I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

The black bead rolled to Lin Ye's feet and stopped.

It was a tiny speck, and when the light shone on it, it lit up briefly.

Lin Ye glanced down at it but didn't pick it up.

At times like this, he wouldn't dare touch even a tiny gold nugget on the ground.

Whoever touches it takes the blame.

The working class still has this much awareness.

Before the shout of "Stop!" from downstairs had even faded, the sound of a chair falling to the ground followed immediately.

With a loud clang.

The group that was just pretending to be having a tea party finally couldn't keep up the act anymore.

The bald man was the first to look outside, almost knocking over his teacup.

The old man in the Tang suit quickly stuffed a small magnifying glass into his sleeve, as if it were a cell phone he had secretly hidden rather than a magnifying glass.

The young man in the light-colored suit sat there, his face as white as if he had just been informed that his day off was canceled.

Lin Ye glanced at it.

It wasn't Pei Jingluan who ran away.

It wasn't Bai Jingchuan either.

It was the gray-jacketed guy who had been sitting at the entrance to the side hall.

The man was in his forties, carrying a black leather bag. He didn't say much after entering the room, and he didn't push forward when the bronze vessel was brought to the stage.

These are the types of people who are most easily overlooked.

He was now being held down by two police officers by the courtyard, his black leather bag lying on the ground with the zipper half open, revealing a stack of document bags inside.

The gray jacket was still struggling.

"I'm just here for tea! I don't know anything!"

Lin Ye almost burst out laughing when he heard this.

The people in this group tonight all used the same rhetoric.

Come and have some tea.

Just passing by.

do not know.

can't read.

Add another "phone dead" excuse, and you've got the four-piece set for a crime scene.

The leader of the cultural relics inspection team raised his hand.

"Don't touch the bag, take a picture first, and then seal it away separately."

The people nearby immediately went over.

The man in the gray jacket tried to say something, but the police officer pressed down on his shoulder.

"What do you want to say? Say it later."

In the tea room, the white refrigerated box is still stuck in the hidden compartment at the bottom of the tall cabinet.

The box is not large, and it has anti-collision strips at the four corners.

The tattered red seal was pasted on the side, its edges blackened, as if it had been soaked in water and then pressed flat again.

The three letters above are very clear.

QBM.

Bai Jingchuan stood to the side, his face no longer resembling that of a living person.

That little bit of dignity they had just maintained has been shattered into pieces.

Pei Jingluan remained calm.

But after one of the beads broke, he was left with a small empty piece in his hand.

He slowly rubbed the broken end of the rope with his thumb.

The movements were not rushed.

Don't panic.

It's like someone carefully setting up a chessboard, only to have a cup of cold tea suddenly spilled on it.

It won't collapse.

But it's unpleasant.

The head of cultural relics inspections looks back at Bai Jingchuan.

"Who put this box in there?"

Bai Jingchuan's lips moved.

"I have no idea."

Lin Ye tried to hold back, but couldn't.

"Mr. Bai, the things you don't know are worth more than my salary."

Gu Wantang turned her head to look at him.

Lin Ye immediately added, "I'll shut up."

After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes for two seconds.

Two seconds is already very generous of them.

The police officer looked at Bai Jingchuan.

"You're the person in charge of on-site reception tonight. You have the key to the break room, and you opened the locker. You say you don't know? We need to explain."

Bai Jingchuan's Adam's apple bobbed.

"There are many people coming and going at Guiyun Hall, so not everything goes through me."

"Does anyone have a spare key?"

Bai Jingchuan fell silent.

This silence was even more unsightly than the previous "I don't know".

Gu Wantang looked at him, her tone indifferent.

"Bai Jingchuan, you just said the cabinet is full of tea."

Bai Jingchuan looked up.

Gu Wantang said, "The tea in your secondhand market is indeed quite refreshing."

Lin Ye almost laughed again.

Miss Gu delivered the final blow; the sound wasn't loud, but it hurt quite a bit.

Pei Jingluan spoke at this moment.

Bai Jingchuan was merely receiving guests.

In short, Bai Jingchuan was removed from the list.

Bai Jingchuan immediately looked at him.

There was a momentary relaxation in his eyes.

Lin Ye also looked at Pei Jingluan.

coming.

Cutting has begun.

This level of proficiency can't be achieved without years of experience in shifting blame.

Pei Jingluan continued, "In the back area of ​​Guiyun Club, some guests temporarily store their belongings. We need to check the entry and exit records to find out who brought them."

The head of the cultural relics inspection team looked at him.

"Where is the record located?"

Pei Jingluan looked at Bai Jingchuan.

Bai Jingchuan's expression turned even uglier.

"front desk."

The leader gestured to the people around him.

"Go get it. Officers, come with us."

Two staff members went to the front desk.

Lin Ye could roughly guess what was going on by looking at Bai Jingchuan's expression.

Records may exist.

But that's not necessarily true.

Maybe tonight, everyone on the registration form will be named Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Wu, Zhao Liu.

But it's okay.

They cut up old cabinets and file boxes in the back alley.

Another white box appeared in the tea room.

The whole affair of the Mountain and Sea Night Banquet is not something that can be resolved with a simple "misunderstanding".

Just then, the man in the gray jacket downstairs suddenly shouted, "I'm just delivering documents! I don't know them!"

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

Lin Ye: "..."

He silently looked at Gu Wantang.

Gu Wantang also glanced at him.

Neither of them spoke.

But the meaning is similar.

These days, even villainous teams have automatic spoiler functions?

After shouting, the man in the gray jacket realized what he had done and his expression changed instantly.

The police officers pulled him aside.

What documents should I send?

"I……"

The man in the gray jacket trembled, his eyes unconsciously drifting towards Bai Jingchuan.

Bai Jingchuan's face turned even paler.

Lin Ye understood.

This person must be an errand runner for Bai Jingchuan's floor.

They may not be directly connected with Pei Jingluan.

In a banquet held amidst mountains and seas, the layers of separation mean that each person only knows their own part.

The advantage is safety.

The downside is that it's difficult to get a unified story when something goes wrong.

This is a major exposé.

One person slipped up, and the whole room fell silent.

The head of the cultural relics inspection team did not continue the investigation here.

He had the gray jacket and black leather bag handled separately, then looked back at the white box.

"Make a site record first. The container will not be moved for the time being."

He made it very clear.

"The appearance, the structure of the hidden compartments, the location of the seals, and the cabinet locks were all photographed and videotaped. The entire opening process was recorded by law enforcement, with police officers present and witnesses signing the record."

Lin Ye listened and nodded silently.

profession.

That's right.

This is not opening a blind box.

This is a legitimate unboxing.

Bai Jingchuan immediately looked up.

"Don't open it!"

That statement came too quickly.

After he finished speaking, he froze for a moment.

Lin Ye gave a soft "yo".

Not big.

But several people nearby heard it.

Bai Jingchuan closed his eyes.

The head of the cultural relics inspection team looked at him.

"Why can't it be opened?"

Bai Jingchuan forced a smile and said, "It's not appropriate to open privately stored items without permission."

"Involving suspected illegal trading of cultural relics and their collection numbers, an investigation will be conducted in accordance with the law."

The leader's tone remained steady.

"If you continue to obstruct us, you will only make the problem worse."

Bai Jingchuan didn't say anything more.

Pei Jingluan didn't stop her.

He even stepped half a step to the side.

"Cooperate."

It's still those two words.

Lin Ye looked at him, feeling uneasy at all.

Pei Jingluan was too cooperative.

This person either thinks the box can't kill him, or he's already prepared his next excuse.

Sure enough, Pei Jingluan looked at Gu Wantang and said calmly, "Miss Gu, what if the box doesn't contain what you're looking for?"

Gu Wantang replied quickly.

"That at least proves that the Guiyun Clubhouse likes to hide boxes in its tea room."

Lin Ye almost lost his composure again.

Row.

Miss Gu is in good spirits tonight.

Pei Jingluan smiled as well.

He didn't say anything more.

The staff began filming.

First, take a picture of the cabinet.

Take another picture of the hidden button.

Then slap the side seal on the box.

The box has a combination lock and a mechanical lock.

Bai Jingchuan said he didn't know the password.

The police officer glanced at him.

He immediately added, "I really don't know."

Lin Ye held back and didn't say anything.

Mr. Bai's "I really don't know" has now become inflated.

The accompanying technical staff stepped forward.

There are no cool moves like those in TV dramas.

It involves wearing gloves, inspecting locks, taking photos, recording information, and unpacking.

Lin Ye was so slow that he almost dug a room out of his shoes with his toes.

But he knew that going slow was the right thing to do.

Lu Zhixia once said, "Don't complain about the complicated procedures. The procedures are there so that bad people can't accuse you of messing around later."

A dozen minutes later, the lock was opened.

Click.

A very soft sound.

Outside the tea room, all sounds ceased.

Even those pretending to be passersby downstairs craned their necks.

The lid was not opened immediately.

The staff first fixed the angle and then took another picture.

The leader confirmed the recorder.

"open."

The lid of the box slowly lifted.

A blast of cold air wafted out.

First, a layer of white shock-absorbing cotton is visible inside.

In the middle of the shock-absorbing cotton, there is something wrapped in acid-free paper and soft padding.

The outline is not large.

The rim of the mouth flares outwards.

The abdomen is swollen.

Lin Ye didn't understand bronzes.

But he immediately remembered the outfit on stage.

Bronze zun with animal mask design.

The one in the box just wasn't as "pretty" as the one on stage.

It was wrapped very tightly, with only a small part of the vessel showing.

The color is dark.

It's not lit.

It doesn't look like something displayed for people to see.

It's more like it was carefully dug out from a very deep place.

The young inspector even slowed his breathing.

The leader did not allow anyone to take it.

He whispered, "Stay where you are."

The flashlight shone into the box.

There was an old label stuck to the inside of the box, the edges of which were curled up.

There is a string of numbers on it.

QBM-17-0429.

Lin Ye heard Gu Wantang take a soft breath.

It's very light.

But he heard it.

Bai Jingchuan's face was completely drained of color.

Pei Jingluan stood outside the door, still not moving.

But his gaze finally darkened.

Besides the bronze zun that was wrapped up, there was also a transparent moisture-proof bag in the box.

The moisture-proof bag is attached to the inside of the box lid and secured with two thin straps.

There are no objects inside.

It's paper.

A few yellowed sheets of paper.

There's also a piece of old red seal.

The young inspector shone the light upwards.

A few words were visible inside the moisture-proof bag.

Temporary exhibition allocation verification form.

Zheng Shouan.

abnormal.

As soon as those words were uttered, Gu Wantang's eyes turned cold.

Lin Ye stood at the door, and suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

It wasn't excitement.

It wasn't exactly enjoyable.

Even though things finally went according to plan, I couldn't feel happy at all.

Zheng Shou'an is not crazy.

I'm not talking nonsense in the tomb.

He really saw it.

They really did leave something behind.

But while he was alive, no one let him finish speaking.

The head of the cultural relics inspection team lowered his voice.

"Do not remove it; seal it completely. Notify the museum's experts and technical team to come and verify it."

The person next to him immediately responded.

Bai Jingchuan suddenly took a step back.

Tao Shuang reached out to stop her.

"Mr. Bai, stand still."

Bai Jingchuan looked at the box, his voice dry.

"I don't know what's inside."

Lin Ye glanced at him.

This time, no response was given.

Sometimes, you just can't tell a joke.

Gu Wantang turned to look at Pei Jingluan.

"Mr. Pei, is this still just a story?"

Pei Jingluan remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he laughed.

It's very light.

"Of course it's a story."

Gu Wantang's eyes turned cold.

Pei Jingluan said, "It's just that the storyteller has changed."

Lin Ye frowned.

Something doesn't seem right.

It's too peaceful.

He was as calm as if he had known this moment would come sooner or later.

The head of the cultural relics inspection team walked up to Pei Jingluan.

"Pei Jingluan, please cooperate with the further investigation."

Pei Jingluan nodded.

"Of course."

He raised his hand and took the broken string of beads off his wrist, placing it in the tray beside him.

The movements are slow.

It's quite respectable.

Being too respectable is more annoying.

Bai Jingchuan was not so dignified.

He looked at Pei Jingluan, his voice a little hoarse.

"Mr. Pei..."

Pei Jingluan did not look at him.

"Bai Jingchuan, it'll be better for you to talk less."

The last trace of color drained from Bai Jingchuan's face.

Lin Ye watched this scene and suddenly understood.

Pei Jingluan was not unperturbed.

He has already begun to abandon his pawns.

Bai Jingchuan, the gray jacket, and even tonight's banquet at the mountain and sea can all be cut off by him.

What this person is really afraid of is probably not the box itself.

Or rather, it's not just this box.

Just then, Lin Ye's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He glanced down at it.

It is Ningzhi.

There is only one photo.

The photo is very blurry, as if it was taken while the person was running.

In the video, a black minivan is parked at the end of the alley behind Guiyun Club.

The car door was half open.

A man wearing a hat was standing next to the car.

The man was holding a black file tube in his hands.

There is one more sentence below.

They didn't come from Guiyun Clubhouse, they came from the courtyard next door.

Lin Ye's eyelids twitched.

Before he could reply, a second message popped up.

There were also invitations to the event in the car, black with gold lettering, just like tonight.

Lin Ye raised his head.

In the break room, the white box had been sealed off.

Pei Jingluan was being led aside.

The people downstairs fell silent, as if the dust had settled.

But the photo on Lin Ye's phone sent a chill down his spine.

Gu Wantang was also looking at her phone.

Her expression changed slightly.

Tao Shuang had already turned and walked out, making a phone call in a low voice as she went.

"Keep an eye on that car, but don't try to stop it. Remember its license plate and route."

Just then, Pei Jingluan suddenly turned around and looked at Lin Ye.

He chuckled softly across the courtyard.

"Mr. Lin."

Lin Ye didn't say anything.

Pei Jingluan's voice was not loud.

"What you caught was just the food on this table tonight."

He paused.

"The kitchen isn't open yet."