I have an Apocalypse City

Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Counterfeit

Translator: 549690339

Song Jian sat in his chair, savoring his tea, clearly hearing the commotion outside. As for Zhou Li’s secret shenanigans, Song Jian merely smiled.

If Song Jian wanted to leave, not even an iron alloy security door could withstand a kick from him, let alone a wooden one.

Despite returning to the real world and losing the additional attributes provided by the “Ring of Strength” and the “Guardian’s Sword”, his strength stat still reached an impressive level of thirteen. In reality, he could be considered something of a mini-superman;

Meanwhile, Zhou Li was anxious. He never imagined that he would be the first to discover such a treasure. This could be an unexpected stroke of luck for him. If he managed to secure this deal, could his status at the Jiade Auction House experience a transformation as profound as an earth-shattering upheaval?

This thought made Zhou Li laugh out loud;

He was about to knock on the door of the General Manager’s office when the door swung open. A glowing man walked out of the office. Upon seeing Zhou Li, this man looked at him with contempt and said, “Zhou Li, can’t you just stay put instead of running around? You think a low-ranking employee like you can stroll into the General Manager’s office whenever you want? Do you want your bonus this month!”

Zhou Li looked up and saw Ding Yi, his superior;

“Manager Ding, a guest has brought a rare treasure to our auction house. It’s out of my hands, and 1 believe the General Manager should take a look!” Zhou Li took a deep breath and spoke;

Zhou Li knew he had some disagreements with Ding Yi, who often made things difficult for him. He had been working at Jiade for five years and was still a low-ranking employee. Ding Yi was largely responsible for that;

“Pshaw, a rare treasure, how rare can it be?” Ding Yi sneered. “According to procedure, you should report to me first, and then I will decide whether to escalate it. You’re going directly to the General Manager, that’s against regulation. Don’t you understand? You’ve been an old employee of the company. If you do not understand even this simple rule, it seems you don’t intend to work at Jiade anymore!”

Zhou Li’s face flushed. Ding Yi was correct; protocol indeed decreed that he could only report to his direct superior. He didn’t have the authority to access the General Manager directly.

However, Zhou Li knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to change his fate. He had on countless previous occasions followed protocol and reported to Ding Yi. But each time, Ding Yi erased his contribution after escalating the matter.

The past could be water under the bridge, but today it was different. The item the guest had brought was far too valuable; Jiade had not auctioned anything of its kind before. If Jiade managed to secure the right to auction this object, its reputation among peers and prestige in society would rise enormously.

“I can’t back down this time. This is an opportunity for Jiade and a chance for me!” Zhou Li had already made up his mind.

“I’m sorry, Manager Ding, but I feel this matter has gone beyond your authority. Only the General Manager has the right to make this decision. Please step aside!” Zhou Li spoke with a firm tone;

Ding Yi was taken aback, his face immediately filled with anger;

“So it’s like that, Zhou Li. You dare to talk to me like this, do you want to quit! If you want to quit, you should tell me earlier. I will approve your resignation immediately!” Ding Yi said, out of temper;

“I’m sorry, Manager Ding, but time is pressing. I need to see the General Manager right away!” Zhou Li pushed Ding Yi aside and knocked on the General Manager’s office door;

Seeing Zhou Li enter the General Manager’s office, Ding Yi rolled his eyes and walked downstairs;

“Humph, I’d really like to see, just what kind of customer Zhou Li is dealing with!” Ding Yi muttered to himself;

Generally, those who came to Jiade to handle auction matters would be led to the reception room. There were many private rooms there to ensure maximum privacy for the clients;

Ding Yi began to roam around the reception room. He saw a nineteen-year-old standing at the door of one of the private rooms. Ding Yi’s eyes lit up, and he solemnly questioned him, “What are you standing here for instead of working?”

The youth, recognizing Ding Yi, became somewhat nervous and explained quickly, “Appraiser Zhou asked me to stand here and not let the guest in the room leave…”

“Alright, alright, get back to your post. Be careful, or your salary will be deducted!” Ding Yi impatiently waved his hand and said;

“Yes, yes, Manager Ding!” The youth hurriedly left in a fluster;

Ding Yi narrowed his eyes and watched the young man run off. He pushed open the door to find that it was locked from the outside. He curled his lips, his curiosity about the person inside grew;

“Just who is it, and what treasure did they bring, that Zhou Li would treat them like this and even have the audacity to defy me?” Ding Yi muttered, took out a key to unlock the door, and walked in;

“Sir, you…” As Ding Yi opened the door, a professional smile appeared on his face. But when he saw Song Jian’s attire, he glanced at the jewel on the table, and he couldn’t help but feel a jolt in his heart;

“This fellow came here to scam Jiade out of money with a piece of red glass?” This thought suddenly popped into Ding Yi’s mind;

As a well-renowned auction house, those who manage to hold a managerial position in Jiade ought to be discerning. Ding Yi was recognized by Jiade for his sharp eye, capable of spotting even the smallest flaw;

Lamedly dressed, Song Jian was given a quick once-over by Ding Yi, who immediately assumed that someone like Song Jian would not bring anything of great value. This mindset wasn’t Ding Yi’s fault but was formed through experience dealing with hundreds of similar situations in the auction house. Without such keen observation skills, one cannot be a manager in the appraisal department.

Moreover, the jewel that Song Jian presented was intricately carved. Both the material and craftsmanship were top-notch. However, anyone seeing the jewel for the first time would be attracted by the massive ruby. It was a natural top-grade ruby, completely unblemished and as translucent as glass. It felt unbelievable;

“A fake made of glass!” Once this thought popped into Ding Yi’s head, he had no inclination to examine the other details of the jewel;

Any work of art that reveals a flaw upon thorough inspection can be concluded as counterfeit;

“Is Zhou Li blind? Such an obvious fake, and he touts it as a rare treasure!” Ding Yi sneered inwardly. “He even alerted the General Manager. It seems this whippersnapper really doesn’t intend to stay at Jiade.”

At this thought, a grin appeared on Ding Yi’s face as a proud look emerged. His eyes gazed fiercely at Song Jian: “Sir, I am not sure who gave you the audacity to bring such a counterfeit to Jiade. Please note, Jiade Auction House has never received a counterfeit item since its establishment…”

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