114: The deadlock on Nan'ao Island

Inside the tent, as Jiang Wanqing's voice trailed off, Wang Dalong's gaze shifted from the spot on the map labeled "Nan'ao Island" to Lin Feng.

"Brother Feng..." He rubbed his hands together, his face filled with an irrepressible excitement. "Did you hear that? Finding a needle in a haystack! That's right up our alley!"

Lin Feng, however, acted as if he hadn't heard him. He just kept his head down, his eyes fixed on his phone screen. The screen was black, showing nothing, yet he stared at it intently. Wang Dalong knew he was looking at that "system interface" only he could see.

A moment later, Lin Feng looked up, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Wanqing and Wang Dalong. His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

"Book the flights. We're going to Nan'ao."

No questions, no discussion—it was a direct decision.

Jiang Wanqing seemed to have expected this outcome long ago. She efficiently packed away the map and tablet. "I've already made the arrangements. The earliest flight is tomorrow morning. The local culture and tourism department will cooperate with the reception work on the island. However, I suggest you enter as ordinary tourists and avoid alerting anyone."

She glanced outside at the busy archaeologists. "News of this stone tablet's discovery won't be announced for the time being. There are too many people on Nan'ao Island looking to strike it rich; it's a mixed bag. It won't be safe if you cause too much of a stir."

"Understood." Lin Feng nodded.

Wang Dalong chuckled on the side, already calculating which models of drones and underwater detectors to bring. To him, while the exquisite layout of Quanzhou's Listening Wind Garden was impressive, it was nowhere near as thrilling as the upcoming ocean adventure filled with the unknown and potential wealth.

The next day, as the first rays of morning light hit the sea, a passenger plane landed at Chaoshan Airport. Lin Feng and Wang Dalong, each carrying an ordinary-looking travel bag, blended into the crowd of tourists and boarded the ferry to Nan'ao Island.

Nan'ao Island, the only island county in eastern Guangdong, is known for its beautiful scenery and abundant seafood. The ferry was packed with tourists speaking in various accents, snapping photos of the blue sea, the sky, and the distant cross-sea bridge.

Wang Dalong also held up his phone, acting like a true tourist, recording videos and taking selfies while constantly introducing the travel tips he'd found online to Lin Feng.

"Look, Brother Feng, the most famous attractions on this island are the Military Governor's Mansion, Treasure Island, and the Song Well. They say the emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty dug wells here for the army's water supply. Do you think the treasure could be hidden in a well?"

Lin Feng leaned against the ship's railing, letting the sea breeze blow through his hair. He didn't look at the guides; he just watched the island's silhouette grow clearer in the distance. On the system map, a red dot covered almost the entire area of Nan'ao Island like a thick fog, making precise localization impossible.

This indicated that the clue was on the island. But as for what it specifically was, the system couldn't provide a direct answer. It required Lin Feng to find and trigger it himself.

The two of them found a seaside guesthouse to stay in. Wang Dalong couldn't wait to take out and calibrate his equipment, while Lin Feng headed straight out to rent an electric scooter.

"Let's go. We're heading to the Song Well first."

The Song Well is located in Yunao Town on Nan'ao Island. Legend has it that the last emperors of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhao Shi and Zhao Bing, were pursued here by Yuan troops. The island lacked water, and the soldiers were parched. It was the young emperor who led everyone to dig three freshwater wells on the beach. Miraculously, although these three wells were only a dozen meters from the sea, the water was sweet and refreshing.

By the time Lin Feng and Wang Dalong arrived, it was already a bustling tourist spot. The three ancient wells were surrounded by stone railings, and the wellheads were locked behind iron grates, bearing signs that read "Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit."

Wang Dalong craned his neck to look inside, but he could see nothing but the dark walls of the well.

"This... it's already been protected for ages." He was a bit disappointed. "I just checked; an archaeological team came down to look decades ago, and there was nothing but silt."

A local guide was holding a megaphone, explaining animatedly to a group of tourists: "Tourists and friends, look! This is the miraculous Song Well! Legend has it that beneath this well, the great treasure left by our Song Emperor is hidden! That's why it's called the 'Dragon Well'—'Dragon' refers to the Emperor!"

The tourists let out cries of amazement, tossing coins into the well to make wishes, creating a series of clinking sounds.

Lin Feng stood outside the crowd, his brow furrowed slightly. He could feel that the red dot on the system map showed no special reaction here.

This place was not the key.

After leaving the Song Well, they visited the so-called "Prince's Mansion Ruins" and several caves rumored to hold treasure. Without exception, they had either been developed into tourist attractions or had been turned upside down by generations of treasure hunters, leaving not even a whole stone behind.

After an entire day, they had found nothing.

In the evening, the two of them rode their electric scooter along the island's ring road and ascended the highest peak of Nan'ao Island—Mount Huanghua. Looking down from the observation deck, they could see most of Nan'ao Island. In the distance, the sea and sky merged into one, and the setting sun cast a golden glow, creating a magnificent scene.

Wang Dalong, however, was in no mood to enjoy the scenery. He plopped down on the stone steps, twisted open a water bottle, and took several large gulps.

"Brother Feng, I have a feeling... something's not right this time." He wiped his mouth. "Eight out of ten treasure legends on this island were made up by locals for tourism. We weren't fooled by that stone tablet, were we?"

This was the first time since Lin Feng began his treasure-hunting journey that he remained completely clueless more than twelve hours after arriving at his destination.

All clues pointed here, yet all clues also ended here.

Those legends were like exquisite bait, attracting countless people one after another, only to lead to nothing in the end.

Lin Feng said nothing. He took the printed military-grade nautical chart provided by Jiang Wanqing from his backpack and spread it on the ground. Then, he took out another set of documents.

It was a photocopy of the "Nan'ao County Gazette," revised during the Qing Dynasty, which Jiang Wanqing had someone dig out from the archives of the National Library overnight.

"What tourists and treasure hunters see is only what others want them to see." Lin Feng's voice sounded somewhat ethereal in the sea breeze. "True secrets are only hidden in the most inconspicuous places."

He turned on his phone's flashlight, casting a beam of light onto the yellowed pages. Dense rows of traditional Chinese characters began to flow before his eyes.

Wang Dalong leaned in, but his head throbbed looking at the text that seemed like gibberish to him. He knew Lin Feng had entered his own world again—a world built of words, history, and logic that outsiders could not step into.

This time, would that ethereal treasure reveal its true face within these old papers?

Lin Feng's finger brushed across the page and suddenly stopped at an extremely inconspicuous corner.