"To be honest, before I left home, my brothers told me that if the seller tried to get details from me, I should try to steer the conversation towards the mountains or the seabed. I didn't expect you to see through it so easily."

She's an outsider; as the saying goes, the layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details.

Before they arrived, I guessed that the person in question had someone knowledgeable with them. Since foreigners don't understand Chinese artifacts, the most likely scenario was that they brought someone from the tomb raiding circle—an enemy agent, or even a traitor.

The best way to hide your ignorance from experts is to pretend to know what you don't, and inadvertently reveal the aura of a black market boss, prompting the other party to expose you.

This gives the old man a sense of accomplishment while dispelling his suspicions.

Those in positions of power often don't believe what others say, but rather trust the "truth" they analyze themselves.

This time, she masterfully portrayed herself as a "black market boss," dispelling the other party's suspicions and laying the foundation for the next transaction.

The four understood; she had someone backing her, and that person was unwilling to show themselves. Unless they were arrested and interrogated, further questioning would be futile.

When the last wooden crate was opened, three gasps of cold air were heard simultaneously. Even the old man, who had strong willpower, couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

"This is?"

Ruan Xianxian patted the wooden box again and grinned, revealing her teeth: "My brother said this is called a ritual container, something like a tripod, a gui vessel, a zun pot, and there are 17 pieces in total for a set."

The four men exchanged a glance. "Young man, may we go aside and discuss this for a moment?"

"random."

As she watched the four men board the truck and whisper among themselves, Ruan Xianxian, who was patting the wooden crate occasionally, smiled knowingly, wondering to whom these "treasures" would eventually end up.

Don't you all love China's precious historical relics?

The system is custom-designed for you. Do you like it?

A moment later, the four returned to the jeep. Seeing that the four of them were gathered together, Ruan Xianxian thought they were probably planning to double-cross the jeep. She smiled.

Before the four people surrounding her could make a further move, she pretended not to know and handed over a photograph:

"Master Lin, take a look at this set of ritual musical instruments. Do you like the two sets of chime bells, which total 23 pieces?"

The old man gently gestured for people to calm down before taking the photo. He then squeezed the photo so hard that he almost crushed it.

His voice was hoarse: "Why weren't the chime bells brought?"

Ruan Xianxian smiled without speaking, her smile filling the air with a tense, almost explosive atmosphere. Only then did she slightly raise her eyes:

"I started out by stealing from others. Gentlemen, I understand your thoughts. Whether it's war or cooperation, I dare to come alone because I'm prepared."

Matsuda Natsujin looked at Old Lin and saw the latter shake his head slightly. He then put away the dark tube hidden in his sleeve.

They went to the car in the distance, seemingly to collect the money.

His sudden departure, without needing to be explicitly stated, silently conveyed his intention to cooperate.

Only the master, his apprentice, and Xianxian remained by the river. The murderous intent emanating from Old Lin faded, and he asked her again the question she hadn't answered before.

"Young man, what's your name?"

"My surname is Jia, and my given name is Jia Ming. Jia is the Jia in Jia Ming, and Ming is the Ming in Jia Ming."

Old Lin: ...

Silence, silence is Cambridge tonight.

It wasn't until Matsuda Natsuhito returned carrying two leather suitcases that the suitcases were opened, revealing one suitcase of gold bars and the other of large sums of money.

Ruan Xianxian closed the two boxes, moved them to her feet, shook her finger, and then pointed to the box of gold bars, making a "two" gesture.

Matsuda Natsuhito understood; it meant the price wasn't enough, and they needed two more boxes of gold bars.

He didn't move, and Old Lin's voice was unpleasant: "Young man, it's best not to be greedy."

“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy it.” Ruan Xianxian slammed the car door shut.

Seeing that she seemed ready to leave after the talks had fallen apart, the four of them panicked. Old Lin knew best how valuable a complete set of bronze artifacts would be internationally.

It's not just a single item on display, but a complete set of gift containers; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's priceless.

"You young man, you're not old but you have quite the temper. You'll only give me one more box of gold at most, I despise you... How about I promise you a price that will satisfy you for the musical instruments in our next transaction?"

"Grandpa," Ruan Xianxian said calmly, "who gave you the audacity to think that once isn't enough, you can do it again?"

Now, Lin Miao's face, hidden beneath his cap, turned completely gloomy.

Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was dismissed and persecuted by the industry for violating industry rules.

Until the cooperation with the island nation, and the start of that event, those so-called seniors who had previously driven him to the brink of despair either went into hiding or met a tragic end at his hands...

For so many years, for so many years has no one pointed their finger at him and scolded him like a grandson?

Lin Miao laughed in exasperation, suppressing the murderous intent surging within him as he thought of the ritual instruments he had yet to obtain. His laughter was eerie and strange.

"I'll treat you as a friend, young man, and give our friend two more chests of gold."

With the gold in hand, the apprentices busied themselves loading the goods onto their own trucks, while Old Lin remained there, feigning politeness.

Just as the last box of jade ornaments was being moved out of the off-road vehicle and everyone wore relieved smiles,

Ruan Xianxian's lowered eyes suddenly lifted.

With almost ghostly speed, he flashed in front of Matsuda Natsuhito, who was looking terrified. As Natsuhito's pupils contracted and he instinctively stepped back, his outstretched hand quietly gripped Natsuhito's neck, where the veins were bulging.

"don't want."

"Spare his life."

"Matsuda-kun..."

The change happened in the blink of an eye. As soon as Lin Miao rushed up, Ruan Xianxian exerted force on her hand, and with a crack, Matsuda Natsuhito's neck suddenly dropped at an odd angle.

Until his death, his eyes were filled with incomprehension and regret, as if he regretted why he had set foot on this land and why he had lost his life in such a bizarre way without any reason.

The corpse, its eyes wide open in death, fell to the ground with a thud. Ruan Xianxian took the opportunity to pull the gun out of his sleeve, clicked the safety, slightly turned her wrist, and pressed it against Lin Miao's forehead, who was inches away.

"Don't move! Swords have no eyes."

Lin Miao was panting heavily when Ruan Xianxian used her other hand to lift the hood off his head, revealing an old face that was missing half of his nose and was almost disfigured.

He stared with bloodshot eyes that looked like they were about to devour someone, but he didn't see any disgust or fear in Ruan Xianxian's eyes. He was taken aback, and his emotions, which were on the verge of exploding, calmed down considerably.

But he still asked in a hoarse voice, "Why?"

Why? Ruan Xianxian thought about it seriously. Maybe it was because that pile of poop with the shit in front disgusted her.

It's also possible that the Japanese persecuted Miyano in the past.

Of course, she felt that the main reason was that it was almost the first day of the new year, and the moon overhead was not round, so the Japanese must be the ones who deserved to die!

The junior apprentice next to him quickly squatted down to check Matsuda Natsuhito's breathing, then straightened up and shook his head at his master.

At this moment, Ruan Xianxian, who had thought of a legitimate reason, spoke up quietly: "He's just a small fry. How dare he be worthy of killing me?"

"Next time we meet, bring this kind of low-class stuff in front of me again..." Ruan Xianxian pressed the black pipe in her hand against Lin Miao's forehead and imitated a gunshot.

"I'll put you all together with him, and make red bean paste!"