Extra's Strategy: Cultivate Protagonists, Become Invincible-Chapter 245: Shall I Deduce?

Xiao Mei had been waiting for an outburst, a counterargument, or even a look of defeat to surface on his face. That disdainful smile was the last thing she had expected to see.

And judging by the way Chen Yan took a small step back, he was definitely caught off guard as well. It was his mask that hid his astonishment.

"Senior Brother Yan, have you considered the possibility of a defeat in the duel?" Han Xuhan said gently.

Chen Yan's eyes narrowed. Han Xuhan's inexplicable smile gave him an ominous feeling. Something somewhere was wrong.

Had he miscalculated a factor? Which one?

"You haven't, have you? This absolute confidence of yours surely has a foundation. Should I try to deduce it here and now?"

Seeing that Chen Yan didn't answer, Han Xuhan looked up at the sky, exhaling deeply.

"You and I have been at each other's throats for a long time now. Every time we met, you'd make all kinds of demands, while I would do my best to protect my wealth from you.

But both of us were aware that the little wealth I have saved up inside my hut can't compare to the wealth that can be accumulated through the sales of a popular Mystic Art. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Hence, when it came to this scheme of mine to popularize the legalist path's Mystic Art among the disciples, both of us treaded carefully. Even when you went as far as to expose me to the Disciplinary Committee, you held back from revealing any traces of it.

Throughout our negotiations, you've always threatened to make it public, but never dared to. Because internally, you hoped that I'd find quick success and earn thousands of spirit stones, spirit stones which would eventually fall into your pocket.

It was where both of our interests converged. So why would you expose it today?"

Chen Yan shrugged and replied, "Isn't it obvious? You took too long.

It doesn't seem like your attempt at making that Mystic Art mainstream here is going to actually succeed. At best, you'll fool some desperate idiots and earn a few hundred spirit stones."

Han Xuhan shook his head. "You're getting a little nervous, senior brother. How can you come up with an excuse so terrible?

The craze for that Mystic Art has never been as high as it is right now. I've already received word from the Archives Pavilion that my fellow disciples have begun to buy its copies one by one.

I can bet a fortune that within half a month, the path of laws will officially revive in the outer court of the Crimson Snow Sect!"

"So you're admitting to it?" Chen Yan laughed incredulously.

"You're admitting that you schemed to ruin our sect? Why don't you say it louder for that crowd of thousands behind me? They're going to tear you to shreds, junior brother!"

Han Xuhan wagged a finger playfully. "Don't stray from the topic, senior brother. That's dishonest. Right now, I'm deducing something. Let me reach the conclusion."

Chen Yan could only hear helplessly as Han Xuhan droned on.

"There could be only one reason that could make you decide to reveal my plan to the entire outer court. It's also the worst outcome I foresaw back when the little game between us began.

You... no longer want the profits that could be acquired from the sales of that Mystic Art.

Why? There are two possibilities.

First: you're going to have to leave the sect for a long, long time once the farewell ceremony is held. You won't be able to get your hands on my wealth when you're on a whole different planet! So it wouldn't matter to you if my scheme fails."

"So you did know about the voidboats!"

Chen Yan's eyes nearly bulged out from underneath the mask. "That day, when I tried to negotiate with you, you said you had no idea what a voidboat was!"

"That was also the day you let slip that you have a voidboat ticket, senior brother. Do you remember?" Han Xuhan laughed.

Chen Yan clicked his tongue. "And you actually believed me? You fool! I was fishing for information!

Without proper connections, buying a ticket is impossible. All the influential factions on our planet have their eyes trained on those tickets.

Moreover, if I already had a ticket to a voidboat, why would I try to rob you and risk getting killed by our dear Sect Master?"

Han Xuhan paid Chen Yan's refutation no heed.

"I'd actually be a fool if I believed your words right now, senior brother. The ticket you have could have been easily acquired by Sister Mei's clan. Did you forget that I know her background? Hahaha!"

Xiao Mei's face grew somber. It might have been hard for her to follow all the lightning-fast logical leaps in Han Xuhan's deduction, but that last part was a crystal clear threat. No one would miss it!

"Since you already had a voidboat ticket, and yet persisted in your attempts to rob me of my wealth, you clearly needed more spirit stones. It could have been for a multitude of reasons.

Perhaps you wanted to accumulate a massive fund that you could rely on once you entered the Inner Court of the Crimson Snow Sect.

Perhaps you needed the money to buy certain resources, or bribe certain people.

Or perhaps you needed multiple tickets to the voidboat!"

Han Xuhan cast a glance at Xiao Mei's shaken expression. "Let's go with the last possibility. My deduction tells me that it's the closest to the truth."

"But acquiring multiple voidboat tickets is extremely difficult. Like you've described just now, the powerful factions across our planet have already claimed every seat available.

So, if you want a second ticket, you'll have to buy it at an inflated price from one of them. It was this desperate need that originally made you set your sights on my wealth, and many others before me.

Don't think that I don't know about your past records of extortion, senior brother. You were so efficient in using your disciplinary authority to earn money unlawfully!"

Chen Yan snorted disdainfully.

"Now you're just making up things. With your talent, why don't you start writing novels? You could earn a lot of money that way too, instead of having to run fraudulent schemes."

Han Xuhan ignored the jibe and continued his analysis.

"Having deduced this far, I think we can all agree that you'd not let go of even the smallest opportunity to accumulate more spirit stones. So the first possibility I mentioned—that you no longer want my wealth, doesn't make much sense... Only until we explore the second possibility."