Chapter 569 - 569: A Treasure in the Cave? An Ancient Tomb?
Chapter 569 - 569: A Treasure in the Cave? An Ancient Tomb?
“Thank you very much. I’ll eagerly wait for the certificate,” Luo Feng replied, his voice tinged with joy.
“No problem at all. If you want to dig, start digging. Nobody will dare stop you! I’ll make a call from my end, and you’ll likely be contacted immediately!” “Thank you!” Luo Feng said, his gratitude genuine.
“No need for thanks. You’ve returned so many cultural relics to us and greatly helped with the Fuquan Mountain affair; this is the least we can do!”
He hung up the phone.
Sure enough, within three minutes, a call came from the local governor.
Goodness! That was fast.
Everything was already arranged, and the call wasn’t even from the Forestry Bureau.
“I just want to confirm, are there any restrictions?” Luo Feng inquired.
“None whatsoever! ”
“You mean, I can dig however I like? Even mining isn’t an issue?”
“Of course not. We encourage mining here. Just pay the fees, and there will be no problems. But profits must be split equally: half for the government, half for you. If there’s a loss, that’s on you!”
“I see,” Luo Feng said, somewhat taken aback. Even with connections, the government wouldn’t budge on profits. Fortunately, efficiency was high, and Luo Feng was not greedy. The swiftness of the process was key.
“So, Mr. Luo, will you proceed? If you’re ready, you can start digging now. The certificate should be ready by the day after tomorrow!”
“Alright, I’ll proceed. Let me know the cost later,” Luo Feng responded confidently, his current wealth substantial enough to render haggling unnecessary.
Treasure hunting was no longer merely about profit; it was about returning cultural treasures to his homeland, Huaxia. That simple thought was Luo Feng’s driving force.
The government, recognizing Luo Feng’s deeds, was supportive. The division of profits served to prevent him from monopolizing a potentially lucrative mineral deposit, ensuring fairness.
Quickly, the governor’s office tabulated the cost of Luo Feng’s permit, costing around 40 million, with half of the profits from the minerals to be surrendered.
Luo Feng considered the investment sound; even a long vein of coal would yield substantial profit.
“Did Old Luo just get a certificate over the phone?” someone asked.
“It looks like it!”
“Could there be treasure here? An ancient tomb?”
“Of course! Old Luo would never act without certainty. He must’ve found something to go through all this trouble!”
“Could it be the tomb of Zhang Sanfeng?” another wondered.
Everyone’s curiosity was piqued, but Luo Feng remained tight-lipped, leaving them all in suspense.
They walked about three kilometers, and the light began to dim. Ahead was something resembling a cave.
Entering, Luo Feng found the cave grew deeper, devoid of even the sound of wind, with a faint sound of water trickling.
Under the dim light, a shallow stream along the cave wall looked like black water.
“Damn, host, what place is this? It looks eerie!” one voice exclaimed.
“It reminds me of that insect valley from ‘Caiyun Zhinan,’ right?” another chimed in.
“This cave is indeed frightening. Could there be treasure here?”
“That’s the effect we want! We must go in! The scarier, the more exciting!” someone declared.
Deeper into the cave, Luo Feng’s party reached a point where it was pitch-black without flashlights. Few would dare explore such a place, but for Luo Feng, a veteran of many ancient tombs, it was nothing remarkable.
Suddenly, a golden glow caught his eye. Was he spared from digging? What mineral was this?
Shining his flashlight, he found stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling.
“Stalactites?” someone gasped.
“So beautiful!”
“Valuable, my foot! Many scenic areas have these!”
“I thought the host found an ancient tomb. Isn’t this just a natural wonder?”
Luo Feng, too, had thought he found some mineral deposit but was disappointed to discover mere stalactites. Though aesthetically appealing and having some medicinal value, their worth was insignificant to him. “Let’s go, let’s go!” he said, disappointment evident in his voice, and they
retreated from the cave..