The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 229. Investigating the last suspect

Chapter 229: 229. Investigating the last suspect

Two months later...

"After narrowing down the possibilities, this is the only guy who probably has the thing you’re searching for," Lily Gomes said, placing a photograph on the table in front of Tyler. Her tone was confident, as if she’d just cracked a long-unsolved puzzle.

Tyler leaned in, examining the image of a man with blonde hair and sharp, distinctive features. "Isn’t that Professor Ciel?" he asked, furrowing his brows.

Lily shook her head. "No, that’s Ciel’s younger brother, Roel. He is an assistant professor in our academy. He rarely shows up in the Academy. They do look a little alike."

Tyler nodded thoughtfully. He shifted his gaze to their current location—a bustling Teleportation Hub. The air buzzed with activity as travelers queued in long lines, clutching forms and cargo.

Unlike the rest of the crowd, Tyler and Lily didn’t bother joining the queue. Tyler had arranged for a VIP pass, granting them access to an exclusive teleportation array without the usual waiting. Ignoring the envious looks from the regular line, he approached the counter to fill out their forms while Lily wandered closer to the Teleportation Array.

As she neared the array, her eyes landed on a peculiar figure—an old man slumped over a desk, seemingly asleep. His head rested on folded arms, but what caught her attention wasn’t his posture—it was his face.

"What the heck?" Lily muttered, leaning in for a closer look. "He doesn’t have any eyes... or a nose..." Her voice trailed off as her expression twisted in confusion.

Out of nowhere, a gruff voice replied, startling her. "Everything’s here, little girl."

Lily took a step back, her mouth agape. "Dyamm... It talks, but there’s no mouth!" she exclaimed, her surprise almost theatrical.

The old man slowly raised his bald head, revealing a sleepy "Everything’s here," he repeated with a yawn. "You’re just not looking at wrong spot."

Before Lily could respond with another quip, Tyler appeared and tugged her away by the arm. "Sorry about that sir," he said apologetically, throwing Lily a warning glance. "She’s a little... curious."

With her best puppy eyes, Lily quickly added, "Sorry, Uncle. I didn’t mean to be rude."

The old man chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "Ah, it’s fine, little lady. You remind me of my granddaughter—sharp tongue, big heart."

As they walked away, Tyler glanced at Lily, shaking his head. "You always manage to slip out of trouble with that childlike act, don’t you?"

Lily grinned mischievously. "Hehe... It works like a charm, doesn’t it?"

Tyler sighed, folding his arms. "For a moment, I thought your... defective personality had finally vanished."

Lily laughed, tilting her head playfully. "Nope. Still here. It’s just upgraded! I’m both now—adorable and cheeky." She winked at him, her grin widening.

"Who said anything about being Adorable?" Tyler murmured as his way to the VIP Teleportation Array.

"Hmph... I heard that..." Lily followed him.

Both Lily and Tyler didn’t return to the academy after their last excursion. Instead, they found themselves in a bustling city.

Disguised by their Phantom Masks, which allowed them to appear as teenagers, the two blended seamlessly with the crowd. Wandering around as children often attracted unwanted attention, so this was their preferred method of disguise.

After hiring a flying cab, they began their journey to a small, scenic village nestled amidst the rolling green hills. The lush greenery stretched as far as the eye could see, and a gentle breeze carried the earthy scent of crops and fresh water.

"According to my investigation, he’s been visiting this village frequently," Lily explained, glancing at a notepad she’d scribbled notes in earlier.

Tyler gazed out of the window, taking in the picturesque surroundings. "What a peaceful place. Feels like a hidden paradise."

The houses in the village were quaint and simple, each surrounded by its own stretch of farmland. Vibrant green crops swayed gently in the breeze, and villagers bustled about their daily routines.

When the cab finally came to a stop, the duo hopped off and stood at the entrance to the village. Tyler reached for the copper pot he always carried and placed a hand on it, concentrating. After a moment, he shook his head. "Hmm... no resonance. Looks like he’s not here."

Lily nodded thoughtfully. "Probably not. But we might be able to dig up some information about him from the locals." Without wasting any time, she marched ahead, leaving Tyler to follow her lead.

"This really is a beautiful village," Tyler murmured as they strolled down a dirt path. His attention, however, was soon drawn elsewhere—specifically, to the village girls walking by with baskets full of fish and vegetables. One of them, a beast girl with striking features and an infectious smile, caught his gaze. She winked at him, then subtly pointed toward a farmhouse at the far end of the village, signaling it was her home.

Tyler smirked but said nothing, distracted by her suggestive gestures.

"Focus," Lily snapped as she returned from speaking with a villager. Her stern tone cut through his daze.

"I am focused," Tyler replied defensively, though his eyes lingered on the winking girl.

Lily followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I see. I didn’t expect you to find Roel’s wife so quickly. As expected of my former assistant," she teased, patting his shoulder with mock approval.

"Wait—wife?" Tyler’s expression shifted from amusement to shock. "Roel has a family here?"

Lily nodded, suppressing a smirk. "Yup. Didn’t I mention that?"

Tyler’s thoughts raced. If the winking girl was truly Roel’s wife, why had she invited him to her home with such obvious signals? Surely she couldn’t be trying to...

"Tyler, stop overthinking. Let’s go investigate." Lily’s voice broke through his internal musings.

"Right," Tyler muttered.

"Don’t be horny all the time." Lily said with a teasing tone.

"Its not me... Trust me... The situation around me..." Tyler said.

"Yeah yeah..." She nodded.

Suddenly on the way to Roel’s house, Tyler and Lily stopped because they heard something.

"Hey I thought I told you kids to go plow in the field." A middle aged man voice said.

"But Dad we’ve been plowing all morning." A young boy replied.

"Yeah I can’t take any more plowing I can barely walk." A young girl voice followed up.

"Look I know it seems like dirty work but son you got to spread that seed until your sack is empty." The middle aged man said and he continued, "And Daughter you got to clear away all that brush so he can plant it deep where it needs to be okay."

"We’ll keep at it but I think that hoe is pretty much worn out." The young man replied.

"Well, flip it over you can use both sides." The dad said.

Tyler and Lily exchanged a quick glance before quietly peeking over the edge of the fence. In the distance, a father and his children were working in the fields, their laughter carried by the gentle breeze.

"Well, at least I’m not the only dirty-minded one," Tyler muttered under his breath, unable to help himself.

Lily lightly tapped his arm and chuckled, shaking her head. "Focus, Tyler. You’re getting distracted again."

After weaving through the village, they finally stood in front of the farmhouse where the girl had indicated she lived.

Lily smirked mischievously. "Alright, here’s the plan—go inside and seduce her."

Tyler stared at her, baffled. "What?"

"That’s the easiest way, obviously. She already gave you some signals, didn’t she?" Lily teased with a wink.

"Or," Tyler countered, crossing his arms, "how about we talk to her directly instead?"

Lily sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Are you sure? If she finds out that you know her husband, the probability of... plowing her field... will drop to zero."

Tyler’s brow twitched in annoyance. "That ’field’ already has an owner."

"True," Lily admitted with a smirk. "But the owner is absent. The field has been left untended—dry, parched, and begging for someone to water it." She burst into laughter at her own wordplay. "Come on, Tyler, just do it. It’s not like you and Roel are destined to be best friends. If anything, the chances of him becoming your enemy are at least 80%."

Tyler let out a sigh and reluctantly nodded, walking toward the house. Despite Lily’s antics, her reasoning had a strange way of making sense.

As he approached the door, he took a deep breath, ready to knock. But before he could, the door swung open. Standing in the doorway was the same strikingly beautiful beast girl he had seen earlier. Her appearance was even more captivating up close.

"Hello," Tyler said smoothly, improvising on the spot. "I’m a bit thirsty. Could I trouble you for some water?"

The girl glanced left and right, hesitating for a moment before stepping aside and inviting him in. Tyler stepped into the house, his gaze lingering on her now fully revealed form.

The girl’s golden eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made his pulse quicken. For a moment, there was only silence between them, charged with unspoken tension. Tyler cleared his throat, trying to focus.

"Thank you," he said as she handed him a cup of water. Her hand touched his hand while giving the cup.

Meanwhile outside, "He just went in... That was Fast..." Lily murmured.