HLM – Chapter 119 A Nine-Figure Antique Collection

After hearing Buck and the others’ explanation, Wang Bo finally relaxed, and so did Eva.

Eva glanced curiously at the lamb on the plate and asked, “Is it really that delicious?”

Buck nodded vigorously. “It’s really good. Wang, how did you raise such sheep? Is there a secret?”

Wang Bo shrugged. “That’s a long story. But if you’re interested in buying sheep, you’re welcome to visit my ranch and pick some out. Just be warned—they’re not cheap.”

After expanding his ranch, Wang Bo now had over 2,500 mature sheep. The first batch of over a thousand had already reached good meat quality and were ready for sale.

Buck immediately asked for the price. Wang Bo said, “If you’re buying a whole sheep, it’ll be around per pound…”

He hesitated to give a number, since he hadn’t finalized pricing for his cattle and sheep yet. So he looked toward Charlie—his all-knowing guy.

Charlie quickly caught the hint in his eyes and smiled. “Ten dollars per pound for a whole sheep. But of course, since we’re neighbors, we can offer a discount.”

As soon as he said this, everyone around them gasped. Even Wang Bo inhaled sharply.

He hadn’t decided on the pricing yet, but this number sounded way too high.

Romney sheep were famous for both wool and meat. Rams could grow up to 80 kilograms, about 150 pounds. At ten dollars a pound, one ram would cost $1,500.

What’s the usual price of a whole sheep in New Zealand? Two to three dollars per pound would already be considered high. A ram sold at $400 would be top-tier pricing.

Wang Bo’s intended price was around five dollars per pound, already nearly double the market price.

But ten dollars per pound was clearly beyond what people in a small town could afford. That meant a single family meal could easily cost $30–$40 just for lamb, which was steep for local spending habits.

Understanding this, Wang Bo threw a look at Charlie, but Charlie ignored him and instead gave him a reassuring nod.

As expected, after hearing the price, Buck and the others hesitated. They felt it was too expensive and started scrambling instead for the lamb Wang Bo had brought along for free tasting.

After the party ended and they were on their way back, Wang Bo couldn’t help but grumble. “Charlie, that quote was ridiculous. I bet you’ve had too much to drink!”

Charlie snapped, “You just don’t understand the market. Don’t blame me, OK?”

Wang Bo swallowed his irritation. “Alright, you know the market, right? Then tell me—how are we going to sell whole sheep at ten dollars a pound? Who would even dare to buy that?”

In truth, ten dollars per pound for lamb meat wouldn’t be outrageous. But the problem was that this was the price for the whole live sheep, which was excessive.

New Zealanders didn’t eat sheep heads, feet, or offal. So buying a whole sheep meant just eating the meat. If someone paid ten dollars a pound for the whole animal, then after trimming the inedible parts, the effective meat price could reach $30–$40 per pound!

Charlie smiled proudly and said, “You’d be surprised at how picky New Zealanders are about food. There will definitely be people willing to pay this.”

He paused and explained, “I’m setting a high price now to shape the future market. If we’re selling to local townsfolk soon, we can offer discounts. Different times and regions call for different strategies. That’s called vision—get it?”

Wang Bo thought for a moment. He really didn’t understand much about pricing, but what Charlie said made sense.

After a good night’s sleep, the next morning Wang Bo called Wisk into his room and brought out some antiques and treasures from the hidden room.

The town was still in early development and badly needed funding. So Wang Bo brought out most of his antiques to raise startup capital as soon as possible.

A set of jewelry, a snuff bottle, a gold pocket watch, a wooden cane of unknown material, two ivory pistols, two gold statues, three silver statues—and eight porcelain pieces out of a fifteen-piece collection. The eight porcelain items shared a consistent style: three plates of different sizes, three cups, and two bowls. Altogether, a dozen or so antiques were neatly arranged on the table.

Bringing Wisk into the room, Wang Bo pointed at the items on the table. “Alright, buddy, these are the goods. Take a look—what are they worth?”

Wisk didn’t respond immediately. The moment he entered and saw the antiques, his jaw literally dropped. Even though he’d seen plenty of antiques at Christie’s Auction House, seeing this many well-preserved, ancient treasures in one place still shocked him.

Other than one broken painting, all the antiques were in excellent condition. They radiated a sense of age and elegance that only true connoisseurs could sense—they were clearly genuine.

Of course, gut feeling alone wasn’t enough. These antiques still needed professional appraisal.

Without responding to Wang Bo, Wisk slipped on a pair of gloves and began carefully inspecting the items. He was completely focused on each piece, using his handheld magnifying glass to examine the details meticulously.

After going over them all, he took out his phone and made a call. His voice trembled slightly as he said, “Mr. Adams, it’s Wisk. You’d better bring Director Grace over personally. I estimate this collection is worth nine figures! And—the Legendary Watch is here too! God, it really exists!”

When Wisk said that, Wang Bo immediately started counting on his fingers—how much was nine figures again? Ten, hundred, thousand… over a hundred million!

As the number hit him, his heart began to thump like mad—like there was a twelve-cylinder engine revving in his chest!

Christie’s Oceania president, Mr. Adams, probably wasn’t much calmer. That very evening, a sky-blue luxury helicopter landed in the castle courtyard.

The helicopter was over ten meters long, more than three meters wide, and over four meters tall. It had twin rotors and sleek, streamlined contours. The body gleamed with a polished luster, exuding sheer luxury.

Seeing the helicopter’s design, Wang Bo couldn’t help but praise, “This aircraft looks amazing.”

Charlie once again showed off his encyclopedic knowledge. “It’s a Bell 430. Costs around 6–7 million NZD. Its rotor blades are made of stainless-steel spars, leading-edge strips, and fiberglass skin. The body and tail boom are made of aluminum honeycomb panels. A very good business helicopter.”

After landing, Wisk ran over to open the door. Adams and Grace Lyall jumped out one after the other. They shook hands with Wang Bo and Charlie, then went straight to the antiques without wasting time.

Wang Bo laid them out again. Adams and Grace, along with several appraisers, gathered around and began inspecting and quietly discussing the items.

They went on until the moon was high in the sky. Finally, Adams reluctantly stepped away from the table and walked over to Wang Bo.

“Wang,” he asked, “how old are you?”