Chapter 364 - 273: A Hidden Mystery, a Killing Gambit Revealed

Chapter 364: Chapter 273: A Hidden Mystery, a Killing Gambit Revealed

This was an exquisitely crafted treasure chest. All four sides were engraved with extremely intricate patterns, and a strange, dark red color seemed to flow through the veins of the flower petals.

Wu Liangchen tapped it lightly. The chest let out a muffled, metallic echo, a clear sign of its sturdiness.

Such elaborate security piqued Wu Liangchen’s interest.

’What could be inside that’s worth all this trouble?’

Despite his curiosity, Wu Liangchen didn’t rush to insert the token in his hand into the keyhole.

After all, there was no way to know if there was a specific procedure for opening this thing. If there was, and he just opened it directly, he might fall into a trap and even get injured.

So, out of caution, Wu Liangchen first wrapped the chest in a piece of his clothing, then gently lifted it and carried it to an open space outside.

The area was covered in a thick layer of yellow sand, with no trees nearby to block the airflow. Even if there were poisonous fumes or something similar, they would dissipate quickly.

Once he was certain everything was safe, Wu Liangchen finally inserted the token into the keyhole in the center of the chest.

CLICK.

Following the crisp sound of a mechanism, the entire treasure chest vibrated slightly, and a crack appeared on the lid.

There were no poisonous fumes or hidden crossbows as he had anticipated.

Everything was calm and normal.

But Wu Liangchen didn’t let his guard down. He drew his saber and used its tip to gently pry open the lid.

With that, the contents were finally revealed.

Inside lay a tattered-looking booklet, upon which were written four words: Blood-Swallowing Demon Skill.

Seeing this, Wu Liangchen couldn’t help but frown.

’What is this nonsense? Who calls their own technique a Demon Skill?’

Wu Liangchen put on his gloves, bracing for a hidden crossbow bolt, and slowly took out the booklet.

Everything remained quiet. There was no movement.

Once the booklet was out, there was nothing else in the chest—only the red velvet lining of the bottom, which glinted harshly in the light of the setting sun.

Wu Liangchen flipped through the booklet, reading it carefully.

A moment later, he found himself frowning again.

The booklet detailed the very same Evil Skill that Tatsuya Takaguchi had practiced.

This thing might be valuable to others, but to Wu Liangchen, it was completely worthless.

After all, he had no need for such a thing to maintain his condition or improve his strength.

’So much anticipation for nothing.’

Wu Liangchen was inevitably a little disappointed, but he casually put the Blood-Swallowing Demon Skill away.

’This thing is useless to me, but I can’t just toss it aside. If someone with a wicked heart got their hands on it, wouldn’t they just become another Tatsuya Takaguchi?’

But just as he was about to pick up the chest and leave, he suddenly realized something. He squatted down and began to study the chest intently.

’Logically, Tatsuya Takaguchi had already mastered this Blood-Swallowing Demon Skill, so there was no need to go to such lengths to store it in such a secure little box.’

’So, this thing is most likely a diversion.’

’Anyone who found this chest would open it, be distracted by the booklet, and assume it was the treasure, thereby overlooking everything else.’

With this in mind, Wu Liangchen reached out with his saber and sliced away the red velvet lining attached to the inside of the chest.

The result: still nothing.

Now, only the cold metal plates of the chest’s interior remained. There was nothing else.

’Could I have been wrong again?’

Wu Liangchen pondered deeply.

He didn’t believe Tatsuya Takaguchi would go to such trouble, setting up layers of security, just to store a useless little booklet.

’If there are no clues inside the chest, then I’ll have to find them on the outside.’

After confirming that the chest itself wasn’t poisoned and had no more traps, Wu Liangchen took off his gloves. He slid his fingers gently over the intricate patterns, searching for any trace of a clue.

Suddenly, his hand stopped. Relying on his keen perception, he had discovered a tiny protrusion at the base of a flower bud on the left side of the chest.

The protrusion was so well-hidden that anyone else would have likely overlooked it completely.

Wu Liangchen’s heart leaped with joy as he pressed it.

After a soft CLICK, the bewitching flower pattern on the front panel of the chest suddenly split apart, revealing a small secret compartment inside.

Within the compartment lay a small, oil-paper-wrapped package.

Inside the package was a sheet of silk paper, folded neatly.

The silk was as thin as a cicada’s wing and felt warm and smooth to the touch—clearly, it was made of extraordinary material.

Upon unfolding it, he saw that it was a complex map.

The map was meticulously detailed, showing rolling mountain ranges and crisscrossing rivers.

Deep within the mountains, a golden treasure marker stood out, exceptionally eye-catching.

Wu Liangchen’s eyes lit up.

’It’s a treasure map!’

’No wonder Tatsuya Takaguchi went to all this trouble. His real goal was to hide this treasure map.’

By the light of the setting sun, Wu Liangchen studied the map carefully, only to find that he didn’t recognize any of the mountains or rivers depicted.

There was no telling where Tatsuya Takaguchi had obtained this map, and it was impossible to ask him now.

But Wu Liangchen wasn’t discouraged. After all, there were countless mountains and rivers in the world, and the map had no text labels. It wasn’t something that could be deciphered overnight.

Wu Liangchen carefully put the treasure map away. He then meticulously examined the chest and the courtyard one last time. After confirming nothing was left behind, he set the chest on fire, burning it completely.

After doing all this, Wu Liangchen turned and headed back to the Yokoyama family’s estate.