Restoring cultural relics: Starting with the crying Tang Dynasty figurines

Su Yuan took the phone and saw a chat history between Zhang Weiyi and Zhou Peiyuan on the screen, consisting of only a few lines:

"Old Wu was spotted in the eastern suburbs of the provincial capital. When our people found him, he was injured and looked like he was hiding from someone."

"The Ninth Bureau lost track of him, but he left a message: 'Tell Xiao Su that Han Zhengming is keeping something in the mezzanine.'"

Su Yuan stared at the line of text for several seconds, his mind buzzing.

Wu Zhenshan has been gone from the renovation center for several months without any news. Everyone thought he had disappeared, and some even guessed that he was dead.

Now, news has suddenly arrived, but it brings only this one sentence.

Han Zhengming kept something in the interlayer!

It's not a gap, it's something else...

Su Yuan calmly handed the phone back to Zhang Weiyi: "Director, what could Uncle Wu be talking about?"

Shen Yue and Xiao Meng then spoke:

"Director Zhang, Master Su, there's nothing else here, we'll head back now. No need to see us off, you two chat!"

Zhang Weiyi nodded, Su Yuan said thank you, the two nodded to Zhao Cheng, and Zhao Cheng then left the warehouse.

Zhang Weiyi put his phone back in his pocket, not in a hurry to answer.

He walked to the warehouse door, looked outside, then came back and closed the door.

"The Ninth Division's assessment is that what Han Zhengming is raising in the interlayer is not an ordinary gap, but something more dangerous."

"Wu Zhenshan was able to discover this because he..."

Zhang Weiyi paused, looking at Su Yuan:

"You know about his son's situation. He's had a history of raising grudges, so he's more sensitive to the scent of those things than most people."

"It's estimated that when he was hiding in the eastern suburbs of the provincial capital, he sensed the aura emanating from the interlayer and followed it."

"That's how we discovered Han Zhengming's arrangements deep within the hidden compartment!"

Su Yuan didn't reply. Wu Zhenshan had raised a chameleon to save his son's life, but he failed and eventually left because he felt guilty.

He's been hiding outside these past few months because he doesn't want to implicate anyone.

"Director, did Uncle Wu say anything else?"

Zhang Weiyi shook his head: "That was all. The messenger said that Lao Wu was in very poor condition, and then disappeared into the alley."

"The Ninth Division searched the area all day but couldn't find him."

Su Yuan touched the bronze mirror on his chest as he listened, and A-Wu's voice came from inside, already able to speak in complete sentences:

"That person... only showed up to warn you."

Su Yuan nodded: "Awu, I know, Uncle Wu has always been very good to me."

Zhang Weiyi sighed, "Old Wu was just too calculating back then!"

Zhao Cheng returned, sniffed, and suddenly said:

"Director, there's still no word from Han Zhengming. It's too quiet."

"I know that letting Wang Jianguo stay here without doing anything to him is also to avoid pushing him too far."

Zhang Weiyi took out a cigarette, then put it back, remembering it was in the warehouse.

"That's what Director Zhou and the others think too, so the Ninth Bureau has been keeping a close eye on Han Zhengming lately, but it seems like Han Zhengming has anticipated our every move!"

"He goes to work as usual and attends meetings as usual."

"I'm afraid he's waiting."

Su Yuan thought for a moment and said, "He might wait until I get into the mezzanine and go further, until he feels the time is right before he makes his move!"

Zhang Weiyi glanced at him in surprise and nodded.

After Su Yuan finished speaking, he took the small bronze mirror out of the toolbox and placed it on the workbench.

Looking at the cracks on the mirror, a faint trace of spiritual energy still lingered within them.

Su Yuan brought the jade ring close to the small bronze mirror again. The jade ring's spirit-locking pearl lit up, but no more light floated out from the crack!

"Director, this small bronze mirror also needs repair."

Su Yuan said, "The mirror is cracked, and the back is also badly rusted. Once I fix it, I'll see if it can be used as an auxiliary tool to enter the interlayer."

Zhang Weiyi nodded:

"No rush, you can rest today. The Ninth Division will continue to investigate Wu Zhenshan's case, and I will let you know as soon as I have any news."

After Zhang Weiyi left, Su Yuan thought for a moment, packed up his toolbox, left the pottery pot and small bronze mirror in the storeroom, and took only the toolbox back to his dormitory.

Each time he went into the mezzanine, he was quite tired when he came back. After washing up, he lay down on the bed and placed the bronze mirror next to his pillow, looking at the light and shadow of Awu in it.

The light and shadow are much clearer than before, and the complete facial features can now be seen!

It has eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Although it is still composed of light and shadow, it is indeed a human face.

She looks much prettier now, with the face of a modern woman, gentle and quiet. Her clothes have changed to light gauze, which looks a bit emerald green.

"Awu".

Su Yuan called out softly, and A Wu raised her head, her eyes flashing twice as she looked at him.

"Uncle Wu said Han Zhengming is keeping something else in the interlayer. Do you know what it is?"

Awu was silent for a few seconds, then her voice came from the bronze mirror, and Su Yuan sensed that she was somewhat afraid:

"I know something about it... It's a very old thing, much older than me, and it's been sleeping deep inside for a long time."

"He's being fed now and is slowly waking up."

Su Yuan was startled: "Awu, what is that?"

"I...cannot be sure of its origin."

Awu's voice was very low:

"I saw it once a long, long time ago. It was huge, very cold, and the air around it was stagnant."

"Even my spirit feels pain when I get close to it; it must be the one you saw when you sealed that crack in the wall."

Su Yuan thought about that thing, knowing it was moving eastward, and gripped the handle of the bronze mirror tightly:

"I'm not afraid. I have you, Elder Zhong, Elder Miao, and Su Zhi forging the sword, as well as the bronze plaque and the jade ring."

"I'm not afraid of whatever Han Zhengming raises!"

Awu said softly, "I know you're not afraid, but you have to promise me you won't go looking for it alone."

"Some things in the mezzanine are different from what you see on the outside."

Su Yuan nodded at her. After watching A Wu's figure disappear, he closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, when Su Yuan arrived at work after breakfast, Chen Xiaohe was standing at the entrance of the lobby smoking. His eyes were dark, as if he hadn't slept all night.

"Brother Chen, didn't you sleep last night?"

Su Yuan asked, and Chen Xiaohe exhaled a puff of smoke, speaking weakly:

"On duty... There was some noise from warehouse number three in the middle of the night. I went to check, but there was nothing there."

He shuddered as he spoke: "That's the feeling... I can't quite explain it, it's just that I feel like something is watching me from the shadows."

Su Yuan perked up: "Quick, Brother Chen, tell me in detail."

Chen Xiaohe glanced at him:

"Around 2 a.m., I glanced at the screen in the monitoring room and the image of warehouse number three suddenly flickered, like signal interference."

"I ran over to check, but the door was locked, and there was no sound from inside. When I stood in the doorway, I felt a chill run down my spine..."

The jade ring and spirit-locking bead on Su Yuan's hand felt warm for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.

"I feel something blowing cold air on the back of my neck."

As he spoke, Chen Xiaohe touched the back of his neck and shuddered.

"I'm someone with some basic skills, so ordinary things can't get close to me, but last night's..."

"What's wrong?" Su Yuan asked hurriedly.

"That feeling really scared me."

Chen Xiaohe stubbed out his cigarette and looked at Su Yuan earnestly: "Su, I admit I'm a coward, but I was really scared last night!"

"The feeling was that the thing wasn't targeting the things in the warehouse, it was coming for me."

"Something is definitely testing me!"

Su Yuan didn't laugh at him, but just patted him on the shoulder: "It's okay, Brother Chen, go back and rest."

Chen Xiaohe nodded with a bitter face and left.

Su Yuan went up to the second floor and knocked on Zhang Weiyi's office door first.

Zhang Weiyi was sitting behind his desk reading documents, and there were already two cigarette butts in the ashtray in front of him.

Seeing Su Yuan come in, he took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Director, Brother Chen said there was something unusual about warehouse number three last night. What happened?"

Su Yuan repeated Chen Xiaohe's words, and Zhang Weiyi's expression didn't change much after listening...