Chapter One: The Twenty-Yuan Silver Coin

“I am reporting it now.” The words above the coin changed. [Probability of contaminated provenance: 73%.] [Expected asset freeze if sold directly: 18–36 months.] The million-yuan valuation was real. So was the stolen-property risk. Shen Yan raised his phone camera. “Tell me its year, variety, and distinguishing features. I’m livestreaming, and the market cameras are recording. If you are right, I will cooperate with the police. If you are wrong, this is attempted robbery.” He was not livestreaming. He had merely opened the front-facing camera. The scarred man hesitated. “What year? It’s just some Yuan Shikai dollar.” Vendors around them laughed. The Guizhou coin bore an automobile, not Yuan Shikai’s portrait.