On the antique street, some individuals earn a living by tricking unsuspecting customers, while others focus their efforts on deceiving merchants.


    It’s a well-known fact in this industry that antique dealers often fall victim to counterfeit items.


    If you venture into business on your own, it’s not unusual to find yourself being scammed.


    What’s puzzling, however, is that I have just opened my shop today, with no established reputation or even a proper sign. Why, then, has someone targeted me so quickly?


    This realization struck me: there must be someone specifically aiming to deceive me in this game.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    As for the identity of my potential scammer, I suspect it’s likely Zhang Ermao (Cade).


    The reasoning is simple: Zhang Ermao (Cade) had previously visited my store and inquired about my investment scale when I opened. To maintain a low profile, I told him it was just a few hundred thousand.


    Now, the man who approached me just moments ago brought an item and quoted a price of 500,000 yuan, seemingly attempting to snatch away my entire investment in one fell swoop.


    Moreover, in the world of antiques, losing some money isn’t the worst oue. The real danger lies in acquiring a bad reputation.


    If it bes known that youck professionalism, genuine buyers will steer clear, leaving you only with con artists wanting to take advantage of you.


    Given that everyone perceives you as unprofessional, potential buyers may fear that you’ve unwittingly acquired a collection of fakes, which you might present as authentic.<fn2e86> Official source is FindN0vel</fn2e86>


    The malicious intentions of those who engage in such schemes be rmingly clear: they aim not just to rob you of your money but also to ruin your standing in Aurous Hill’s antique market.


    Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder: I’ve never wronged Zhang Ermao (Cade), so why would he set his sights on me?


    Even more absurd is the fact that in his scheme against me, he inadvertently delivered a genuine piece from the Northern Song Dynasty. This is truly unprecedented.


    The reason I spoke candidly to that person was twofold: first, I concluded that no matter how I replied, he would never believe me; second, I wanted to establish a record for future reference.


    At the four corners of my store’s ceiling, several surveince cameras still remained from the previous owner’s tenure.


    ording to the former shop owner, he had purchased them for just a few hundred yuan in total. He even mentioned that taking them down would require adder, and he wouldn’t be able to sell them for more than a few bucks; after all, they had been bought several years ago and were now considered obsolete.


    He kindly provided me with the ount and password for the monitoring software, as he deemed it a favor.


    During my conversation with that individual, the surveince camera captured everything, including my detailed disclosure of the bronze Buddha’s worth. I exined its historical significance and value, even offering the other party a generous split of the profits—a gesture well above the typical standards of the antique industry.


    The reason I chose to be honest was that I had seen through the other person’s plot and decided to turn the tables, crafting my own scheme in response.