The Charismatic Charlie Wade

With a bright smile, Zachary exclaimed, “President Wilson, you truly have eyes and ears everywhere! There’s nothing in Aurous Hill City that can escape your notice!”

Jacob, feigning profundity, responded with false modesty, “Oh, Zachary, there’s no need for flattery. But it’s true, there’s hardly anything about Aurous Hill’s three-acre land that I can’t figure out.”

Zachary nodded respectfully and admitted, “President Wilson, let me be honest. After spending some time with Don Albert, I realized that it might not be the right path for me. So, I returned to my old job.”

Jacob nodded without hesitation and acknowledged, “You were born for the antique industry, Zachary. I must admit, you’ve been my lucky star in this business. The first big find I made was worth 500,000. Since you left, I haven’t come across any major discoveries.”

Then, Jacob added, “Oh, by the way, I’ve been collecting some small items recently. From my experience, I believe they’re all genuine. I’ll show them to you and if your offer is fair, I’ll let them go.”

As Zachary recalled the painful experience of spending half a million on a fake from Jacob, he couldn’t help but chuckle. He quickly replied, “Please don’t tempt me, President Wilson. I won’t be accepting anything for now.”

“No more?” Jacob frowned, pointing at the pile of items on his stall. “Where did you get all these? You can’t possibly be making them at home, can you?”

Zachary explained, “President Wilson, to be honest, I’ve changed my business direction. In the past, it didn’t matter if things were genuine or not, you could sell anything. But once you start dealing with authentic items, there’s always a risk of getting cheated. I’ve been cheated before, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on worthless junk, even on items worth just a few bucks. It’s not worth the money and I lost half a year’s income in an instant…”

Nervously glancing at Jacob, Zachary continued, “So, President Wilson, I’m changing my approach now. When I sell, I only deal in fakes. And when I acquire items, I only accept fakes…”

Jacob furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of Zachary’s words. He laughed and said, “Well, you can interpret it that way… Zachary, I’m not saying you shouldn’t pursue what you love, but professionalism is crucial in this field.”

Zachary nodded in agreement, replying, “Don’t I deserve to make some money first? Once I’ve earned enough, I can focus on improving my professional ethics.”

Jacob smirked and retorted, “As they say, you’ve got to get on the bus before you can buy a ticket…”

Shaking his head at the items on Zachary’s booth, Jacob remarked, “You’re deteriorating, my friend. I can spot each and every fake on your booth.”

a discerning eye. Good items can’t escape

examined it closely. He commented, “But this lightning-struck wood doesn’t seem fake. How much are you asking for it? If the price is right, I’ll take

held up five

Jacob asked,

and corrected

and he blurted

Zachary

back onto the booth and cursed, “Zachary, are you out of your mind? It’s

hint of discomfort. “President Wilson, as I mentioned before, my current approach is all about deception and exaggeration. How can I make money without

responded, “Well, you can’t rob people

his

Wade has tasked me with requesting a sum of five million for this remarkable piece of wood damaged by lightning. If my booth continues like this, I’ll probably be cursed at ten or twenty times every

…

of Eastcliff City, stood

a sacred place in the hearts of present-day Taoists. This revered temple is a symbol of the timeless beliefs and practices of Taoism and its historical and spiritual significance cannot be overstated. The temple was always filled with incense and Taoist

abbot. Although both Buddhism and Taoism have an abbot figure, the roles and responsibilities of the abbot differ. While the Buddhist abbot holds the highest position of authority in the temple, overseeing its affairs, the Taoist abbot

Alastair gazed up at the gate

was divided into front, middle and back courtyards, but only the front yard was accessible

adorned the area, with the Serenity Shrine at the center,

and back courtyards were reserved for the internal areas of Evercloud Temple, where the abbot

depicted in the painting, all of these individuals had a profound knowledge of manipulating

for the Serenity Shrine. After paying respect to the three highest deities of the Taoist tradition, he respectfully approached a young Taoist priest and requested, “Excuse me, dear fellow Taoist, might I humbly ask for permission to stay here for a

select few. He seemed almost otherworldly, like a being from a mystical realm. Surprised by this divine temperament, the young priest respectfully inquired,