Chapter 141: Golden Egg Clue

I know!

Thinking the Golden Egg's secret might be hidden underwater, John immediately shouted excitedly.

"That Golden Egg must be opened in the water! Its sound may be like a mermaid's song, and only in water can the true melody be heard!"

Hagrid, who was raising his axe to cut a tree, was also startled.

Then, thinking it over, hey, don't deny it, this really could be possible!

The sharp whine emitted by the Golden Egg indeed resembled the mermaid's sound on land.

"Then what are we waiting for? Quickly bring the Golden Egg to try it!"

Hagrid seemed even more excited than John, dropped his axe, rubbed his hands excitedly and said.

John also nodded, immediately trotted over the snow, clomp clomp towards Hagrid's Hut.

In no time, he ran back holding a Golden Egg.

The two went together to the Black Lake shore, and John flung a Magic Spell, blasting an Ice Pit open.

"John, you go down, I'll meet you up here."

Hagrid said to John.

John nodded; the recent run served as a warm‑up.

He stripped off his heavy coat, then, clutching the Golden Egg, plunged straight into the water.

Boom...

The bone‑chilling lake water instantly enveloped his whole body, and only the hum of the flowing water remained in his ears.

John gritted his teeth against the cold and quickly opened the Golden Egg.

Click.

With a muffled mechanism sound, the Golden Egg unfolded, revealing its inner wall glowing with golden light, and a melodious, graceful tune began to flow through the water.

"Find us, in the place where our song sounds~"

"We cannot sing on land~"

"You have only one hour to find the treasure we have hidden~"

The melody wound through the water like a silver thread, each note clear and distinct, as if a mermaid were singing right beside you.

When the song ended, the Golden Egg automatically closed, returning to its original state.

John hurried toward the surface and broke through the water.

Seeing this, Hagrid immediately reached out and pulled John out of the Ice Pit.

"Hagrid! I heard it!"

John, once up, shouted excitedly, even dropping his usual honorifics.

His guess was indeed correct; the clue from the Golden Egg could only be heard underwater.

"Great, John, I told you there would be a way."

Hagrid was also very happy to hear John's words.

"By the way, dry your clothes quickly, don't let them freeze."

John, realizing late, shivered, then quickly waved his wand to cast a Heat Wind Spell, drying himself, and put his coat back on.

When they reached the shore, they happened to meet Hermione, who ran toward them with a worried face.

"John! Hagrid! What are you doing!"

She had just finished an exam and came to Hagrid's Hut to find John, only to discover the house empty.

Then she saw Hagrid standing alone on the Ice Surface of the Black Lake from afar.

As she approached, she saw John suddenly emerge from beneath the ice, his eyes widening, and she hurried over.

"Hermione, you came just in time."

"We just discovered the Golden Egg's secret; the clue can only be heard underwater!"

John, seeing Hermione, waved cheerfully and shouted.

"Are you idiots? Can't you just find a water tank to listen?"

Hermione instantly shouted, both angry and speechless.

John and Hagrid both stopped, exchanged a glance, "Right, why did we foolishly jump into the lake?"

Both of them awkwardly scratched their heads.

"Ah, just consider it exercise."

Hagrid said with a smile.

But after Hermione glared at him, he fell silent again.

"Ahem, that's not the point, Hermione, the point is I know the content of the second challenge."

John quickly changed the subject, intending to talk about the Golden Egg.

"Alright, forget that, let's go back to the hut and warm up."

But Hermione interrupted, rubbed her hands, then placed her warm hands on John's frost‑red face, easing the numbness from the cold.

John felt his cheek warm as Hermione's hand cupped his face, and her own face was close, carrying a familiar soap‑berry scent.

Although he wasn't that fragile, Hermione's concern still warmed his heart.

"Hermione is right, let's go back, warm the fire, and have some hot tea."

At this moment, Hagrid nodded and said.

"Those pine trees can wait to be cut later."

"John's body can't wait to be taken care of later."

Hagrid bent down, picked up a few fallen pine branches, and strode toward the hut.

Hermione also let go of her hand, then took John's hand and hurriedly followed Hagrid.

They didn't know that John swims in winter with Professor Flitwick every day, so it's no wonder they were worried.

The three quickly returned to the cabin; the hearth was blazing, instantly dispersing the last chill on John.

After drinking a sip of hot tea, he experienced full Blood Resurrection.

Hermione saw that John was unharmed, and finally relaxed.

Then she finally asked about the Golden Egg.

John then recounted to the two the song he heard beneath the water.

Hermione listened, her brows slightly furrowed.

She quickly analyzed the clues hidden in the song.

It was clearly a directive for contestants to dive into Black Lake, to find the treasure hidden by mermaids, and they only had one hour.

Not to mention how to hold one's breath for an hour underwater; the dangers beneath Black Lake are already countless.

Mermaids, Giant Squid, Greendilo, and sudden undercurrents and deep‑water whirlpools.

Let alone the extremely low underwater visibility, where a slight misstep can cause one to lose direction.