Chike's hands trembled as he held the treasure chest. The stranger stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the gold coins. "So, you found it," the man said coldly. "That treasure belongs to me." Chike quickly remembered something his father had taught him: not everyone who claims ownership is telling the truth. "How do I know it's yours?" Chike asked. The stranger frowned. "Because I said so." Before Chike could respond, a crow landed on a nearby branch. "Don't trust him!" the crow cried. The stranger looked around, confused. Of course, he could not understand animal language. The crow continued, "That man is a thief. He has been searching for the treasure for years after hearing old stories about it." Chike remained calm and pretended not to hear. Then a squirrel ran down the tree and whispered, "The real owner was an old traveller who buried it many years ago. He never returned because bandits attacked him." Suddenly, Chike had an idea. "If this treasure is yours," Chike said, "tell me what is inside the chest." The stranger became silent. His face changed. He had no answer. Realizing his lie had been exposed, the man grabbed a stick and charged toward Chike. At that moment, dozens of monkeys jumped from the trees, throwing fruits and branches at the stranger. Startled and frightened, he ran deep into the forest and disappeared. Chike sighed with relief. But as he looked at the treasure chest again, he noticed a strange symbol carved into the lid—a symbol that began to glow. The chest slowly opened by itself. Inside was not just gold... There was a mysterious map. To be continued... 👀 :::
