Chapter 18: "Master of Treasure Hunt"

"Tony, great news, huge news!" On that day, as soon as Monet got up, he heard a knock on the door. Upon opening the door, he saw Mann's excited face.

"Oh? What's the good news?" Monet asked curiously.

Mann handed a newspaper to Monet and said, "Take a look at the front page headline news. An astonishing treasure trove has been discovered at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the Indian state of Kerala. The location of the treasure is exactly as you described in 'Treasures of The Indian Temple.' Even the several hundred long and thick gold chains and the life-sized statue of Lord Vishnu that you mentioned in the book are there!"

While Monet had known that if the temple treasure were ever discovered, it would match his novel since he had based the excavation process on real events, he could still understand Mann's excitement. It reminded him of his own reaction when he saw a bronze tree branch similar to the one in "Qinling Divine Tree" being unearthed at Sanxingdui before his time travel. However, that was a rather far-fetched coincidence compared to this instance of a hundred percent accuracy.

Seeing Monet's calm demeanor, Mann thought Monet hadn't grasped the importance of the situation, so he reminded, "Tony, do you realize this means everything you wrote is true? No one will dare call you a storyteller anymore. And it's bound to boost our newspaper's sales. I've decided that we will publish and release 'Treasures of The Indian Temple' as a standalone book. I believe this wave of interest will easily sell thousands of copies!"

"But wouldn't that mean people won't buy the newspaper anymore? After all, they can read the ending in the book!" Monet asked with concern.

Mann waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Don't worry, the profit from selling books is higher than from newspapers. And those who are reluctant to buy books will still buy newspapers!"

In fact, selling books was more advantageous for Monet, as he had already received his fee for the newspaper article. Regardless of how many copies the newspaper sold, he wouldn't earn an extra cent. On the other hand, royalties from the standalone book were a separate income, and the more books sold, the more he would earn. So, after Mann's well-intentioned reminder, the matter was dropped.

Changing the subject, Monet asked, "By the way, who discovered the temple treasure?"

"It's said to be two British officers stationed in the state of Kerala. They saw your 'Treasures of The Indian Temple' in our 'Brooklyn Weekly' that their relatives sent from the US. Out of curiosity, they followed the clues you provided in the book and actually unearthed the treasure," Mann explained.

"Oh, so does the treasure belong to them now?" Monet inquired further.

Mann answered with a smirk, "How could that be? Ownership of the treasure has turned into a mess. There are different opinions even within the British forces stationed in India, not to mention the government of Kerala, the Valmaha family that owns the temple, and the most frightening entities you mentioned in the book—the fanatics! But they'll surely gain some advantages. It's clear that your decision not to dig up the treasure originally was very wise."

At this point, Mann's eyes twinkled as he leaned in and asked in a hushed tone, "By the way, Tony, is your 'National Treasure' also real?"

Monet gave a wry smile and said, "That's not possible. The treasure here isn't in a sensitive place like an Indian temple. If it really existed, I would have dug it up myself long ago. How could I write about it openly?"

"Well, that's true. But I believe that after the discovery of the treasure at the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, some people will surely take it as true and follow this lead to search!" Mann responded.

"I can't control that," Monet shrugged.

Although Monet was aware that the situation Mann guessed might happen, what he didn't anticipate was the sheer number of people who would approach him after the public revelation of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple treasure, asking about the "National Treasure." Even Russell, who had been somewhat distant due to the contract with the "Brooklyn Weekly," came over. He first secured the rights for "National Treasure 2" at a high price, and then mysteriously inquired, "Tony, we've been working together since you arrived in New York. Tell me the truth, is the 'National Treasure' real?"

Monet reluctantly repeated the explanation he had given to Mann, but to his surprise, Russell was still persistent, asking further, "Do you also know about locations similar to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, where you're certain there's treasure but it's impossible to excavate due to constraints? Rest assured, if we can really find the treasure, I'll definitely share it with you. You won't end up with nothing like this time!"

"Well, I do know about that, but I doubt you'd get it either!" Monet replied mysteriously.

Hearing that Monet actually knew, Russell's eyes lit up. He patted his chest and assured, "Tony, don't worry. While my resources are limited, I do know some influential people. Even for a case like the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, if they could have confirmed it in advance, they would have prearranged everything and smoothly moved all the treasures away. It wouldn't have turned into the chaotic situation it is now. So, you can confidently tell me!"

Monet cleared his throat and then slowly responded, "Alright then, I'll tell you. Do you know about the Atacama Lady?"

Russell pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, that's the ship rumored to be carrying ten tons of gold, the Spanish galleon, right?"

"Exactly, that's the ship. If my calculations are correct, it's in the waters near Los Angeles, at a depth of around twenty to thirty meters," Monet began.

However, before Monet could finish speaking, Russell interrupted impatiently, "You don't need to explain underwater shipwreck treasures. Who doesn't know that there are dozens of sunken merchant ships and pirate ships laden with gold, silver, and jewels from ancient times till now on the ocean floor? But the problem is, even if you know the location, you can't salvage them! Can you mention treasures that can realistically be found?"

"In that case, there's Mount Chokai in Japan. It's said to be buried with four million taels of gold. However, I don't know the exact location. Also, there's the entrance to Hell in Ireland, probably near Danmore Cave. There might be some treasures there, but not too many. However, that place is extremely terrifying, and I doubt anyone would dare to search for treasure there," Monet explained,