At that moment, Wang Guan scrutinized his reflection in the mirror, resembling a sharp corporate executive. Walking out looking like this, perhaps only those intimately familiar with him would notice anything amiss. The makeup artist gently shook her head at Wang Guan's self-praise, clearly unsatisfied, stating that with just another hour or two, the disguise would be absolutely flawless—even a family member couldn't spot a flaw.

"This is already excellent," Wang Guan chuckled, though he felt a little uncomfortable. After all, having a layer of paste and powder on his face felt somewhat unnatural, but to catch Mr. Zhu Da, he had to endure it.

"Mmm, I think it's close enough too." At the same time, Old Fang smiled warmly, "Since that’s the case, let’s get going." "Right..." Wang Guan certainly had no objections and followed Old Fang out the door. On the way, Old Fang reminded him again, "Remember, your name is Wang Lin, an appraiser I've hired. Once we arrive, speak as little as possible..." "Got it," Wang Guan nodded repeatedly.

Amidst Old Fang's persistent advice, the car smoothly and swiftly reached the pier. Beside the pier, a yacht was already prepared, ready to depart at any moment. Once the two boarded the deck, at Old Fang's signal, the yacht shot off like an arrow, heading out toward the vast, blue expanse of the sea.

After a long while, the yacht sailed clear of Taiwan’s territorial waters and entered the high seas. After another half hour of travel, a colossal super-liner appeared before them. "We're here." Under Old Fang's direction, Wang Guan’s spirits lifted; he knew the secret gathering was likely taking place on the liner.

He could also understand why such a clandestine meeting, steeped in shady dealings, wouldn't dare be held openly on land, for fear of being raided in one fell swoop—that would be a grand joke. Moreover, conducting transactions on the high seas meant they were beyond the constraints of any single nation's laws, offering a degree of comfort to the many tycoons gathered there. Simply put, the organizers were just providing a platform; how the guests handled whatever they acquired afterward was their own business.

"Let's go up." The yacht and the liner must have exchanged signals and confirmed each other's information, as the yacht then approached the massive ship openly. A sturdy gangway had already been lowered, allowing passage. Assisted by a bodyguard, Old Fang slowly ascended the liner.

Wang Guan naturally followed behind, taking in the surroundings. He noticed seven or eight other yachts approaching on the water nearby—likely other guests. Perhaps Mr.

Cai was on one of them... Wang Guan pondered silently, but maintained the facade of an obedient follower trailing Old Fang, slowly entering the liner's interior. Naturally, before formally entering, they underwent a security check.

Once the bodyguards were confirmed to be carrying no dangerous items, someone guided them into the enormous reception hall. Upon entering, Wang Guan immediately heard the lively strains of string music. Stepping fully into the hall, he was instantly enveloped by an atmosphere of decadent luxury.

Colorful Persian carpets, opulent gold-and-jade decor, and a massive crystal chandelier gave the space the distinct layout of a European palace. In one corner, a live band was performing melodious, captivating tunes; throughout the ballroom, beautiful young women of various complexions could be seen occasionally weaving through the crowd, holding trays of various drinks and refreshments like fluttering butterflies, leaving behind delicate trails of warm fragrance... Evidently, Old Fang and Wang Guan were not the earliest arrivals; there were already dozens of guests scattered around the hall—some chatting in small groups, others standing alone, appreciating the music and savoring fine wines.

Wang Guan’s gaze swept across the room and he noted how varied the clientele was. "Varied" referred, of course, to age. There were elders like Old Fang, middle-aged men like Mr.

Cai, and naturally, a good number of younger men in their twenties and thirties. However, Wang Guan was well aware that regardless of their age, simply being present here indicated they were extraordinarily wealthy or powerful—the elite of society, as the common folk would call them. They were either titans of industry or second-generation heirs.

"Brother Fang." While Wang Guan was assessing the situation, someone from the crowd called out. "Brother Yuan." At this, Old Fang showed a slight smile, motioning for Wang Guan to follow him toward several rows of sofas off to the side. These sofas were arranged in a small circle where several white-haired elders sat sipping tea.

The person who hailed Old Fang was a rather lean elder among them, who stood up to greet him as Old Fang approached. The two exchanged cordial pleasantries with evident pleasure. The elder then proceeded to introduce Old Fang to his companions seated nearby, leading to a fresh round of cheerful greetings.

As birds of a feather flock together, the status of these individuals was undoubtedly significant. Wang Guan, listening nearby, couldn't help but be inwardly astonished. Combined, these few individuals might not be able to overturn the world, but stirring up a storm across Southeast Asia would certainly be within their power.

However, Wang Guan was self-aware enough to know that in his current role, he was merely an accompanying subordinate, not qualified to sit and sip tea with them. Thus, he wisely positioned himself to the side, keeping his ears open and eyes alert. As time passed, more and more guests arrived, and the atmosphere naturally grew more lively.

During this period, Wang Guan spotted Mr. Cai and Mr. Lu.

This confirmed his earlier guess: Mr. Lu had successfully passed Mr. Cai's test and was invited to the gathering.

Yet, it was both unexpected and entirely predictable. Upon seeing Old Fang and the others, Mr. Cai immediately walked over to pay his respects.

Frankly, Wang Guan felt a spike of tension when Mr. Cai passed right next to him. But thanks to the miraculous makeup, Mr.

Cai acted as if he saw nothing. He greeted the elders with a cheerful nod and, even as he turned to leave, detected no abnormality whatsoever. In other words, Mr.

Cai hadn't noticed a single flaw in his disguise. Instantly, Wang Guan let out a soft breath, his confidence surging. If even Mr.

Cai, whom he had just encountered, hadn't noticed anything, then Mr. Zhu Da, whom he only knew from a photograph, would surely detect nothing. With this thought, Wang Guan let go of his burden and began openly observing the hall's occupants—not just the main guests, but also their retinue—secretly trying to figure out who Mr.

Zhu Da was. Of course, his primary focus was on those sporting thick beards and glasses. There weren't a huge number of such men, but certainly not a few.

After observing for a moment, Wang Guan had already identified seven or eight potential targets. Some wealthy men of Central Asian descent, wearing head coverings in the hall, caused him to shake his head slightly in frustration. Regardless, Wang Guan had locked onto these targets, secretly monitoring their words and actions, hoping to catch a lapse that would confirm Mr.

Zhu Da’s true identity. At this point, perhaps all the guests had arrived. At a signal from the organizers, the cheerful music ceased.

A tall, well-dressed foreigner with blond hair, blue eyes, and a prominent nose stepped forward and began speaking in a foreign tongue, which was met with enthusiastic applause. While Wang Guan hesitated, he saw the guests rising in an orderly fashion and filing out of the hall. Noticing Old Fang doing the same, he realized the main event of the gathering was about to commence.

Socializing, building rapport, and meeting new contacts were certainly parts of the objective. But the trading of highly prized, illicit items was what genuinely piqued the interest of many. However, as the crowd moved into another, more spacious compartment, the scene was somewhat contrary to Wang Guan's expectations.

He had imagined an auction taking place at this juncture. Instead, this vast cabin was not an auction floor but resembled an exhibition hall. Upon entering, one's eyes immediately fell upon countless objects displayed throughout the room.

There were not only Chinese ceramics and paintings, but also priceless artifacts from around the globe: gold, silver, jewels, ancient texts, calligraphy, fine watches, aged wines—the inventory was endless and dazzling. "Everyone, look here!" Just then, an elderly gentleman seemed to spot something exceptional and immediately called others over to pause and admire it. Drawing closer, Wang Guan’s vision was immediately caught by a brilliant, golden sheen emanating from an object: a gilded Buddha statue.

Upon closer inspection, the statue was robustly proportioned, solidly crafted, yet possessed graceful contours. Its face was broad and placid, its eyes looking straight ahead. The drapery folds utilized traditional interior Chinese realistic techniques, giving them a strong textural quality.

The statue wore coiled hair and a robe draped over its right shoulder, while the Bodhisattva wore a jeweled diadem and an upswept hairstyle, adorned with a net-like necklace over its upper body and a long skirt below. The surface treatment was pure gilding; the gold was thick, luminous, and pleasing to the eye. When hit by the lights, it instantly cast forth a dazzling golden sparkle that powerfully drew attention—especially for wealthy buyers from Southeast Asia, where it held immense allure.

Consequently, at this moment, it wasn't just Old Fang and his group; others had noticed this exquisite Buddha statue and began gathering around it. After a moment of admiration, many showed clear signs of interest. "This is from the Yongle or Xuande period." Someone offered this assessment, which made even more people eager to approach.

In the realm of Buddhist art collection, domestic collectors were known to favor statues from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with those from the Yongle and Xuande reigns of the Ming Dynasty being particularly coveted focal points. After all, in the eyes of many collectors, items from the Yongle and Xuande eras represented the pinnacle. Yongle’s sweet white glazes and cinnabar lacquerwork, Xuande’s blue-and-white porcelain and bronze censers—all were peerless treasures.

Once these pieces had been heavily hyped, collectors' focus naturally shifted to the Buddhist statuary of this period. Furthermore, with the maturation of the overseas market, prices for exceptional Buddha statues had long since entered the nine-figure range. For example, at the Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn Auction this year, a Ming Dynasty Yongle gilded bronze Buddha finally broke the HK$200 million mark, attracting significant attention and fueling the continuous warming trend in the Buddha statue market.

Those present who were focused on Buddha statues certainly understood the market dynamics and were acutely aware of the object's value. Crucially, however, any item appearing at an event like this inevitably had questionable provenance. This meant the purchase price would surely be lower than the market rate, presenting a fantastic opportunity for some to secure a major find.