The true joy of a banquet lies in participation, not in food and drink. Eddie didn't eat much, but he was all smiles throughout the night. Amid clinking glasses and cheerful toasts, he met many people and picked up quite a few insider stories, which made him even more excited about the upcoming auction.
A week after the party, young Blake called him on time, his voice brimming with excitement. "Eddie, our spring auction is confirmed! April 18th, at Ottawa's top five-star hotel. This is Lishi Auction House's marquee event of the year. Your 'Perseus and Medusa' sculpture will be the highlight of the sale!"
Eddie chuckled, "Oh? That sculpture of mine is really that valuable?"
"Don't be modest," Blake said proudly. "Once it was revealed, your sculpture caused a sensation in the European collector circles. A bronze by Benvenuto Cellini, the Father of Fine Craftsmanship—no other complete work of his has surfaced in the last five centuries. It's priceless."
In the auction world, spring and autumn auctions are like twin peaks, attracting collectors, investors, and art hunters from across the globe. These short few days become a frenzy of money and art. Sotheby's, Christie's, Hengde, and other houses were all hosting their own spring auctions simultaneously.
Eddie was invited to attend the auction in Ottawa. The Blake family arranged top-level hospitality for him. The venue was a regal five-star hotel in the city center, with government special police deployed for security. The scale was extraordinary.
The night before the auction, all participating artworks were on public display in the exhibition hall. Eddie, accompanied by Blake, browsed through them one by one. A total of 48 rare pieces were up for auction: paintings, wood carvings, bronze sculptures, ceramics, furniture, gold and silverware, and various antique curios—an eye-popping collection.
But the undisputed centerpiece was Eddie's own "Perseus and Medusa" bronze sculpture.
A dense crowd had already gathered around its display case. Collectors with thick glasses and varying temperaments held magnifying glasses, scrutinizing every inch as if trying to crawl inside the statue itself. Some whispered excitedly; others pointed and analyzed its details with trembling fingers. The air buzzed like an academic symposium.
Eddie, however, roamed around casually—until something caught his eye: a painting titled "Woman's Head" by Picasso.
"This thing?" Eddie frowned. The painting looked crude and chaotic, its features twisted and disproportionate. It resembled something he might've drawn in kindergarten. He couldn't help but compare it to his own "Woman with the Golden Drum"—and instantly felt reassured.
"Compared to this, mine's at least easy on the eyes. Yep, mine's got way more value," he muttered to himself.
But then he came across the next piece, and his confidence took a heavy blow.
Title: "Calcium Hydride"Subject: A few multicolored circles lined up on a canvas.No structure. No logic. No technique. Nothing but colored dots.
"This…" Eddie stared in disbelief. "Don't tell me this is also considered an artwork?"
Blake chuckled. "It is. A very promising piece of modern art, in fact. Created by Damien Hirst, one of Britain's most expensive contemporary artists."
Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose and rolled his eyes—a dramatic, textbook eye-roll. "If modern art means painting circles on a canvas, I'd rather look at Chinese landscape paintings. That's real art."
He turned to walk away, disgusted, but just as he passed another sculpture, something inside him jolted violently.
It was a strange sensation—like a string deep within his soul had been plucked. His blood seemed to heat up, an electric current zapping through his veins.
He stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the piece.
It was shaped like an apple, about the size of a fist. Dull yellow-gray in color, it looked like wax but denser. Unremarkable at first glance, yet he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"Caught your interest?" Blake asked, grinning.
Eddie tried to suppress the urge to stare and scoffed, "This too is an antique? Good God. I've really seen it all today."
Blake leaned in, his tone knowing. "No need to pretend. Your eyes gave you away. This isn't just some trinket—it's made of ambergris."
"Ambergris?" Eddie blinked.
"Exactly. Eighteenth-century. Confirmed by carbon dating. Historically, it was a rare substance offered by fishermen to sea gods as tribute—both mysterious and sacred. Experts say it's an exotic spice in the East, and a royal treasure in the West."
Eddie looked at it again, heart racing. The artifact's resonance with the "Heart of the Ocean" was too strong. It felt like it was calling out—almost magnetic.
After the exhibition, they returned to the hotel. Eddie was given a VIP seat, and Blake introduced him to a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses—Aaron Brandon, a financial tycoon and art enthusiast.
At exactly 10 a.m., the auction began.
The first piece up? That absurd "Calcium Hydride" painting.
The auctioneer boomed, "Starting bid—1.8 million Canadian dollars!"
Eddie nearly burst out laughing—until the bids flew in. "Two million!" "Two point one!" "Two point three!"Eventually, the piece sold for 2.4 million.
Eddie's face twitched. "Am I the one with no taste…?"
Next to him, Aaron Brandon exploded. "Bullshit! This is just a rag! These people are insane! 2.4 million?! Burn it and it'll still pollute the air!"
Eddie looked at the usually well-mannered gentleman throwing a tantrum and couldn't help but chuckle. "Art criticism or personal vendetta?"
More items went under the hammer. Finally, it was time for Eddie's submissions.
First were a few paintings by Pina Jean—but the room fell awkwardly silent. Prices barely reached the base level. In the end, two young painters bought them together at the starting bid. Bargain bin stuff.
Next came two of Picasso's pieces.
The "Woman's Head" immediately drew attention. Starting at 6 million CAD, a Russian collector opened with a 500k raise, followed by Middle Eastern and Western bidders. It eventually sold for 8.6 million.
Then came Eddie's "Woman with the Golden Drum."Starting bid? Just 1.8 million!
Eddie's face darkened. Blake hurried to whisper, "Relax. It's from his transitional period. That's how the market sees it."
Still, Eddie clenched his fists. Fortunately, Picasso's name held weight. Some Middle Eastern and Russian collectors stepped in. In the end, a UAE buyer claimed it for 2.5 million CAD.
It wasn't what Eddie hoped for—but it wasn't a loss either.
Then, Blake received a message and leaned over. "Oh, by the way, that fake 'Sunflowers' you bought from Pina Jean? I had a friend sell it to the New York Museum—for 540,000 CAD."
Eddie's eyes lit up. "Seriously?"
"Would I lie to a friend?"
Eddie laughed. "That was a pleasant surprise!"
The auction continued. About ten lots later, the host raised his voice:
"Next, we present a rare small antique titled—'Feast of the Sea God'!"
Eddie's body tensed.
The auctioneer continued, "This piece is made of ambergris, dating back to the 18th century. Believed to be an offering from fishermen to the sea god. Marine professor Dr. Blake Harson from the University of Toronto confirmed its cultural significance. Starting bid—1.6 million Canadian dollars!"
Eddie drew in a deep breath, eyes sharpening like a hawk's.
He knew—this wasn't just any spice.
This might be destiny's call.
The Heart of the Ocean was summoning its kin.