Leave a comment

Nonsense! This was utter nonsense! Viscount Yelu stared at the young man, his lips twitching uncontrollably. He could clearly tell that this was a paid actor hired by the auction house. Yet, this actor was just too unprofessional!

He had instantly doubled the price before anyone else started bidding. If no one offered more money, the auction house would end up purchasing it… Realizing this, Viscount Yelu’s eyes suddenly sharpened with shock.

‘That’s what they’re aiming for!’ The ten Black Magic Crystals, in varying sizes, were worth more than 100 million on the market. If they could buy them at this price, they would be rolling in cash!

‘However, they don’t know these Black Magic Crystals are counterfeit…’ Under normal circumstances, Viscount Yelu would be glad his opponents were purchasing the fake Black Magic Crystals at such a high price. However, that was not his objective!

“One hundred and one million!” he quickly raised his number plate and made a bid.

The scene erupted in an uproar the moment he spoke. They thought the previous bidder had gone mad, but now there was another bidder even more insane. Everyone was utterly confused.

Especially the players, who didn’t yet understand the true value of Black Magic Crystals and were suddenly slapped in the face by the price tag.

It wasn’t over yet. Someone else continued bidding despite the high price. Could it be that these so-called Black Magic Crystals were worth far more than 100 million?

The natives were momentarily stunned before regaining their senses. Indeed, these Black Magic Crystals were worth far more than 100 million! That blond young man had a good eye!

Upon seeing who raised the bid, they realized it was Grand Duke Keene’s right-hand man, Viscount Yelu. At this moment, all the nobles present looked on with curiosity. Could it be that he planned to purchase these Black Magic Crystals as a gift for Grand Duke Keene?

After some pondering, they concluded this must be the case.

Meanwhile, in the VVIP guest room, Yaeger and Kastina exchanged dazzling smiles. Knowing his conspiracy and being prepared for it, they felt like they were watching a comedy show.

The more the actor performed, the funnier it became.

“Hehehe, this guy really can’t wait to start the show,” Kastina said, leaning back against the sofa and playing with her blonde curly hair.

“He has to,” Yaeger said joyously, taking a sip of black tea.

She had hired this paid actor to force Viscount Yelu into the spotlight as soon as possible, making him the star of his own ridiculous comedy show.

“If the clown doesn’t work hard to perform, how can he amuse others?”

“That’s right,” Kastina said, bending down to pick a small pink fruit from the crystal platter with her slender fingers, and popping it into her mouth. She bit into it gently, causing the fruit to burst and spill sweet juice.

“Let’s see how much amusement he brings us,” Yaeger said indifferently, leaning back against the sofa and looking down.

“One hundred and ten million,” the blond young man said, raising his number plate with indifference. He wasn’t paying for it anyway, so he didn’t mind raising the price.

“One hundred and twenty million!” Viscount Yelu immediately countered. He would never allow the auction house to purchase these Black Magic Crystals at such a low price.

Otherwise, his initial objective would fail. Besides, he was the one auctioning these fake Black Magic Crystals. No matter how much he paid, he would only lose 15% in commissions.

“One hundred and forty million,” the blond young man bid without a second thought, quickly raising the price.

“One hundred and fifty million!” Viscount Yelu followed decisively. The scene erupted once more as he spoke.

The bidding war between the two made it seem like money was nothing to them. It was frightening!

Before they could recover from their astonishment, the blond young man raised his number plate again and said indifferently, “One hundred and ninety million.”

He actually added 40 million in a single bid! Insane, absolutely insane! All the natives in the auction were slack-jawed. The price had already exceeded the true value of those Black Magic Crystals.

Indeed, wealthy people were truly foolish!

Viscount Yelu was stunned. The situation seemed off. Didn’t the auction house plan to buy these Black Magic Crystals at a low price? Or could it be that this person wasn’t a paid actor after all? He was completely puzzled, having no clue what was happening.

“Is anyone else making a bid?” the auctioneer asked.

The room fell silent. The nobles who had initially been interested in the Black Magic Crystals completely gave up after the blond young man’s bid. They were rich, but they weren’t foolish.

“These natives are just too rich,” S.K.Y. sighed, realizing. He could never throw away 190 million without blinking.

Taurus remained silent. Despite his immense wealth, he could never be as indifferent as that person. It seemed as if 190 million was nothing to him!

‘I thought I was rich, but I’m still a peasant compared to these natives,’ Taurus thought.

Taurus wasn’t alone in this thought; many wealthy players at the scene felt the same.

In real life, Nangong Lin, Sachiel, Pixie, and Yunuen had varying expressions as they watched the projected screen on the wall. Yunuen was deeply envious. It would be amazing to be that wealthy, she thought. Sachiel wasn’t overly interested in wealth, but she understood the value of money.

“So rich,” she whispered.

Nangong Lin nodded. She knew that even with the entire Nangong Family’s support, she couldn’t act like the blond young man, tossing out 190 million as if it were nothing. It was as if he were expending saliva, not cash.

Pixie remained silent, feeling indifferent inside. To her, money was secondary; only strength mattered.

‘No, it’s the strength of the family,’ she thought.

With the Qin family in decline, she wasn’t in the best situation. In many cases, an individual’s strength couldn’t compete with the strength of a collective. Of course, if she had the strength of Lisa Black, the situation would be different.

However, there was only one Lisa Black in all of Cathay.

‘I wonder who’s stronger, the emissary of [Kun Ruins] or Lisa Black?’ Pixie suddenly wondered.

To her, that sacred site in Cathay with its unprecedented influence was both mysterious and oppressive.

“One hundred and ninety million, going once,” the auctioneer announced on the screen.

Viscount Yelu frowned deeply in his seat. He couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard he tried. Were those two women actually such idiots? Obviously not. As scourges of the Empire, they had to be devious, cunning, and menacingly calculative.

Allie had once been such a person. Now, it was Kastina. And the Black-hearted Princess was even worse.

‘Could it be some kind of conspiracy on their end… Or perhaps, they desperately need the Black Magic Crystals for something,’ he wondered. He found the latter more likely.

‘Otherwise, it can’t be rationalized,’ he thought. A conspiracy seemed unlikely since the genuine items were still in his home’s secret chamber.

“One hundred and ninety million, going twice,” the auctioneer’s voice rang out again, bringing Viscount Yelu back to focus.

“One hundred and ninety million, going thrice, sold…” The auctioneer raised her hammer and was about to bring it down.

But before she could finish, a voice interrupted, “Two hundred million!”

Everyone turned to see Viscount Yelu holding up his number plate and shouting his bid. No one noticed the auctioneer secretly heaving a sigh of relief. If that hammer had landed, all her bonuses would be gone.

“As expected of your excellency, you have deep pockets!” a nobleman said, clapping his hands. His tone implied: You’re stupid but rich.

“That’s right, that’s right!”
“How admirable!”

Noises constantly rang out in the venue. It seemed like they were all complimenting Viscount Yelu, but upon closer inspection, the words were filled with mockery and venom.

Viscount Yelu only smirked and chuckled to himself. ‘Heh, a bunch of stupid pigs,’ he thought. He wasn’t here to throw away his money but to destroy their reputation.

‘Soon, all of your jaws will drop in shock!’ He had already imagined everyone’s shocked expressions when he exposed the truth.

“Number two fifty is bidding two hundred million. Is there a higher bid?” the auctioneer asked, sweeping her gaze across the room with anticipation.

Yet, no number plates were raised. Even the blond young man remained still.

“Two hundred million, going once.”
There was no response.

“Two hundred million, going twice.”
Again, there was no response.

“Two hundred million, going thrice.”
Both the spectators at the scene and those watching in real life hoped for another plot twist. Everyone’s attention turned to the blond young man. Unfortunately, he did nothing.

“Sold!”
With a bang, the hammer struck.

“Congratulations, Buyer number two fifty, you have purchased ten Black Magic Crystals!” the auctioneer announced happily.

‘The bonus is mine!’ she thought.

Below the stage, the blond young man appeared indifferent. However, upon closer inspection, his body was trembling slightly with excitement.

‘The bonus is mine!’ he thought. He was excited for the same reason as the auctioneer.

Unlike these two insiders, everyone else was filled with disappointment. They had expected the two wealthy idiots to continue fighting and putting on an entertaining show. Instead, they abruptly ended it.

“Hehe, does he really think he can ruin us by paying two hundred million?” Kastina asked, smiling radiantly in the VVIP guest room.
“I think that’s exactly what he thinks,” Yaeger replied with a calm smile.
“Tell me, can we keep all of the two hundred million?” Kastina asked, retracting her smile and looking at Yaeger.
“Of course,” Yaeger replied calmly.
“Hehe, today is such a good day!” Kastina’s eyes sparkled with golden light as she spoke excitedly.
“The climax of the show begins now,” Yaeger said, looking down.
“Dear guest two fifty, would you like to receive it now or after the auction is over?” the host asked.
“I’ll receive it now,” Viscount Yelu said, standing up with a calm expression but eyes flashing with satisfaction.

The middle-aged man beside him also stood up, carrying a case as he quickly ascended the stage. From the other side, a fat middle-aged man emerged from the backstage.

Viscount Yelu made eye contact with him and couldn’t help but smirk, his heart brimming with excitement. At that moment, he envisioned the downfall of the auction house and those two women. They were destined to lose everything!

After handing over two hundred million in banknotes to the staff for verification, the case of Black Magic Crystals was given to Viscount Yelu.

“They are fake!” the middle-aged man beside Viscount Yelu suddenly shouted. His words were like a thunderstrike, shaking everyone.

Fake? The auction house was actually selling fake items? Could it be true?

Everyone present, both at the scene and watching in real life, was shocked. They could never have imagined such a plot twist during the auction of Black Magic Crystals.

Was it a hoax, or was it true? The outcome would soon be revealed! Everyone now focused on the middle-aged man.

“Isn’t he one of the top ten appraisers in Jade City, Master Pender?” someone exclaimed.

“Ah, it’s really him!”
“That’s why he looks so familiar. It’s actually him.”
“His appraisal skills are beyond question. Maybe those Black Magic Crystals are actually fake.”

Conversations buzzed offstage. None of the players recognized Pender, but for them, more drama and controversy were enough to keep them entertained.

“S.K.Y., it seems this auction house isn’t very reliable,” Taurus said, frowning deeply.

“Yes, the auction house is actually selling counterfeit items. That’s really worrying,” S.K.Y. said, shaking his head and adjusting his nonexistent gold-rimmed glasses.

“Whether they did it intentionally or by accident, it’s still very worrying,” Taurus said solemnly, wiggling his leg. His previous anticipation for the auction of the Epic Equipment was now gone. He wondered if he would only end up disappointed.

He voiced what countless players were thinking. Once the seeds of suspicion were planted, they would quickly take root and grow.

“Master Pender, how can you slander the integrity of our auction house without reason?” the auctioneer said hastily, instantly recognizing him.

“Integrity? You talk about integrity while auctioning fake items?” The middle-aged man, Pender, grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

He pointed at the magic crystals in the case. “I can tell by the aura alone that they are fakes, counterfeits! A genuine crystal’s aura wouldn’t be so tainted,” he added.

“This is extremely disappointing.” Viscount Yelu shook his head. “I spent two hundred million on these! You must provide a proper explanation!”

“You… This is slander!” the auctioneer argued. Unfortunately, her response was weak and ineffective. If the auction house didn’t provide a reasonable explanation, a ruckus would surely ensue.

The players were also upset. They had painstakingly found a place for trading items, only for it to create such a controversy. How could they trade items without worry in the future?

In real life, Mira kept a close watch on the situation. She had a hunch that something was off.

In the game, “Slander? How utterly ridiculous. I am one of the ten best appraisers, Divine Eye Pender. Why would I slander your auction house?”

Pender raised his hand and continued, “Since you claim I’m slandering you, then observe my appraisal skills!”

The moment he said that, the eerie atmosphere instantly became lively. Proving his point was far more convincing than just talking. At this moment, most people supported Pender. The reason was simple: he was famous.

Viscount Yelu had naturally considered this when he hired Pender.

“As we all know, Black Magic Crystals are the highest grade of Magic Crystals. Their Magic Essence is pure and rich. Injecting Magic Essence using conventional methods is impossible. However, counterfeit Magic Crystals are different. We can easily inject large amounts of Magic Essence into them. Additionally, since their material differs from genuine Magic Crystals, overloading them with Magic Essence will cause them to crack or even explode. I will demonstrate this to everyone now!”

After saying this, Pender took a Black Magic Crystal, the size of a quail egg, from the case and began to inject Magic Essence into it in full view of the public. However…

“Huh?” From the start, he realized he couldn’t inject even the slightest bit of Magic Essence.

‘What’s going on?’ he thought.

The same thing happened when he tried again. His expression turned doubtful. ‘That’s impossible! Why can’t I inject anything?’

Beside him, Viscount Yelu frowned in dissatisfaction. ‘What’s with the holdup? Break it quickly!’ he thought.

As if hearing his thoughts, Pender tried once more to inject Magic Essence. But it was useless.

“Could it be the real thing?” he muttered.

Everyone was dumbfounded when he said that. After all his bold claims, was he actually pulling a prank?

“What did you just say?” Viscount Yelu couldn’t believe his ears.

“Your Excellency, this Black Magic Crystal seems to be genuine,” Pender said helplessly, blinking in surprise. He had been told they were counterfeit before he arrived, yet they turned out to be genuine. This would undoubtedly destroy his reputation. If the man in front of him weren’t a noble, he would have punched him by now.

“Repeat that?” Viscount Yelu felt dizzy. Could this appraiser actually be a charlatan? Otherwise, why would he mistake a fake product for a genuine one?

“Your Excellency, this Black Magic Crystal is definitely genuine.” Pender had now fully examined the crystal and spoke with a pale expression. From his perspective, he had been utterly humiliated in public by this deceitful nobleman.

Viscount Yelu was finally convinced. The so-called top appraiser before him was nothing but an ignorant bumpkin!

“What is this nonsense? How can this be genuine, the genuine…” He quickly silenced himself, realizing his mistake.

‘Close, I almost exposed myself!’ he thought.

“Give me that!” Viscount Yelu shouted, snatching the Black Magic Crystal from Pender’s hand in a fit of insecurity. Everyone was confused. Why was there another plot twist within the plot twist? This was just getting more confusing!

On the stage, Viscount Yelu first examined the exterior of the Black Magic Crystal in detail. ‘It’s identical. There is no difference,’ he thought.

Then, he tried to inject Magic Essence. But just like Pender, nothing happened. ‘How is that possible?’ he wondered.

He stared at the Black Magic Crystal in his hand, his pupils shrinking and his body trembling. ‘Impossible, impossible. There must be something wrong!’ he thought.

Shaking his head forcefully, Viscount Yelu desperately tried to inject more Magic Essence into the Black Magic Crystal, his expression growing more solemn.

“Hahahahaha! He looks like a dog!” In the VVIP guest room, Kastina laughed, not bothering to maintain her image.

“Haha, that’s right.” Seeing Viscount Yelu’s flushed face as he struggled to inject Magic Essence into the crystal, Yaeger couldn’t help but chuckle, covering her mouth.

As time passed, the Black Magic Crystal in his hand remained unchanged. The scene grew oddly quiet. Many people began looking at Viscount Yelu grimly. ‘This guy is definitely here to cause trouble!’ they thought.