"What?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Tongwei's face turned ashen with shock. He quickly asked, "Mr. Li, are you speaking the truth? Is the Chief Curator truly nearing his end?"
"Indeed, though I do not yet know the specifics of his fate. It all depends on his destiny, as I cannot always predict precisely how he will meet his end," Li Yang replied with a nod.
He wasn't lying about this!
The ambush the Chief Curator had encountered earlier was entirely Li Yang's deduction. He had noticed that as long as the Chief Curator remained in the shop for a little longer, the time above his head would not change.
This indicated that no matter when he departed, he would meet his demise in ten minutes.
There was no other explanation than someone waiting in the shadows to assassinate him.
However, the twenty thousand numerical value above his head now also sealed his fate, ensuring he wouldn't live much longer.
"I see. Once the Chief Curator overcomes this crisis, I will truthfully convey the situation to him."
Heeding Li Yang's words, Qi Tongwei resolved to help the Chief Curator escape danger as much as possible.
"Where is the master? Where is the master?"
Just then, the Chief Curator, who had left earlier, rushed back in a hurry from outside.
Upon entering Qi Tongwei's office, he immediately went to Li Yang's side and, with a thud, knelt down, saying, "Mr. Li, I misunderstood you earlier. You are the true master. Please accept my bow."
"Your life was saved entirely thanks to Curator Qi's assistance. Why are you thanking me?" Li Yang said dismissively.
He held no good feelings for this Chief Curator. Besides being arrogant and conceited, he was also condescending. Such a person, even if diligent in his work, was not destined to be well-liked.
"Master, I naturally know that it was Qi Tongwei who saved me this time. However, the crisis signal was your kind reminder. My failure to believe your words earlier was indeed my fault, my ignorance and foolishness. I hope the master can forgive me."
The Chief Curator seemed like a completely different person, now treating Li Yang as a deity!
Few people ordinarily received such treatment from him. Even in the capital, very few could make him kneel with such respect.
Li Yang could be considered the very first such individual!
Yet, even with his actions, Li Yang did not reciprocate. Without even looking at him, he directly said, "How can such an important figure like you kneel before me? Isn't this belittling me? Please get up quickly."
"Master, I wish to invite you to be my personal divination master. If you agree, I can provide you with all the resources you desire," the Chief Curator continued.
He thought that with this master by his side, he could foresee any dangerous premonitions, thus knowing in advance if there was any danger before undertaking any task.
Such a master was unparalleled in all of China, so he was determined to find every possible way to recruit this talent.
However, Li Yang remained unmoved, shaking his head and saying, "I'm sorry, I cannot agree. I have my own matters to attend to. Please get up quickly."
"Chief Curator, Mr. Li is very direct. Since he has said he won't accept, I'm afraid even if you kneel here for a day and a night, it will be useless. You just experienced a crisis and must still be weak. Please get up," Qi Tongwei said.
Qi Tongwei also stepped forward to help him up, trying to assist him in standing.
However, he still hesitated, seemingly unwilling to give up.
Seeing his stubbornness, Li Yang spoke after a few seconds, "Do you want my help so badly?"
"Yes, as long as Mr. Li is willing to help, I will do anything for you," the Chief Curator stated with great certainty.
"Very well, I do have a few matters I need your assistance with. As the Chief Curator of the Capital Museum, you must wield considerable power, correct?"
Li Yang stroked his chin in thought before looking earnestly at the Chief Curator and saying, "The very first thing I want you to do is to sanction Situ Jue. Can you do it?"
"Situ Jue? You mean the head of the Situ family?" the Chief Curator asked, looking puzzled.
"Precisely, him. This person is despicable and insidious. He often acts unscrupulously in the antique world and has committed many misdeeds. If you can sanction him, I will agree to help you," Li Yang said readily.
"This..."
The Chief Curator frowned, as if the matter was somewhat difficult for him.
After a moment of thought, he decisively said, "Mr. Li, I am merely a museum curator, and my status in the antique world is not the highest. However, I can recommend some masters from the capital's antique circle, perhaps they can assist you."
"So, you cannot do it."
Li Yang shook his head in great disappointment and said, "Since you cannot do it, then let's forget about it. You managed to escape this calamity today; consider it good luck. However, future tribulations will require you to judge them yourself."
"Mr. Li, besides matters concerning the antique world, I can serve you in all other museum-related affairs. I hope Mr. Li will reconsider."
The Chief Curator was still somewhat unwilling, wanting to help Li Yang within his capabilities.
Li Yang, however, shook his head dismissively, stating directly, "Let's forget about this. I have no interest. After all, the items in your museum are national treasures, and they cannot become mine."
"Perhaps I would have to protect the treasures for you instead. Wouldn't that be like lifting a rock only to drop it on my own feet? Am I not creating unnecessary trouble for myself?"
"This..."
The Chief Curator was momentarily speechless. Li Yang's reasoning was, in fact, valid.
Given his status, there were very few things he could do for Li Yang, at most introduce some connections. However, there were many museum matters that required Li Yang's help.
It was understandable that Li Yang was unwilling to help him now.
"Very well, since Mr. Li is unwilling to agree, I will not force the issue."
The Chief Curator felt somewhat disappointed. However, after standing up, he quickly handed Li Yang a business card and said respectfully, "Mr. Li, this is my business card. Although you are unwilling to help me, you saved my life today, and I cannot repay this kindness with nothing."
"I, Qin Gang, owe you a debt of gratitude today, and I will surely repay it well in the future. Also, I wonder if Mr. Li is married? I have a daughter in Jiangcheng. She is very beautiful and also works in the antique industry, running an antique business."
"If Mr. Li doesn't mind, I can introduce you to each other."
"Your daughter?" Li Yang asked curiously.
"Yes, my daughter is a rare beauty in Jiangcheng. If Mr. Li is interested, I will give you her contact information. You can get to know each other first, and if you find it suitable, you can arrange to meet for dinner or a movie."
Qin Gang's intentions were laid bare. Anyone could see that Qin Gang intended to use his daughter as bait to reel in the big fish that was Li Yang.
If Li Yang were to get together with his daughter, then the conditions Li Yang had just refused would effectively be accepted.
However, Li Yang had always had a weakness for beautiful women. Hearing Qin Gang's words, he became somewhat interested, wanting to see what his daughter looked like.
When he asked for a photo of Qin Gang's daughter, Qin Gang readily agreed!
Qin Gang took out a photo of his daughter from his wallet and handed it to Li Yang, saying, "Mr. Li, please take a look. This is my daughter. Isn't she quite beautiful?"
"It's her?"
The moment Li Yang saw the photo, he was stunned into stillness!