Chapter 946


    Maxine pointed upward.


    "Based on Thomas'' position when he fell, it seems impossible for him 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, she continued.


    "He should have stopped rolling at around 200 meters deep.When we descended, I saw a pit where he


    would’vee 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 her 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 her head and pointed, saying, "If he fell from there, he would''vended here."She


    moved her body and pointed to the rock under her 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


    he rolled down from that rock, he would’ve stopped here.Yet again, there isn’t anything here that shows


    that happened."


    James agreed with Maxine''s analysis after considering her 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 he didn’t actually die, why didn''t he show us he was alive?"


    Maxine looked James in the eye.


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    "I already told youst 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 him and


    ultimately caused his fall from this ce which resulted in his unfortunate death."


    "Why would grandpa do such a thing?"


    Maxine broke it down for James.


    "ording to the clues collected, it’s almost certain that he’se up with this scheme beforehand.As


    for why he did them, the only person with answers is he himself."


    A serious expression filled James'' face.


    Then, he 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 him to know that Tobias will show up? "


    Maxine clutched her chin thoughtfully.


    "Because he knows that I’ve been following you.He probably guessed that my job was to protect and


    monitor you.I’m sure he assumed that I’d ry all of this to my grandfather."


    When he heard the part about her reporting to her grandfather, James eyed Maxine warily.


    Maxine quickly raised her hands and exined 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 her further because he knew that Tobias probably still had not solved the painting''s


    secret.


    Otherwise, he 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 her 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 her about him."


    "Why? Do you suspect her?"


    "I find it hard not to doubt her.If my suspicions are correct, she must have some knowledge about what


    Thomas is trying to do this time as well as his ns.There''s a good chance Thomas will contact her


    again.She''ll spill about his ns sooner orter if you keep her by your side.If you question her now,


    it’l] only serve to make her more cautious."


    James asked her tly, "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 her somehow.As long as she stays by your side, the


    truth will reveal itself sooner orter."


    "I think you''re getting ahead of yourself."


    James shot down Maxine’s spection.


    How could she be distrustful of those close to him? She was asking him to suspect both his own


    grandfather and his ex-wife.He trusted that his grandpa would not team up with her to harm him.He


    turned around and began climbing back up with the rope.


    Maxine shook her head helplessly and followed.