119: Chapter 119 Lake Bandamir

Band-e Amir Lake is located to the west of Bamiyan Province. It is less than one hundred kilometers away by car from Bamiyan town. However, the road is difficult to travel, consisting entirely of mountain roads with endless curves. It took Li Xin nearly three hours to arrive.

He arrived in the afternoon. The sun shone on the surface of the lake, making the water a stunning shade of blue that looked almost unreal.

This blue was not the deep blue of the ocean, but a clear, refreshing sapphire color, as if a massive gemstone had been firmly embedded in the middle of the valley.

A few locals were fishing by the lakeside, and several children were splashing and playing in the shallow water. Bursts of laughter drifted across the lake, echoing everywhere.

Li Xin parked his car by the lake, got out, and took a deep breath. The air was cold and crisp, carrying the faint, fishy scent of aquatic plants—completely different from the dryness of Bamiyan.

The lake is not large, but it is very deep, reportedly over eighty meters. The water is clear; one could see the stones and sand near the shore, but further in, the bottom vanished, leaving only a deep blue expanse that looked like an eye.

He found a guesthouse by the lake to stay in. Though called a guesthouse, it was actually just a row of mud houses by the water, built with stone, with flat roofs where a few blankets and some dried fruits were laid out to dry. The owner was a man in his fifties—thin, dark-skinned, and covered in wrinkles, revealing a few gold teeth when he smiled.

"How much for one night?" Li Xin asked in Dari.

"Thirty dollars."

"Boss, that's too expensive. Lower it a bit, how about twenty?"

The owner shook his head. "Twenty-five. I can't go any lower."

"Fine."

Li Xin took twenty-five dollars out of his pocket and handed it over. The owner accepted the money and led him to the room facing the lake. The door faced the lake, and the window did too; standing at the doorway, one could see the entire surface of the lake.

"If you want to eat, just let me know. My wife will cook," the owner said.

"Okay. Thank you."

Li Xin put down his backpack, washed his face, then took a small folding stool, a fishing rod, and a box of bait from his space, and walked to the lakeside.

He found a suitable spot, set up the stool, scattered some bait to chum the water, hooked the bait, cast the fishing rod, and sat down. The float bobbed on the water a few times before becoming still.

He looked like a bored tourist, wearing a straw hat, humming a tune, the kind who wouldn't catch many fish all day long.

While fishing, he silently chanted: "AI System, Scan."

[Scanning... Scan complete. The water depth of Band-e Amir Lake is between 82 and 91 meters, with a silt layer on the lakebed about 3 to 5 meters thick. A total of 7 ancient shipwrecks were scanned, scattered over an area of approximately 1.2 square kilometers. Gold and various treasures were discovered beneath each shipwreck.]

[Large quantities of gold, gemstones, porcelain, bronze ware, and silk fabrics discovered. Preliminary estimate: 4.2 tons of pure gold, 1.1 tons of gemstones, and a vast quantity of various antique artifacts.]

Li Xin gazed at the blue sky and white clouds reflected on the lake, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"System, start Extraction."

[Extraction started... Target: Band-e Amir Lake shipwreck treasure.]

[Warning: Water depth exceeds 80 meters, water pressure is too high. Extraction speed will automatically be reduced to one-third of normal. Estimated total duration: 36 hours.]

[Continuous Extraction limit: 24 hours. After this time, a mandatory 12-hour cooldown state will be initiated. Please follow the prompts to proceed.]

Li Xin frowned. Thirty-six hours. More than double the usual time.

"Understood."

[First batch of Extraction started. Estimated remaining time: 23:59:47.]

A pale blue light, visible only to him, surged from the system and extended toward the bottom of the lake. The progress bar began to jump, very slowly, extremely slowly. Each one-percent increment required waiting nearly ten minutes.

He stared at the float, pretending to fish. In reality, the system panel was right before his eyes; he could see the progress moving, but no one else could.

Time passed bit by bit. The sun slowly slid from overhead to the west, and the color of the lake changed from blue to gold, and from gold to gray. The wind picked up, blowing the float, causing it to bob on the surface.

In the evening, the owner walked out of the house, carrying a bowl of rice and a few side dishes.

"Time to eat." He placed the food next to Li Xin.

"Thank you. How much?"

"It's included in the room rate."

Li Xin nodded and picked up the rice bowl. The rice was brown rice, a bit hard, and the side dish was stewed mutton—salty, but the taste was okay. He took a bite, drank some water, and then continued to stare at the float.

The owner squatted beside him and lit a cigarette. "Are you traveling alone?"

"Yes, I'm a travel blogger. I've been to many countries."

"Are your family worried about you?"

"Well, I'm the only one in my family, so I'm the only one to feed. There's no one to worry about me."

The owner glanced at him and didn't ask further. After finishing his cigarette, he stood up, brushed the dust off his pants, and left.

Li Xin continued fishing. The float remained motionless. He didn't care at all; the fishing rod was just a cover, and his attention was entirely on the system panel.

It grew dark. Fog rose on the lake, thin like a veil. The distant mountains were no longer visible, leaving only the blurred outline of the lake.

Progress at twenty-three percent. System load at forty-one percent.

He leaned back on the stool, took a can of Red Bull from his space, popped it open, and took a sip.

At ten in the evening, he packed his things and returned to the room. At this time, progress was at thirty-eight percent, and load was at forty-five percent.

At four in the morning, progress was at sixty-four percent, and load was at fifty-two percent.

The sky began to brighten again. The fog on the lake dispersed, and the distant mountains reappeared. Early birds were calling, chirping noisily as if they were arguing.

The owner brought out breakfast again. Naan and tea; the naan was rock-hard, and the tea was unbearably salty. Li Xin took it, broke the naan into small pieces, soaked them in the tea, and ate them once they softened.

"You didn't sleep last night?" the owner asked.

"I did. I just got up early today."

The owner glanced at the small stool and then at him. "So early, aren't you sleepy?"

"I'm used to it."

The owner shook his head, and after Li Xin finished eating, he came out to take the empty bowl and left.

Nine in the morning. Progress at seventy-nine percent. Load at fifty-six percent.

One in the afternoon. Progress at ninety-two percent. Load at sixty-one percent.

The system popped up a notification.

[Continuous Extraction has reached the 24-hour limit. Mandatory 12-hour cooldown initiated. Countdown: 11:59:59. No Extraction can be performed during this period.]

[4 shipwrecks have been cleared. 3 remaining shipwrecks are waiting for Extraction.]

Li Xin looked at the countdown and then at the lake. Twelve hours. He had no choice but to wait.

He put away the fishing rod, folded the small stool, and returned to the room. He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

There were still twelve hours of cooldown time. This was enough time for him to have a good sleep. However, he didn't dare to sleep too soundly. In this place, who knew if something might happen.

He closed his eyes and drifted into a light nap. Around three in the afternoon, a commotion woke him up.

The sound was exceptionally loud, shaking the entire room.

He sat up abruptly and walked quickly to the window to look outside.

He saw three helicopters flying in from the eastern sky. As they flew closer, the roaring sound grew louder, making the window glass buzz. The strong wind stirred up by the propellers caused ripples to form on the surface of the lake.

They were Mi-8 helicopters, painted in full military camouflage, with no markings on the fuselage.

Li Xin's heart tightened instantly.

The helicopters hovered over the lake, lowered rope ladders, and a group of people slid down one by one.

They were all wearing camouflage uniforms, with guns on their backs and sunglasses on their faces. At a glance, they were not local Afghan soldiers, but Russians.

Li Xin took a step back, moved away from the window, and stood behind the wall. He glanced at the system panel. There were still over four hours of cooldown time left.

"AI System, who are they?"

[Cannot be accurately identified. Assumed to be Russian mercenaries. Well-equipped, carrying professional diving equipment, sonar, metal detectors, and underwater robots. They are likely here for treasure hunting.]

Treasure hunting. They came for the shipwrecks.

Li Xin's heartbeat accelerated. He tapped his fingers lightly on the wall, forcing himself to calm down.

He looked outside through the crack in the window. The group had already started. Two people were setting up equipment on the shore, four had changed into diving suits, and one person was operating an underwater robot. The robot was lowered into the water and sank, and the screen displayed the image of the lakebed.

The one leading the team appeared to be a colonel. He was bald with a scar on his face that stretched from his left eyebrow bone to his right cheekbone. He was wearing a black tactical vest, standing by the lake, shouting into a walkie-talkie.

"What's the situation underwater?"

"Visibility is five meters, water temperature is twelve degrees. I see the outline of the shipwreck."

"Good. Take photos first to confirm if the items are still there. Then start the salvage."

Li Xin clenched his hands.

Are the items still there? Of course not. He had already emptied four ships. But there were still three left. Three ships remained untouched.

He glanced at the cooldown timer. Over three hours.

In those three-plus hours, could they salvage the remaining three ships? He didn't know. But he knew that if he really let them go down to the lakebed and see those empty ships, they would definitely suspect someone had beaten them to it.

Then they would start investigating. Investigating everyone in the vicinity.

Li Xin took a deep breath, walked out from the corner, pushed open the door, and walked to the lakeshore.

He sat on a small stool, took out his fishing rod, and cast the line. The float bobbed a few times on the water and then went still.

Then he put on his straw hat, took a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it.

He looked just like an idle tourist, fishing by the lake to pass the time.

The Russians glanced at him but didn't pay any attention. What kind of problem could a Chinese person fishing have?

The colonel walked over, stood beside him, and looked at the lake surface.

"Did you catch any fish?" he asked in Russian.

Li Xin answered in fluent Russian: "No. My luck is bad today."

The colonel glanced at him: "You speak Russian?"

"A little. I learned it in college."

"From China?"

"Yes, China."

"Just you alone?"

"Yes."

The colonel nodded, chatted idly for a while, and finally turned and left.

Li Xin continued fishing. The float didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the float, but his peripheral vision remained locked on the Russians.

The underwater robot brought up the first item—a pottery jar, shattered, its original appearance unrecognizable. The robot brought up the second item—a piece of wood, already rotten, crumbling at the slightest touch.

The colonel's expression began to change.

"Report. The first ship is completely empty."

"What?" The colonel's voice rose, "Empty?"

"Yes. There is nothing inside. Not even a single copper coin."

The colonel frowned and picked up the walkie-talkie: "What about the second one?"

"Checking... The second one... is also empty."

"The third one?"

"...also empty."

The colonel's face darkened. He walked to the lakeshore, squatted down, and stared at the underwater robot's screen. The screen showed the interior of the fourth ship, empty and desolate, with nothing left.

"Impossible!" The colonel stood up, "The intelligence is absolutely accurate. These ships were filled with gold! At least four tons! How could they be empty?"

The diver's voice came through the walkie-talkie, filled with confusion: "Colonel, could it be that we arrived late?"

"Late?" The colonel's voice turned cold, "Who could have arrived before us?"

Li Xin glanced at the cooldown timer. [00:30:17] Thirty minutes left.

The Russians began to surface. They crawled ashore, took off their diving suits, and their expressions were ugly. The colonel paced back and forth by the lake, cursing.

"Someone must have come here first! Search! Search everyone within a ten-kilometer radius!"

The mercenaries began to move. They split into groups and searched house by house. Homestays, tents, fishing boats, shops... they didn't miss a single one.

They soon reached Li Xin.

A mercenary walked over, pointing his gun at Li Xin: "You! What are you doing here!"

Li Xin raised his fishing rod, looking innocent: "Fishing."

He pointed to a few small fish on the hook. Those fish were taken from his space, prepared in advance just to handle such a situation. The small fish were still flopping on the hook, their scales shining in the sunlight.

The mercenary glanced at the fish and frowned.

"How long have you been here?"

"Two days. I arrived the day before yesterday."

"Have you seen any suspicious people?"

"What kind of suspicious people?"

"You know... not locals, acting sneaky."

Li Xin thought for a moment and shook his head: "No. Just me. And a few locals fishing."

The colonel walked over, stood in front of Li Xin, and looked him up and down. An ordinary Chinese tourist, T-shirt, jeans, straw hat, holding a fishing rod, with a small bucket at his feet containing a few small fish.

"What do you do?" the colonel asked in Russian.

"I am a travel blogger. I came here on a road trip, felt the scenery was nice, so I stayed for a few days to play and take some photos."

Li Xin took out his phone, opened the photo album, and handed it over. It was full of photos—the Buddhas of Bamiyan, Band-e Amir Lake, scenery along the road, sunrise in the mountains. All taken by him over the past few days.

The colonel flipped through them and returned the phone.

"It's not safe here. Leave early once you're done."

"Okay. Thank you."

The colonel turned and left. The mercenaries followed him to continue searching in other directions.

Li Xin sat on the small stool and continued fishing. The float didn't move. His eyes were fixed on the system panel. [00:10:00] Nine minutes. Eight minutes. Seven minutes. [00:05:00] [00:03:00] [00:01:00]

The moment the cooldown ended, Li Xin immediately thought: "System, Extraction of the remaining three shipwrecks."

[Extracting...] The progress bar jumped from 0 to 100 directly. It took less than 20 minutes; fortunately, the remaining three ships didn't have many treasures, so the Extraction was faster.

[Ding—Extraction complete. Band-e Amir Lake shipwreck treasure, cleared.]

[Total Extraction this time: 4.2 tons of pure gold, 1.1 tons of gemstones, and various cultural relics.]

[Top-tier relics: 12 pieces of Sassanid Empire gold utensils, all inlaid with emeralds and rubies; 800 gold coins used in Silk Road trade, including Tang Dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao, Persian gold coins, and Byzantine gold coins; 3 scrolls of ancient nautical charts, made of sheepskin and well-preserved; 9 pieces of Buddhist Tantric ritual objects, including pure gold vajras, silver Kapala bowls, etc.]

[Total value of this haul: 3.2 billion USD.]

[Current accumulated gold: 2788.4057 tons.]

[Continuous Extraction for 28 hours, forced cooldown of 12 hours. No Extractions can be performed during this period.]

Li Xin closed the panel, put away the fishing rod, folded the small stool, and walked back to his room.

The landlord was drying blankets in the courtyard. Seeing him come in, he asked: "Not fishing anymore?"

"Not anymore. I'm leaving tomorrow. With so many mercenaries around just now, it feels a bit unsafe here."

The landlord nodded and didn't ask further.

Li Xin closed the door, lay on the bed, and let out a long breath.

He had secretly pulled it off again, a treasure worth 3.2 billion USD. How ridiculous those mercenaries were, making a wasted trip, still cursing and searching by the lake, but sadly they were destined to return empty-handed.

He smiled.

On the lake outside the window, the roar of helicopters hadn't stopped, but the sound was getting further away; those people must have left.

He took a bottle of water from his space and took a big gulp. The ice-cold water flowed down his throat, and he instantly felt much more awake.

"AI System."

[Yes.]

"Where is the next target?"

[According to existing data analysis, the next Bactria secret treasure is not in this location. We must first find the six legendary treasure locations; the sixth treasure is hidden in a particularly unexpected place.]

"How unexpected?"

[You'll know when you get there.]

Li Xin's lips curled up, and he stood up to pack his things.

He pushed open the door and walked out of the room; the landlord was still in the courtyard.

"Landlord, checking out."

"Not staying anymore?"

"No, I have other business."

The landlord nodded, took the key, and didn't ask anything else.

Li Xin walked to his car, got into the pickup, and started the engine. The pickup slowly drove out of the village and onto the dirt road.

As he drove, Band-e Amir Lake grew smaller and smaller behind him, eventually turning into a tiny blue dot, disappearing completely behind the mountains.

He looked down at the system panel; there wasn't much cooldown time left.

The next stop is Bactria.

And the six legendary guardians.