The Appraisal Codex

1926, Peking. An orphaned antiques apprentice discovers an ancient codex that predicts a person's darkest desires through the flaws they see in antiques. When a transnational forgery ring uses this knowledge to ensnare warlords and crumbling noble families with perfect fakes, a cycle of ruin and bloody infighting begins. Haunted by the recent execution of journalist Lin Baishui, the apprentice must navigate a world where the algorithm of greed knows everyone better than they know themselves, leading to a devastating confrontation that will rewrite destinies.