THE REBORN GENIUS

CHAPTER 3 — THE AUCTION NOBODY EXPECTED HIM TO ENTER Part 2

The green layer did not appear to be a thin surface deposit. Its colour continued deeper into the exposed section, suggesting that the stone might contain a substantial internal formation.

His expression remained unchanged, but his interest increased considerably.

In his previous life, Justin had studied chemistry and material properties extensively. Although he had never worked as a professional gemologist, his understanding of mineral structures was far beyond that of an ordinary collector.

He had encountered descriptions of imperial green jade in several historical records and scientific references. The finest specimens were exceptionally rare, and their value could increase dramatically depending on purity, colour distribution, translucency, and size.

The stone before him possessed several characteristics that made it worth investigating.

He carefully turned his head towards Mr. Coleman. "How much do you want for this one?"

The auctioneer laughed. "That one?"

"Yes."

"Why? Do you like its appearance?"

Justin ignored the amusement in his voice. "How much?"

Mr. Coleman glanced at the container. "If you want one, you can have it for a dollar. We only brought them here to clear the storage room."

The attendant chuckled. "At least someone has finally found a use for those rubbish stones."

Justin looked at the auctioneer. "One dollar?"

"That's right. Just one dollar. But don't complain later if you discover that you've bought nothing more than a useless rock."

Justin reached into his pockets. His fingers searched the left pocket, then the right.

He had arrived in the modern world with no money, no identification, and no possessions beyond the clothes on his back.

For the first time since entering the building, he faced a problem that intelligence alone could not immediately solve. He needed one dollar.

Justin slowly straightened and examined the people seated nearby. Most were wealthy-looking guests, several of whom wore expensive watches and jewellery. One man in particular caught his attention.

He was sitting near a refreshments table, dressed in a navy-blue suit. His hair was neatly trimmed, and a silver watch rested on his wrist. A glass of orange juice sat beside him while he examined a catalogue.

Justin approached him. "Excuse me, sir."

The man looked up. "Yes?"

"Could you lend me one dollar?"

The stranger blinked. For a moment, he appeared uncertain whether he had heard correctly. "One dollar?"

"Yes."

The man glanced at Justin's clothes before looking towards Biscuit, who had followed him across the room. "What are you planning to do with it?"

"I want to purchase something."

The stranger looked towards the crate. Then he laughed. "You're asking me for money to buy one of those stones?"

"Correct."

The man's amusement increased. "And what exactly makes you think it's worth buying?"

Justin answered without hesitation. "I believe it contains something valuable."

The stranger shook his head. "Young man, I've seen people make foolish decisions, but buying rubbish because it looks interesting is a new one."

Justin remained composed. "Would you lend me the dollar?"

The man leaned back in his chair. "And how will you repay me?"

"With one thousand dollars."

The stranger nearly choked on his drink. He quickly placed the glass on the table and stared at Justin. "You're going to repay one dollar with a thousand?"

Justin nodded. "Yes."

The man laughed again, this time loudly enough to attract the attention of two people sitting nearby. "Are you serious?"

"Completely."

"Do you understand how money works?"

"I believe I understand the concept."

The stranger wiped the corner of his mouth. "Then you should understand that a person who borrows one dollar cannot usually promise to return a thousand."

Justin looked directly at him. "You assume that I am borrowing because I lack the ability to repay you. However, I am borrowing because I currently lack the resources to acquire something whose value I believe is considerably higher than its asking price."

The stranger stared at him. For a brief moment, the amusement on his face faded.

There was something unusual about the young man's composure. He did not speak like someone begging for assistance, nor did he appear embarrassed by his circumstances.

His clothes suggested poverty, but his eyes displayed a level of confidence that seemed entirely disconnected from his appearance.

The stranger reached into his wallet and removed a banknote. "Here. Consider it charity."

Justin accepted the money with both hands. "I appreciate your generosity. You won't regret it."

"Don't worry about it. If that rock turns out to be worth a thousand dollars, you can come back and tell me I was wrong."

"I will."

Justin returned to the crate.

Mr. Coleman was already preparing to move towards another display when Justin placed the money on the table. "I'll take that stone."

The auctioneer glanced at the banknote. "That one?"

"Yes."

Mr. Coleman picked up the note, checked it, and handed the stone to an attendant. "Give it to him."

The attendant retrieved the specimen and placed it inside a small cardboard container.

Justin examined it once more before accepting it. "Thank you."

Mr. Coleman barely looked at him. "You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an auction to organise."

Justin understood that the man considered the transaction insignificant. To Mr. Coleman, one dollar was hardly enough to purchase a cup of coffee, and the stone was nothing more than unwanted material taking up storage space.

He had no reason to suspect that the young man had just acquired something potentially extraordinary.

Justin tucked the container carefully beneath his arm.

Biscuit approached and sniffed it. "That's it?"

Justin glanced down. "That's it."

"We came all this way, got insulted, nearly thrown out, and borrowed money from a stranger just to buy a rock?"

"Yes."

Biscuit stared at him. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do."

"Because if that thing turns out to be worthless, I will personally remind you of this decision every day for the rest of your life."

Justin almost smiled. "That would be unnecessary."

"Why?"

"Because it won't be worthless."

They began walking towards the entrance.

Behind them, the stranger who had lent Justin the money watched with growing curiosity. He had witnessed the entire exchange and found himself strangely entertained by the young man's confidence.

He leaned towards the woman sitting beside him. "That young man is either completely insane or unusually confident."

The woman glanced towards the entrance. "Probably both."

The stranger smiled and returned to his catalogue, apparently deciding that he had just donated one dollar to an entertaining story.

Outside, Justin stepped into the afternoon sunlight.

The noise of passing vehicles drifted through the street as people hurried along the pavement. He adjusted the small container beneath his arm and looked down at Biscuit.

The dog was still staring suspiciously at the purchase. "Are you sure you didn't just spend our entire fortune on a rock?"

Justin stopped. He looked at the container, then at the dog.

A faint smile appeared on his face. "That rock is worth more than this entire building's monthly operating expenses."

Biscuit's ears lifted. "You're joking."

"No."

"How much is it worth?"

Justin glanced back towards the auction house. "That depends on how much of the deposit is recoverable and the quality of the material inside."

Biscuit tilted his head. "Can you say that in a language I understand?"

Justin continued walking. "It means we may no longer be poor."

The dog hurried after him. "May?"

Justin's smile widened. "I prefer to avoid making promises before confirming my calculations."

They turned into a quieter street, away from the crowd surrounding the auction house. Justin found a shaded place beside a closed shop and carefully opened the cardboard container.

The stone rested inside.

He removed it and examined the fractured section again, turning it beneath the sunlight. The green interior appeared more vivid than it had under the auction house's artificial lighting.

Justin's expression grew serious. There was a reason he had been so confident.

The specimen was not merely a piece of ordinary green mineral. Its internal structure suggested a significant jade formation, potentially of the imperial variety. If his preliminary assessment proved correct, the value could be extraordinary.

However, he needed to confirm the composition before attempting to sell it.

He studied the stone for another moment before carefully wrapping it in a piece of his shirt and placing it back inside the container.

Biscuit watched him. "So, what's the plan now?"

Justin looked towards the busy road. "First, we need to find a place where I can examine this properly. Then we'll determine its exact value."

"And after that?"

"After that, we'll acquire enough money to stop sleeping beneath bridges."

Biscuit's tail moved slightly. "Now you're talking."

Justin started walking again, unaware that the auction house's security system had recorded his unusual purchase and that someone inside had already begun asking questions about the young stranger who had bought a supposedly worthless stone.

For the first time since his execution, Justin had found an opportunity to change his circumstances, but he had also attracted attention.

And in a city where money determined how people were treated, the discovery of an unexpectedly valuable stone could make him more than just a fortunate young man. It could make him a target.