Chapter 22: As Expected, a Surprise

When the second warehouse went up for auction, Sean stepped in to place a bid once again. However, he only bid twice this time, just enough to nudge the price up before pulling back. As for the white guy who had been harassing Elaine, he had dropped out of the competition early, even before Sean could make a move. The guy simply didn’t have much money in his pockets and lacked any real competitive edge.

The surfboards in that unit were in decent condition, and when combined with the other items, the collective valuation surpassed what the guy could afford. Helpless, he was forced to withdraw. After a fierce round of bidding, the warehouse ultimately went to Jeremy, while the curious onlookers were left empty-handed once again.

The next unit, number 325, was another residential warehouse, but it was in much worse shape than the first. The furniture inside was dilapidated, made of cheap wood, and two worn-out sofas were covered in dust. There were a few mattresses leaning against the wall, and the most valuable items were two lawnmowers—one large and one small. In Sean’s eyes, this was a junk locker; he had no desire to bid on it. He feared that if he raised the price, he would end up stuck with this pile of trash, which would then require him to pay a disposal fee—hardly a worthwhile investment.

As they spoke, the auction group arrived at the fourth warehouse. The moment the doors swung open, Sean, who was standing to the side, saw a flash of surprise in his eyes. Fortunately, he was wearing sunglasses, so no one noticed anything unusual. Inside this unit, something was radiating a red glow. What exactly it was remained to be seen. Sean didn't rush to use his X-ray vision to inspect the hidden treasure; that would surely spoil the thrill of discovery. Based solely on the intensity and color of that red light, he made an instant judgment: hidden within this warehouse was a valuable antique or piece of art, likely a masterpiece created nearly a century ago.

Undoubtedly, this was his target—the very reason he had come today.

"As expected of the famous Beverly Hills, there really are gems here. I must win this warehouse," Sean thought to himself, beginning to plot his bidding strategy. He felt a twinge of regret. He lacked experience; he really should have brought more cash with him today. If he had, he wouldn't be worried and could bid with abandon. There was over thirty thousand dollars in his new safe, but he had only brought five thousand today, leading to his current predicament.

In the blink of an eye, it was Sean and Elaine’s turn to inspect the unit.

As before, each buyer was given only a dozen seconds or so. Walking up to the warehouse, Sean immediately clicked on his high-intensity flashlight. Near the entrance, pottery works and several semi-finished pieces were scattered about. There was also a small mixer, two pottery wheels, several large bags of clay, and various sculpting tools. Deep inside, leaning against the wall, were two four-tier alloy shelves covered by the previous owner with dust cloths. On the floor sat two pieces of small machinery and several advertising signs.

The object emitting the red light was resting on one of the shelves, shrouded in a black dust cover, making it impossible to see clearly. Of course, for Sean, this was no problem at all. The moment he reached the entrance, he secretly activated his X-ray vision to look at that shelf. In the next instant, his gaze pierced through the black fabric without resistance, revealing the treasure that was glowing with a dazzling red light. To be precise, it was a set of four pieces.

The moment he saw them, Sean couldn't help but be amazed. His eyes brightened with pleasant surprise. Luckily, his self-control was solid, and he showed no outward sign that would draw attention from others. Just then, Elaine whispered from beside him, "This is a pottery studio warehouse. I suppose the studio went bankrupt, which is why it’s being auctioned off. When I was in France, I visited a pottery bar a few friends of Pierre’s opened, and I’ve seen similar things. Even setting aside the pottery, the equipment alone is worth something, and it’s in good condition. Sean, are you going to bid on this?"

Sean turned to look at the beautiful woman and whispered with a smile, "It seems bringing you to this auction today was a very wise decision; you know quite a lot. I am indeed interested in this warehouse. If the price is right, I might bid. The pottery pieces inside look interesting; I could take them home as ornaments. As for the machinery, I can just flip them; there should be a market for such things in West Hollywood."

As they whispered, the viewers in his livestream were also having a heated discussion. "Sean, I think you should go for this warehouse. The price shouldn't be too high, and it’s worth bidding just for fun. You never know, you might get a pleasant surprise!"

"I agree. Who knows, maybe those pottery pieces are the work of some superstar."

"This is a pottery bar in Beverly Hills; who’s to say some celebrity didn’t come here to reenact that classic scene from *Ghost*?"

Sean didn't respond to them; it wasn't the right time. He took another look at the warehouse before walking away with Elaine. No sooner had they left than a bystander who stepped up to inspect the unit said, "I know this pottery bar. It’s on a nearby street, and celebrities frequented it often. I didn’t expect it to have gone under."

At his words, many people’s eyes lit up. Sean, however, felt a bit annoyed—talk about unnecessary chatter! Soon enough, everyone had finished their inspection.

The auction began immediately. "Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve all seen the contents of the warehouse. Let the auction begin! The starting bid for this pottery bar warehouse is $200. $200, do I have a bidder?" the auctioneer called out with passion.

The next moment, someone raised their hand. It was the same bystander who had claimed to know the pottery bar. As the auction got underway, the competition ignited. Quite a few people had their eyes on this unit, including professional treasure hunters and casual onlookers. The battle for the warehouse was intense from the start, with everyone scrambling to bid.

Sean, however, remained still, chatting quietly with Elaine while watching the show. He knew the real competition hadn't even begun yet. Jumping in now would be a waste of breath. Several professional treasure hunters, including Sylvia, clearly shared the same sentiment and were in no rush to enter.

In the blink of an eye, the price reached around $800. This price broke the budgets of many, and some onlookers shook their heads and dropped out. Those remaining were mostly professionals and two onlookers with slightly deeper pockets. When the auctioneer called out $820, Justin immediately raised his hand to join the fray.

*I was waiting for you!*

In the next instant, Sean raised his hand and made a significant jump in price. "Twelve hundred dollars, Mike."

Before the words had even finished echoing, everyone turned to look at him in unison. Seeing it was Sean, the competitors were instantly filled with frustration. Justin and Parsons in particular were gnashing their teeth, their eyes burning with rage.

"Fuck! That detestable bastard is pulling this stunt again. He’s so damn hateful!"

Little did they know, this was entirely intentional on Sean’s part. He wanted people to mistakenly believe he was using the auction to settle a grudge again, perhaps even thinking he had lost his mind and would impulsively drive the price up. Fearing they would lose money if they won, some competitors would grow hesitant and withdraw from the auction.

Meanwhile, Sean’s livestream was in an uproar.

"Sean is way too savage! He’s not leaving those two scumbags a shred of hope!"

"That’s how it should be! It would be best if those two jerks went home empty-handed, not winning a single thing!"