C4 Not a Good Source

What?

A wave of surprise washed over everyone's faces.

The collector couldn't contain himself any longer, striding forward and seizing Lin Hao by the collar.

"Explain, what's so eerie about this item?" he demanded, eyes bulging with fury.

Anyone would bristle at the suggestion that their prized possession was not only of dubious origin but also cursed.

Lin Hao gently removed the collector's grip and offered a rueful smile. "The patina on this item is aged, and there are signs of weathering on the beads. Coupled with the material and the polished craftsmanship of the necklace, it's clearly the work of a renowned Buddhist temple."

"Yet, there's a distinct earthy scent to it, indicating it was recently unearthed. And if you look at this bead here, you'll notice bloodstains, likely a later addition."

"Let's consider this: a freshly unearthed necklace with traces of blood. What does that suggest?"

Qin Chuyang, standing nearby, couldn't help but interject, "Is this a funerary object? Something worn by the deceased as a burial accompaniment?"

Lin Hao nodded, and the collector involuntarily stepped back.

"If I'm not mistaken, someone as wealthy as you would naturally want to amass as many treasures as possible," Lin Hao pressed on.

"But the seller only offered you this necklace, correct?"

Qin Chuyang turned to the collector, "Young Master Zhou, is he speaking the truth?"

The collector nodded, "Indeed, I was immediately taken with this necklace. I had hoped the seller had more treasures, but he insisted this was all he had."

"The necklace's provenance is a minor issue. The real concern is your current predicament," Lin Hao said with a chuckle.

"What problem could I possibly have?" Zhou Hongbo grew anxious.

The fact that Lin Hao could discern the necklace's origins at a glance was telling.

It meant that Lin Hao was not just knowledgeable; he was exceptional.

Lin Hao explained with measured ease, "As I mentioned earlier, the necklace itself is quite valuable. If the tomb's occupant could afford such an item, wouldn't there be other burial goods nearby?"

"The most plausible explanation is that after the tomb's owner passed away, this necklace was retrieved to quell the restless spirit."

"The presence of blood on the necklace suggests that the deceased was likely decapitated or had their throat slit. Typically, a person who dies a natural death would be buried, and then blood might leak from their seven orifices. This is the reason behind the ancient practice of sealing the seven orifices."

Antique connoisseurs are well aware that sealing the seven orifices involved plugging them with jade or wood post-mortem. Ancient people believed that jade could preserve the soul, and by sealing the orifices with it, one could keep the soul within the body, achieving immortality or avoiding reincarnation.

Modern science adopts a similar approach, but its aim is to prevent the leakage of bodily fluids and blood from the deceased's seven orifices, which could lead to cross-contamination with the living.

Given this, if a person died and blood leaked from their seven orifices, how could it possibly seep into the necklace?

Thus, Lin Hao's explanation holds considerable weight.

"What, what's the big deal? Aren't most antiques on the market excavated from graves anyway?" Zhou Hongbo's voice trembled slightly, betraying his lack of confidence and underlying worries.

Lin Hao scoffed, "Having been buried alongside a violently deceased person for so many years, this string of prayer beads has been steeped in malevolent energy. What was once a sacred Buddhist artifact has now become a cursed and sinister object. Far from being a blessing, wearing it has brought you misfortune."

"At best, it could bring minor misfortunes or financial loss, but at worst, it could diminish your blessings, shorten your life, or even lead to violent mishaps."

Zhou Hongbo looked utterly stunned, while those around him cast questioning glances, wondering if Lin Hao's words were indeed true.

"No wonder I've felt so unsteady and weak since I started wearing this thing. Just this morning, I woke up to find blood at the corner of my mouth. I had a thorough checkup at the hospital, but they couldn't find anything wrong."

"And on my way here, I accidentally broke a street vendor's Xuande vase, costing me tens of thousands..."

Lin Hao let out a cold laugh and remarked, "This is only the beginning. I suspect things are going to get much worse from here on out!"

"What should I do then?" Zhou Hongbo asked in a panic.

Lin Hao gave a nonchalant shrug. "How should I know? I'm neither a Taoist priest nor a monk."

After a brief pause, Lin Hao continued with a grin, "Or, as I mentioned earlier, you could offer the item to a Buddhist temple for consecration. Alternatively, find a deserted place to discard it. Perhaps that could help you dodge the bullet."

"Okay, okay!" Zhou Hongbo nodded frantically. "I'm on it. I'll take care of it right away."

He then dashed out the door.

"Hold on—"

Lin Hao called out abruptly.

Zhou Hongbo skidded to a halt, gripping the doorframe. He turned back and inquired, "Do you have any further advice, wise one?"

Funny how people change. Just moments ago he was cursing, and now he's switched to a respectful title.

Lin Hao rolled his eyes and advised, "Don't even think about passing this problem onto someone else. Be upright in your actions. Harboring ill will towards others is never right; remember, the gods are always watching."

Zhou Hongbo shuddered, his face flushing then paling.

Lin Hao had already guessed Zhou Hongbo's intentions from the display screen. The man was planning to offload the necklace at a bargain price to recoup some of his losses.

"Thank you, wise one. I... I understand what I must do now!"

Zhou Hongbo bowed in gratitude and then departed.

As Lin Hao turned back to the room, he noticed the shift in the crowd's gaze, particularly Qin Chuyang's, which flickered with a look of indecision.

Qin Sisi, on the other hand, seemed less perturbed. She jogged up to Lin Hao and asked with curiosity, "How did you figure out there was an issue with that necklace?"

Lin Hao gave a wry smile and said, "Oh, that?"

His thoughts racing, he explained, "If you pay close attention, you could spot the flaws in the necklace. Connect those dots, and the answer emerges quite naturally!"

The others exchanged puzzled looks.

Everyone in the room was sharp, but it seemed Lin Hao was in a league of his own when it came to attention to detail.

The provenance of the necklace could be justified by the minutiae, but the technique used to assess Zhou Hongbo's fortune – that was beyond the reach of any run-of-the-mill antique connoisseur, wasn't it?

"Ah, my vision fails me in my old age. Young man, your skills are impressive. Indeed, the student has surpassed the teacher."

"Enough of that for now. Young fellow, wait here for me. I'll fetch some treasures from home for you to appraise. Rest assured, the compensation will be generous."

"Come on, Old Chen, that's low. This situation... No way, I'm coming too!"

"…"

With that, more than half of the collectors dashed towards the door, likely eager to have Lin Hao evaluate their own questionable antiques.

Qin Chuyang watched them go, unfazed. After a brief pause, he approached and said, "Young man, I've witnessed your talent. Please excuse my earlier impoliteness."

"But you claim this Dragon Scale Dagger is worth merely two thousand. How so?"

As Qin Chuyang's words hung in the air, those few who had been poised to leave wrestled with their inner turmoil before ultimately deciding to stay.

They were helpless against their own curiosity. Without indulging it, they'd likely be restless for days on end!