25: £12 million, and the missing 45%.

The nights on Snake Bone Island were exceptionally long.

The sound of waves crashing against the reefs was incessant, mingling with the low rumble of engines from the distant warships. Lin Feng and Wang Dalong were settled in a military tent; two cots and two blankets smelling of disinfectant were all they had.

"Damn it, what kind of mess is this!" Wang Dalong tossed and turned, unable to sleep, complaining in a low voice. "If I'd known it would be like this, I'd rather have let Jack and those bastards take it all. At least we wouldn't be stuck here eating military rations. This beef jerky is hard enough to be used as a brick!"

Lin Feng lay on the cot, his arms pillowed behind his head, staring at the pitch-black roof of the tent without saying a word.

He was reviewing everything.

From the moment he obtained the system, to the Qinling Grottoes, and then to the Caribbean Sea this time. Everything had been too smooth—so smooth that he had somewhat overlooked the hidden risks. This incident was like a bucket of cold water, waking him from his treasure-hunting fever.

The existence of the Eternal Hand made him realize that he wasn't the only "player." In this world, there were other forces coveting the "treasures" the system guided him to find. And these forces were far more powerful and ruthless than he had imagined. They acted swiftly, had clear objectives, and could even accurately predict the military's movements.

The arrival of the warship made him recognize another, harsher reality: in the face of absolute national power, any individual adventure or discovery appeared insignificant. He could only get the portion that the rules allowed him to have.

"Brother Feng, how much do you think... the British will give us?" Wang Dalong leaned in, his face full of longing and anxiety about the future. "That's tons of gold! And so many gems! At the very least, it must be worth tens of millions of pounds, right? If we convert that to RMB..."

He began counting on his fingers, his eyes glowing as if he could already see countless banknotes waving at him.

Lin Feng didn't interrupt his fantasy. Money was indeed the most direct reward of this adventure. But he always felt that what he had lost was far more than what he had gained. That golden mural, that segment of Captain Kidd's "memory"—there must be deeper secrets hidden behind them.

The next morning, a heavy helicopter bearing the Royal Air Force insignia landed with a roar on a flat area on the other side of the island.

Five or six people stepped off the aircraft, wearing windbreakers and carrying cases of various precision instruments. Leading them was a grey-haired old man with gold-rimmed glasses who looked quite refined.

Captain Connelly personally greeted them and brought Lin Feng and Wang Dalong over.

"Mr. Lin, Mr. Wang, let me introduce you." Captain Connelly pointed at the old man. "This is Professor Davies, the Chief Historical Consultant from the British Museum. He will lead a team of experts to handle the appraisal of the treasure."

"Hello, gentlemen." Professor Davies reached out and shook their hands respectively; his palms were warm and dry. "Your discovery is world-renowned. As a historical researcher, I must express my heartfelt respect to you."

His attitude was much gentler than Captain Connelly's, but the eyes looking through the lenses were full of scrutiny.

After some brief pleasantries, Professor Davies led his team, escorted by the Royal Marines, into the treasure cave through the newly cleared passage.

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong were asked to wait outside.

This wait lasted an entire day.

They could only watch from a distance as soldiers continuously carried samples and instruments out of the cave, occasionally hearing faint exclamations from within. Wang Dalong was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing hundreds of laps around the tent.

It wasn't until evening that Professor Davies emerged from the cave looking exhausted. His face was a mix of excitement and solemnity.

"Gentlemen, please come over for a moment," he beckoned.

At a makeshift table, Professor Davies opened a tablet displaying a densely packed document.

"After a full day of preliminary identification, weighing, and assessment by our team," Professor Davies adjusted his glasses and announced solemnly, "this treasure mainly consists of late 17th-century Spanish gold coins, Portuguese gold coins, Mughal Empire silver coins, as well as various gems, gold bars, and silverware. Excluding the items whose historical value exceeds their material value for the museum's collection, the remaining precious metals and gems that can be appraised for market value have a preliminary total market price of..."

He paused, and Wang Dalong's heart leapt into his throat.

"Twelve million pounds."

"Twelve... twelve million?" Wang Dalong's voice cracked. This figure was less than half of the 'tens of millions' he had fantasized about.

Lin Feng also frowned. Based on his previous rough estimation in the treasure vault, combined with the value of those large gems, a total price of around fifteen million pounds would have been more reasonable. There was a discrepancy of at least three million.

Was the other party intentionally lowballing them, or were the appraisal standards different?

Wang Dalong was about to argue, but Lin Feng pressed his leg under the table.

Meeting Professor Davies's gaze, he spoke calmly, "We accept this valuation."

It was better to avoid trouble. Bargaining with a team of experts from the British government here was clearly not a wise move. Getting the money and leaving as soon as possible was what mattered most.

Professor Davies seemed somewhat surprised that Lin Feng was so straightforward. He nodded approvingly. "A wise choice. Then, please sign this 'Treasure Discovery and Reward Application Agreement' here. Once signed, you may leave."

Lin Feng picked up the pen and signed his name at the end of the document.

Just as he finished signing and his heart had just begun to relax, Professor Davies added casually, as if chatting about the weather:

"Oh, right, I almost forgot to remind you. According to our tax laws, such large windfall gains obtained by non-residents are subject to a 45% individual income tax. The tax will be deducted directly by the tax department before the reward is issued."

"How... how much?!" Wang Dalong felt as if he had been struck by lightning; he was completely stunned.

"Forty-five percent," Professor Davies repeated with a professional smile. "Welcome to a civilized society ruled by law."