Chapter 192: Return to the Sea

Splash! Another burst of water rippled through the ocean as Jiang Hai dove in again.

As he entered the water, a massive shadow appeared nearby, circling him with a quiet yet palpable presence.

Jiang Hai reached out to pat the head of the sand tiger shark beside him. Chuckling softly, he began swimming toward the coral reef in the distance.

It had been two days since Jiang Hai returned, and two days since he discovered those gold coins.

Last night, after learning the value of the coins, he barely got any rest. Thoughts about the origins of the coins, how they ended up here, and why they were abandoned swirled endlessly in his mind. But ultimately, he didn't care.

According to Moses Adams' friends, the coins were likely tied to the Anglo-American War—commonly referred to as the Second War of Independence. This war held great significance for the United States, but for Jiang Hai, a foreigner, it was meaningless.

All that mattered to him was the coins' value: $400 each. That was enough.

As he lay in bed, he vaguely remembered there were more reefs like the one he had explored. With over 400 coins in the first chest, worth nearly $200,000, the thought of multiple chests sparked his imagination. Ten chests would mean $2 million, and a hundred? A staggering $20 million.

Lately, Jiang Hai's bank account had been running low. After paying this year's taxes, his assets were down to around $800,000 to $1 million. He knew there was wealth in the ocean, but he had always been wary of its dangers. However, with treasures practically at his doorstep, he couldn't resist the call.

He also needed a source of income to cover his expenses until the beef cattle exhibition in April—two months away. He couldn't just sit idly by while his funds dwindled.

So, after breakfast, he set out from the villa, better prepared this time. He donned a warm diving suit and brought along tools: a small shovel, spade, knife, and new bags. After anchoring his boat near the coral reef, he prepared to dive.

As the boat settled, Dasha, the sand tiger shark, surfaced, excited to see him. Jiang Hai tossed it a chunk of beef before slipping into the water.

Breathing underwater wasn't an issue for Jiang Hai, and the diving suit reduced resistance, allowing him to move far more efficiently than the previous day. Together with Dasha, Jiang Hai swam toward the reefs.

Yesterday, he had thought little of the reefs, seeing them merely as coral bases. But now, they represented potential treasure troves.

Starting at the spot where he had uncovered the first chest, Jiang Hai began smashing nearby reefs that resembled the one from yesterday. The limestone reefs were no match for his strength.

He didn't disturb the sea life—anemones, sponges, seaweed, and corals—focusing instead on carving into the reefs to check for hidden chests.

The first reef yielded nothing, just limestone debris. Undeterred, Jiang Hai moved to the next. After several attempts, his persistence paid off. On the third reef, he uncovered another rusted metal box, its surface darkened by time. As he pried it open, a familiar golden glint greeted him—gold coins identical to the ones from the previous day spilled out, drifting gently in the water.

"Yes!" Jiang Hai clenched his fist triumphantly, grinning as the coins sank slowly.

It was now clear: these coins hadn't simply washed up here. They had been deliberately placed, likely over a century ago. This wasn't a shipwreck—if it had been, someone would have discovered it by now in such shallow waters.

Whoever had hidden these coins, their motives didn't matter. Now, they belonged to Jiang Hai.

He quickly loaded the coins into his bag and moved to the next reef. Above him, Dasha kept watch, alert for any potential threats. The shark, energized by its beef meal, seemed livelier than usual.

Jiang Hai spent the next three hours working tirelessly. Though his success rate was roughly one in four, he managed to uncover over a dozen chests. By the time his bag was nearly full, he had barely scratched the surface of the reef cluster.

"Let's head back for now," Jiang Hai thought, glancing at Dasha, who was circling above, clearly hungry. Smiling, Jiang Hai swam back to the boat.

On the way, he caught a few crabs, a lobster, and some abalone. The abalones were especially impressive—each weighing about half a pound, top-quality specimens Jiang Hai had never had the chance to enjoy before.

Once on the boat, Jiang Hai let Dasha hunt for its own meal while he changed clothes. He carefully stowed the gold coins beneath the seafood he had caught, then steered the boat back to the dock.

At the dock, Edward Anderson was overseeing the crew as they inspected the ships. Though curious about what Jiang Hai had been up to, Edward refrained from asking, knowing better than to pry into his mysterious boss's affairs.

After securing the day's haul, Jiang Hai returned home, where Mrs. Philemon had prepared lunch. He ate quickly, said goodbye to Darlene and Marian, and left again, taking another ten pounds of beef for Dasha.

That afternoon, Jiang Hai returned to the reef, repeating his morning routine. By then, he had counted the coins from earlier—6,217 in total, worth nearly $2.5 million.

As he dove back into the water, the gray reefs before him no longer seemed ordinary. To him, they shimmered with the green glow of dollar bills.

Fueled by the prospect of wealth, Jiang Hai worked even harder. With the experience gained from the morning, his efficiency improved. By sunset, he had uncovered his 21st chest of the day.

"It's time to head back," Jiang Hai thought, looking at the red-tinted sea above. Just as he was about to leave, something unusual caught his eye inside the latest chest—a smaller iron box.

"What's this?" he murmured, carefully retrieving it.

(To be continued.)