Chapter 434: Start Digging

Chapter 434: Chapter 434: Start Digging

"Don’t worry, man. It’s a sure thing. This secret has been passed down in my family for generations. Ever since I was little, they drilled it into me never, ever to tell anyone else.

If I wasn’t so desperate for cash, I wouldn’t be telling you guys about this." Another male voice spoke up. He thumped his chest as he talked, his expression full of confidence.

The moment he finished speaking, another man’s voice cut in, laced with menace. "If we dig all day and find nothing, you’ll have hell to pay!"

"Are we really going to do this? Isn’t this illegal?" a third voice asked timidly, clearly worried about what was to come.

The first man spat on the ground. "My family has guarded this tomb for generations," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "No one else knows it’s here. I’m just collecting the back pay my ancestors earned. What’s so wrong with that?

Besides, if you keep your mouth shut and I keep my mouth shut, who’s going to know there’s a tomb here?"

"Exactly. So everybody, keep your mouths shut tight. I know a guy with overseas channels for fencing stolen goods.

If this stuff is real, all we have to do is get it out, and we’ll be set for life!" The man who had made the threat earlier spoke again. He stopped walking and swept his gaze over the others, his eyes filled with undisguised menace.

’No one is going to ruin my cushy future!’

The men beside him who had been about to speak shrank back at his threatening glare and said nothing more.

’Whatever,’ one thought. ’Everyone here is in on it. Even if we get caught by the cops, at least I won’t be going down alone.’

"Their footsteps sound heavy and labored. They must be carrying tools," Barry Quinn commented, listening to the thudding steps from the other side.

’Makes sense,’ he thought. ’If you’re going to rob a tomb, you’d at least bring the basic tools.’

"Zoe, send the device through first to pinpoint their location. Then, get in touch with the chief so we can move in and catch them in the act," Heath Hale said, handing a pre-prepared tracking device to Zoe Sawyer.

He was also starting to understand why this mission had been triggered.

Based on their findings, cracks had appeared in the tomb chamber below, meaning its structure was no longer stable.

Any further unprofessional digging could easily cause a collapse.

If that happened, forget about the artifacts inside—the tomb raiders themselves might not make it out alive.

The fact that these guys dared to show up in broad daylight also suggested the area was well-hidden.

If it collapsed and no one found them, they’d be done for.

"Got it!"

Zoe Sawyer took the tracking and surveillance device from Heath Hale and carefully sent it through.

A moment later, a location marker popped up on Officer Lee’s computer screen.

"Got the location! And we have a visual," Officer Lee exclaimed, his voice filled with pleasant surprise.

After sending the coordinates to the chief, everyone crowded around the screen, eager to see what was happening on the other side.

The first thing that came into view was a thriving forest. In the middle of it was a clearing, and behind the clearing lay a graveyard.

And right in the middle of that clearing stood the tomb raiders, tools in hand.

The man in the center of the group scanned his surroundings, a hint of doubt in his voice. "Are you sure no one will spot us here?"

’In my head, an ancient tomb is supposed to be hidden deep in the mountains, somewhere so remote there isn’t another living soul for miles.’

But in reality, they were in a commercial forest, with a graveyard behind them and a man-made path running alongside.

’It feels like if we start digging here, a random passerby is going to spawn on that path, call the cops, and get us all thrown in jail.’

"Relax, Ace. This is our family’s mountain; no outsiders ever come here. The only other person who knows about the tomb is my grandpa, and he’s old now. His eyesight is failing, and he just stays home watching TV all day.

My dad and my uncle are both working out of town, and that path was made by the old-timers who used to come up here to pay respects at the graves. They’re all getting on in years now, so they hardly ever come up anymore." The young man beside Ace waved his hands dismissively, insisting there was nothing to worry about.

’Everyone my age is away working, and the old folks who stayed behind are too old, with bad legs.’

’They either watch TV at home or gather at the village entrance to chat. They’d never notice what’s happening up here.’

’Besides, I was careful to sneak the guys up here without being seen.’

’I’m not an idiot. I made sure to cover all the bases and check that everything was clear before I brought them.’

After hearing this, the man called Ace peered down the mountainside. Seeing no one, he nodded in satisfaction and clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "Brandon, you did good.

Once we dig this stuff up and cash it in, I’ll give you a one-third cut!"

From the remainder, he had to keep a share for himself, split some among the rest of the crew, and pay off his connections. Giving Brandon a third was generous, considering he’d only provided the location.

After saying this, Ace explained to the others why the shares were being divided this way.

Brandon nodded, satisfied. On his own, even if he managed to dig something up, he’d have no way to fence it.

He’d probably just get caught by his grandpa for coming up here too often, get a good beating, and have the idea knocked right out of him.

Getting a one-third cut now was more than enough to satisfy Brandon.

The other men didn’t object, either. They weren’t providing the location or the contacts; getting paid just for some manual labor was a good deal.

The small crew quickly agreed on how to split the loot.

"Let’s get to it! This won’t be easy to dig. The sooner we start, the sooner we get the goods. Once we sell it, we can all go live it up!" Ace said, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

Spurred on by him, the group immediately started digging in the center of the clearing.

They had no blueprints, so they could only dig straight down based on the location Brandon’s relatives had described.

Back in the office, Officer Lee hit the record button. ’This will all be evidence later,’ he thought. ’I have to make sure it’s saved properly.’

Zoe Sawyer and the others kept their eyes on Brandon’s crew while they waited for word from the chief.

If anything went wrong, they could go through the gate and intervene in time to save them.

It wasn’t long, however, before the chief appeared at their office door. He knocked, drawing everyone’s attention.

"Chief, what’s the word from upstairs? How are we to handle this?" Heath Hale asked as he walked over.

The chief pointed to his phone. "I sent the photos up the chain. They’re taking this very seriously. They’ve dispatched a senior expert who says he needs to see it with his own eyes before making a decision."

Hearing this, a worried expression crossed Heath Hale’s face.

"With his own eyes? Doesn’t that mean...?"