C8 The Straight Knife!
Lin Yi first entered a newly opened store.
Without a word, he dropped 40,000 dollars on the store's only 80 Frost Gems.
Ignoring the puzzled expression of the shopkeeper,
Lin Yi stepped out of the store and covertly converted all the Frost Gems into energy points in a dimly lit corner.
With 20 newly exchanged Titan Power Pills in hand, he headed back to the first store he visited.
Before long...
He was back in room number three,
Lin Yi was counting his assets with palpable excitement.
Energy points: 60
Money: $260,000
The rapid accumulation of wealth had begun to captivate him.
The new, potent Titan Power Pills were a hit with the fatty store manager, who assured Lin Yi he would buy as many as he could supply.
But Lin Yi was no fool!
"Looks like I'll have to lay low for a bit. This bulk sale might have given the fatty some unsavory ideas."
Reflecting on the events, Lin Yi reviewed the lessons learned.
"Good thing I'm clever. I kept my mask on when I went back to the auction house..."
Meanwhile, the auction house had commenced its consignment phase.
...
Direct sale: Items are sold directly to the auction house at a fixed price, and the seller is not concerned with the final auction price.
Consignment: The consignor sets a price with the auction house to sell their item. Regardless of whether it sells, the auction house takes a cut.
In essence: Direct sale guarantees a minimum, consignment gambles on luck!
...
As the consignment auction began, Mike didn't bother to build suspense.
He simply turned on the lights and presented the first lot.
In room number three,
Lin Yi peered at the shimmering silver item.
"Scan!"
"Beep! Scanning..."
Name: Straight Knife
Type: Offensive
Materials: Fire Essence Stone, Hundred Refined Iron, Peak-level Bronze Lifeblood...
Effects: Flame Scorch (1), Hardness (2), Blood Devour (1)
Evaluation: The lifeblood quality is too low, the Fire Essence Stone lacks purity, and the craftsmanship is crude.
Total score: 63!
Lin Yi was astounded as he reviewed the detailed information, which seemed to delve into the very ancestry of the knife's forger.
Good heavens! With just this panel alone, he could easily become a Forgemaster or a master tamer.
This was far more dependable than peddling Titan Power Pills!
"As you can see, this is an exceptionally sharp straight knife," Mike said as he rotated the knife, expertly displaying each part to the audience.
"It consists of the blade, the handle, and the ring, all forged together in one piece. The blade is crafted from refined iron and Fire Essence Stone powder. During its formation, it's continually doused with the lifeblood of a peak bronze entity, making it an extremely bloodthirsty treasure."
Mike smoothly lifted the straight knife with one hand and executed a swift cutting motion, as a faint scent of blood wafted through the air.
Satisfied, Mike nodded and gently placed the knife back down. "The bidding starts at 30,000, with increments of no less than 5,000!"
No sooner had Mike announced this than a masked man eagerly stood up, bidding, "Forty thousand!"
"Fifty thousand!" another masked figure shouted.
"Sixty thousand!"
"Sixty-five thousand!"
"Really, just adding five thousand? That's quite frugal."
The bids continued to ring out from the crowd, each participant eager to own the weapon that was highly sought after by those accustomed to living on the edge.
The knife's true value was around 100,000, but considering the auction house's 10% commission, it needed to fetch at least 110,000 to turn a profit.
Yet, reality often falls short of expectations.
The bidding stalled at 95,000.
"95,000 going twice!" Mike called out, his smile belying the slight panic within. "Any further bids?"
Was the first consigned item going to result in a loss?
With each call from Mike, several individuals appeared interested, yet hesitation ultimately led them to refrain from bidding further.
Such was the plight of a small town; even when recognizing the value of an item right before their eyes, they couldn't bring themselves to risk everything to acquire it.
Poverty and chaos are the two most significant challenges that small places often face.
In Redleaf Town, the security situation was commendably stable, yet the pervasive poverty among the general population remained a tough issue to tackle.
Mike gently lifted his auctioneer's hammer. "Ninety-five thousand for the third time..."
"One hundred thousand!" A voice, soothing to the ears, rang out.
"We have a bid of one hundred thousand! Any further bids?" Mike called out.
The crowd turned their attention to private room number three, which had lit up for the first time, and they were visibly surprised.
"Oh!" Kong Lingyue, from private room number one, cast a curious glance in that direction.
The auction house's privacy measures were excellent, leaving everyone guessing about the appearance of the person with the magnetic voice.
Lin Yi, in private room number three, smiled to himself. He knew his greatest assets were his good looks and his voice, which was as magnetic and tender as the pull of Earth's gravity, drawing others in.
Mike, noting the dazed expressions and lack of response, sighed in resignation, "That's unfortunate."
As the crowd regained their composure, Mike continued.
"If there are no further objections, I hereby declare that the sharp straight knife goes to the guest in room number three!"
...
In private room number three, Lin Yi was no stranger to the stir he often caused.
From a young age, he could modulate his voice at will, leaving even fatty speechless with his magnetic tone.
Thankfully, except on special occasions, Lin Yi could use his regular voice for everyday interactions.
Yet, this magnetic and gentle voice proved to be an asset in certain situations. For instance, it could be quite effective when flirting...
The auction house was efficient. The straight knife was delivered to Lin Yi's room even before the second item's bidding had concluded.
"The fire attribute's intense heat... I wonder if it will conflict with the water attribute of the mutant water snake," Lin Yi pondered.
Drawing the blade from its sheath, a flash of white light momentarily dazzled him, "Ah!"
The straight knife, with its distinctive ring on the handle, was also known as a "ring-pommel knife" due to its straight, uncurved blade.
Comprising the blade, handle, and ring, the straight knife was a simple yet formidable weapon.
The blade gleamed snow-white, measuring a full meter in length.
The handle featured an intricate black pattern.
Adorning the knife was a white tassel.
Lin Yi knew that the straight knife had a long history, designed to be wielded with one hand as a close combat weapon. The tassel on the handle served to provide a non-slip grip.
Lin Yi was very pleased with the design and found it comfortable to hold.
He intended to carry it on his back, ready to defend himself (and perhaps to impress).
