"Were these armor plates really just modern industrial imitations that cost a few cents apiece?" Wang Xiyi looked at the plates in the specimen bag in surprise. "I thought they were all excavated artifacts..."
"If you don't believe me, I can find an expert to authenticate them for you." Candle Dragon pulled out his phone as he spoke.
"An expert? Don't tell me you mean one of those shady dealers from Chunming City's antiques market?" Sun Hang teased.
"Not that kind. The expert I'm calling is the real deal—Professor Du from Chunming University's History Department, one of the leading figures in Xiazhou's archaeological field." As Candle Dragon spoke, he took several photos of the armor plates and dialed a number.
"Hello, Professor Du? It's me, Candle Dragon—the hunter from Tianshu Tower."
"I know it's you. Fuck your uncle, I'm busy as hell today. Get to the point and stop wasting my time!" Candle Dragon switched the call to speaker so Sun Hang and the others could hear Professor Du as well.
Professor Du's voice did not sound particularly old, but he had none of an elderly professor's sternness. His Chunming City dialect-laced profanity rolled right off his tongue.
That, however, indirectly proved that Professor Du and Candle Dragon were quite close.
"I have several standardized Han Dynasty armor plates that need your expert appraisal." Candle Dragon said with a smile. "I've already sent the photos to your email."
"I know of Professor Du," Yang Qi whispered to Sun Hang. "He really is an authority in archaeology. Quite a few sources I referenced while writing my paper were written by him."
"Han Dynasty armor plates? You can't tell whether they're real or fake? I don't believe it!" Professor Du cursed, but a rapid series of mouse clicks came from the other