C7 The Auction!

The first item was a hit with the crowd.

It quickly sold for 100,000 yuan, and the auction hall was bathed in a multitude of lights.

"160,000 for the third time!" Mike called out with excitement, "Congratulations to the lady who has won our first item!"

The audience responded with thunderous applause.

The lights then focused on the previously mentioned seductive woman.

She threw a flirtatious look at the crowd.

"Wow!"

The audience's excitement was palpable...

"Now, for the second item, please take a close look!" Mike said, moving on from the excitement of the first sale and presenting the next item.

It was a black stone!

"As you can see, this is simply a shiny black stone!" Mike noted the audience's confusion and took a deep breath before continuing, "However, it appears to be able to absorb a significant amount of energy at once and then slowly release it into its surroundings..."

Room No. 7

In contrast to the other well-lit rooms, this one was shrouded in darkness, with only a pair of green eyes flickering incessantly.

"Ha ha! That's it! I've finally found it! I must have it!"

...

Room No. 1

"Is this an obsidian spar? It's so large?"

"Miss, would you like to place a bid?" Uncle Li inquired.

"Just a casual bid. If it doesn't work out, no big deal! I'm not short on these," Kong Lingyue replied, nonchalantly crossing her legs and enjoying the fruit on the table.

...

Room No. 3

"Scan it!"

"Beep! Scanning in progress..."

Name: Obsidian Spar (origin...)

Function: Balances conflicting elements, slowly absorbs and releases energy, making it the ideal core for array formations.

Lin Yi's eyes sparkled, "This is a real treasure."

...

"I trust everyone has a clear target for the second item! Let's not waste any more time and start the bidding!" Mike said, cutting straight to the chase and turning off all the lights.

The room fell silent once more.

"Two hundred thousand!"

A spotlight illuminated the area.

It was the enchanting woman who had won the first item!

"Two hundred and ten thousand!" a tall, thin man called out.

Meng Ting'er raised the bid, "Three hundred thousand!"

"Three hundred and ten thousand!"

"Four hundred thousand!" Meng Ting'er tossed him a coquettish wink.

"Four hundred and ten thousand!"

The tall, thin man remained unfazed.

Meng Ting'er muttered, "Stubborn fool!"

Just as Meng Ting'er was about to place another bid, the previously darkened private rooms around her burst into light. The dazzling orange glow shone on the bustling crowd below, capturing everyone's gaze. The source of the illumination was a room on the third floor, at the seven o'clock position.

"One hundred thousand!" Those familiar with the auction scene recognized that a major player had entered the game.

Indeed, a spotlight found its way to Mike, the auctioneer. "The guest in room seven has offered an impressive 100,000! How generous!" Mike paused, a sense of relief washing over him. He could feel a record-breaking night unfolding, one that promised him a hefty profit.

The tall, thin man, previously keen on bidding, now seemed ready to bow out after the price spike. Meng Ting'er, however, was not so easily deterred. She clenched her jaw and raised the stakes: "110,000!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. "Wow! Look at her go!"

"150,000!" The voice from room seven, tinged with a hint of rasp, issued a stern warning: "Don't compete with me, or it'll be the end of you."

A palpable tension filled the air, the immense pressure bearing down like a wild beast, leaving the crowd breathless. Mike, on stage, frowned at the breach of decorum but was powerless to intervene. He knew better than to cross someone with access to room seven.

Meng Ting'er's face flushed with anger, but she was left biting her tongue in silent frustration.

"Oh? Who's this brash? I bid 200,000!" A languid voice cut through the tension.

The familiar orange brilliance flared, lighting up the auction hall as if it were midday. It was coming from room number one, stirring a wave of excitement among the attendees.

"Who are you?" demanded the hoarse voice from room seven.

"I am your father!" Kong Lingyue retorted, unfazed.

"Damn you!" The man in room seven was livid, his fear of the woman in room one tempered by the auction house's reliable confidentiality for its patrons.

In room three, Lin Yi shook his head in resignation. He had considered joining the bidding war, but faced with the obsidian stone now fetching 300,000 and his own meager funds, he thought better of it.

Lin Yi ultimately abandoned the unclear plan.

...

From private room seven: "Three hundred and ten thousand!"

From private room one: "Three hundred and ten thousand and one!"

"...Three hundred and twenty thousand!"

"Three hundred and twenty thousand and one!"

Private room one was clearly picking a fight with private room seven.

"Damn it! Three hundred and fifty thousand!" a hoarse male voice bellowed angrily, "This is my final offer! If you outbid me again, it's yours!"

Kong Lingyue in private room one scoffed, "Is that all? I've got plenty of obsidian spar, so since you're so keen on paying a high price of three hundred and fifty thousand for such a small piece, it's all yours."

Her languid voice dripped with contempt, eliciting cheers of delight from the audience.

"Curse it!" The occupant of private room seven instantly realized they were being played.

...

Lin Yi remarked, "She's quite a character."

...

A minor hiccup, but nothing serious...

Mike's gift of gab was impressive, likely buoyed by the success of the first two auctions, ensuring the auction hall remained lively throughout.

Each item fetched a price higher than usual, much to Mike's delight.

After the fifteenth item sold for a hefty seventy thousand, Mike turned on all the lights in the auction hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Mike adjusted his bow tie and eased his stiff frame.

He was about to speak when...

The audience suddenly chanted in unison, "We know!"

"Ha!" Mike rolled his eyes with flair, undeterred by the crowd's banter, and proceeded with the event.

"Look, I know you're all eager as ever, but—the display auction is over, and now it's time for an intermission..."

With that, Mike nonchalantly sat down on the floor, tilting his head back to guzzle a bottle of water.

"Haha, Mike, you could even drive a car like that."

"Haha, you're still the same old you..."

"Mike, the floor's dirty. You could sit on someone's lap instead..."

During the break, the crowd engaged in playful banter. Some sat back in their chairs for a rest, while others stepped out of the auction hall in search of a bite to eat.

Lin Yi, from private room three, also left the auction hall.

It must be acknowledged that the mere fifteen items up for auction managed to consume a full three hours of Lin Yi's time.

Frankly, Lin Yi was starting to feel a bit peckish.

His main reason for venturing out was to grab a bite to eat and recharge, and secondarily, to flip a few Titan Power Pills for some cash.

Having not made a single purchase during the first half of the auction, Lin Yi had a creeping realization.

The truth was stark—he was broke!