Female Novel
Chapter 5373
Ladden graciously accepted the money, all the while showering Gideon with compliments. “Old man, itseems you have a discerning eye as well! Were you once involved in the world of pottery when youwere younger?”
Gideon waved his hand and grinned. “As for me, I have some knowledge of antiques, but not the art oftomb raiding.”
Indeed, Gideon’s familiarity with tomb raiding was limited. In his youth, he had heard rumors oftreacherous exploits and daring tomb heists, like Sun Tianying’s audacious plundering of Cixi’s tomb.However, his many years of monastic life had left him with little interest in such endeavors or the relicsthemselves.
Yet, when one has lived a long life, they inevitably accumulate a wealth of information, whether activelyseeking it or simply absorbing it from their surroundings. Gideon had come across stories and whispersof the treacherous world of tomb raiding, including the intriguing concept of the backstabbing supportpot.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Gideon cautiously approached Ladden. “Young man, would you bewilling to show me this famous ring of yours?”
Ladden understood that the old man’s desire to see the finger was the reason behind his previousremarks. He had cleverly played his cards, extracting money from Gideon step by step. With a hint ofdifficulty in his voice, he replied, “Old man, this finger is not merely a gift but a token from my elderbrother. Its origin is quite sensitive and I cannot easily show it to you. I hope you can understand myhesitation.”
Gideon was perplexed by Ladden’s response. To clear the air, he reached into his robe and pulled outtwo crisp hundred-dollar bills, presenting them to Zachary with utmost seriousness. “Young man, let mebe frank with you. During my recent travels to Eastcliff and Aurous Hills, I sought out exquisite antiques
from these ancient capitals. If this ring proves to be flawless, I will offer you a thousand dollars. Inreturn, I kindly ask for your assistance in connecting me with your brother.”
Ladden had not anticipated such straightforwardness from the old man. The money driven Laddenhesitated for a moment, but eventually, he steeled himself and said, “Yes! Since you hold this ring insuch high regard, I will remove it and show it to you!”
Without further ado, he removed the jade ring and handed it over to Gideon.
Gideon couldn’t hide his excitement as he carefully received the exquisite jade artifact, gently holding itwith both hands, afraid that it might fall and break into pieces. As soon as the jade ring landed in hishands, Gideon’s senses tingled with anticipation. He could tell, without a doubt, that this exquisite piecewas an authentic antique from the mid-Quintong period.
Being born during the Quintong Dynasty himself, Gideon possessed a remarkable talent for identifyingsuch treasures. A faint scent of blood and decay wafted from the artifact, indicating that it had likelybeen recently unearthed. Perhaps it had been deliberately concealed alongside a corpse.novelbin
Eager to uncover the enigma shrouding the ring, Gideon infused it with his own aura. He yearned tounravel the secrets held within this captivating object. The moment his aura intermingled with the ring,a subtle formation within it sprang to life. Gideon was taken aback, pondering, “This formation has beenactive all along. I wonder what its purpose could be?”
Despite his proficiency with aura manipulation, Gideon was far from knowledgeable about magicweapons and formations. While he possessed a wooden sword adorned with an offensive formation,he lacked the ability to refine or comprehend its intricacies fully.
Confronted with the formation left behind by Jagoan, he found himself momentarily bewildered, unableto discern its true function. Its purpose remained elusive to Gideon’s untrained eye.
In truth, this formation was a passive defense mechanism, detailed in the ‘Apocalyptic Book.’ In case ofattack, the magic weapon’s formation automatically activates and channels its stored energy to shieldits wearer from harm. This ensures that its wielder is protected from any form of danger.
The formation’s effectiveness can be compared to a basic math problem. If the enemy’s attack wasweaker than the strength of the formation, then the owner would come out unharmed. However, if theattack surpassed the formation’s capabilities, the formation would strive to defend its Master, yet theMaster would still endure the brunt of the unremitting assault.
Having never encountered such a formation before, Gideon remained clueless about the intendedpurpose of the jade ring. Frustration welled up within him as he silently cursed the British Lord,muttering, “That old fox never bothered to share the deeper insights with us. Now I’m left in the dark,clueless about the true nature of this magic weapon. If I wish to discover its effects, I might have toreturn and pry the information out of that wily old fox… But what if it’s perfect and he snatches it awaywithout giving it to me?”
The mere thought of it stoked a seething hatred within Gideon. Before he could fully comprehend thefinger’s mysteries, Ladden approached, urging, “Old Master, are you nearly finished examining it?Please return it to me once you’re done!”
Even the British Lord found himself fixated on the enigmatic ring adorning on Maria’s hand,emphasizing the immense significance this magic weapon held for the monks.
Caught in a dilemma, Gideon sighed inwardly. “Should I simply seize this magic weapon or return it toits owner before proceeding with my plan? Snatching it away would be effortless, this young mancouldn’t possibly stop me. However, if he were to involve the authorities, traversing Aurous Hills wouldbecome arduous. Furthermore, what if his elder brother possesses other magic weapons? I mightawaken the serpent and suffer significant losses over a trifle.”
Moreover, in the midst of their conversation, Gideon’s mind was ablaze with a crystal clearunderstanding of the intricate web of events unfolding before him. As he pondered, a theory sprouted inhis mind “This man standing before me, consumed by his insatiable greed, must be a mere pawnentangled in the treacherous world of tomb raiders in the legendary Aurous Hills. It is highly likely thatthe gang of thieves has recently discovered an ancient tomb that was long forgotten. Inside, they musthave discovered a treasure trove of priceless artifacts, including the elusive ring. These items areinvaluable and could fetch a high price on the black market. The discovery is a significant developmentin the world of archaeology and history. Undoubtedly, they are now relentlessly scouring the realm for awealthy buyer.”
His thoughts swirled in a whirlwind of anticipation. “The shipment from the Hong Kong merchant hasyet to reach my hands, but once I establish contact, I shall gain access to their entire plunder from thesacred tomb. If there exists a substantial collection of mystical relics among their spoils, the potentialprofits would be immeasurable. This opportunity, laid with promise, must not be allowed to slip away!”
Moved by this revelation, Gideon cast a piercing gaze upon Ladden and spoke with utmostseriousness, “Dear brother, what price do you seek for this ring? If it aligns with my expectations, I shallpurchase it from you!”
“You wish to acquire it?” Gideon’s affirmative nod prompted Ladden’s surprise. “Indeed, I intend toacquire it. Please reveal the price to me!”
Upon hearing Gideon’s inquiry, Ladden’s thoughts immediately turned to Zachary’s prior instructions.Regardless of the potential buyer, Zachary had explicitly instructed them to quote a price one hundredtimes higher than the market value.
Ladden found himself puzzled by Zachary’s intentions. After all, his role was to assist people andexecute assigned tasks, not to delve into such convoluted affairs. His sole responsibility had been tofetch Gideon and if the elderly man indeed desired the finger ring, Ladden needed to consult with
Zachary. Valuing the jade finger at a modest 30,000 to 50,000 at best, Ladden reckoned that quoting aprice a hundred times higher would bring it into the realm of three to five million.
Gritting his teeth, he extended three fingers and boldly declared to Gideon, “I estimate that thisextraordinary item shall command no less than three million!”
“Three million?” Although Gideon, who rarely ventured outside his seclusion, had limited exposure tothe business world, he comprehended the significance of such a sum. Fortunately, as a prosperouswarrior, Gideon possessed abundant wealth, rendering a few million, let alone several hundred million,a trifling matter. Turning his attention back to Ladden, he inquired, “If I decide to proceed, can wecomplete the transaction now?”
Ladden was taken aback, never expecting the elderly man to genuinely consider making the purchase.Thus, he responded, “Should you truly wish to proceed, you must engage with my elder brother face toface. I am not empowered to make the final decision on the matter.”
“Listen closely, Gideon,” he began, his voice imbued with certainty. “I shall offer you three million as astarting point. The sky’s the limit, but if you find yourself disinterested, let us not waste each other’stime. Give me the green light and I shall contact my elder brother for further instructions.”
Gideon nodded affirmatively, gesturing his acceptance and uttered, “Three million is agreeable to me.”
Ladden’s heart raced as he processed the astonishing turn of events. With caution and tremblinghands, he beseeched Gideon, “Sir, I implore you to return the ring. I must contact my elder brotherwithout delay.”
Reluctantly, Gideon handed back the ring to Ladden. As soon as he retrieved it, Ladden swiftlydistanced himself from Gideon, ensuring there would be no possibility of eavesdropping. With hiscellphone in hand, he dialed Zachary’s number.
Once the call connected, Ladden immediately lowered his voice and whispered, “Brother Zachary,there is someone interested in purchasing the ring you entrusted to me.”
Zachary inquired, “How much did you quote him?”
Ladden hushed his voice further and murmured, “I quoted a minimum of three million and he… he saidhe could accept it.”
Zachary responded with a simple ‘oh’ before instructing, “If he can accept it, have him come to AntiqueStreet and meet me in person.”
“Understood!” Ladden readily agreed and posed another question, “Brother Zachary, this old man hascaused me considerable trouble. If the ring does sell for three million, you must give me credit!”
“Worry not,” Zachary assured him without hesitation. “Regardless of the deal’s magnitude, I shall grantyou ten percent of the reward.”
“Truly?” Excitement coursed through Ladden’s veins. One tenth of three million amounted to astaggering 300,000! Even with a year of hard work, he could never earn such a sum.
“I never lie, my friend,” Zachary continued, his words laden with sincerity. “In fact, I would have grantedyou an additional five percent if you had introduced me to a major client and facilitated the purchase ofother items.”
Ladden’s joy knew no bounds as he exclaimed, “Very well, Brother Zachary! With your words as apromise, I shall surely bring you a lucrative opportunity, no, a golden opportunity!”
Zachary offered a reminder, “Don’t limit your focus to just clients. Keep a vigilant eye on the airport aswell, for it is there that the true heavyweight clients from Hong Kong Island might arrive. That’s wherethe real fortune lies!”
“Fear not, Brother Zachary!” Ladden’s excitement surged, his words teeming with enthusiasm. “I shallnot drop the ball, I guarantee it!”