C9 Threehanded Goods
Lin Yi's first acquisition at the auction set him back a hefty 100,000 yuan.
Now, with only 160,000 yuan to his name, he figured he might only be able to bid on one more item.
...
The auction continued.
In the midst of it, Lin Yi picked up a bracelet.
Name: Mu Hua Bracelet
Type: Special
Materials: Water essence stone fragments, light attribute bug core
Effects: Freshness (*2), Light Sensation (1x), Bathing (*1)
Evaluation: Crafted with precision from unwanted fragment pieces! (Details: ...)
Total Score: 38
Final Bid: 50,000 yuan!
The effects were modest, but it would make a nice gift for Lin Wushuang.
Elsewhere,
Perhaps due to Mike's lack of humorous commentary, the auction quickly progressed to the final two items.
"The next lot is a bottle of pills known as 'Great Strength King Kong'! This is an innovative potion, with a structure and components that are quite extraordinary!"
Indeed, in this world, there were no doctors, only pharmacists; hence, pills were a novel concept.
"Its effect is straightforward! It enables the user to temporarily gain twice their normal strength!" Mike explained, then turned and picked up a small bottle of the pills from the display table, holding it aloft for all to see clearly.
The prospect of doubling one's strength caused a ripple of excitement through the crowd!
This was a potential lifesaver in perilous situations! An extra chance could mean the difference between life and death, and sometimes, that slim margin is all it takes to turn the tide in a dire fight.
As Mike was about to delve further into the details, the crowd parted to reveal an elderly man stepping forward: "Hey! Little Mike, how long does the effect of these pills last?"
The previously boisterous crowd fell silent at the sight of the old man.
Mike, who had maintained a serious demeanor since the auction began, now wore a smile.
"Ah! Hua Shan, what brings you here today?" Mike greeted him with a grin.
"What, I'm not allowed to visit? I'm not so old that I can't walk, you know," Hua Shan retorted with an eye roll, clearly suspecting Mike of scheming.
Shaking his head, Mike responded, "I wouldn't dream of saying you can't come. If you wish to be here, you're welcome anytime. And if anyone dares to object, they'll answer to me first!"
"Our auction hall is so crowded, if you were to be accidentally knocked over, it would be a tremendous loss for Redleaf Town," Mike said, clutching his chest with a hand and feigning a look of anguish.
The old man gave Mike a look of utter disdain, as if he were staring at an idiot.
"Cut the chatter. Just tell me how long the effects of this pill last and what the side effects are," the old man demanded, barely able to contain his eagerness to understand the full potential of the pill.
A pill like none he had ever seen before! Boasting twice the potency of a typical one-star potion!
The prospect alone was enough to make Hua Shan, a lifelong one-star pharmacist, practically drool.
If its effects lasted even a second longer than three minutes, it would match the performance of a two-star potion.
A two-star pill! Just this tiny bottle could potentially help Hua Shan, who had been stuck at the one-star pinnacle all his life, to finally break through his bottleneck and achieve the esteemed rank of a two-star pharmacist before his time was up.
And why not use other two-star potions? That would be pointless! How gifted could a pharmacist be if they had been stuck at one-star for half their life?
Besides, Mike had mentioned this was a novel potion, right?
Hua Shan was also keen to find some inspiration in it.
Indeed, for a pharmacist who had been stuck for so long, even the slightest hint of a breakthrough was an irresistible lure.
...
Meanwhile, in private room number three.
Lin Yi watched as the crowd grew noisy once again, the corner of his mouth twitching.
"Twice the potency? A miraculous effect that lasts half an hour?"
He mulled over the claims.
Good grief! It's just a third-rate product!
This so-called Vigorous King Kong pill was nothing more than the cheapest pill he had redeemed from the system.
And yet, it was causing such a stir?
Watching the frenzied bidding war, Lin Yi's heart gave an involuntary lurch when the five modest pills finally sold for the staggering sum of 150,000.
What a loss! A massive loss!
"That darn Fatty Store Manager! He flipped it for double the price. Damn! He's more cutthroat than I am, and he had the gall to do it right in front of me!"
"Don't let me catch you, or I'll skin you alive."
Lin Yi grumbled in frustration.
Despite his efforts, Hua Shan was unable to secure the small bottle of pills he had hoped for.
The auction had too many bidders, driving the price sky-high, leaving Hua Shan with no choice but to silently shed tears.
"What a shame, I didn't have enough money!"
Disappointed, Hua Shan sighed in resignation and made his way toward the auction house exit.
He had special potions at home that still required his attention; he couldn't afford to waste any more time.
"Hey, Hua Shan, don't be heartbroken," Mike offered words of comfort as he and the others watched Hua Shan depart.
Unbeknownst to the crowd, trouble awaited Hua Shan just outside the auction house.
A black bear blocked his path, but Hua Shan faced it with a calm demeanor, his eyes darting to the pitch-black surroundings.
A sense of unease quickly settled in his heart.
Pah! Pah! Pah!
The methodical sound of footsteps drew closer to Hua Shan.
When he finally got a clear view of the person before him, Hua Shan shuddered; it was the very man who had won the new pills at the auction.
"Haha! Hua Shan, stop looking around. I've already scouted the area; no one's coming to save you. You might as well come with me willingly."
The man, short and scarred, stood behind Hua Shan, effectively blocking his escape.
"What do you want, young man?" Hua Shan demanded, his voice firm. "I'm one of the only top pharmacists in Redleaf! Do you dare lay a hand on me?"
"Oh? I'm quite curious to see what happens if I do."
With those words, the short man gestured for his familiar to deal with Hua Shan.
With an angry roar, the black bear effortlessly killed two of Hua Shan's insects as if they were mere mosquitoes.
"Pfft!"
The intense backlash from his familiars' deaths turned Hua Shan's face deathly pale.
Weak and defeated, Hua Shan slumped against the wall, no longer resisting.
The only thought left in his mind was a grim acceptance: I'm done for...
In the darkness, the short man had been witnessing Hua Shan's collapse. Eventually, he cracked a smile and muttered, "It's time to move up our plans..."
...
Some time passed before the short man left with his black bear in tow.
Little did he know that Hua Shan, whom he assumed was utterly lifeless, stirred ever so slightly after his departure.
Back at the auction house,
Mike had a cage shrouded in black fabric brought onto the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
At that moment, Mike flashed a radiant, sunny smile.
"Get ready to cheer for the next item up for auction!"
