Chapter 1607: The Story of the Ward

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Stein and the bunch of them would have to stay in the hospital for two and a half days. The auction would take place over a total of three days. By the time they were discharged, the auction would be over.

However, Gasol and he did not have any regrets. They already had a clear target and only needed someone who could help to bid on their behalf.

The only regrettable thing was that they had to fork out more money. “F*ck, if we were not hospitalized, we could keep an eye on that d*mned container! Then I would be able to estimate the amount that other people might bid, and we would be able to take down that container by just topping up a little!”

Sandler did not want to admit defeat or give up. To be sure, they had bid 200,000 dollars for the frozen container. For a container of that sort, it was a shocking bid.

There were too many of those containers. Of course, the auction could no proceed as it normally did. Hence, the insurance company lent from their experience of big-scaled auctions and came up with a bidding auction.

The insurance company had prepared a series of containers. If the treasure hunters were interested in a particular container, they could note down the number and bid. Then they could deposit the bidding slip into a box.

Unlike other warehouse companies, the insurance company placed a greater emphasis on efficiency. Every day, they would check the bidding slips. If there was a new bidding slip for a particular container, they would update the bid price.

Hence, when the auction ended, the consolidation could be concluded in just half a day.

When the results were ready, the insurance company would send a text to the winning bidder to their phone.

That was similar to an overseas auction that Li Du had partic.i.p.ated in previously. At that time, the customs also had some containers, but a lot less in number.

Lying on the hospital bed, Gasol said lazily, “No issue, if we have to spend some money, we can do that. As long as we get our hands on that container, that small amount of money is nothing.”

Stein was also unhappy. “D*mn Korean idiots! D*mn, this lousy s.h.i.+pping company is going bankrupt now of all times, when we have goods to s.h.i.+p out! D*mn, what did he say? Compensate us for the oil painting? Each one for a hundred grand? F*ck!”

The South American asked curiously, “Hey, Halim, exactly what kind of oil paintings are in the container box? If it is expensive, why didn’t you guys buy insurance for them before sending them up the s.h.i.+p?”

Frustrated, Gasol said, “Insurance? How much would that cost us? Besides, once their value is known, how would we be able to send the paintings over to America quietly?”

Stein glared at him and said, “Shut up, Gordon. If it were not for the fact that you failed to keep an eye on the s.h.i.+pping company of that Korean dude, would we need to spend two hundred thousand to take down this container box?”

“What else can we do?” Gasol said, displeased.

Stein said angrily, “You’re asking what we can do? If we had known earlier that this d*mned s.h.i.+pping company is going bankrupt, we would have chartered a s.h.i.+p ourselves. We wouldn’t have to wait for the dates the insurance company can make it. We would have brought the oil paintings away ourselves!”

Gasol said helplessly, “You asked me to keep an eye on them, but how can I do that? The journey of that s.h.i.+p is so long. It’s not that I did not watch it. I’ve been keeping an eye on it until it arrived at the port. Who knew that the moment it set sail, their company would go bankrupt?”

“Bullsh*t! The one thing you’ve been keeping an eye on are the b.r.e.a.s.t.s and b.u.t.tocks of the ladies on the beach!”

“Don’t just talk about me, Halim. This is not just my job. Why didn’t you do it?”

Sandler waved his hands and said, “Forget it, buddies. Stop quarreling. Today, the insurance company will drop us a text. Then, we can just bring the container away with us.”

Gasol added, “That’s right. We might not need to pay up. Most of the fruits in the box have not spoiled. We can sell them off and maybe make some money.”

Hearing that, Stein said, “Do you have time to resolve the issue of the fruits here? We have to hurry back to Cuba. This d*mned issue is not over yet!”

Gasol said confidently, “Relax, my cousin will resolve everything. We did not do much in America. Who would recall a bankrupt little school in Flagstaff?”

After some quarreling, Stein whipped out his phone for a look. He had yet to receive any new message.

He checked the time. It was nearly noon. Frowning, he said, “D*mn, what happened? I didn’t receive the message. Could it be that someone forked out a higher price and got the container?”

The South American shook his head. “That’s impossible unless someone has gone mad. It’s a frozen cooler container. Even if the bid included the container itself, the value would be less than two hundred thousand grand!”

“Then why haven’t I received the text?” Stein asked, worried.

Sandler threw away the apple core in his hand and said, “Forget it, I’ll make a call and ask.”

After exchanging a few sentences on the phone, his face took on a strange expression.

Stein got nervous and asked, “What happened?”

Sandler said, “Bauer said that the text notices have all been sent out.”

Stein’s expression changed immediately. “I did not receive a text, Gordon, how about you?”

“Me neither,” Gasol’s voice trembled.

Sandler put his hands together and said, “Don’t get anxious. It’ll be okay, buddy. Even if someone won the warehouse with a higher bid, we can still contact them. We can buy the paintings back with an additional few thousand dollars. As you guys have said, those oil paintings do not carry much value for other people, right?”

Stein nodded. “That’s right, that’s a definite. We have also learned their true ident.i.ty by chance. However, d*mn, this is still quite risky.”

Sandler said confidently, “Not an issue, as long as they don’t know the ident.i.ty of the paintings. They would definitely give us some face. It would be even better that way. You guys can save two hundred thousand dollars.”

Stein said, “First, don’t ask so many questions. Ask who spent so much on the containers.”

Sandler looked down at his phone to check. He said, “Bauer sent me a doc.u.ment containing all the bid prices of all the warehouses. He said that information about the clients must be kept confidential… hmph, go to h.e.l.l with that confidentiality. If we go up the s.h.i.+p and keep our eyes on the container, would we… f*ck!”

He was still mid-sentence when he suddenly let out a surprised gasp.

“What’s the matter?” Stein’s heart nearly rose to his throat.

Sandler rubbed his eyes, looked at his mobile phone again and said in shock, “The transaction amount of this container is ten thousand!”

“Which one?” Stein understood what he said but could not believe it.

Sandler pa.s.sed the phone to him and said, “Look, Number IC0116 container. It was bought by someone for ten thousand dollars!”

Gasol suddenly turned anxious and shouted, “How can that be? D*mn! That’s absolutely impossible. Nazario, didn’t you submit a bidding slip for two hundred thousand?”

The South American rose up in shock and said, “Yup, that’s right…”

“It must be some mistake, we’ll go check on this!” Stein said.

He grabbed and put on his jacket as he pushed open the door. Suddenly, there was an explosion of lights that were so bright Stein could not open his eyes.

At the same time, some voices rang out:

“h.e.l.lo, sir, this is the East Coast Daily Paper, may I ask if you were once the dean of Flagstaff State College, Mr. Halim Stein?”

“Mr. Stein, how are you? We are the Arizona State Free Information…”

“Is Mr. Gordon DK Gasol inside? Was he the a.s.sistant dean of Flagstaff State College?”

“Flagstaff police here. Please make way, make way…”