Gacha games can't save this bizarre world.

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Hao had a rough guess. It was probably due to a deteriorating economic situation!

The dramatic fluctuations in oil prices have impacted Aramco's international standing and have had a ripple effect on other sectors.

The economy was already stagnant in 78, with little progress; it was experiencing stagflation. And then this happened this year. Forget about the US economy; this oil crisis could even impact global finance.

Those prominent figures are not necessarily wealthy; in fact, many of them suffered heavy losses in this upheaval and urgently need funds to replenish their wealth.

That's why I'm just using my family's collection as a temporary solution.

Antiques and collectibles are collected not only because of their popularity and scarcity, but also because they have certain financial attributes.

Zhao Hao chuckled at this thought. This financial turmoil was far from over; these people were still selling off their belongings. It seemed he could snag a bargain.

It's time to let these capitalists taste what it's like to be fleeced!

Zhao Hao met several people at the salon and received a few items.

He even bought an oil painting that he had never bought before because he was unfamiliar with it.

Seeing his impressive skills and the number of deals he closed, some wealthy people who needed cash came to him.

Most people still care about saving face and wouldn't directly approach Zhao Hao to promote their own products; that would be too impolite and make them lose face.

They would all go through Ms. Sera as an intermediary to introduce the family heirlooms, and then sell them off in a roundabout way.

However, this is not always the case.

Sure enough, a man who didn't look like an Amis came up to Zhao Hao's seat and introduced himself directly.

"Hello Mr. Zhao, it's an honor to meet you. My name is Adrian, and I'm from France. I haven't been in this country for very long..." The man was very outgoing, but not unpleasant.

He quickly got to the point: he was a little short on cash lately, so he had something to sell.

This is more honest; it doesn't mean they're trying to put on a show.

Zhao Hao found it interesting and gestured for him to continue.

So Adrian took out a fist-sized earthenware bottle from the box.

The pottery bottle looks somewhat crudely made, but it still has some raised patterns on it, and it's not the kind of big, clumsy, and rough object.

Zhao Hao gestured for Adrian to put the items on the table, then put on white gloves and carefully picked them up to examine them.

This is a rule in the collecting world: you can't just hand over something, because if it gets broken, you can't explain whose responsibility it is.

The term "碰瓷" (pengci, meaning to stage an accident or fraud) originated from this.

Zhao Hao first examined the bottle; it was made of red clay and was well-preserved without any bumps or scratches.

But strangely, the bottle opening is also a single piece.

That is to say, after the bottle was made, it was put into a furnace and a one-piece lid was fired.

This can't be opened unless you smash the bottle. If you force the cap open, the thing will be damaged and won't have any collectible value.

Looking at the simple relief carving on the bottle, because the bottle is not large, the carving is also rather casual, so the lines are a bit simple.

Zhao Hao could only tell that it was a military-themed item, with the bottle depicting an ancient Western general leading his troops on a march.

Zhao Hao: It feels like a real thing, but I can't be sure of the specifics.

Intrigued, he took out his monocle, activated his Demon Hunter Senses and Fate-Prompting Eye, and began to observe by consuming spiritual energy.

Believe it or not, it really was worthwhile.

First, there's the feedback on the monocle: a relief-carved terracotta jar, made in the early 8th century AD, with a sealed mouth and a carving of Charlemagne's eastern expedition on the body...

The feedback from Zhao Hao's demon-hunting senses was even stranger. He actually sensed a very faint trace of spiritual energy in the gap at the mouth of the bottle!

You would never notice this unless you were looking at it up close with lenses on.

The Eye of Fate also yielded a clue: "Charlemagne commissioned the making of this earthenware jar to seal the contents..."

Zhao Hao's heart pounded: Good heavens, am I finally going to snag another great deal?!

He calmly put the ceramic bottle down and said, "Mr. Adrian, could you tell me about this bottle?"

"Of course!"

Adrian recounted the bottle's origins in great detail, his words dripping with a sales pitch.

According to him, his great-grandfather once worked at Aachen Cathedral in Germany, but later fled there because of World War I.

This pottery bottle was one of the things he took with him at the time.

Good heavens, they stole from their own workplace!

This bottle is said to be several hundred years old and was once part of the royal collection.

Adrian himself was a little embarrassed when he said "royal collection".

This thing is so crude, and it's supposed to be a royal collection? People would believe it if you said it was made by a kid on the street.

Zhao Hao nodded: "Although I can't tell the origin of the pottery jar, I'm certain it's an antique. I'm very interested. Name your price..."

Finally, Zhao Hao acquired the pottery jar for $3000. The Frenchman named Adrian left satisfied.

Zhao Hao had no desire to stay any longer. He grabbed the orange he was still eating, said goodbye to Ms. Sera, and left.

He was certain that there was an extraordinary item in the bottle, or perhaps a strange object.

Regardless, this thing was sealed in a bottle at least a thousand years ago!

Chapter 196 Planting Beans in a Dream

For safety reasons, Zhao Hao did not dare to handle the pottery jar at home.

If there's something dangerous inside, that family will be finished.

Although the shape and size of this pottery jar do not seem to be anything particularly dangerous or important, what if it is?

He originally planned to set up a barrier and other defenses in that remote corner on the outskirts of the city before opening the bottle.

But then I thought, that's not a sure thing either.

Moreover, the world is becoming increasingly turbulent.

He usually causes a ruckus even when there's nothing wrong, so I'd better make sure I don't open this thing and cause any big commotion.

When the time comes, a rare treasure will be born, shining brightly, and dozens or even hundreds of extraordinary individuals will gather around to witness it through various means.

After much deliberation, he felt that his dream was the most reliable explanation.

Even if there are harmful things or monsters inside, my advantage in the dream is too great.

If something can't be suppressed even in dreams, then it's even less likely to be suppressed in the real world.

Moreover, privacy can be guaranteed in dreams.

Zhao Hao set up multiple layers of protection in his dream, including three layers of barriers and a psionic mechanical sealing device.

Then I started figuring out how to open the bottle.

It was only at this moment that Zhao Hao realized that although this thing did not show any spiritual energy reaction, it also unexpectedly did not react to spiritual energy at all!

Psychic insulator?

No wonder they use this clay pot as a container!

Modern sealing methods mostly involve sealing with lead and many inert gases, along with some special techniques.

I never imagined that such spiritual insulating mud existed in ancient times.

If we could get our hands on the recipe for this stuff, it would be very useful.

Psionic powers weren't working properly, and Zhao Hao was completely at a loss.

It seems impossible to get the contents out of the bottle without breaking it. Let's get started!

Zhao Hao simply twisted the mud seal off the bottle, and a wisp of spiritual energy floated out.

it's over...

Finished?

I prepared so many methods, just in case there was some kind of demon sealed inside! I even bought over ten liters of holy water!

Zhao Hao brought the pottery jar close to his eyes and looked inside the bottle. It looked like a seed.

When I poured it out into my hand, I saw that it was a bean.

Aside from exhibiting psionic activity and remaining active, there's nothing particularly special about it.

After studying it for a long time, Zhao Hao finally determined that it should be the seed of some kind of extraordinary plant.

Let's use the system to verify it.

【Magic beans】

Black Iron 5-star extraordinary items

Planting: Plant this seed, sprinkle it with water, and an extraordinary plant will grow.

Note: This is not an ordinary seed!

Nonsense, do you need to tell me?!

Zhao Hao wondered what he should do.

Bring some soil in, create a small garden in your dream, and try planting something?

Just as Zhao Hao opened the clay jar, in the great forest of northern Gama, a man surrounded by wolves suddenly opened his eyes and took out a bean from his pocket.

It was exactly the same magic bean as the one in Zhao Hao's hand.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha..." He stood in the middle of the wolf pack, laughing loudly, which caused the surrounding wolves to howl in response.

The white man, who looked to be in his fifties and had a stubble-covered face, was somewhat unkempt, dressed in tattered clothes and wearing a wolfskin, looking like a savage.

"After waiting for eight years, the last bean has finally appeared! I've finally waited for it! Hahaha..."

He flipped his hand and threw the beans on the ground, then took out his water bag and poured water onto the beans that had fallen to the ground.

In an instant, five magic beans from all over the world sprouted and took root at the same time. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a "green python" more than a meter thick.

The vines that grew from the magic bean pierced through the inner and outer worlds, rapidly spreading towards the sky! At the same time, they carried away a nearby person, causing them to disappear from the spot.

A middle-aged savage dancing with wolves in the northern forests of Canada; a fully armed knight guarding a treasure trove on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean; a burly hunter with strange equipment chasing something in the South American jungle; a woman leisurely watering flowers in an old house in the Danish countryside; and finally, Zhao Hao…