Capítulo 2: Chapter 2: Finding a Way to Get Some Money
After several experiments, Rod came to a conclusion.
The essence of his Sacrifice ability was equivalent exchange, but the concept of "equivalent" was different from what he had initially imagined.
For example, a fine modern art clock and an old, broken antique from the last century were considered equivalent.
A delicate wristwatch and a pile of brand-new watch parts were also seen as equals.
Even a sofa and a heap of scrap wood seemed to have the same value in the eyes of his ability.
Every time he sacrificed something, the reward he received was completely based on luck.
Rod glanced at the assortment of items spread across the table in front of him.
Several silver coins of varying designs, which looked quite old but were about 90% new, were among the items. He had obtained them after sacrificing the few dollars he had left.
There was also a well-maintained guitar, a gold-plated European-style mantel clock, a pile of disassembled parts, and materials that weren't even worth being called junk.
"These things should at least fetch some money," Rod muttered, examining the antique mantel clock. Although he couldn't tell exactly which era it was from, it was undoubtedly a valuable relic. The condition seemed excellent, too.
With that in mind, Rod packed the gold-plated clock and a few other items into a box. He then rode his bike to the largest antique store in the city center.
The store not only sold antiques but also purchased them. Rod had come here because the owner was a wealthy collector. Running the shop was just a side business; collecting antiques was the man's real passion. If he found something he liked, he was more than willing to pay a high price.
Ding-ling-ling!
The doorbell chimed as Rod pushed open the door and entered. Inside, a white man with glasses, looking to be in his sixties or seventies, was carefully polishing a silver gun. Around the large store, a few burly employees stood scattered, each towering in size.
Given the notorious "zero-dollar shopping" events in this country, high-cash-flow businesses like antique stores were easy targets for desperate thieves. These employees also acted as security guards, and from their postures, Rod could tell they were likely veterans.
Tsk!
This antique store clearly had some serious backing, Rod thought. Without overthinking it, he walked straight to the counter.
"I'd like to sell something. How much is this worth?" Rod said, pulling out the gold-plated mantel clock from the box and placing it on the counter.
"Oh?"
Behind the counter, the white man's eyes lit up. He immediately put on white gloves and carefully picked up the clock to examine it.
"A Central European gilded mantel clock, likely from a royal collection. It's rare to see one in such good condition."
The old man admired the clock with clear affection. It was obvious he had taken a liking to it.
"On the market, this clock is worth somewhere between $8,000 and $10,000. But considering how well-preserved it is, and how much I like it, I'll give you $15,000 for it."
"You won't find a better offer than that anywhere else. Think it over, kid."
The old man's eyes met Rod's, his tone decisive.
Hiss!
Fifteen thousand dollars!
Rod's heart raced. He had never expected this gold-plated mantel clock to be worth so much.
The modern industrial-style clock he had originally bought wasn't even worth a hundred bucks.
And now, he was about to flip it for a profit several hundred times over. It was like printing money!
"Deal!"
Since he had gotten the clock for free, any money was a profit, so he didn't bother haggling. Watching the old man carefully pack up the clock, Rod pulled out a guitar case from the box.
"How much is this worth? I'm thinking of selling it too."
Rod casually placed the guitar case on the counter, not expecting much. He figured a guitar couldn't fetch that high a price. The mantel clock had been valuable because it was an antique, but the guitar? Maybe a few hundred bucks, tops.
"This guitar is just a regular handcrafted piece. If you're selling, I can offer you at most a thousand dollars."
The old man glanced at the guitar, then quickly set it back down, clearly uninterested.
A thousand dollars wasn't bad. Rod had only expected a few hundred. He was about to agree when suddenly, a voice from behind interrupted.
"May I take a look at that?"
Rod turned to find a middle-aged man who had somehow appeared behind him, staring intently at the guitar case on the counter.
"Sure!" Rod nodded, a bit puzzled. What was so special about this guitar?
However, instead of looking at the guitar itself, the middle-aged man focused on examining the case.
"As I thought..."
After a careful inspection, the man looked at Rod and made an offer that left him speechless.
"I'll give you $100,000 for the case."
One hundred thousand dollars?
Rod's mind went blank. A guitar case worth a hundred grand? What was this?
Seeing Rod's disbelief, the middle-aged man explained without delay.
"This guitar case was custom-made by Hermès for the guitar master Eric Clapton. It's worth $100,000."
"I'm not sure how it ended up in your hands, but for me, this is a valuable collectible."
As he spoke, the man handed Rod a business card.
It read: Hermès CEO, Bron Carter.
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