Chapter 171 The Secret of the Twin Cities
"That makes sense." Buster pondered, "However, where did Evil Eye Moon get such a huge fortune, and where did he hide it?"
"Since Baron Neumann has access to it, the 'cave' where the treasure is hidden must be within this territory, or at least nearby," Andre said. "However, one thing still doesn't make sense—why would Evil Eye Moon hide such a large fortune in Baron Neumann's territory?"
Baster couldn't understand it either. "Indeed, Baron Neumann is cunning and greedy... Although such a person could easily be persuaded by Evil Eye Moon and agree to join them in opposing the King... but putting such a large sum of money within Baron Neumann's reach is like letting a rat into the granary!"
Andrei touched his chin, and suddenly an idea struck him: "Perhaps, Evil Eye Moon didn't place the property in Baron Neumann's territory... but it was already here when they acquired it."
He took out an old map from the bookshelf behind him and spread it on the table: "Look, this is an old map from the period of the Delman Kingdom. Back then, the twin cities of East and West Eston protected the capital.
Nearly one hundred and ninety years ago, at the end of the Maximian dynasty, the old King Maximian III was nearing death. The king's second son, Abreu, led a rebel army from his territory in the heart of the kingdom, attacking the eastern city of Eston. There, he and his twin brother, Crown Prince Rupert, engaged in a fierce and relentless battle.
"That war was incredibly brutal, completely destroying the then-thriving East City of Eston and forcing thousands of war victims to flee. Ultimately, Abrey breathed his last as East City burned down. Rupert achieved a tragic victory, but soon after assuming the throne, he fell seriously ill from his injuries. This was the origin of the 'Twin Curse' that would later plague the Kingdom of Delman."
"Rumor has it that the succeeding King Franz of Lorraine, Rupert and Abreu's cousin, followed Rupert's instructions before his death and built a crypt within the ruins of East Eston. Franz of Lorraine had Abreu's remains collected from the battlefield and buried the twins in the crypt. He also preserved the remains of East Eston forever as a warning and a reminder to future generations."
Bast was confused. "But what does this history have to do with the Evil Eye Moon?"
Andre tapped the map on the table with his slender fingers. "Look, from the capital to the west and east cities of Eston, it's all a flat plain. There are lakes and hills here, but no mountains high enough to accommodate a massive 'cave.' Furthermore, the soil here is loose and soft. Erosion by running water will only cause landslides, making it difficult for a cave to form naturally. The cave described by Barrow, if it really exists near this territory, must have been artificially excavated, reinforced, or constructed."
Bast also frowned. "But we've recently thoroughly surveyed this territory, redefining its boundaries, recording the population and buildings, and haven't found any suspicious structures like this."
"Yes," Andre nodded approvingly. "So, this place must be somewhere we haven't explored, and it's very likely underground. To dig a 'cave' underground comparable to a dragon's lair, the cost and technology are beyond the reach of a mere baron. It can only be a relic left by a previous dynasty... With this inference, the underground tomb of King Rupert and his brother's twins becomes particularly suspicious!"
"Indeed, upon closer inspection, there's another rumor fraught with doubt." Baster felt Andre's speculation made sense, and his imagination ran wild as he began to add evidence. "There's been a rumor that one of the rulers of Evil Eye Moon is a descendant of the Delman royal family. This rumor has never been denied by the Evil Eye Moon, and it's even become increasingly popular. We've always suspected that the source of this news is probably Evil Eye Moon."
"Although we're not sure whether Evil Eye Moon is truly related to the previous dynasty, or is simply using this name to establish ties with it, hiding the money in the previous dynasty's underground mausoleum is a very good idea," Andre said. "Firstly, the East City of Eston has been abandoned for many years. The vegetation has grown wildly, turning it into a forest. Finding the entrance to the underground mausoleum is not easy.
"Secondly, His Majesty is extremely poor and lacks the funds to rebuild an abandoned city. Furthermore, although His Majesty's relationship with the Derman clan is not good, he ascended the throne as a distant relative of the Derman royal family and would never, under any circumstances, dig up the tomb of a king from a previous dynasty.
"Thirdly, they stuff the money they've swindled into the tombs of the previous dynasty, disguising it as treasure. Then, they present themselves as descendants of the previous dynasty, and thus can logically 'inherit' the money. No matter how unreliable this theory is, there are believers who will accept it."
Andre scratched his chin and sneered again. "But then again, when the German royal family was declining, there were rumors that King Rudolf had hidden a huge amount of gold and jewels... Maybe King Rudolf really hid these treasures in the ancestral tomb, and then Evil Eye Moon found them and took them for himself?"
"Ah? That's too much of a coincidence." Buster scratched his hair and said in disbelief.
"It's not necessarily a coincidence," Andre said. "The Evil Eye Moon is clearly very interested in the previous dynasty. Perhaps they really do have some information we don't know about. In short, we need to dispatch personnel to the ruins of East City in Eston to investigate."
He pondered the map for a moment, then added, "Back when East Eston was surrounded by rebels, it's said many residents escaped from East Eston to West Eston through a tunnel dug by earth magicians. If that tunnel hasn't collapsed, it might explain how the ghost-faced man disappeared from West Eston despite our blockade and siege."
"First, send a team to East Eston to investigate. Then, send a few people who are good at gathering information to look for the elders in the city. Perhaps someone still remembers how their ancestors escaped from East Eston... or perhaps someone knows the location of the tunnel."
"As you command!" Buster saluted Andrei and looked at him with admiration. "By the way, Boss, you know a lot about the history of the previous dynasty!"
A nostalgic, yet somewhat sad smile played across Andrei's lips. "This is all thanks to my teacher. He made me read a lot of history books in order to temper my character..."
This time, he didn't dwell on his memories for a long time like before. Instead, he waved to Buster and said, "Go back to work. I have to go home for dinner."
Buster, who was walking out, suddenly stopped in his tracks. He said with a smug look on his face, "Boss, can you take me with you to dinner?"
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