HLM – Chapter 130 The Final Gavel

Wang Bo listened as the white-gloved auctioneer gave the introduction—this train model actually had quite a remarkable background.

The train was named the Jim Beam J.B. Turner Train, made of stainless steel, measuring two and a half meters long, and it contained bourbon whiskey inside. It was crafted by a renowned model maker from the United States. The starting bid was set slightly lower than that of the golden statue, at 9.5 million.

There wasn’t much competition for the train model; only two bidders made offers, and the second bidder easily won it. Wang Bo remembered that this person was named Bateel Good, the President of the New Zealand division of Westpac Bank.

Although this event was labeled a “Castle Special Auction,” in reality, the items up for auction weren’t limited to those provided by Wang Bo. Christie’s had also brought in over a dozen other items, and the train model was one of them.

Next up was another golden statue. This time, it depicted the forest goddess from Native American legends. The craftsmanship wasn’t quite on par with the Hercules statue from earlier.

Yet surprisingly, this goddess statue fetched a higher price—14.5 million.

Wang Bo asked Charlie why. Charlie chuckled, “Simple. The gold used in the forest goddess statue is purer than that in the Hercules one.”

Wang Bo nearly choked on his stomach acid. These collectors, it seemed, were quite practical after all.

The auction continued in an orderly manner. Final sale prices generally exceeded Christie’s estimates. Now, only the legendary Patek Philippe pocket watch remained—the grand finale of the evening.

To be honest, this auction wasn’t particularly high-end. Take, for example, the Paris spring auction where Wang Bo’s Book of Psalms had been sold—it had a total turnover of $500 million. The final item at that event was Bacon’s Triptych of John Edwards, which went for a staggering $75 million.

Now for the ultimate showdown. The white-gloved auctioneer presented the palm-sized, gigantic gold pocket watch and proclaimed loudly, “There’s nothing more precious in this world than time. The great Dante once said—‘The wisest are those who waste the least time.’”

“So, gentlemen of wisdom, I need say no more. Let’s begin the bidding for this legendary Patek Philippe timepiece. The starting bid is 30 million yuan, with minimum increments of 1 million. Let the bidding begin…”

At that figure, Wang Bo’s heart skipped a beat. Christie’s was being bold. Adams had told him that the estimated value of the watch was 30 million New Zealand dollars, and yet they’d directly set that as the starting price.

But for the financial magnates and elite collectors present, this price clearly wasn’t a hurdle. As soon as the auctioneer’s words landed, someone immediately placed a bid.

Before one bidder could even lower their arm, another raised theirs, followed by two more in quick succession, pushing the price up to 35 million in no time.

Even though Wang Bo had already seen plenty of intense bidding today, this moment still thrilled him. He gripped the armrests tightly, eyes gleaming, and almost stood up to shout: “Bid higher, give it all you’ve got!”

As Adams had mentioned, this legendary pocket watch held immense value to collectors—not only for its intricate functions and high production cost but also for the legend attached to it.

This, Wang Bo didn’t quite understand. He didn’t believe in gods, Buddha, or any deities, but he did believe that there were some forces in this world that science couldn’t explain—like the Heart of the Lord.

So if that were true, and if the previous three owners of this famed watch had all died one after another, why would anyone still be willing to pay a fortune to own it?

Well, one could only say: the spirit of courting death shall live on forever. And of course, Wang Bo hoped the number of such thrill-seekers would only grow.

Out of the hundred-plus attendees, at least a quarter showed interest in the legendary watch. However, only a few were determined to win it at all costs. Adams had already analyzed this with Wang Bo—this would affect the final ceiling price.

So once the bidding reached 35 million, most bidders dropped out, leaving a single middle-aged white man wearing glasses waiting for the outcome.

At that moment, the bank president who had earlier won the train model raised his hand once more and said in a deep voice, “36 million.”

Wang Bo’s eyes lit up immediately. He could tell from the decisiveness in the president’s hand-raising that this man was serious.

The bespectacled man turned and smiled slightly at the bank president, then raised his hand again, “37 million.”

“38 million!” The bank president followed up without hesitation.

Wang Bo couldn’t help but click his tongue in awe and muttered, “Don’t tell me Westpac Bank actually belongs to his family? Shit, he’s filthy rich.”

Charlie gave a faint smile and replied, “Of course not. Westpac is one of the four major banks in Oceania. But the Good family owns a significant number of shares. They’re a powerhouse in New Zealand’s financial sector—of course they have money.”

Seeing the firm expression on the bank president’s face, the bespectacled man shook his head and gave up. Naturally, no one else wanted to arm wrestle with such a domineering executive either.

This price was already satisfactory for the white-gloved auctioneer. He called out loudly, “This gentleman has bid 38 million! 38 million! Any higher bids?”

“38 million once…”

“38 million twice…”

“38 million, third and final call! OK! Let’s give a round of applause to Mr. Good—this legendary timepiece now belongs to him!”

The president stood up and gave a courteous nod to those around him. His face showed no joy or sadness, as though acquiring the watch was no big deal.

“Damn… now that’s what you call the demeanor of a top-tier tycoon,” Wang Bo said in admiration. If showing off without trying is the deadliest form of flexing, then this domineering CEO was the god of it.

With that, the auction came to a close. Nearly twenty lots were all successfully sold. Everyone applauded, and the white-gloved auctioneer stepped forward to bow.

Charlie explained to Wang Bo that the applause was for the white glove, congratulating him for achieving a record of twenty consecutive auctions without a single unsold item. In their industry, this was considered the highest honor.

The rest of the process now involved Wang Bo. With the auction over, it moved into the settlement phase.

Settlement in auctions was complex. It involved calculating payments for the buyers, handling deposits from other bidders, processing the consignors’ shares, accounting for the auction house itself, and organizing all auction documents.

Adams and Charlie led Wang Bo into a pre-prepared room where all the sold items were stored. Each piece bore the signature of its winning bidder.

Next came payments. The buyers needed to pay two parts: the hammer price of the item, and the auction house’s commission.

Christie’s had prepared all the necessary transfer documents for the lots. Wang Bo, along with Adams, Charlie, and the white-gloved auctioneer, had to sign them. Christie’s would also provide legal proof of each item’s legitimacy.