Shen Bao was slightly stunned, a hint of surprise on his face. "Join forces with you? What do they want to do?"
Having a better understanding of Lin Yue than Ye Fan, Shen Bao wore such an expression. Lin Yue would never show kindness to others without sufficient benefits, so there must be something fishy about this matter.
Ye Fan shrugged indifferently, not caring at all. "Naturally, it's to deal with the Dark Alliance. They merely want to use me as a pawn, but they probably wouldn't expect that I, Ye Fan, am not a fool and am not someone they can manipulate at will."
A sinister smile curled up on Ye Fan's lips, a smile as if he were a devil. If Zheng Zhiyuan were present at this moment, seeing the smile on Ye Fan's face, he would undoubtedly be terrified.
"Since it has come to this, there's no other way. We just need to cooperate with Zheng Zhiyuan as much as possible. Also, in a couple of days, we will be going treasure hunting. You should send people to scout the situation along the Tianwang River in advance, so we don't end up in a passive situation." Ye Fan said calmly.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Shen Bao nodded and immediately contacted his subordinates.
The next day, Ye Fan had people release Liu Yuan. Liu Yuan seemed genuinely intimidated by Ye Fan and his group. The first thing he did after regaining his freedom was to have someone clarify Ye Fan's innocence, completely clearing him of suspicion. Seeing the message from Shen Tianyin and others that he was no longer in trouble, a faint smile appeared on Ye Fan's face.
That same evening, Zheng Zhiyuan brought a middle-aged man to see Ye Fan. The meeting place for the three was not at the inn, but in a tea house in Taiping Town.
"Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Sun, also known as the Night Owl. He is particularly skilled at digging through mountains and holes, exploring secrets, and finding treasures. For our search for the Heavenly Kingdom's treasure this time, Mr. Sun will be leading the way." Mr. Sun had a square face and large ears, appearing somewhat prosperous. He wore a Zhongshan suit, giving him an air of maturity and steadiness.
However, Ye Fan keenly noticed that Mr. Sun's palms had thick, rough calluses. These were likely hands that had worked diligently for many years, otherwise, they would not have so many calluses. Moreover, ever since he sat down, Mr. Sun's gaze had been constantly roving, clearly indicating that his profession was likely very secretive, requiring him to frequently observe his surroundings. Combining this with President Zheng's words, Ye Fan's mind began to form a guess about Mr. Sun's identity.
"I've long heard of the Night Owl's great name. It's an honor to meet you today. May I ask where Mr. Sun has been striking it rich lately?" As a tomb keeper in his past life, Ye Fan had encountered too many tomb robbers, naturally understanding their schools and methods. This Mr. Sun was from the Northern faction. They specialized in digging through mountains and holes, relying on brute force to get things done. They possessed considerable strength, and once they set their sights on a treasure, they would obtain it no matter how difficult it was. Furthermore, these people were extremely daring; if ten people could do the job, one would dare to do it alone.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's question, Mr. Sun was immediately taken aback. "Kid, you know me?" he asked, looking at Ye Fan with suspicion in his eyes, a hint of wariness. Clearly, Mr. Sun was displeased with Ye Fan's familiar demeanor.
Ye Fan's lips curved into a faint smile. "Of course, I know Mr. Sun, but Mr. Sun may not know me," he said with a calm smile, neither humble nor overbearing, appearing remarkably composed. This made Mr. Sun's expression grow even colder. He turned to President Zheng. "Old Zheng, who is this young brother?" As he spoke, one hand had already moved to his lower back, where a weapon was hidden. He had become suspicious of Ye Fan and was ready to make a move at any moment.
President Zheng, unaware of this, thought that Ye Fan and Mr. Sun were merely exchanging pleasantries. He smiled and pointed to Ye Fan. "This is a celebrity in our Jiangcheng antique circle..." Before he could finish introducing Ye Fan, Mr. Sun suddenly drew a short knife and lunged at Ye Fan.
However, the moment he made his move, Ye Fan had already acted, his fork instantly pressing against Mr. Sun's throat. "A man from the Northern faction, your skills are not bad, but your reaction speed is too slow." Ye Fan not only identified Mr. Sun's identity but also pointed out his lack of refinement in his fighting skills.
Mr. Sun was completely stunned, staring at Ye Fan with shock. President Zheng, on the other hand, was dumbfounded. He never expected that he, as the intermediary and link, intended to introduce Ye Fan and Mr. Sun to cooperate, but instead, they had fiercely attacked each other, and judging by the momentum, it seemed like a fight to the death.
Mr. Sun's face darkened, his eyes filled with coldness. "Who exactly are you?" The knife remained suspended in mid-air, and feeling the coldness of the fork against his throat, Mr. Sun gritted his teeth tightly. This young man not only knew his identity but also possessed such formidable skills; he was definitely no ordinary person.
Seeing the tension on Mr. Sun's face, Ye Fan smiled slightly and then slowly lowered the fork. "A tomb keeper."
Mr. Sun, whose face had been grim,'s eyes widened immediately upon hearing these three words. He stared intently at Ye Fan, as if he had heard some earth-shattering secret. "What did you say? You're a descendant of the tomb keepers?" This term had once swept through the entire antique circle. Although Mr. Sun had not lived during that era, he had heard his master mention it. Moreover, whenever his master brought up this term, envy would fill his eyes and face.
Ye Fan's lips curved into a faint smile. "The tomb keepers of the past are long gone. The tomb keepers of today, what they guard is merely the tomb in their hearts." Seeing Ye Fan's bitter expression, Mr. Sun frowned, his throat bobbed, but in the end, he didn't know what to say.
Seeing that the two had finally ceased hostilities, President Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. He then pointed to Ye Fan and said to Mr. Sun, "This is Ye Fan, a master of appraisal in Jiangcheng, a rising star with outstanding abilities." If it were in the past, upon seeing such a young man being praised so highly by President Zheng, Mr. Sun would have been shocked. However, at this moment, his face showed no change in expression. It was as if all of this was natural. Indeed, in Mr. Sun's mind, all of this was within reason. As a descendant of tomb keepers, it would be strange if his appraisal skills were not outstanding.
Looking at the two, Ye Fan's face held a gentle smile. "We will have to rely on Mr. Sun for this operation. I am merely a soldier in front of the horse." If it were before, upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Mr. Sun would have surely put on a demeanor of a senior master and comforted Ye Fan. However, at this moment, Mr. Sun was smiling apologetically. "Young friend Ye, you jest. Tomb keepers are proficient in the nine heavens and eight trigrams, the five elements and yin-yang. Whether it's tomb structures or observing mountain veins and checking feng shui, they are all capable in these matters. Therefore, for this operation, Young friend Ye is the protagonist and will naturally take the lead." If Mr. Sun's unusual attitude had previously perplexed President Zheng, then his current demeanor towards Ye Fan completely stunned him. How had the usually arrogant and self-important Mr. Sun suddenly become so polite? Moreover, this was a junior, so where had his unique noble temperament gone in front of a junior?