Road to becoming the wealthiest: Starting From Treasure Hunting in the Cabinets
Chapter 961 - 532 Proving Yourself and the Danger of the Night_3

Chapter 961: Chapter 532 Proving Yourself and the Danger of the Night_3

The area was blocked for over twenty meters, requiring a significant engineering effort to dig by hand.

Moreover, he couldn’t be sure what was further inside, and he certainly didn’t dare make any guarantees to Hassan.

But in Elder Hassan’s view, Sean Knight had already proven his extraordinary abilities.

So, he wouldn’t treat him with the same indifference as he had treated previous explorers and Elijah Hastings.

Because of Sean Knight’s remarkable abilities, Hassan felt that even if there was only the slightest hope, he was willing to give a hundred percent effort.

After all, gold had been seen, so the hope was obviously great, wasn’t it?

While waiting, Sean Knight and the others found a nearby mountain cave and crawled inside.

The climate here was very similar to Xinjiang, with intense heat outside, but once inside the caves or under the shade of trees, it became very cool.

Some people rested inside the cave, taking the opportunity to eat some dry food and to discuss recent events.

Clarence Hughes’s curiosity about Sean Knight grew stronger, and he struck up a conversation with him, mainly to learn about the things Sean Knight had done before.

With nothing else pressing, Sean Knight shared stories of how he had found some treasures.

Several hours later, a dozen or so strong workers arrived, carrying iron shovels and pickaxes—the most basic labor tools—under Hassan’s direction, they began excavating the sealed corridor.

Sean Knight saw that these men also carried simple travel gear, bringing along some dry crusty pancakes and water bottles.

Clearly, they were prepared for a long-term struggle.

"They’re working here; let’s go look somewhere else," Sean Knight felt they had rested enough, and as the sky darkened, he left the cave, planning to explore even farther away.

"Sure, but don’t go too far," Hassan warned, "Although our mountains are poor, they are still home to wolves. Those creatures are often hungry, so they become very ferocious when they encounter prey. Every year, someone in our area is dragged away by wolves. These wolves are very cunning, so you must be careful!"

"Don’t worry, we’re all pretty formidable," Elijah Hastings patted the gun on his back and said, then followed Sean Knight out of the cave.

"There are many caves around here," Elijah Hastings explained while walking, "Many caves have not been fully explored by the locals. And those caves are complex and labyrinthine, it’s easy to get lost inside.

"A few of us once walked through such a cave, and it was indeed like a maze."

The sky had darkened, and the distant howling of wolves could be heard.

Sean Knight had intended to explore further, but noticing that Clarence Hughes was flagging, he said:

"Let’s go, let’s circle back to avoid wasting bullets on an unnecessary encounter with a wolf pack."

Clarence Hughes was no fool; he could see that Sean Knight, Elijah Hastings, and the others were still moving with ease, while he was struggling to keep up, so he said self-deprecatingly:

"I have run through the mountainous highlands before. I thought my physical condition was quite good over the years. But compared to you guys, I realize the gap is quite big."

He looked at Sean Knight, a bit disgruntled, and said:

"Mr. Knight, they are Special Forces Soldiers, so it’s fine if I can’t match them, but how come your physique seems to be even better than theirs?"

"If I weren’t fit, how could I do this job?" Sean Knight joked, "I’ve traveled all over the world. The first thing I did was treasure hunting. If I can’t walk, how can I hunt for treasures?"

The group made their way back, circling around. Sean Knight noticed that there were several mountain gorges near the base, each with the tracks of vehicles.

It was unclear whether the people from Lighthouse Nation in the base had set up a deception or if they truly had traveled to the end of every mountain gorge, leading to other mountainous areas and had done something there.

To locate the hidden supplies within the base would indeed require a thorough search over several days.

Fortunately, there seemed to be no danger for the time being, and staying a few more days was not an unbearable prospect.

When Sean Knight returned to the opened mine cave, he was surprised to see that the number of people there had significantly increased.

Elder Hassan, who was arranging places for the new arrivals, greeted Sean Knight and others with a smile as they returned.

"Elder Kaman learned that we might have found a golden mine here, so he arranged for more people to come in the hope of digging up results sooner," said Elder Hassan.

Sean Knight nodded in response but didn’t offer any comment.

Compared to the golden mine, what he was more eager to find were the supplies.

That way, he could fulfill Clarence Hughes’s wish sooner and put an end to the matter.

As for the golden mine, Sean Knight really hadn’t thought to get involved. After two years of treasure hunting, his nature had become somewhat impatient, feeling that the slow process of wealth accumulation didn’t suit his personality.

As the night fell completely, Sean Knight and his company had self-heating food before setting up tents to rest. Elijah Hastings and his two companions instinctively divided the night watch schedule.

Clarence Hughes wanted to join, but Elijah Hastings refused him.

"The three of us will take two hours each; that’s about the right amount of time. Principal Miller, you should rest well," said Douglas Cooper, who was the first sentry, as he picked his station and spoke, "No need to be polite with us."

Clarence Hughes knew they were looking out for him and acknowledged that he wasn’t a professional in this regard, so he didn’t insist.

Although Elder Hassan’s group was larger, it seemed disorganized at this time. Most people would spread out the blankets from their packages, find a flat place, lay them out, remove their outerwear to use as a pillow, then lie down on the blanket and just sleep like that.

Some prayed before sleeping, others quietly ate their food, lost in thought.

Bonfires were lit nearby, and two or three villagers were stationed as sentries on the high ground. With guns on their backs, they vigilantly scanned their surroundings.

Sean Knight guessed that the tribal residents were now accustomed to using guns, judging by the experienced way they held the weapons. However, those guns were quite old, perhaps even older than their parents’ ages.

The surroundings gradually quieted down, only occasionally interrupted by the crackling sound from the bonfires, breaking the silence.

Suddenly, without warning, a wolf howl erupted nearby, alarming nearly everyone. People from the tribe grabbed their guns or tools, alertly looking in the direction of the howls.

At that moment, it was Lincoln Harrington’s turn on night watch. He spoke to those who had already gotten up:

"There’s a pack of about a dozen wolves 300 meters away, eyeing this place. They were just lying down earlier, but for some reason, they started howling."

"Either reinforcements are coming, or they’re preparing to attack," Sean Knight speculated, "Everyone, grab your weapons. I guess we’ll see what happens soon enough."

Indeed, the wolf howls grew closer and more frequent. The wolves coming at them were definitely more than a dozen; a glance revealed at least twenty or thirty, with more appearing in the distance!

Clearly, these beasts had marked them as their prey, intending to have a feast here!

"Everyone, circle up, and don’t panic!" Elder Hassan, who appeared to have extensive experience, shouted, "Those with guns stand on the periphery. Don’t rush to shoot, aim carefully, and wait for my command!

Those without guns, take up your tools and stand on the side to protect those with guns, and meanwhile..."

He hadn’t finished speaking when a wolf already lunged at them!