Rise of the Collector (The Collector Duology, Book One)

In the crowded alleys of Qianhe, delivery boy Arvin knows only sweat, duty, and the weight of his family's needs. Until one fateful night—when saving a child and colliding with a noblewoman's carriage awakens a strange gift: the ability to sense the hidden worth in objects, both material and spiritual.

What begins as a secret experiment soon draws him into the city's shadow market, where forgotten treasures and ruthless collectors barter not only in gold, but in ambition. By day, Arvin runs deliveries. By night, he hunts for relics no one else can see. A copper coin, a cracked jade ornament, a faded postcard—each discovery carries him closer to fortune...and deeper into danger.

As rivals circle and betrayal strikes close to home, Arvin finds an unexpected ally in Sophia, the noblewoman whose world seems beyond his reach. But every choice has a price. When false treasures bring him to ruin and whispers from a mysterious ledger tempt him with darker power, Arvin must decide what true value means: wealth, legacy, or love.