In the United States As a Local Tyrant

James Feng 's excitement lasted for several hours. Eventually, hunger drove him to make a bowl of instant noodles.

He ate the makeshift meal quickly to fill his stomach, then turned on his computer with great interest, eagerly browsing information about diamond prices, appraisals, and auctions. He collected every bit of information he could collect from online.

After hours of research, he gained a lot of knowledge but also calmed down significantly. He realized that determining the authenticity of a diamond was not so simple—even though it was difficult to create such a perfect and pure stone using current technology.

He chuckled, thinking even having something inexpensive is difficult.

The easiest way would be to visit a jewellery store the next day and pay a few hundred dollars to have some of the smaller diamonds appraised. If they were real, he'd be set for life. If they were imitations, at least he could marvel at the advanced technology behind them.

James Feng stayed up all night, staring at the computer screen until his eyes couldn't take it anymore.

He walks unto his bedroom and lays down on his bed to rest, but his machine-like brain kept working. He discovered that he could continue processing information even while resting.

With this newfound ability, he directed his thoughts toward the mysterious pile of data in his mind, searching for anything related to diamonds.

It wasn't an easy task. He felt like someone guarding a treasure trove but lacking the tools to dig into it. It was akin to holding a thick encyclopedia without an index—he couldn't tell where to begin.

He didn't know whether the information he sought lay in biotechnology or chemical theory. It was frustratingly incoherent.

What had started as happiness turned into a struggle. Sorting through the vast information using only his personal ability was difficult. His current approach was to find a piece of "garbled code" and let his brain-machine process it until it became intelligible. Then he could only hope that it was relevant.

He worked until sunrise. What he learned was reassuring: the chaos wouldn't last forever. The biological computer in his mind, composed of cells as its basic units, was constantly dividing and proliferating—one becoming two, two becoming four—growing exponentially. When the machine brain reached a certain power level, it would be able to translate all garbled data and organize the information properly.

Current progress: 1%.

In the morning, James Feng took a shower and changed into a suit. Standing in front of the mirror, he saw a spirited young man with a good figure. He was tall and strong, likely due to his regular exercise, standing over 1.8 meters with an air of confidence but he would have to thank his father gene more, given he was American Chinese.

His father is American whereas his mother was Chinese, due to his ethnicity, he suffered some situation but only from older generation. And due to his difference, he also had some difficulty making friends.

Before leaving, he pocketed a few small white and one pink diamonds for identification, hailed a cab, and headed to a well-known commercial street. The city he lived in was a well-developed second-tier city with many chain jewellery stores.

He chose a store with a good reputation online, entered, and explained his purpose to the sales assistant. He was then taken to the third floor, where he paid a fee, took a number, and waited in line.

The people ahead of him were also there for appraisals—some for jade, others for antiques. After exchanging a few words with them, and further confirming the store reputation, it was finally his turn.

The appraisal room was an ordinary office equipped with specialized magnifying glasses, diamond lights, and other professional tools.

James Feng handed over two white diamonds and one pink diamond for evaluation. The two appraisers, both middle-aged, didn't talk much as they examined the stones.

After a while, a middle-aged man joined the appraisers. James Feng couldn't understand the technical jargon they used but took comfort in not hearing words like "imitation" or "fake."

Feeling uneasy, he waited restlessly for five minutes. Finally, one of the appraisers smiled and said, "Sir, your diamonds are of exceptionally high quality, among the rare top-level grades. We'll issue a special appraisal certificate and return it to you in five minutes."

He handed James Feng a paper with the diamonds data. James Feng, who had done some research the previous night, understood the value of the results.

Diamonds are evaluated based on the 4Cs: clarity, colour, cut, and carat weight.

The first diamond's data read: Clarity: LC, Colour: D, Cut: Very Good, Weight: 3.2 carats. James Feng was overjoyed. Except for the slightly lower weight, all other aspects were top-level, making it extremely valuable.

The other two diamonds were also top-grade. The second white diamond weighed 3.3 carats, while the pink diamond, lacking a colour grade due to its rarity, weighed 3 carats—enough to make it highly desirable.

 After reviewing the appraisal results, James Feng said eagerly, "I want to sell them."

The appraiser face brighten when he heard that.

"Please wait a moment," said the appraiser. He immediately informed the store manager, who personally escorted James Feng to a private room. They served him a cup of fine tea before beginning negotiations.

The manager asked politely, "Are you sure you want to sell these three diamonds?"

"That depends on your offer," James Feng replied calmly. These were just three of the smallest diamonds he had. He had a massive fortune sitting in his pocket, so he felt confident. After all, he had larger stones the size of his thumb.

The manager smiled. "We can offer three million yuan for the two white diamonds and another three million for the pink diamond."

James Feng smiled back. "I checked auction prices. Even if you sell the white diamonds for four million, you'll still make a profit. As for the pink diamond, I don't plan to sell it."

"Three and a half million," countered the manager. "You must understand, without invoices or provenance, selling diamonds involves risks. This is our best offer."

James Feng understood. His diamonds had no documentation and could even be suspected of being fake or stolen diamonds.

Still, he knew that when there's profit to be made, risks are taken. After considering for a few moments, he nodded in agreement.

Although he knew he was underselling and making a loss, he didn't want to focus on small gains and miss out on larger opportunities.

Selling to a jewellery store was straightforward, but he planned to approach international auction houses for his larger coloured diamonds. If he could sell them for 10 to 20 million yuan, it would be truly exciting!

After the transfer of 3.5 million yuan was completed, the manager personally saw him off, offering a handshake and suggesting that if James Feng ever wanted to sell the pink diamond, they could offer a high price. Offering him with the business card.

James Feng politely responded, "If I decide to sell, I'll contact you first." He politely took the manager's business card and climbed into the taxi.

Feeling refreshed, he had lunch at an upscale restaurant. He even ordered a bottle of red wine, mimicking the wealthy patrons he had seen in movies.

After a sip, he smacked his lips and thought, "I don't get what's so special about this." Still, he enjoyed his meal before returning to his rented apartment.

His neighbourhood was a typical urban village, crowded with small single-room units meant for graduates and young workers. The lighting was poor, and the buildings were packed tightly together.

Privacy was non-existent—he could hear the couple next door at all hours.

It wasn't that he didn't want to move, but better housing would have eaten up a quarter of his salary only with the rent and don't even mention about other expenses.

As a bachelor without a girlfriend, he had made do for years without discomfort. But now that he had money, he looked around his tiny apartment and felt that it no longer suited him.

He searched online for international auction houses. Due to local policies, there weren't many, and they were all located in major cities. He found a reputable American auction house in the capital and decided to book a flight for the next afternoon.

Before leaving, he handed over all his appliances and furniture to the neighbourhood's scrap collector. The induction cooker, refrigerator, and other items were in working condition, but James Feng didn't care.

He didn't bother with the rent refund or deposit either and left on schedule.

James feng didn't realise but he began to view money so lowly. He was becoming something less of who he was.

He discarded the metal box containing the diamonds before heading to the airport. It wouldn't pass security, and he didn't want to risk exposing its contents. Besides, the box itself wasn't particularly valuable.

Seated comfortably in business class, his mind wandered, replaying the lyrics of a popular song about sudden wealth: "Buy two Rolls-Royces, drive one and tow the other; buy two villas, one for living and one for pigs…" He chuckled at the thought.

Looking around the luxuries he couldn't help but help but be feels blissful. Thinking about the life he was going to enjoy he couldn't help but feel giddy.

After landing, he wanted to rush straight to the auction house, but it was already closed for the day. He booked a room at a five-star hotel and made an appointment for the next morning. That night, he enjoyed the comfort of a soft hotel bed and dreamed sweet dreams.

The next morning, he arrived at the auction house on time. Having made an appointment in advance, he was ushered into a high-level meeting. The data he had provided earlier had stunned the auction house—a blue diamond the size of a thumb and two nearly identical pink diamonds.

The reception was grand, with two elegant hostesses in cheongsams and a foreign manager who greeted him in fluent Chinese.

James Feng couldn't help but look at the Hostesses they were tall with their white thigh from the slit on the dress, elegant, graceful posture, slim figure and having wight size on the right place, radiant smile and charming.

"Mr. Feng, we've invited senior appraisers from the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) to ensure that your collection receives the most accurate evaluation, I hope you don't mind." the manager said warmly.

"Of course, I don't mind, I trust your expertise," James Feng replied with a smile.

"This way, please." The manager led him into a private room.

James Feng had brought eight diamonds with him—two large pink diamonds, a blue diamond estimated to weigh over ten carats, and five brilliant white diamonds. The experts worked diligently, using advanced equipment and communicating in English.

James Feng tried to follow their conversation, but the technical jargon made him uneasy.

Finally, the manager approached him with a broad smile and shook his hand enthusiastically. "Mr. An, congratulations! Your diamonds are of unprecedented quality. Their cuts are extraordinary—I have never seen anything like them in my career!"

"Thank you," James Feng replied, though he was puzzled by the manager's excitement. "Why are you so thrilled about my diamonds?"

"However," the manager added, making James Feng tense up. Was there a problem? Would they reject his diamonds due to unknown provenance?

"Given my understanding of Eastern tastes, jade is more popular here, while Western collectors favour diamonds. If you auction them locally, they may not fetch the highest price."

"What's your suggestion?" James Feng asked, relieved of his worries.

"We recommend entrusting us to send these diamonds to the United States for auction. We'll first hold an exhibition to draw global attention and then promote them heavily to push their value to the peak. This approach will benefit both you and us. What do you think?"

"That sounds perfect," James Feng agreed. "Based on your estimation, what would the expected price be for the two pink diamonds alone?"

The manager consulted with the experts, then returned and said, "For the twin pink diamonds, we estimate a transaction price between 25 and 35 million U.S. dollars. We'll handle all promotions and only charge a 10% commission."