Chapter 5518

Upon seeing the cryptic text, Maria wasted no time chiming in, her voice laced with curiosity, "Maria, I'm pretty sure the borough in question here is Queens, New York. That photo? Yep, definitely Queens. Now, this guy ‘Cole’, is obviously a last name. And I can tell by his look that he has Chinese descent. The catch? We don't have a clue what his first name is." "You're spot on," Charlie concurred, his brow furrowing in deep thought. "There's something oddly familiar about this Cole fellow. But, try as I might, I can't put my finger on where I've seen him before." Maria reassured him, "Don't rush it, Young Master. That sense of familiarity might stem from a fleeting memory. It's there, just beneath the surface. All you need is to give it some time, let it simmer. Trust me, the answer will come to you. Besides the familiarity, anything else about this whole scenario that strikes you as odd or strangely familiar?" Charlie, still massaging his temples, replied, "You know, Maria, there's more to it than just the familiarity. Looking at this picture, I sense something deeper, something profoundly familiar. But the specifics, they elude me." Maria breathed a sigh of relief, "Young Master, don't fret. Let's piece this puzzle together. First, let's talk about the attire of your dad and this Cole character. Anything noteworthy there?" Charlie scrutinized the photo and replied, "Dad's sporting late 20th-century gear, a bomber jacket, pretty trendy back then. Cole, on the other hand, has on a regular woolen windbreaker, typical attire for the time." Maria probed further, "And what about Queens? Your parents lived in the States for years. Did Queens ever come up in your conversations or visits?" Charlie pondered for a moment before responding, "In my recollection, the States trips with my parents or visits to relatives with Mom usually centered around Long Island. Apart from that, we were Manhattan regulars. Queens? It's all a bit fuzzy. Even at this antique shop, I only learned about it from my uncle. Never heard a peep about it from my parents." At this point, Charlie's expression froze suddenly. Unaware of his abrupt change, Maria remained focused on the photo and suggested, "Perhaps we could contact your father's former colleagues. They might recognize this person." But Charlie, deep in thought, didn't respond. Perplexed, Maria prodded, "Young Master?" Charlie snapped back to reality at Maria's query. Cold sweat began to bead on his brow and cheeks as he stammered, "I...I think I know why this man seems familiar." Maria was taken aback and pressed, "Young Master, do you remember?" Charlie nodded fervently and explained, "You mentioned his last name is Cole and I had this strange sense of déjà vu. And then, there's that antique shop in the background..." Gazing at Maria, his eyes still wide with shock, Charlie continued, "Remember I told you my father-in-law had no idea what he was doing, insisted on visiting an antique shop to 'broaden his horizons' and accidentally knocked over that jade pot and spring vase?" Maria responded instantly, "Of course! The Young Master got the 'Apocalyptic Book' from the remains of that very vase. How could I forget something so significant?" Charlie nodded and pointed to the man beside his father in the photo, muttering, "He was the manager of that antique store!" "What?" Maria's eyes widened, her voice trembling as she exclaimed, "Young Master, are you saying that the man in this photo from over 20 years ago, taken with your father in New York, later worked at an antique shop in Aurous Hill and he's the one who handed your father-in-law the jade pot and spring vase containing the 'Apocalyptic Book'?" "Yes," Charlie affirmed firmly. "I'm sure of it. This person's name is Felix Cole and the antique shop in Aurous Hill was Vintage Deluxe, owned by the Moore family. At the time, it wasn't a prominent part of the Moore family's business empire. Jasmine Moore, the current head of the Moore family, was responsible for Vintage Deluxe and Felix Cole managed it." Charlie felt his spine tingling. Before, he'd believed his acquisition of the 'Apocalyptic Book' was purely luck. Then, his uncle mentioned that his parents had found the Preface to the ‘Apocalyptic Book’, hinting at a connection between the two texts. But now, he stumbled upon a revelation, Felix Cole, the antique shop manager from over two decades ago, was a friend of his father. It was Felix Cole who had handed the jade pot and spring vase to his father-in-law, Jacob. Charlie swiftly grabbed his phone and dialed Jasmine's number. If anyone could shed light on Felix Cole, it would be her. She picked up quickly, her voice lighthearted, "Why the late-night call, Master Wade?" Charlie suppressed his anxiety and inquired, "Jasmine, can you tell me if Felix Cole, the former manager of Vintage Deluxe, still works for the Moore family?" "Absolutely not," Jasmine responded without hesitation. "After that incident, he was utterly rude to you and your father-in-law and he utterly failed to recognize the true value of the jade pot you repaired. His professional ethics were sorely lacking, so I let him go."

"Let him go?" Charlie probed further. "Do you have any idea where he went afterward?" "I have no idea," Jasmine admitted. "I never saw him again after that day." Charlie followed up with another question, "And when did he start working at Vintage Deluxe?" "He didn't last long," Jasmine recalled. "He was there for just over a month, maybe less than two." Charlie's excitement surged. This timeline felt deliberate, like Felix Cole had joined Vintage Deluxe for a reason. "Were you the one who hired him?" Charlie asked. "Yes," Jasmine confirmed. "At the time, the Moore family didn't take me seriously and I had my share of issues with my uncle and cousin. So they handed me the Vintage Deluxe. It was struggling and internal problems ran rampant. I fired everyone and brought in a fresh team. That's when Felix Cole applied." Charlie probed further, "Why did you hire him?" Jasmine paused to reflect. "He made quite an impression during the interview. Knowledgeable about both Eastern and Western antiques, humble, well-educated, the guy had a compelling demeanor. His answers during the interview were smooth, eloquent and he didn't demand an astronomical salary. It seemed like a solid hire. Little did I know he'd turn out so ill-tempered, insulting your father-in-law and failing to recognize your incredible restoration skills. My judgment clearly failed me. Please forgive me!" Charlie, deep in thought, pondered, "Now that you mention it, Jasmine, this guy who appeared so knowledgeable, humble and well-educated is likely Felix Cole's true identity. The rude, jade-vase-dropping Felix Cole was likely a facade." Jasmine's voice floated through the phone, "Master Wade, what sparked your sudden interest in Felix Cole?" Trying to be casual, Charlie replied, "Just reminiscing with some friends. Got curious about him out of nowhere. By the way, Jasmine, could you pull up any information on him for me?" Jasmine thought for a moment. "I'll have to ask Antique Deluxe's manager. The records from then weren't merged with the Moore Group’s. It was all less official back then." Charlie responded, "Thank you for the effort, Jasmine. Send it over when you have it." "Of course, Master Wada!" Ending the call, he told Maria. "Once I get that info, Miss Clark, please forward it to Mr. Myers for verification." She nodded, "Don’t worry, I'll make sure he gets it as soon as possible." Charlie and Maria waited anxiously for Jasmine’s reply. True to her ultra efficient nature, she had a word document sent to him within a few minutes. Charlie opened the document. Under the nationality column for Felix Cole, it read ‘China’ and his place of origin was listed as ‘Aurous Hill’. Charlie suspected this information was inaccurate. Perusing further, the credibility of Felix Cole's resume appeared questionable. According to the resume, Felix Cole had spent much of his career in the antique industry within China. He claimed to have established an antique stall in Panjiayuan, East Cliff over two decades ago. Following that, he had relocated to different parts of the country, functioning as an antique vendor and later owning an antique shop. For a significant period, he also claimed to have worked in a factory that manufactured low-end toys. Strikingly, the resume made no reference to Cole ever leaving China. Yet, a photo clearly showed him and his father in Queens, USA. Adding to the inconsistencies, under the language proficiency section, Felix Cole listed only Chinese, omitting English. Considering he had purportedly lived abroad, especially over 20 years ago, it would be plausible to assume he had a decent command of English. Knowing English would be an asset in job applications. Thus, the omission could only suggest he might be hiding his time abroad. In the education section, he had merely written ‘high school’. From the narrative painted by this resume, he appeared to be someone who didn't pursue education beyond high school, choosing instead to dive into the antique trade. Even though he might not have had an academic flair, his extensive experience suggested that he was skilled in his field. After reviewing, Charlie voiced his skepticism to Maria, "Based on this resume, I believe much of it is fabricated." Maria responded with a wry smile, "Perhaps the only truth in this document is his surname, Cole. After all, the name ‘Cole’ is also written on the back of the photograph." Pondering, Charlie inquired, "Do you think his first name could be accurate?" Maria shrugged and replied, "It seems highly improbable." Pointing at the resume, she added with a hint of irony, "Look here, his name is Felix Cole. In English, Felix translates to 'good luck.' Isn't that amusing? Although the name Felix is not rare, why would it be this particular individual? The very man who presented the jade pot, allowing the Young Master to acquire the 'Apocalyptic Book' and by extension, leading the Young Master to transformative experiences to become the dragon. To me, it feels as though this name was intentionally chosen for its symbolism to speak directly to you."