180: Chapter 180 Lakeside Vacation: A Chaotic Battle

Driving south from Chukotka took two full days.

The road conditions were terrible. Just after leaving the permafrost, the road plunged into the rolling mountains.

The mountain roads were narrow and winding, with one curve after another, and patches of unmelted snow still piled up along the roadside.

Victor kept the speed low, but the car drove steadily.

He gripped the steering wheel, remaining silent the entire way. Li Xin leaned back in the passenger seat, equally speechless.

The interior of the car was quiet, save for the old Russian songs drifting from the car stereo—the melody deep and tinged with a faint, elusive sense of desolation, like a long, soft sigh.

On the afternoon of the third day, they arrived at Cape Tolstoy.

The lake wasn't large, surrounded on all sides by mountains.

The entire surface was frozen solid, covered in a layer of grayish-white ice.

On the opposite shore, a row of pine trees stood, their green so dark it looked black.

Nestled at the foot of the mountain was a small village with only a dozen or so wooden cabins.

Some roofs were covered in residual snow, and a few chimneys lazily puffed white smoke. At the entrance to the village stood a thick, old pine tree, its branches weighed down by icicles of various lengths.

Victor braked and stopped in front of a wooden cabin.

The exterior walls of the cabin had been painted blue, but large patches of paint were peeling off; chopped firewood was stacked neatly by the door.

"Li, we've arrived. This is it. The old man's name is Nikolai; you can just call him by his name."

"Alright, let's get out then," Li Xin said calmly.

Li Xin pushed the door open, stepped out, and knocked twice on the wooden door.

The door opened to reveal a septuagenarian man.

He was thin and gaunt with a slightly hunched back, wrapped in an old padded jacket, and wearing a dirty scarf around his neck.

The old man's gaze fell on Li Xin first, paused, and then shifted to Victor beside him.

"Victor, it's been a while. Are you here to stay at the inn again this time?" the old man asked, his voice hoarse and deep.

"Yes, old Nikolai, just for two days," Victor replied.

"Same as before, 1,500 a day, food not included."

Li Xin fished out 3,000 rubles and handed them over.

The old man took the money, counted it slowly and methodically, tucked it into his jacket, then stepped aside and pointed to the far end of the corridor.

"That room there. The window faces the lake."

Li Xin walked into the room.

The room was cramped, furnished only with a bed, a wooden table, and a chair.

The bed frame was uncomfortable, the sheets were washed to a faded white, and the pillow smelled faintly of mildew and dampness.

The window was frosted over, making it impossible to see outside. He put down his backpack and took out his toiletries, setting them on the table.

Victor stopped at the door without stepping inside.

"Li, I'm heading back now. Let me know when you leave."

"Alright, thanks. Take care on your way," Li Xin said with a smile.

Victor waved, turned, and left. The car engine roared to life, made a U-turn, and slowly drove away. The sound of the engine gradually faded until it completely vanished into the mountains.

Li Xin lay on the bed with his eyes closed. The bed was hard, digging into his back. Outside, the wind howled, and the ice on the lake occasionally cracked—crunch—a dull sound like thunder.

His phone in his pocket vibrated slightly.

Chen Hu sent a message: "Boss, the information regarding the legend of the sunken gold in Cape Tolstoy lake has been sent."

Li Xin opened his email and read through it. Cape Tolstoy lake is located in the central part of the Cape Tolstoy peninsula. The lake covers an area of about 50 square kilometers, with a maximum depth of about 80 meters.

Legend has it that during World War II, a ship transporting gold was wrecked and sank in the lake, carrying a large amount of gold.

After the war, the Soviet army came specifically to salvage it, but only recovered a small portion. The rest remained buried at the bottom of the lake, its exact location unknown to this day.

The document included several old black-and-white photos of the actual salvage operation back then, showing ships floating on the water with decks piled high with wooden crates.

He closed the email and lay there for a while.

Early the next morning, he went out.

It was just dawn, the sky gray and hazy. The lakeside was very quiet. The wind blowing across the lake was cold and carried a fishy smell. He walked along the lakeshore for nearly an hour until he reached the eastern side of the lake.

A small pier stood by the lake.

A few wooden pilings were driven into the icy water, supporting some scattered wooden planks. Nearby, a few small boats were moored, all frozen immobile in the ice layer.

Fishing nets and floats piled on the hulls were mostly buried under snow. A makeshift shed made of wooden boards was built at the corner of the pier, its door crooked and half-open, filled with random debris.

Li Xin stood on the pier for a moment, the wind whipping his clothes. He bent down, crouched, and placed his palm against the wooden planks.

It was bone-chillingly cold, the surface rough and worn, with fine cracks everywhere.

"AI System, Scan the bottom of the lake."

[Scanning... Scan complete. Seven kilometers away, at a depth of about 78 meters at the bottom of the lake, a hidden crevice was discovered. A large amount of scattered gold bricks and gold bars were found in the crevice; the estimated gold reserve is 500 tons. Confirmed to be ownerless, full Extraction is possible.]

Li Xin paused, startled.

A full 500 tons, all submerged in the lake.

He had originally estimated two or three hundred tons, but he hadn't expected the amount to be this staggering.

"Holy crap... is it really 500 tons?" Li Xin looked pleasantly surprised.

[Confirmed, 500 tons, concentrated in an area of about 200 square meters, suspected to be the location of the shipwreck's cargo hold. There are scattered metal objects around, possibly ship wreckage or other cargo.]

He stood up. 500 tons. At current gold prices, one ton is worth over 40 million USD, so 500 tons would be over 20 billion USD. Converted to RMB, that's over 130 billion.

"Great, haha... how long will the Extraction take?"

[500 tons, at 50 tons per hour, estimated 10 hours. Within the 12-hour continuous Extraction limit, it can be completed in one go.]

"Good, action tonight."

He turned and walked back toward the wooden cabin. He hadn't gone far when he heard some noise.

It wasn't the cold mountain wind, but human voices—a group of people gathered at the lakeside. He stopped in his tracks and looked toward the source of the sound.

On the open ground by the lake, twenty or thirty people had quickly gathered. They were divided into several groups, standing in different positions. Some were wearing windbreakers, some work clothes, and others camouflage. They were of different skin tones—white, Asian, Middle Eastern. People were shouting in English, Russian, and Chinese; curses and shouts mixed together in a buzz, like a swarm of flies.

Li Xin crouched down, hiding behind a tree. The trunk wasn't very thick, but it barely concealed him. He poked his head out slightly to watch from afar.

He saw an old white man wearing glasses, holding a stick, pointing at an Asian man opposite him, shouting in English.

"We discovered this place first! Get lost! We have documents! Government documents!"

The Asian man curled his lip in disdain.

"Discovered? What proof do you have? This lake is public, anyone can come here! Your documents are fake! I've had a lawyer look at them!"

"Fake? Say that again!" The old white man stepped forward, raising his stick.

"Fake! Fake! What are you going to do, hit me? Go ahead, try hitting me, and see if I don't sue you until you're left with nothing but your underwear! Pfft!" The Asian man also stepped forward, with several people following behind him.

Another group nearby was also arguing, using Russian, cursing very harshly. A fat man in camouflage was pointing at several people in windbreakers opposite him, shouting loudly.

"You guys have been here for half a year and haven't found anything; you still have the nerve to occupy this place? Get lost while you can!"

"Have you found anything? You don't even have equipment, what are you using to search?" The Tall Thin Man opposite replied.

"We have sonar, do you?"

"Sonar? Can that sonar Scan 45 meters deep? That piece of junk equipment you have is just a toy. I served in the navy for twenty years; I can see right through that thing of yours."

People were shoving, sticks were raised and then lowered. A young man was pushed to the ground, climbed up, and was pushed down again. Someone threw a stone, which hit the crowd and triggered another round of cursing.

Li Xin retreated. He stood up from behind the tree, took a wide detour, and walked in another direction. He stepped on the snow lightly, trying to make as little sound as possible.

He hadn't walked many steps when a sharp whistle sounded in his ear. It wasn't the wind; it was an arrow. An arrow flew past him and pinned itself into a nearby tree trunk. The tail of the arrow was still vibrating, buzzing. The arrowhead had embedded at least two centimeters into the wood.

He crouched down. His heart rate accelerated. He looked in the direction the arrow had come from. A group of people stood there, wearing camouflage, holding crossbows. Someone shouted in English: "Who shot that? Don't shoot randomly! That's a tree, not a person! Are you f***ing blind?"

"It wasn't me, it was him... his hand slipped," another person replied.

"Stop arguing, don't move. If you shoot randomly again, I'll throw you into the lake," a third person's voice said, with a commanding tone.

Li Xin stood up, didn't look over there, and continued walking forward. He didn't walk fast, but his steps were steady, though his back was a little cold; he didn't look back.

He walked to the other side of the lake, found a sheltered spot, and sat down. Behind him was a large rock blocking the wind. In front of him was the lake, the ice surface grayish-blue, stretching to the horizon. In the distance, a few birds were flying—black, letting out a few sharp cries.

He fished some water out of his backpack and took a sip; then he pulled out some bread, broke off small pieces, and chewed slowly; but the bread was dry and hard, making it tough to chew.

"AI System, what's the background of those people?"

[Those who came are various multinational treasure-hunting groups, about five groups in total. There are Chinese, Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, and people from Europe, all aiming for the gold at the bottom of the lake. Among them, the Chinese team has the most people, seven or eight; the Russian side also has seven or eight; the remaining groups are mostly in threes or fives.]

"Hmm? Do they know the location of the gold at the bottom of the lake?"

[Based on the analysis of their conversation, they have determined the general area. But none are sure of the specific location; they are currently still in the search phase. Some used sonar, some used metal detectors, and some relied on divers to feel around. The Chinese group has an advanced sonar, the highest precision, but it can only Scan the general area, not pinpoint it.]

"Has anyone found it?"

[No. The terrain at the bottom of the lake is complex. The gold is in a hidden crevice at the bottom, the silt is thick, and visibility is low, making it very hard to discover. Divers have gone down, but it's all mud down there, pitch black; they felt around a few times and found nothing. Their equipment lacks the precision to find the exact spot. Moreover, they interfere with each other—you dig here, I dig there, neither giving way to the other.]

Li Xin nodded.

"Action tonight. They search their way, we extract our way."

[I suggest starting the Extraction at midnight. 500 tons, estimated 10 hours. It will end at 10:00 AM the next day. The lake surface is deserted at night, the wind is strong, and visibility is low, making it suitable for the operation.]

"Good. Keep an eye on their movements."

[Understood. Currently, the various groups have dispersed, and most have retreated to their lodgings to rest. There are two groups still arguing on the east bank, but they have left the lakeshore, so it is safe.]

He stood up, brushed the snow off his pants, and turned to walk back.

When he reached the vicinity of the village, those people were still arguing. This time it was even worse. Some were fighting; the dull thuds of sticks hitting bodies, curses, and screams mixed together. An Asian man was beaten to the ground, clutching his head, curling his body.

Several people nearby were kicking him, cursing as they kicked. In another direction, two white men were brawling, rolling on the ground, trading punches. Their faces were covered in blood, nosebleeds dripping onto the snow, bright and glaring. Someone threw a stone into the crowd, triggering another round of cursing.

Li Xin didn't stop, took a wide detour, and entered from the other side of the village. He walked quickly, head down, trying to avoid attracting attention.

Back at the wooden cabin, the old man was sitting by the stove. The stove was burning brightly, and the kettle on the tin lid was bubbling. Seeing Li Xin, he asked: "What's going on outside? Making such a racket. They've been arguing since morning; I haven't been able to sleep well."

"They're fighting, several groups of people, using knives and sticks," Li Xin said, sitting down at the table.

The old man shook his head, took the kettle off the stove, and poured him a cup of tea.

"These people, they've been here for nearly half a year, arguing and fighting every day. Don't know what they're looking for. Last month, someone even used a gun. The police came, arrested a few, but released them a few days later."

"Probably looking for gold; isn't there a legend about sunken gold at the bottom of the lake here?" Li Xin said very calmly.

The old man looked at him. "Oh, so you're here to look for gold too?"

"No, I'm here for a vacation. To see the scenery, and maybe do some fishing," Li Xin said, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

The old man smiled, responding noncommittally.

"Fishing? There are fish in the lake. Salmon, grayling, and whitefish. But it's hard to fish in winter; the ice is too thick. Summer is better; one cast and you've got a fish immediately."

Li Xin paused. "Is there anyone renting boats?"

"Only in summer, not in winter. The boats are all frozen in the ice. If you want to fish, you have to chip your own ice hole." The old man took tobacco out of his pocket, rolled a cigarette, and lit it.

Li Xin nodded. "Never mind, I was just asking."

"You came alone?" The old man took a puff of his cigarette, the smoke dissipating under the light.

"Yeah."

"Admirable courage. This godforsaken place is remote and cold. For a foreigner like you to come here, I'm truly impressed. But you need to be careful." The old man flicked the ash.

"Careful of what? Will I encounter bears here?"

"Hmm, it's not bears you should be careful of," the old man lowered his voice.

"You, you should be careful of those people, those people looking for gold; they're capable of anything. Last year, someone found a piece of gold by the lake, this big." He gestured with his hand.

"He was beaten up by them, and they stole the gold. He was badly injured and stayed in the hospital for half a month."

Li Xin didn't respond.

The old man poured another cup of tea. "Be careful, it's best not to go over there."

"Alright, got it, thanks."

Li Xin went upstairs and lay on the bed. The bed was hard; he turned over, and it creaked. He opened the system panel. Four hours left on the cooldown.

He closed his eyes and lay there for a while. Outside the window, the wind howled. There was still cursing in the distance, but it was getting further and further away. His phone vibrated.

Li Jiayi sent a message: "The registration documents for the family office are all ready, waiting for you to come back and sign. Singapore is also urging us, saying you need to personally sign the physical documents for the trust structure."

He replied: "Alright, I'll be back in a few days."

Luo Mai threw a wedding photo into the group chat.

He was in a crisp suit, with the bride beside him in a white veil; both were smiling so hard their eyes were crinkled into slits. The background was the seaside, with the sunset spread across the beach.

Attached was a sentence: "Wedding next month, everyone try to come if you can."

Li Xin looked at it for a few seconds. He put the phone on the nightstand.

He turned over and pulled the quilt over his head.

He soon fell asleep.