Chapter 150 Coordination Meeting

Lead-like clouds hung low, and the glass filtered the sunlight into a cool gray.

The projector in the conference room was lit, with two rows of chairs surrounding a long, U-shaped table. There were no subtitles, no name tags, and no banners. If someone were to suddenly walk in, they wouldn't even know what the meeting was about.

There were about forty or fifty chairs, and most of them were occupied. The people looked quite serious, and there was a constant murmur of discussion.

With a loud bang, the door was pushed open, and the room fell silent.

Subsequently, the leaders entered one after another, and the attendees gradually became surprised.

The Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau has one deputy director and three division chiefs: the Cultural Relics Supervision and Safety Division, the Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Division, and the Cultural Relics Inspection Division.

The Municipal Public Security Bureau has one deputy director and four division chiefs: the Criminal Investigation Detachment, the Public Security Detachment, the Exit-Entry Administration Detachment, and the Municipal Bureau's Forensic Center.

In addition, the Municipal Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau, the Provincial and Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Research Institutes, the Archaeological Research Institute, the Cultural Relics Exchange Center, and other assisting units.

There are fourteen units at the division level or above.

Oh right, and the Northwestern University School of Cultural Heritage, but why is the representative so young?

Moreover, it looks unfamiliar?

Among a group of leaders who were on average over fifty years old, with graying temples or potbellies, Wang Qizhi, in his early thirties and in his prime, stood out.

The assistant he brought was even more eye-catching; he was in his early twenties, with a face that still showed signs of immaturity.

Lin Sicheng told Wang Qizhi something and walked towards the empty spot on the outer circle.

Wang Qizhi didn't force him.

According to the Municipal Bureau's arrangement, Lin Sicheng's seat should be in the middle circle.

The reason is simple: he discovered the first two main pieces of evidence, the register and the jade tablet. He also discovered the next three crucial pieces of evidence: the "Purpose Mirror" and the two Seven-Star Tablets.

He even reported the case and led the first examination of five pieces of physical evidence at the municipal appraisal center. How deep was his involvement?

However, Lin Sicheng didn't like to be in the limelight, so he politely declined.

He glanced at it after a moment's thought.

Almost all the other seats were full, except for a few empty seats directly opposite the leaders' seats. Two women in their thirties were sitting in the very middle.

One was quite tall, and the other was quite thin.

With nowhere else to go, Lin Sicheng sat down. The tall woman looked up and curiously sized him up.

"A student from Western University?"

Lin Sicheng nodded.

The tall woman gestured with her chin towards Wang Qizhi again: "Is that your teacher on the stage?"

Lin Sicheng nodded again and then gestured.

The woman shook her head: "It's okay, the leader has a microphone, he can't hear us!"

The thinner guy next to him was laughing and chuckling.

Lin Sicheng paused for a moment, then remained silent.

He finally understood why these two women were both single: they were quite old and lacked any sense of propriety.

Seeing Lin Sicheng's "I don't want to talk to you" look, the tall woman smiled with her lips pursed.

The meeting officially began, and the staff turned off the lights and drew the curtains.

A photo of the register was projected onto the screen.

The woman glanced at it: "You're studying archaeology, right? Do you recognize this?"

Lin Sicheng remained silent.

Then, when it was Yu Wenming's turn, the woman asked, "What about this one? Do you recognize him?"

Lin Sicheng didn't even glance at him.

The woman smiled, pursing her lips: "You're not doing well in your studies, how did you get into graduate school?"

It's really baffling and annoying.

Lin Sicheng simply got up and moved a little to the side.

The thinner woman laughed even harder: "He's still a little puppy... Stop teasing me..."

The woman smiled, pursed her lips, and stopped causing trouble for Lin Sicheng, instead whispering and chatting with the thinner woman.

The main leaders of each department have already held several meetings, discussed everything that needed to be discussed, and set the direction. Today is the day for specific deployment and final coordination with each unit.

The main objective was to locate Zhang Anshi's tomb as soon as possible and prevent further damage to the tomb from looting.

There are many secondary objectives: preventing cultural relics from leaving the country, avoiding social impact, protecting cultural heritage, and so on.

The meeting was short, lasting about an hour and a half. At the end, the leaders from the Cultural Relics Bureau and the Public Security Bureau expressed their gratitude and notified each unit to take their positions.

Lin Sicheng stood up, and the two women also stood up, following closely behind him.

At first, he was confused, but when he saw Wang Qizhi pause for a moment, Lin Sicheng realized that the two of them knew Professor Wang.

They seemed to know each other quite well, and even though they were quite far apart, the taller one gestured with his chin towards Wang Qizhi and winked.

Even though we didn't know each other, the moment we met, we started teasing him like a child.

“Sicheng, let me introduce you…” Wang Qizhi pointed, “This is Associate Researcher Ren from Yangling Museum, this is Dr. Wu from the Municipal Institute of Archaeology… This is my student, Lin Sicheng.”

"Hahaha... Secretary Wang, your students are quite interesting."

It was quite interesting: after Wang Qizhi finished his introduction, Lin Sicheng simply said, "Hello."

There was no handout, nor much humility.

Wang Qizhi was stunned for a moment, not understanding: Lin Sicheng is usually quite polite.

What did those two women say?

Not wanting to ask on the spot, Wang Qizhi changed the subject.

They seemed to know each other quite well. The two female PhDs joked with Wang Qizhi, asking how someone who was in charge of the Youth League Committee had managed to get into the leadership position, and whether he had given gifts.

They talked as they walked, with Lin Sicheng following behind.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I feel like there's something off about Lin Sicheng's gaze. It's scrutinizing with suspicion, and even a hint of sharpness.

Is this kid holding a grudge?

The two female PhDs seemed rather uncomfortable. After exchanging a few words, they left first.

Looking at the two figures' backs, Wang Qizhi asked in surprise, "Did those two flirt with you?"

The term "little puppy" is not meant to be teasing.

What Lin Sicheng found strange was that he didn't know him at all, had never met him before, but just because he was Professor Wang's student, he felt a strange sense of familiarity with Ren Fushi, and a sense of almost non-existent boundaries.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Teacher, is that Dr. Ren, the tall one, still unmarried?"

Wang Qizhi was startled, and his expression gradually became strange.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Teacher, the way she's looking at you is strange."

Suddenly, Wang Qizhi blushed: "Lin Sicheng, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Lin Sicheng remained silent: Judging a person can also be judged by their possessions.

Having reached this point in their relationship, he felt that even if they were just students, it would be good to offer a word of caution: This Dr. Ren, with her personality, age, and rather attractive appearance, was, most importantly, single?

I have a feeling that Professor Wang is in quite a dangerous position...

"Don't you know what kind of person your teacher is? You've only attended two seminars together..."

Wang Qizhi was both amused and exasperated, and slapped him on the back, saying, "Take care of yourself first."

What can't I take care of?

Lin Sicheng muttered to himself, but didn't say anything.

Wang Qizhi explained a few more words, and the two left the meeting room.

But just as he stepped out the door, a voice came from the side: "Professor Wang is here too? Come, come, Xiao Lin, let me introduce you!"

Director Chen stood on one side of the door, next to the director of the Municipal Appraisal Bureau, and between the two stood the leader who had previously sat in the middle of the leadership seat.

The two female PhDs hadn't gone far when they heard the sound and suddenly turned around.