Reborn Treasure Appraiser: I Really Didn’t Want to Be an Expert

Chapter 322 Cats have their ways, mice have theirs.

The lights were bright, but the stainless steel fence reflected a dim light.

Ma Shan lowered his eyelids slightly, staring intently at the table. Opposite him were Yan Wenjing, the clerk, and Lin Sicheng.

No one spoke; the interrogation room was unusually quiet. Lin Sicheng tapped the table lightly, but the taps were crisp and clear.

This continued for several minutes, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

Wang Qizhi stared at the screen: "Why didn't you ask?"

"Psychological tactics. This guy's a veteran; he won't give in easily. Xiao Lin is putting pressure on him!" The interrogation expert's eyes gleamed. "Professor Wang, your student is quite knowledgeable?"

Once might be a coincidence, but twice could it still be a coincidence?

Last time, he witnessed Lin Sicheng completely fooling Ma Shan. Just now, the team leader vividly recounted how Lin Sicheng impersonated a geomancer. To be honest, the experts were extremely curious about Lin Sicheng.

Wang Qizhi remained noncommittal, raising his chin: "So, will we be able to get the case resolved today?"

"It's probably very difficult!"

The expert shook his head. "The case is too big; speaking out would be a capital offense. Besides, he's already been fooled once, and Ma Shan is on his guard!"

Wang Qizhi sighed: It really is!
Even if Ma Shan personally carried out the killing, he might still have a chance to save his life if he reported too many people.

But the problem is, five lives?
Stop dreaming and go to bed.

If he hadn't slipped up last time, the police wouldn't have been able to investigate so quickly. Even an idiot would learn his lesson after suffering such a huge loss. Especially since this guy is a seasoned, cunning old fox.
So, from the moment he was brought in until now, even though he knew that Lin Sicheng was sitting opposite him, Ma Shan didn't even raise his head.

After a long silence, Lin Sicheng suddenly spoke up: "Brother Ma, can we make a deal?"

Ma Shan paused for a moment, then let out a soft "heh".

He just gave a cold laugh and made no further physical movements.

Yan Wenjing's heart sank: Something's not right... This bastard guessed it?

How can you scam someone like that?
Just as he was pondering this, Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "Aren't you curious?"

Ma Shan glanced at him sideways.

What are you curious about? Why bring him up again after only one day?
The police aren't that free; it's only possible that Mu Ling's case has come to light.

But only one day later?
It's not like they haven't committed crimes or served time in prison. No matter how professional or efficient the Beijing police are, they can't be this efficient.

Unless, there are external factors.

Subconsciously, Ma Shan recalled the scene from the day before yesterday: Cai Ziyuan, needlework...

He suddenly clenched his teeth, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, and stared intently at Lin Sicheng: What kind of monster is this?

Seeing that he didn't speak, Lin Sicheng stood up and walked over.

"Brother Ma, we won't discuss the case today; let's make a deal. Don't worry, it'll definitely benefit you!"

Ma Shan snorted coldly, as if asking: What can you trade with me?
Lin Sicheng said succinctly: "That woman. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be in this situation today. Don't you hate her? Here's what we'll do: you confess about her, and I'll have the police help you get revenge."

Bullshit! Do you think I'm an idiot who doesn't even know who my enemy is?

I wish I could kill you.

He cursed inwardly, but Ma Shan remained silent.

Yan Wenjing was stunned for a moment, as were the others in the monitoring room.

It was only then that they realized Lin Sicheng's goal was not to get Ma Shan to confess, but rather that woman.

It feels like they're going in the opposite direction and downplaying the important issues: with limited police resources, they should at least thoroughly investigate the tomb raiding and murder cases in Mashan before making any decisions.

But from Lin Sicheng's perspective, it seems quite reasonable?
Ma Shan is already beyond saving. If the charge of participating in the murder is proven, he could be executed three times over.

Since the boss behind the scenes can't be found out anytime soon, let's turn our attention to that woman.

Since they're all enemies anyway, Ma Shan is ranked first, and that woman is ranked second.

But no one said a word, including the squad leader; they just stared at the screen.

Lin Sicheng muttered to himself, "I haven't witnessed how sharp Ma's judgment is, so I don't know yet. But his ruthlessness and decisiveness are astonishing. I suppose that person also knows how capable you are, otherwise she wouldn't have set up a trap to drag me down with her and buy her time."

"Therefore, she must know the consequences of offending you. But even so, she still dared to interrupt you, so she must not be an ordinary person."

She set up her trap with such ease and without leaving a trace, she must be a seasoned thief. Therefore, she must also be a powerful figure with extensive connections in a region…

After a slight pause, Lin Sicheng stared into Ma Shan's eyes: "A colleague, yet also an enemy?"

Ma Shan remained expressionless.

Lin Sicheng didn't care. He rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment: "Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. You just intercepted goods worth tens of millions of yuan like that? It seems there's quite a grudge between you two. Did you steal her goods, or perhaps, you stole her grave?"

Ma Shan paused for a moment, then looked away.

The surveillance footage clearly showed that Ma Shan's emotions fluctuated slightly, indicating that Lin Sicheng had guessed correctly.

But to be honest, it doesn't seem to be very useful.

In the antique business, it's either tomb raiding or dealing in cultural relics. If you make enemies, it almost always falls into that category.

Lin Sicheng continued to mutter to himself, "The timing was perfect. She just happened to be away from you and intercepted the goods? And she ran away so swiftly. You couldn't even catch her on your turf? It seems someone tipped her off?"

Ma Shan paused for a moment, his eyes darted around rapidly, then returned to normal.

The process was short and fleeting, but what was Lin Sicheng's job? To be honest, at least half of his skills lay in his eyes.

He chuckled, "Looks like even Broker Ma didn't expect that?"

"That's right. At the time, you were so focused on catching me that you thought I was that woman's accomplice. Then the people you sent were all wiped out, and you learned that the police were all over the city looking for you. You were only concerned with escaping and didn't have time to think things through."

Lin Sicheng said decisively, "Captain Yan, interrogate Ma Shan's men. There's definitely a woman among them!"

Ma Shan paused for a moment, then sneered: "What are you interrogating?"

"We can't get anything out of them...why? Wait, they escaped?"

Lin Sicheng nodded. "Captain Yan, stop the interrogation. Don't include those arrested in the list of people we've apprehended. Check those we haven't caught yet."

Ma Shan was so angry he almost vomited blood: "Fuck your mother..."

With a "clap," Lin Sicheng clapped his hands. "Looks like I guessed right, Captain Yan. Investigate those who escaped..."

Ma Shan was so angry he almost ground his teeth to powder.

He discovered that he couldn't open his mouth; no matter what he said, Lin Sicheng could find a loophole and trick him into revealing a key piece of information.

The problem is, simply not speaking isn't enough. This bastard seems to be able to read minds. He can guess something just from the slightest glance or pupil contraction.

However, today, not only were his hands and feet locked, but a noose was also around his neck, so he couldn't even lower his head.

Wait... can't I close my eyes?
Ma Shan closed his eyes and tightly shut his mouth.

But Lin Sicheng didn't care; he never expected Ma Shan to talk. It would be best if he could get something out of him, but it didn't matter if he couldn't.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Since she's an enemy, and Ma, the broker, is a seasoned veteran, it's impossible that she wasn't on guard. But she still managed to bribe your men? It seems your past entanglements run deep, and you weren't born enemies..."

"Let me think..." Lin Sicheng tapped the table again, "Have we worked together before?"

Ma Shan closed his eyes and remained motionless.

"Hmm, we must have had business dealings, like trading goods together, or even robbing tombs together..."

After a brief pause, Lin Sicheng suddenly had a thought: "It's more likely that you were originally in cahoots?"

Ma Shan didn't move, but he always felt as if there was a tension inside his body.

Not to mention Lin Sicheng and the experts in the monitoring room, even Yan Wenjing and the clerk could see it.

Lin Sicheng guessed it right again?

Otherwise, Ma Shan wouldn't be so nervous.

Lin Sicheng nodded again:
"If that's the case, it shouldn't be too difficult to investigate: Ma, the broker, certainly didn't expect to get in so quickly. Even if he's careful, he wouldn't be so secretive about his enemies. So, even if we can't catch the inside man, it's okay. We can still get some information by interrogating the captured subordinates..."

"Furthermore, since we've cooperated before, and even earlier we were partners, we must have had business dealings. Investigating the financial transactions and asking around in the underworld will reveal quite a bit more..."

Ma Shan couldn't hold back any longer and suddenly opened his eyes. Then he opened his mouth and said, "Heh...tui..."

Lin Sicheng tilted his head, and a glob of phlegm flew out, wiping his ear.

He squinted, a hint of suspicion in his pupils: "You only suspect me of being her accomplice, yet you dare to attack people and kidnap them in the street. With your methods and ruthlessness, if you could get rid of her, you would have done so long ago, instead of waiting for her to intercept your goods."

"Then why weren't they eliminated? Was it because they weren't strong enough, or couldn't win?"

"She intercepted your goods worth tens of millions of yuan. With such a deep grudge, instead of killing her before you died to vent your hatred, you covered it up for her? This is truly perplexing..."

Lin Sicheng muttered to himself, and Ma Shan closed his eyes again, but felt that his body was even more tense than before.

He wasn't someone with poor mental fortitude who dared to kill; in fact, he killed like a chicken, which speaks volumes about his character.

Ma Shan wasn't unwilling to endure it, but he had to be able to: This son of a bitch is like a ghost, his eyes can see into people's hearts.

Just like last time: he only changed his expression slightly, and the other man guessed that he had killed someone and filled the hole with their remains.

Just like now: He himself didn't expect there to be a mole among his subordinates, but the other person guessed it right away?
Then, because of an insider, he guessed that he and Wang Yaozi had not only cooperated, but had been accomplices even earlier.

And he didn't utter a single word from beginning to end. He relied entirely on guessing, entirely on chance, and he guessed right every single time?

How could he endure this?
"Brother Ma, don't be nervous... The question is, why are you nervous, or even a little afraid?"

Lin Sicheng muttered to himself, "It seems you're not incapable of dealing with that woman, but rather afraid to. But why are you afraid?"

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and Lin Sicheng stood up abruptly: "Because you and her... have the same boss?"

"Haha... Now that makes sense!" "It all started because of her. As soon as the police investigate that woman, your boss will find out. And he'll definitely assume you're the one who confessed... So, it's not a question of whether you live or die, it's that your whole family will die with you... Is that why you're scared?"

Ma Shan's eyes were bloodshot as he struggled frantically, the handcuffs rattling loudly...

"I'll kill you... I'll kill you..."

"Yan Wenjing, you son of a bitch! If you make me see him again, I'll kill myself right here..."

In the past, Yan Wenjing would have slapped him twice. But now, he seemed frozen, staring intently at Lin Sicheng.

There were also several experts in the monitoring room, as well as the branch captain.

Who just said something completely contrary to their own opinion, avoiding the important issues and focusing on the trivial?
Who said that police resources are limited and that investigating that woman is useless?
Come on, let's see if it works?
What surprised them even more was that Lin Sicheng had used the same method before, and Ma Shan had fallen for the same trick once before.

Yet it still works so well?
Several experts, in particular, wanted to give Lin Sicheng a round of applause.

They understood the principles perfectly well, even more so than Lin Sicheng: they guessed that the tomb raiding case at Muling had been uncovered, and that the body had even been exhumed. Knowing that death was inevitable, Ma Shan was not just nervous, he was extremely nervous.

Like a fully drawn bowstring, taut to its limit, it vibrates even with the slightest breeze, let alone being plucked by hand. Lin Sicheng used the frequency of this vibration to support his deduction.

His goal was simple, and his methods were not complicated: he didn't need Ma Shan to speak, he only needed to verify whether it was "yes" or "no".

If it is "no", Ma Shan will remain unmoved; if it is "yes", his emotions will be like a taut string, and he will react more or less.

As a result, the tremors became increasingly violent, with a higher frequency and more frequent occurrences. Now, it's not far from breaking off.

Once the connection is broken, whatever you ask, Ma Shan will answer.

Suddenly, everyone, from the team leader to the experts, perked up.

In the surveillance footage, Lin Sicheng turned around: "Fine, I won't see you then!"

He had reached the door when he stopped and looked back: "Whether I die or get shot, I'll die; whether I run myself over, I'll die anyway. Ma, the broker, isn't afraid. But what about my wife and kids?"

"With so many clues, finding that woman shouldn't be difficult. But once the police investigate, your boss will definitely find out. What will happen to your family then?"

"So I think Ma, the broker, should really reconsider: at the very least, shouldn't he tell the police where his wife and kids are, so they can help protect them..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Wenjing's eyes lit up: "That's right, it's not like I'm asking you to confess right now?"
It's fine if they don't confess. The people's police serve the people. The criminal committed a crime, but his family members didn't.

But to be honest: either way, he's going to die. As long as Ma Shan's worries are eliminated, it won't be long before he reveals the "boss".

if not?
There's no need to guess: if the boss runs away, once things calm down, Ma Shan's family will be the first to suffer.

With a sudden thought, the expert and the team leader stared intently at the screen.

Ma Shan's lips trembled as he moved them, as if he were about to utter the boss's name at any moment.

But unfortunately: "Heh~~tui..."

Looking at the thick phlegm that had fallen to the ground, still more than a meter away from him, Lin Sicheng sighed: "Hopeless!"

"Heh... I need you to save me? Fuck your mother..."

Suddenly, the faces of the experts, the team leader, and Wang Qizhi all fell: They deserved to die!
Lin Sicheng shook his head and left the interrogation room.

The monitoring room was right next door, doors side by side. Lin Sicheng had just entered when he started banging on the doorframes.

Immediately, a pair of hands reached out: "Teacher Lin, my surname is Wen. Can you leave your phone number? Let's keep in touch in the future."

Lin Sicheng was startled.

As mentioned before, this person is no ordinary individual: a nationally renowned interrogation expert who frequently gives lectures at the ministry level.

He quickly grasped it, saying, "I'm just showing off my limited skills before an expert; please excuse my poor performance!"

The expert didn't speak, he just smiled: Whether he's showing off his skills or not, he knows better than anyone else.

As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. If we compare professional skills and relevant knowledge, Lin Sicheng is definitely much worse.

But his strength lies in his knowledge of everything, especially the modus operandi, organizational structure, and even the style of operation of tomb raiders and cultural relic smugglers.

The key is his ability to adapt to changing circumstances: just like when doing true/false questions, if one answer is wrong, he can immediately switch to the next one. If that's still wrong, he can switch again.

It doesn't matter if you get ten wrong in a row, but if you guess one right, it can cost a criminal their life.

He sighed inwardly, then shook Lin Sicheng's hand, saying, "If Teacher Lin is interested, I can help you find some information!"

That's a good feeling.

The saying goes, "It's never a bad thing to have many skills." If you learn this well, you won't even need to check the authenticity of items when you go to the antique market; just looking at the shopkeeper's expression will suffice.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Thank you, Expert Wen!"

The branch captain expressed his gratitude, and Lin Sicheng politely declined. He then looked at the surveillance footage: in the interrogation room, the police officers unlocked the handcuffs, put them on, and escorted Ma Shan out.

Just before leaving, he glanced at the security camera, a cold smile appeared on his lips, and he spat on the ground.

The squad leader sneered, "They deserved to die!"

Wang Qizhi glanced at it and sighed again: "What a pity, it felt like I almost gave up just now!"

Lin Sicheng remained silent: The difference is definitely more than just a little.

With a swift and decisive strike, and a ruthless heart, how could such a person break down so easily?

Before, there was still a slight possibility. But now... five lives?
Ma Shan will only go down one path: resist to the bitter end.

After another day of running around, and with evening approaching, Lin Sicheng realized there was no point in staying any longer and took his leave.

The detachment leader thanked them profusely, sent a car, and personally escorted them to the door.

After shaking hands in farewell, just as he was about to get into the car, a figure flashed past from behind the gate, seemingly waving. Wang Qizhi narrowed his eyes: It's that girl again?
They probably didn't dare to come out because the squad leader was there.

Wang Qizhi didn't say anything until he got into the car, then he chuckled and said, "See?"

I thought Lin Sicheng would offer some excuses, but after waiting for a long time, there was no response.

Wang Qizhi turned around and found Lin Sicheng frowning, looking as if he was lost in thought.

Haha, you're flirting with a blind man...

He poked it with his finger: "What are you thinking about?"

"Oh..." Lin Sicheng came back to his senses. "I was wondering if Ma Shan had some kind of agreement with his boss. Like, an agreement that if something happens, the boss will know and he'll keep quiet about it no matter what!"

Wang Qizhi nodded as if he understood something: Even tigers don't eat their cubs, so even if Ma Shan is cold-blooded, he should still have some consideration for family ties.

He wouldn't be so afraid if Lin Sicheng hadn't tricked him. But if he was afraid, why wouldn't he tell him where his family was? The police aren't his boss; how could they threaten him with his family?
I suppose I must have made some preparations, but I was also hoping for the best.

"What will it be?"

"For example, some assets, or even some goods, but they're hidden quite well, so the police can't find them right away. But if they're found or seized, it means he confessed voluntarily. It's like giving the boss a signal..."

Hey, don’t tell me?

Wang Qizhi looked at him strangely: "How did you come up with that?"

"Teacher, it's on TV: like the underground party members in spy dramas, the flower on the windowsill."

"Should I remind you?"

"No need, Captain Yu and Captain Yan have probably already figured it out, and they're probably investigating right now..."

Wang Qizhi curled his lip: Yu Zhidui might be a possibility, but as for Yan Wenjing... he's a fraud.

"Hopefully, things will go smoothly and they'll find out who the boss in Mashan is soon. The sooner he dies, the sooner he can be reincarnated..."

Wang Qizhi pinched the bridge of his nose. "I feel a bit uneasy!"

During Zhang Anshi's tomb-robbing case, Wang Qizhi only heard about it from others and didn't have a deep understanding of it. But today, he witnessed it with his own eyes:
Five lives were lost, and some may not have even died properly, or could have been saved, but they were thrown alive into the grave and buried alive with cow dung.

Then look at Ma Shan: he was most likely the one who killed these five people. They knew they were doomed, but they were still so arrogant when facing the police.

This shows how brutal this group of people is, and how ruthless the so-called "boss" is.
Wang Qizhi finally understood why Lin Sicheng was so stubborn back then, refusing to listen to anyone's advice and insisting on helping the police deal with Yu Dahai.

Who could sleep soundly after offending someone like that?

Even if we can't dig it out, we have to cut off its claws and fangs.

"Oh right..." Wang Qizhi suddenly remembered, "And that woman!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: He felt that the woman might be even more difficult to deal with than Ma Shan.

Just as he was pondering this, the phone buzzed. He glanced at it and answered, "Senior Brother Zhao!"

"Junior brother, I have managed to get some information as promised. However, we cannot be certain yet!"

Lin Sicheng perked up: "Senior brother, what is it?"

"These are a few loose pieces (fragments), supposedly all from the mid-Qing Dynasty. Whether they're from the Daoguang and Xianfeng periods is unknown, but they're all unearthed artifacts! The key point is: they all came from the palace..."

"Senior brother, where is the thing?"

"In Liulichang, it's probably already closed. The only way to see it is tomorrow!"

Tomorrow it is.

"Thank you, senior brother!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Sicheng let out a sigh of relief.

How could so many items have leaked out of the imperial palace, especially since they were all unearthed artifacts? What a coincidence!
It might have been dug out from that tomb today.

Lin Sicheng lowered his head and pondered, while Wang Qizhi's eyes flickered slightly, and he secretly sighed: Zhao Xiuneng's speed is even faster than the police's.

There's a saying: Cats have their ways, and mice have theirs.

(End of this chapter)