Chapter 509: 509
One day later, Iturup Island .
A silver Ilyushin 38 surveillance aircraft landed on the military base on Iturup Island in the twilight . The door to the cabin opened, and Xia Lei and Long Bing stepped out of the aircraft . A group of Russian soldiers looked curiously at these two Chinese people, trying to guess what what they’d come here for .
Xia Lei and Long Bing’s aim was simple . They wanted to confirm the fourth treasure location with the ancient compass .
The Ilyushin 38 had made a circle around Japan, and the compass had not left Xia Lei’s hands . The flight had given them a result, and that was that the general location of the fourth treasure was somewhere in the Ryukyu Islands, and not the mainland .
This result surprised Xia Lei, but it wasn’t that surprisingly when he thought about it .
The Ryukyu Islands was part of the territories owned by the Ming during the Ming dynasty, and the kings of the past all had their titles conferred by the Ming emperor . Afterwards, Japan had seized the Ryukyu Islands and added it to her territories but voices calling for the independence of this territory from Japan had not ceased . The compass was an item from the Ming dynasty, so it made sense that the treasure location was hidden somewhere on a vassal state .
This was a guess, of course .
Xia Lei and Long Bing walked to a barrack under the watchful gazes of a large group of Russian soldiers .
“This result is unexpected . ” Long Bing frowned . “The compass shook the most when we were close to Ryukyu Islands, and it obviously pointed to Okinawa . That’s where the American military base is located . Our mission will be very dangerous . ”
The Okinawan islands was where the American base was, and there were four major branches, sea, land, air, and marines stationed there with over 20,000 soldiers . These islands could be said to be military islands, an unsinkable aircraft carrier blocking China’s passage to the western Pacific .
Digging for treasure there was like selling drugs in a stand next to a police station . The danger level was so high that it could not be recorded .
“We can’t do anything about it . ” Xia Lei smiled wryly . “I hope the fourth treasure location is not under any of the American military runways . How are we going to get them to let us dig there?”
Long Bing glared at Xia Lei . “You’re still in the mood to joke? If it really is under a runway I’ll give you a shovel and a hoe . Go dig . ”
Xia Lei laughed . “It can’t be . ”
“How are you going to handle Gu Kewu and Gu Kewen?” Long Bing changed the topic . “We can’t take Gu Kewu to Okinawa with us . ”
“Gu Kewen wants to meet in Tokyo . Looks like I’ll have to go to Tokyo first, settle the matter with Gu Kewen and Gu Kewu, then go to Okinawa . ” Xia Lei looked at Long Bing . “So you go to Okinawa first . I’ll be about ready to come over once I deal with them . ”
“You want to take Gu Kewu to Tokyo alone?”
Xia Lei nodded . “Gu Kewen and I have some personal matters to settle between us . Trust me, I’ll meet up with you in Okinawa . ”
“You made your decision?”
“I’ve made my decision . ”
“All right, then I’ve decided too . I’m coming with you to Tokyo, then to Okinawa . ”
Xia Lei was speechless .
“You are the only person on the Alloy X Project, and the only one who can go treasure-hunting . How can I rest easy and let you go to Tokyo alone? You’re up against Gu Kewen, and the CIA is backing her,” said Long Bing .
Xia Lei was troubled by this but Long Bing was adamant . From what Xia Lei knew of her, there was no persuading her to go to Okinawa to wait for him . However, if he brought Long Bing with him to Tokyo, Long Bing would surely find out about what Gu Kewen had on Shentu Tianyin, and that was going to be troublesome too .
‘Should I tell Long Bing the truth?’ pondered Xia Lei . ‘She is a patriotic woman, and she wouldn’t forgive this . What would she do if she found out that Tianyin had embezzled so many state-owned assets through Gu Kewen?’
He wouldn’t keep things from Long Bing if it was about other things, but this involved Shentu Tianyin . He hesitated, not sure what to do .
Xia Lei was quiet, deep in thought, and Long Bing looked at him expressionlessly but her eyes were sharp . Her eyes seemed to bore into Xia Lei’s own, and into his soul .
“If that’s the case, then we should prepare ourselves . We’ll take a ship to Japan in the morning . ” Xia Lei looked away from Long Bing’s eyes and continued walking to the barracks .
Long Bing must have some of her own speculations but she did not ask since Xia Lei did not talk about it .
These were the barracks of the Russian soldiers, and Gu Kewu was in one of them .
Gu Kewu’s head had been covered in a black cloth all this while, and he was cuffed and restrained to a wooden chair, unable to move and unable to see outside . This was to because they had promised the soldiers on Iturup Island that they would not be dragged into this . It was a must that Gu Kewu be unaware of what place this was .
The cost of using the Ilyushin 38 surveillance aircraft was substantial, of course . Xia Lei paid the relevant people USD 500,000 . This included the fee to help him enter Japan, but it was still quite a hefty sum .
Gu Kewu lifted his head at the sound of the door opening and turned towards it . He could not see Xia Lei or Long Bing and this made him nervous . “Who’s there?”
“Me,” said Xia Lei .
“Where is this?” asked Gu Kewu .
“Japan . We’re in Japan,” said Xia Lei .
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