Chapter 144: The Yellow Bird

Moz detected a flaw in Castle's words: "Rick, you said this music box was brought out of the submarine by Alex's grandfather. If he knew it contained the fractal diagram for the signal responder, why did it end up leaving his possession?"

Castle, already prepared for such questions, replied, "That's because shortly after Alex's grandfather set foot on American soil, his identity as a German Navy officer was exposed, and he was immediately detained by the US government and sent to a military prison. Not long after, during the chaos at the prison, he managed to escape quietly, changed his name, and lived incognito. However, during the confusion when he was detained, the music box he had brought out from the submarine was lost."

"This is what I estimate to be the reason Alex dragged Neal into helping steal the music box. She probably believed it was a family heirloom and wanted to retrieve it, especially given the significant secret it holds."

Neal fell into reminiscing, his mind swiftly recalling his interactions with Alex. Back then, he was young and ambitious, ready to challenge the world's most secure museums and private collectors. It was during this time that he met her—equally young, highly skilled, and sharing the same desires. They quickly became a pair of master thieves, working seamlessly together, stealing countless rare treasures in Morocco, Egypt, and France...

While Neal was lost in memories, Moz was exhilarated by the information Castle provided. "Rick, are you saying that Vincent's main reason for targeting Neal is to obtain the music box, use the comb inside to make a signal responder, locate the submarine sunk off the coast of New York, and salvage it? If so, do you have any particular plans for telling us all this?"

Castle was pleased with Moz's keen understanding and didn't wake Neal from his reverie. He solemnly said to Moz, "Yes, Moz, we can't just watch Vincent bully Kate to force Neal to hand over the music box. That old man even dared to threaten my family. If I don't give him a big surprise, it wouldn't be right given his efforts to mess things up."

Castle and Moz's conversation brought Neal back from his memories. He smiled awkwardly, "Rick, you can be sure Alex knows about this, but I don't think she's colluding with Vincent. Otherwise, Vincent would know that Alex and I didn't manage to steal the music box. We were discovered just as we were about to succeed, so we failed. If I remember correctly, the music box is still with that Spanish businessman!"

Neal continued excitedly, "Rick, I heard you say you're planning to teach Vincent a lesson? Haven't we already reported his appearance to the FBI? How else can we teach him a lesson?"

Castle laughed heartily, "I came to find you two today precisely to discuss teaching Vincent a lesson, and the key lies with the music box!"

Castle then revealed his carefully thought-out plan, "Neal, Moz, I know you both are not ones to settle for an ordinary life. Even though Neal is currently restricted by the FBI, your desire to challenge yourself has never changed, right?"

"This time, Vincent forced Neal to escape to find Kate and then threatened me over the phone. Since he wants to find that German submarine, let's help him out. We'll help him get the music box, let him spend his resources to salvage the submarine, then we'll take his treasures and report him to the police, sending him to jail."

Castle's words made Neal and Moz laugh, especially Moz, who laughed heartily, "Rick, it seems Vincent made a huge mistake by threatening you over the phone. If he knew his call would provoke you to come up with such a thorough plan, he would regret it!"

Neal also joined in, "Rick, I didn't expect you, a writer, to have such a wild side. Tell us, how do you plan to handle Vincent? Let's see if Moz and I can help you perfect your plan."

Castle addressed Neal seriously, "This isn't just my plan; it's ours! Do you think I would plot against Vincent just for the treasure? No, first, I want to avenge you and retaliate against Vincent for threatening me. Only then will we take his treasure. Whatever we get from that treasure, we split equally among the three of us!"

Castle had a crucial piece of information he didn't disclose: only with his involvement could they ensure Neal and Moz wouldn't be suspected by the FBI for the missing treasure. Thanks to the system's reward, Castle had a portable space of 1,000 cubic meters. While he couldn't store the entire submarine, he could easily hide its jewels, twenty-one paintings, and other artworks. Once Vincent salvaged the submarine, Castle, with his "Jason Bourne" skills, could infiltrate Vincent's treasure storage and secretly take everything. Then, he would report Vincent to the authorities, ensuring neither Neal nor Moz would be implicated, especially if Neal arranged to be with his FBI partner, Peter, at the time.

But Castle couldn't reveal the entire plan yet. He only discussed an initial outline with Neal and Moz. Since Vincent hadn't even obtained the music box, Castle wasn't in a hurry.

His main purpose today was to inform Neal and Moz about the situation and gradually formulate a plan. The plan's key points were to keep it secret, known only to the three of them, and to catch Vincent off guard, eventually handing him over to the FBI while taking his hard-earned treasure.

Castle's proposal to share Vincent's spoils made Neal and Moz laugh heartily. No one disliked money, especially when it involved taking from someone they had a complicated history with. This plan immediately intrigued Neal, "Rick, share your thoughts. Let's discuss them together."

Seeing Neal and Moz ready to act, Castle thought to himself, nothing motivates people like the prospect of a billion-dollar treasure. It's human nature, isn't it? A treasure worth billions within reach would tempt 99.9% of people.

Under Neal and Moz's urging, Castle detailed his initial plan, "You see, I'm thinking since Vincent is desperate for the music box, why don't we help him get it? Also, Neal, you need to find Alex. I suspect she might have other secrets we don't know about. Although we've already anticipated Vincent's plan, having more cards in hand is always advantageous, right?"

Castle didn't explicitly mention that Alex had the key to the music box because such information couldn't be easily verified online. He vaguely suggested that Alex might hold other secrets, prompting Neal to agree to find her.

Castle underestimated the complexity of the situation, even though he was a transmigrator with a system and knowledge of the original series. He still viewed the world through an overly idealistic lens.

After hearing Castle's initial plan, Neal and Moz exchanged a knowing look, reassured that Castle was his usual self and not an imposter. This also dispelled their lingering doubts about Castle's recent extraordinary behavior. Neal could tell from the impractical and rudimentary nature of the plan that Castle truly came up with it, confirming he wasn't a spy sent by Vincent

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