Tokyo Knights: The Odd Jobs X Files

Hu Laoliu seemed not to hear Michael's words, but kept scanning the mansion with his eyes, thinking to himself, "This house is really beautiful. After I retire, I must build one like this in my hometown."

"Those are... these are what we just came from the pyramids..."

Wu Xiaoqi was overjoyed, but after being stepped on by Hu Laoliu, he quickly changed his tune, saying, "...I bought them at a high price from a collector near the pyramids, just to find someone who appreciates them!"

With his foot retracted, Hu Laoliu said with a beaming smile, "Mr. Michael, could you please appraise this batch of cultural relics?"

Ancient Egyptians loved gold, so gold artifacts made up a large proportion of the burial goods for the pharaohs. Hu Laoliu didn't know much about Egyptian artifacts or which ones were more valuable, so he just focused on taking these gold artifacts, thinking that at the very least he could melt them down and sell them as gold.

Michael glanced at the pile of gold jewelry on the table, pondered for a moment, and said, "How about ten million dollars?"

Hu Laoliu's knees buckled, and he almost knelt down before Michael.

"I'm extremely satisfied, Mr. Michael! I'm very happy with the price you offered!"

Old Hu couldn't stop smiling.

This Mr. Michael is quite a good person!

This price naturally satisfied Hu Laoliu immensely. He had roughly weighed these gold artifacts, and their total weight was only about two hundred kilograms. However, with the ancient metal smelting technology, it was impossible to purify them into pure gold. The purity was mostly around ninety percent, with some possibly reaching ninety-nine percent. At the current gold price, it was around three million US dollars. Michael offered three times the price of the gold itself, which can only be said to show that this old gentleman was truly willing to pay for art.

Michael handed the check he had prepared earlier to Hu Laoliu. Hu Laoliu reached out to take it, but Michael suddenly took the check back.

He said to Hu Laoliu, "Mr. Hu, I can see that you are very capable. There is really no need for you to do this kind of business. I advise you not to do this kind of work anymore, otherwise I am afraid you will run into trouble."

Michael knew perfectly well where these Egyptian artifacts came from. He had always abhorred such theft and smuggling of cultural relics, but after spending some time with Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi, he felt that the two did not seem like vicious criminals, so he did not call the police to arrest them. He even prepared a check for ten million US dollars in advance, hoping that the two would stop doing such immoral things after receiving the money.

Are you kidding me? What business can make money this fast? We've been in this line of work for so long, what taboos do you think I don't know? Do you need to remind me?

Hu Laoliu inwardly scoffed, but outwardly he feigned a learned demeanor, bowing to Michael and saying, "Yes, yes, I've learned a lot. I'll use this money to start a legitimate business when I get back, Mr. Michael, don't worry!"

Michael, being a seasoned veteran, could easily see through Hu Laoliu's insincerity. He shook his head and dismissed Hu Laoliu, saying, "Alright, Mr. Hu, farewell."

The meaning is clear: even if Hu Laoliu has other cultural relics in the future, he will not buy them from Hu Laoliu.

Without buying, there is no killing. He couldn't stop everyone from buying cultural relics from Hu Laoliu, but he could at least start with himself.

“Mr. Michael…”

Hu Laoliu was somewhat taken aback. He didn't have any connections abroad, but he was counting on Michael to collect the goods. If Michael's connection was cut off, who would he sell the cultural relics he obtained through tomb raiding... no, I mean "accumulating virtue" to?

Michael's attitude was firm, and Hu Laoliu had no choice but to leave with Wu Xiaoqi, carrying a check for ten million dollars.

After Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi left, the three sisters from the next room came out.

"Dad, why don't you just call the police and have those two arrested?"

Lai Sheng Ai walked up to the Egyptian artifacts and looked at these magnificent relics, asking questions.

Damn it, they actually stole so many cultural relics!

In the next life, she wrinkled her little nose.

"Because, from our standpoint, we have no right to do anything to them!"

Michael smiled wryly, and Ai stuck out her tongue, "Oh right, I forgot they were phantom thieves themselves."

At this moment, Ai noticed a particularly strange item among the artifacts and exclaimed, "Huh? This thing shouldn't be made of gold, right? Damn it, those two guys actually tried to pass themselves off as something they weren't. We shouldn't have let them leave so easily!"

When Lai Sheng Ai picked up that artifact, it felt much lighter than she had imagined. It wasn't gold, it wasn't even a metal, was it? This was too much!

"But it does have a rather unique appearance."

Lai Sheng Ai carefully examined the artifact. It appeared to be a pendant, entirely gold in color, with a pyramid-shaped triangle in the center of a circular wheel, and eye-like reliefs in the middle of the triangle. Outside the wheel, there were some decorations resembling icicles.

"Dad, I remember this is the 'Eye of Horus', right?"

"Next life, I love to point to the eyes of the artifact and ask."

Michael glanced at it and nodded slightly: "That's right, it's the 'Eye of Horus'."

In the next life, I pick up the pendant and, on a whim, put it around my neck, wanting to try it on.

"Xiao Ai, no!"

Michael quickly stopped him, then shook his head at Lai Sheng Ai and said, "These are the Pharaoh's burial objects, don't touch them."

In ancient Egypt, the Eye of Horus represented divine protection and supreme royal power. The ancient Egyptians believed that the Eye of Horus could play a role in their resurrection and rebirth, so symbols related to the Eye of Horus frequently appeared in the pyramids.

Michael had long suspected that these artifacts were stolen from the pyramids, and upon seeing the "Eye of Horus," he was almost certain that these artifacts were funerary objects belonging to the pharaoh.

As for the burial objects of the Egyptian pharaohs... well, they all carry a certain amount of evil about them, so it's best to avoid touching them if possible.

Michael is a seasoned veteran, with a lot of experience and broad knowledge. He knows that some things are better believed than not.

"Oh well."

Lai Sheng nodded. Although she was mischievous, she still listened to her father and obediently put the artifact back on the table.

"Xiao Lei, please contact the Egyptian government for me and have them returned to Egypt."

Michael said tearfully to the afterlife.

"Yes, Dad."

Lai Sheng Lei nodded. As mentioned before, the fund to be established for the return of cultural relics is already underway. They have also contacted the governments of many countries, including Egypt, and these cultural relics will be returned to the Egyptian government.

Michael said to Leisheng Lei, "Little Lei, thank you for your hard work."

Lai Sheng Lei smiled and said, "It's not hard work. There are people from Egypt who are here to make some negotiations, so these artifacts are perfect to hand over to them."

"Okay, Xiaolei, you can make the arrangements."

Michael nodded.

................................................

Having emerged from the mansion, Hu Laoliu had regained his composure.

It's a pity to lose a big investor, but it's not like he's really going to die. There's always a way to overcome difficulties, and he doesn't need to put all his eggs in one basket.

Holding the ten million dollar check, Hu Laoliu's mood improved, and he began to plan how to use the money.

"With this ten million dollars and my previous gains, I now have a total of over forty million dollars on hand. I inquired and found out that the consultant from the Suzuki conglomerate spent thirty million dollars to hire that extraordinary powerhouse codenamed 'X'. I plan to hire him for thirty million dollars, and the remaining ten million dollars..."

Hu Laoliu pondered for a moment, then said, "Leave them all to your six mistresses!"

On this journey to Qianling, the fate of the master and disciple is uncertain. Even if they were to hire an extraordinary expert to protect them, Hu Laoliu could not guarantee his return. Therefore, he still needed to make arrangements for his affairs after his death and resolve his worries.

"Master, I have something to say..."

Wu Xiaoqi, standing to the side, said cautiously, "Look, going to Qianling is so dangerous. How about I don't go? I'll take care of your master's wife and the others for you. Otherwise, if they remarry with your money, a bunch of outsiders will live in your house, spend your money, sleep with your wife, and beat your children... You'll be green with envy even in the afterlife!"

Hu Laoliu's lips twitched, and he glared at Wu Xiaoqi: "When you came to my house for the New Year last year, I noticed that the way you looked at my six wives was strange. You little brat, you've been eyeing your master's wives all along, haven't you!"

Old Hu was so angry that his hair and beard stood on end. Wu Xiaoqi quickly said, "No, I have no master. Please don't misunderstand. I... I was just being filial..."

Whether Wu Xiaoqi was filial or not, Hu Laoliu didn't know. In any case, Hu Laoliu wanted to clean house now—this little beast dared to covet his master's wife, he deserved to be beaten!

Despite his anger, Hu Laoliu began to consider whether it was possible to leave Wu Xiaoqi outside, as Wu Xiaoqi had suggested, and whether Xiang Ying and Liang Siniang would agree to that.

Tomb raiding is always more about practical experience than theory. Going to a tomb once is more useful than studying for three years in isolation. That's why Hu Laoliu usually takes Wu Xiaoqi with him when he goes to tombs. But this time, going to Qianling is extremely dangerous. He might not even be able to come back, let alone Wu Xiaoqi. It seems safer to leave Wu Xiaoqi outside to protect the inheritance of his "tomb raiding school".

Wu Xiaoqi may be a bit mischievous, but he is, after all, the child that Hu Laoliu raised since he was a child. Apart from the difference in DNA, the relationship between the two is no different from that of an ordinary father and son, and their relationship is even better. If something really happens to him, he will probably really have to rely on Wu Xiaoqi to take care of his wife and children.

Because the profits involved in tomb raiding are so enormous, the earnings from a single tomb raid can often exceed the income of an average person's entire life's work. As a result, infighting due to unequal distribution of spoils is very common in this industry. Long-lasting tomb raiding gangs are often composed of blood relatives, usually passed down from father to son. Only the father will not cheat his children; in fact, it is another matter whether the children will scheme against their fathers.

However, in the "tomb raiding sect," the lineage was passed down from master to apprentice. This was because doing this kind of work was too immoral. During the Ming Dynasty, their sect was also passed down from father to son, and even expanded to form a large village. However, the village was later destroyed, and a tragic human tragedy of a son killing his father took place. Although there were outsiders with ulterior motives involved, Hu Laoliu did not believe that it was not retribution.

It was from that time onwards that the "tomb raiding school" became a tradition passed down from master to apprentice, so as to reduce the amount of bad karma accumulated by future generations.

The reason why the descendants of the "tomb raiding school" are so keen to study the "Taigong Heavenly Book" is largely because they want to find a way to change their fate, eliminate their karmic obstacles, and have a peaceful old age so that their descendants can also live peacefully, wealthy and prosperous lives. But alas... there is no such thing as a free lunch!

"Let me think about it..."

Hu Laoliu sighed.

Seeing that his master had agreed, Wu Xiaoqi was overjoyed, but in an instant, he began to feel reluctant.

He also knew the dangers of going down to Qianling this time, and was a little afraid that his master would not come back. Although the two of them were always bickering, their relationship was indeed much stronger than that of an average father and son.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Wu Xiaoqi suddenly said, "Master, why don't I go into the tomb for you? They only need one person from the 'tomb raiding sect' to accompany them, so it doesn't matter whether you go or not. I'm all alone, but you still have so many junior wives and junior brothers to support. If you don't come back, how will they survive? Besides, you're not too old to move around yet, and you can still train another disciple..."

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Hu Laoliu waved his hand: "They might agree even if you're not there, but do you think they'll let it go if I don't go?"

Wu Xiaoqi's words were somewhat naive, but Hu Laoliu felt the affection in them. He thought to himself that he had not taken this disciple in vain. Even if he was really trapped in Qianling, the sect could be passed down, his wife and children would be taken care of, and he could rest in peace in the afterlife.

"Besides, it's not certain I won't come back. With an extraordinary expert as my bodyguard, I'll be perfectly safe!"

Hu Laoliu said with a smile.

Wu Xiaoqi thought about it and agreed, then said to Hu Laoliu, "Master, in that case, let's go to Kabukicho first to wish you a triumphant return!"

"Come on, I think you've got a taste for it!"

Hu Laoliu laughed and cursed.

A few days ago, I thought that Wu Xiaoqi was now an adult and it was time for him to broaden his horizons, so I took him to Kabukicho. As a result, the kid became obsessed with it. He would ask me if we were going to eat in Kabukicho even when we were having breakfast. What a promising kid!

Just as the master and apprentice were joking around, two uninvited guests suddenly blocked their way.

The two men, one tall and one short, were both draped in cloaks that covered their entire bodies. The shorter man seemed to be the leader. He raised a golden scepter and said to Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi in Japanese, "So it was you who stole the 'Millennium Wisdom Wheel' from the pyramids?"

Hu Laoliu was startled, but as a thief, unless caught red-handed, who would have the right to confess? He immediately denied it, saying, "What did you say? I don't understand Japanese!"

The short man seemed to chuckle, then said, "If you don't admit it, that's fine. I... have plenty of ways to make you admit it... Come out, God (Kami)!"

As the short man shouted, the clear sky suddenly became overcast, and amidst lightning and thunder, a giant red, winged, two-beaked dragon, invisible to ordinary people, slowly descended from the clouds.

Wu Xiaoqi couldn't see the giant red dragon, but Hu Laoliu sensed the arrival of something terrifying through his "qi-gazing technique," and he couldn't help but shout, "What kind of monster is this!"

"Not a monster, but a god (Kami)!"

The short man sneered.

Chapter 599 Ominous Object

When the colossal red dragon that blotted out the sky appeared, Hu Laoliu immediately sensed impending doom and pushed Wu Xiaoqi away, shouting, "Run!"

Hu Laoliu, who valued the sect's legacy highly, thought of protecting his disciples first at this moment.

But it was no use. The red dragon opened its huge mouth, and two enormous bolts of lightning struck Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi almost simultaneously, scorching them to a crisp and knocking them to the ground.

However, the lightning seemed to have deliberately restrained its power. When it struck Hu Laoliu and Wu Xiaoqi, it only rendered them unable to move, but their lives were not in danger.

Of course, the short man hadn't gotten what he wanted yet, so how could he bear to kill these two guys who knew the whereabouts of the "Millennium Wisdom Wheel"?

He glanced at the tall man behind him, who then walked up to Hu Laoliu and lifted him off the ground.

Looking at Hu Laoliu, who had been dragged in front of him, the short man smiled and said, "Didn't you just say you couldn't understand Japanese? How come you were speaking it just now?"

Hu Laoliu's body was tingling, but he was still conscious. Hearing the short man's mockery, he couldn't help but force a smile: "Ha, yeah, how amazing! You suddenly learned it? Are you a magician, young man? You taught me Japanese all of a sudden!"

The short man smiled and winked at the tall man. The tall man then reached out and struck Hu Laoliu's face, which was blackened by the electric shock, several times, making his nose and mouth bleed profusely.

"Can we talk properly now?"

The short man asked Old Hu Liu.

"Sure, sure, sure! Please feel free to ask me anything, and I'll answer to the best of my ability!"

Faced with the fear of death, Hu Laoliu quickly backed down.

The short man's smile vanished, and he asked Hu Laoliu with a cold face, "Tell me, where is the 'Millennial Wisdom Wheel'?"

"What 'Millennial Wisdom Wheel'? I don't know anything about it!"

Hu Laoliu said with a crying face.

The short man gave a rough description of what the "Millennium Wisdom Wheel" looked like. It was the pendant that Lai Sheng Ai had seen before and wanted to wear. However, Hu Lao Liu shook his head repeatedly after hearing it: "I don't know! I've never seen such a thing!"

Did he really not see it? How could he forget something he just handled? Besides, he had a deep impression of this "Millennium Wisdom Wheel." It looked golden and he thought it was made of gold, but when he got his hands on it, he found that it wasn't. But since he had already taken it, he just took it with him. As a result, this thing attracted a powerful enemy to him. Hu Laoliu really wished he could cut off the hand that reached out back then!

The short man looked coldly at Hu Laoliu: "You'd better hand over the stuff, or I'll make sure you can't even die."

"No, sir, I really didn't know..."

Old Hu pleaded with a look on his face.

Despite being a tomb raider and engaging in low-class activities, Hu Laoliu still understands the concept of "morality."

He sold the items to Michael. If he reveals the buyer and causes trouble for the buyer, how can he continue to work in the underworld?

Moreover, he had observed Michael using the "art of observing qi" and found him to be a truly wealthy and noble person. He betrayed Michael, thus getting through this hurdle, but what about the future?