Over the next month, Liang En remained closed for business. One reason was that during this time, he couldn't find any worthwhile and feasible opportunities to pursue. On the other hand, there were many matters demanding his attention.
Among these matters, the most significant was the roughly 1 million pounds in liquid assets sitting in his account. Keeping them in the company's account would only lead to continuous taxation, diminishing their value over time. Only by investing them would he attain adequate value.
So, ever since having this substantial amount in his account, Liang En tirelessly used his connections both from his own side and his parents' side to inquire around, attempting to discover a suitable investment opportunity to put his money into.
To his surprise, after an exhaustive search, he unexpectedly stumbled upon an investment opportunity right in his own backyard: the owner of a farm adjacent to his family's property in his hometown, Baojian Town, was looking to sell his farm as he intended to immigrate to Canada.
Recognizing this as a promising investment project, Liang En spent £720,000 to acquire the 86-acre farm along with all its assets, continuing its operation as it had been.
Unlike Liang En's family's original predominantly crop-oriented farm, this one was focused on livestock farming, primarily producing milk and dairy products, and held licenses from the Food Standards Agency.
To be honest, if it weren't for Liang En's good relations with the previous farm owner and his commitment not to change the farm's purpose, an outsider buying this farm would have paid at least 10% more.
Apart from this, while dealing with these matters at home, Liang En seized the opportunity to immerse himself in the third part of his paper, which dealt with the translation of ancient Egyptian language.
Due to the absence of certain important artifacts, Liang En had to make deductions bit by bit based on the images of artifacts he could access now.
This was not a straightforward task. Even though Liang En had substantial knowledge about ancient Egyptian language, forming compelling arguments in the paper without sufficient excavated artifacts as evidence was challenging.
Under these circumstances, Liang En spent an entire month at home to produce a somewhat persuasive paper about ancient Egyptian language translation.
Of course, his ability to complete this paper was greatly aided by his prior publications on ancient Egyptian language in the "Journal of British Archaeology" and his donation of the national flag to the National Museum.
Consequently, he gained permissions from the museum and library, enabling him to conveniently access those ancient Egyptian artifacts not publicly displayed.
"Now, it depends on the opinions of the experts." After sending out this month-long effort of a paper via email, Liang En began silently praying.
Because, compared to his previous two articles, this one contained a lot of speculation, making it less likely for others to agree with the viewpoints he presented in the paper.
What Liang En was unaware of was that shortly after he sent out the paper, the email manager of the "Journal of British Archaeology," in accordance with the editor's prior instructions, forwarded the paper to an email address in Paris, France.
"Oh, Mr. Liang has submitted another new paper." Dr. Louis, the curator of the Egyptian section at the Louvre Museum in Paris, received this paper promptly and opened it up.
In reality, historians like him hardly ever read research papers from laypeople like Liang En. This was because laypeople usually struggled to conduct substantial research without adequate knowledge and supporting artifacts.
However, Louis was a rare exception. He believed that since no one had truly deciphered the meaning of ancient Egyptian texts over such a long period of time, the existing conjectures and methods of translation must be flawed.
Thus, over the years, he persisted in reviewing every paper claiming to have deciphered ancient Egyptian texts, hoping to find a spark of genius or insight.
Liang En's first paper caught the attention of this doctor. In his view, though the paper held many uncertainties and speculative elements, Liang En introduced a way of thinking that no one had proposed before.
The conjectures in the second paper regarding the connection between ancient Egyptian and Coptic languages further invigorated Dr. Louis.
As opposed to the lack of universal theories in the first paper, the analysis of ancient Egyptian language in the second paper extended the pattern that had previously only been applied to foreign names to the entire language.
During this period, Dr. Louis, as an Egyptologist proficient in Coptic, tirelessly attempted to translate ancient Egyptian language according to the patterns Liang En had previously analyzed. He achieved some level of success.
However, due to the absence of materials for comparison and verification, he couldn't confirm the accuracy of his translations.
Thus, hoping for more information, Dr. Louis sent a letter specifically to the "Journal of British Archaeology," requesting that they promptly provide him a copy of Liang En's new paper upon receiving it.
"Truly a genius approach." After reading Liang En's third and longest paper, Dr. Louis sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. Then, he rapidly retrieved an image of inscriptions engraved on a coffin and started translating it.
Although the paper lacked certain key points due to its length, inadequate sources, and Liang En's cautious control of the amount of knowledge revealed, Dr. Louis managed to find what he was seeking.
"This coffin contains a female priestess from the sacred city of Thebes in ancient Egypt." Even though he couldn't make out all the words on the coffin, some recognized keywords had already unveiled many secrets.
It is well known that tomb raiding activities started as soon as the bodies of ancient Egyptian pharaohs were mummified and placed in tombs.
Thus, even in regions like the Valley of the Kings, unexcavated royal tombs were scarce. Some tomb robbers were even the very guards and workers who were responsible for guarding and constructing those tombs.
As a result, many coffins and sarcophagi had their previous markings erased by professionals by the time they were discovered, making it difficult for archaeologists to gain a wealth of valuable information like the burial sites of artifacts.
However, now that the ancient Egyptian inscriptions on the coffins were deciphered, scholars could extract important information from the texts that was previously inaccessible.
"This is simply marvelous!" After translating several short inscriptions in succession, Louis began to feel a sense of fatigue and dizziness. It was evident that his mind had been strained.
He quickly paused, picked up a glass of water beside him, took a couple of sips, then took a deep breath and reached for the telephone next to him, dialing a few numbers.
"Diane, please immediately inform Dr. Andrew from the Ancient Egyptian Exhibition Hall, Dr. Pierre, and Professor Jacques to come to my office." Louis shouted loudly into the phone.
"Yes, Mr. Louis." A young woman's voice came through the phone. "However, these gentlemen are currently occupied with various matters. How should I approach them?"
"Just tell them that someone has deciphered the secrets of ancient Egyptian language. We now possess the key to the treasury of ancient Egypt." Dr. Louis, at this moment, had also calmed down and began explaining.
"We will be busy for quite a while now, as the artifacts in the collection alone are enough to keep us occupied for several years."
Liang En was unaware of the ripples his paper had caused in distant Paris. After completing his thesis, all he wanted was to rest at home for a while, planning to resume work after the Christmas holidays.
However, things often don't unfold as one imagines. For instance, Liang En had struggled to find a suitable job before, so he ended up completing his paper tirelessly. Just as he was ready to rest now that his paper was done, he received an unexpected invitation related to treasure hunting.
This invitation came from across the Atlantic in New York, USA. The inviter was a prominent businessman named Mr. Bruce, who was involved in real estate in New York.
In truth, Liang En didn't know this businessman previously. So, when he initially received the call mentioning a treasure hunting assignment, he almost thought it was a scam call and nearly hung up.
It was only when the caller accurately mentioned the name of Dr. David Caldwell, the head of the Scottish Underground Treasure Department, who had communicated well with Liang En during the Iron Age gold collar submission, that Liang En realized the caller wasn't a fraudster.
It turned out that this American millionaire had a very good relationship with Dr. Caldwell. So, when he wanted to search for something, he naturally thought of his friend, and Dr. Caldwell recommended Liang En.
"Are you saying that you want me to help you find Butch Cassidy's treasure?" Liang En asked as he typed the person's name on his computer, attempting to confirm.
"Yes, recently I obtained a set of notes left behind by Butch Cassidy, and it mentioned something about treasure. That's why I need someone to help me locate this treasure," said the middle-aged man on the other end of the line.
"More precisely, I hope you can help me find a diamond brooch stolen when he robbed the Union Pacific Railroad train in 1899. That brooch belonged to my ancestor and is a crucial item in our family history."
"So, in this treasure hunt, if you find this brooch, everything except the brooch will be yours. If you don't find the brooch but find other treasures, you'll get half of the loot. If you find nothing, I'll cover the expenses."
"Alright, I understand the general situation." After Mr. Bruce explained the overall situation, Liang En said into the microphone, "Please give me half an hour. I will call you back with my decision after that time."
After hanging up the phone, Liang En looked at the computer screen in front of him. Unlike treasure seekers from decades ago, today's treasure seekers had the advantage of utilizing the internet to research unfamiliar information.
The target this time was Butch Cassidy, the prototype of the famous American movie "Tiger and Leopard Little Overlord." His original name was Robert Leroy Parker, born into a Mormon family in 1866. He was the eldest of thirteen children.
In 1879, at the age of 13, he committed his first crime by stealing a pair of pants from a store, an incident that fueled his dissatisfaction with society.
Subsequently, Butch Cassidy worked at a meat market and a farm, and he learned horse training and shooting from an elderly man who had been a cattle rustler.
When he turned 18, he left his hometown of Utah and wandered for several years across the western states like Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana—regions that were vast, sparsely populated, and chaotic back then.
It wasn't until 1889 that Cassidy committed his first robbery. He and a few companions successfully escaped with over $20,000 from the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride. In today's terms, that sum would be equivalent to around $600,000.
In 1894, after serving nearly two years for horse theft, he emerged and proceeded to rob a bank in Montpelier, Idaho, making off with cash, gold, and silver coins potentially worth up to $16,500.
The following year, he teamed up with his partners to rob a coal company in Castle Gate, Utah, stealing over $9,000. Subsequently, this group of outlaws robbed trains multiple times, amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the train safes.
According to modern records, the gang accumulated wealth amounting to over $3 million in today's terms through multiple robberies, and the brooch the client was seeking was part of this wealth.
The reason the client believed the brooch still existed was simple: during the eight years from robbing trains to Cassidy's death in a firefight with Bolivian troops, he spent far less than what he acquired.
Considering the significant cash they obtained during their robberies, there was a high probability that items like gold and silver coins and jewelry, which were easy to store and retain value over time, were stashed away for future use.
Especially considering that Cassidy and his gang ultimately perished in clashes with the Bolivian military, there have always been rumors that a portion of their loot had become a treasure hidden at a place where they once operated.
"So, it's about a famous outlaw's hidden treasure. If that's the case, it might be worth a look." After reviewing the information on the computer screen, Liang En quickly made his decision and proceeded to dial Mr. Bruce's phone number.
Two days later, Liang En bid farewell to his parents and boarded a plane from Dublin to New York, carrying a suitcase. The transatlantic flight lasted a daunting six hours, but thanks to his first-class ticket, the journey was bearable.
When he arrived at the New York airport, it was already 7:30 PM. Therefore, Liang En didn't immediately seek out the wealthy client; instead, he found a hotel near the airport to check in.
The next morning at 8:30 AM, Liang En took the hotel's vehicle to Mr. Bruce's office, which was located near Fifth Avenue in the Upper East Side of New York.
Luckily, Mr. Bruce wasn't occupied today. After confirming his appointment with the receptionist, a staff member promptly escorted him to Mr. Bruce's office on the 17th floor of the building.
"I believe you know why you're here, Mr. Liang." After a few courteous exchanges upon entering the room, Mr. Bruce, sitting in his spacious and luxurious office, inquired.
"Of course." Liang En smiled and nodded. "However, to locate the item, I'd need to examine the notebook you currently possess. Relying solely on legends won't provide a definitive treasure location."
"Naturally." Bruce reached into a small iron box on the desk, retrieved a notebook with a black cover and yellowed pages, and handed it to Liang En.
"This was found by my hired private investigator in Bolivia. An expert in note analysis whom I brought in confirmed that the contents of this notebook are indeed related to my target, Butch Cassidy."
Taking the notebook, Liang En immediately flipped it open, revealing a list of robberies committed by the notebook's owner in South America. Besides the robbery list, there were several drawings at the end of the notebook.
These drawings bore the signature of an intuitive artist, and after studying them for quite some time, Liang En realized that these images likely represented topographical maps of the vicinity of the treasure location.
However, apart from the red marks on the last map specifically indicating the treasure's spot, the rest of the seemingly childish drawings made it challenging to pinpoint the treasure's location.
"After carefully examining these maps, they seem excessively abstract," Liang En remarked as he looked up from the maps, addressing his employer, Bruce.
"Thus, I may require some time for analysis. Can you provide a secure and reliable setting?" he inquired.
"Certainly, I have well-equipped guest rooms in this building," Bruce nodded, then added, "Do you have any specific requirements for this room?"
"I need a computer capable of swift online searches, and daily meals delivered on schedule will suffice," Liang En responded, picking up the notebook from the table. "Of course, I also need this notebook for reference."
Over the next three days, Liang En commenced his analysis within the guest room of the building. Truth be told, there wasn't much on the maps to analyze. They depicted a collection of doodles consisting of triangles, squares, lines, and red dots.
According to Liang En's conjecture, these different symbols might represent landmarks known only to treasure hunters. However, without a legend, ordinary individuals wouldn't stand a chance of finding these locations unless they got extremely lucky.
Yet Liang En wasn't an ordinary person, and his busyness over these three days was simply a pretense. The real reliance rested upon the card labeled [Detection (R)] within his mind.
His "golden finger" didn't let him down either. Right after he employed the card on his notebook, a location in Utah materialized within his mind.
Evidently, it's much easier to draw a target after shooting an arrow than to hit the bullseye. Thus, Liang En swiftly deciphered the secret of one of the hand-drawn maps through the surrounding satellite imagery of that location.
In essence, the map wasn't that complicated. The triangles on the map should denote mountain peaks, squares representing buildings, while the lines could be rivers or roads.
However, because the artist's drawing was too rough and the proportions were entirely off, it was extremely challenging for a regular person to connect this map to any specific location unless they knew in advance.
"So, you're suggesting that you believe this red dot is located near the hometown of Butch Cassidy in Utah?" Bruce, gazing at Liang En seated across from him, seemed somewhat puzzled by his analysis.
"However, after becoming a famous outlaw, both the local sheriff and the FBI, as well as Pinkerton detectives, dispatched personnel to his hometown for investigation. Yet those people didn't discover any treasure," Bruce elaborated.
"But if we focus solely on the lines in the final map from the diary you gave me, it does indeed bear some resemblance to a river a few kilometers away from the ranch where he was born—" Liang En started explaining after hearing Bruce's remarks. However, before he could finish his sentence, his employer, Mr. Bruce, waved his hand, interrupting him.
"Since I've hired you, I naturally believe in all your judgments in this field. So, you need not explain your analysis to me. Just inform me of what you require for your upcoming expedition."
Early the next morning, Liang En boarded a flight to Salt Lake City. He then met up with Bruce's associate at the airport in Utah, and together, they set off toward their destination in the associate's pickup truck.
This associate of Bruce's was named Barry. He would be Liang En's assistant during this treasure hunt, a role that Liang En had proactively requested.
On one hand, the density of various forms of racism was somewhat higher in the central United States, especially in more remote areas. Given that this was an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous place, Liang En indeed needed an assistant to help tackle various challenges.
On the other hand, this was Liang En's first collaboration with Mr. Bruce. Even though preliminary mutual trust had been established through intermediaries, sometimes one party had to take initiative to strengthen the bond.
When Liang En proposed that Mr. Bruce assign someone to accompany him, the latter noticeably breathed a sigh of relief. Subsequently, Mr. Bruce willingly provided all necessary assistance for their upcoming journey.
Not far from the airport, the car stopped in a parking lot. The reason for this stop was to shop at a supermarket located across from the parking lot.
Upon entering the supermarket, the two men purchased food and water before heading to the section at the back selling sports equipment. As they rounded the last shelf, a wall of firearms appeared before Liang En.
In the United States, selling firearms in supermarkets was quite normal. They were neatly displayed here for anyone to choose from, seeming no different from buying a fishing rod or a tennis racket.
"We need to purchase some firearms here temporarily," the young man with brown hair named Barry informed Liang En. "Because the place we're heading to is very remote, you'll need weapons for both wild animals and, well, certain individuals."
Although Liang En was a foreigner, he could still legally buy firearms here because Mr. Bruce had already arranged a hunting license for him to hunt deer.
"As a non-U.S. citizen, you can only purchase rifles or air guns. Handguns are not available to you," the attendant told Liang En after confirming the authenticity of his passport and hunting permit.
"I'm here to buy a rifle specifically. It's not a good idea to use handguns for hunting large animals," Liang En shrugged and replied. "Back in my hometown, I've only used double-barreled shotguns. Can you recommend something?"
"If you're hunting deer, I have just the right rifle for you," the attendant said after pondering for a few seconds, then retrieved a box from behind the counter.
Once the box was placed on the counter, Liang En noticed that there were Chinese characters on it. "Chinese-made SKS, excellent value for the price, suitable power for deer hunting."
The clerk opened the box and took one rifle out. "This is quite popular; oftentimes, it's hard to get your hands on."
The so-called "Chinese SKS" was essentially the famous Type 56. As an export version, these rifles were almost identical to the genuine military version, with the bayonet lug removed to meet regulations.
Due to memories from a former East German soldier, Liang En proficiently inspected the rifle. Once he confirmed that the condition was indeed good, he purchased it.
In addition, Liang En casually bought 15 stripper clips loaded with 10 rounds each, 150 loose rounds in foam plastic boxes, and a tactical vest for carrying ammunition.
As for Barry, he had his own gun in the car: a MINI-14 semi-automatic rifle. Hence, he didn't need to buy firearms here.
However, due to the impressive discount on 5.5645mm NATO rifle ammunition in the supermarket that day, he also purchased an extra 300 rounds.
After leaving the supermarket, Liang En followed regulations and separated the guns and ammunition, placing them in the toolbox beneath the back seat. Then, the two of them drove toward their destination, which was over a hundred kilometers away.
However, once their vehicle entered the boundaries of a national park, it suddenly slowed down. Liang En and Barry hoped to find a spot to test their guns, assessing their firearm skills and the newly acquired weapons' conditions.
This way, in case they encountered any issues, they could make appropriate arrangements in case of emergency.
Before long, Liang En and Barry had found an open area where hunting was allowed. They donned bright orange warning vests and stepped onto the open ground.
Since this was just a simple experiment, they took a few empty bottles directly from the car and placed them at distances of 30, 50, and 100 meters as targets.
Naturally, Liang En went first in this situation. Following the skills of the East German soldier in his mind, he started by pulling back the gun's bolt, then inserting a 10-round clip into the magazine and pressing the bullets down with his thumb. He then pulled out the empty clip from the chamber.
Of course, this wasn't a battlefield, so Liang En didn't simply discard the empty clip. Instead, he tucked it into his ammunition vest and pulled back the bolt to chamber a round.
Next, he raised the rifle with a standard shooting stance, aimed at the target 30 meters away, and squeezed the trigger.
Two bullets struck the target accurately, sending the bottle flying.
"Nice shooting. Now try the target 100 meters away," Barry commented after Liang En's first shot. "We need to verify the accuracy of this new rifle's sights."
New rifle sights often aren't perfectly calibrated, so when Liang En aimed at the green bottle 100 meters away, the bullet ended up to the right of it, kicking up dust.
"The sights on the new rifle are slightly off to the right," Barry noted, observing as Liang En retrieved a tool from his toolbox to make adjustments. Once he was done, the next two bullets hit the plastic bottle at the hundred-meter mark.
Possibly due to the excitement of using this firearm for the first time, Liang En randomly picked a few more targets and shot quickly until the chamber was empty.
"Have you received military training before?" Barry asked after Liang En confirmed the chamber was empty and engaged the safety. He could see certain military traits in Liang En's weapon handling.
As Bruce's representative, Barry was a former special forces operative retired from the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, giving him an observational edge that an ordinary person might lack.
"You should know that I haven't undergone any formal military training. My interest in military matters since childhood led me to self-learn some skills," Liang En replied. He believed Barry had learned about his background from Mr. Bruce.
Barry then showcased his own military proficiency with his firearm, and afterward, they both cleaned and stored their guns and ammunition before leaving the area in their car.
As the car headed south, the surroundings grew increasingly harsh. While there were initially forests and lakes, the vegetation became sparser the farther south they went. Eventually, only barren mountains and sparse desert terrain remained.
"Now it looks just like scenes from those old western movies," Liang En remarked subconsciously as he gazed at the reddish rock walls and the equally reddish desert landscape.
"Indeed, because this is the West," Barry responded. He played the famous whistling theme from "Red Dead Redemption" in the car and spoke loudly.
"And right now, we're walking the same path as those famous cowboys did back in the day."
"Moreover, we are currently searching for the treasure they left behind," Liang En said with a smile. "By the way, there's a small town up ahead called Lincoln Town. Once we pass through that town, we'll head into the mountains."
Lincoln Town was one of the many small towns from the Western era, even its name belonged to that period's clichés. If you were to open a map, you would find a multitude of places named after U.S. presidents and vice presidents.
After crossing through this seemingly dozen-odd-house town, the car bumped onto a rough dirt road. After driving for about ten minutes along the side of the slope, only a narrow path remained ahead.
"The car can only go this far. For the next twenty kilometers or so, we'll have to walk on foot," Liang En said, having carefully studied the map. "We might need to spend a night in the mountains."
"Actually, this mountainous area is safer than the forest park we passed earlier," Barry remarked, having packed his necessary equipment. "It's barren here, but that also means fewer fierce wild animals."
"You're right. According to the information, the most dangerous creatures in this area are just a few rattlesnakes and wolves. With some caution, there shouldn't be safety issues," Liang En responded, proceeding along the trail.
Due to the area's desolation and isolation, there were hardly any people around. The two would rest every 40 minutes or so, only stopping when it started getting dark.
Observing the terrain around them and confirming their correct route using their GPS devices, they eventually halted by a spring at the bottom of a valley.
Perhaps due to their luck, they found a cave about the size of a couple of rooms, less than 30 meters away from the spring.
Around the cave and the spring, they discovered ample evidence of human activity. Tidily arranged wood, a stone-ringed hearth, and an unusual number of glass bottles were among the findings.
Upon noticing signs of human activity, Liang En and Barry chambered rounds in their firearms and remained alert, scanning their surroundings.
In the United States, the safety level of remote wilderness areas like this was comparable to that of downtown Detroit. Anyone encountered could potentially be an outlaw with a criminal record, more dangerous than rattlesnakes and wolves.
This wasn't Liang En disparaging Americans; just consider the number of people who go missing in the American wilderness every year, and you could infer the security level of such places.
True, many missing individuals fell into ravines, suffered from bad weather, or were unlucky enough to be attacked by bears. However, a larger number vanished because they were targeted or witnessed something they shouldn't have, leading to them being silenced.
Fortunately, as a professional, Liang En carefully analyzed the human traces and realized they were at least 50 years old.
"If I'm not mistaken, people were initially searching for gold in this area. Unfortunately, there's no gold in the rocks here."
After cautiously turning around with his gun in hand, Liang En made a judgment. "Then during the Prohibition era in the U.S., these abandoned mines without gold were taken over by bootleggers and used to store their illegal moonshine."
"Though it's remote from cities, it's not that far from an interstate highway and the junction of two states, making it an excellent spot for a moonshine smuggling operation."
"Are all you treasure hunters this skilled?" Barry expressed surprise after hearing Liang En's analysis.
As a former special forces member, he could deduce that the human traces were ancient, but the specifics were beyond his knowledge.
"It's just that each of us is skilled in different areas," Liang En smiled. "Just like how your combat skills could easily overpower three of me."
After a makeshift dinner consisting of instant food and tea brewed from spring water that had been filtered and boiled, Liang En took his metal detector and thoroughly scanned the areas around where there were signs of human activity.
Perhaps due to the poverty of the people who passed by this place at that time, apart from a common 1882 version Morgan silver dollar, he only found a dozen or so bullet heads that had turned into lead blobs.
"These are naked lead bullet heads from an old-fashioned pistol, originating from a .44 caliber handgun," Barry said as he took the small pile of bullet heads.
"At least in the early 20th century, these outdated bullets were still in demand in the West and Canada, even though they had fallen out of favor in the East and big cities. If I recall correctly, my father used to buy the same type of bullets for his old revolver until I was seven or eight years old."
"It seems like there was a fire here before," Liang En said quietly as he looked at these deformed bullets. It was apparent that these bullets weren't fired during the time when the outlaws were having fun.
"By the way, what's the value of this silver dollar?" After discarding those worthless bullets to the side, Barry looked at the tarnished silver dollar in Liang En's hand and asked.
"Just 30 to 40 dollars, because there were too many of these Morgan silver coins minted in this year, and this one isn't well preserved," Liang En tossed the coin to Barry and explained.
As the sun set, the temperature dropped suddenly.
Fortunately, the cave felt quite comfortable overall with a fire burning at the entrance. Liang En and Barry sat by the fire, chatting, while loaded rifles were placed within arm's reach, safely on standby.
Through their conversation, Liang En learned that Barry was of Irish descent and had a U.S. green card. He had retired from the military a decade ago and had been working with Bruce since then.
Thinking about it, since Barry had been sent by Bruce, it was likely that his abilities and loyalty were among the best under Bruce's command.
Because the vegetation cover on the surface was very sparse, the temperature quickly dropped below freezing. Occasionally, they could hear the howling of wolves in the distance, but as long as there was a fire burning at the cave entrance, there wasn't much danger.
After chatting for a while, Barry went to sleep first. Liang En stayed by the fire, tending to it and keeping watch for the first half of the night. The pieces of broken wood they had collected from a nearby gold mine burned remarkably well, saving him from having to add more wood frequently.
By the time the second half of the night arrived, Liang En and Barry switched shifts and retreated into the depths of the cave to sleep in their sleeping bags. The night passed without incident. On the following morning, they had a few bites of bread bought from the supermarket, drank some milk, and packed up before setting out again.
Three hours later, they finally reached the summit of the last mountain. From there, looking eastward, they could see a small basin surrounded by mountains, with a dried-up spring in the center.
"I think we've arrived," Liang En smiled at Barry after taking out his phone, comparing the previous map with the surrounding terrain and the local GPS data.
An hour later, they arrived in this earthy-yellow valley, and as soon as Liang En's eyes fell upon the mound near the spring, he noticed a glint of light.
It had to be said that this place was indeed a great spot to hide something. For the locals, they wouldn't typically come to this dried-up spring, and travelers, upon seeing the surroundings, would instinctively focus on the spring instead of searching the area around it.
"We need to dig up this mound next," Liang En said after pretending to assess the small valley, about the size of a basketball court, and pointed to the glinting mound.
"If I'm not mistaken, what we're looking for should be beneath this mound."
"How did you figure that out?" While Barry had already agreed to follow Liang En's lead in this treasure hunt, curiosity got the better of him. "There doesn't seem to be anything distinctive about this mound compared to the others around."
"Just take a look at the cliff above the mound," with the enhancement of his card "Observation (R)", Liang En had also noticed something unusual about this mound. He proceeded to explain, "These mounds are often formed by the weathered rocks falling from the mountains. The larger the mound below, the higher the degree of weathering on the cliff above."
"But this mound is an exception," Liang En said, pointing to the mound emitting light in his line of sight. "Look at the cliff above it; it's hardly weathered at all. Theoretically, there shouldn't be such a large mound below it."
"You're right, that makes sense," Barry nodded and took out a shovel from his backpack. Together with Liang En, they began to dig. Five minutes later, they stumbled upon something interesting.
"This stone seems to have been stacked manually." After digging over a meter deep through gravel and dirt, Barry suddenly exclaimed. He had noticed clear signs of human workmanship against the side of the cliff.
After donning a headband with a camera, they continued digging. Before long, they were facing a cave entrance in the cliff. It was about a meter in height, and they could see two boxes inside the cave after clearing the entrance.
A layer of thick dust had accumulated on top of the boxes, a trace of nearly a century gone by. Judging from the style, the wooden crates appeared to be the type used back then to store explosives at construction sites.
"Careful!" Just as Liang En was clearing away the last few remaining stones, Barry suddenly pulled him back. "What's wrong?" Liang En asked, caught off guard by the sudden tug. "There seems to be a bomb near the edge of that box."
Barry nervously turned on a flashlight and looked inside. Sure enough, next to the crate was a bundle of cylindrical mining explosives.
"The explosives are fake." After inspecting for a while, Barry showed an exasperated expression. The bundle that had looked like explosives was just some paper tubes filled with mud.
Considering that the bandit almost never harmed anyone during his robberies, placing a fake bomb here was understandable.
The two of them then pulled the dusty boxes out of the small cave. They opened the boxes after ensuring they were safe.
The boxes contained coarse cloth bags, half of them filled with well-preserved banknotes that were no longer in circulation. The other half held smaller bags, boxes, and various-sized rolls of paper.
Evidently, it would be unwise for just Liang En and Barry to carry these items out solely. They decided to take inventory first. Afterward, they planned to divide the items and pack them in their backpacks.
There were about three to four hundred coins wrapped in paper rolls, mostly common Morgan silver dollars, and around thirty gold coins.
Wrapped in paper were small pieces of gold nuggets, along with gold sand stored in glass bottles. Together, they weighed approximately two kilograms.
In addition to the hard currency, there were various crafts packed in paper and wooden boxes. Just the watches and silver timepieces added up to around ten pieces. Furthermore, there was a series of rings, brooches, and other jewelry made from precious metals.
The diamond brooch Liang En was primarily looking for was found in one of the boxes. Although most of the small gemstones on the brooch had disappeared, the main body of the brooch and the peanut-sized light blue diamond were still intact.
"Besides the brooch, all of these items combined could fetch around five to six hundred thousand dollars," Liang En estimated quickly, arriving at a final conclusion. "Though it's hard to say if it would do as well in an auction."
The reason it's difficult to estimate these specific prices is because at the bottom of the box, they found a Colt 1873 Single Action Army revolver and a Smith Wesson Model 3 revolver.
On the barrels of these two guns, Liang En discovered the signatures of Billy the Kid and Butch Cassidy. Clearly, before they went far away, they hid the firearms they couldn't take with them in this place.
Due to the fact that both of these guns were meticulously coated with layers of oil paper after being covered in a thick layer of grease, and they were kept in a dry and cool place, the firearms were in very good condition.
At the very least, according to Barry's assessment, once they removed the grease from inside these two guns and performed a simple maintenance, they could be used directly for target shooting.
Considering that these two figures, who were not insignificant in the Western era, their firearms' potential selling price is an unknown. If they were to encounter someone interested, it wouldn't be impossible for them to pay a hefty sum.
After watching the video they had just taken on their phones, the two repackaged these items and put them into their respective backpacks. After hastily eating something as a makeshift lunch, they embarked on their journey back.
For Liang En, the biggest gain from this trip, aside from most of his own wealth in his backpack, came from discovering and identifying the playing cards that were revealed after finding these two boxes.
Apart from three "Detect (N)" cards, this treasure belonging to the legends of the Western cowboys also yielded a bronze-colored skill card for Liang En.
Gunslinger (R): Rest assured, it's not what you're worried about. For these blood-soaked cowboys of the West, the only things they could rely on were the pistols in their hands and their exceptional marksmanship that surpassed others.
Those cowboys who mastered formidable marksmanship created a Western legend in that lawless era.
Enhancement Card (One-time use): Consuming this card allows you to master the incredible pistol marksmanship of these two cowboys, used to roam the West. Note that you only gain the skill; it doesn't involve physical enhancement.
Upon using this card, Liang En immediately felt a surge of warmth swirling in his mind, then entering his arms. Once the warmth subsided, he noticed that his hands seemed to be more agile than before.
"It seems these skills actually adjust the body slightly." Liang En thought as he felt the flexibility of his fingers. "Previously, maybe it was because of my physical condition combined with the fact that those skills targeted the entire body, so I didn't realize this."
"Clap, clap—" Arriving at the campsite from last night, Liang En and Barry were planning to rest for a while. However, at this moment, gunshots rang out not far away.
Hearing the gunshots, Liang En and Barry quickly grasped their rifles on their chests, unlocked the safeties, then quickly moved back-to-back towards a depression in a nearby valley.
After entering this shallow pit that was more than a meter deep, the two immediately crouched down on the ground, concealing their forms amidst the surrounding weeds, and quickly removed their backpacks.
The reason they were so tense had its origins: this place wasn't a hunting ground at all, and the barren mountains around made the whole area devoid of animals worthy of shooting. As a result, there was hardly anyone wandering nearby.
If it was somewhat reasonable for Liang En and Barry to venture into the wilderness for treasure, claiming that they were shooting for hunting here was clearly a lame excuse.
"When I shout 'open fire,' start shooting." Barry, a professional soldier of ten years' experience, immediately figured out the situation at hand.
"The lawless regions of the Western states nowadays aren't much different from a hundred years ago, with all sorts of criminal activities rampant." Once the two had concealed themselves, Barry explained quietly to Liang En.
"So, if gunshots are heard in the wild at this time and place, there's a high likelihood it's a clash between groups dealing in contraband. But judging from the sound, there shouldn't be more than ten people on both sides."
Soon, the gunshots dwindled, indicating that the shootout was likely concluding.
However, just as Liang En and Barry were waiting behind the rocks for those people in the distance to finish and depart with the newly found treasures, they unexpectedly heard gunshots getting closer to them.
In no time, a figure in a hooded sweatshirt stumbled out from a slightly concealed corner not far away. However, before he could run far, bullets from behind caught up with him, bringing him down.
"It seems there's someone here." After the five pursuers reached the guy they had just killed and examined him, the leader, a middle-aged man with a big beard, noticed the abandoned gold mines around and said, "Since that guy was running this way, there's a good chance there's something hidden here."
"Since that guy was running this way, there's a good chance there's something hidden here." The bearded leader waved the handgun in his hand and continued, "Spread out and search the area. Don't let anyone escape."
"You take the two on the left, I'll take the three on the right." Realizing there was no avoiding confrontation, Barry whispered to Liang En, "You're on my left, I'm on your right. Open fire when I give the signal."
A few seconds later, Barry issued the command. Then, the two rose from their hiding place, simultaneously pulling the triggers of their firearms.
"Bang, bang, bang, bang." After two rapid volleys, both of the guys Liang En had targeted collapsed with bullet wounds to their chests, the whole process taking no more than three seconds. Meanwhile, Barry quickly dealt with the other three on his side.
"Clear." Confirming that all the enemies were neutralized, Barry raised a hand to signal safety, then inquired, "Mr. Liang, how are you feeling now?"
"Quite strange, like the feeling of oxygen deprivation after extreme tension." Liang En took a deep breath and said, "But oddly, I'm not experiencing the nauseous feeling like they show in movies."
"This is normal; my comrades have had various reactions after their first kills." Barry comforted Liang En once he was certain the enemies were down.
"You don't have to feel any guilt for what you've done. In that situation just now, if they hadn't died, it would have been you. You were fighting for your survival."
"Don't worry, I'm holding up well for now." Liang En smiled and shook his head. "Let's go to the place they came from and investigate. It's better to understand what these people were up to."
Soon, the two found a nearby valley. Apart from two bodies lying on their backs, there were also two backpacks and a suitcase placed in the center of the valley.
Wearing gloves, when Liang En opened the larger suitcase, he saw that it contained yellow plastic bags, each neatly wrapped in plastic paper and sealed with yellow tape. There were 15 in total.
"Indeed, this gang deals in illegal weapons." After cutting open one of the plastic bags with a small knife, Barry glanced at the M1911 inside and said.
"But can't you legally buy guns in the U.S.?" Liang En asked somewhat puzzled. He didn't understand why these people were trading such items here.
"But legal firearms have records." Barry smiled and explained. "So, there are individuals who buy firearms from places like the Philippines, where there are no records, and then use them for illicit activities."
After nightfall, Liang En and his companions finally arrived by car at the place with the highest average income in the United States, as well as the most pronounced wealth disparity.
Under Barry's guidance, they drove through a small but remarkably modern-looking town and parked in front of a pale yellow, two-story building.
"Welcome, my friends, welcome!" Mr. Bruce greeted them in the living room as Liang En and the others entered the room.
Soon, the three of them gathered in the study, recounting their adventure.
"You've been through quite an ordeal this time, especially encountering armed bandits midway," Bruce sighed after listening to Liang En's narrative.
With the story concluded, it was time to divide the spoils. At this point, Barry left directly, as everything was concluded for him.
In this operation, Barry's gains included not only half of the cash seized from the arms dealers but also a bonus from Bruce.
After Barry's departure, two middle-aged individuals soon entered the room. They were antique jewelry appraisal experts hired by Bruce, here to verify the authenticity of the loot Liang En had found.
"That's correct, these items are the treasures lost in the bank heists from the late 19th to early 20th century," one of the experts said after about fifteen minutes, lowering the magnifying glass in their hand.
"Moreover, we've confirmed your brooch; both the brooch itself and the blue diamond on it are genuine. So, it should be the one your family lost," the other expert added.
"As for the smaller gems on top, their absence is normal; after all, compared to the significant blue diamond, those smaller gems are easier to discreetly sell."
Subsequently, the two experts began examining the other items in the treasure. Unlike the brooch, the rest were only superficially examined, and after half an hour, an estimated value for the treasure was determined.
"Excluding the two handguns, the total value of these items is around $750,000. However, selling those banknotes might take quite some time."
"As for the value of those two legendary revolvers, it's hard to determine. Finding the right enthusiast for such items is crucial; otherwise, it's challenging to fetch a good price."
"Regarding these firearms, I would like to purchase them," Bruce said after the experts finished their evaluation, "I'm willing to pay $150,000 for them."
As it turns out, Bruce's wife is an avid enthusiast of the Old West, so Bruce naturally wanted to acquire these historically significant handguns.
"Well, I might have to decline your request," Liang En responded after hearing Bruce's offer. "Because I have a dream of opening a museum, I naturally wish to preserve historically valuable items like these."
This isn't Liang En making excuses, but rather a long-term goal he set for himself after discovering he had a "golden finger." After all, compared to ordinary people, he believed it was entirely feasible for him to gather enough treasures for a museum.
So, in comparison to the short-term goal of making money, establishing his own renowned museum became Liang En's long-term objective. It also served as motivation for his continued adventures.
"Of course, while I wouldn't sell these two handguns for money, if there are antiques I'm interested in as an exchange, even if those antiques are inexpensive, I'm willing."
Liang En didn't definitively refuse; he left room for negotiation. After all, in interpersonal interactions, being too rigid in speech wasn't a trivial matter except for certain principled matters.
Moreover, unlike the handguns he had already benefited from, Liang En genuinely desired to acquire antiques he had never encountered before to enrich his collection.
"Are you saying these things can be exchanged for other antiques?" After hearing Liang En's words, Bruce's expression wasn't one of disappointment; instead, he became visibly excited.
"If that's the case, you can take a look at my treasure trove. If there's something you're interested in, we can exchange it for those two handguns."
Soon, Liang En was led to the basement of the house. It resembled a bank vault, and upon entering, he found a variety of antiques on shelves lining the walls.
"Since my grandfather became wealthy, he began collecting all sorts of antiques, and this habit has continued into my generation."
Seeing Liang En's surprised expression, Mr. Bruce proudly explained, "Everything in this warehouse is up for trade. As long as the item you're interested in is below $180,000, we can make a deal."
"Thank you then." Liang En gave a slight bow and started exploring the house. However, going through so many items at once was impossible.
So, he used four "Detection (N)" cards to thoroughly scan the entire house and identify the three most historically valuable artifacts in the three rooms.
Although Liang En had discovered that historical value didn't necessarily correlate with wealth through multiple attempts, compared to blindly searching like finding a needle in a haystack, this method was much more efficient in identifying valuable items.
"Is this a relic?" After finishing his inspection, Liang En went directly to a shelf in the middle of the left side of the room, pointing to an old wooden box with a small wooden cross on it.
He asked this because in Western tradition, only religious items would have a cross symbol.
"My grandfather bought this at an auction in England for over a hundred pounds, but there were no markings identifying its origin at that time."
Taking the box and turning over the label affixed to the bottom, Mr. Bruce walked over to a computer near the door, tapped a few times, and said:
"The only confirmed information is that this silver-gilt ring dates back to the 15th century, and the original owner was likely a woman due to the small ring size."
"How much would this ring be worth?" Being the most historically significant item on the left side of the warehouse, Liang En naturally chose it first.
"Around $2,500 seems appropriate." After some whispered discussion between the two experts, they came to a conclusion. "Considering its quality, craftsmanship, and historical significance, this ring falls a bit short. There are just too many relics from various saints all over Europe."
In reality, this expert's response was already quite tactful. Starting from the medieval period, many unscrupulous clergy members and others created various fake relics, leading to a proliferation of counterfeit sacred items.
As for the $2,500 price tag, truth be told, it was a face-saving gesture for Mr. Bruce, to avoid any embarrassment from potentially being labeled as a seller of fake items.
"Let's consider this one, and you can go pick a few more things if you'd like." Mr. Bruce nodded as he watched Liang En place the box, along with the rings within it, onto a cabinet by the entrance of the room.
Liang En then walked over to the right side of the warehouse and inspected the two items he had noticed earlier. He found that these two items were placed quite close to each other, and they were all antiques from RB (presumably referring to a country or region).
For Americans, various artworks from RB had gained popularity here since the Black Ships' arrival, marking the beginning of trade relations. Consequently, this warehouse naturally held quite a number of RB antiques.
"I'm sorry, this item is not available." When Liang En pointed to a wooden box and inquired, Mr. Bruce shook his head and explained, "It contains a woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, and its current market value is around $250,000."
"Ah, I see. Then, I'll choose another one. What's inside this box? The label outside says 'Eastern Calligraphy Art'?" After his first choice was denied, Liang En swiftly changed his target.
He soon walked a few steps forward to the corner of the room and pointed to a long rectangular wooden box placed on a camphorwood cabinet against the wall, asking, "Is this one acceptable?"
"This should work." Mr. Bruce glanced at the computer by the door and said, "My father acquired this from a U.S. serviceman stationed in Japan. It's said to be a famous monk's calligraphy. I've appraised it before, and it's valued around $70,000 to $80,000."
"Alright, I'll take these two then." After walking around the room and not finding anything else he particularly liked, Liang En said, "I'll exchange these two items for those two guns."
"But the prices are still off by half." As a wealthy individual, Mr. Bruce felt that gaining an advantage in this aspect would tarnish his reputation. "You can choose a couple more items if you'd like."
"No, I don't feel drawn to anything else here." Liang En shrugged, adding, "For me, I usually only seek out items that resonate with me."
"Besides, trading these two items for the guns is already sufficient for me. If you truly feel that what I want is too little, you can simply use euros to make up for the difference."
"Ah, I understand. I'll cover the remaining amount for you." Hearing Liang En's response, Mr. Bruce grasped his intention. Soon, the group left the underground warehouse with the selected items.
Due to the late hour, Liang En decided to temporarily stay in this mansion. When the dawn of the next day arrived, the earnings from the previous treasure hunt were finalized.
Considering that the jewelry related to the infamous Western outlaws didn't hold significant historical value and the fact that these items were more valuable in the U.S., Liang En decided to package them and sold them to Mr. Bruce for $650,000.
With this, apart from the two artifacts acquired from Mr. Bruce's collection warehouse, Liang En's entire haul from this trip to the U.S. amounted to $752,500.
This sum included the $650,000 from selling the Western treasure, $32,500 taken from the group of arms dealers, and the $70,000 Mr. Bruce had paid to bridge the price gap.
Furthermore, Mr. Bruce generously assisted Liang En in safely transporting the two artifacts he couldn't easily carry to his farmhouse, saving him both money and effort.
After finishing breakfast, Liang En left Mr. Bruce's home and walked along the streets. After covering a distance, he found a bench in a roadside park, where he sat down. While counting his previous earnings, he contemplated his next steps.
Having completed his mission and earned a substantial amount, he had initially planned to return to the UK. However, due to the Christmas season, even if he did go back, there wasn't much to do there at the moment.
As for the original plan of going home and reuniting with his parents during the Christmas holiday, it had actually been abandoned long ago. After all, he had spent too much time at home previously, so going back in a short time wasn't a good idea.
Just like when everyone goes home during university breaks, initially, parents are overjoyed, but after a month, they can't wait for you to head back to school.
Fortunately, it was now the era of the internet, so after taking out his phone and carefully searching for local news, Liang En quickly found some interesting things.
After renting a cheap Toyota pickup truck, he drove northwards toward Montana after deciding to take up an intriguing job there.
"Are you here to apply as a hunter?" Upon arriving at a farm near Stanford, the farm owner, a man with a salt-and-pepper beard, looked Liang En up and down in disbelief.
"I don't mean any discrimination, but honestly, in my experience, hunters are often either Mexican or white, rarely Asians doing this kind of work."
"Well, you're seeing one today." In the U.S., humility wasn't a common trait, so sometimes, speaking the truth, even with a slight exaggeration, was more appropriate to express one's skills.
Fortunately, the main factor for recruiting hunters on the farm was their actual marksmanship, so after Liang En showcased his shooting skills with his Type 56 semi-automatic rifle and presented his passport, he easily secured the next job.
"We've got too many wild boars on my farm." The farm owner, known as Old Arthur, drove a small ATV and led Liang En straight to his ranch. "And these animals are quite clever."
"So, when setting traps, I only have one shot, which is why I need a helper to take down as many of them as possible to protect the crops on the farm."
"You're right, Old Arthur." Thinking of the words his grandfather had told him in another world, Liang En nodded. "However, if we can take down most of the wild boars in one go, this piece of land will be peaceful for several years."
For the past few days, Old Arthur had been spreading pockets of corn around various spots on his farm each day, attempting to gather the nearby wild boars.
So, when the two of them got off the ATV and climbed a small hill, they saw six or seven well-fed, sturdy wild boars searching for the scattered corn in that area.
To be honest, hunting wild boars was much safer than dealing with armed criminals. Although wild boars had tough hides, there were reports in his home country of policemen firing multiple shots with handguns at wild boars that had invaded cities, only for the boars to escape. But guns weren't all the same.
Equipped with military-grade ammunition, the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle had far greater firepower than the 64 pistol, nicknamed the "Little Smasher." At least in terms of muzzle energy, the Type 56's muzzle energy was nearly ten times that of the 64 pistol.
So, after firing off rounds from their magazines, the wild boars all fell to the ground. By the time dusk was approaching, the two of them had taken down over twenty wild boars. Only one or two small ones managed to escape.
"Nicely done, young man." On their way back to the farmhouse, Old Arthur said loudly as he drove the ATV. "I take back my previous judgment. There are indeed exceptional marksmen among Asians like you."
After carving out several chunks of good meat and extracting the tusks from the slain wild boar, Liang En, along with Old Arthur, returned to their residence with their spoils.
As for the rest of the wild boar, dealing with it was also straightforward. Just now, Old Arthur had notified the Central American and American workers on the farm who were not particularly skilled with firearms via a walkie-talkie, allowing them to share in these spoils as well.
Of course, all combined, they would be able to consume only about 1/5 of the boar, which was already quite impressive. However, there were quite a few foxes and wolves in the vicinity, so it would take just a day or two for these deceased pigs to be thoroughly decomposed by these natural scavengers.
For the Americans, a time like this naturally called for a barbecue celebration. Over barbecue and beer, Liang En quickly got acquainted with Old Arthur, leading to discussions about some intriguing topics.
"Liang, what brings you to this side of America?" After swallowing a piece of roasted wild pig meat, Old Arthur curiously asked.
Unlike the cities on the East or West coasts, in this somewhat remote town, you might not see more than ten outsiders in a year. Hence, Old Arthur found it a bit peculiar why Liang En would show up here.
"I'm here in search of treasures." After a brief pause, Liang En replied, then pulled out a bunch of similar news articles from his phone to show Old Arthur.
"For instance, if I could find a spurs used by a famous Western personality, I could sell it for thousands of dollars on the East Coast or even in England."
"Can you really make money in this line of work?" Old Arthur widened his eyes and then quickly added, "I've seen similar shows about treasure hunting in storage units on TV, but I thought those might be scripted by the directors beforehand."
"Well... it's not something everyone can make money in," Liang En pondered and explained. "You need a certain level of expertise, keen observation skills, and a bit of luck."
"For example, in the UK, a complete novice found an ancient Viking treasure with their first use of a metal detector, but there are also unlucky ones who have toiled for over a decade and only ended up with a few worthless silver coins."
"Oh, I see." Satisfied with his curiosity, Old Arthur leaned back on his chair and started thinking. Soon, he came up with a question as if struck by an idea. "By the way, do old places always leave behind valuable stuff?"
"It's hard to say, it really depends on the context," Liang En shrugged. "Precious items could come from the middle of nowhere, while some old buildings might only have trash left inside."
"But at least, based on the information I've gathered from conversations with my colleagues, it's indeed somewhat easier to find treasures in settlements that have been around for a while."
"If that's the case, I do know a good spot." After pondering for a moment, Old Arthur said, "About five or six kilometers north into the mountains from my ranch, there's an abandoned mining town."
"That town used to serve the surrounding coal mines, but as the mines were depleted, the entire town was abandoned. Not a single soul was left in the town shortly after World War II ended."
"That does sound like a good place, but I'm concerned about whether searching there might violate any laws," Liang En asked, a bit worried, after considering Montana's gun ownership rate.
"You know I'm a foreigner, and I came to the US for tourism and treasure hunting. It would be terrible if I accidentally got shot or ended up in jail."
"You can rest assured about that. There are plenty of towns like this in the nearby mountains, and they're simply too numerous to monitor. Besides, those places don't fall under private property," Old Arthur said with a smile.
"As for the US government, we won't be digging up anything of significant historical value. So even if we're discovered, it would likely just result in fines."
So, the next morning, Liang En drove his pickup truck and headed into the mountains with a pile of treasure hunting equipment. As for the metal detectors and such, those were prepared by Mr. Bruce beforehand and were now handed over to Liang En for use.
Unexpectedly, the road through the valley leading into the mountains was remarkably smooth. Despite not receiving any maintenance for over half a century, the road allowed Liang En's pickup truck to traverse it without any issues.
Thinking about it, this used to be the sole transportation route for shipping coal from the mountains, so it wasn't hard to understand why it had endured to this day.
After driving on the mountain road for about fifteen minutes, a typical American town appeared in a valley at the end of the road. However, due to decades of neglect, the entire town had mostly merged with nature.
"It seems this search is just for some fun." Liang En's excitement cooled by half as he looked at the scene before him. This environment was clearly not conducive to preserving various items.
After entering the center of the town, Liang En realized that the level of corrosion in the entire town was even worse than he expected. For instance, the tavern that used to be downtown had completely collapsed and was now covered in vegetation.
"I feel like there won't be much to find here." Liang En shook his head helplessly at the chaotic scene before him.
In theory, abandoned public places like taverns are often more likely to yield valuable items than residential homes. However, under the current circumstances, even if there was something valuable inside, it likely had turned into a pile of trash.
After circling around the town, Liang En returned to the location of the tavern. However, this time, instead of attempting to clear away the debris on the surface, he went around to the back of the building.
As expected, when Liang En cleared away a pile of rotted wooden planks formed by fallen fence walls in the backyard, a decaying blackened wooden door appeared on the ground.
After breaking the door with a crowbar and hammer, Liang En waited for a while for the gases inside to dissipate before putting on a gas mask and descending.
It must be said that this town was likely quite prosperous back in the day, as the ladder leading to the cellar was not the typical wooden ladder commonly found in the western regions, but a set of stone steps. This made it convenient for Liang En to enter the cellar.
The cellar was entirely constructed of stacked stones. While there were some leaks in certain areas, overall, it was well-preserved. At least in comparison to the wooden surface structures, it was in much better condition.
"Wow, my luck isn't too bad." Raising an eyebrow, Liang En gazed at the rows of barrels on both sides of the cellar and the bottles covered in dust on the shelves.
In that era, in regions where logistics weren't particularly convenient, bars often stockpiled large quantities of alcoholic beverages. After being abandoned locally, aside from some valuable varieties, few people would bother taking those things away.
Furthermore, in complex terrains like this, people might have discarded or forgotten various items.
However, as time passed, some things that were once commonplace might gradually become valuable. These items that appreciated over time were precisely Liang En's target in this search.
Thinking about this, Liang En took out the metal detector he carried with him and began scanning around the cellar. In places with poor lighting like underground cellars, it was possible that some coins or even jewelry had been forgotten there.