Chapter 190: Treasure Chest?

Jiang Hai returned to his boat. Fortunately, the boat he had purchased wasn't small. Otherwise, over the past hour, without an anchor, it would have drifted far away. Thankfully, it was still secure. After fixing the boat, Jiang Hai grabbed a net bag and dove back into the sea.

His first target was lobsters. Compared to abalone and sea cucumbers, lobsters were clearly more appealing to him.

Typically, Boston lobsters weighing about one pound are the standard for market sale. However, Jiang Hai had a different perspective—he wouldn't bother with lobsters smaller than 60 centimeters. Ultimately, he managed to catch two large lobsters, each about 70 centimeters long, completely filling his net bag.

Though he didn't weigh them immediately, Jiang Hai estimated that each lobster must be seven or eight pounds. If sold in China, such lobsters would easily fetch tens of thousands in RMB. But in Jiang Hai's private fishery, these weren't even the largest. He had even spotted one nearly a meter long, though that particular lobster was alive and alert.

Most lobsters are relatively simple-minded. When faced with danger, their instinct isn't to flee but to raise their claws and confront their opponent. Words like "retreat" or "hide" aren't in their vocabulary, making them relatively easy to catch. However, the nearly meter-long lobster seemed smarter than the rest. Jiang Hai decided to let it be for now and felt content catching the two he had. After all, there was no need to overdo it.

With the lobsters secured, Jiang Hai shifted his focus to sea cucumbers.

Sea cucumbers are not particularly rare in China. While their price is on the higher side, they're still within reach for most determined middle-class families. They're considered a high-end ingredient but not out of the question for special occasions. In the U.S., however, sea cucumbers are essentially worthless. Americans don't eat them; only specialized pharmaceutical companies collect their internal organs for medicine. Fishermen typically discard the rest.

Since moving to the U.S., Jiang Hai had become accustomed to the wasteful habits of American culture. Whenever Edward and his crew returned from the sea, they would give Jiang Hai their catch of Arctic shrimp, crabs, and sometimes sea cucumbers when they knew Jiang Hai would eat them. As such, Jiang Hai wasn't particularly greedy about sea cucumbers—he could always catch some when he craved them. This time, he caught around twenty, enough for two meals.

His true interest, however, lay in abalone.

Abalone is unique because it clings tightly to reefs. Conventional fishing nets can't dislodge it unless the abalone itself decides to migrate. That made it a prized catch in Jiang Hai's eyes.

After catching a few lobsters and sea cucumbers, Jiang Hai moved toward a reef to hunt for abalone. Catching abalone seemed simple enough—they didn't move, after all—but their powerful suction was a significant challenge.

"Damn, this thing is really stuck!" Jiang Hai grumbled as he attempted to pry one off. With his enhanced physical strength, he used nearly 90% of his power, yet the abalone remained firmly attached to the reef.

Anyone experienced in abalone fishing knows the trick: bring a small knife or shovel to slide the abalone off the surface. Jiang Hai, however, was trying to dig it out barehanded—an effort doomed to fail.

The struggle reminded Jiang Hai of a science lesson from his childhood, where an experiment involving atmospheric pressure used iron balls that even a team of horses couldn't separate. Though Jiang Hai's strength was at the peak of human capability, he couldn't match the power of eight horses.

Fortunately, the reef itself wasn't as resilient as the abalone. With a sharp crack, a piece of the reef broke off, leaving Jiang Hai holding the abalone—with fragments of rock still attached. "This thing is way too stubborn," Jiang Hai sighed, deciding one was enough for the day. He tossed it into his net bag, resolving to try again another time.

As he prepared to leave, a glint of golden light caught his eye.

"What's that?" Jiang Hai muttered, startled. He swam closer to investigate and discovered a gold coin with a dark red sheen embedded in the reef. Intrigued, he examined the area and uncovered something extraordinary—a massive, one-cubic-meter box hidden beneath the reef. The corner he had just broken off had revealed its contents.

Jiang Hai's heart raced. Judging by its appearance, this box had likely been underwater for centuries. Its contents, especially the gold coins, could be worth a fortune—not just for their material value but also as antiques.

Excited but practical, Jiang Hai quickly realized he couldn't move the box on his own. Returning to the boat, he emptied his net bag of lobsters, sea cucumbers, and abalone into the water tank. Then, he dove back down, deciding to focus on retrieving the coins first.

Using his strength, Jiang Hai broke apart the reef covering the box and carefully extracted the coins one by one. By the time he finished, his net bag was heavy with treasure—427 gold coins in total. Each coin weighed about 15 grams, though Jiang Hai speculated that some refinement had occurred over time.

Estimating the coins' age at over 180 years, Jiang Hai calculated their material value at roughly $100,000 USD. But as historical artifacts, their worth could multiply exponentially, potentially reaching millions. The prospect left Jiang Hai trembling with excitement.

Returning to the boat, he secured the gold coins at the bottom of the water tank, covering them with the lobsters and sea cucumbers for safekeeping. Patting the head of a nearby sand tiger shark, Jiang Hai muttered, "Guard this well. I'll be back soon."

By the time Jiang Hai returned to the dock, night had fallen. Only Robbins had stayed behind, concerned about Jiang Hai's safety. Upon hearing Jiang Hai's tale of being pulled into the water by Dasha, the shark, Robbins burst into laughter. Apparently, the playful shark had a habit of dragging people into the water—something the fishermen had grown used to.

Riding their modified four-wheeled motorcycles, Jiang Hai and Robbins returned to the villa. The aroma of food greeted them as they arrived, and Jiang Hai's appetite grew. Inside, the cowboys and fishermen were gathered in the living room, chatting happily. Meanwhile, Darlene, Marianne, and the other women were laughing and socializing. Their lives had changed significantly since moving to Jiang Hai's estate—they were now well-fed, comfortably dressed, and financially secure.

Though the women had gained some weight, it only made them healthier and more radiant. Their improved appearances had not gone unnoticed, and the other wives now kept a closer eye on their husbands.