Conflict in Artemis fowl book 1

In chapter 1, there is a degree of suspense for the reader. Artemis has obviously gone to great lengths to travel to Ho Chi Minh City to get a look at the Book, but it is still unclear what he plans to do with it. The reader's knowledge of Artemis from this chapter and the prologue suggest that he is up to something not quite legal or ethnical. What that is and how he will accomplish it remain mysterious at this point in the story.