In the cold early spring, Creeper sent Eddie back to the small inn. In the bathroom, Eddie adjusted the water temperature, lay back in the spacious bathtub, and began to examine the strange changes in his vision.
First, he confirmed that the Heart of the Ocean had disappeared—only a red string remained around his neck. After several experiments, he realized that what had happened earlier wasn't a hallucination. He truly could control the underwater movements of Sunken Treasure Lake.
He could see everything in the lake, from the surface to the very bottom, as though his consciousness had entered the water itself, allowing him to monitor over a hundred cubic meters of underwater space.
While soaking in the warm bath, Eddie's mind drifted to the lake. Within his area of control, the water was completely transparent—no matter how deep the sunlight penetrated, even the dim lakebed appeared bright as daylight in his vision.
Sunken Treasure Lake was an ordinary inland lake. Near the shore, its sandy bottom was soft and fine, pure white. Occasionally, tiny grass carp or small koi would gleefully burrow into the sandy mud, stirring up algae as they emerged, then gulping down the debris.
Eddie was intrigued. As a marine enthusiast, he immediately recognized the fish—black backs, white bellies, short and stout bodies. These omnivorous species looked exactly like the grass carp and koi he often saw in his childhood back home in reservoir ponds.
Traditional Chinese freshwater fish in Canada? Eddie was puzzled.
Shifting his focus deeper into the lake, he encountered larger fish—but they were still mostly grass carp, koi, and snakehead fish.
Some of the koi and grass carp exceeded a meter in length, their movements fierce and powerful, their presence dominating the lake. They were the undisputed lords of Sunken Treasure Lake.
A cluster of water plants suddenly trembled, catching Eddie's attention. Two small loaches—each about 20 centimeters long—darted out from beneath the vegetation.
Examining them closely, Eddie noted their grayish-yellow bodies, speckled with dark spots—they resembled the North American spotted loach he had seen before in marine museums. He remembered this species as a common freshwater fish in North America.
The two loaches opened and closed their mouths, attempting to nibble on grass seeds hidden within the aquatic plants. But before they could feast, a huge koi, as thick as a human arm, charged forward with a roar, its mouth gaping as it devoured clusters of algae.
Alarmed, the loaches fled while the koi feasted, chomping through most of the greenery before swimming off triumphantly.
Oddly enough, Eddie felt a wave of anger emanating from the loaches.
Angry loaches? Eddie chuckled at the absurdity.
Continuing his exploration, Eddie spotted pike, Baikal ruffe, bass, and black perch, but grass carp and koi remained the dominant species—especially the larger ones.
The underwater world wasn't as diverse as the land, yet it had its own vibrant beauty. In just a brief survey, he had discovered dozens of fish species—most unfamiliar to him. Even the oddly shaped water plants were beyond his knowledge.
Until now, Eddie had always assumed freshwater fish were dull and monotonous. Sunken Treasure Lake proved otherwise—freshwater species were just as colorful and varied as those in the sea. The irony? Despite his past fascination with aquatic life, the majority of these fish were utterly unfamiliar to him.
Two hours passed while Eddie explored the lake with his mind, swapping bathwater four times in the process. Eventually, exhaustion settled in, prompting him to shift to bed, nestled in blankets while continuing his underwater survey.
Just as he was about to withdraw his consciousness, a large koi, over half a meter long, suddenly bolted—a radiant, multicolored salmon chased furiously after it, baring its teeth in pursuit.
Desperate to escape, the koi rammed into the lakebed, attempting to bury itself in thick mud.
But as it crashed into the sediment, the ground collapsed—revealing a massive three- to four-meter-wide cavity at the bottom of the lake.
The salmon dove in after it, while the koi continued its frantic escape.
Eddie, stunned by the sight, focused his awareness on the newly exposed cavity.
The moment his vision entered the hole, his heart pounded wildly—because right there, buried in the muddy depths, lay two oak chests, stacked at an angle.
One large, one small, both perfectly square. The larger chest was about 1.5 meters in size, while the smaller was roughly 80 centimeters. Their ancient design and the iron chains binding them immediately reminded Eddie of the legendary treasure chests of pirate lore.
They rested near the very center of the lake, where the depth exceeded 80 meters. Diving that deep—especially in this weather—would require a professional salvage team.
That realization frustrated Eddie. Where on earth could he find the money to hire a salvage crew? And even if he could afford one, where in this isolated Farewell Town would he find such professionals?
If only his consciousness could lift the treasure chests… Eddie thought wistfully.
And at that exact moment—the water surrounding the chests surged.
Suddenly, under the force of rushing currents and immense pressure, the chests began to rise!
Eddie was stunned!
His mind trembled, breaking his concentration—the chests wobbled, then sank back down, churning up clouds of sediment around the hole.
Drawing a deep breath, Eddie regained his composure. He focused again, and the chests slowly floated upward once more.
But controlling the water to lift them was exhausting—far more taxing than simply exploring the lake.
After rising just ten meters, Eddie's energy waned, forcing him to release control—the chests plunged back down.
The treasures were so close, yet just out of reach—the frustration drove Eddie mad.
Then, an idea struck him: **instead of lifting the chests outright, he could manipulate the water currents to gradually push them toward the shallows.
That would be far less tiring.
Once the chests were near the shore, Eddie threw on his clothes and rushed outside. He spotted the innkeeper's Ford pickup parked nearby and called out:
"Hey, buddy, I need a truck to move some things from my grandfather's fishery. Can I borrow yours? I'll fill up the tank."
The plump white innkeeper chuckled. "Eddie, your grandfather was a great man—I admire him immensely. You can take the truck anytime. And if you refill the gas, well, that's even better."
Creeper had already introduced Eddie to the locals, and when the innkeeper learned Eddie was Jason's grandson, he even gave him a 20% discount on his room fee.
By late afternoon, the town had livened up, but Sunken Treasure Lake—five kilometers away—remained quiet and secluded, perfect for Eddie's plan.
With no one around, Eddie controlled the water, pushing the two oak chests ashore, then loaded them into the truck.
Driving straight to BE Fishery, Eddie found a two-story maple-wood house—Creeper had told him it was his grandfather's former residence, with two maple trees his grandfather had planted decades ago standing beside it.
Inside, Eddie pried open the small chest—the iron chains had already eroded underwater. Finding a hammer, he smashed it open.
The lid flew off, revealing a roll of paintings, each meticulously sealed in plastic bags.
Eddie's eyes widened in excitement.