Chapter 404 Stone Auction 2
"Hera, I noticed you didn’t place a bid on the highlight of the auction. Were you thinking of sitting this one out?" Liz whispered, her curiosity piqued. She glanced over at the overseer, who was now carefully lifting the boxes to reveal the bids inside.
"I thought you’d be all over it. This could be a big opportunity, and participating might give you an edge or even reveal some interesting details. Any particular reason you decided not to get involved?"
Hera could see the genuine curiosity in Liz’s eyes and decided to share her thoughts. "I don’t think that one’s worth getting worked up about," she said with a nonchalant shrug. "I’ve got my sights set on something else. Sometimes it’s better to focus on where you can really make an impact." She glanced towards the ongoing bidding with a thoughtful expression.
Hera was eyeing the large, unassuming stone that stood as tall as she was and as thick as two people. It was being overlooked by others, perhaps because of its drab exterior and the difficulty in seeing anything unusual inside, even with powerful flashlights. To her, the stone’s lack of appeal was precisely why it might hold hidden potential.
Why would the auctioneer include the stone in the auction if it wasn’t worth anything? Perhaps many saw it as a dud, expecting it to yield nothing of value. However, Hera thought differently. Despite the stone being the largest on the floor and the flashlight’s light failing to penetrate its surface, she suspected that the thick outer layer might be hiding something valuable within.
From the outside, the stone resembled a limestone formation with only a few visible hints of jade. Inspectors claimed these traces were merely surface-level and insignificant, leading many to dismiss it as unworthy. Consequently, the auction considered it a high-risk gamble: if sold, it could potentially bring a significant profit, but if unsold, it could be stored and given away as a token gift.
It meant that the large stone was deemed almost worthless by most. However, Hera recognized it as a type her grandfather had purchased from Myanmar—a seemingly unremarkable stone that, when revealed, contained exquisite white jade of the highest quality. Determined to make it her first investment, Hera felt a mix of excitement and nerves.
Although the stone had the potential to reveal high-quality jade, it might also turn out to be a disappointment, as many suggested. Hera could only rely on her limited observations, but fortunately, very few people chose to gamble on the boulder, making it less competitive.
The highlight of the auction was a stone believed to contain imperial jade. Shaped like two large watermelons stacked together, it had a base value of $8.8 million. However, if it proved to be genuine imperial jade, its value could soar to $100 million, as imperial jade is exceedingly rare and the most valuable type of jade.
Hera had already been fortunate enough to acquire two pieces of rare imperial jade, though smaller in size, they still commanded high prices. If others discovered she had such valuable pieces, it could spark competitive bidding, driving up their value even further.
The bidding progressed smoothly, and Hera successfully acquired two more large stones for $4 million and $7 million, respectively. Their base values were $2.3 million and $4.1 million, and while there was some competition, she was fortunate to win with offers just $500,000 above the others. However, she did lose out on a few other bids. Now, she was eagerly waiting for her final bid—the unassuming boulder, placed second to last due to its enormous size.
Many dismissed the massive boulder as nothing more than a curiosity due to its size. As the bidding neared its conclusion, and the boulder came up, only three offers were made. With a base value of $10 million, one bidder offered $10.5 million, and another raised it to $12 million. However, when Hera’s offer was shown on the screen at $15 million, the room erupted in laughter, mocking what they assumed to be a foolish gamble.