Chapter 482 - 241: Let Your Family Go to China

Chapter 482: Chapter 241: Let Your Family Go to China

The Chersky Mountains!

Night fell. The forest was like a slumbering beast, its silence tinged with an eerie gloom. Ancient trees reached for the sky, their rustling leaves whispering secrets, while the distant mountain peaks were faint and indistinct.

SCREECH~

Two SUVs and an extended-bed truck came to a steady halt at the edge of the forest.

"Are we there?"

Su Chen was jolted from his sleep by the sudden braking. He looked out the window. Beyond the faint outline of the distant mountains and the RUSTLE of leaves in the wind, all he could hear was the rumbling of the car engines.

That afternoon, once Chen Fei had recovered, they had set out with Ivan, Hiri, and a ten-man patrol team. It was the same squad that had previously stood guard at the camp, a trustworthy group.

The journey of over four hundred kilometers had taken a full four hours. They had departed shortly after two in the afternoon and reached the foothills of the Chersky Mountains just after seven in the evening. Their destination was still another seven or eight kilometers away.

As they got out of the vehicles, Su Chen could clearly see the exhaustion on everyone’s faces.

"Sir, it’ll take at least another hour to get into the mountains. Why don’t we eat something here before we head in?" Chen Fei said softly, pulling his clothes tighter as he moved closer to Su Chen.

They had been in the car for hours, and it was dinnertime. If they didn’t get a proper meal, they would probably collapse from exhaustion on the trail.

"Alright. You go make the arrangements. Get plenty of food ready, especially meat. Make sure everyone eats their fill. Also, have Ivan come see me."

Chen Fei nodded and immediately called the other patrol members over to start cooking on the spot. They had come fully equipped for this trip, bringing not only all sorts of meat and vegetables but even gas canisters and charcoal for the convenience of cooking outdoors.

Watching the group bustle about with energy, Su Chen leaned against a car and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Just then, Ivan walked over.

"Boss, you were looking for me?"

Su Chen casually handed Ivan a cigarette he had just taken from the pack. He took another for himself, lit it, and then said, "You must have already guessed the purpose of this trip, haven’t you?"

After speaking, Su Chen took a deep drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke. His gaze fell upon Ivan, who was now using a lighter to light his own cigarette.

When they set out, Su Chen hadn’t told Ivan or the patrol team their objective. They only knew they were going somewhere; they had no idea what for.

Ivan, who was in the middle of a drag, tensed up at Su Chen’s question. When he saw Chen Fei and Mel return after being gone for ten days, he had suspected... Chen Fei’s return was likely related to the Tsar’s treasure.

He wasn’t entirely sure at first, but after Su Chen ordered him to prepare a large truck, he knew his guess about the treasure was almost certainly correct.

After taking two more drags, Ivan nodded. "Boss, I’m guessing this trip has to do with the Tsar’s treasure that Brother Mel mentioned before."

"Mmm, that’s right. Chen Fei and the others have already found the location of the hoard. Whether it’s the entire Tsar’s treasure, we don’t know," Su Chen said without hiding anything, revealing everything Chen Fei’s group had discovered. He wanted to see Ivan’s reaction. This could be considered one final test for him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Su Chen saw Xuan and Huang a short distance away, already in a guarded stance. Their hands were resting on the AK-47s slung over their backs, ready to react instantly to any sudden moves.

Ivan didn’t overthink it. He threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with his foot. Seeing this, Xuan and Huang thought he was about to make a move and were just about to step forward when they saw Ivan straighten his back, standing perfectly erect with his hands hanging naturally at his sides.

"Boss, rest assured. If anyone in the patrol team gets any funny ideas, I’ll deal with them myself!"

Ivan spoke with absolute resolve. His eyes and his expression were as serious as they could possibly be.

Su Chen said nothing, simply staring quietly into the distant, dark night sky.

After a long moment, Su Chen finally pulled his gaze back. He looked at Ivan, who was still standing ramrod straight, and clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "I have complete trust in you and your patrol team. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have arranged for you to come along."

But in the next second, Su Chen changed the subject, asking curiously, "By the way, I’ve known you for so long, but I still don’t know anything about your family situation. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention it."

Ivan didn’t even have to think about it, replying instantly, "Boss, my wife lives in the city. I have two kids, twins—a boy and a girl. They’re fifteen years old and currently in the fifth year of middle school."

You have to understand, the school system over in Russia only takes eleven years from elementary to high school. Elementary school is just four years, middle school is four years, and as for high school... you graduate after only two.

It’s quite different from the system in Huaxia. The Russians place more emphasis on the middle school period, ensuring students get more practical experience instead of just burying their heads in books.

"Have you ever thought about arranging for your children to study in Huaxia?" Su Chen asked in a very gentle tone.

Su Chen had thought Ivan would be particularly resentful of the question, since it carried a veiled threat.

But... the result? Ivan’s reaction was completely unexpected.