Liang En had initially anticipated that perhaps one or two individuals would come by in a car to take away the gold necklaces and have him sign a series of related documents. However, the reality turned out to be that the other party attached even greater importance to this matter than Liang En had imagined.
As Liang En stood around a hundred meters away from his car, purchasing some pastries and a cup of hot tea from a mobile eatery, intending to enjoy an afternoon tea in his car, he spotted a mid-sized bus and a small truck resembling those used by moving companies approaching from the nearby road. They eventually parked beside his car.
Once the vehicles had come to a stop, more than a dozen people emerged from them.
Subsequently, an elderly man wearing work attire and glasses walked up to Liang En's car. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun and peered into the car's cabin through the window glass.
"Sir, may I inquire if there's something I can help you with?" Liang En asked the elder man as he held a small paper bag.
"Ah, young man, I am Dr. David Caldwell, representing the Scottish Underground Treasure Department," the elderly man responded amiably after Liang En's query. "Could you tell me the current whereabouts of the owner of this vehicle?"
"Well, I am the owner of this car, Liang En. Of course, you can call me Lawrence."
Suddenly, Liang En recalled that he had included his license plate number when notifying the museum earlier. Hence, he asked, "Are you from the Scottish Underground Treasure Department, the ones who came to retrieve the treasure after receiving a phone call?"
After a few exchanges confirming their identities, Liang En unlocked the car's cabin and retrieved five separately wrapped sections of gold necklaces from the glove compartment.
As Liang En unwrapped each cloth bundle, the gold necklaces gradually came into view for the museum staff present.
The first two local-themed gold necklaces did not catch the museum staff's attention, as their collection already held many similar artifacts.
However, when the two-sectioned French-made gold necklace appeared, Liang En noticed that the archaeologists present displayed keen interest.
"Liang, your luck is truly exceptional," Dr. Caldwell couldn't help but remark upon seeing the fragments of this necklace.
"If I recall correctly, this gold necklace should be the third one from France discovered in the Scottish region. It holds significant historical value. Though, of course, it can't compare to the last necklace."
"Yes, because the last one combines styles from Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the British Iron Age," Liang En remarked, simultaneously unveiling the woven gold necklace.
"Just as I wrote in the email I sent you, this is the first time such an artifact has been found in the entirety of Scotland and even the entire United Kingdom—"
"Indeed, it represents a cultural and trade exchange route we had never known of before," Dr. Caldwell said earnestly, gazing at the woven gold bracelet.
"This is a momentous archaeological discovery, as prevailing history mostly suggests that significant interactions between the island and the civilizations of Southern Europe began only after the Roman invasion of Britain—"
Perhaps because the conversation aligned with his expertise, Dr. Caldwell began elaborating on his analysis. Given that Liang En had acquired knowledge about this necklace from another world and had previously studied materials about it, he was able to seamlessly join in on these discussions.
As their dialogue progressed, the two of them grew more engrossed, moving from discussing the bracelet to ancient trade routes, and eventually covering various connections between the European continent and the British Isles.
"Seriously, Lawrence, your depth of knowledge and enthusiasm in this field surpasses my expectations. Most treasure hunters I've encountered wouldn't be capable of such conversations."
Watching as the archaeologists and security personnel began setting up caution tape and initiating their search in the vicinity, Dr. Caldwell sighed.
"They often only care about how much money they can make by digging up these things, disregarding the history concealed behind these artifacts."
"I suppose it's because I studied archaeology at University College Cork," Liang En chuckled and explained, "so during treasure hunting, I tend to focus more on certain aspects related to this field."
"That's certainly a good fit for your current profession." Dr. Caldwell's face brightened as he responded to Liang En's explanation. "At least it allows you to work in this domain."
In most countries, positions like those belonging to archaeological teams under national museums, characterized by long-term and stable job contracts, are highly coveted.
In Dr. Caldwell's view, due to Ireland's relatively small population, such positions were already scarce. Moreover, for a foreigner like Liang En, it would be challenging to secure a similar role in the United Kingdom. Hence, his decision to embark on the path of a treasure hunter.
"Furthermore, compared to working with an archaeological team, my job offers more freedom. Plus, there's a chance to find wealth that most people wouldn't come across." Liang En smiled as he shared his thoughts.
"For instance, upon discovering these treasures, I could acquire funds to improve my life."
"Hahaha, indeed." Upon hearing Liang En's words, Dr. Caldwell laughed and patted his shoulder. "However, I hope you'll continue to maintain your enthusiasm for this field and not merely focus on economic aspects."
Towards the end of their conversation, the doctor expressed to Liang En that if he were to find any more valuable artifacts in the future, he should prioritize contacting him. He then proceeded to make calls to higher authorities to discuss matters and inquire about bonuses.
Money-related matters were often the trickiest to handle. Consequently, it wasn't until 11:30 PM that the decision from the National Museum of Scotland regarding these matters was reached.
Just as Dr. Caldwell, the person in charge, brought this news to Liang En, he was engaged in conversation with some resting archaeologists.
Learning that Liang En would be publishing a paper on ancient Egyptian scripts in the upcoming issue of the "Journal of the British Archaeological Association," these archaeology experts welcomed him into their conversation circle.
After all, the British hold a strong regard for social hierarchy. If Liang En were just an ordinary treasure hunter, these archaeologists would have likely dismissed him.
As Liang En finished discussing the development of ancient trade routes between Europe and Britain, synthesizing both accurate and speculative content from his mental map, Dr. Caldwell pulled him aside from the group.
"Has the museum made a decision?" Once away from the crowd, Lawrence asked in a hushed voice.
"Yes, the National Museum of Scotland has decided to make the acquisition." The doctor nodded. "They are willing to offer one million for these items and permanently display an informational plaque in the exhibition area, acknowledging your contribution to this discovery."
"Of course, this is just a preliminary agreement. If you have any additional requests, now would be the time to voice them. I can help negotiate."
"No need, this condition is already quite favorable." Lawrence nodded. "Although, if possible, I hope you could delay the payment a bit, as I'm about to establish my own company soon."
Delaying the payment of this one million pounds and transferring the wealth to the designated account was a straightforward matter for the National Museum of Scotland, so the doctor agreed to Liang En's request without needing to consult anyone.
In addition, Liang En was well aware that at this stage, it was not suitable for him to expose himself too much. Therefore, he also asked the doctor for help in declining potential interviews.
After dealing with everything related to the golden necklace, Liang En drove back to London. On the way, he received a call from a law firm.
It turned out that the company he had previously applied for had successfully completed all the procedures. The person in charge of the company called him as soon as it was established.
For Liang En, this was good news. Of course, it also meant that he had to spend a lot of time and effort on the road coordinating a series of things, such as having Piers and the museum transfer the money to the company's account.
After being so busy, when Liang En returned to London, it was already evening. So, after entering the city, he drove directly back to his residence.
However, after parking the car downstairs at his residence, Liang En didn't go upstairs right away. Instead, he got busy downstairs.
He first went to a cheap self-service fried chicken restaurant and stuffed himself with a meal to fill his stomach. Then he went to several stores and bought a bunch of chocolates, protein bars, energy biscuits, and a large pack of salt.
After doing all this, Liang En returned to his room. After making sure the door was locked, he used the salt to prepare several liters of saline solution and then unpacked the high-calorie foods.
After all, based on the information indicated on the previous "Viking (SR)" card, this kind of upgrade required a large amount of energy. It wasn't possible for muscles to grow out of thin air.
Once everything was ready, Liang En sat down against the wall on the floor and chose to use the card. In an instant, the card turned into a silvery mist, which then rushed directly downward into his mouth.
"Mmm—" Liang En immediately felt a sensation as if a mixture of fish innards and earthy herbs exploded in his mouth. The fishy and salty aroma, with a hint of rusty aftertaste, quickly filled his entire mouth.
Although the mist only passed through his mouth quickly and then went down the esophagus into his stomach, Liang En could clearly feel that this strange aroma lingered in his mouth for a long time.
After experiencing a taste that was ten times more intense than savory herbal water, his senses immediately twisted, and then his hands clenched into fists involuntarily, causing a shiver.
It was precisely at this moment that the silver light split in two. One small part surged upward, giving Liang En a sensation of impact akin to having taken a big bite of mustard, rushing straight to his brain.
Possibly due to the intense impact, he felt as though someone had struck his head with a hammer. His consciousness began to blur, and various buzzing sounds filled his ears, like a raucous heavy metal rock band had taken residence in his mind.
Fortunately, anticipating this effect, Liang En had chosen to sit in a corner of a room before, enabling him to maintain his current state rather than slipping away somewhere unintended.
Fortunately, this impact was a one-time occurrence. So, after a few minutes, Liang En slowly began to recover from the chaos.
However, upon regaining his senses, Liang En felt that he would have preferred not to recover. This was because, compared to the small portion of energy that had entered his brain for transformation, the majority of this mist had entered his stomach through his esophagus.
Once the initially icy silver mist entered his stomach, its effects were immediate and powerful. It transformed from being cold to suddenly becoming scorching hot, progressively increasing in temperature, akin to a furnace.
The fried chicken he had consumed just moments ago had completely disappeared within a matter of minutes. In its place, a surge of heat flowed through his blood vessels and meridians, spreading throughout his body.
Perhaps due to his previously less-than-optimal physical condition, the current transformation was noticeably intense for Liang En. Waves of heat passed through him, causing him intense pain.
Due to the pain, Liang En clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deeply into the skin of his palms. He gritted his teeth, preventing himself from uttering any screams.
This surge of heat wasn't just a sensation; as the transformation continued deeper within his body, Liang En's body temperature gradually increased, giving his entire body a rosy hue. Sweat rapidly emerged from his pores, carrying away impurities.
After a while, the pain reached its peak. He abruptly opened his bloodshot eyes, and simultaneously, some larger blood vessels raised up on his skin. His throat emitted a suppressed groaning sound, like a gurgling roar.
Fortunately, this peak of pain lasted for less than a minute. Soon, Liang En felt his body temperature gradually descending, and the prior pains receded like a receding tide.
However, just as the sensation of pain diminished, Liang En suddenly felt a strong feeling of hunger and thirst welling up from his stomach and mouth.
Realizing this, Liang En immediately grabbed the various foods placed in front of him and stuffed them into his mouth. He understood that this was the time referred to on the card, when he needed to replenish his energy extensively.
As he continued eating and drinking, the fatty deposits on his body slowly vanished. Meanwhile, his muscles and bones were being strengthened bit by bit.
At this point, Liang En had no extra energy to spare for self-observation. He wholeheartedly focused on consuming the foods in front of him.
Finally, when all the chocolates were eaten and he had consumed a full two or three liters of water, Liang En finally felt the hunger in his stomach subside.
"Why am I sweating so much?" After everything returned to normal, Liang En finally paid attention to his body. He found that his clothes were soaked through, as if he had fallen into water.
"This must be all the dirt coming out of my pores." Detecting a sour smell emanating from his clothes, Liang En immediately stripped and rushed into the bathroom to start washing.
As he washed, he realized that his body had indeed been greatly enhanced. At the very least, the excess fat on his body had disappeared, replaced with muscles that, while not exaggerated, were visibly practical.
"No wonder this is an SR card." Flexing his muscles in front of the bathroom mirror, Liang En nodded in satisfaction.
Especially after performing various movements, he realized that these enhancements weren't confined to physical strength alone. They constituted comprehensive enhancements, so he didn't encounter the problems one might read about in stories, where individuals struggle to control their bodies.
Subsequent exercises further validated this point. Whether it was Turkish martial arts techniques or East German soldiers' tactical maneuvers, Liang En could now perform them almost flawlessly. Unlike before, where no matter how he attempted them, something always felt off.
Clearly, though the previously acquired skills were usable, there had been a gap due to his physical condition and endurance compared to the Turkish soldiers or East German soldiers performing them.
However, post-enhancement, Liang En felt that apart from some minor issues, he had now truly mastered the skills he had learned before.
The Viking's (SR) card brought more to Liang En than just physical enhancement.
After examining his own body, Liang En once again cleaned himself up in the bathroom, then walked out and sat on the bed, beginning to explore the other aspect of power provided by this card.
After all, the silvery glow that the card transformed into not only remodeled his body but also infused a substantial amount of knowledge into his mind.
This knowledge included not only proficiency in reading, speaking, writing, and understanding Old Norse, but also a wealth of Viking epics. With this knowledge, apart from not being able to play musical instruments, Liang En could almost be considered a true Viking skald (poet and storyteller).
"This gain is simply amazing." Turning off the lights and lying down on the bed, Liang En immediately displayed a radiant smile. "I hope to have such good luck on the next treasure hunt."
Early the next morning, Liang En got out of bed and went straight to the Emerald Antique Store, ready to inquire about the status of the items he had brought back from Edinburgh a couple of days ago.
"The situation is quite favorable. Since we were the quickest team to take action, aside from the dressing table that they didn't want due to mismatched style, they purchased the other items."
At this point, Pierce took out a check from the drawer. "These items were sold for a total of £17,500, and according to our prior agreement, £7,500 belongs to you."
"Thanks." Liang En accepted the check with a smile. After all, Pierce had orchestrated this business, so based on their previous arrangement, Pierce was naturally entitled to a larger share of the money from selling the furniture.
"By the way, the book you found and the coffin I acquired will be auctioned at the auction next weekend." After Liang En accepted the check, Pierce mentioned.
"It's a small-scale private auction within the upper echelons of society, so there won't be much in terms of auction fees. However, they have strict requirements for the items, only allowing things that pique their interest to enter the auction."
"It seems like this is one of the benefits of your previous breakthrough into high society, right? Being able to get good prices for the items we find?"
"Not just that." Pierce said, taking out two bottles of beverages from the cabinet and handing one to Liang En. "Most importantly, only they would buy strange things, like that coffin."
"You're right, I've heard about things like that before." Liang En twisted open the bottle, took a sip, and then continued. "For instance, there's a viscount in London who likes to collect various mummies, and he's gathered seven or eight Egyptian mummies alone."
"Ah, I've heard about that person too. Honestly, I respect everyone's hobbies, but some hobbies are really hard for normal people to comprehend."
After taking a sip of his drink, Pierce joined in with some joking. "At least if I tried to bring something like that into my house, my mom would definitely kill me—"
After chatting for a while, the conversation quickly shifted to the new company Liang En had started.
"Brother, didn't you find the name you gave your company a bit odd?" Pierce placed his empty drink bottle on the counter and remarked.
"What's odd about it?" Liang En countered. "I think 'Panda Exploration Studio' is a pretty good name. It not only reflects the business I'm engaged in but also showcases my unique traits, and it carries a positive wish."
"I thought you might name it something like 'Chinese Dragon Exploration Club'." Pierce muttered under his breath. "At least from the name alone, pandas are far less cool than dragons, and it feels more like a fast-food joint."
"Um... it does kind of sound like an American-Chinese restaurant." Liang En shrugged helplessly after Pierce's remark. "But after all, I am a businessman, so naming the store 'Panda' is more approachable than 'Dragon'."
Moreover, in our Chinese folklore, many people consider pandas to be associated with the mythical creature Pixiu. A legend that brings wealth and fortune, so naming the store with this name is also a rather auspicious sign."
"Alright, if you think it's fitting, then it's fine." Pierce tossed his empty drink bottle into the trash can and then walked out from behind the counter. "After all, it's your store."
To celebrate the grand opening of the new store, Liang En and Pierce went to a nearby chain supermarket and an Asian grocery store to purchase a load of ingredients. They then returned to the makeshift kitchen in the antique store's warehouse to prepare lunch.
The Asian grocery store they visited was owned by a Chinese immigrant who had come from France. However, due to his ancestors working as laborers during World War I and their subsequent intermarriages with Caucasians, there were hardly any visible traces of Chinese heritage apart from the surname.
When Liang En went in to buy cooking wine, he was asked to show his driver's license to confirm he was over 18 because the seller couldn't determine his age precisely from his Asian appearance.
Growing up on a farm since childhood, Liang En possessed considerably better self-sufficiency skills than the average person in this world. As a result, he was capable of cooking some home-style dishes.
After their shopping, he cleaned and sliced the pork loin into pieces, marinating them in a bowl with salt, cooking wine, and pepper, among other seasonings.
During the marination period, Liang En prepared a smashed cucumber dish and a cold carrot slaw as vegetable sides.
Subsequently, he coated the marinated pork with egg wash and then flour. He deep-fried the pork in oil that had reached about 70% of its heating capacity until they turned golden before removing them from the pot.
Once the pork was ready, Liang En made a thick sauce by simmering tomato sauce, sugar, cooking wine, and white vinegar. He then chopped up the green and red peppers he had bought earlier, mixed them with pineapple chunks from a canned pineapple, and the fried pork. He stir-fried everything in the sauce.
Suddenly, a blend of savory and sweet fragrances, tinged with oiliness, filled the entire warehouse. As Liang En plated the sweet and sour pork, Pierce had also finished grilling his black pepper sauce lamb chops.
"Haha, you actually made sweet and sour pork this time." Seeing the plate of reddish meat Liang En was holding, Pierce became unexpectedly excited.
"I've had this dish before in Chinatown. Honestly, that tangy and sweet flavor is just perfect for my taste—"
In reality, different regions have their own culinary preferences, so the notion of one country's cuisine dominating others doesn't really hold. However, sweet and sour pork indeed aligns with British dietary habits, as people in this country have an extraordinary fondness for sweets.
While eating, Liang En recounted how he had earned £1 million after parting ways with Edinburgh, a story that naturally stirred envy in Pierce's eyes.
"You're incredibly lucky. It seems naming your company 'Panda' truly brought you good fortune." Hearing Liang En talk about how he followed his instincts and found a gold necklace in the forest park, Pierce spoke with exaggerated tone.
"A whole million pounds! Due to legitimate tax avoidance, you'll be able to pocket over £800,000 or even close to £900,000. If you add the money you've earned here and there, you've become a millionaire adventurer within half a year."
"Yeah, that's why I spent the whole night yesterday fantasizing about luxury cars and villas. But then I realized I genuinely love searching the world for treasures."
Swallowing a mouthful of lamb chop, Liang En continued, "So, I think this money should be used for preparing for the next adventure. For instance, buying transportation or treasure-hunting items that were previously out of reach."
For Liang En, procuring various supplies was no simple task. As a newcomer, he wasn't quite clear about these matters. Fortunately, the seasoned Pierce, who had been involved in this field for a lifetime, was well-versed in its intricacies. Thus, he greatly assisted Liang En in this major procurement.
"—The RV is indeed nice. That off-road RV we saw earlier looked pretty cool. But it's not suitable for you," Pierce carefully explained to Liang En in an automobile shop.
"After all, our main operational area is in the UK, Western Europe, and Southern Europe. The key characteristics of this region are high population density and relatively advanced infrastructure."
"So, compared to those off-road RVs that are very expensive both in terms of fuel consumption and maintenance, a medium-sized truck is more suitable for us."
"You see, this region hardly has vast uninhabited areas. As a result, RV functionality is practically unnecessary. On the contrary, due to planning issues in some old city areas, larger vehicles have difficulty moving freely."
"This essentially boils down to different activity areas having different needs. If you weren't in the UK but rather in North America or a sparsely populated area like Russia, then I would definitely recommend you buy this type of off-road RV."
"I see, that makes sense!" Listening to the elder's guidance, Liang En earnestly nodded.
When he first entered, he was immediately drawn to a striking Mercedes off-road RV. If not for Pierce's reminder, he might have spent money on a vehicle that would hardly be useful to him in the short term.
After receiving the appropriate guidance, Liang En had a better grasp of these matters. Ultimately, he spent around ten thousand pounds to choose a high-end version of an Isuzu truck with a fully enclosed cargo compartment, capable of carrying four tons.
Interestingly, although this vehicle was an RV, the manufacturer listed in the documents was from Huaxia (China).
According to the dealership's staff, there had been an increasing number of vehicles produced by Huaxia in Europe in recent years. Maybe they would become as numerous as Japanese cars in the future.
Besides this vehicle from his homeland, Liang En also purchased an array of equipment related to long-distance travel. From combat jackets and helmets to a new toolbox, everything was covered.
Considering that the entire European Union in this world had uniform gun permits for certain firearms, he also bought a double-barreled hunting rifle and corresponding ammunition that could be used in most EU countries.
Based on information he found online, he and his counterparts in Russia and the US had the highest gun ownership rates. Because of the vast wilderness areas there, weapons were necessary for self-defense.
However, as Pierce had mentioned, public safety in Western Europe wasn't particularly great, especially in certain cities. Considering Liang En was an Asian, it indeed made sense for him to prepare some defensive weapons.
During this period, Liang En invested nearly all his energy into preparing various supplies and undergoing training. When he finally caught a breather from the busy schedule, he realized it was already November.
In these busy days, the private auction had also successfully concluded.
A first edition of "Harry Potter" with the author's signature sold for a price of £68,000, and that peculiar coffin was sold for £700. Following the pre-arranged 50-50 split, Liang En was set to receive over £30,000 from this income.
Just when Liang En felt he had completed all preparations and was ready to embark on the next journey, he unexpectedly received a long-distance call from France.
At first, he thought it was a scam call, as Europe wasn't immune to various telephone frauds. But after answering, he discovered that the call came from the Count of Borset's steward.
Initially, the caller apologized, explaining that a significant portion of the wealth Liang En had discovered actually belonged to other families. Consequently, they had to invest most of their efforts in returning those riches.
Due to these circumstances, they were temporarily unable to calculate the values of those assets and pay Liang En his rightful share.
"Please rest assured, we will definitely pay you the compensation you deserve before Christmas." The steward's tone was apologetic. In the aristocratic world, failing to fulfill a promise could lead to social death within noble circles.
"It's alright. Whenever you find it convenient, you can give me the money." Hearing the sincere apology, Liang En naturally skipped over this issue.
After all, he wasn't in dire need of money at the moment, and with the promissory note in hand, he wasn't worried about them failing to meet their obligations.
Or rather, if they were willing to use the prestige of their family accumulated over hundreds of years as a bargaining chip for failing to pay, Liang En felt he could easily let go of that money.
After the apology, the steward mentioned the reason for contacting Liang En that day. It was to ask for his help in conducting a search, with the target being the uncle of the current Count.
As it turned out, the father of the current Count was the second son of the family and didn't originally have the inheritance rights. However, when the Sufin War erupted, the elder son with inheritance rights went to Finland to become a war correspondent, and he disappeared directly on the battlefield.
"Didn't you try to find your heir when he went missing?" Liang En inquired with a hint of confusion.
In his understanding, such a matter would be of great importance to any traditional aristocratic family. Therefore, waiting for over half a century before initiating a search didn't sit well with him.
"We never stopped searching," the steward sighed. "However, in the beginning, that area was a war zone, and we couldn't deploy sufficient manpower to conduct a search."
"And after the war ended, the place where young Mr. Duris disappeared became part of Soviet territory. Under those circumstances, crossing national borders to search became an impossible task."
"So, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, we've dispatched several groups to search for young Mr. Duris, but unfortunately, after all these years, the local changes have been so profound that we can't find any clues whatsoever."
"Why did you entrust this task to me, then?" Liang En's face showed his confusion. "I assume you know that I've been in this field for less than half a year. I don't have significant advantages in this area."
"We are well aware of this, but after so much time, we believe that finding what young Mr. Duris left behind might require not just skill or ability, but also a bit of luck."
"And you—" here, the count's steward emphasized his words. "We believe your luck is the best among all the treasure hunters we've encountered. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been possible for you to locate the treasure that's been missing for centuries."
"After all, we're not lacking the funds to hire additional personnel. Spending a bit more to employ a treasure hunter is not a bad proposition for us."
"Truly, you are rich," Liang En muttered in his mind, but he still agreed to take on this job. To him, this assignment had no downsides.
Thus, at the end of the call, Liang En and the steward agreed to meet in Paris the day after tomorrow. The steward would then provide him with a series of documents.
"Alright, it's time to get busy now." After hanging up the call from France, Liang En snapped his fingers and leaped off the couch, then quickly tidied up a bit before rushing out of his newly rented apartment to find Pierce.
This new apartment was acquired by Liang En after his recent earnings, located in the heart of London. It had three bedrooms and a living room, furnished with a complete set of furniture and kitchen appliances. The comfort level of this place was several notches higher than his previous apartment, which only had a bathroom and a single room.
Of course, the rent had also escalated significantly. It had skyrocketed from £145 per week to £450. If it weren't for Liang En's intention to use London as a central hub for his work in the foreseeable future, he wouldn't have been willing to spend so much money on rent.
When he arrived at the store, he found Pierce boredly staring at some photos he had taken during his recent vacation, displayed on his computer.
Due to a recent windfall, Pierce had taken a short vacation to the Isle of Wight. So, when Liang En arrived with this new task, he noticed that Pierce was already prepared for a new adventure, much like himself.
The tendency to earn money and then indulge in consumption might be difficult for someone from China to fully grasp, but for a European like Pierce, it was quite natural. Liang En, having lived in Europe for many years, was accustomed to this behavior.
"Did you come today with a new commission?" As soon as he saw Liang En walk through the store's door, Pierce's excitement was palpable. Liang En had brought him numerous surprises during this time, so naturally, Pierce hoped for another chance at treasure hunting.
"Yes, it's a commission from a French count to locate a person who has been missing for seventy to eighty years," Liang En leaned on the counter and said, "The client is willing to cover all travel expenses for up to five people, so I've come to find you."
"Alright, then let's stick to the usual arrangement," Pierce nodded. As this commission was directly assigned to Liang En, according to their arrangement, Pierce would receive somewhere between three to ten percent of the final reward.
Even so, Pierce was grateful to Liang En for inviting him to this mission. Since all the travel expenses were covered by the count, Pierce could take advantage of this opportunity to gather some items from Eastern Europe.
Early the next morning, the two of them boarded a plane and headed to Paris. There, they met the count's steward who was already waiting for them in a hotel.
"It's a pleasure to see you again," as Liang En entered, the steward stood up promptly, shook his hand, and then produced a box.
"Knowing that you had received the commission, I prepared all the information we had collected previously. You can take a look at these materials and the information gathered by our people."
"Based on the information we currently possess, Young Master Doulis was operating with a ski battalion on the front lines. These units often operated behind the Soviet forces, attempting to disrupt supply lines."
"However, during their retreat after a mission, the battalion came under enemy artillery fire. Due to the night conditions, the entire battalion scattered, and when they eventually regrouped, they realized that Young Master Doulis was missing."
"So, this time, I'm entrusting you with the task of finding the whereabouts of Young Master Doulis. Even a single credible lead would be sufficient. Of course, it would be even better if you could find any personal belongings or even his remains."
"Well..." After a five-minute silence, a troubled expression appeared on Liang En's face. He realized that the information they currently had was quite problematic and didn't hold much value for him.
For instance, in the theoretically valuable Soviet combat records, there was merely a mention that they had launched artillery shells at several suspicious areas that night, without any mention of the results of the shelling.
This situation was straightforward: the Finnish ski troops at the time were well-acquainted with the terrain and operated discreetly. Therefore, the Soviet forces were unlikely to venture into the woods to assess the outcome of their shelling.
However, this also posed a significant challenge for those who searched later, as a few days' time was enough for both sides' firepower to completely devastate that area.
"I know what you're thinking now. In fact, my family has been engaged in this work since my grandfather's generation, and outsiders mostly consider us crazy." The steward, his temples already gray, leaned back weakly in the chair behind him, then continued speaking.
"However, ever since our family lost an important member years ago, we pledged never to give up on any family member."
"So, even though we have to invest a significant amount of wealth and effort due to this matter, we still won't cease the search. And that's why we've hired you."
"Of course, you don't need to bear too much psychological pressure. After all, we've been searching for over seventy years, so it doesn't matter even if you don't find Young Master Doulis this time."
As the steward's words faded, Liang En narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. For him, this kind of contract with no strict conditions and extremely lenient terms was more troublesome than those rigorous ones.
At the very least, he was more reluctant to accumulate too many favors owed to these people than to lose money.
The entire room suddenly fell into an intense silence, the steward nervously observing Liang En's every move. After nearly 80 years of failures, the entire family was unwilling to let go of any possibility.
And according to the information the steward had previously gathered, this Chinese-Irish individual seemed to have been blessed by the God of Luck ever since he entered this field. Almost every time he made a move, he managed to discover vast amounts of wealth.
Therefore, in the steward's eyes, Liang En was the most likely among all the treasure hunters he had encountered in his life to find Young Master Doulis.
"I'll take on this task," several minutes later, Liang En made his final decision and looked at the steward earnestly.
"But I think you should understand that without new information, this search is essentially a matter of pure luck. So, I can't make any guarantees in that regard."
"Of course, I understand that." The count's steward exhaled and visibly relaxed. "So, I won't impose any restrictions on you during this mission."
Once it was confirmed that Liang En had accepted the task, the steward began to explain the commission requirements. In fact, similar to yesterday's conversation, all the expenses for Liang En and Pierce during this mission were covered by them.
In addition, aside from relics and remains that were officially registered, all the items Liang En and Pierce found during the treasure hunt would belong to them.
If they unearthed treasures during the mission that couldn't be easily carried away by just two people, the count's side would assist them in transporting those items back to either the UK or Ireland.
"Are you done with your discussion?" When he saw Liang En coming down from upstairs, Pierce, who had been waiting in the hotel lobby, set down his drink and turned to ask.
"Yes, we're done. The other party has provided us with a basic operating fund of 5000 euros." Liang En placed the file package in his hand on the table and spoke.
"The reward they offer does sound quite good. It's worth a trip for us." Pierce nodded, then asked, "So, do you have any plans now?"
"We'll head to Viborg first and then proceed from there to explore the Mannerheim Line ruins in the Karelian Isthmus." Liang En sounded somewhat helpless. "However, before that, we might need two or three days to organize the information gathered by the other party."
The reason for studying the information was simple: in the past seventy-plus years, dozens of teams had taken on this task. So, Liang En hoped to find some useful clues by studying the data left behind by these predecessors.
Sorting out the necessary information from a large pile of materials has never been a simple task. However, with the acquisition of the card "Logic Enhancement (R)," Liang En felt that he could give it a try.
Perhaps, with the added benefit of a "golden finger," he might be able to extract some meaningful insights from the data that others had gained nothing from.
Of course, as a contingency plan, Liang En also requested the butler to provide him with a representative item from the relics left by Lord Du Lisi.
At the beginning, the butler was somewhat puzzled by Liang En's approach. However, when Liang En explained that this was a form of minor superstition, a way to pray for luck to be on his side, the butler quickly agreed to his request.
After all, the Earl's family entrusted this task to Liang En not only because his honesty had been confirmed from previous treasures, but also due to his exceptional luck that ordinary people could not reach.
Thus, when it came to matters related to luck, the Earl's family naturally leaned towards believing rather than doubting.
As a result, two hours later, someone specially dispatched by the family brought a broken camera that Lord Du Lisi had used before departing, a relic from that time.
"This camera was one of the two that Lord Du Lisi used before setting off," the bodyguard who had previously accompanied the butler to receive the wealth said to Liang En across the coffee table.
"At that time, he intended to bring both cameras and use one as a backup. However, this camera's shutter had some issues, so he left it at home."
"Thank you. With this item, I'll have more assurance," Liang En accepted the old camera and assured the bodyguard, "I'd like to ask, when do you plan to depart?"
Seeing Liang En take the old-fashioned camera, the representative of the Earl's family's bodyguards inquired on behalf of the family.
"I will depart as soon as possible," Liang En immediately responded to the question, "Because it's already November, and if we delay any further, Russia's winter will make our progress extremely difficult."
"Do you truly believe that just the two of us can find the missing war correspondent?" Five days later, seated in the co-driver's seat of a vehicle driving north from St. Petersburg, Pierce asked Liang En, who was at the wheel.
"It's still uncertain," Liang En shook his head gently, "But I found some intriguing information in those documents, so it's necessary to inspect the scene in person."
The card "Logic Enhancement (R)" indeed possessed extraordinary power. With this card, Liang En could swiftly analyze a vast amount of data and summarize the relevant portions effectively.
Thus, during these few days of preparation, Liang En quickly discovered a series of items he desired from the decades of accumulated materials.
Of course, during the process of organizing these files, Liang En also realized the aspects not covered by these documents. This is why he planned to explore the Russian site after completing the systematic arrangement of those files.
After leaving the city for over half an hour, they drove off the highway and followed a dilapidated military road that had likely been abandoned for years, leading into the woods.
"Why would there be a road in the woods?" Pierce, who had expected a wilderness, looked curiously at the cracked asphalt road.
"It was probably built during the Cold War," Liang En glanced at the rusted remains of a signpost by the roadside. "Don't forget, this is the flank of St. Petersburg. Just over a hundred kilometers north is the Finnish border, so there were naturally many military installations."
"Let's park the car here." After driving for a minute or two along this jungle military path, the two parked the car in a clearing amidst the trees. They then retrieved a metal detector, a shovel, and a hunting rifle from the trunk.
Though November marked a time when bears and such were generally less active, having some defensive weapons on hand was essential to guard against the unlikely event that an overfed bear decided to take a stroll.
"Do you think there might be bombs or landmines here?" Observing the surroundings, Pierce's face revealed a nervous expression.
Before coming to Russia, he had extensively researched online, and much of the information cautioned about the dangerous explosives still lingering on Russia's World War II-related battlefields. This forest was, after all, a front line during the war.
"Don't worry, even though this place was a war zone, it wasn't the frontline where both sides clashed directly. So, there shouldn't be too many explosive materials around," Liang En reassured.
"Moreover, during the Cold War, this area was a military assembly point, so if there were dangerous explosives, they would've been cleared long ago."
"So, what are we doing here then?" Pierce asked in confusion. "Since this place has been through construction before, anything valuable would likely have been taken already."
"Don't rush. Our purpose here isn't to dig something up, but to reconstruct the possible escape route of the missing war correspondent," Liang En explained while walking ahead.
"Based on the information I found earlier, I can confirm that the journalist didn't die or even get injured after the artillery barrage. So, our primary goal here is to retrace the direction in which he might have fled."
"It should be around here." After leaving the car and walking a few hundred meters into the woods, they stopped in a small depression.
The depression wasn't particularly large, at most enough to fit half a basketball court. Over the years, layers of yellowed leaves had almost entirely filled the not-so-deep depression.
If it weren't for the detailed map Liang En obtained from the Count's butler and the photos taken by treasure hunters, he might have overlooked this terrain, which was commonly seen in the woods.
"You mean this was where the Finnish squad got shelled by artillery back in the day?" Observing Liang En use a hiking pole from his backpack to measure the depression's size, Pierce took his hunting rifle off his shoulder and kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings while asking.
"That's right. According to the archive records obtained from Russia by the Count, it was an elite unit that got attacked. So, after being ambushed by the Finnish squad, they retaliated with a 45mm cannon mounted on a BA-10 armored car."
After confirming the size of the depression and the general terrain around it, Liang En began discussing some of his analyses from the information he had gathered.
"Due to the use of these small-caliber direct-fire cannons, other than one soldier being killed instantly, all the other Finns in this pit, including our war correspondent, survived."
"Realizing they were discovered, the squad immediately withdrew from this location and headed back towards their own positions. But the Soviet troops on the nearby road continued to shell and fire at them."
"In the darkness, being shot at with weapons, it's indeed easier to get lost in a place like this." Hearing Liang En's explanation, Pierce looked around the dense woods with a knowing expression, then furrowed his brows.
"But the problem is, this forest is so vast. How can we possibly determine the direction they ran off to?"
"Determining the direction the other party fled to isn't a simple task, nor is it entirely devoid of leads," Liang En remarked as he gestured towards the road they had just come from, not far away.
"The Soviet forces were stationed along that road during those years, continuously firing towards this side. So, our war correspondent, even if truly disoriented, would still choose to run in the opposite direction as much as possible."
"However, the issue is that the retreat route was thoroughly searched by five or six search teams before. I find it hard to believe that what the group of seventy or eighty people couldn't find would be found by just the two of us."
Observing Liang En walking towards the north after completing reconnaissance of the first location, Piers offered his opinion.
"Of course, I'm aware of that. Therefore, the next place we're heading to isn't the route the group has searched multiple times, but another location," Liang En responded, waving his hand to signal Piers to follow.
Fifteen minutes later, the two arrived at a hilly area. Obviously, the Finnish troops had observed their retreat direction before attacking the Soviet forces, leading to their retreat from this region.
According to the information from before, once they entered this hilly area, the Soviet artillery and machine guns couldn't reach them, giving them the opportunity to count their numbers. It was during this time that they realized they had accidentally lost the journalist.
"Which means, if the other party did get lost, it happened within this few hundred meters' distance," Piers pondered, wearing a puzzled expression as he recalled the path he had just walked.
"Indeed, the path seems easy now that we're walking it," Liang En said, comparing a map on his phone with the surroundings. "But it's a different story when you're getting shot at and shelled during the night."
"According to the accounts of the soldiers who eventually returned to the base, at the beginning, the journalist was still following them. However, he fell behind due to exhaustion and eventually went missing."
After briefly checking the map stored on his phone, Liang En wore an understanding expression. "So, the options the other party had weren't many, and I've discovered a place the previous searchers overlooked."
"The previous group of guys overlooked a place?" Piers widened his eyes upon hearing this. "In such a small area, I can't imagine any place being overlooked."
"No, there is indeed a place," Liang En affirmed, walking with Piers to a small mound nearby that was about two to three meters high. He then pointed towards a marshland on the east side of the road they had just come from. "They forgot to explore over there."
"I remember they did explore it," Piers furrowed his brow, then took his phone from his pocket and flipped through a few images. "Look, here are their explorations of the marshland."
"According to the records, they used rubber boats and metal detectors to search this roughly two-acre-sized marshland. However, they didn't find anything."
"He didn't fall into this marshland, of course. He ran through it to the other side," Liang En revealed the solution at this point.
"It might be because the influence of that count is limited to Western Europe, or perhaps the other party simply doesn't trust Russians. That's why all the search personnel they gathered were people like us, coming from Western Europe."
"Due to certain stereotypes about Russians and the local tradition of earth excavation, they tend to choose times with relatively warm climate when conducting searches in this area."
"Exactly!" After hearing Liang En's explanation, Piers looked puzzled. "After all, once winter comes, the ground here becomes completely frozen. So, the treasure hunters in this area hardly operate during the winter."
"That's why those people didn't realize that the marsh on that side would freeze even harder than stone during winter. Thus, that war correspondent from back then could have easily escaped across the frozen water surface," Liang En sighed in exasperation.
"Right, the war broke out during the winter season. The marsh should have been frozen at that time," prompted by Liang En's insight, Piers also caught on.
This could be considered a mental blind spot. Compared to Russian or American treasure seekers skilled in outdoor excavation, those active in Europe, especially Western Europe, were not well-suited for such wilderness work.
Their work areas were often densely populated, making them better at finding treasures in dusty attics, warehouses, or even backyard auctions.
Unfortunately, the treasure hunters the count had recruited earlier were all of this urban type, which is why they hadn't considered the winter condition of the marsh when seeing it during summer.
Soon, Liang En and Piers bypassed the marsh and reached its other side. They then began searching towards the east, starting from the marsh's eastern bank.
After about half an hour of sweeping search, Piers was the first to find something using his metal detector.
"What have you found?" Startled by Piers' exclamation over the walkie-talkie, Liang En hurriedly ran to his location and asked loudly.
"A pen cap." Piers opened his hand, revealing the item he had been holding. "A silver-gilded pen cap. This isn't something that should be found in the woods."
"You're right." Gazing at the cleaned precious metal pen cap, Liang En nodded earnestly. Regardless of the era, only a small portion of people could use precious metals as daily items.
What's more important is that the list given to Liang En by the steward before they came included details about the belongings their elder relative carried when he went missing, and among them was a gold pen.
"Yes, it should be this item." After comparing it with a photo, Liang En confirmed that the pen cap indeed matched the pen their missing friend had carried.
Considering the remoteness of this area and the rarity of that type of pen, this pen cap could be regarded as conclusive evidence left by the missing journalist.
In accordance with the instructions given by the steward earlier, this item was practically enough to fulfill the mission. However, for Liang En, this wasn't just an ordinary relic; it could also help him find his ultimate goal.
With this in mind, he used a "Detection (R)" card on the pen cap. Soon, a location appeared in his mind.
"Actually in Viipuri!" Seeing the final marked location on the mental map, Liang En furrowed his brows. This situation was completely different from what he had imagined.
Because, according to reasonable deduction, after that young man, Duke Dulis, got lost, he had a low probability of being killed by the Soviet forces at the time or being captured and executed. A high probability suggested he would have died in the chaos of the battlefield.
However, the problem was that the target Liang En had found using his special ability didn't match either of these speculations. This was because, until the end of that war, Viipuri remained under Finnish control.
With those lingering doubts, Liang En and Pierce continued their search. Unfortunately, it seemed like the luck provided by the pen cap had been exhausted in one go.
So, over the next few hours, they only managed to find five or six deformed bullet heads and shattered fragments, a 50-penny Newfoundland mark coin, and a tangled copper button.
"The bullet heads are standard 7.62mm Mosin-Nagant rifle rounds. As for the fragments, they're too shattered to make out their original form," after returning to their vehicle with this haul, they analyzed the findings under the vehicle's lights.
"But judging from the thickness of these fragments, they're likely from small-caliber artillery shells that exploded. Considering they were shot by 45mm howitzers at the time, these shells probably came from that armored vehicle."
"So, we are indeed lucky this time," Pierce's face immediately brightened into a smile. He then picked up the silver pen cap with two fingers. "I think with this, we should be able to get the reward from the Count."
"I believe so—" as Liang En looked at the gold-shimmering silver-plated pen cap under the light, he once again plunged into contemplation.
He couldn't wrap his head around why something that theoretically should have belonged to young Lord Du Lisi could point him to a location in the distant Veblen City, tens of kilometers away.
"Laurence, Laurence, what's the matter?" Seeing Liang En staring at the gold pen cap lost in thought, Pierce immediately whispered to him, his face displaying a tense expression.
"It's nothing, just that this pen cap reminded me of something," being called out by Pierce, Liang En snapped back to reality from his thoughts.
"What is it?" Pierce asked out of curiosity, but quickly his expression turned thoughtful. "Could it be that you used your magical powers—"
"Uh—not at all," with Pierce's prompting, Liang En also realized the aftermath of his previous attempt to play tricks, so he quickly shook his head and said, "But I'm thinking about something, namely, whether young Lord Du Lisi truly died here. Are there any other possibilities—"
"You mean he might have survived somehow?" Pierce furrowed his brows inquiringly. "But if he really escaped this area, why didn't he contact his family afterwards?"
"That opens up more possibilities. Maybe he directly found a civilian lover and eloped with her," Liang En shrugged, saying so.
Of course, it was just a jest. After everyone shared a laugh, they earnestly began analyzing the records left by the group that had been there before. Soon, they discovered a blank area left behind by the previous teams.
"Laurence, your conjecture might be right," after inspecting the materials he had previously looked over, Pierce addressed Liang En in a serious tone, "The other party might have really headed in the direction of Finland back in the day."
This judgment was made because Pierce had consulted a series of documents and realized that the other party had focused all their attention on this battlefield and the Soviet archives, subconsciously overlooking the situation in Finland.
As for why this occurred, the explanation was simple: since the disappearance of young Lord Du Lisi, Finland had provided comprehensive assistance, leading the searchers to fully adopt the information provided by the Finnish side.
Therefore, it wasn't until Liang En brought up this point that the two of them realized that among the many search teams before them, not a single one had actually gone to investigate the Finnish side.
"Yes, so we can split up tomorrow," Liang En suggested after some thought. "You try to find records of unidentified individuals on both sides of the battlefield since young Lord Du Lisi went missing."
"And what about you?"
"I'll head to Veblen tomorrow to take a look. Maybe I'll find some valuable clues," Liang En said, pointing to himself with a smile. "You know, I always seem to have some peculiar good luck."
"I understand, just like that time when we were on the highway and the tires of the New Crisp Organization's cars exploded," Pierce gave a thumbs up gesture. "I hope both of us have enough good luck tomorrow."
The next morning, after finishing breakfast, the two went their separate ways. Pierce used the Count's connections to directly head to the Finnish capital, Helsinki, to inquire about the records of unidentified individuals on the battlefield since then. On the other hand, Liang En drove straight to Veblen.
Veblen was a very small city, with a population of just over seventy thousand. Therefore, after pretending to circle the small city, he drove to the location based on the dot in his mind.
In just ten minutes, he arrived at the edge of a ruined monastery following a clearly abandoned road.
"So, it's here!" After matching his location with an electronic map, Liang En quickly understood what this monastery was all about.
According to the Finnish military map he had obtained from the steward, during the Winter War, this monastery had been requisitioned as a field hospital. It had operated until they were forced to abandon Veblen, at which point it ceased functioning.
The reason why this monastery had been abandoned was straightforward: after Finland's defeat and the cession of Veblen, almost everyone in the city chose to leave with the army.
Subsequently, the new Soviet immigrants naturally wouldn't continue using this religious site in the prevailing social climate. Hence, it was abandoned.
Of course, this abandonment was also related to the fact that this was a Lutheran monastery, while Russians generally practiced Eastern Orthodoxy. Otherwise, the other side wouldn't have chosen to start anew and abandon this brick-and-stone mixed structure monastery, opting to rebuild an Eastern Orthodox church in the city center.
But for Liang En, the thorough abandonment of this monastery was good news. After all, for a country where the majority of people were religious, excavating a church was somewhat taboo.
After making sure there was no one around, Liang En hopped out of his off-road vehicle, then took his metal detector and shovel and walked into the ruins of the monastery.
Clearly, the war of that year had also affected this monastery, leaving obvious traces of artillery strikes on the walls of the main building and on the ground in the courtyard.
Fortunately, from the relatively intact structure of the monastery's ruins, it seemed that during that time, this place had not been considered a defensive structure by either side of the war. Hence, the overall damage was not severe.
Following the direction indicated by the map in his mind, Liang En quickly circled around the core building of the monastery and arrived at a row of bungalows in the back. According to the traditional layout, these were the rooms where the monks had lived.
"It seems like this place was used as a storage area." After pushing open the door of the room where the dot was located, Liang En found that the dormitory was filled with piles of things, most of which were damaged furniture or rotten canvas.
"The upcoming task doesn't seem to be easy." Seeing the room filled with this heap of junk, Liang En sighed and muttered to himself, because he realized that what he was looking for was at the bottom of this pile of trash.
Up until now, Liang En hadn't drawn a card that could assist him in his tasks. Therefore, faced with this pile of rubbish, he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Fortunately, as he continued to clear the pile of rubbish, Liang En discovered that the group of people from years past had likely dismantled damaged furniture to use as firewood. Thus, what remained were individual wooden planks, making the cleanup considerably more manageable.
Once the last heap in the corner, which contained decaying rags beyond recognition, had been removed, a colossal wooden board, resembling a merchant's counter, came into view before Liang En's eyes.
After strenuously moving this board from its original position with the help of a rope, Liang En unveiled an iron door set into the ground.
Though a fist-sized lock still hung on the door, the entire structure had rusted severely. Several rust-eaten holes could even be seen on its surface.
Hence, Liang En merely employed the pry bar he carried with him to gently dislodge the lock along with the iron ring to which it was affixed.
Evidently, this place was the storeroom of the monastery from years ago. Yet, due to the heap of refuse within the room, subsequent visitors had overlooked it.
Upon reflection, it made sense. After all, the people of Finland had voluntarily evacuated the area back then, and there had been ample time for tidying before their departure. Thus, it was unlikely for any treasures to have been left behind.
Carefully opening these twin iron doors, Liang En was met with a stench of decay that wafted up directly into his nose.
Consequently, for the next 15 minutes, he found himself idly pacing around the abandoned monastery, completing the ventilation process for the cellar beneath the iron door.
In the midst of making his rounds, he stumbled upon another reason why this cellar had remained undiscovered: there was a larger cellar on the opposite side of the main monastery building, hidden beneath the monks' dormitory.
Clearly, those who came later had discovered the primary cellar, unconsciously assuming there was only one such space. Thus, the small cellar concealed within the pile of trash in the monks' dormitory had been preserved to this day.
With the ventilation complete, Liang En donned a gas mask and a head-mounted camera. Carrying a flashlight and a box on his back, he descended the stone steps leading into the cellar. Upon reaching the bottom, he involuntarily furrowed his brow.
At the base of the staircase, a mound of objects had sealed off the entire cellar floor, and the unpleasant odor had emanated from this heap.
Sweeping his flashlight gently across the scene, he discerned that the pile consisted primarily of torn clothing and bandages.
"Could this be where the field hospital discarded its medical waste?" Liang En pondered as he used a pry bar from his possession to extract a blood-stained bandage that bore shades of brown and black. Today seemed like a day of bad luck.
Though a field hospital was intended for treating injuries rather than contagious diseases, there was still a concern of accidentally encountering a concealed needle or blade within the garments.
Luckily, guided by the previous radiant glow, Liang En didn't have to rummage through this trash heap like searching for a needle in a haystack. Soon enough, he found a shabby military uniform buried beneath the jumble of clothes and bloodied bandages.
"What could this be?" After confirming the absence of needles or blades within the uniform, Liang En, wearing gloves, lifted it for a close inspection.
This is a pre-World War II Finnish M36 winter military uniform, considered quite advanced for its time. However, judging from the significant signs of wear and tear, it's evident that the person who wore this uniform back then must have experienced a rather arduous journey.
"Since I found this item using the 【Detect (R)】 card on the pen cap, it might just be the attire of that young master Du Lisi."
As Liang En gazed at the clothing, he suddenly recalled a few things. And just as he was thinking about this, both a 【Appraisal (N)】 card and a 【Detect (N)】 card appeared in his mind simultaneously.
"It looks like my guess was correct." Spotting these two newly appearing cards, Liang En felt a surge of excitement. During his subsequent search, he quickly retrieved a bullet casing-turned-lighter from a pocket of the tattered clothing.
This was the type of trinket soldiers commonly crafted out of boredom on the battlefield. It didn't appear particularly special. However, when Liang En opened the lighter, he swiftly discovered a clump of dirty metal inside.
Using a pair of tweezers he had with him, Liang En extracted the grimy metal clump, revealing a reddish-transparent stone about the size of a soybean.
"Wait a moment, I recall the steward giving me a list before. It mentioned a red gemstone ring, a family heirloom of the Count's family." At the sight of the red gemstone, Liang En immediately connected it to that list.
With this thought in mind, he quickly retrieved a high-powered flashlight he had on him and began scrutinizing the gemstone. Indeed, the inclusions within the gemstone matched the description on that list precisely.
"It seems this is the clothing that the war correspondent once wore." Letting out a sigh, Liang En then opened the professional storage box he had just used and began categorizing these findings.
After completing the organization, Liang En used a metal detector and pry bar he carried with him to search the entire cellar. He then returned to the surface with the several coins, a small knife, and three lighters he had found.
His reason for doing so wasn't driven by greed, but rather a desire to avoid others noticing that he had already located his intended targets prior to the search.
From every perspective, he was well-prepared to report back. After all, the significance of the items he found now far exceeded the cumulative results of the various search teams over the past decades.
However, driven by curiosity, the first thing Liang En did after returning to his vehicle was to carefully unfold the clump of grimy metal he had extracted from the lighter.
It was a piece of lead foil, and the remnants of paint on it indicated that it was once a part of a toothpaste tube. Carved into this piece of lead foil, which was no larger than a fingertip, was a four-digit number.
"1082, what does this mean?" Staring at this number, Liang En furrowed his brow in puzzlement. "Is it a bank vault code, a train station locker number, or something else entirely?"
After pondering for over ten minutes, Liang En ultimately gave up on this guessing game. After all, a mere four digits could have countless interpretations, and without new information, it was impossible to decipher its meaning.
"Well then, that's that." Letting out a sigh as he stared at the number, Liang En tossed the piece of lead foil into a test tube filled with vegetable oil. He then started the vehicle and headed towards the direction of St. Petersburg.