Chapter 11

That stall was very lively. Qi Xiang walked over, and just as he arrived, someone came out from inside. In the crowd that was tightly packed, a gap naturally appeared. He quickly seized the opportunity, bent down, and squeezed in.

Once inside the stall, Qi Xiang could see clearly. The stall was about four to five meters long and more than one meter wide. Various items were haphazardly displayed, with no particular order.

There were many items, and even more people interested.

After a moment of observation, Qi Xiang could confirm that this was the Flying Tiger Team, not the Guerrilla Team or the Locust Team.

It should be noted that the terms "Flying Tiger Team," "Guerrilla Team," and "Locust Team" are specialized terms in the antique circle, generally used to refer to specific groups.

After all, collectors, antique enthusiasts, and artifact dealers are also divided into different levels.

The first level consists of those who run shops and act as bosses. These antique sellers indeed do not open for business for three years, but once they do, they can sustain themselves for three years, dealing in large transactions worth tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions.

The second level consists of those who lack funds and cannot afford to open shops, but have a keen eye and understand the market. They enjoy picking up bargains at low prices from land clearance sites and then reselling them to antique shop owners for a profit.

As for the third level, they usually have little education and no knowledge of antiques. They can only wander through streets and alleys, buying old items at low prices from ordinary people and reselling them to the first two levels for a small profit.

For example, the Guerrilla Team belongs to the third level. They collect items from the countryside and then sell them in the city.

The Guerrilla Team is also a highlight in the antique market. They travel from village to village, working very hard. They collect old items from the countryside, and when they have enough, they come to the city early in the morning to sell them.

However, they rarely set up stalls directly and prefer to sell their items to antique shops, as the shop owners can afford to pay and recognize the items. Only after the shop owners have selected what they want do they bring the remaining items to the market to sell.

In fact, the Guerrilla Team works very hard. Sometimes they spend one or two months in the countryside without finding a good item. Moreover, the countryside is no longer pure, with unscrupulous antique dealers often collaborating with villagers to bury "landmines" to deceive people.

These "landmines" are numerous and very hidden, making them difficult to guard against. If one accidentally steps on one, the loss will be significant.

The Guerrilla Team usually has some genuine items, mostly old items, with a few ancient ones. Therefore, people who visit the antique market prefer to interact with them, hoping to find some good items from their hands.

If the Guerrilla Team is beloved, then the Locust Team is despised.

The so-called Locust Team is essentially a mobile stall selling fake items, equivalent to a specialty store for fakes, moving from place to place. They are like locusts, spreading a pile of garbage and trying to deceive as many people as possible.

Dealing with these people requires caution. They are usually very skilled at deception, with extensive experience. Some of them are so skilled that even experts can be deceived.

Their business philosophy is to sell fake items by including a few genuine ones. Genuine items are not hard to sell, but fake items are sold through deception. Therefore, even if they have a few genuine items, they will be very expensive, and one should not expect to find bargains from them.

In contrast to the Locust Team, there is the Flying Tiger Team. The difference between the Locust Team and the Flying Tiger Team is significant despite the similarity in name.

Both are mobile stalls, but the Locust Team is filled with fakes and is deceptive, while the Flying Tiger Team is very welcome among players, who hope to encounter them every day.

The Flying Tiger Team usually has many good items. Due to regional differences, some items may not be valuable in their local area but can fetch a higher price elsewhere.

Therefore, wherever there is a large antique exchange event, they will gather there in groups.

Qi Xiang once saw a vendor who brought four large baskets of Republican-era enamel plates to sell at a stall. The prices were so low that he was shocked and immediately bought them without hesitation...

Of course, since the Flying Tiger Team is mobile, encountering such a good deal once a year is considered lucky. Moreover, some Locust Teams are very cunning and often pretend to be the Flying Tiger Team to deceive people.

If players lack the ability to distinguish between the two, they are likely to be deceived.

Qi Xiang was certain that this stall was the Flying Tiger Team, not because of his exceptional discernment, but because he saw someone next to the stall...

This person was around sixty or seventy years old, with grayish-white beard, a lean figure, and dressed in a simple robe, looking like an ordinary old man, not particularly noticeable.

But when Qi Xiang saw this person, a smile appeared on his lips, and he quickly squeezed over, calling out softly, "Mr. Wei!"

"Hmm?" Mr. Wei turned his head, his eyes somewhat bewildered, "Who are you?"

"It's me, Qi Xiang," Qi Xiang hurriedly said, "A little over a month ago, I went to Boguya with Brother Jiang and bought something. At that time, I received a 20% discount thanks to your kindness..."

"Oh, I remember..." Mr. Wei nodded, not sure if he really remembered or was just pretending. In any case, a smile appeared on his face, and he said softly, "Qi Xiang, there are many good items at the stall. You can browse freely without worrying about me."

This statement needed to be interpreted in reverse...

Qi Xiang immediately understood and smiled, "Mr. Wei, you're busy. I'll just take a look around."

Mr. Wei looked satisfied, thought for a moment, and then quietly pointed with his finger, whispering, "Qi Xiang, I think that box is good. You can take a look."

Qi Xiang's face lit up with joy, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Wei."

Mr. Wei smiled and then focused on arranging his own items.

Qi Xiang was also considerate and immediately stepped back a few paces, then reached out to grab the box and examine it.

He could not doubt Mr. Wei's words.

Because Mr. Wei was an eagle, a seasoned eagle flying in the sky, while he was merely a small insect. A small insect could only look up to the eagle with admiration and had no right to question.

It should be noted that the terms "eagle" and "insect" are levels that antique collectors and players have designated for themselves.

There are six levels: Eagle, Wolf, Insect, Bear, Sheep, and Shrimp, covering the entire collector community.

Eagles, like Mr. Wei, are generally experts in cultural relics, seasoned players, and experienced antique shop owners. They are the nightmare of stall owners. Their discernment is exceptional, and they have both the ability and the expertise to identify items with great precision.

When browsing stalls, they usually do not make a move, but once they do, it is always a bargain.

Qi Xiang knew that Mr. Wei was the owner of a large antique shop in Fuzimiao and was also said to be a researcher at the Palace Museum, a national-level expert in cultural relics.

Such a level of expertise is god-like to ordinary players. Therefore, they are called eagles, symbolizing their high status and their ability to overlook everything.

Below the eagle is the wolf.

If the eagle is high above and detached from the mundane, the wolf is a carnivorous animal, the most despised by stall owners.

Wolves generally refer to experienced collectors and antique shop owners with good discernment. They are experienced, skilled, and have strong purchasing power and good psychological resilience, rarely falling for scams.

They usually do not pay attention to stalls filled with fakes and can quickly identify good items among the chaotic items at the stalls. They are familiar with the characteristics of various fakes and can automatically filter out unnecessary items.

Once they identify a valuable item, they will pounce on it like a wolf, taking a big bite. Wolves travel far to eat meat, and they will swallow it whole, leaving nothing for others.

Better to meet an eagle than a wolf.

This is the experience of stall owners, as eagles have high standards and only act when they find a good item. Wolves, however, will not hesitate to take any opportunity, leaving no room for others.

Stall owners are most afraid of eagles and wolves, and the rest are generally not a threat.

Qi Xiang was very self-aware and knew that in the eyes of the stall owners, he was just a small insect, with basic-level appraisal skills and a superficial understanding of various antiques.

He was easily deceived by high-quality fakes but could sometimes get lucky and find a small bargain.

This is a long phase that every collector must go through. Learning from mistakes, gaining more experience, and falling more often, one eventually learns to walk, which is normal.

Qi Xiang was confident that with enough accumulation, an insect could transform into a butterfly and shine brightly.

After all, compared to bears, sheep, and shrimp, being an insect is not so bad.

Bears, which sound powerful, actually refer to "blind bears."

This is the largest group in the antique market and the favorite of stall owners. Generally, such players lack basic knowledge of cultural relics and culture and have no ability to discern.

They love stories, have fantasies, and seek bargains. Their common traits are that they buy whatever they like without considering whether it is right or wrong. They spend their days wandering through stalls, using small magnifying glasses to pretend they are knowledgeable.

They are curious about anything they have not seen and do not bother to learn about related cultural relics and art. Their so-called experience is a collection of scattered hearsay, which is not reliable.

When they encounter something they like, they do not look for flaws but try to convince themselves that it is a good item.

Even if they repeatedly buy fakes, they are still proud and enjoy playing with and showing off their items, never pursuing deeper knowledge or culture. They have a pile of fakes at home and secretly rejoice in their beds.

What is even funnier is that they cannot be criticized for their purchases, as they will become angry.

These people sustain over 90% of the stall owners in the antique market, making them the most welcome.

Even worse than bears are sheep, also known as "fat sheep." They refer to wealthy bosses who know nothing but have money and a taste for elegance.

To be blunt, Jiang Baiwan also falls into this category...

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