Thief

phantoms. That snow-white, translucent long sword was also frequently used to sever souls and break spirits.When has it ever been like this, with wind blades and fire streams, purple lightning and fr...The Shen family's latest commission came from a local tycoon in a neighboring province. The specifics are outlined in the documents I have on hand.

In a village where religious icons were highly revered, particularly those passed down through generations, a sacred statue was stolen. The villagers, deeply devoted to their faith and the sanctity of these artifacts, immediately reported the theft to the relevant national authorities. It turned out that the stolen statue was almost smuggled out of the country.

After returning, misfortune struck the village one after another. Villagers speculated that it was a curse from the holy image, so they invited Taoist priests and Buddhist monks to perform rituals alternately, but with no noticeable effect.

Six months before this event, the Land God said that some foreigners had visited the mountain temple, including a woman with several children. That was when Xiaomixi left her at Shenjiashan Gate.

Little Shrimp was too young to remember his origins, but he exhibited signs of an unsettled soul. After seeing the jade Buddha pendant hanging around Madam Lin's neck, he became restless at night, longing to "take" it.

"So, could we guess that the little shrimp was specially trained to steal things like valuable objects That barbarian is very suspicious," my brother deduced.

"Do you think the commissions Shen's family has taken recently are also related to this barbarian" I asked.

My brother nodded. “Half a year he spent, after leaving here, searching all the way down to that village at the river mouth, almost succeeding.”

"Why are you stealing these things" I asked, confused.

My brother scoffed, "There's a black market for cultural relics, and even special channels for overseas circulation. You don't know about that This business runs deep. Our country is one of the hardest hit areas for cultural relic outflow. How many national treasures have disappeared over the past hundred or so years Do you think Old Master Lin contacted me privately to chat about something else He wants me, a patriotic businessman, to act as his go-between to recover and intercept these things."

"What should we do I'm going to go check on the victim. Both Shen Qingrui and the head manager have been detained, I don't know what happened. I'll set off at dawn." I told my brother.

My brother looked at Jiang Qiyun: “Brother-in-law, are you going too”

Jiang Qiyun nodded.

“Then I won't worry about it. But Xiao Qiao, you are a woman and can’t go out alone. You must have someone to run errands for you. Those with bad intentions will think badly of you if they see you alone, understand Your brother-in-law can't be by your side all the time.” My brother reminded me.

"Then investigate this openly, and take care of Yanqin and Madam Lin in the meantime. Also, find someone to settle Little Shrimp's spirit and scare him away, so he doesn't become accustomed to being disoriented." I reminded her.

"Okay." My brother nodded.

Now his main focus is on that auction house, he's less involved in the yin-yang circle stuff.

I started to worry, who should I take with me The disciples of the Shen family couldn't be of much help, and the little slave by my side couldn't appear openly.

It’s fine if I can only bring Xiao Nie back, it doesn't matter that she can't get on the plane. For a few hundred kilometers, the Shen family’s helicopter can handle it.

I'm afraid of heights, actually I don't dare to take a helicopter. But Xiaonie sneered at me and said: "You have walked through the underworld so many times, are you still afraid of death Even the two honored gods guarding the Ghost Gate can play mahjong with you, what are you afraid of"

I can't help but laugh and cry. Little one, after being born into the world, you've quickly learned the ways of the mundane!

Jiang Qiyun let me go first, he said he would appear by my side at night and told me not to worry.

I took the two disciples of the Shen family to run errands. The helicopter landed on a flat ground in the mountains, and I saw something unusual about this "village" even from mid-air.

This village is too extravagant, built like a resort. The cars parked by the roadside are very luxurious.

Following me, Shen Jiǎokūn whispered, “This village is called Jiangting Village. I think it should be called Haoting Village. Every household seems to want to paint their doors with gold!”

As soon as we landed, we were spotted by a few old men smoking under a tree. One of them put down his pipe and shouted at us, "What are you doing here"

The disciples of the Shen family behind me immediately rushed forward to explain. My brother told me to take people out, the purpose was to…put on airs.

Sometimes, people need to play different roles to get things done, especially when going out and interacting with others. If I were to show up alone, I guess people wouldn't take me seriously.

The disciples of the Shen family politely bowed to the elder and said: "Hello, we are here to see Mr. Zhao Gui Rong."

Several elderly gentlemen, appearing to be in their seventies or eighties, were dressed in loose and casual Chinese clothing. They wore large gold rings inlaid with jade on their hands, some smoking pipes, others holding tobacco sticks. They sat on benches, squinting at us.

“We don’t know Zhao Gui Rong.” The old man’s Mandarin was thick with a local accent.

This is clearly exclusionary. Someone from the village could have commissioned someone from the Shen family, how could they not know us Probably they're wary because we look unfamiliar and arrived by helicopter.

"But, Master Zhau Gui Rong entrusted our family with this task. We sent someone here. If we don't find him, who else should we look for" That disciple wasn't very patient in trying to smooth things over.

>

"Isn't this what you commissioned us to do" the disciple asked, a bit anxiously.

I saw someone walking at the village entrance from afar. I said to the disciple, "Let's go find the villagers' committee and ask them..."

As we walked a few steps, those elderly men behind us sneered and said, "Anyone wants to come here to get rich."

"Xiao Gui Rong hasn't hired that many random and useless people, they're all swindlers!"

"I think these guys are here for nothing. What skills can they possibly have at such a young age"

“The last few who came here were —”

"Hush..."

These old men, even at their age, are so petty and ruthless. I bet they weren't good people when they were young either.

As I walked into the village, I noticed women of all ages walking along the roadside and chatting at their doorsteps.

Where is the man

A middle-aged woman stopped her car in front of us, carrying several large bags of vegetables from the supermarket. I hurriedly greeted her and asked: "Auntie, how do we get to the village committee here"

This older woman sized us up and asked, “What are you doing at the village committee”

"I'm looking for someone. Find Mr. Zhao Gui Rong."

Big Sister's eyebrows shot up, and she smiled, "What do you want with him"

"...we had a phone call before, he asked us to come to the village to meet him, there are some things that need to be discussed in person."

My elder sister laughed a few times, pressed the automatic door of her house, and said to me, "Come in. Zhao Guirong is my father-in-law. However... the man behind you can't come in."

"Huh Why We're together, aren't we" I asked, confused.

Big sister smirked: "You don't know, this is Widow Village, do you"in, that's creative.Just as I was about to board the ship, Mu Wanchen rushed over and asked, "Are you going out for a walk"I nodded and said, "You don't have to follow me! I'll go sell things, just as...