Probate tax refers to the tax levied when a person with a will passes away and the will takes legal effect to handle their estate. Although the executor of the will is legally authorized to manage the estate according to the will, when transferring assets such as investments or real estate, it usually requires verification of the will by the court, an authoritative institution, and this verification comes with a fee.

Auerbach told Owen Sutton that in Newfoundland, the tax rate standard is that only estates over 25,000 yuan are taxed, with 14,000 charged per 1 million, 28,000 for 2 million, and so on. In other words, Owen Sutton has to pay 520,000 Canadian dollars in probate tax, which is about 3 million yuan!

Owen Sutton was instantly furious and shouted, “You’re lying to me!”

Auerbach said in a deep voice, “You can give up this fishery, and you’ll receive a 12.8% subsidy from the government. That means you can actually get a lot of money.”

“But,” he changed his tone, staring at Owen Sutton, “do you know how the Daqin Fishery was built? It was your grandfather, a yellow-skinned foreigner, who, under the scorn and oppression of countless people, used his wisdom, perseverance, hard work, and vision to earn it through endless hardship! Child, your grandfather is the most upright man I’ve ever met! Do you understand what I mean? Don’t disgrace such a man!”

Owen Sutton said, “Do you think I want to embarrass him? But I have less than 20,000 yuan to my name, and my family’s total assets are at most 200,000. How am I supposed to pay 3 million in taxes?”

Auerbach sat down beside him and said, “This tax is actually already nine years late, and even if it’s delayed another nine years, it doesn’t matter. Do you understand? You have enough time to make money with the fishery!”

Owen Sutton was not a coward. Since there was still a glimmer of hope, why not give it a try?

The town’s tax office only works on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Auerbach asked about it and was told that the town was poorly managed, and the government couldn’t even pay salaries, so they had to cut civil servants’ working hours to reduce their pay.

Owen Sutton didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed that the Canadian leaders were having a tough time, which made him even more worried about the future of his fishery.

Auerbach drove his old Ford around the town, helping Owen Sutton get familiar with the area and also to relax.

After winding through several turns, the car arrived at a lake. The ice on the lake had only recently melted, and the water was crystal clear, with some floating ice blocks shining like mirrors.

The lake was beautiful, with green aquatic plants and pure white ice. Occasionally, water birds flapped their wings and flew back and forth, and fish even leaped out of the water—picturesque and bountiful.

Auerbach introduced, “People only know that Ontario has many lakes, but actually Newfoundland has quite a few too. This small lake is called Treasure Sinking Lake. It’s said that someone once sank a lot of treasures in it…”

“I really want to jump in and see if I can fish something out,” Owen Sutton said gloomily.

At that moment, a fishing boat slowly rowed over. A short, stocky middle-aged fisherman waved to Auerbach and said, “Hey, Mr. Sherman, are you and your friend here at Treasure Sinking Lake to go bowfishing? Come on, let’s do it together.”

Since they were out for a break, Auerbach brought Owen Sutton onto the fishing boat and explained, “Bowfishing is an activity that’s only become popular in North America in recent years. Come on… Oh, damn!”

He hadn’t finished speaking when the boat startled a huge carp over a meter long underwater. Startled, the carp leaped out of the water, catching all three on the boat off guard. The fisherman and Auerbach instinctively dodged, while Owen Sutton stood dumbfounded at the stern, only to be smacked in the face by the carp’s fan-like tail and knocked straight into the lake.

“Quick, save him!” Auerbach shouted anxiously.

The carp’s tail was very rough, with spines as sharp as small knives, and it slashed open Owen Sutton’s chin in an instant.

Owen Sutton felt as if he’d been hit by a small car, flipping over in a fancy move as he fell into the water. No one noticed that at that moment, the blood dripping from his chin happened to fall onto the Heart of Poseidon that had swung out from his chest!

As he fell into the water, Owen Sutton felt a deep blue before his eyes, as if he had entered not the clear green lake, but an ocean. Lake water flooded his nose, and he could even smell the salty scent of the sea.

Then he saw the Heart of Poseidon floating in the water, and the blue light in his eyes was coming from the Heart of Poseidon!

The blue light flashed and disappeared. Right in front of Owen Sutton, the Heart of Poseidon turned into a dense blue light and burrowed into his body!

Owen Sutton was pulled back onto the fishing boat, looking a bit dazed, because at that moment a hazy scene appeared before his eyes:

Rippling water, swaying seaweed, several catfish about the size of a palm happily emerged from the muddy bottom of the lake, then opened their mouths to joyfully search for food and algae among the stirred-up silt. When he looked up, he saw a spindle-shaped object floating above his head—wasn’t that the fishing boat he was on now?

But what was going on? How could he see the scene at the bottom of the lake, and even sense the feelings of the catfish?!

Chapter 0005 The Treasure Chest in Treasure Sinking Lake

Early spring was cold. Auerbach sent Owen Sutton back to the small inn. In the bathroom, Owen Sutton adjusted the water temperature, lay in the spacious bathtub, and began to explore the strange changes in his eyes.