The Artefact Thief affair caused a huge stir for several days, then gradually faded from attention as new hotspots emerged.
Only those deeply involved continued their relentless pursuit of the Artefact Thief’s traces and true identity.
For instance, many underground collectors in Europe and America, mercenaries, agents, gangs, informants of all kinds, even assassins, all behaving like hyenas over the five hundred million euros. And the thoroughly humiliated MI5, Military Intelligence Agency, and CIA.
Many professions that ordinary citizens in peaceful countries have never heard of, or assume exist only in novels, truly exist and were now operating at full intensity.
Indeed, whenever Lu Zheng heard from Lin Wan about their clueless, headless-fly efforts, it could brighten his mood for an entire day.
“I heard the CIA commander who handled the underground auction in the Lighthouse Country last time has resigned in disgrace,” Lin Wan said. “But with old ties still there, he is now running around the world like a mad dog with his equally implicated former subordinates, chasing the Artefact Thief.”
Lu Zheng asked in surprise, “You still have news about him?”
“It came up as a joke from colleagues in the Lighthouse Country,” Lin Wan shook her head. “Thoughts within Interpol are not unified right now. By the way, police from Great Yin Country and Gaul Country are still diligently searching for clues about the Artefact Thief in Interpol’s database.”
“What about the CIA?” Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow.
Lin Wan shrugged. “Apart from a few countries’ information, their database might be more complete than Interpol’s.”
Lu Zheng was speechless. “Fair enough. Worthy of decades as the world’s leading intelligence organisation.”
Lin Wan nodded, her eyes narrowing, a smirk at the corner of her mouth. “And increasingly unable to recognise their own position.”
“Oh? How so?”
Lin Wan picked a sea cucumber from the small jar, ate it, then said, “Though most people have turned their suspicions toward Pharaoh Country, the CIA still remembers the Eden Cult affair, not to mention that this whole operation was largely a trap involving an Elephant Party bigwig.
So they contacted Interpol on the Hua Country side, hoping to cooperate with museums and relevant departments to access surveillance footage for a deeper investigation.
After all, Hua Country’s Skynet system is world-famous. Western countries constantly accuse us of violating human rights and spying on citizens with it, yet they also know that under this system, the cost of crime rises sharply. Many things and people have nowhere to hide.
If they want to track the Artefact Thief, our side might genuinely offer the best chance.”
Lu Zheng stared in astonishment. “Are they really that shameless?”
Lin Wan rolled her eyes. “As if you only discovered this today?”
Lu Zheng asked, “So you have been busy with this the past couple of days?”
“How could I be?” Lin Wan shook her head. “We are assisting the Discipline Inspection Commission in contacting the Lighthouse Country, hoping they will help repatriate criminals who fled there.”
Lu Zheng, “…”
“So it’s just talking past each other? How would they ever agree?”
“Exactly…”
Lin Wan shrugged. “Since they will not even help with such a minor favour, how could we go out of our way to assist them?”
“Will they just let it drop?”
“Who knows? After all, this is not a matter touching national destiny,” Lin Wan shook her head, then smiled. “But I reckon if the CIA gets no data from us, that resigned commander might not be able to resist coming in person.”
“Coming personally to steal surveillance footage?” Lu Zheng could not help laughing, finding the image absurd.
One imagines the CIA in glossy Hollywood blockbusters, loaded with cutting-edge tech, while domestic street cameras feel so everyday.
The combination creates the same incongruity as an international master thief like Mike sneaking into a small mountain-city factory to steal jade.
Lu Zheng nodded, laughing. “Let him come, then. I hope the Chaoyang masses do not spot him and march him straight to the police station.”
Lin Wan, “…”
…
With nothing much happening on the modern side, time soon reached ten days later.
Zhao Wenrong and Lin Yushu were about to marry.
“Are you ready?”
Lu Zheng asked Liu Qingyan and Shen Ying, who were changing clothes in the room. “No need to dress too beautifully, or you might outshine the bride and risk accusations of spoiling the day!”
Du Yueyao could not help laughing. “I have seen that Miss Lin. Though she is fair and lovely, she is still an ordinary mortal. How could she compare with my two elder sisters?”
“Quite right. Yueyao speaks truly. We cannot deliberately make ourselves look plain!”
As the words fell, Shen Ying pulled Liu Qingyan out of the room.
Shen Ying wore a pale pink dress embroidered with spring peach blossoms, her makeup light, her aura elegant and lingering.
Liu Qingyan wore a light green lotus-and-lily satin gown, her hair simply tied, held by a single ebony hairpin in her dark tresses, yet she appeared graceful and alluring.
“My dear Lu, how do I look?” Liu Qingyan asked, eyes full of expectation.
Lu Zheng gave a thumbs up. “Beautiful!”
At this, Liu Qingyan smiled, her cheeks flushing, her eyes curving like crescent moons, utterly content.
“Old Huang has the carriage ready,” Lu Zheng smiled. “Today we head to Yizhou Prefecture and impose on Uncle Du’s home for the night. Tomorrow we attend Zhao Wenrong’s wedding.”
Now that Du Yueyao had succeeded in cultivation, having received transmission in dreams from the Plain Woman and become a saintess of the Prime Saint Teachings, she was a little sister to Lu Zheng and Liu Qingyan. Relations between the families had grown much closer, and the forms of address more intimate.
This itinerary had been agreed long ago. Since Du Yueyao was returning home, they travelled together. Lu Zheng’s trio would also pay respects to Du Yurou and his wife.
Du Yueyao for her family visit, Lu Zheng’s trio for the wedding the next day. Though Du Yueyao would not attend, she had prepared a gift.
…
The four boarded the carriage. Yue Honghai sat outside, Old Huang cracked the whip, and the carriage clip-clopped away from Tonglin County toward Yizhou Prefecture.
Lu Zheng casually drew back the curtain. The fragrance of roadside trees drifted in on the warm breeze, along with the lively sounds from the official road.
“Quite bustling.”
This was why Lu Zheng disliked flying on clouds everywhere. It lacked charm.
“By the way.” Du Yueyao took a wooden box from her bracelet, opened it to reveal a pair of exquisite jade mandarin ducks.
She pushed the box toward Lu Zheng. “This is my wedding gift for Young Master Zhao and Miss Lin. Big Brother Lu, please present it for me.”
As the only daughter of Yizhou prefect Du Yurou, her status was different. To avoid gossip, attending was inconvenient.
Yet having known them since the flood years, she still wished to offer congratulations.
“Very well!” Lu Zheng nodded and stored the box in his gourd.
