Chapter Five: The Perfect Counterfeit

At eight the next evening, He Xiao entered ClearMark with a lawyer, a notary, and six cameras. The sealed case had come directly from a European auction house. Every seal matched the logistics recording. Eight hundred thousand viewers arrived, and ninety-three percent voted genuine. “Simple rules,” He said. “No destructive testing. Ten minutes. If you're wrong, you apologize and close ClearMark.” “I answer for evidence. I don't wager my shop.” Lin struck out the closure clause. “Take the box home if you're afraid.” Comments mocked his retreat, but He signed. He did not need the contract; he needed Lin to say genuine. The red-and-black Skyvault lay in acid-free paper.