly exclaimed, “My goodness, she’s so pretty when she laughs.

Why is she always so icy?”