Chapter 3: A Bountiful Harvest

Upon realizing the effects of these cards, Liang En immediately activated the card he had just acquired. This card was still unfamiliar, its language unwarmed by his touch.

He recognized that the memories he had in that illusion were rapidly fading. Without using this card, the valuable knowledge he had gained moments ago might bid him farewell forever.

Choosing that card, Liang En noticed it swiftly transform into a bronze-colored powder, dissolving into his mind. A wealth of knowledge then flooded into his brain.

Overwhelmed by the deluge of information, Liang En, feeling slightly dizzy, had no choice but to sit on the dusty floor, awaiting the card's effects to subside.

Several minutes later, the infusion of knowledge concluded. Upon thorough examination, Liang En discovered that he had indeed mastered all the languages previously held by Shang Boliang in the illusion.

Among these languages, the most prominent were a series of Eastern languages such as Hebrew, Arabic, ancient Syriac, and ancient Chaldean. In addition, there were Greek, Latin, and Shang Boliang's native language, French.

What brought even more joy to Liang En was the realization that the foreign language he had studied in school, German, as well as the mandatory Irish Gaelic from his primary and secondary education, had also been strengthened to a proficient level through this card's enhancement.

"This 'Golden Finger' is truly incredible." After sensing his transformation, Liang En cracked a smile. "Even if I do nothing in the future, this knowledge is enough to last me a lifetime."

However, daydreaming was still just that—daydreaming. Even though he greatly admired such respected and economically advantageous professions in his previous life, with his newfound advantage, Liang En would naturally strive for even greater pursuits.

Thus, Liang En quickly adjusted his mindset and resumed his search. Perhaps due to his meticulous observation of the card's effects, he soon noticed an issue with the bookshelf he had examined earlier.

The United Kingdom was a country marked by distinct social classes, meaning that different families residing in various types of houses and owning different furnishings were governed by an underlying set of rules.

For instance, the terraced houses in this deteriorating neighborhood in the east of London were usually occupied by skilled workers or low-income white-collar workers.

This implied that the furniture here should be of the affordable kind. For example, the plywood furniture and fabric sofas Liang En had packed and sent to charity from the ground floor were perfect examples.

However, the current bookshelf contradicted this expectation. Equipped with the skill of keen observation, Liang En discerned beneath multiple layers of paint, left by countless repairs, the presence of oak material beneath the visible surface.

Realizing that this cabinet was conspicuously out of place in this setting, he promptly emptied its contents and proceeded to examine the bookshelf meticulously.

Indeed, upon a comprehensive inspection, Liang En found that the back panel of the third shelf was notably about five centimeters thicker than the other layers. However, due to the entirety of the interior being coated with brown-black paint, this difference was virtually imperceptible without active scrutiny.

"Looks like today is going to be a great haul," Liang En thought when he noticed the abnormality in the protrusion of the bookshelf. He immediately donned the gas mask that hung around his neck, securing it over his face.

Then, using a sturdy Eastern European titanium alloy pry bar he had acquired during a forceful disassembly of an old house, he finally managed to remove the plywood layer used to conceal the hidden compartment. What lay inside left his heart racing.

Surprisingly, the compartment was filled with charcoal ash, and as soon as he opened it, dust began to float all around the room. However, Liang En's excitement continued to grow.

Normally, things hidden within secret compartments were hardly of poor quality.

Based on what he had learned over the past two months, he knew that many of his fellow treasure hunters had found significant treasures within hidden compartments or secret chambers.

To commemorate his first major discovery since entering the field, Liang En took out his phone and snapped several photos of the compartment before he began cleaning it.

Finally, after clearing out a kilogram or two of charcoal ash from the compartment, Liang En uncovered a small package buried within the pile of charcoal.

In the light streaming through the window, he observed that the items retrieved from the bookshelf's compartment were wrapped in oilcloth and bound with twine, making it impossible to discern their nature from the exterior.

"I hope it's some gold or silver coins, or maybe some jewelry," Liang En whispered, as he carefully unwrapped the oilcloth bundle.

For treasure seekers like him, discovering items crafted from precious metals would be a huge success. Unfortunately, in practice, the likelihood of such a stroke of luck was even lower than the probability of getting hit by a car while walking down the street.

"Let's see what this is." Placing the bundle, slightly larger than his fist, gently on the table near the window, Liang En used the folding scissors and small knife he carried with him to cut the twine securing the oilcloth, unveiling its contents.

Inside the bundle were two small boxes, each about the size of his palm. One of the boxes was wrapped in red leather, resembling a jewelry box. The other was a plain wooden box.

"Wow—"

Upon opening the jewelry box, Liang En was greeted with the sight of a hummingbird pistol.

This pistol was a miniature firearm designed by an Austrian watchmaker named Franz Pfannl. It held the title of being the smallest automatic pistol in the world. Due to careful preservation, this century-old pistol bore no signs of rust.

Though this pistol had a muzzle energy of only 4 joules, just enough to pierce a leather jacket, it was far less effective for self-defense than a simple punch. However, as a luxury item, its price was nothing to scoff at.

Moreover, Liang En's version of the pistol came complete with the original box, velvet lining, suede holster, a box of 12 bullets stored in a tin box, and a loading rod with an ivory bead—these accessories were all vital factors in increasing the firearm's value.

The other wooden box contained items related to the pistol: apart from a pair of mother-of-pearl grip panels, there were six small wax-sealed boxes containing bullets.

Although Liang En was a novice with limited knowledge of such items' value, he could tell from the packaging that they were undoubtedly worth a substantial sum.

After carefully securing this precious haul, Liang En proceeded to inspect the entire bookshelf, knocking and probing, ensuring there were no other hidden compartments before he called it quits.

Over the next few hours, he continued his cleaning efforts, and by nightfall, he had managed to clear the room of all its furnishings.

When the landlord inspected the room and paid him £150, Liang En drove back to his residence in his second-hand van, eager to thoroughly examine both his "Golden Finger" and the treasures he had acquired.