Chu Nianxue's hand was easily freed from the black silk threads by Lin Xiaotian's spiritual energy. A tiny silver needle was all it took to resolve the issue.
He placed the few small insects into a transparent glass vial, his gaze hardening with a chilling glint.
"Wife, these little things, while not capable of inflicting severe harm, can multiply endlessly and will soon consume a person from the inside out."
"If I were to enhance these things and send them to those who attacked us, do you think they would be terrified?"
Chu Nianxue rolled her eyes charmingly. "Do as you please, but you should take these bugs away quickly. They scare me."
He too felt a lingering fear.
If Lin Xiaotian hadn't been there today, and hadn't recognized these creatures, she might have met a terrible end.
Being controlled by such things was truly more terrifying than death.
Lin Xiaotian grinned, tucking the vial into his pocket. With his hands behind his back, he left the office.
Chu Nianxue watched him go, her eyes filled with tender affection. After he was gone, her brow furrowed as she looked at the sculpture on the desk.
Just then, Lin Xiaotian suddenly pushed open the office door again, a bright smile on his face. He dashed to Chu Nianxue's side at lightning speed and cupped her exquisite, beautiful face.
Then, he kissed her deeply.
"Almost forgot, the most crucial thing is to find my wife first and get a kiss from the Goddess of Credit."
"This way, my errands will go much smoother."
Chu Nianxue's pretty face flushed. Her fair hand reached out, pushing Lin Xiaotian's face away. "You're being naughty again."
"And aren't you going to take this thing away?"
"We just touched this thing, and our hands were infected with the蛊虫. If it stays here, will the table also be affected? Perhaps I should have someone throw the table away too."
Lin Xiaotian shook his head with a smile. "It's not that potent. These insects need body heat to hatch their eggs, and there aren't many eggs left on the sculpture."
"Those people planned meticulously when they used this method, but they couldn't escape my eyes."
With that, Lin Xiaotian stealthily kissed Chu Nianxue on the cheek again. Then, he casually picked up the statue and, like a gust of wind, left the office.
Chu Nianxue's face reddened, and she shot him a playfully chiding glare.
But her charmingly bashful demeanor was unseen by anyone else.
After leaving the office, Lin Xiaotian casually tossed the statue into a bag and headed straight for Building No. 1 on Antique Street.
Master Liu had already returned to his antique shop.
He put on a sorrowful expression, sighing and shaking his head constantly upon his return.
The shop assistants were puzzled. Master Liu had been full of excitement and joy before he left, so why was he like this now?
Had he tried to curry favor and ended up offending someone?
They were confused but dared not say anything, fearing Master Liu might lash out at them.
Just then, Zhang Laohu finally walked in from outside the shop. He had been observing from the doorway for a while and, seeing Master Liu's demeanor, felt that this fellow must have discovered a problem.
A smug grin spread across his face.
"Old Liu, I told you before that you wouldn't regret buying my treasure. You might even end up begging me later."
"Now I've come to you in person, it's time for you to beg me."
He then swaggered over and sat down opposite Master Liu, looking as if he expected Master Liu to beg for mercy.
Master Liu's face immediately contorted with rage. He pointed at Zhang Laohu, gritting his teeth and shouting, "You scoundrel! You dared to trick me! Do you know that because of you, I was almost beaten to death?"
"It's also because of you, you bastard, that I've lost my freedom!"
"I still haven't gotten rid of those things, and even Lin Xiaotian is helpless and desperately trying to find a solution."
"And I can't even prove that these things weren't my doing. Lin Xiaotian doesn't believe for a second that you, you scoundrel, could be behind this."
Zhang Laohu laughed triumphantly. "You're right, I can't produce such things myself. But just because I can't doesn't mean others can't."
"I've allied myself with a powerful figure, and it was that figure who gave me these things."
"If you know what's good for you, kneel down and beg me now, and perhaps I can help you with your problem."
"I have the antidote here. As long as you agree to do a few things for me, I'll give you the antidote directly."
Hearing this, Master Liu paused. Lin Xiaotian had told him earlier that these things were蛊虫 and incurable, and that only special methods could be used to expel the worms, followed by medicine to counteract the eggs within the body.
Doubt flickered in his eyes. "Are you sure you can solve it with medicine?"
"I can clearly feel it wriggling in me. Isn't that thing alive?"
Zhang Laohu himself didn't know what it was; he was just bluffing. At this moment, a smug expression appeared on his face. "I'm the one who got the thing for you, so of course I know how to solve it. You can still beg me now. Once I change my mind, you won't have the chance to beg me even if you wanted to."
"You mocked me when I came to sell you things before. Shouldn't you be kneeling and licking my shoes now?"
"I'm telling you, this is your only chance. Miss this opportunity, and you can just wait to die!"
As he spoke, he raised his head. He had never felt so triumphant before.
In the past, although he had been successful on the streets, he was merely a low-level gang leader.
He was no match for these truly skilled appraisers, especially Master Liu, who was one of the rare masters in the appraisal world.
Master Liu gritted his teeth in anger, roaring, "Even if my legs were broken, I wouldn't kneel to you. Give up on that idea. And I don't believe you can actually produce such a thing."
"The antidote you speak of is just a joke. Prove it if you dare!"
"Alright, I'll prove it to you now." As soon as Zhang Laohu finished speaking, he immediately reacted, a mocking sneer appearing on his face. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Why should I prove it to you?"