After a while, the three returned.
Marshall Malone peeked at Leo and said, “You guessed right. There are indeed two more holes near the two entrances, both covered with a thin layer of soil.”
Leo nodded. “Everyone comes down. Let’s start with this mine shaft.”
He stepped forward a few steps, making way for the others.
“Alright, we’re coming down,” Marshall Malone and the other two called out as they jumped down one by one.
“Let’s go,” Leo led the way. The four of them, either holding flashlights or wearing headlamps, proceeded into the depths.
They hadn’t walked far when they felt the cave rapidly incline upwards.
Soon, their surroundings opened up, and they found themselves inside the mine shaft.
At their feet were tracks leading into the mine, surrounded by obvious framework structures and broken lanterns.
“The smell is awful,” Bonnie Hale couldn’t help but cough lightly.
Leo reminded them, “This place has been sealed for many years. The air circulation is poor, and there might be a buildup of toxic gases.”
“When we search later, everyone must be cautious. If you feel any discomfort, put on your gas masks and oxygen tanks. And absolutely no lighting fires, understood?”
“Understood,” Marshall Malone smiled. “Bonnie Hale, you should wear a mask now; it will make you feel better.”
Bonnie Hale quickly took a mask from her backpack and put it on, feeling much better.
“Alright, let’s go,” Leo led the way. The group followed the rusty tracks, stepping on the damp ground, guided by their lights into the depths of the mine.
They searched for nearly two kilometers and checked two side paths but still hadn’t reached the end of the mine.
Marshall Malone, somewhat fatigued, said, “How much further? This salt mine is enormous!”
“Hang in there; we should reach the end soon,” Leo encouraged.
“Let’s rest for a bit,” Bonnie Hale said with a pained expression. “I can’t walk any further.”
“Alright,” Leo agreed, accommodating her. “Let’s find a clean spot and rest.”
The four found a slightly dry area and sat down.
Marshall Malone chuckled bitterly, “I’ve been on many missions. This isn’t the most dangerous, but it’s definitely the most exhausting.”
Leo remained optimistic. “Think of it as an adventure tour. We get to exercise and enjoy some scenery along the way.”
Ripley grinned. “Is that what they call a victory of spirit?”
Everyone laughed.
Suddenly, Bonnie Hale curiously said, “Hey, what’s this?”
Her flashlight shone on a small metal object, reflecting brightly.
Ripley picked it up and was shocked. “This is… an Iron Guard’s Iron Cross!”
Hearing this, everyone perked up and gathered around.
Ripley held a medal. Though it was rusted, its fine craftsmanship still showed its basic shape-a silver-framed iron heart with the Iron Guard’s emblem in the center and the year 1945 inscribed below.
Marshall Malone’s face changed in surprise. “Does this mean that in 1945, Iron Guard troops came here? But this place was abandoned in 1943.”
This realization hit everyone like a light bulb turning on.
Leo’s eyes lit up. “The treasure is calling us. If the Iron Guard came here in 1945, it was likely to hide The Reich’s Treasure.”
Marshall Malone and the others nodded in agreement. There was no other explanation for finding a 1945 Iron Cross in a mine sealed in 1943.
Ripley excitedly said, “This Iron Cross must have been accidentally dropped by the Iron Guard while hiding the treasure. Bonnie Hale, you’ve made a great contribution!”
Bonnie Hale blushed and said shyly, “I was just shining my flashlight around.”
Marshall Malone laughed. “It’s your good luck; otherwise, we would have missed this important clue.”
After resting for a while, Leo stood up. “Let’s keep moving. I have a hunch that the treasure might be in this mine shaft.”
Marshall Malone and the others sprang to their feet with renewed energy.
Leo led them deeper into the dark mine shaft.
This time, Leo was cautious. Every few meters, he used his senses to check for hidden chambers nearby.
His intuition told him that the Iron Guard wouldn’t just leave the treasure lying around; there had to be other elaborate concealment measures.
After advancing about a hundred meters, Leo suddenly stopped and shone his flashlight on the right wall of the cave, inspecting it closely.
“What’s wrong?” Marshall Malone and the others curiously gathered around.
Leo said seriously, “There’s another tunnel behind this wall.”
“No way,” Marshall Malone doubted as he looked at the wall and touched it. “It looks no different from other places; there’s no sign of sealing!”
“Step aside,” Leo instructed them. He handed his flashlight to his left hand and punched the wall with his right fist.
With a loud crash, rocks flew everywhere, revealing a deep tunnel behind the wall.
Marshall Malone and the others were stunned-there really was a hidden tunnel!
Leo crouched down and shone his flashlight on a large piece of rubble. “Take a look at this.”
Marshall Malone and the others quickly gathered around.
Leo pointed at the rubble and explained, “This piece has two layers: inside is concrete used to seal the tunnel, and outside is a layer of stone matching the surrounding cave walls in texture and color. That’s how they hid this tunnel so perfectly.”
Ripley marveled, “What intricate craftsmanship! These Iron Guards were really cunning.”
“Indeed,” Bonnie Hale agreed. “No wonder previous treasure hunters found nothing.”
Leo smiled. “Let’s go inside; maybe the treasure is hidden there.”
Everyone’s spirits lifted as they followed Leo over the rubble into the hidden tunnel.
Inside, the air was musty but breathable.
As they walked, they suddenly heard a faint sound of water. Turning a corner, they found their path blocked-the tunnel was completely flooded by underground water!