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墨書 Inktalez
Lu Fei Fan handed a piece of paper to the Fellow to stop the blood gushing from his nose.
The Fellow stuffed the paper into his nostrils, then straightened his disheveled appearance, tugging at his tie.
“How do I look? Pretty handsome, right?” He licked his lips as if that would help him style his hair, then turned to Lu Fei Fan for approval.
Lu Fei Fan looked at the Fellow's bruised and swollen face, with a wad of blood-stained paper still stuffed in his nose. He nodded reluctantly and said, “You look somewhat presentable.”
“Tch, I knew you were just jealous of my good looks,” Cai Bi replied, adjusting his outfit before heading downstairs with Lu Fei Fan to the lobby.
In the lobby, the horse team, along with Deputy Da Fu and Jia Jia, were already waiting in the guest area for everyone.
The horse team wore black jackets, while Da Fu was in a red one. Their taste was surprisingly consistent.
However, both had bulging backpacks beside them, which was one of the main purposes of this trip to the White Pearl.
“Let’s go; we’ll head to the Auction Area first,” the horse team said as they led everyone toward the Auction Area on the White Pearl. The Auction Area was located on a lower level of the cruise ship. After passing through the lobby, they took an elevator down. Lu Fei Fan noticed that every tourist on this cruise ship looked like a Gentleman—dressed neatly and behaving elegantly.
Of course, there were some who wore suits and fur coats yet still appeared uncouth; their manners betrayed their lack of refinement.
Nevertheless, the staff treated them like royalty. Just moments ago, Lu Fei Fan had seen a guest throw wine at a server. The server bowed respectfully and apologized with a smile. In the end, that unruly guest cursed a few times but didn’t dare escalate the situation further; causing trouble on the White Pearl would only lead to personal embarrassment.
The horse team arrived at the Auction Area's counter, where a dedicated auction specialist greeted them. When the horse team handed over their two bags to the specialist, he received them with a beaming smile. However, upon opening one of the bags, he froze momentarily before hurriedly whispering something into the ear of a well-dressed man nearby.
The man quickly turned and went inside. The horse team and others weren’t in a rush; they discussed where to go first for fun. They decided to enjoy a nice meal before heading to the entertainment area.
Before long, a tall and thin middle-aged man with sunken features and a mustache, dressed in managerial attire, approached the horse team. He inspected the items they had entrusted for auction and then stood up respectfully to introduce himself to them.
“Hello, my name is Li Dong, but you can call me Li Manager.”
Ma extended his hand to shake. “Just call me Ma.”
“Alright, Mr. Ma.” The other party maintained a professional demeanor, even in the way he addressed Ma.
“Is there any problem with these items at your auction?” Ma intentionally asked.
“Oh, Mr. Ma, you’re overthinking it. The items you are auctioning are quite valuable. We will need a professional appraiser to determine their exact value before we can estimate the auction price. However, we do charge a small appraisal fee, which isn’t expensive, but we will take a commission of forty percent on anything sold. How do you feel about that?” Li Dong explained meticulously.
“No problem.” Ma nodded in agreement.
“Great. If everything is confirmed, could you please sign the agreement with our auction house?” Li called over an assistant who brought a detailed contract. Both parties read through it and signed without any issues.
“Is there anything else you need?” Li asked again.
“What time does the auction start?” Ma inquired.
“It starts in two hours. You just need to bring your number card to enter. We will also confirm the starting bid for your items before the auction begins,” Li Manager informed him professionally.
Ma gestured for his team to turn and leave. He decided to take his fellows out for a bite to eat and return to the auction venue in two hours to see how much they could gain from this haul.
The dining area was located one floor above the cruise ship’s accommodation section, with a bright lobby bustling with people. The dining area was divided into numerous sections, each offering different types of cuisine, such as a beverage area, pastry section, barbecue area, buffet zone, seafood section, and high-end consumption area.
The air was filled with the sweet aroma of cream mingling with the savory and spicy scents of grilled meats and seafood, making one’s appetite soar in this restaurant.
Ma glanced at his watch. “Let’s meet at the entrance in an hour and a half.”
Then they each began to take action. Jiu Ye and Jia Jia headed to the Barbecue Area, ready to indulge in a feast.
Da Biao and Cai Bi, drawn by the eye-catching waitress at the high-end restaurant, went to the High-End Consumption Area. Meanwhile, the horse team and Da Fu made their way to the Seafood Zone, eager to try some fresh lobster.
Leaving Lu Fei Fan with Fu Qinqin, she didn’t insist on having him accompany her. However, as a gentleman, Lu Fei Fan couldn’t just leave her alone, so he decided to stay by her side.
The woman naturally chose the Dessert Area. She was captivated by the array of drinks, pastries that looked like decorations, coffee, cocktails, and tea—she ordered one of each.
The lively atmosphere of the Cruise Dining Area was filled with food and drinks.
However, after bringing back a pile of desserts for Fu Qinqin, Lu Fei Fan excused himself under the pretense of needing to use the restroom, planning to slip away for a few minutes.
He navigated through the Kitchen Area and Employee Corridor with ease. Having studied the cruise map before boarding, he recognized these passages well. He walked through one corridor where performers were busy heading to the show area. Lu Fei Fan casually entered a Makeup Room, found a mask inside, and then made his way back to the Auction Area they had visited earlier.
“Hello, how may I assist you?” The specialist at the counter looked at the masked man without showing any fear; behind her stood four fully armed bodyguards keeping a watchful eye on him. If he attempted to rob them, they would be quick to subdue Lu Fei Fan.
“I have something I’d like to submit for auction,” Lu Fei Fan said in a deep, magnetic voice, deliberately altering his tone.
“May I see what you have?” asked the counter attendant.
“No, I want your Li Manager to come out and talk to me personally,” Lu Fei Fan insisted.
“Alright, sir.” The attendant didn’t refuse and went to call for Li Manager.
Li Dong reappeared before Lu Fei Fan with a professional smile. Lu Fei Fan looked at this polished Auction Manager and took out a palm-sized exquisite box to hand it over.
“This is what I want you to auction off. Please provide an estimate for it,” Lu Fei Fan said.
Li Dong took the exquisitely crafted box, feeling its weight and the chill emanating from it. As he opened it, a mist of cold air wafted out, and his eyes widened in astonishment as he looked at the masked guest.
"Alright, sir, we will provide you with a perfect appraisal for the auction. However, your earnings will..." Li Dong began to explain.
Lu Fei Fan interrupted him, "I know. Deduct whatever you need to, and deposit all the income into my Free Federation card." He handed over a pre-written card number.
"Then please sign this agreement," the other party said without hesitation, presenting a contract.
Lu Fei Fan quickly signed his name and turned to leave. He trusted the credibility of this auction house and believed they wouldn’t embezzle the funds. Otherwise, the reputation of White Pearl would suffer, causing a significant decline in the prestige of the Cruise Alliance, which was far more than just a matter of money.
Having finished her dessert at the table, Fu Qinqin leaned on her chin, bored as she watched the mundane crowd. She glanced at the clock on the wall; it had been over ten minutes. Had that Fellow fallen into a pit? It was taking too long.
Just as she was about to get up to check the restroom, Lu Fei Fan returned with two bowls of ice cream that looked like decorative pieces.
"There were too many people; it took a little time to queue," Lu Fei Fan said as he set down the plate adorned with chocolate, caviar, vanilla, and truffles—clearly not cheap.
Fu Qinqin's earlier annoyance vanished as she took a spoonful and immediately realized how delicious it was. She continued eating and finished in just a few bites before eyeing Lu Fei Fan's untouched sundae with keen interest.
Lu Fei Fan handed it over to her without hesitation, allowing her to indulge. She had no idea that he hadn’t actually queued but had instead paid three times the price to buy it from a couple.
The woman seemed irresistibly drawn to these exquisite sweets.
After finishing both bowls of ice cream, she clapped her hands in satisfaction and asked Lu Fei Fan what he wanted to eat. He shrugged; there was still half an hour until the auction began. So he accompanied her for another stroll through the dining area, spending money freely as they sampled various foods along the way.
The diverse array of culinary delights dazzled them. Lu Fei Fan estimated that if they wanted to try every type of food here, it would take quite some time. In this food court, they moved like two fish swimming leisurely through the crowd.
The bustling market was alive with a continuously flowing crowd, fragrant smoke wafting through the air, and the sounds of competing vendors calling out their wares mixed with laughter and chatter. All these sights and sounds blended together to create a warm and inviting carnival atmosphere that lingered in their minds long after they left.
The happy moments are always fleeting, and the scheduled auction time was about to begin. Before the auction started, the team gathered once more and headed to the Auction Area. In the Auction Area, someone had brought the starting bid for the team, and for some unknown reason, the Fei Hu Battle Team had been assigned a private box on the second floor, just enough to accommodate everyone.
The Auction Area resembled a semi-circular opera house, structured in three tiers. The main hall on the first floor was filled with the largest crowd, while the other two levels were reserved for exclusive VIP boxes. As the auction was about to start, many people were entering one after another.
Lu Fei Fan sat quietly in his seat, feeling a bit anxious. He wondered how much his item would fetch at the auction since he had deliberately concealed his identity and had not received any starting bid information from the auction house. He could only wait until the auction began to find out.
"You seem a bit nervous," Qin Qin observed, noticing Lu Fei Fan's unusual silence.
"A little..." Lu Fei Fan nodded calmly in acknowledgment.
"Don't worry; their estimated bids will definitely surprise you," the team assured him confidently.
"Whether we can strike it rich this time depends on today!" Jiu Ye rubbed his hands together, equally excited.
At that moment, the voice of the Auctioneer echoed from below their box.
"Dear guests, please take your seats quietly; today's auction is about to begin!"
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