Lu Fei had been focusing on whether there were any evil or negative auras on the knife, and did not think about the possibility that it might be a forgery.
Only after hearing Xu Sixian say that the knife was bought on Culture Street did he start to think that the knife might have issues.
Culture Street, which was not far from the Antique Street, was a place specifically known for selling forgeries.
"A forgery?"
Bro Liang was slightly taken aback and quickly took the knife from Lu Fei's hand, comparing it with the photo repeatedly.
"Not only are the flaws on the knife different, but the color of the leather wrap on the handle is also different." Lu Fei pointed at the photo.
"Great, it's really a fake!"
Bro Liang shouted joyfully.
"A counterfeit has never been used for executions, so of course, there won't be any prisoner's resentment. It can't possibly be an evil object," Lu Fei added.
"Exactly! I knew it. All the conditions match, how could it not be this knife?" Bro Liang immediately shook off his dejection and became excited, "So, the real one must still be in the dealer's hands. We should go find the dealer!"
The situation took a turn for the better.
Everyone was very happy.
Except for one person.
"What are you guys talking about? What counterfeit?"
Xu Sixian asked anxiously.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Xu, this knife of yours is a forgery," Lu Fei hurriedly restrained his smile and explained, "Culture Street is a place that specializes in selling forgeries. But on the bright side, such a knife, being inauspicious, could very likely bring bad luck. It's actually a good thing that it's fake."
"Are you sure?"
"If you don't believe us, you can check it yourself."
Lu Fei pushed the notebook over to him.
Xu Sixian looked it over repeatedly, and his whole body went numb.
Bad news.
He had bought an inauspicious knife.
Good news.
The knife was fake.
He didn't know whether he should cry or laugh.
"This is outrageous, these dealers are too much!"
"Lu Fei, there's no time to lose, let's go find that dealer now." Brother Liang stood up abruptly, not willing to delay for a moment, "Mr. Xu, could you lead the way?"
"No problem! I was just about to go and settle accounts with him. You can be my witnesses so he can't deny it!"
Xu Sixian gritted his teeth in anger.
With a common goal, they left immediately, hailing a cab straight to Culture Street.
"It's this one, the Treasure Trove."
Xu Sixian carried the suitcase, walked quickly, and stopped outside an antique shop.
"The Treasure Trove?"
Lu Fei and Hu Zi exchanged glances instantly.
Zhenbaozhai also has a store on the antique street, and both stores are owned by the same person.
"No wonder! The owner of Zhenbaozhai, Ma Laosan, is not a good guy! Last time he sold me a fake copper coin, nearly causing me a big loss!" Thinking about this, Hu Zi was furious.
"I haven't settled accounts with him yet. Today, while helping Mr. Xu, I'll settle new and old scores at once!"
"Let's go!"
The four of them marched into Zhenbaozhai with a menacing air.
"What can I get for you, gentlemen? I have plenty of good stuff here, feel free to look around and pick." Boss Ma Laosan immediately came forward to greet them.
"Good stuff? I think you have nothing but fakes here!" Hu Zi snorted coldly, "Ma Laosan, you're quite a trickster, aren't you? You deceive everyone who comes your way."
Ma Laosan was taken aback. He looked Hu Zi up and down with his shrewd eyes and said, "So it's you, Hu Zi! You can eat anything, but you shouldn't talk nonsense. Brother Hu Zi, I run a business here, don't spread false rumors! There's no need to be so aggressive in competing for business!"
"Do I need to make things up?" Hu Zi sneered disdainfully, "Last time you sold me a fake copper coin, nearly ruining my big plans. I haven't settled that account with you yet! And now you sold another counterfeit knife to Mr. Xu, you must give Mr. Xu an explanation!"
Xu Sixian put his suitcase down on the table with a stern face.
"Mr. Ma, the knife you sold me is a fake!"
"A fake?" Ma Laosan slightly frowned, his small eyes scanning the crowd, and stroked his handlebar mustache, saying: "Mr. Xu, you claim that the knife I sold you is a fake. Do you have any evidence?"
"Evidence?" Xu Sixian was slightly taken aback.
Huzi immediately opened Liang Ge's laptop and showed Ma Laosan the photo of the flaying knife.
"This is the best evidence! The knife you sold is different from the one in the photo!"
Ma Laosan took just one glance, and his eyebrows twitched several times, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
But he quickly calmed down, stroked his handlebar mustache, and asked: "What kind of knife is this?"
"You don't even know what a flaying knife is, and you dare to sell it?" Huzi mocked.
"That's right, what I sold was not a torture knife at all, but a general's knife," Ma Laosan said calmly with a smile, "Mr. Xu, I never told you that the knife I sold you was a torture knife, did I?"
"This… you…" Xu Sixian said anxiously, "But these two knives look exactly the same! What you're saying about the general's knife is a lie!"
"Just because they look similar doesn't mean it's the same knife, right?" Ma Laosan said with a faint smile, "Besides, if there was an issue, you should have raised it on the spot. We settled everything long ago. Now you come and say I sold you a fake. How do I know if the knife you brought is the one I sold you back then?"
"You..."
Xu Sixian was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing how to refute.
"Ma Laosan, you're really shameless! You dare to be so righteous about cheating people! Do you know that the real knife is a cursed object!" Hu Zi clenched his fists, making a cracking sound.
"Brother Hu Zi, I've been in the antique business for many years, I'm not someone to be intimidated!" Ma Laosan said coldly, hugging his arms, "If you leave now, I won't make a fuss. If you dare to linger, I will call the police and sue you for extortion!"
"You..." Hu Zi was choked with anger.
Lu Fei reached out and patted his shoulder, then stepped forward to speak to Ma Laosan, "Mr. Ma, maybe we were mistaken; these are two different knives. Do you have the knife in this photo? We want to buy it."
"No!" Ma Laosan glanced at Lu Fei and refused outright.
"Mr. Ma, this knife is not a good thing. The flaying case on Antiques Street seven years ago, you still remember that, right?"
"Who remembers what happened seven years ago?"
Liang pulled out several bloodstained photos from his backpack and threw them on the table, saying, "These are the outcomes of the previous owners of the knife. Every seven years, someone is murdered. I think you should take a look and decide if you want to end up like them."
Ma Lao San glanced at the photos, his brows slightly furrowed, but he still shook his head, "I don't have the knife you mentioned."
"I've investigated every buyer of that knife, and I have all the transaction records. The knife is in your hands." Liang took out a stack of documents, "All the evidence is here, do you still want to deny it?"
"Just because you say it's evidence? Who are you?" Ma Lao San stubbornly refused to admit it.
After all, admitting it would be the same as confessing to selling counterfeits.
"Boss Ma, I advise you to think clearly. We are doing this to save your life!"
Liang looked at Ma Lao San and knew that pressing him further would be futile. He left a phone number and signaled Lu Fei and the others to leave.
"He won't admit it; we need to find another way."