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墨書 Inktalez
After the announcement, the once noisy auction hall fell into a sudden silence, with all eyes fixed on the auction display stage. Everyone was eager to discover what treasures lay behind the red curtain that concealed it.
At the left side of the auction stage, the host responsible for this event stood confidently in a sharply tailored black suit. His slicked-back hair glistened under the lights, and his charming professional smile did little to hide the rough texture of his weathered skin.
He held the microphone and repeated his opening line three times until the venue, which could accommodate two to three hundred people, gradually quieted down.
“Thank you all for your cooperation. The auction will begin shortly. Now, let’s welcome our auctioneer to bring out the first item of today’s auction!” With that, the host turned and gestured.
The curtain at the auction stage slowly parted, revealing what was once a performance area. Two stunningly attractive women dressed in sexy bunny costumes, complete with bunny ears, wheeled a cart onto the stage.
“Here is our first auction item!” The host appeared calm and collected as the two alluring bunny girls presented a cart covered with a cloche, leaving everyone curious about what lay beneath.
“Have any of you heard of a type of chicken that is born in trees but has never touched the ground? Its sole purpose in this world is to lay eggs. This chicken is famously known as ‘Ba Gu Ji’!”
The host was trying to build suspense with his lackluster introduction, yet many in the audience perked up and listened intently.
“Are they going to auction off ‘Ba Gu Ji’ chicken meat?” Jiu Ye speculated while rubbing his hands together.
“It’s ‘Jin Die Jin Dan’!” Ma Tui squinted as he guessed what was under the cloche.
Sure enough, when someone lifted the lid, a dazzling golden light radiated from within, instantly stirring excitement and chatter in the auction hall.
Seizing this moment of astonishment, the host interjected smoothly.
“That’s right! It is indeed ‘Jin Die Jin Dan’!”
“It possesses miraculous effects. For women, consuming it can extend life and enhance beauty, restoring your face to that of a twenty-year-old and slowing down aging. For men, ha ha ha! It can keep your ‘Golden Gun’ standing tall and restore your vigor to that of someone in their early twenties! Of course, it also helps men slow down aging.”
Immediately, discussions erupted throughout the auction hall as many began to talk excitedly about ‘Jin Die Jin Dan’.
“Let the bidding begin!” The auctioneer announced, “Starting at five million!”
“Five million two hundred thousand!” Someone raised their paddle, and of course, the auction rules stated that each bid must increase by two hundred thousand.
“Five million four hundred thousand!”
“Five million six hundred thousand!”
“…”
The bids came in quickly, with more and more paddles being raised, mostly from the main hall. Very few from the private boxes participated; after all, items of such low value were not likely to catch their interest.
Lu Fei Fan observed that the second and third floors had hardly made any bids during this round. It wasn’t that these people were merely there to watch; on the contrary, they were likely waiting for something of greater value to come up later.
“Alright! This gentleman bids nine million two hundred thousand! Is there anyone else?” The auctioneer scanned the room, and seeing no further bids, he decisively brought down the gavel.
“Now we will proceed to the second item for auction!” The auctioneer became much more brisk, buoyed by the successful transaction of the first item.
A bunny girl pushed forward the second item with a professional smile, but it was covered by a red cloth.
“It seems it’s our turn now.” Da Fu Ge looked at the object and instantly recognized what it was.
As expected, the auctioneer instructed the bunny girl to unveil the covering cloth, revealing a tall bronze vessel adorned with banana leaf patterns, triangular designs, and beast faces.
“This item is a recently unearthed Bronze Ancient Artifact. Our senior appraisal experts have verified it. This ancient ding was used for sacrificial purposes in ancient times and holds significant collectible value. We have named it ‘Liu Yang Fang Zun’!”
Compared to the previous item, this antique sparked much discussion among the crowd, yet no one dared to place a bid. It wasn’t that the appraisers at the auction house were untrustworthy; on the contrary, these auctioneers were extremely reliable. Even counterfeit antiques could not escape their scrutiny. However, appraising an item's value in the Free Federation was a complex and specialized field that encompassed a wide variety of appraisal types. It required not only a deep understanding of precious artifacts but also skills in archaeology to determine authenticity and establish reasonable prices.
“The starting price is ten million!” The auctioneer looked expectantly at the somewhat subdued auction hall.
As soon as the words were spoken, someone immediately raised a bid!
"Ten million and twenty!" The host saw the bid and instantly became energized.
In the hall, more people began to compete for the price. Watching the numbers soar higher and higher, the members of the Fei Hu Battle Team were overjoyed. With each increase in price, they would earn more rewards—this was a clear truth.
Ultimately, the first antique was sold for over forty million.
Following that, the third antique was presented: the Inlaid Gold Beast Agate Cup.
This item had an even higher starting price than the last, beginning at thirty million. The bidding was fierce this time. Lu Fei Fan noticed that while many were raising bids in the hall, it was primarily buyers from the second and third floors who made decisive bids. Once they threw out a firm offer, very few dared to counter.
Lu Fei Fan observed those who had raised their paddles at the start of the auction; it was always the same few faces. A discerning eye could easily tell they were shills placed by the auction house. However, buyers didn’t mind, as anything they won would be worth at least double when sold in the Free Federation, whether for personal collection or resale at auction. The profits were self-evident.
Of course, it was also clear that Hai Shang Tang operated as an open black market, which explained its existence near places like Juhai Great Wall where valuable treasures from outside could be processed.
Soon after, the Inlaid Gold Beast Agate Cup fetched over seventy million. This made everyone in the Fei Hu Battle Team beam with joy; just from these two antiques alone, each of them could earn between ten to twenty million. Clearly, this trip would not be in vain.
However, the auction had only just begun, and soon three more antiques took center stage.
Whether it was ancient artifacts or rare treasures, buyers were reaping substantial rewards at this auction. Lu Fei Fan witnessed firsthand what it meant to spend money like water; bidding from the second and third floors reached a fever pitch. The prices being shouted out were far beyond what those in the lower hall—shills and low-end buyers—could handle.
After a couple of hours and a total of over a dozen antiques sold, the auction finally concluded.
"We're looking at around two hundred million!" Da Fu Ge quietly calculated their earnings. After deducting the auction house's commission, it turned out that the entire Fei Hu Battle Team would net nearly two hundred million.
This statement left everyone gasping in astonishment—two hundred million… that was an astronomical figure.
Everyone looked curiously at Lu Fei Fan since these antiques were his achievement. The substantial earnings from this trip were largely due to his efforts, leaving others feeling somewhat undeserving of such rewards.
“Hey, you really have good luck,” Da Biao said as he wrapped his hand around his neck.
Following that, the auction house continued to sell some rare treasures, none of which fetched the high prices of the earlier items. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the grand finale, and naturally, less notable items would attract lower-end buyers.
“I really wonder what the final item will be,” Cai Bi licked his lips. “I heard last time it was a mermaid!”
“A mermaid?” Lu Fei Fan looked incredulously at this fellow whose mind seemed filled with thoughts of women.
“Yeah, that’s what I heard. I don’t know if it’s true, but it was bought for a hundred million in the end,” Da Biao nodded. “It caused quite a stir back then.”
Lu Fei Fan imagined the scene of a mermaid and was curious to know whether mermaids in this world were beautiful or something else entirely.
“The grand finale is here!” Jiu Ye shouted with excitement.
Instantly, everyone in the private room turned their attention to the auction stage below.
On the stage, a cart was pushed forward, and a plate covered with a cloth gave an impression of emptiness. Yet many people were filled with anticipation. Lu Fei Fan looked at the plate, feeling a bit nervous—was it finally time for his item?
“This item is the highlight of today’s auction!”
The host appeared somewhat excited as well; he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, unsure whether it was due to nervousness or busyness.
“I’ve heard of a rare type of silkworm that grows by feeding on an expensive plant. After it breaks free from its cocoon, it can transform into a spirit butterfly. Consuming it can help a Fuser break through their limits and even restore their strength if their meridians are damaged. Some say it can even allow for rebirth and evolution! This kind of thing is currently extremely rare; some say it has gone extinct while others claim to have seen it. But today, it has truly appeared before us!”
With that, the host dramatically pulled off the cloth, revealing a transparent box containing two semi-transparent white silkworms wriggling as they devoured leaves from the Ice Mulberry Spirit Tree, which were as thin as ice.
A wave of gasps erupted in the room, and some even stood up in astonishment.
“Ice Mulberry Silkworm!” someone exclaimed.
Inside the private room, the cavalry stood up, appearing somewhat agitated.
It wasn't just the cavalry; even Da Fu Ge, Da Biao, Jiu Ye, and even Qin Qin's expressions changed slightly. They all looked at the item that had appeared at the auction, finding it hard to believe.
"Let the bidding begin! Starting at eighty million, with increments of two million!" The host brought down the gavel.
"Captain!" Da Biao looked at the cavalry anxiously.
The cavalry was in a dilemma, seemingly considering whether or not to make a move.
"Go ahead and bid!" Da Fu Ge frowned slightly and said immediately.
The cavalry nodded, and without hesitation, Jiu Ye raised his hand to place a bid.
Lu Fei Fan wanted to ask something, but Da Biao furrowed his brows and said, "I'll explain when we get back."
"Ninety-four million!" The price suddenly soared to this amount, rising from eighty million to this in less than five minutes—truly a rare find!
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