Treasure Hunt Tycoon

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Li Du saw it at once. Those were the bodies of two white apes.

He walked over, and Steve did as well. The flashlight illuminated the scene, and everyone was startled.

They were in Siberia, this cave was located in the middle of the island, surrounded by cold water, and although the temperature was not too low, there was still a chill in the atmosphere. What could monkeys or apes possibly be doing here?

The bodies of the two white apes lay side by side, one decaying and the other well preserved, in full view: its fur was pale, its length about a meter and a half. Its legs were short, but its arms were long and strong.

Steve looked at the bodies and asked, “What is this? White-haired gibbons? Some kind of orangutan with albinism? My god, they can’t be Siberian Yeti, can they?”

The Siberian Yeti was a mythical being that Li Du has heard of. It was said to be an ape-like, hairy creature that lived in the remote mountains of Siberia.

The earliest known account of the Siberian Yeti came from 1889, when British adventurer and zoologist Hall first came up with an authoritative description of the creature. He claimed that the large footprints in the snow showed that it was a hairy wild animal that had long lived in the northern latitudes.

Most people did not believe in the Yeti, thinking it was just an adventurer’s fantasy or conjecture. In remote parts of Siberia and the Arctic, however, villagers and hunters claim to have seen them.

Li Du had read such accounts before and shook his head. “Yeti? Are you kidding? Isn’t the yeti supposed to be more than two meters tall? These creatures are too short.”

A meter and a half was tall for apes like orangutans, but it was too short for the legendary Yeti.

Steve held out his hand and said. “Don’t be so critical, man. Besides, wasn’t it recently reported that there is definite proof of the Yeti’s existence?”

He said it happened on October 10, 2011. The Russian state statement declared division E, a panel composed of Canadian and Swedish scientists, discovered a mysterious snowman that could serve as proof to the theory. Experts believed that there was a 95% chance to finally discover the legendary Yeti in Kemerovo, Siberia.

The team found broken branches, a faint “Yeti footprint” and a small amount of off-white “yeti hair” in a local cave. In addition, the team also found branches that were stacked together into a bed in the cave.

Experts on board of the Yeti theory estimated there were about 30 snowmen living in the area, and the Kemerovo local administration was working on opening a university research center to study them.

Li Du dismissed the news as a publicity stunt promoted by the local government. Instead of bringing back convincing photographs or DNA samples, the expedition relied on broken tree branches, a faint footprint and a small patch of gray hair found in a cave. A critical thinker could not take it seriously.

The two men argued over the issue, and Steve said, “I say, don’t be arbitrary, what kind of DNA do you want? Wouldn’t they have DNA if they found the hair?”

Li Du said, “And then? They got DNA out of it, right? Have they learned anything?”

Steve nodded earnestly and said, “Yes, according to my information, the DNA extracted from the hair did not match a single creature known to science. It belongs to a new, different kind of primate.”

Li Du shook his head and pointed to the two white monkeys on the ground. “This is the so-called yeti. I bet there are some white apes living in Siberia. Someone found them and took them for Yeti.”

Steve said, “Apes in Siberia? Your theory is not any more reliable than the Yeti hypothesis. There are no monkeys in Siberia!”

“They are probably an imported species,” Li Du said casually. “You see, the refugees in Siberia come from all over the world. Who knows if anyone has now brought a monkey or two?”

Steve ignored him and crouched down to look at the two dead apes.

It was weird enough to find apes in a place like Siberia, but if they could link the two apes to the Yeti theory, Steve would become famous. Such a story that would surely make headlines.

He was about to touch the dead body of the ape when a white shadow jumped up and lunged at Steve.

The bodyguards next to him were startled and instinctively drew daggers to stab it.

Li Du was ready to act. He knew it was the little white monkey, so he used his time-slowing ability to drag Steve away and block the dagger in his bodyguard’s hand.

Instead of jumping on Steve, the little white monkey landed lightly on the body of the dead ape, waving its long arms and growling angrily at Steve and the rest of the group.

The sight of the little white monkey drew the group’s attention.

Brother Wolf immediately raised the searchlight and carefully searched the walls of the cave. The little white monkey jumped down from the wall, and he was afraid that there was something else on it.

Li Du noticed this detail and was impressed with Brother Wolf’s ability to think of everything.

Looking at the little white monkey, Steve’s eyes widened in surprise and cried, “God, a Yeti, a living Yeti!”

Li Du rolled his eyes and said, “Don’t be silly, it’s just a white monkey!”

“Where would white apes or monkeys come from? As far as I know, there is no such thing as a full-bodied white monkey in nature. Even the white-headed capuchin only has a white head!”

“They could be albino apes,” said Li Du.

Steve excitedly pointed to the three monkeys on the ground and said, “It is a valid point, but you surely know how rare albinism is in all kinds of animals. You have to remember that albinism isn’t hereditary, so you tell me, why is this monkey snow white too? Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?”

Li Du said, “Take it easy, Steve. I know what you mean. You want to find a yeti, but this is not a Yeti. It’s too small. As you can see, it is a monkey!”

Li Du thought it was possible for a Yeti to look a bit like a monkey, but surely it was supposed to be larger.

Steve calmed down, then got a little frustrated and said, “Yeah, damn, they’re white apes, but what kind are they? It’s a new species, we’ve found a new species of primate!”

Then he was excited again: however he looked at it, they made a discovery.