?65: Chapter 59 Proactive Attack 65: Chapter 59 Proactive Attack The general direction was clear, but the specifics for a breakthrough were not.

    For Gao Yi, the solution was simple: start moving to find the breakthrough, as the saying goes, “whack the tree to shake the dates down.”

    If idioms were to describe Gao Yi, it would be “better to fish with a net than to covet the fish at the bottom of the abyss.”

    In tactical terms, Gao Yi sought the enemy’s weakness through action.

    Summed up in one sentence, it’s “Heroes create their own opportunities.”

    A large part of Gao Yi’s behavioral pattern stemmed from the fact that he was a novice who was “too new to the scene to fear the tiger.” While the fearlessness of a newcomer can often be summed up with “ignorance is bliss,” it was clear that fearlessness was the main theme here.

    Sean, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Sёar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Sean had plenty of experience, so he was accustomed to planning carefully before taking action.

    Having lost many times and becoming accustomed to failure, Sean, having nearly seen the Garden destroyed, would naturally become overly cautious, treading on thin ice for fear that one wrong step could lead to catastrophe.

    Therefore, Sean’s character and behavior can also be summed up in one sentence, “Opportunities make the hero.”

    One proactive, the other reactive, and now the one actively pushing things forward was Gao Yi, whose personality was so direct that it bordered on recklessness.

    Thus, the plans he drove were bound to evolve in a straightforward direction.

    According to Sean’s feeling, the matter was too urgent and chaotic, a jumbled mess that seemed impossible to sort out.

    Given a month’s time, perhaps he could find a suitable, safe, and reliable method to blend into the banquet.

    As for Gao Yi, seeing as he knew Henry wanted to sell a painting, why not just go to the gallery and have a look?

    Why bother with anything else?

    First find a place and start from there, otherwise, what were the two of them going to do, just scratch their heads near the train station?

    So now that Gao Yi was leading the operation, he naturally found Henry’s gallery.

    He didn’t rush inside; a glance from afar was enough to spot a small box truck parked in front of the gallery.

    This was getting interesting, very interesting.

    Gao Yi didn’t point to the gallery; he just tilted his chin slightly and said, “There’s a small truck at the entrance, I think it’s here to load paintings.”

    Sean whispered, “Very likely, got any ideas?”

    “Uh, preparing the paintings today for the banquet tomorrow, isn’t that a bit quick?”

    After a moment’s thought, Sean said, “By French standards, yes, that is quick.”

    What French characteristics?

    Leisurely, slow.

    Because of these French characteristics, Gao Yi sensed their opportunity seemed to be growing.

    Gao Yi almost didn’t think; he blurted out, “I’m going in to see what’s going on.”

    Sean was surprised, “Don’t!

    It’s too easy to get exposed, and if you’re exposed, we’ll completely lose our chance.”

    The fearless Gao Yi immediately asked, “Even if we’re not exposed, do we have a chance?”

    Sean was left speechless.

    As an assistant, Sean’s caution was a virtue, but as an action leader, such a carefully planned character would only miss the opportunity.

    Gao Yi looked around and said, “This is the most touristic area; it’s perfectly reasonable for me to wander around.

    Appearing in the gallery is also reasonable.

    Alright, I’ll have a look and let you know, you just wait for me from a distance.”

    The gallery was in the famous Paris Seine River left bank area, encompassing Saint-Germain Street, Montparnasse Street, and Saint-Michel Street, gathering many bookstores, galleries, art museums, and museums—Paris’s cultural holy land.

    And the famous right bank had the Avenue of Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, and a series of iconic Parisian buildings.

    Since it was a global tourist spot, Gao Yi felt there would be no problem with him appearing in the gallery.

    Hence, Gao Yi, after speaking, headed straight along the path, passing by a café, two bookstores, and casually turned into the gallery when the small truck parked at the door slightly blocked his way and he looked up unintentionally.

    Walking with an easy-going demeanor and a relaxed expression on his face, Gao Yi displayed the laxity of a tourist without any disguise.

    Inside the gallery, a man dressed in a suit and gloves was talking to another who looked like a flunky butler, with two other people standing by, waiting.

    The conversation was in French, which Gao Yi didn’t understand at all.

    Obviously, the gallery wouldn’t be set up like a general store; the environment had to be excellent, and the paintings wouldn’t be hanging too close together.

    But the artists of those paintings sporadically hung on the walls had to have some fame.

    Henry’s paintings for charity had to come from at least a modestly famous painter, and the blockbuster piece had to be from a master artist.

    But could the obvious facts be utilized?

    Up to now, Gao Yi didn’t know, so he just wandered and looked around.

    The few people glanced at Gao Yi but didn’t take him seriously.

    The one who looked like the gallery manager kept respectfully introducing something to the steward.

    Nobody greeted Gao Yi.

    If there was no opportunity, he had to create one.

    Even if not to create one, it made no sense to drop in, take a glance and then just leave.

    With this plain idea in mind, Gao Yi raised his left arm and loudly said, “Excuse me…

    Where’s the boss, hello, hello, hello.”

    It didn’t seem very classy, but he said it with confidence, so his voice was loud, and his presence felt imposing.

    Gao Yi embodied this attitude.

    No matter what, yelling in a gallery was rude, but when a client arrives and no one greets them, the fault lies with the host.

    The person introducing paintings to the steward whispered something and then approached Gao Yi.

    He rattled off a few sentences in French; Gao Yi didn’t understand a word.

    Gao Yi assertively asked, “Do you speak English?”

    The manager switched to English, speaking not fluently, but smoothly enough, “Hello, sir, how may I help you?”

    Gao Yi nonchalantly said, “I just bought a castle and need to buy some paintings to decorate it.

    I find the paintings here quite nice; they’re to my taste.”

    In France, many castles weren’t sold for much; some were even sold for one Euro, but the subsequent maintenance costs were exorbitant.

    Therefore, it was very common for foreigners to buy castles in France, with wealthy individuals from China frequently tricked into such purchases.

    So Gao Yi’s statement was still reasonable.

    But the manager was clearly busy now, so he wasn’t going to waste too much time with Gao Yi, merely maintaining basic politeness, the manager smiled, “You may look around first.

    If you like any painting, please let me know, and I can give you a detailed introduction.”

    After speaking, the manager was about to leave, but Gao Yi pointed at a painting on the wall, saying, “That one.”

    The manager was startled, then he spoke up a bit helplessly and a few sentences later, a middle-aged woman came over and stood in front of both of them.

    The manager said a few more words, and Gao Yi, somewhat dissatisfied, demanded, “Do the introduction.”

    The woman went to attend to the steward, leaving the manager to personally handle Gao Yi.

    The reason was simple: the woman didn’t speak English, but the manager did.

    The manager asked someone else to deal with the steward’s need, then turned to Gao Yi with a smile and said, “This painting is by a very promising young artist…”

    Gao Yi immediately waved him off, “Young artist?

    Let’s not do young artists.

    Got any not-so-famous but really old, about-to-die painters?

    Do you?

    I want that kind.”

    The manager’s smile struggled to maintain, helplessly saying, “Sir, if you want to invest in art, the value of the investment isn’t closely related to the artist’s age.

    What’s more important is to look at the artistic value…”

    “How much for this painting?”

    “Two thousand four hundred Euros.”

    Two thousand four hundred Euros, Gao Yi had no idea whether this painting was expensive or cheap; he was nearly ignorant when it came to art.

    But that didn’t stop Gao Yi from showing off.

    “That cheap?

    I’ll take it.”

    With that, the manager was taken aback.

    But soon after, the manager bowed slightly, “Very well, please wait, I…”

    “No rush.”

    Gao Yi began to move, casually pointing at another painting, “That one.”

    “Alright.”

    “And that one.”

    “Alright!”

    Gao Yi was at ease, while the manager’s tone began to fill with suppressed joy.

    Gao Yi glanced around, looked at the painting that a few people were standing in front of, and said nothing.

    As for knowing about oil paintings, Gao Yi only recognized abstract and impressionist styles; beyond those, he lumped everything else into the realist category.

    And in this gallery, most of the paintings were realist.

    Only those two that Gao Yi pointed out looked somewhat bizarre.

    Gao Yi walked past some people, took a few steps, and then pointing at another painting, he said, “This one.”

    The manager barely contained his laughter, “Alright.”

    “I don’t want these.”

    The manager’s smile was frozen on his face.

    Gao Yi turned and pointed toward the entrance, “From that side to this side, the ones I mentioned I don’t want.

    I’ll take the rest.

    That’s twenty-three paintings in total, right?

    Give me a quote, a total price.

    Oh, and also…”

    Gao Yi pointed to the painting that the others were looking at, acting naturally with a slight hint of arrogance, “Is that taken?

    If not, I’ll take it.”

    Others bought paintings by the piece; Gao Yi bought by distance.

    The manager was stunned; Gao Yi grew impatient, “Can you sell or not?”

    The gallery wasn’t big, and Henry didn’t run it just to be cultured.

    A more important function was money laundering because art investment is strongly associated with laundering money.

    So Gao Yi’s approach was simple; he’d act as if he would buy out the gallery and see how Henry’s subordinates reacted.

    If they didn’t sell, Gao Yi would raise the price.

    If they did sell, he’d act as if he hadn’t spoken.

    “All of it?”

    “All of it!

    My castle is big and needs many paintings, so give me a wholesale price.

    Don’t try to fool me with any talk of artistic value.

    If you show sincerity, I’ll clear out your store; if not, forget it.”

    The manager seemed at a loss, he looked toward Henry’s steward, who whispered something, then the manager apologized, walked over, and began to explain hurriedly and quietly.

    Gao Yi spoke displeased, “What’s the meaning of this?

    Can’t sell, right?

    Well, I’m gone!”

    The manager, accompanied by the steward, came over, and then, the steward smiled, “Sir, are you very interested in art?”

    Gao Yi scrutinized Henry’s steward and nodded, “What do you do?”

    The steward spoke English too, smiling, “May I ask if sir would be interested in attending an art auction?”

    “Not interested, auctions are too expensive.”

    “Charity auction.”

    Gao Yi turned his head away, “Even less interested in charity auctions.”

    The steward continued with a smile, “Charity auctions might offer many artworks below market price, including this painting.”

    He pointed to the painting Gao Yi had just looked at, the steward continued, “This painting is a 19th-century piece; the artist is…”

    The steward looked at the manager, who took over, “Ferdinand George Waltermiller, a representative painter from Austria, a realist luminary known for his superb handling of light.

    This is his work from 1843, priced at 220,000 Euros.”

    The steward nodded, then turned to Gao Yi with a smile, “However, at the auction, it will start bidding at 50,000 Euros.

    If you are considering investing in art, this presents a rare opportunity.”

    Gao Yi hesitated, his resistant expression softened considerably, then with a very reluctant manner, he said, “A famous painter?

    Very famous?

    Uh, let me think about it.

    Where’s the auction?”