Chapter 250 - 159: Arrest! Big Fish

Rong Family Garden Daoist Temple

This was the information Sun Jian had provided.

He had finally talked, after all. He had probably anticipated the police’s predicament, and of course, he’d wanted to watch it unfold. He even made a point of having the note delivered by hand.

A smiley face.

The same smile he wore when he flew in with Zhang Liang.

But now, he was leaving by plane.

His smile was gone.

It wasn’t just him; no one was smiling. Even after obtaining a crucial clue that could crack the entire case, not a single person looked pleased.

...

「December 28th.」

7:30 in the morning.

A dedicated street market was as bustling as ever.

This was Rong Garden.

Rong Garden wasn’t a family home, a private estate, or some random park.

It was the name of a district.

You could think of it as a borough or township.

And as for what went on here...

"Come on, how could this thing only be worth five hundred? Six thousand! I’m not selling for a penny less than six thousand!"

"Eight hundred. Not a cent more!"

"Then you can try your luck elsewhere. I couldn’t even buy it myself for eight hundred. Four thousand. Don’t even think about it for less..."

"Fifteen hundred. That’s really my final offer..."

The man mumbled, but before he could even finish, the stall owner exclaimed happily:

"Deal!"

"Fifteen hundred, all sales final! It’s yours now!"

With that, the stall owner quickly shoved the item into the man’s hands.

The man’s heart sank.

’I got ripped off!’

Similar scenes played out everywhere you looked.

Vendors had red cloths spread on the ground, displaying an assortment of items that seemed to carry the weight of ages and exuded a rustic charm.

"This here is a genuine night-luminescent pearl. Just look at the size of it..."

"I’ve got a spirit-ginseng right here..."

"This is a *ding*, a ritual cauldron! Do you know anything about antiques? When did it become a cooking pot!?"

"But in ancient times, cauldrons were..."

"I’m not talking to you. You’re an amateur. Find me someone who knows what they’re talking about! A cauldron is a cauldron, and a pot is a pot! Besides, this is an ancient bronze. How could it possibly be modern?!"

"Sir, your ’treasure’ has ’Made by the XX Factory’ stamped on the bottom..."

"Don’t look at that! You don’t get it. Just look at this color, this craftsmanship..."

"Selling national bronze artifacts is a capital offense. You could be executed for it."

"Heh, with a stamp like that on the bottom, how could this possibly be a real bronze?"

The morning chill permeated the streets, cold against the skin.

A child sniffled by the roadside, staring dumbfounded at the arguing adults.

Their faces were flushed and veins bulged in their necks as they argued, their heated exchange seemingly holding the cold at bay.

"Based on the urgent intel from last night, we immediately launched an investigation into Rong Garden. We’ve narrowed it down to a single Daoist temple."

"Rong Garden itself is one of the Capital City’s major antique markets, and it’s fairly well-known in antique circles nationwide."

"People from all walks of life converge here—scammers, treasure hunters, hustlers of every stripe. You’ll find people from every corner of the country."

"Some go bankrupt while others strike it rich. Some jump from rooftops while others roar with laughter."

"That’s the basic law of the jungle at Rong Garden."

At 7:30, Xu Huo and Zhang Liang stepped into their target location: Rong Garden.

He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.

The road beneath their feet was paved with bluestone bricks. The buildings on either side had retained their century-old architectural style, and the entire area was surrounded by street vendors.

You could find a hidden treasure here, but you were more likely to be driven to financial ruin. The latter was far more common than the former.

There were plenty of shrewd people here, too.

Just then, a few shop owners who had just opened for the day glanced at the newly arrived Xu Huo and Zhang Liang. After a moment of assessment, they quietly closed their doors.

Xu Huo paid them no mind and headed directly for his destination.

The destination was on the outskirts of Rong Garden, nestled at the foot of a mountain.

It was a Daoist temple, but unlike any ordinary one...

"A Buddha statue?"

"They put a Buddha statue in a Daoist temple?"

The moment Zhang Liang stepped inside, he paused, his brow furrowing.

This was a Daoist temple, yet inside stood several large statues of Buddha.

Thick plumes of incense, far more abundant than any outside, burned before the great Buddhas. A number of monks sat cross-legged, chanting silently.

The air hummed with the solemn and reverent sound of Sanskrit chants, but the sight before them... the statue itself was baffling.

"Is this really a statue of the Buddha?!"

Staring at the great statue before him, with its ferocious features, mouth full of fangs, and a pair of soul-piercing eyes, Zhang Liang’s frown deepened.

This was... a statue of the Buddha?!

Other temples had their wrathful guardians, certainly, but there was something about this one... something sinister.

"Heh. Those aren’t Buddhas. It’s just a cover."

Xu Huo’s eyes darkened. The moment he saw the statue, he understood where these people came from.

Then, his gaze shifted.

His eyes fell upon the surrounding monks.

The officer who had already secured the temple hurried forward to explain.

"There was a death last night."

"Who was it?"

"The temple’s abbot. An old monk. He just got here. Before we could even start a proper investigation, he just... died."

The temple’s... abbot?!

That was their target!

Another one dead?!

A grim feeling settled over the team. "Was it murder?"

"We found no signs of foul play. Lab tests have also ruled out poison."

The officer shook his head. "Most likely natural causes."

"The old monk was over seventy. It’s not unheard of for someone that age to die from shock. The other monks here are saying he entered parinirvana, that it was a case of Merit Perfection and he’s gone to the Western Paradise..."

Merit Perfection?

A wave of fury washed over the investigators, and their enraged gazes fell upon the chanting monks.

"Shut them up!"

"Get more men over here! Search every last one of them. Don’t let a single bastard involved in this case get away!"

The officer nodded.