Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Three: Packing Up
He held a few thick books, pointing to one of them for Zhao Lun to see.
Zhao Lun glanced over and discovered that there were three books, all quite old. The marks on them indicated they had been discarded long ago, giving them a sense of antiquity.
"These are from 1925, 1926, and 1950. They are indeed quite old and hard to find on the market," Zhao Lun thought.
The markings confirmed his suspicions.
Each book bore a signature and a note, with the signature belonging to Piro's grandmother. The name appeared somewhat awkward, and at first glance, one might mistake the author for a male.
This was a trick used by booksellers; to boost sales and avoid alienating some men, they often obscured female authors' names.
Each of the three books contained different narratives, reflecting the author's evolving mindset over time.
"These three are even more precious; they are the author's personal copies!"
Although time had taken its toll, they were well-preserved and held significant collectible value. What Zhao Lun valued even more was that these three books were not found in his library. In recent years, he had been collecting various books to store in his library, and now,
all of them were cataloged in his database.
Currently, he could almost find any book available on the market. The three books not entered into his database were, in Zhao Lun's eyes, equally valuable.
Piro expressed his excitement, "Yes, these three books are incredibly rare; you can hardly find them. If it weren't for your interest, I wouldn't have brought them out."
Although his grandmother had published these books, various factors at the time led to poor sales and low acclaim. Seeing Zhao Lun's interest brought him a sense of joy.
If his grandfather was the man he admired most, then his grandmother was the woman he adored; seeing the people he admired being recognized only increased his fondness for the young man before him.
Zhao Lun couldn't disagree with Piro's enthusiasm.
As he stepped out of the golden glow of the statue, he was suddenly hit by a cold, eerie sensation, reminding him that they had been there for too long.
Piro looked at Zhao Lun apologetically, "I'm sorry, sir, for taking up so much of your time."
"No! Mr. Piro, it's my honor to hear such captivating stories," Zhao Lun replied.
After some friendly banter, they felt more familiar and less awkward, and they got straight to the point.
"Now, sir, what do you think about all this?" Piro asked, his demeanor turning serious, the earlier warmth vanishing.
Zhao Lun shrugged, "Very good. If possible, I'd like to take all of them with me."
Piro stared at him in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing, wondering if he had misheard.
"Take all of them? Do you think this is grocery shopping?"
...
Less than a quarter of an hour later, a large truck arrived at Piro's home.
Then, a dozen people got out of the truck, each dressed as if they were guarding against a biochemical virus. They checked their gear without saying a word and headed straight into Piro's yard.
At this moment, Zhao Lun and Piro were waiting for them. The dozen individuals stood in formation, awaiting his orders.
"Your task is simple: pack these items onto the truck and take them away!"
"Be careful while moving! Handle them gently! Don't damage anything!"
"Alright! Begin!"
Zhao Lun didn't waste time with pleasantries, getting right to the point. The team, having been briefed, promptly stood at attention and began their work.
Piro was astonished by Zhao Lun's ability to call in such professionals. As the actions unfolded, he came to his senses. At that moment, he looked at Zhao Lun with newfound respect.
The young man was not just a wealthy individual; he seemed to have considerable influence and was not someone to be trifled with. Simultaneously, he felt relieved that his fortunes had finally turned for the better; the young man was kind-hearted and not like those stingy individuals who would exploit him.
Zhao Lun didn't pay attention to Piro; instead, he kept his eyes on the team moving items in and out, feeling somewhat inconvenienced. If there were no outsiders, he could have gathered everything with a wave of his hand, without needing to call for help, packing everything away piece by piece.
These items were not only precious; some were dangerous, and if mishandled, could lead to serious issues. To prevent any accidents, he had to keep a close watch, ready to intervene at any moment to ensure safety.
The team was reliable, encountering no problems until they attempted to move two larger items.
The statue was cumbersome and difficult to maneuver, and as they tried to pass through the narrow corridor, several people accidentally bumped into the wall with a loud 'bang.'
"Be careful! Don't hurt yourselves!"
Zhao Lun shouted, rushing over to check. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm, and no one was injured.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, nothing serious had happened! However, Zhao Lun's heart raced because the final item was even more challenging to move than the statue. If mishandled, the movers could suffer serious injuries. At that moment, Zhao Lun felt compelled to intervene.
With the statue's suppression gone, the coffin emanated an even more sinister aura. A gust of wind suddenly arose in the empty basement, accompanied by a distorted, soul-wrenching scream from within.
The six people moving the items, despite their specialized equipment, couldn't withstand the eerie wind. They heard cracking sounds from their bodies, and then their vision went dark; one by one, they collapsed to the ground, their faces turning pale.
Anticipating trouble, Zhao Lun quickly extended his divine protection and moved to suppress the coffin.
In front of him appeared a twisted figure, which let out a reluctant wail before falling silent, the malevolent wind in the basement vanishing as if it had never existed.
"Quick! Send in more people!"
Zhao Lun called out, instructing others to carry the unconscious individuals out. Before entering, he had warned them about potential dangers, and now, they acted without panic. Some quietly lifted their fallen comrades, while others remained behind to help Zhao Lun move the coffin.
This time, Zhao Lun kept his hands on the coffin, ensuring no further mishaps occurred. They successfully loaded it onto the truck and positioned it near the statue for added suppression.
With the loading finished, they awaited Zhao Lun's command.
"How is it? Is the situation serious?"
"Are they alright?"
At this moment, Piro anxiously approached Zhao Lun, inquiring about the condition of the unconscious individuals.
"Don't worry; they've been checked, and there are no major issues. After some medication and rest, they'll be fine by tomorrow."
"That's great! Thank goodness nothing serious happened!"
"Piro, your situation here has been resolved, but I recommend you leave this place and find a sunny location to recuperate."
"Thank you! Allen, I will!"
Piro looked at Zhao Lun with gratitude, making Zhao Lun feel a bit embarrassed.