The Gilded Forgery
泥金伪局
by Xnoval Originals · Mystery · 100 chapters · complete series
The Gilded Forgery is a Mystery web novel by Xnoval Originals, with 100 chapters.
Synopsis
An appraiser uses a dead prisoner's letter to uncover the truth behind his father's disappearance and a dark family conspiracy involving forged antiquities.
鉴定师借狱中死信，揭开父亲失踪真相与家族伪造文物的黑色阴谋。
Chapter 1: The Gilded Box
Night rain drummed against the second-story windows of the auction house. Julian crouched before an overturned filing crate, his fingertips pinching a charred scrap of paper. The fire had happened three days ago; the fire department had ruled it a faulty circuit, but hidden among the ashes was a silver frame that hadn't fully burned.
He blew away the floating dust. The bottom half of the photo was carbonized, but the top revealed six people in work clothes standing against a rock wall in the Turkish mountains. The man on the far left was turned toward the camera, a faint, barely perceptible line curving at the corner of his mouth. Julian’s finger froze on that face.
It was his father, Joseph Moreau, the archaeology team leader who had vanished on the Anatolian Plateau seven years ago. The forensic report had cited a fatal fall from a cliff; the family had accepted it, the insurance company had paid out, and the church had held a mass. But Julian had never believed it. Unbuttoning his suit jacket, he pulled a magnifying glass from the inner pocket.
A thin hidden compartment was wedged into the back of the silver frame. He pried it open with a fingernail, and a palm-sized lacquer box tumbled out. It was a Gilt-Clay Box, heavy in its build, with a symbol carved into the bottom: two intersecting circles pierced by a straight line. Julian narrowed his eyes. It was the archaeology team's mark, hand-drawn by Joseph; Julian had seen his father sketch it countless times in his notebooks as a child.
Details
- Author
- Xnoval Originals
- Genre
- Mystery
- Status
- Completed
- Chapters
- 100
- Length
- 1437250 words
- Updated
- Updated 2026-11-08
- Languages
- 简体中文, 繁體中文, English
Frequently asked questions
Is The Gilded Forgery complete?
Yes — The Gilded Forgery is complete, and all 100 chapters are published.
Who wrote The Gilded Forgery?
The Gilded Forgery was written by Xnoval Originals.
How can I read The Gilded Forgery?
You can read The Gilded Forgery online on Xnoval. The first 3 chapters are free, and the book is available in 简体中文, 繁體中文, English.