Chapter 289: Don't Struggle, Your Museum Has Been Stolen Empty

The director of the Da Ying Museum crossed his arms.

His eyes seemed to burn with hatred as he said, “We don’t care about anything else. Right now, we just need an explanation.”

“Miss Gu, you’re the one under suspicion. What’s with this attitude? The most important thing right now is for you to bring out your forgery so we can determine its authenticity.”

“These artifacts are ours! Don’t you dare steal our culture!”

Gu Shengsheng actually laughed when she heard this.

“Mr. Jack, I never even mentioned culture, yet you’re already so worked up. I think you know perfectly well who the real culture thieves are. After all, the guiltiest person is always the loudest. As a textbook example of a failure, you’re quite successful, actually.”

Gu Shengsheng waved a hand dismissively. “I didn’t pay it much mind before. I thought that even though your Eagle Country plundered things from others, you at least admitted to it. I never expected you to pull the ‘culture thief’ card. Who really took what from whom? We won back then, and it was you who dragged your feet, refusing to return the items.”

Gu Shengsheng’s voice was firm as she said, “So you’ve been arguing dishonestly and stalling for time all along. I remember all of it. How dare you have the nerve to accuse us of stealing culture now? Tell me, isn’t every explanation you’ve given about the meaning of these artifacts something you looked up in our Huaxian history books?”

At this, Gu Shengsheng used a small, portable projector to display images of him holding Huaxian books, putting on airs.

The sight of it irritated Gu Shengsheng. She even found it repulsive.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue now that I’ve presented evidence?” Gu Shengsheng asked, looking at his stunned expression.

Jack couldn’t understand it. ‘Who screenshots and saves such unimportant photos, compiling all this so-called evidence? Is this what people mean by creating a gimmick for hype?’

Then, he cursed, “Shut up!”

“Gu Shengsheng, don’t think you’re so special. Just because you’re good with words, you think you’re some kind of savior? Don’t be ridiculous.”

He was so angry as he said this that he almost laughed in disbelief.

“Over here, a silver tongue won’t get you anywhere.”

Gu Shengsheng actually agreed with that.

She nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t get famous just by talking, either.”

“So, are you going to bring out the artifact, or are you going to claim this one was stolen, too? Are you planning to pin that on me?”

At Gu Shengsheng’s words, the director replied with disgust, “How could that be possible!”

“This item is critically important. It represents the impartial image of our Eagle Country. For you to say something like that… it’s just incomprehensible, isn’t it?”

I don’t know about anyone else, but in my eyes, Miss Gu, you are nothing but a swindler and a cheat.

“Since Huaxia is incapable of exposing your sordid past, we can certainly help. At least, when it comes to this matter at the Da Ying Museum, we will show no mercy.”

Gu Shengsheng nodded. “Oh, then let’s just get someone over here to appraise it. Let’s follow the rules. Have the international authorities send someone, too.”

But just as she finished speaking, the Da Ying Museum employee who had gone to fetch the artifact came running back in a frantic rush. “This is bad! Another 300 Huaxian artifacts have been stolen! Among them… is the very piece we suspected Miss Gu of forging.”

“You could say that all the artifacts in our museum that weren’t on display have now been stolen. Only the ones in the exhibition halls are left…”

The director of the Da Ying Museum shot to his feet. “Lock down the information! Quickly, this must not get out!”

“Detain Miss Gu!”

He was drenched in sweat.

During the previous theft, the security system was at least triggered. But what happened today? They had no idea how the items were taken.

And this was after they had tightened security. Why did this happen?

Although Jack felt like he was about to fall apart, he knew his position as director was on the line. This was a catastrophe of epic proportions.

But what could be done now? He had to minimize the fallout.

Gu Shengsheng raised her hand. “Um… may I say something?”

Jack replied, extremely agitated, “Miss Gu. You may not.”

“There’s no opportunity for your dishonest arguments now. A huge disaster has befallen the Da Ying Museum, and you’re the only outsider here. You’d better think carefully about how you’re going to get out of this!”

Seeing his frantic state, Gu Shengsheng offered a reminder, “That’s not what I was going to talk about.”

“I was just going to say, I need to turn off my stream. Sorry about that, I’m broadcasting this live to the world.”

She then quickly got up and moved to turn off the stream.

The director sat frozen in his original position for a long time…

‘What… He’d been so angry he hadn’t even noticed Gu Shengsheng was livestreaming…’

‘Does that mean the news that the Da Ying Museum was emptied out is already everywhere?’

Now, it hadn’t just spread. It had been broadcast globally. What kind of disaster was this…

‘He hadn’t even accepted it himself yet, how could the netizens have already heard…’

Netizens:

“My dudes, am I hearing this right?! We didn’t mishear, did we? The Da Ying Museum got cleaned out. Oh man, that’s so tragic, I can’t stop laughing! Let me just have a chuckle.”

“Isn’t this what they deserve? They didn’t just plunder artifacts from Huaxia, but from many other countries too. A whole lot from Egypt, for example.”

“Heh, say no more. They’re just a bunch of robbers. Didn’t someone do the math before? Of its eight million pieces, less than ten percent actually belong to Eagle Country itself.”

“Well, I know ours are in there!”

“Ours too. Right now, I’m just thinking what goes around, comes around. I wonder which country’s hero did this. I hope they all make it home safely.”

“So, are all eight million pieces in the museum gone?”

“No way. A few thousand pieces were stolen at most. After all, what the museum collects and exhibits is only a portion. Not all eight million pieces are stored in this one museum; many are treasured away in other government institutions.”

“…”

Many people felt a little disappointed to hear that, but still, for so much to be stolen from the museum was basically the same thing.

Meanwhile, Gu Shengsheng watched Jack running around like a headless chicken, feeling quite at ease.

She even made a sarcastic remark, “What’s not yours will never be yours. You spent all day fighting over it, and now look what’s happened.”

Director Jack glared at her. “Was this your doing?”

“If you thought it had anything to do with me, you would have locked me up already. A pity you have no evidence, and it really has nothing to do with me. I’ve been here talking with you the whole time.”

“I’ve been sitting right here. My words may be harsh, but you have no reason to suspect me.”

Gu Shengsheng sighed. ‘I just love seeing Jack break down like this, wanting to get angry but having no outlet for it.’

‘It’s quite amusing.’

‘Still, the whole affair is strange. It seems Lu Shijing will need to speed things up on his end.’