24: 1996 Treasure Law

The roar of the speedboat's engine approached from afar, slicing through the calm of the sea like a sharp knife.

Dozens of meters from the shore, the speedboat jerked into a tail flick and stopped, kicking up a large spray of white foam.

"Splash!"

Several dark figures leapt into the sea from the boat without hesitation, the seawater instantly submerging them up to their waists.

They were fully armed soldiers!

Wearing black combat uniforms with assault rifles slung across their chests, they waded through the water and rushed toward the beach at an astonishing speed. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, without a single redundant word; upon landing, they quickly fanned out, forming a semi-circular perimeter along the shore.

Their muzzles were pointed, however subtly, in the direction of Lin Feng and Wang Dalong.

The air froze instantly.

Wang Dalong was so terrified he didn't dare breathe loudly, and he could barely keep a steady grip on his livestreaming equipment.

This display was far more terrifying than the firefight with the pirates just now! That had been a brawl between desperate outlaws, but the group before them was the blade of the state machine!

Once the perimeter was fully secured, a middle-aged man in a snow-white naval officer's uniform, escorted by two other soldiers, stepped onto the soft sands of Snake Bone Island.

He appeared to be in his forties and was in excellent shape, standing with his back ramrod straight. He wore a peaked cap, and beneath its brim, his face was sharply contoured and stern.

He walked straight up to Lin Feng and Wang Dalong, came to a halt, and with a sharp snap, gave an impeccable British military salute.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am Sean Connelly, Captain of the British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon."

He spoke with a perfect London accent, every word clear and precise. His gaze swept quickly over Lin Feng and Wang Dalong before finally landing on Wang Dalong's still-tenaciously-working livestreaming equipment.

"Hello, Captain Connelly," Lin Feng nodded, his expression unchanging.

He knew very well that the moment this man stepped onto the island, the rules of the game had changed. Before, he had been contending with Captain Jack; now, they were facing a nation.

Wang Dalong's palms were drenched in sweat, and though his mouth hung open, he couldn't squeeze out a single word. He could shout a few times when facing pirates with live ammo, but facing regular troops representing national power, he felt as if his throat were blocked.

Although the livestream couldn't hear the audio on-site, the viewers had already gone crazy!

[Holy crap! The real deal is here! A Captain of the British Royal Navy!]

[That aura! That uniform! So cool! You only see this in movies!]

[It's over, what's Brother Feng going to do now? Looking at this setup, is the treasure going to be forcibly confiscated?]

[Don't talk nonsense, I just checked the map. This Snake Bone Island seems... it really is a damn dependency of the British Virgin Islands! This is bad!]

Captain Connelly's gaze only lingered on the livestreaming equipment for two seconds, and he did not crudely demand it be turned off as they had expected.

He got straight to the point, his voice clear and powerful.

"Mr. Lin, Mr. Wang. First, on behalf of the British government, I would like to thank you for your outstanding contribution to the discovery of historical and cultural heritage. We have been following your livestream."

These words rang in Lin Feng's mind like a thunderclap.

They had been watching all along!

He understood instantly that their every move had likely been watched from the start, not just by Jack's crew, but by the true masters of these waters!

"According to international law and the final confirmation of relevant maritime maps, the sovereignty of this 'Snake Bone Island' beneath your feet belongs to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland," Captain Connelly's tone suddenly became stern and official, each word carrying weight. "Therefore, according to the law, all ownerless buried objects discovered on the island automatically become the property of Her Majesty the Queen."

"What?!" Wang Dalong's eyes widened instantly, and his face flushed bright red.

On what grounds?!

We worked so hard to find it, risking our lives to drive off the pirates, and you guys just show up and say it belongs to the Queen, so it's hers?!

His chest tightened with frustration, but just as he was about to start shouting, he was firmly held back by a look from Lin Feng.

Impulsiveness is the devil! Arguing with them now would lead to nothing but getting shot.

Captain Connelly seemed to have anticipated their reaction; his face remained calm as he continued in his emotionless tone: "However, please rest assured. Our country fully respects the law and individual contributions. According to the Treasure Act 1996 enacted and implemented by our country, as the finders of the treasure, you have the legal right to receive a reward equal to the market valuation of the treasure."

"A reward?"

Wang Dalong was completely dazed. The plot was turning too fast for his brain to keep up.

One moment he was ready to fight them, and the next he was told there was money to be had?

"Yes, a reward," Captain Connelly nodded affirmatively. "Shortly, a team of top experts from the British Museum and the London Bullion Market will arrive here to perform the most professional appraisal and valuation of this treasure. The entire valuation report will be subject to final review by an independent Treasure Valuation Committee to ensure absolute fairness and justice. Once the valuation is determined, the reward will be paid in full to the two of you through legal channels."

This explanation finally allowed Wang Dalong's frayed nerves to relax just a tiny bit.

Although the treasure was gone, trading it for money... seemed not entirely unacceptable. That was hundreds of millions of dollars in gold! Even as a reward, it would be enough for him to spend for several lifetimes!

The direction of the bullet comments in the livestream also shifted instantly.

[Holy crap! I just looked it up! Britain really has this Treasure Act! The finders really can get an equivalent reward! It's not a scam!]

[Really? Are they being that reasonable? This is ten thousand times better than just having it confiscated!]

[Damn! Hundreds of millions in gold, swapped for an equivalent reward... *hiss*! Is Brother Feng about to get a blessing in disguise and achieve financial freedom?!]

[This isn't a loss! The process was terrifying, but the outcome is good!]

However, everyone had celebrated too early.

Captain Connelly's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads.

"But before the expert team arrives and completes all necessary legal procedures, we will need you to remain on this island for the time being." Although his tone was polite, the content was non-negotiable.

"To ensure the safety of the treasure and to thoroughly investigate the violent armed robbery that occurred here, we need to temporarily hold your passports. Meanwhile, to avoid any possible information leaks that could cause unnecessary interference with the subsequent investigation and security work, we will temporarily cut off all public network signals in this area."

No sooner had he spoken!

*Click.*

Wang Dalong watched helplessly as the signal icon in the top right corner of his phone screen flickered a few times and then turned completely into a cross.

In the center of the screen, the livestream feed froze and then went black.

A cold system prompt popped up.

[Network Connection Disconnected]

"My... my livestream!" Wang Dalong cried out, his heart jerking.

It was over!

Now tens of millions of viewers worldwide wouldn't know what was happening! Even if they were dumped into the sea by these British guys, no one would know!

"Please understand, sir. These are necessary security measures." Captain Connelly raised his hand slightly in a gesture.

The Royal Marines behind him, who had maintained their alert stance, immediately stepped forward in unison.

*Click-clack.*

The sound of bolts chambering, though slight, hit Wang Dalong's heart like a heavy hammer.

That cold pressure, smelling of gunpowder, instantly enveloped them.

Lin Feng looked up at the destroyer in the distance, which resembled a mountain of steel, then at the expressionless, fully armed soldiers before him.

He knew they had no choice.

Resistance meant death.

"We will cooperate."

Lin Feng calmly uttered those three words, then crouched down, took his and Wang Dalong's passports out of his backpack, and handed them over.

Seeing Lin Feng being so "sensible," a hint of something resembling satisfaction finally appeared on Captain Connelly's face.

He took the passports, handed them to the soldier behind him, and then whispered a few words into the walkie-talkie on his collar.

Soon, more soldiers on the shore began to move, efficiently setting up temporary military tents and hauling in various living facilities and supplies.

In less than half an hour, a simple temporary camp had taken shape on the beach.

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong were "invited" into one of the tents by two soldiers.

Although they were "invited," it was no different from house arrest.

At the tent's entrance, two armed Royal Marines stood guard like statues, expressionless, completely blocking all their exits.

The treasure belonging to the Pirate King William Kidd, less than half a day after seeing the light of day again, had found its new owner.

And Lin Feng and Wang Dalong had gone from high-spirited treasure hunters to "lucky ones" who had lost their freedom and were waiting for the final verdict.

As for whether this luck was a blessing or a deeper trap, no one could say for sure.