Mount Bajie, nestled deep within the primeval jungles of the Golden Triangle, was notoriously reclusive due to its remote location and the presence of wild beasts. Consequently, few dared to venture in, ensuring its extreme secrecy.
However, this night, several vehicles traversed the pitch-black jungle. Under the glare of powerful headlights, the beasts that lurked in the darkness dared not launch a blind assault on the intruders.
With Pala leading the way, Wan Yunting and Yang Dong navigated through the dense foliage. After a bumpy and arduous journey of over two hours, they finally reached a mountain in the depths of the jungle around three in the morning.
A waterfall cascaded down the hundred-meter-high mountainside, transforming into a fine mist mid-air. Standing beneath the falls, one could feel the refreshing moisture on their face.
"The cave is behind the waterfall."
Pala, whom Yang Dong and the others had apprehended, pointed to a spot dozens of meters above the ground on the mountainside. From the outside, it was impossible to discern any cave hidden behind the torrent.
"Are you sure?"
Wan Yunting turned and grinned, "If you dare to lie to us, I'll bury you here."
Upon hearing Yang Dong translate in Burmese, the terrified Pala shook his head and shouted, "I'm not lying to you. Boss Pongka's treasury is inside the cave."
"How do we get up there?"
The moon had risen, casting a dim light that allowed one to vaguely make out their surroundings. However, the sheer height of the waterfall and the sheer, vertical rock face of the mountain made it a climb only for seasoned mountaineers.
"There's a rope we can use to climb up," Pala said, gesturing towards the waterfall.
"He says there's a rope for climbing," Yang Dong translated.
"Let's go."
Wan Yunting nodded and moved towards the waterfall. He observed various vines clinging to the rock face. Pala rummaged through them and quickly pulled out a rope woven to resemble a vine. This prompted a chuckle from Wan Yunting, "Quite discreet, aren't you? I'll go up first."
"Alright, be careful. Pongka might have people guarding the top," Yang Dong cautioned.
"Understood."
Wan Yunting nodded, grabbed the rope, and ascended several meters in a flash. His speed was so astonishing that those below thought he had flown up.
"Ji Jing, keep an eye on Pala and Pongka in the car. Absolutely no allowing them to escape, or I'll hold you responsible. Do you understand?" Yang Dong handed the injured Pala and Pongka over to Ji Jing and his men for custody.
In a moment, Wan Yunting had climbed to the location of the cave entrance as described by Pala. The waterfall had soaked him thoroughly, and the force of the water was even causing his head to ache. He peered intently and indeed saw a very large, dark cave opening.
Fearing that the area might be guarded, Wan Yunting ascended slowly. He cautiously poked his head out to scout, but suddenly, a figure appeared, aiming a black AK rifle directly at Wan Yunting's head and firing.
In the nick of time, the quick-thinking Wan Yunting twisted his body, then exerted force, flipping through the air. Gunshots echoed, and bullets struck the cliff face at the cave entrance, sending pebbles falling. The debris immediately rained down on Yang Dong and the others below, startling them. "Someone's up there! Get down!"
However, Wan Yunting had already landed inside the cave. In the dim light filtering in, he saw two people, but they were kneeling on the ground, having lost their legs.
Bang bang...
Another burst of gunfire erupted. Wan Yunting reacted swiftly, rolling to dodge the bullets. He picked up a pebble from the ground, rose, and hurled it at the head of one of the men outside. The other man inside then fired again. Wan Yunting evaded and rolled once more, flicking out a silver needle that struck the man directly in the forehead. The needle pierced through the back of his skull and embedded itself in the cave wall behind him.
The drug dealer, struck on the head by the pebble and in pain, cried out. Seeing his companion fall stiffly, he had no idea how he had died.
"Ah..."
The drug dealer screamed maniacally, raising his gun and spraying bullets at Wan Yunting.
But he was a step too late. Before he could pull the trigger, Wan Yunting surged forward, kicked the gun from his hand, and landed a punch, knocking him to the ground. The drug dealer spat out several dark, repulsive teeth. With his legs already gone, he could only glare furiously at Wan Yunting and curse incessantly in Burmese. Wan Yunting, however, couldn't understand him and paid him no mind. He walked to the cave entrance and called out to Yang Dong below, "You guys can come up now."
Yang Dong, who was nearing the ground, heard his voice and then, along with Mei Ying and Tian Lang, continued to climb.
Below, Pala's face turned pale upon witnessing this. He had deliberately withheld the information about the guards above, hoping for a chance to turn the tables. But now, despair washed over him.
Seeing the drug dealer sprawled on the ground and reaching for a nearby gun, Wan Yunting picked it up first. He gestured with it towards the dealer before surveying the interior of the cave. It was dark and its depth was unknown, but the area outside served as the living quarters for these two drug dealers.
Rather than living quarters, it was more like a prison. Their eating, drinking, and sleeping areas were all together, and the air was thick with a foul odor, with various drug paraphernalia and narcotics scattered around.
Looking at the drug dealers' legs, it was evident they had been deliberately severed. They were imprisoned here to guard Pongka's treasury.
Periodically, Pongka's confidant, Babo, would bring them food and drugs, keeping them alive to watch over the treasury.
Soon, Yang Dong, Mei Ying, and Tian Lang climbed up. The rest of the group remained below, watching over Pala and Pongka.
"It really is Pongka's treasury."
Seeing the two men who had lost their legs, Yang Dong understood.
"It should be inside."
Wan Yunting picked up a flashlight from the ground and turned it on, pointing into the dark cavern. Yang Dong nodded. Mei Ying and Tian Lang followed, and the four cautiously entered the cave, wary of any traps Pongka might have set.
However, the passage was smooth. As they moved deeper into the cave, they encountered a very thick iron door with a hidden lock. Wan Yunting glanced at it and shook his head, "Pongka should have the key on him."
"Yes, he's wearing it around his neck. It looks like the key," Yang Dong said.
"Wait a moment."
Saying this, Wan Yunting handed the flashlight to Mei Ying and then ran out. He descended back to the car, retrieved the key from Pongka's neck. It turned out the pendant on his gold chain was indeed a key. With the key in hand, Wan Yunting got out of the car. He looked at Pala, who was being held down by Ji Jing nearby, and pointed at him, "I'll deal with you later."
Returning to the cave, he used the key from Pongka's neck to unlock the heavy iron door. Wan Yunting pushed the door open, and under the faint glow of Mei Ying's flashlight, a golden sheen immediately began to shimmer.
Inside, one wall of the cave was stacked with rows of gold bars. On the other side, on metal shelves, were stacks of US dollar bills. Wooden chests were also piled on the ground, presumably containing treasures and other valuables.
"Wow, it really is a treasury..."
Seeing the rows of gold bars, Wan Yunting was stunned. Yang Dong, Mei Ying, and Tian Lang were equally astonished, their eyes wide with shock at the sight of the gold bars. Each bar weighed 12.5 kilograms, and these rows, by a rough estimate, numbered in the hundreds.
Opening two chests, they found them filled with various gold coins. The stacks of US dollars on the adjacent shelves had also formed a wall, with a preliminary estimate of several hundred million US dollars.
Wan Yunting opened another chest, which contained all sorts of precious artifacts and treasures. Among them was a rough piece of imperial green jade weighing several pounds, as well as various jewel necklaces. A small bag contained something else.
Wan Yunting opened it to find diamonds, including several red and blue diamonds. Each was as large as a thumb, and most were over ten carats.