Chapter 421 Human Skin Mask
Zhu Lan and Zhu Qingyan looked back and saw that the person in charge of displaying the items on the stage was holding a thin, translucent object in his hand and showing it to the guests around him.
"This human skin mask is the last of the Thousand Faces work in the world. The starting price is five hundred taels of silver!"
"What is Rong Qianmian?" Zhu Qingyan asked curiously.
Zhu Lan shook her head. She didn’t know either.
Hu Ping'an is a gangster, so when he mentioned these things, he couldn't help but show off a bit.
"Have you two girls ever heard of the art of disguise?"
Zhu Qingyan said that he had heard of it but had never seen it with his own eyes.
Zhu Lan also remembered that before he traveled through time, he always read about secret techniques such as disguise in literary works. However, such superb and difficult-to-distinguish disguise techniques seemed to exist only in fictional works, and were almost impossible to achieve in reality.
Most so-called "disguise" involves using makeup to adjust someone's facial shape and facial features. However, using makeup to change one's appearance is a complicated process, and the final effect may look good from a distance, but it is easy to be exposed when you look closely.
Hu Ping'an said to the two of them:
“If you use methods like drawing eyebrows or applying powder to disguise yourself, you won’t be able to fool many people, unless you use a human skin mask.
However, not only is it difficult to obtain the materials for a human skin mask, the production process is also incredibly complicated. Even if it is made, a human skin mask can only be used once. Therefore, there are very few people in the world who can truly achieve the effect of disguise.
This senior Rong Qianmian was a master in the ghost market back then, and his skill in making human skin masks was superb. It was said that the human skin masks he made could completely stick to human skin with just water, and could last for three days.
Wearing the human skin mask he made does not affect the wearer's facial features at all. Even when facing an acquaintance, the other party can hardly see any flaws. "
"So magical?" Zhu Qingyan was a little unconvinced.
"It can fit perfectly on a person's face, and it can also make the expression look natural. Could it be that he really used human skin to make this mask?"
Hu Ping'an didn't say anything when he heard this, but Zhu Qingyan met the other person's gaze through the mask, and a chill suddenly rose on his back.
"No way... is it really made of human skin?"
Hu Ping'an shrugged, "It is said that he killed too many people outside in order to make masks, and finally hid in this ghost market."
Zhu Qingyan slammed the table and said angrily: "Such a cruel and evil person should be arrested and handed over to the government immediately. This Jinlian Building is auctioning this useless mask. Is there any law?!"
"You guys..." Hu Ping'an saw her reaction and showed a trace of suspicion, "Are you from the government?"
"Of course not." Zhu Lan pulled Zhu Qingyan and asked her to sit down first.
"Oh, that's good." Hu Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhu Qingyan, "Miss, don't be so angry. Just listen to what I have to say."
“Although Rong Qianmian’s mask is well made, he is indeed extremely vicious and has many enemies.
More than a decade ago, he was killed by someone seeking revenge!"
"Evil will be punished, you deserve it." Zhu Qingyan said.
The sound of bidding nearby reached the ears of the three people.
"One thousand and one hundred taels for the first time, one thousand and one hundred taels for the second time—"
"One thousand five hundred taels!"
"I'll give you 1,600 taels!"
Zhu Qingyan was secretly shocked when he heard this, "How could this mask... be priced so high?"
Hu Ping'an sneered and said, "We are just getting started now."
“When Rong Qianmian was alive, the human skin masks he made were already very valuable in the martial arts world.
What's more, he had been dead for more than ten years, and the masks he left behind had long been snatched away - at that time, several tragedies had occurred in the underworld in the fight for his human skin masks!
Each human skin mask is used less and less. The ones being auctioned now are the few remaining ones, and they were all obtained through some shameful means.
You see, the price is going up!"
In the time it took to say a few words, the price had been raised to two thousand three hundred taels.
Zhu Qingyan took a deep breath, "Doesn't this mask disappear after being used once? Do these people... have too much money to spend? They spent thousands of taels of silver just to change their appearance?"
For the first time, she felt that her imagination was limited by poverty.
I can’t understand it. I really can’t understand it.
"Haha." Hu Ping'an laughed mysteriously, "Although it can only be used once, for some people, it can come in handy at a critical moment."
"Like...getting out of town in disguise."
Zhu Qingyan was slightly stunned, and then began to look at those who were competing to bid.
Although those people were wearing masks, they were all armed with swords, dressed strangely, and their movements did indeed resemble those of desperadoes.
Zhu Lan fixed his eyes on a few people and recognized from their figures that they were the wanted criminals on the imperial court's wanted list.
These people cannot leave the capital and can only hide in the dark ghost market.
They are willing to spend huge sums of money to buy human skin masks, and one can imagine what their purpose is.
Zhu Lan understood the situation in his heart, but he did not say anything because Hu Ping'an, who did not know the details, was present.
The price of the human skin mask has been raised to nearly three thousand taels, but the momentum of price increase has not subsided at all.
The three of them watched the excitement, and Zhu Lan pretended to ask casually: "By the way, Brother Hu, I heard that the legendary Nine-Curved Pearl appeared in the Golden Lotus Tower a few days ago?"
Hu Ping'an nodded, "Yes, I was there at the time."
"Oh?" Zhu Lan became interested. "Who dared to auction the pearl, and who bought it in the end?"
“The treasures auctioned in the Golden Lotus Tower are all consignment items, and I don’t know who is selling the pearls.
You should know that in the ghost market, not only do the goods not ask where they come from, but buyers and sellers also do not reveal their identities."
Zhu Lan was not disappointed when she heard this. This answer was within her expectations. She just wanted to try her luck.
But then Hu Ping'an said again:
"But I do know who the final buyer is."
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