A golden crown inlaid with seven-colored gems...
This was the treasure Moses brought out from the ruins.
In order to resolve the storage issue, before heading to Heaven's Arena, he first went to the Hunter Association's Headquarters and asked the enthusiastic Netero to keep it for him.
Now, Biscuit suddenly sent a photo of the crown, causing Moses to instinctively think that Netero had thrown the crown to Biscuit.
But soon, Moses quickly noticed something was off.
The seven-jeweled crown in the photo was placed in a transparent glass case lined with soft red cloth. It didn't look like Biscuit was showing off a personal possession, but rather like a photo taken for exhibition purposes.
Moreover, Moses felt that the crown in the photo was different from the one he brought out.
Without a physical comparison, he couldn't pinpoint the differences, only vaguely feeling that the size and appearance of the gems seemed a bit different.
Maybe it was just a preconceived notion...
But Moses felt that the crown he brought out from the ruins was more beautiful than the one in the photo.
Filled with doubts, Moses prepared to send a message to ask about it.
However, before he could start typing, Biscuit called him directly.
Moses answered the call and immediately asked, "Ah... Sister, where did this crown come from?"
"I don't know."
Biscuit's voice came through the phone.
Moses was stunned, and several question marks suddenly popped up in his head.
'Auntie, you don't know where the crown came from, but you're here showing me a big treasure??'
"…"
For a moment, Moses didn't know what to say.
Then, Biscuit's voice, mixed with excitement, came through again:
"I saw this photo on the promotional webpage of an auction house. I don't know when the auction house will sell it, but I've already decided to get it."
"Auction house?"
Moses raised an eyebrow and asked tentatively: "So when was this promotional photo taken?"
"Why are you asking that?"
Biscuit was a little confused, but still answered quickly:
"The auction house is in Yorknew City, and they have started promoting the item a month ago. What I am more worried about now is that the auction house might hold back on selling this treasure until September."
Having said that, Biscuit sighed heavily.
Anyone who frequently deals with rare treasures and antiques would know about the grand annual auction in Yorknew City.
If the auction house decides to hold off selling the seven-jeweled crown until September, the budget required to acquire it could multiply several times, and even then, there would be no guarantee of securing it.
More importantly, Biscuit couldn't wait any longer.
As he listened to Biscuit's explanation, Moses's expression turned slightly strange.
'A month ago?'
'At that time, I hadn't handed the crown to Netero yet, so it could be confirmed that this photo had nothing to do with Netero.'
'Which means…'
"Sister, is there a possibility that this crown is actually a fake?"
"The possibility is extremely low."
Biscuit said firmly.
For reputable auction houses like those in Yorknew City, what they value most is their reputation that has been accumulated over time.
However, Biscuit didn't bother explaining further and changed the topic, "But whether it's real or fake, I only care about the gems on it, not the crown itself. As long as the gems are real, that's all that matters."
"Huh?"
Moses was taken aback when he heard this, and the image of Biscuit eagerly prying off the gems from the crown after getting it flashed involuntarily in his mind. He quickly shook his head, trying to drive that image away.
'What a waste…'
'But this was indeed something Biscuit might do.'
The reason why Pro Hunters are divided into different fields is because every Pro Hunter has an interest or dream they devote their lives to pursuing.
And for Stone Hunters, their pursuit is naturally various stones and gems.
So, in Biscuit's eyes, the crown was not a treasure with a heavy historical aura and ancient craftsmanship, but simply seven high-quality gems that made her heart beat.
Moses had originally thought about mentioning the similarly seven-colored gem-embedded crown he had brought out from the ruins to Biscuit, but he immediately discarded that idea.
Biscuit, on the other end of the phone, was unaware of Moses's thoughts and continued chatting:
"I don't usually have the habit of saving money, but in order to get the seven gems, I need to work hard to save up for a while. I just can't determine the exact budget. If the money I prepare in advance is not enough, you can lend me some."
The main purpose of Biscuit's call was to set up a flexible financial chain in advance to prepare for any urgent needs.
"No problem."
Moses agreed without a second thought.
Although he and Menchi's daily expenses were high, there was still quite a bit of money left from their time at Heavens Arena.
"Then it's settled. I'll update you when I know more."
Biscuit's tone became noticeably lighter.
Moses hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not mention the seven-jeweled crown that was kept by Netero.
The call ended.
Moses set down his phone and looked at the computer he had just turned on.
After some thought, he opened the Hunter-specific information website. Instead of going to the bounty bulletin board, he searched for information about the seven-jeweled crown.
In just a moment, a lot of information related to the seven-jeweled crown popped up.
Some of this information requires payment to view, while some does not.
Among the free information, there is one posted in the most conspicuous position, which is the official website of an auction house called 'Orlum'.
Above the link that redirected to the website was the same photo Biscuit had sent.
'Orlum Auction House?'
When Moses saw the name, he quickly thought of the Orlum Casino in Yorknew City.
It was where he had dealt with Dis Mendeck, so it left a strong impression on him.
Moreover, the Orlum Casino is owned by a mafia lady named Koko.
Moses was surprised for a moment, then moved his mouse and clicked on the official website.
Immediately, a variety of photos of various items were presented in a simple and straightforward manner, with the seven-jeweled crown prominently listed at the top.
'The End of the Monka Expeditionary Force...'
Moses read the description under the picture, which included the crown's name and a brief origin story.
It was about an expeditionary force called Monka that expanded its territory through war and looted numerous spoils.
After a lengthy expedition, they eventually crafted this crown from gold and seven national gems from the vast amount of loot.
Just looking at the introduction of the origin, one gets the feeling that this thing must be extremely expensive.
And Biscuit only wanted the seven-colored gems from the crown...
'So, is it a fake?'
Moses's expression turned thoughtful.
The crown he brought out was from an obscure ruin, so it couldn't be fake, right?
In other words, the crown that Orlum Auction House is prominently promoting might actually be a fake?
But since Biscuit was interested in the gems on this seemingly fake crown, it meant that the gems were no ordinary items. At least in terms of quality, there was no issue, and they were worth a high price.
This is where the problem lies.
What forger would use valuable gems to create a counterfeit crown?
What standards did the appraisers working for the Orlum Auction House use to determine this crown as genuine?
Could it be that this crown, which once represented the pinnacle of power, is a replica born in the long river of history?
And perhaps it was a forgery not far removed in time from the original.
Therefore, even professional appraisers couldn't definitively determine its authenticity but could make corresponding judgments based on dating information and documented records.
Or maybe--
The crown he brought out from the ruins was the fake?
"This…"
Moses could only speculate and couldn't discern the true cause.
The current problem was that he had originally planned to sell the crown named 'The End of the Monka Expeditionary Force' at the Yorknew City's Grand Auction in September.
But now, an unexpected complication had arisen, making a simple matter much more complicated.
"Forget it, I'll ignore it for now."
Moses closed the webpage and opened the bounty board on the Hunter website, continuing to memorize the information of these wanted criminals.
Money wasn't something he particularly lacked.
Furthermore, he planned to hunt criminals in the future to raise the level of his [All Extinct].
In this process, unless he met an unfortunate end while hunting criminals, the continuous bounty rewards would only make the money in his account grow.