“Haha, you little brat actually dare to spout nonsense in front of this old man. To me, this thing is clearly fake. Do you have a senior appraisal certificate issued by the state? Do you understand the culture of the Western Zhou dynasty? Do you know anything about official history and unofficial tales?”
“Do you think judging the authenticity of something is that simple? The cultural background of that era, the craftsmanship details of that period, you understand none of it, yet you dare to talk rubbish?” Tang Zhonghe scolded angrily.
“Just take photos and get it appraised. If it’s fake, I’ll cover the cost!” Luo Chen remained completely unmoved.
“Haha, no need for further appraisal at all. I myself am the best appraiser!” Tang Zhonghe seemed to have his tail stepped on and lost his composure.
“Besides, you know nothing, yet you dare to talk about real or fake in front of this old man?”
“Then how do you explain this?” Suddenly Ye Zhengtian took out his phone and tossed it in front of Tang Zhonghe. Tang Zhonghe’s expression froze instantly.
The two items that Tang Zhonghe had let Ye Zhengtian photograph were indeed fakes.
Now an authoritative organisation had certified it and sent the real result straight to Ye Zhengtian.
“Haha, old Tang, I never expected that after more than ten years with me, you would betray me now. If I hadn’t met Mr Luo last time, I really wouldn’t have suspected you.” Ye Zhengtian spoke without anger, yet his presence was commanding. After all, the title of East China Lion was not given for nothing.
Tang Zhonghe’s face changed instantly. Cold sweat poured down his back in a moment, because once something was uncovered, even though the Ye Zhengtian in front of him was old, he knew very well what the man was capable of.
“Old Ye, I…”
Ye Zhengtian gave him no chance. Two big men came in from outside and dragged Tang Zhonghe away. To this, Old Ye simply said one sentence: deal with him.
“Mr Luo, thank you for this matter.” Ye Zhengtian clasped his fists towards Luo Chen.
“No need to be polite. But after more than ten years, how could this happen?”
“Haha, people get old. Perhaps an old rival from back then has returned, so he bribed someone close to me. If necessary, I may have to trouble Mr Luo again.” Ye Zhengtian spoke plainly without any pretence.
In fact, it was precisely because he trusted the people around him too much that he suffered such a big loss. It was the classic case of darkness under the lamp.
“I hear that old rival’s disciple has already reached grandmaster level. When the time comes, I may need to ask Mr Ye to save me once or twice. After all, I’m old now, no longer what I used to be. I reckon they will come knocking soon.” Ye Zhengtian’s expression turned grave.
Luo Chen did not agree directly. After all, as an Immortal Venerable, he was not anyone’s hired fighter. Helping today was already giving Ye Zhengtian face.
At that moment, the host on stage began again.
“Next, we auction a special item: the property rights to Panlong Bay, starting bid one million!”
The property rights to Panlong Bay should originally have been auctioned by the land bureau, but somehow someone was holding a second auction.
And the price was surprisingly low, almost like giving it away.
This was rather intriguing.
Even Luo Chen was a bit stunned, his face showing puzzlement. That plot of land in Panlong Bay should be worth several hundred million at least. How could the starting bid be only one million?
Seeing Luo Chen’s confusion, Ye Shuangshuang beside him explained.
“Panlong Bay is the highest small mountain in Tongzhou. A few years ago, that land was indeed worth several hundred million. Many real estate developers fought desperately to get it, because if houses were built there, the price could exceed the city centre, at least fifty thousand per square metre. It was absolutely prime land.”
“But now Panlong Bay has become a hot potato. No one dares to touch it, and no one wants it anymore.” Ye Shuangshuang sighed.
“Why?”
“Because three real estate developers have already taken it over, but after each one got Panlong Bay, they died mysteriously. One or two could be coincidence, but three? There must be something going on.”
“And not only that, in just a few short years, dozens of lives have been lost there. Workers on the construction team often died. Most of the dead had no wounds at all, nor any illness. It’s said that every corpse had a hideous, terrifying face.”
“The project has always been stalled and abandoned.”
“It’s said that just this morning, two more bodies were found there. One was a director, quite well-known in that circle. The matter was suppressed, otherwise it would have caused a huge sensation long ago.”
Luo Chen nodded. Even if it was suppressed, with the Ye family’s influence, they would definitely know about it.
As for the so-called director, Luo Chen of course knew what was behind it, but he paid it no mind.
“The most important thing is that the director died by falling onto the rooftop of an unfinished building there. That’s very strange, because to fall to death on a rooftop, there was no place higher than the rooftop around it.”
This matter was extremely bizarre and terrifying. The body was smashed to pulp, almost unrecognisable. It must have fallen from a great height. Could it have fallen from a plane?
Luo Chen did not ask more. Instead, he remained calm, because even Ye Shuangshuang herself probably never imagined that the culprit was standing right in front of her.
“What about the other body?”
“The other body was a taxi driver.” When Ye Shuangshuang said this, she gave Luo Chen a meaningful glance.
“The driver died in his car with a hideous face, no wounds anywhere on his body.”
“These two incidents have gone beyond what science can explain. They have been classified as paranormal events. That’s why the developer is now desperately trying to offload this hot potato.”
“Because people are already panicking, and he himself is extremely scared.”
Hearing this, Luo Chen smiled. Both incidents were because of him!
So although it was a coincidence, in a way he had unintentionally gained a huge advantage.
And sure enough, when the land came up for auction, although the prominent figures from Tongzhou below all showed interest, no one bid.
Three calls for bids passed, yet no one spoke.
Bear in mind, this was a chance to get Tongzhou’s most valuable land for just one million!
But these powerful people in Tongzhou all knew that no matter how valuable the land was, it was not worth more than their own lives.
The real estate boss behind the scenes still refused to give up. He stuffed more money to the auctioneer, asking for one more try.
“Panlong Bay property rights, plus the nearly completed buildings, starting bid one million.”
“Hey, Boss Li, do you think we’re all idiots? That land of yours is a death warrant. Even if you give it away for free or pay people to take it, no one would want it, yet you still dare to sell it!”
“Hmph, once the most valuable land in Tongzhou, what a pity!”
“Who the hell would be stupid enough to buy it?”
“Yeah, unless they don’t want to live anymore, who would have the guts?”
The boss Li behind the scenes naturally knew that hope was slim.
But right at that moment, a voice suddenly came from one of the private boxes.
“One million. I’ll take it!”
It was Luo Chen’s voice.