113: Target: Nan'ao Island!

"Nan'ao Island."

Jiang Wanqing's fingertip, like a nail, was firmly pinned on the map to that dark green island located at the border of Fujian and Guangdong.

Three words, spoken with resounding force!

The sea wind howled into the tent, rustling a corner of the map like countless wronged souls whispering.

"Why Nan'ao Island?"

Wang Dalong leaned his big head in, his face full of question marks. He really couldn't see anything special about this ordinary little island.

"Favorable timing, geographical advantage, and human harmony."

Jiang Wanqing withdrew her finger, her tone devoid of any emotion, as if reciting a long-memorized report.

"Look at the map. Sailing south from Quanzhou to Guangdong, Yamen is the final destination. Nan'ao Island sits right at the throat of this route! For that refugee fleet at the time, starving and hunted like dogs, this place was their only hope to catch their breath!"

"This is favorable timing."

Her finger traced an arc across the map.

"Secondly, geographical advantage. Nan'ao Island isn't a barren rock. Its terrain is extremely complex, with countless natural harbors and waterways, full of twists and turns like a maze. Forget hiding one fleet; you could hide ten fleets there, and outsiders wouldn't find them without risking their lives. Easy to defend, hard to attack—it seems tailor-made for hiding things!"

"More importantly, human harmony." Jiang Wanqing lowered her voice slightly, carrying a hint of mystery. "Nan'ao Island has never been peaceful since ancient times. Local legends, like the 'Crown Prince's Gold' or 'Shipwreck Treasures,' have persisted for centuries! The government dug, pirates dug, everyone wanted to get rich from this windfall!"

As she spoke, she unlocked her tablet and pulled up several photos.

The photos showed turbid underwater scenes, with outlines of objects covered in marine life barely visible.

A massive ancient anchor, covered in rust.

Piles of broken blue-and-white porcelain shards, scattered in the silt.

"These were taken a few years ago during an underwater archaeological survey near Nan'ao Island. We did find some Song Dynasty shipwrecks, but they were too small, just ordinary merchant ships. Forget gold and jewels; there weren't even many copper coins."

Jiang Wanqing's expression held some regret.

"So, whether the 'Imperial Song Treasure Ship' is actually at Nan'ao, or exactly which corner of Nan'ao Island it's hidden in, remains a mystery to this day."

"Holy crap..."

Wang Dalong finally understood completely.

He looked at the stele being carefully rubbed outside, then turned to look at Lin Feng, who had remained silent.

"Brother Feng, I feel like... our 'Tingfeng Garden' won't be ready to move into anytime soon, huh?"

He scratched his head. Far from looking the least bit disappointed, an irrepressible excitement bubbled up on his face.

"This place is probably gonna be turned upside down by the archaeology team with their little trowels."

He grinned, showing a cheeky smile.

"But then again, finding a needle in a haystack... that's kinda our specialty, isn't it!"

Lin Feng ignored his wisecrack.

From the moment Jiang Wanqing uttered the words "Nan'ao Island," his attention had been completely absorbed by the system interface only he could see in his mind.

That golden quest named 【sorrowful song of the last song】 was now emitting a faint, eerie glow, as if it had come to life.

On the quest map, a flickering red light point shimmered faintly within the area of Nan'ao Island. Its position wasn't precise, like a lighthouse shrouded in mist, constantly drifting and flickering, clearly guiding him to solve an ultimate mystery.

【Quest Description: The sea of Yamen, where a hundred thousand loyal souls died for their country. Yet, the national fortune was not severed; the torch still burns. Follow the curse of the stele, trace the trail of the treasure ship, and let the tarnished loyalty and righteousness see the light of day again.】

"Let the tarnished loyalty and righteousness see the light of day again..."

Lin Feng silently repeated these words in his heart.

He made his decision instantly.

Those lunatics in the shadows were watching them like maggots clinging to bone, and the eyes of the whole world were still focused on them.

Right now, hiding trembling in any corner would be the stupidest choice.

Better to take the initiative than to passively endure attacks!

Throw himself into the eye of another world-renowned storm!

Under the spotlight is the safest place to hide!

He wanted the whole world to watch with wide eyes as he searched for a piece of Chinese history, tragic and heroic to the extreme!

He wanted to stir these waters even murkier, so murky that the jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards lurking in the shadows wouldn't dare make a move!

"Dr. Jiang."

Lin Feng looked up, meeting Jiang Wanqing's inquisitive gaze.

"The research on this stele probably won't be completed in a day or two. Your team will be stationed here for a while, right?"

"Of course!" Jiang Wanqing nodded without hesitation. "The appearance of this stele is enough to rewrite the history of Quanzhou Port, even half of late Song Dynasty maritime history! It's too significant! We need at least several months for systematic excavation and research. We absolutely cannot afford any mistakes!"

"Good."

Lin Feng's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable tone.

"Academic research and logistical support are your strengths."

He paused, then shifted the topic.

"Field exploration and... finding things, perhaps we can help with that."

Jiang Wanqing's heart inexplicably skipped a beat!

She instantly understood the meaning behind Lin Feng's words!

This man was indeed just as she thought!

He wasn't the type to sit still and wait for others to provide answers!

"You mean... you're going to Nan'ao Island?!"

Her voice tightened slightly, a mix of worry and barely concealed excitement.

"Better to proactively do something than just wait here dryly." Lin Feng said it as if it were the most natural thing, as simple as deciding where to eat tomorrow.

"Agreed! I agree a hundred percent!"

Wang Dalong nodded frantically beside them, rubbing his hands together like an engine, his eyes gleaming with green light.

A new dungeon to grind! And it's a damn hidden storyline!

We already took down the Pirate King of the Caribbean Sea, are we gonna be afraid of some ancient folks from the Southern Song Dynasty? Let's do it!

Jiang Wanqing fell silent.

She knew she couldn't possibly dissuade Lin Feng.

Once this man made a decision, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

Rather than waste her breath, she... gritted her teeth and made her own decision: "Fine! I'll report to my superiors immediately and apply for the highest level of operational support for you!"

Her aura instantly changed, from a scholar to a commander planning strategy.

"All historical documents, hydrological data, and all archaeological reports from the past few decades concerning Nan'ao Island, including the failed and unpublished ones, I will compile, encrypt, and send them all to you within twenty-four hours!"

"Also," she added, "I will immediately dispatch a small liaison and support team with the most advanced equipment to stand by in Shantou, ready to respond 24/7! They will handle all your logistics and external coordination!"

This was the greatest help she could offer within her authority.

"Thank you."

Lin Feng nodded sincerely.

He turned around, looking at Wang Dalong who was still outside the tent, gesturing wildly and dreaming about the wonderful future life of their secret base, and called out.

"Fatty, stop daydreaming. Pack your bags."

"Huh?"

Wang Dalong snapped to attention, scampering over with a bewildered look on his face.

"Pack our bags? Go where? Brother Feng, are we just abandoning this geomantic treasure, this future secret base?"

Lin Feng didn't answer him.

His gaze passed through the tent flap, looking southeast towards the boundless sea dyed gold by the setting sun.

His silhouette was stretched long by the sunset, and in that moment, it exuded an indescribable loneliness and determination.

It was as if he wasn't seeing the sea before him, but rather, over seven hundred years ago, that fleet laden with a dynasty's last hope, last treasury, and last dignity, sailing resolutely towards an unknown fate amidst towering waves, amidst a sorrowful song of blood and fire.

The air inside the tent grew solemn and weighty because of the aura emanating from him.

Finally, he spoke.

His voice wasn't loud, but it struck Jiang Wanqing and Wang Dalong's hearts like a heavy hammer.

"To write a real ending for those two little emperors."