084 Blinding You With Diamonds

United States, Hollywood, Celestial Entertainment Company.

When Li Daniu arrived at his office, Louis from Sunshine Publishing was already waiting inside.

Li Daniu had told him before setting out that he had a new work ready.

“Your Majesty, it is a great honor to see you again.” Louis’s attitude was exceedingly deferential before Li Daniu, but this had nothing to do with Li Daniu’s royal status. After all, Louis was American, and the king of a small nation like Tuvalu was hardly relevant to him.

Louis’s courtesy was purely because Li Daniu brought him substantial profit; this had been proven thoroughly by the book “The Lord of the Rings.”

“All right, no need for flattery.” While Li Daniu enjoyed being respected, he kept a modest front.

“Here’s the manuscript. Take a look.”

Louis took the manuscript offered by Li Daniu, but didn’t flip through it directly. He said, “Your work doesn’t even need to be read before signing. In fact, before coming, I successfully secured for you the highest royalty rate in American publishing—sixty percent.”

He pulled a contract from his briefcase and handed it to Castro, standing nearby.

Castro, Tuvalu’s national lawyer, had lately been left by Li Daniu in the glamorous world of Hollywood, passing time idly. Now, finally faced with something useful, he hurriedly took the contract and began to review it.

“You’re offering me sixty percent royalties without even reading what I’ve written?” Li Daniu hadn’t expected that just publishing “The Lord of the Rings” would earn him such treatment.

“Of course. Anything you write deserves this.” Louis smiled, continuing his flattery. The truth was, they’d made so much money from Li Daniu’s “The Lord of the Rings” that it hardly mattered what his next book was. Even if it was terrible, at worst they'd earn a little less than last time. As long as they could secure Li Daniu’s new work and maintain a good partnership, it was all worthwhile.

“All right, let’s sign the contract then.” Li Daniu turned to see Castro reading the contract word by word and couldn’t help but say, “This isn’t our first collaboration. You don’t need to be so meticulous. I trust Louis won’t try to trick me.”

“Your Majesty, it is my duty.” Castro felt overlooked. As a lawyer, how could he be careless when reviewing a contract?

Besides, Castro was convinced that, despite Li Daniu’s easygoing words, if the contract ever proved problematic, Li Daniu certainly wouldn’t take the blame himself but would let it fall squarely on him.

“All right, take your time.” Li Daniu, unaware that Castro feared being scapegoated, thought he was simply conscientious and considerate, so he felt pleased.

“Your Majesty, it is indeed your blessing to have such a devoted subordinate,” Louis said with a smile.

Such flattery… Li Daniu felt sweat on his brow, as if Louis spoke just like a character in a novel or film.

“Louis, do you know any reliable professional jewelry appraisal institutions in America?”

“I have a friend who works at GIA,” Louis replied. “Your Majesty, do you have jewels for appraisal? I can contact my friend and have him come over.”

“GIA?”

“GIA is a jewelry appraisal school in America, and also a world-renowned gem appraisal institution,” Louis explained, seeing Li Daniu’s puzzled look. “They’re the creators of the diamond 4C standard, and generally, any certification issued by GIA is recognized worldwide.”

Impressive. Although Li Daniu hadn’t heard of GIA, he knew of the diamond 4C, the global standard for evaluating diamond value: Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut.

“Then have him come over as soon as possible. I have a batch of diamonds I’d like appraised before selling.”

“A batch?” Louis thought Li Daniu might’ve used the wrong word—he wasn’t American, after all. Who described diamonds in batches?

“Yes, about several hundred.” The diamonds Li Daniu referred to were part of the loose stones he’d brought back from the world of “I Am Legend.” Compared to beautifully crafted jewelry, loose diamonds were much easier to sell.

“How many?” Louis forgot all decorum with Li Daniu, the number was simply astonishing. If Li Daniu wanted them appraised, they couldn’t be just one- or two-carat stones—those didn’t make much difference in overall value.

“Several hundred.” Seeing Louis’s shocked expression, Li Daniu pulled a small pouch from his pocket, untied the string, and poured all the diamonds onto the table.

Sunlight streaming through the office window refracted off hundreds of flawless, perfectly cut diamonds, illuminating the entire room in an instant.

“Holy—!”

Louis abandoned all prior reverence for Li Daniu and blurted out a curse. The sight before him was simply too shocking. Louis believed anyone would lose composure seeing hundreds of diamonds poured out of a shabby little pouch and scattered casually across a table.

As for why only he cursed, while Castro remained silent—Louis suspected Castro had been dazzled and stupefied by the diamonds. Didn’t he see the drool at the corner of his mouth?

Watching Louis and Castro, Li Daniu smiled mischievously. He’d poured the diamonds onto the table precisely to see their reactions—would they be as stunned as he once had been?

Back when he’d first collected these diamonds, Li Daniu’s own reaction was even more foolish than Castro’s and Louis’s, for he’d seen far more at the time, including jewelry of even greater value.

After two months of carrying these jewels, Li Daniu had become somewhat desensitized. If he were still in the world of “I Am Legend,” he’d gladly trade these diamonds for an authentic hotpot meal.

After all, the apocalypse wasn’t lacking in diamonds and jewels—it lacked enjoyment.

“Your Majesty… could you please… put them away?” Louis stared fixedly at the sparkling diamonds, swallowed hard several times, and spoke through clenched teeth.

“Don’t you want to look a little longer?” Li Daniu smiled. “I find them rather beautiful.”

“No, I shouldn’t. If I keep looking, I’m afraid I might be tempted to claim them for myself.” Louis closed his eyes, as if it took all his strength to do so.

Claim them for himself? If only he had the means—Li Daniu was confident that unless surrounded by a fully equipped military unit, no one could take his belongings. The diamonds were valuable, but surely no one would send an army for them.

Li Daniu packed the diamonds away, then casually selected two and tossed them to Castro and Louis.

“Finders keepers—you can give them to your wives.”

Castro and Louis fumbled to catch the diamonds, then both trembled as they placed them back before Li Daniu.

“Your Majesty, these are too precious.”

“Your Majesty, I cannot accept them.”

Seeing both refuse, Li Daniu felt even more pleased. He’d openly brought them out to test the two men; as long as neither harbored ill intentions, he’d bring them along for the ride.

“I never take back gifts. Keep them—they’re not worth that much.”

Not worth much? Louis knew better. The three-carat diamond ring he’d bought for his wife had cost seventy thousand dollars, and these two were even larger.

Diamond value always multiplied with size and clarity.

“Well…”

“Take them. That’s a royal command.”