Chapter 57 The Pirate's Treasure

Zack's body was already back in his bed.

I stood there for what felt like forever, feeling really torn up inside.

Zack was just an eight-year-old kid who'd spent his whole life in a cave and never got to see the world.

I sighed heavily and went over to tuck him in, noticing his purple and black face with two tear streaks.

At eight in the morning, Alicia woke me up and laughed when she saw my dark circles. "Did you stay up all night?"

I gave a weak smile. "There was some noise outside, I couldn't sleep well."

After breakfast, we headed straight to Ravenwood Town's Netherworld Mountain.

On the way, Anthony filled us in on the place. He mentioned that Netherworld Mountain had witnessed many fierce battles in the past, leaving behind the lingering spirits of fallen soldiers, creating an eerie atmosphere. The main peak soared over three thousand feet, overlooking a valley adorned with peculiar rocks and cascading waterfalls, presenting a breathtaking view.

Isidora shared her family's story, mentioning their long-standing residence on Netherworld Mountain and rare trips for essentials. As for their money, she said it came from Harlan.

Lorenzo listened quietly, and after Isidora finished, he asked, "Isidora, what's your family's last name?"

Isidora replied, "Roach."

Lorenzo seemed to be deep in thought, opened his mouth to say something, but then decided against it.

Around ten in the morning, we reached the Netherworld Mountain area.

Following Isidora's directions, we twisted and turned until we got to the edge of a forest. The car couldn't go any further, so we got out and walked.

Soon, we heard the sound of a waterfall in the distance.

"Almost there," Anthony said, his gray hair soaked with sweat as he looked ahead. "I've been here before."

I carried Zack on my back, walking at the rear. To be honest, I felt really heavy-hearted the whole way, constantly thinking about what Zack had said earlier.

After about ten minutes, we saw a river, and in the distance, a waterfall cascading down the cliff like a white ribbon.

Isidora stopped and asked me to place Zack on a rock by the river. Then she knelt down and prayed.

After that, she stood up, picked a few small flowers from a crack in the rock, and put them in Zack's pocket. Then, with all her strength, she pushed Zack into the river, watching him float away with the current, tears streaming down her face. Once Zack was out of sight, we turned and kept walking into the valley.

The valley was pretty small, tucked away on the eastern side of a tourist spot. We followed the river through the forest, and by around eleven-thirty, the view opened up. We could even spot some caves hidden in the trees on the distant cliff.

Isidora led us up a hidden mountain path, talking softly as we walked. "Actually, our family is split into two branches now. One is led by Bryce Roach, which Zack and I are part of. My parents passed away a long time ago. The other branch is led by Murray Roach, and now my cousin Teddy Roach is in charge."

Lorenzo, curious, asked, "Isidora, how many family members do you have now?"

"When I left yesterday morning, there were still twenty of us. In just one day, who knows if a few more have died from illness..."

We rounded a mountainside, and Isidora led us into a small cave—this was her and Zack's home.

The cave was surprisingly clean, with stone tables and stools, a clay stove, and some daily necessities.

To my surprise, the cave was very dry and quite livable.

Isidora poured us some hot water, brought out some wild fruits, and then went to find Bryce.

Lorenzo and I wandered around the cave. When we reached a corner, he gave me a look, and I walked over to see him pointing at the corner of the wall. "Dennis, look there."

Following his lead, I noticed a faint carving on the wall, too old to decipher.

"Stone carvings? Murals?" I asked Lorenzo.

Lorenzo's lips curled into a smile, and he whispered, "If I'm not mistaken, we're about to find a big treasure!"

I was stunned, then thought of the Cancer constellation treasure. "You mean, the Cancer Beneware?"

Lorenzo nodded. "It could be even more powerful!"

Seeing my excitement and confusion, Lorenzo looked at the carvings on the wall and said, "These aren't murals, they're words."

"Words? What kind of words?"

"Aquilonia words."

I was even more puzzled. "Aquilonia words? Why would Aquilonia folks be here? What brought them to this place?"

Lorenzo's smile widened. "You forgot, this family is named Roach. Ages back, there was a Roach from the Galaxy District, a legendary pirate."

I was completely excited. "Who?"

"Connor Roach's son, Eldrick Roach." Eldrick was a great navigator.