Pursuit of the 5,000,000 Dollars (Day 2-END)

You discovered a small, almost unnoticeable bug-like thing on Detective W's neck. You crushed it, finding no bug flesh, but somehow a tiny printed circuit board. "Boss?" you asked, daintily picking the tiny circuit board. "What is this?"

Detective W gave it a long, hard look. "You guys didn't put this on me, did you?" he asked Ha-Eun, Ha-joon, and you.

"Definitely not!" Ha-Eun exclaimed.

"Whatever. That is of no importance to us. We have to get to 41N,79W as soon as possible!"

You guys quickly got into the SUV. Detective W explained, "Ji-young seems like a sly fox. I would assume she has also figured out the code. Ha-joon, Ha-Eun, do you know why she is so obsessed with the 5,000,000 dollars?"

"No idea," both of them replied at the same time.

Detective W merged on the streets. "Get ready for a rough ride once we get to the highway. There is no time to lose!"

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The smell of the damp grass helped calm Ji-young down. She entered the wooden cabin confidently. Another red car parked behind her car. Out came an medium-built man with a suit that rests on his large shoulders. On his fingers are two bronze knuckle-dusters, one on each hand. "Signora Ji-Young? I trusted that you have been well?" his deep voice drawled.

"Sig-Signor Bartolo! You're here!" Ji-young exclaimed. "Did you bring the team of finders, as said on the phone?"

"Know your place, Signora. My helpers aren't here to aid you with finding the treasure. They are here just in case if Detective W arrives. You are to find the treasure by yourself. Otherwise, our deal will be null and void. Capisce, Signora Ji-young?" Bartolo coldly warned Ji-young.

"Tch!" Ji-young reluctantly agreed, kicking at the dirt as she grumbled. She opened the door to the cabin and angrily walked in.

"Pesces! Surround the house in the formation I described! No strangers will be allowed 15 feet of this premise and closer!"

"Yes, Padrino Bartolo! Right on it!" Some of the lower level, white-suit-wearing members hid behind the trees with handguns. Two men in black suits climbed to the cabin roof with sniper rifles.

"Remember, Squalo Tigre never accept failures!" Bartolo commanded loudly and clearly.

"Yes, sir!"

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Detective W slipped past another car, hitting the pedal as hard as he can. He stared at the highway in front him, sweat dripping from his face. "We got enough gas for this... we will make it there!"

The speedometer's needle gradually went past the 120 mph mark. Fortunately, for you, there were a few cars on the highway before you. In fact, you can see the stretch of the highway run to the horizon.

Ha-joon and Ha-Eun rummaged for things in Detective W's car. "Hey, what's this? A medical kit?!" Ha-Eun exclaimed as she pulled out a gray box with a handle on the top.

"Yep. That's my medical kit. Always helpful, especially in solo cases."

Ha-joon pulled out a bulky, black vest. "Mmmm... argh... finally got it! This is damn heavy! What is this?"

Detective W glanced at the rearview mirror. "My bulletproof vest. Hasn't been hit yet..."

He slipped past another car. "Almost there... almost there... Exit 322, where are you?"

He instantly pressed on the brakes once he saw the exit. Pulling the emergency brake up, Detective W drifted through the curved ramp.

"Whoa... whoa!" Ha-Eun shrieked.

Detective W slowed down at the traffic light, and suddenly turned sharp right. Ha-Eun shrieked again. "I'll never ride on his car again when he's in a rush!"

After ten more minutes of furious driving, you guys approached the woods. Detective W was hastily looking for the next turning sign. "Turn left... turn left..." He quickly found it, and swerved left.

Only afterwards, did Detective W ease on the pedal. "The cabin should be close now..."

You, who was riding on the backseat, noticed. "Hey, the cabin is over there! Just turn right, boss!"

Suddenly, a small circular crack appeared near your forehead. You blinked for a second, and quickly realized what it was. You lurched back onto Ha-joon in shock. "A bullet! Boss! A bullet! Someone just shot us!"

"I'm getting closer now! There should be a binocular in the back of my car! Look at who shot us!!" Detective W hollered, and stomped on the gas pedal.

This time, the crack came from Detective W's window. Thankfully, it didn't penetrate through.

You twisted the knob on the binoculars, and looked at the cabin. You saw two snipers on the roof, and a black-suited man with a red tie holding two knuckle-dusters. You quickly described what you saw to Detective W.

"Oh, shit..." Detective W somehow calmly said. "What you saw was... the godfather of the Squalo Tigre mafia. Bartolo Moretti. He has been a thorn to Owlsburgh. Seems like this Ji-young woman is in cahoots with them."

"The godfather of the mafia?" Ha-Eun worriedly exclaimed. "What did we walk into?"

"Squalo Tigre? What's that supposed to mean?" you asked, ignoring Ha-Eun's remarks on you asking such a dumb question.

"Basically, Tiger Shark. Their motto is: Never let go of prey until they're dead!" Detective W said, and stopped at the shoulder about 50 feet away from the cabin. You guys hid behind the trees. "Hand me my bulletproof vest, my friend," Detective W demanded. He quickly grabbed two handguns from the side door.

"My friend, I trust that you know how to drive?" he asked you. You nodded confidently.

"Good. Then keep those two safe. But, if you do have a bright idea with the car, go ahead. This car is made extremely durable." Detective W opened the door and walked out.

"Are you going to go there without a plan? A needless sacrifice?" Ha-Eun said, visibly distressed.

"Of course not. My idea, as of right now, has like about... 20% chance of success... but that's what taking risks are all about! Obviously, they outnumber us!"

"But, if you're going to risk your life, we will too!" the siblings said in unison.

"If you can fight, go ahead. I'm not stopping you! Otherwise, stay in the car!" Detective W declared. He then quickly ran into the woods, zig-zagging every few intervals. You, who got into the driver's seat, quickly took a peek at the action. 'Huh... he got one guy already. The white suits were all fumbling around him.

"But, what are we going to do if we can't fight?! We can't just stand here!" Ha-Eun worried, holing up in the backseat of the car.

"No..." you reassured her. "There is a way to fight without going outside..."

"What do you mean?" Ha-joon asked.

"This car... it's super durable, right?"

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Detective W punched another white-suit member. Shaking the rest of them off, he quickly climbed the ladder and dealt with the snipers. Before the two could get up properly, Detective W quickly stomped on them, and shot them in the head with the handgun.

PANG! Detective W felt bursting pain on his shoulder. He looked down, and saw Bartolo holding a pistol. "Argh! I missed!" he roared. He quickly reloaded. But, before he can shoot, Detective W's black car charged at Bartolo without warning. Bartolo instantly ran to the side, evading the car.

"Boss!" you opened the driver's window and screamed. "I got this! Get inside the cabin and find the money!"

Detective W flashed you a thumbs up, and jumped down from the cabin roof. He rolled in the ground, and instantly got in the cabin.

"Bartolo boy!" you challenged. "It's between you and me! Are you ready, little fishie?!"

Bartolo glared at you. "Little punk... this will be your final day!" he snarled.

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With heavy, ragged breath, Detective W walked toward Ji-young. She was busy digging at the ground with a shovel. Laying on the wall was a portable jackhammer. It seemed like she was so obsessed with digging that she didn't notice Detective W walking in.

He observed the surroundings. Hanging on the wall was a map of the local area. On the lower left side of the map was a X-mark on top of a cabin. On the top right corner was another X. On the lower right corner, a strange marking read: '8-15-17. Whew! This map took a long time to make!' There were no distance markers on the map.

"Did he make this on August 15th, 2017?" Detective W mused. He looked around the cabin once more. On the far end was another shovel.

Ji-young finally hit something hard. She pulled the thing out with much effort. It was a large, black briefcase. She excitedly opened it. In there was stacks of $100 USD. There were 50 stacks total. She flipped through the money, and smelled it. "This... this is real money!" she exclaimed. "I'm free! Ha ha ha!"

"Not if I can help it," a voice said solemnly. A sharp, heavy side kick landed straight on her jaw. Detective W struggled to get more air as he delivered that.

"You... you!" she gasped. "Always in my way!" She quickly grabbed the briefcase and held it close to her with both hands. Ignoring the searing pain on her face, she ran away through the backdoor. "Signor Bartolo!" she shrieked. "I have the money! Escape now!"

Detective W followed her, and saw you trying to ram his car onto Bartolo. But, a mysterious figure jumped down from the sky and tossed him to the side, saving Bartolo. The mysterious figure's white trench coat fluttered in the wind.

"Underboss Romolo! Why are you here?! What happened to the other team in Owlsburgh?!"

Romolo replied, "Padrino Bartolo, they're all fine! We need to get you out now! Take a look at you, being bloody and injured!"

"No! Squalo Tigre never lets go of its prey!" he futilely fought back against Romolo's inhumane, vise-like grip.

"Padrino! Another rising sun, another chance to beat that dastardly detective!" He opened the door to Bartolo's car, and tossed him in before you had a chance to drive through them. "See you, you punks! We will see you soon!"

The two cars quickly rushed away from the cabin. With the binoculars, you made sure they were truly away from the cabin.

"Boss!" you barged into the cabin along with Ha-joon and Ha-Eun. "Are you all right, boss?"

Detective W sat on the floor, looking at the map in deep thought. "What does this mean...? Why is there a second mark on the map? Why is there no distance marker?" His ragged breath can be heard.

Ha-Eun asked, "Where's the 5 million dollars, Detective W? Did Ji-young take it?"

Detective W nodded and pointed at the hole Ji-young made. "It was right there. I'm sorry. I was late..." he coughed out blood. "Yikes... this is not looking good..."

Ha-Eun struggled to hold her tears in, and stuck with business. "I see. So, that's what the X-mark on the cabin mean. But, why is there a second mark? Is that the second treasure?"

Detective W nodded. "Glad to see you thinking well, Ha-Eun, Now, don't cry..."

Without him telling you, you actively searched for clues in the cabin. After a lot of rummaging around, the only relevant things you found a math textbook with a bookmark on pg.348, and this post it note on the back cover.

"x<y<z, x up, y right. All in units of 10 feet, or course. Or just z in the direction of arctan(y/x). Your choice to pick. Sincerely, Cho."- it wrote.

You handed that to Detective W, who propped himself up with the shovel. "Hmm... Professor Cho, for the final hurdle, the clues you gave are perhaps too blunt. You can be a bit subtle with them next time...."

"You know where it is?"

"Yeah. I trust that you've figured it out, too. The post-it note is all the hint that you need. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a more mentally rigorous challenge this time..."

"Yes, boss. I've figured it out," you bluffed. "Now, go take a break, and we will find the treasure for you."

Now, where is the final treasure located at?

Day 2, almost there!

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