Bullets, chains, and flashing blades intertwined like a massive net, closing in on Qingyi with almost no room to evade.
Gripping the small pistol in her hand, she suddenly felt a pang of regret—she should have contacted Zhu Yuan and the Security Bureau earlier.
It wasn't that she feared getting hurt.
Qingyi wasn't afraid.
Even if this body was destroyed, she could always replace it with a new one, though it would take some time to adjust.
No matter how skilled she was, she couldn't take on over a dozen enemies alone. In the end, she had failed to keep her promise to protect Sam Li.
This feeling—being too powerless to fulfill a promise—was infuriating.
She really shouldn't have… brought an outsider along on this mission.
As the glint of swords and knives drew closer, time seemed to slow, like a film playing in slow motion. The determination on Qingyi's face shifted to surprise.
She stared in shock at Sam Li, who had suddenly stepped in front of her.
She watched in disbelief as a golden radiance flickered into existence—sudden, brilliant, like a sky full of stars, forming an unbreakable wall between her and the incoming attacks.
As Sam Li's voice rang out, golden light erupted from his body.
Tiny sparks, like fireflies, scattered rapidly, landing on Qingyi's hands, face, and clothes…
In the blink of an eye, the golden glow faded.
But it left behind a warmth, a feeling of absolute safety.
Bullets, chains, and flashing blades finally struck—but instead of finding their mark, they collided with the golden shield, sending out deafening echoes.
The impact jolted Qingyi back to her senses. She instinctively shouted:
"Sam Li, watch out—move!"
What unfolded before her left her completely stunned, her mouth hanging open.
Sam Li had blocked everything.
Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the golden light, chains were halted mid-air, and every blade and shadowed weapon vanished into nothingness.
Before Qingyi could even process what had happened, a black-and-gold spear materialized before her—just in time for Sam Li to grasp it.
The spear lashed out like a dragon, striking straight toward the man in chains.
With a single blow, he was sent flying through the air, landing with a heavy thud at the old man's feet.
The entire place fell silent.
They had assumed that taking down Qingyi would secure their victory.
No one had expected this mild-mannered treasure appraiser to possess such overwhelming strength.
The golden radiance still shimmering around Sam Li's body—it was unlike anything they had ever seen.
What kind of power was this?
It was too durable to be cut. Too solid to be pierced. It had absorbed a relentless barrage of attacks without leaving so much as a scratch…
Was it Electro? Pyro?
For a moment, even the old man was frozen in shock at Sam Li's sudden display of power.
But he quickly recovered, barking out an order:
"What are you standing around for?! Kill him! Grab that birdcage! Twenty thousand Denny for each of you!"
These thieves were outlaws.
The moment they heard the old man's words, their hesitation vanished. Fueled by greed, their expressions twisted into savage grins as they lunged toward Sam Li.
That if they could corner Qingyi, they could do the same to Sam Li.
The first few who charged forward were immediately met with a sweeping strike from Sam Li's spear—followed by a precise thrust.
Before any of the antique thieves could even get close—
Sam Li flipped his spear into the air. As it touched the ground, he kicked the Vortex Vanquisher forward with immense force.
Several enemies were sent flying several meters back.
Qingyi watched in astonishment. Then, snapping back to reality, she hurriedly retrieved her three-section staff from the ground.
Reinforcements arrived.
Outside the abandoned building, Zhu Yuan's voice rang out, accompanied by the shouts of Security Bureau officers.
"Move, move! The senior's already fighting—support him now!"
"Lock down the exits! Prepare suppression fire!"
"You—block the back door! You—secure the windows! Don't let a single one of them escape!"
"Senior, we're here!"
By the time Zhu Yuan arrived with the Security Personnel, Sam Li had already put away his spear, once again appearing as the calm and refined appraiser he had been before.
Qingyi had also finished dealing with two of the lesser antique thieves.
She turned her head just in time to spot the old man trying to slip away.
Immediately, she shouted, "Zhu Yuan, stop that old thief!"
"Understood, senior!"
Without hesitation, Zhu Yuan halted, glanced in the direction of the old man's escape, and quickly took the shortest route to cut him off.
A bullet struck the ground precisely at the old man's feet, forcing him to stop in his tracks.
Then, Zhu Yuan surged forward.
In the span of a single second, she landed a rapid combination of elbow strikes, a jab, and a powerful side kick.
Before the old man could even react, he was sent flying into the wall.
Groaning, he struggled to his feet, still attempting to flee—
But before he could take another step, a green figure appeared, blocking his path.
With Zhu Yuan in front and Qingyi behind, the old man's escape route was completely sealed off.
Only now did realization dawn on him. "The Criminal Investigation Task Force? You're with the Security Bureau too? You set me up…"
Qingyi dusted off her clothes. "You're the one trying to scam me—selling fakes. If I didn't know better, you would've gotten away with it."
Just mentioning the counterfeits made her angry.
At first, that bronze cauldron had seemed like a fine piece, its weathered patina promising authenticity. It would have made a striking display in any living room.
She never would have guessed it was made using such a disgusting method.
What a waste of time.
The old man stubbornly refused to accept the truth. "No! I dug it up with my own hands!"
Seeing his unwillingness to admit defeat, Qingyi pulled out a pair of handcuffs from behind her back.
Twirling them in her hand a few times, she then tossed them to the ground in front of him.
"Seventy years of life is a rare thing. And yet here you are, still too stubborn to let go. If not for your greed over that bronze vessel, you wouldn't have ended up in this mess."
At those words, the old man stiffened.
"You… Damn it. Speaking so smoothly—are you mocking me on purpose?"
He wanted to argue back but found himself at a loss for words.
Even he had to admit it now—the bronze artifact was most likely fake.
That bastard scammed me.
No wonder that guy had been so generous, selling such "valuable" information for a low price. He thought he had scored a bargain, only to realize now that he had been played.
Unwilling to accept the truth, the old man cast a final glance at Qingyi and Zhu Yuan.
Then, in a desperate move, he turned and scrambled up the wall, trying to escape—most likely to hunt down the thief who had tricked him.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuan immediately raised his gun.
But Qingyi sighed. "Let me handle it."
The moment she finished speaking, she raised her hand and hurled her three-section staff.
With a loud bang, it embedded itself into the wall—right above the old man's head.