Filled with excitement, Charlie quickly tucked the Apocalyptic Book into his pocket, only for it to transform into powder and vanish into thin air.

Incredibly, every single word from the book was now etched in Charlie’s memory.

At that moment, Jacob, who had run off like a frightened animal, was roughly captured by a group of strong men and thrown back into the shop.

Seeing Jacob’s swollen cheeks, Charlie realized he must have received quite a beating before being dragged back here.

Charlie couldn’t help but find Jacob’s pathetic expression amusing.

How dare this old fool call him a scapegoat after getting himself into trouble! It was outrageous! A bit of punishment was just what he needed to learn his lesson.

Jacob found himself in a particularly precarious and shaky situation. After his frantic escape, he was panting heavily, struggling to regain his breath.

His pudgy and fragile frame made it impossible for him to outrun those younger men. Plus, without the car keys, how could he hope to flee?

It took no time for the group to catch him. With his hands bound behind his back and his face swollen from several slaps, he looked utterly humiliated.

As Jacob was brought back to the shop, Raymond, the manager, clenched his teeth in frustration and said, “Old man, do you really think you can run away after wrecking our property? You should learn about the Vintage Deluxe’s reputation before pulling such a foolish stunt!”

Jacob stammered in fear, “I didn’t mean to! The vase was just too slippery…”

Raymond shot back coldly, “Enough! You have until this afternoon to come up with the money. If you can’t pay, I’ll sue you for deliberately damaging my property! A five million dollar case will keep you in prison for a long time!”

Jacob trembled at the threat. He turned to Charlie and clung to him desperately, “Charlie, my dear son-in-law! You have to help me! You can’t let them do this to me!”

Charlie shrugged, feeling helpless. “But, Dad, I don’t have that kind of money.”

In a panic, Jacob exclaimed, “Then you should go to jail for me! The Wilson family has supported you for so long; it’s time for you to repay us!”

Charlie stared incredulously at his shameless father-in-law, wondering how he could possibly say such things now.

Before Charlie could respond, Raymond interrupted, “Hold on. At Vintage Deluxe, we conduct our business with integrity. Whoever makes a mistake must own up to it. You broke the vase, old man, so you’re responsible!”

He then turned to Charlie, “You can leave for now, but I suggest you help him find the money. If I don’t have it by evening, I’ll take him to the police station!”

Charlie nodded slightly.

Jacob cried out, “My dear son-in-law, you can’t abandon me here! What will I do without you?”

While he wanted to laugh at his father-in-law’s fear, Charlie managed to suppress his amusement.

Planning to excuse himself under the pretense of getting the money and leaving Jacob to suffer a bit, an idea suddenly sprang to mind about an ancient technique for restoring porcelain artifacts mentioned in the Apocalyptic Book. He said, “Mr. Cole, if I can fix the vase, will you let my father-in-law go?”

Raymond chuckled, “Repair the vase? Who do you think you are? I’ve already sent photos to experts in Aurous Hill, and they said it’s beyond repair!”

Charlie shook his head, unconvinced. “The vase is already broken, so what’s the harm in letting me try?”

Raymond’s smirk widened. “Oh, so you’re a stubborn one, huh? Alright! Let’s see what you can do!”

Charlie replied confidently, “I need a sheet of Chinese rice paper, a brush, and five raw eggs.”

Raymond, eager to witness the spectacle, readily provided what Charlie asked for. Soon, one of his men returned with a basket of raw eggs.

Yet, he couldn’t help but scoff, “Restoring artifacts with eggs? That’s absurd! Just a warning: don’t try any tricks. You either pay up or we’ll sue your father-in-law. Five million dollars is enough to keep him in prison for life.”