However, it turned out that his excitement was completely wasted. After taking the elevator downstairs, he didn’t encounter anyone else in the elevator, and once he stepped out of the building, he found that everything in sight was still a perfectly normal world.

Only within a one-meter radius around his body did he possess the ability to see through things.

It was easy to imagine that in a crowded place, not to mention being within one meter of someone, even standing shoulder to shoulder wouldn’t be unusual. In that kind of setting, he would be able to see naked men and women everywhere. But in this relatively quiet residential area, and with it being just after ten in the morning, there were pitifully few people around. Even if there were strangers, with such a wide road available, who would choose to walk within one meter of a stranger?

Only familiar friends would do that.

Even if Brian Carter himself wanted to follow a beautiful stranger, sticking within one meter of her the whole way, he’d probably get dirty looks on the spot.

So, until he flagged down a taxi at the street corner, he didn’t get another chance to feast his eyes.

And after getting into the taxi, sitting next to the driver, the driver did fall within the range of the [Seeking Text Talisman]’s x-ray vision, but the driver was a man—a middle-aged uncle at that.

This time, the x-ray vision made Brian Carter feel extremely awkward. After reporting his destination, he simply closed his eyes, deciding that what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.

“This won’t do. Does it force me to see through everyone and everything? If it were a beautiful woman, fine, but do I really have to see through every man within a meter of me too?”

Brian Carter had to admit, even though his name, Mingluo, was chosen by his father from the phrase “bright and upright,” making it a truly honorable name, and even though he had spent over three years running around with William Brooks and was deeply influenced by him, developing his own set of principles—

He was, after all, still a single young man, who had never had any close contact with the opposite sex, and remained intensely curious about the bodies of beautiful women.

That previous face-to-face encounter hadn’t made him lose his composure, but it had still left a psychological impact.

If he got another chance, he wasn’t sure whether he’d look or not.

But one thing was certain: whether or not he looked at beautiful women, he absolutely didn’t want to see naked men.

Lost in thought, Brian Carter cautiously opened his eyes again and snuck a glance at the middle-aged driver beside him. With just one look, the man was still in full naked mode, his burly physique on full display. If it weren’t for that impressively large beer belly blocking the view, Brian Carter would have seen some things he really didn’t want to see. Even without seeing them, he couldn’t help but frown, but a thought popped into his mind.

A naked man? Better not look!

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, the previously naked driver was suddenly covered head to toe in a casual outfit.

“Ah!” So I really can choose not to look? Brian Carter was delighted, his expression relaxing. He could choose not to see—this was the ideal situation.

Very soon, as Brian Carter sat in silence with these strange thoughts, the taxi sped along the smooth, wide road and quickly arrived at the Antique City in the northern part of Xinchuan.

As a prosperous coastal city, Xinchuan was not lacking in wealthy people. Even those at the bottom of society lived better than many in inland cities. In times of peace, people collect; in times of chaos, they hoard gold.

The more affluent people are, the greater their desire for collecting in a stable society. Xinchuan had not one but two antique markets, one in the south and one in the north, each located at opposite ends of the city. Besides these two major antique markets, there was also a jade street in the western part of Xinchuan.

These three areas were always bustling with people.

After paying and getting out of the taxi, Brian Carter stood steadily, took out his phone to check the time, and realized that the [Seeking Text Talisman] he had used still had more than half an hour left.

“Thirty minutes should be enough to help me make some judgments. Although the x-ray vision can only distinguish the age of materials, and old goods aren’t necessarily genuine antiques, this kind of screening definitely makes things much easier.”

As the taxi driver backed away, Brian Carter felt a surge of excitement rise in his heart again. But to be honest, although he had been to Xinchuan’s antique markets more than once, he wasn’t exactly familiar with them. Most of his time had been spent traveling with William Brooks to other places, and he had never really explored Xinchuan seriously.

The next moment, he strode forward, heading through the main entrance flanked by two stone pillars and a huge signboard. As he walked, someone approached from the opposite direction, making Brian Carter a bit nervous. One meter away, one meter, within one meter—they brushed past each other.

The process was uneventful, and only after the passerby had completely left did he feel relieved—the person had been fully clothed.

So, as long as he chose not to see others naked once, the [Seeking Text Talisman] would follow that default intention.

That was great—at least he didn’t have to see someone naked before choosing not to look every time.

Chapter 007: A Porcelain Plate

After entering the antique market, the first thing he saw was a wide, smooth avenue. On both sides of the avenue were low buildings, none higher than three stories, all decorated in a quaint, antique style. In front of the roadside shops, there were even more people setting up stalls along the street.