"Hey, boss, when are you coming back? The grapes in the vineyard are almost ripe."
Listening to Afra's voice on the other end of the phone, Jiang Hai couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart. His relationship with Afra was... complicated. Tangled and confusing, really. But that was just how things were. If someone asked him to define their relationship clearly, he wouldn't be able to.
"I should be back soon—within the next few days." Shaking off the unrealistic thoughts clouding his mind, Jiang Hai responded casually, gave her a rough date, and hung up.
It had been over half a month since he'd left his manor in Winthrop.
He'd spent seven days traveling along the East Coast, then stayed a day in Miami before heading to Puerto Rico. After a day of rest there, he went tuna fishing on the first day, lobster hunting on the second, and more tuna fishing on the third—though in a different spot. By the fourth day, bored of the sea, he visited San Juan. It was partly a leisure trip, but more importantly, a farewell to Kevin and the others.
In truth, Jiang Hai had come to this area because he had discovered the locations of three nearby shipwrecks.
Unfortunately, these wrecks weren't as impressive as the first one he'd found. There were no rare treasures—just a haul of gold and silver coins, with gems being few and far between.
If the first ship was worth 200 million, then the next two combined were only worth about 300 million. Altogether, the three wrecks totaled around 500 million in value.
Still, that was far from the figure Jiang Hai had in mind. If he were aiming for tens or even hundreds of millions, salvaging shipwrecks like these would be more than enough. But when the target number was ridiculously high, relying solely on sunken treasure just wasn't realistic.
After all, not every wreck came with a full set of Spanish golden armor.
So after recovering the loot from the three known wrecks, Jiang Hai continued exploring the Caribbean for other ships.
On the fourth night, after wrapping up in San Juan, he followed a nautical chart that led him about 170 nautical miles out. There, he found another sunken ship.
This one caught his interest. While it also contained piles of gold coins and gems, this ship had three full rooms of treasure. Based on Jiang Hai's valuation, the contents were worth around 400 million.
With the previous 500 million plus this 400 million, he was almost at his goal.
Once he confirmed the location, he didn't hesitate. The next night, while the others stayed in San Juan, Jiang Hai snuck off and hauled up the treasure. This time, aside from Belle Lester, all four others helped. Harriman was simple-minded—Jiang Hai told him not to talk, and he didn't. Azarina was someone Jiang Hai trusted implicitly. As for Darlene and Marian, they were the only two people back at the manor. Those who knew Jiang Hai's secret had long earned his trust.
Belle, on the other hand, was different. Jiang Hai didn't trust her with this operation, so he sent her into town to enjoy herself.
He told her it was to help her relax—and she didn't miss the chance.
By the time the boat returned the next day, the hidden water tank beneath Jiang Hai's yacht was already filled with gold coins and gems.
On the sixth day of his Caribbean venture, Jiang Hai returned to the first dock he'd arrived at.
That night, he retrieved the treasure from the third wreck. On the seventh day, he salvaged the remaining lobster haul. If all went according to plan, he would recover the final wreck—the first one he discovered—by the next day.
Once that was done, he would return to Miami. Moses Adams had already made contact with Phillips's people, and they were eager to welcome Jiang Hai. They knew that wherever he went, wealth followed. Naturally, they didn't question him and ensured security was in place.
After taking care of logistics, Jiang Hai stayed at the dock another day. He bought a pile of souvenirs, and when night fell, he headed back to the site of the first wreck. This time, Belle came along—her only trip on the boat.
Still, Jiang Hai didn't let her leave the cabin. Though she sensed he was treating her differently, she didn't protest.
She understood that sometimes, knowing less was safer.
Once everything was set, Jiang Hai suited up, strapped on a large oxygen tank, grabbed several large bags, and dove into the deep sea. This route was familiar—he'd just been here not long ago.
Within half an hour, the wreck came into view. He made his way to the second floor... but immediately, something felt off.
He clearly remembered that when he'd last been here, the second floor was teeming with small fish. Now, there wasn't a single one. Not even a bug. Jiang Hai frowned.
"What the hell...?"
Ever since acquiring the Dragon Ball, he'd developed a sharp sensitivity to danger. He tossed a fluorescent stick down the corridor. It glowed softly—but nothing moved.
Slowly, cautiously, Jiang Hai crept into the second floor. Still, there were no fish. No animals. Just moss and aquatic plants gently swaying in the water current. An eerie stillness surrounded him.
"Ugh... what a creepy feeling."
Though nothing had happened, Jiang Hai's heart pounded. It was that same tension, that primal fear, he hadn't felt since his first dive.
It felt like something was watching him—something lurking at the end of the corridor.
He shook it off. He didn't believe in ghosts or gods. Sure, the Dragon Ball and that ancient dragon skeleton were beyond explanation, but even if the supernatural existed, he figured he was probably the only real anomaly.
Besides, the corridor was barely two meters wide. What kind of monster could even fit in here?
Sharks? He'd killed them before—hammerheads, even. If a great white shark showed up, he wouldn't back down. But in such a tight space, even a large shark wouldn't be able to move properly.
With that thought, Jiang Hai forced himself to relax.
"Don't be scared," he muttered, patting his cheek. Then he raised his speargun and continued forward.
The second floor turned up nothing, so he looked toward the third. The sense of danger seemed stronger from there.
Sure enough, as soon as his head dipped down to the third floor, his breath caught in his throat.
The skeletons that had littered the floor the last time he was here—were gone. Not a single bone remained.
Instantly, a chill ran up his spine and spread to the top of his head. Every pore on his body tingled. Sweat beaded on his forehead, only to be carried away by the water.
Forcing himself to remain calm, Jiang Hai tossed another fluorescent stick into the third floor.
He waited ten minutes. Still no movement.
That brought a bit of relief, but also raised more questions.
If the skeletons had come to life, surely they'd be moving by now?
With his heart thudding in his chest, Jiang Hai carefully entered the third floor. Everything looked the same as before. No obvious signs of change. Pushing aside his unease, he approached the two treasure rooms. After checking with fluorescent sticks and confirming there was no danger, he entered one of them and began loading the valuables.
The process was uneventful, which made Jiang Hai wonder if he'd just been paranoid.
He cleared out the first room, sent the bags up, and returned for the second.
This room was similar to the first, and Jiang Hai's dozen or so large bags were enough to haul everything away.
He was almost done when it happened.
Just as he was about to lift one final bag, a shadow slipped silently through the doorway behind him.
It slowly rose... until it reached nearly three meters in height.
And then it struck—like a club aimed at his head.
But Jiang Hai's heightened senses saved him. Instantly, he swung a full bag of treasure backward. It slammed into the shadow with a muffled thud, scattering coins and gems.
He whirled around—just as his headlamp illuminated the attacker.
And there it was. A black silhouette, towering and monstrous.
And behind him... another shadow was rising.