At that moment, Chen Xu swam over and hugged her tightly in the water, anxiously asking, "Are you alright? Are you okay?"
Hearing the anxiety in Chen Xu's voice, Guan Yi smiled happily: "It's nothing, it's nothing. I just accidentally got my foot caught in a big clam. I'm fine now."
But when she floated on the water and lifted her feet to the ground, a bloodstain was clearly visible around her right ankle, which was quite alarming on her slender, white calf.
Anyway, it's all good that nothing happened. Chen Xu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Beautiful lady, you almost scared me to death." Then, Chen Xu shouted to the two people on the shore who were still anxiously waiting, "It's okay, it's okay!"
It was only then that Guan Yi realized that her current position with Chen Xu was rather inappropriate. Chen Xu had one arm around her waist, their bodies were almost completely pressed together, and Guan Yi was only wearing a very tight swimsuit. Chen Xu was also shirtless. Their skin was touching, and although they were in the water and it was unintentional, this intimate contact was still far too ambiguous, and Guan Yi couldn't help but blush.
Seeing that she had injured her foot, Chen Xu was focused on dragging her back to shore as quickly as possible and didn't look at her. Suddenly not hearing her voice, he couldn't help but turn around and say, "Are you alright? Why aren't you saying anything?!"
Guan Yi exclaimed "Ah!" and quickly said, "I'm fine, my foot still hurts a little." Then she said, "By the way, I'm fine now, I can swim by myself. Don't worry about me, help me catch that big clam. Humph, it pinched me, I'm definitely going to get my revenge!"
Chen Xu was both amused and exasperated, thinking, "Why are you getting angry at a giant clam? And it's a good thing it's a giant clam! If you were being chased by a shark, would I have to catch that shark too?"
Seeing that Chen Xu didn't answer, Guan Yi pouted and said, "Go ahead! I almost died because of it, and you're not even going to help me get revenge? Once we get ashore, where are we going to find this giant clam again?"
What she said made some sense. Chen Xu heard the bitterness in her tone and couldn't bear to go against her wishes, so he said, "Okay, okay, wait and see, I'll avenge you!"
Then Chen Xu dived down. Although visibility was very low at night, Chen Xu easily found the giant clam. He touched it, and wow, it weighed at least sixty or seventy pounds! Enough for a delicious meal, but he wondered if there were any pearls inside.
Chen Xu was about to lift the large clam out of the water when he suddenly sensed something was wrong with the current. This was the seaside, and although it was in the water, there were some reefs nearby, and a few small hills of moderate height along the coast.
Chen Xu's mind raced, recalling the memories he had seen in the virtual world, including the few small hills by the sea. The places Xiao Min had chosen also featured similar terrain.
So, as if by some strange twist of fate, Chen Xu abandoned the giant clam and swam forward. Sure enough, he found a large cave near a small hill not far away.
The hole was very deep, and it was unclear where it led, but it was definitely big enough for two or three people to pass through at the same time.
Could this be the place where Miwad buried his treasure?
Chapter 274 of the main text: Just One Step Away
Chen Xu felt a surge of excitement. Had they found it?
At this moment, he felt his lungs were almost empty, so he quickly floated to the surface. The hole was large enough for a person to pass through, but he didn't know how deep it was, or what kind of accidents might be inside. If he rushed in like this, he might not be able to breathe, and that would be the end of him.
So Chen Xu quickly pulled Guan Yi to the shore and said, "I found a cave underwater, which might be what I'm looking for. I'll go down and take a look now. You guys stay on the shore."
"What exactly are you looking for?" Guan Yi asked, no longer caring about the giant clam. "Are you really searching for treasure?"
Chen Xu nodded seriously, while Guan Yi chuckled, "Please, this joke isn't funny at all. Are you short of money right now?"
Chen Xu shook his head and said, "But there is something in there that is very important to me, even... never mind, you'll understand my intentions once I get my hands on it."
"Is there something you can't tell us?" Guan Yi's expression was somewhat displeased. "Do you know how dangerous it is underwater? That cave hasn't been surveyed. What if you go down and can't come back up?"
Chen Xu shook his head and said that this was not a problem. He pointed to the car behind him and said, "I was prepared beforehand. I brought a bulletproof vest, and the material of that vest is water-repellent. It's also so tough that I wouldn't be afraid even if I encountered a shark. Also, I brought an oxygen tank, so you don't need to worry about me. I will come back immediately if things get bad."
"That won't do either!" Guan Yi stomped his foot angrily. "It's too dangerous for you to go alone. No way. If you insist on going, I'll go with you!"
Chen Xu was dumbfounded. But before he could speak, Guan Yi said, "What are you looking at? Although I may not be much better than you at swimming, you definitely can't beat me at diving."
That's true, because ordinary people have no diving experience at all, which is incomparable to Guan Yi, who has been able to go diving since childhood.
The two argued as they walked ashore. Gao Xiaojie, not understanding what was going on, looked at them and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you two?"
Guan Yi explained the situation, and Gao Xiaojie exclaimed, "Ah! Wouldn't it be very dangerous underwater?"
Zhan Jing looked at Chen Xu with a complicated expression and said, "Are you really going?"
Chen Xu nodded, and Zhan Jing fell silent. Gao Xiaojie immediately became anxious and said, "Jingjing, how could you just let him go like that?"
Zhan Jing smiled: "Since he's already made up his mind, there's no point in trying to persuade him further. It's a pity I'm not a good swimmer, so you should have Guan Yi go with you. Having someone to look after you will at least put your mind at ease. Or, you could find a few more professionals to go down with you tomorrow. Do you have underwater communication equipment?"
Chen Xu shook his head and said, "But it's best not to let anyone else get involved in this matter, because if what's down there is really what I want, the fewer people who know, the better. Of course, I trust you, but I still can't say what's there right now. You just need to know that it's very important to me, even to the entire nation. So I have to go down. Not having communication equipment isn't a problem. Although my satellite phone can't make calls underwater, it has an emergency call SMS system. I just need to press and hold the * key for ten seconds to send a pre-edited text message to your phones. If you see this SOS message, call the police immediately. Don't worry, I definitely won't wait until we're completely out of supplies to call for help."
Seeing Chen Xu's firm resolve, the three couldn't say anything more and had no choice but to agree. Of course, Chen Xu had to bring Guan Yi along.
This request wasn't unreasonable. Chen Xu had brought two of everything just in case, which was enough for him and Guan Yi to wear.
If you don't have a wetsuit, this liquid bulletproof vest will do. It's waterproof and tough, and even safer than a wetsuit.
After putting on their bulletproof vests and taking their oxygen tanks, Chen Xu and Guan Yi disappeared underwater.
This oxygen cylinder can supply one person with oxygen for one and a half hours, so there's no need to worry about running out for now.
After Chen Xu and Guan Yi went into the water, they arrived at the cave entrance, turned on their underwater flashlights, and Chen Xu made a gesture before swimming in first.
This was Chen Xu's first time diving, but it went relatively smoothly. Holding a flashlight and shining it into the dark, tunnel-like cave, the feeling was quite eerie.
This tunnel is incredibly deep. From the surface, it appears to have been carved through the mountain, but how they did it is a mystery. Chen Xu and his group have been swimming for at least five minutes and still haven't reached the end. Looking at the tunnel walls and its sheer straightness, it's clear this tunnel was man-made… Carving a tunnel like this underwater is truly terrifying!
Chen Xu swam to the front and suddenly realized he had reached the end. Chen Xu was very surprised. What happened? Had he guessed wrong?
But this is clearly a tunnel that one person dug openly!
At this moment, Guan Yi also swam over. The two of them shone their flashlights ahead and discovered that what was in front of them was not a stone wall at all, but an iron gate!
The entire cave was sealed off by an iron gate!
This is so damn frustrating!
Chen Xu should have realized this sooner; although the place was well-hidden, it wasn't impossible for someone to accidentally discover it. Had he been watching too many treasure hunt movies? Did he think that having a treasure map and finding the location meant he was safe?
How is that possible?
People painstakingly hide their treasures. Take this tunnel for example, how much manpower and resources does it take to carve such a tunnel under the sea level and inside the mountain? And after they opened the tunnel, they didn't close it or lock it. So anyone who finds the place can take the treasure away.
Do you really think those who buried treasure were idiots?
Don't you realize how precious those things are? Didn't you see those wealthy people who designed their own tombs? They all have self-destruct mechanisms inside. Their meaning is very clear: if I can't protect this thing myself, I'd rather destroy it than let the others get it!
Chen Xu wandered around in front of the large iron gate, searching inch by inch with his flashlight, feeling very frustrated.
It's almost certain that there's something good behind this iron gate. Since this area hasn't been developed, Chen Xu is more than 90% sure that the iron gate was created by Miwad, and the jade seal should be behind it!
This iron gate can't completely block the treasure; otherwise, Miwad wouldn't be able to get it when he returns.
Therefore, there must be something like a hidden key on this iron gate!
Sure enough, after a careful search, Chen Xu finally found a doorknob. It was a door embedded in an iron gate, with a keyhole and two combination locks for turning.
Good heavens, how is Chen Xu supposed to drive this?
If it were just a keyhole, Chen Xu might be able to try opening it with a wire or something similar.
But if there's a combination lock... this isn't online, Chen Xu doesn't know the password, how can he open this door?!
As a result, Chen Xu became depressed.
It's like being with a beautiful woman, having drinks and plenty of foreplay, then getting her into bed and taking off her clothes... and lo and behold, she's wearing iron underwear! No wonder Chen Xu was furious! But Chen Xu wasn't going to give up easily. He tried everything to unlock it, but in the water, all he could hear was the sound of water; how could he hear the subtle clanging sounds of unlocking? Even a seasoned lock-picking expert might not be able to handle this lock, let alone Chen Xu, who had only learned lock-picking for a few days in a virtual reality environment!
After trying for a long time, Chen Xu finally gave up in despair, said goodbye, and pulled Guan Yi back with him.
Upon emerging from the water, they heard Gao Xiaojie's cheers. They had been underwater for at least forty minutes, during which Chen Xu had been obliviously studying the lock. However, on the shore, Gao Xiaojie and Zhan Jing were filled with anxiety. The longer they waited without any news, the more worried they became, fearing that something might have happened to them.
Seeing Chen Xu come up, both women couldn't help but cheer. However, Zhan Jing's voice was softer, while Gao Xiaojie's voice was louder, so it was clear.
"We absolutely can't let this go." This was the first thing Chen Xu said after getting ashore: "If we can't get through the door, we have to find another way. I refuse to believe that I can't handle a broken door!"
After Guan Yi explained the situation, he said, "I don't think you can rush this. One person's strength is limited after all. We can find someone to help us."
"Absolutely not!" Chen Xu declared firmly. "This matter absolutely cannot be entrusted to anyone else, and it's best to keep it a secret from them! Let me put it this way: one item inside is priceless beyond description. If anyone gets greedy, the consequences will be dire!"
"What is it that you're making it so mysterious?!"
Chen Xu gritted his teeth. At this point, there was really no point in hiding anything from Guan Yi and the other two. If Chen Xu couldn't even trust the three of them, then there was practically no one in the world he could trust... Of course, this was with reservations. It wasn't that he could just casually reveal everything; for example, he didn't intend to tell anyone that he was part of SMMH.
That's how it is for now, at least for the time being.
Looking into Gao Xiaojie and Zhan Jing's eyes, they also revealed intense curiosity.
Chen Xu sighed: "Do you guys still remember Mivad? Mivad from the Satan organization, he came to assassinate me, but in the end... well, he was taken care of by Nangong Lan."
The official explanation for Miwad's death was that the police arrived in time, but those in the know certainly wouldn't believe such a flimsy excuse. So Chen Xu pinned the blame on Nangong Lan, who was a master of Baguazhang and could kill people like chickens, so no one said anything.
Chen Xu lied, saying, "I obtained a treasure map from Mivad, which contained the treasures Mivad had amassed throughout his life. And the most valuable and precious item among them was..."
"The Imperial Seal of the State!"
Chapter 275 No Door, But a Window
There's not much to say about what happened next. Even someone completely ignorant of history should have heard of the Imperial Seal of the State, should know its value, and should understand the meaning of the saying, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
Guan Yi said, "This matter really cannot be known to anyone else. We are in Dubai now, not our territory. Few people can remain calm in the face of such huge interests. You know, many Saudi princes and nobles are so rich they're practically throwing money away. They like to buy antiques and jewelry and let them mold in their basements, but they don't lack money! If these things end up in their hands, they definitely won't sell them, and then we won't be able to get them back."
Zhan Jing looked at Chen Xu: "What are your plans? What are your plans after you get this imperial seal?"
"Of course, it should be given to the country and placed in the Palace Museum for people all over the country to visit." Chen Xu answered without hesitation, but after answering, he was stunned... All along, he had been thinking about how to find the imperial seal, but he had never thought about how to deal with it.
As if it were a matter of course, Chen Xu felt that this thing should be given to the country, not to any particular leader, but to the whole country. After all, the jade seal was an irreplaceable part of China's more than two thousand years of feudal history! It was a national treasure!
National treasure, as the name suggests, is a national treasure.
This national treasure should belong to the country. No individual or organization has the right to keep it!
Although Chen Xu was a man who wouldn't do anything without a reason, at least that was the kind of education he received when he was young, and he always remembered it well... He didn't want to become emperor, so why would he want an imperial seal?
As for selling it for money?
Don't be ridiculous, who would he sell it to? Aside from the fact that selling it would make Chen Xu the biggest traitor in history, money is just an ordinary number to Chen Xu now. He's not short of money!
Upon hearing Chen Xu's words, the three girls all showed expressions of admiration and respect.
What is a real man?
Wealth and honor cannot corrupt, poverty and hardship cannot sway, and power and force cannot subdue.
No one knows the true value of this jade seal, but calling it priceless is no exaggeration. Compared to this jade seal, all antique jewelry is rubbish! But Chen Xu didn't even hesitate; he refused it. This kind of integrity is what girls admire most.
Hearing Chen Xu say this, Guan Yi breathed a sigh of relief: "This is indeed the best way to handle it, after all, the Imperial Seal is no ordinary item. It truly proves the saying, 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' Placing it in the Palace Museum is probably its best home, rather than leaving it in someone's private collection." Then she smiled: "Heh, now you're famous again, a modern-day version of 'Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao,' this will definitely be a national sensation, and the media will hype it up. Hmm, who knows, maybe because of your teacher SMMH, they'll award you an honor or some special privileges, so you can knock on anyone's office door for the rest of your life."
"This is the kind of treatment you get?"
Guan Yi smiled and said, "Special envoy benefits."
Chen Xu then realized she was teasing him, and smiled helplessly. Men, sometimes, just have it tough. Aside from Zhan Jing, who fared better, did he get teased less by the other two?
At this moment, Zhan Jing suddenly said, "So the reason you were so excited when you saw that photo on the yacht was because you discovered a clue to the imperial seal?"