Chapter 462 The Terrifying Fortune
Brandon appeared solemn. “Material possessions are not the most important thing in this small country. The true treasure of this land is said to be a stone that fell from the sky.”
Freya nodded, her curiosity piqued. “A meteorite? Meteorites aren’t typically considered valuable, right?”
As she examined “The Compendium of Medical Wisdom,” a book from the Middle Ages, the gold thread pattern tucked inside remained intact. This suggested that ancient craftsmen attached immense. importance to it.
He smiled, adding depth to the tale. “It might be a meteorite, but it’s said to be an incredibly dazzling stone, shimmering with many colors.”
As she listened, it increasingly sounded like a myth. “And then?”
“Legend has it that this stone can cure all diseases. The king of this small country owned the stone and lived for over a hundred years.”
Brandon chuckled, emphasizing the remarkable nature of the story. “In an era where the average lifespan was forty to fifty years, this is nothing short of legendary.”
Freya laughed skeptically. “Why would anyone believe in such a legend?”
He pointed to the sketches she had copied, deepening the mystery. “It may be a legend, but when you see these sketches, do you still think it’s merely a myth?”
She fell silent, her skepticism wavering.
Internet rumors about meteorites curing diseases have circulated for years. No matter how skeptical she was, she couldn’t help but suspect that the museum curator might have fabricated the story.
Freya asked, her doubts persisting, “What about this pattern?”
Brandon nodded, providing further context. “It’s said that this treasure brought calamity to the small country and attracted the attention of a larger nation. To aid future generations in finding it, the ruler of the small country left behind these patterns.”
She remained silent for a moment, still uncertain. “I still think the museum curator made it up.”
“Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter,” he mused, tying the story threads together. “But I’ve only seen this pattern once and found it exceptionally peculiar. It wasn’t until I saw you copied this pattern and connected it to your recent experiences. Frey, I wondered if you’ve become entangled in something.”
Freya pursed her lips. “No.”
“The museum’s introduction suggests this meteorite is both auspicious and ominous. It’s a stone, yet it’s remarkably magnificent. Its texture is unlike that of a typical stone. It’s almost as if it’s alive, very soft, and can be stretched and molded,” Brandon explained with intrigue.
She skeptically furrowed her brow. She didn’t believe in legends, but she now suspected that the LEV organization was after this stone to obtain the golden thread pattern from “The Compendium of Medical Wisdom.” These patterns held clues to the miraculous meteorite. She glanced at Radley and asked, “What do you think?”
Radley pursed his lips deep in thought and replied, “Mythical stories have always abounded throughout history.”
After spending some time at Brandon’s home, Freya made an excuse to leave and went on a date with Radley. As they exited the traditional courtyard, she got into her car, and Radley instructed Connor to drive their vehicle and also got in.
“Jamie doesn’t strike me as a fool. How could he possibly believe in such a story?” Freya frowned and looked at Radley.
Indeed, ancient civilizations were lost but were few and far between. However, the internet was rife with countless fabricated rumors. Radley furrowed his brow and replied, “Perhaps there was a place like that in the past, considering the pattern is there, but the so-called predecessor of the small country might just be a town or county in present-day Florin.”
She had a similar suspicion. She smiled and said, “A lost ancient small country, a meteorite, an immortal ruler, and the country’s destruction due to the guilt of possessing a precious artifact. I find this story absurd, but what exactly made Jamie believe?”
“Or rather, what made Falcon believe it before, and why hasn’t Jamie given up on it? There must be something we don’t know,” she pondered.
He nodded and said, “With a story, at least we have something to investigate.” She recalled what Brandon had told her about the meteorite. It was as large as a tiger and seemed alive. It had a soft texture and could be stretched.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Freya’s mind, causing her to freeze.
“Radley-”
“Yes?”
“Do you know what californium is?”
He furrowed his brow and inquired, “What is it?”
Freya felt like she was getting closer to uncovering the truth. Like her, Falcon and Jamie had pieced together information from the legend despite their skepticism about it. The disparity in knowledge. between ancient and modern times allowed them to identify the supposed meteorite that had fallen from the sky as a large chunk of californium, resembling a tiger!
She pressed her lips together, her excitement building. “Someone once estimated that the value of californium is two billion per gram.”
A moment of silence filled the car.
The implications were staggering if the meteorite was composed of such a valuable substance, worth two billion per gram. What would a californium mass the size of a tiger represent? Both of them were awestruck.
Freya continued, addressing Radley, “Californium is a rare element with applications in cancer treatment. It can also be artificially synthesized but costs around 190 million Florin per gram. Its global reserves are currently minimal, and it’s typically found in uranium mines. Californium is formed through the decay of uranium.”
Radley frowned slightly, asking, “Why do you believe the meteorite is californium?”
Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with him. “Californium is insoluble in water, and its properties can change in various environments. However, in its pure metal form, it’s incredibly soft and malleable.”
This description perfectly aligned with the living creature mentioned by Brandon. In ancient times, stones with seemingly magical properties were often perceived as living creatures or divine artifacts. Despite its near-mythical qualities, she clenched her hand, firmly convinced that this stone, rumored to contain a massive amount of californium, was real.
After all, where else would these patterns come from?
A tiger weighed around six hundred pounds, and the density of this stone far surpassed that.
In its prime, the price of californium was rumored to reach one billion per gram. While it might not be as extravagant now, two billion per gram still held a mythical value, especially when multiplied by a few thousand pounds.
Her voice quivered as she continued, “Could this truly exist? Two billion per gram, two trillion dollars. kilogram, and if it weighs a thousand pounds…”.
They exchanged glances, understanding why LEV was willing to take such a huge risk, even if it meant offending the Kaufmann, Monaghan, Parker, and Marshall families. The stakes were astronomical – forty trillion dollars.
Even the world’s wealthiest individual had only over 700 billion net worth. Moreover, the total deposits of all Florin residents amounted to only around 23 trillion.
Freya felt like she was losing her mind. “If this truly is such a large piece of Californium, perhaps only major forces could afford it,” she mused. She looked at Radley, her eyes searching for an answer. “Do you think it’s possible?”
The enormous numbers made their hearts race, rendering them momentarily speechless. Both of them. fell into silence, their minds racing. The true purpose behind everything the LEV organization had done became clear to them.
Radley finally broke the silence, saying, “It might not be the exact type of stone you described.”
Freya closed her eyes, pondering the possibilities. “But it’s so similar, the description is uncanny.”
It was a risk worth taking with forty trillion dollars at stake and an 80% resemblance in the description. Even uniting the Kaufmann Group, the Monaghan Group, the Marshall family, the Parker family, and all the companies would not hold as much value as this stone.
