https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-571-Auction-Competition-It-s-Show-Time-/12957654/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-573-Auction-Ends-Returning-to-Linzhou-/12957656/
Chapter 572: Auction Rules! Sparing Your Life?
Chapter 572: Auction Rules! Sparing Your Life?
The entire auction hall fell silent, and even the two auctioneers in charge seemed at a loss for words, their gazes fixed on Room 44, awaiting Governor Merk's instructions.
Merk, who had been prepared to let the old man get a great deal, was caught off guard.
To his surprise, an unexpected bidder had entered the fray, altering the course of events in an unforeseen way.
He remained calm and turned to his attendant:
"Go and investigate who is in Box 17."
"Yes, sir."
The attendant's silence drew everyone's attention to Box 22, the box of Governor Hato, the Beastmaster from the Thousand Islands Nation.
As expected, a voice filled with laughter soon echoed:
"Hehe, it seems someone else is interested in the Yin Water. In that case, let's have a little competition. Thirty billion Dragon Nation coins!"
The calm voice carried a hint of laughter, but the offered price was double the previous starting bid.
Clearly, he was determined to win at all costs.
He also wanted to scare off the other bidder with this sudden, exorbitant price.
Unfortunately, anyone with a keen eye for value knew the worth of this bottle of Yin Water.
Not to mention the Mermaid Princess, who didn't care about the price at all.
However, this time, she didn't rush to bid but turned to Su Ping with a mischievous smile:
"Su Ping, how about a little wager?"
Su Ping was taken aback. Before he could respond, the Mermaid Princess proposed a unique bet.
Su Ping considered it for a moment: "Alright, what's the wager?"
"If I win, you must cultivate that External Incarnation for me. If I lose, I'll give you a Super Rank water-type skill cultivation method."
Su Ping shook his head: "You can't cultivate the External Incarnation. If I lose, I'll find a way to help you cultivate Zhu Hong's Inclusive Sea skill."
"Deal!"
With an affirmative answer, the Mermaid Princess became energized and continued without hesitation:
"Fifty billion."
The atmosphere grew tense once more.
Even with the boxes providing some separation, everyone in the auction hall seemed to feel their breath suppressed at that moment.
In the box, the Saint Spirit-level fluctuations felt like a mountain pressing down on everyone's hearts.
Within a short time, Merk's attendant in Box 44 spoke up:
"Master, the investigation is complete. It's a man and a woman, both appearing to be in their twenties or thirties. They're said to be from Pearl Island, one named A Miao and the other A Ping... As for their cultivation realm and strength, we're not sure."
The attendant then produced a projector, displaying the images of the two individuals previously seen on the surveillance footage.
Merk's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
It was clear he had never heard of these names or the island they were from.
However, he was well-informed about every island in the Thousand Islands Nation and even the entire East.
So, where did these two come from?
Nevertheless, their appearance was quite timely.
Did they think they could buy the Yin Water for just ten billion?
Governor Hato was treating money like it grew on trees, even though wealth and strength were somewhat interconnected in the Thousand Islands Nation. But Merk couldn't accept this price.
These two unexpected bidders were just what he needed.
So, Merk calmly decided:
"No need to pay attention. Let's see if these two are newcomers or seasoned players. That old toad, Hato, isn't easy to deal with."
Merk's composure implicitly allowed the auction to continue.
This was normal, as it was within the rules.
However, only those familiar with Hato knew what the actions in Box 17 signified at that moment.
For instance, in Box 55, the members of the Golden Heart, including Dong Muchun, observed the unusual atmosphere outside.
In reality, they had come to this auction with no intention to bid, except for the previously agreed-upon item. Their primary purpose for visiting the Thousand Islands Nation was the upcoming trade fair.
They aimed to promote the products of various companies in the Thousand Islands Nation.
As for the auction was merely a side attraction.
But they hadn't anticipated the intense bidding war over the Yin Water.
However, Yan Dong, sitting beside Dong Muchun, had already spoken:
"Tsk tsk, the guest in Box 17 might be in for some bad luck!"
Dong Muchun looked at him in surprise: "Yan Dong, is Hato's reputation that bad?
Shen Qiu, standing nearby, took the opportunity to interject, "In the entire Thousand Islands Archipelago, the one person I least want to deal with is that guy from the eastern Flame Island. He's a bandit, and he doesn't play by the rules. Just look at what he's doing this time! The worst part is that this Hato is ruthless and cunning. In the eastern region, he's the true uncrowned king, and he's incredibly powerful. He even has the backing of the Thousand Islands Archipelago."
Dong Muchun nodded, gaining a deeper understanding of the rules and customs of the Thousand Islands Archipelago.
"This place seems like a paradise for trade, but Hato's interference does affect the credibility of some trade deals."
However, she was now certain that the connection between the Thousand Islands Archipelago and Golden Heart was much deeper than she had imagined.
Just then, another voice echoed through the venue.
"I never expected that there would be such talented individuals here. Since that's the case, I'd like to see who this capable person is. I'll offer seventy billion for the Yin Water!"
Seventy billion! Even Su Ping was taken aback by the amount.
After so many years of breeding, he had handled quite a few Saint Spirit-rank resources.
Could this item be worth so much? Speaking of which, there were still a few Saint Spirit-rank resources in the Heart of All Spirits and his possession.
The last time Ms. Connor visited, she exchanged two Saint Spirit-rank resources for a life embryo. If the Heart of All Spirits needed money, could they sell these resources here?
As these thoughts ran through his mind, Jia Ji, sitting beside him, spoke up with a straightforward offer, "Ninety billion!"
This Water Venerable avatar seemed to have no concept of money. These pure numbers came effortlessly to her lips.
Hato fell silent, and so did many others in the venue.
While there were others present who could afford this amount, it was undeniable that this sum was enough to purchase a small island in the Thousand Islands Archipelago and establish a family territory.
It was a massive fortune that could establish a family's legacy.
Even a Saint Spirit-rank resource couldn't justify such a hefty price in the Thousand Islands Archipelago. Hato glared at the cramped booth number 17, a stark contrast to his luxurious booth.
His eyes flashed with murderous intent. If they were on Flame Island, he could guarantee that this ignorant young lady would never see the moon again.
But they were on Crystal Island, so he had to restrain himself. He squeezed out his highest offer through gritted teeth, "One hundred billion!"
Fearing that this amount might not be enough, the clueless young lady continued bidding. Hato quickly added, "I don't know where you're from, but there are rules in the Thousand Islands Archipelago. If you can't pay, not only will I not agree to let you leave Crystal Island unharmed, but even Governor Merk will not consent."
However, his threat, which implicated both Merk and Crystal Island, seemed to have no effect. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, that damned booth number 17 once again echoed with a voice that startled everyone:
"One hundred and twenty billion!"
An additional twenty billion? Even if it were a pile of worthless paper, how massive would it be?
This time, Hato's face turned completely pale.
His psychological limit was one hundred billion.
The Yin Water, as he had said, was something he was determined to obtain.
This unexpected bidder had disrupted all his plans.
Most importantly, Hato understood that even if the young lady in booth 17 didn't have one hundred and twenty billion, Merk wouldn't suffer any loss.
At worst, he could sell it at the next auction, use it himself, or trade it directly to someone else.
But the opportunity to use this ten billion for his own gain was now gone.
And so, where Yin Water was rare, how could one expect to find another so easily?
So, he spoke up directly, "Your Excellency, I'd like to ask, do you have that much money in your hands?"
His voice carried a chilling spiritual pressure, and it was clear to many that this was almost akin to flipping the table.
Merk's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but Hato's next words stopped him from voicing his objection:
"Brother Merk, if it can be confirmed that the auctioneer in Box 17 is here to cause trouble and can't afford this price, is my previous bid still valid?"
With these words, Merk fell silent.
One billion for a Yin Water was still a bit low, but it was within his acceptable range.
He also approved of such a trade.
However, if the two guys in Box 17 really couldn't come up with the money, it wouldn't work.
Most importantly, he had seen the verification process in the hands of his followers, and that man only had a mere five hundred million. To buy this Yin Water, they were far from having enough.
So, at this moment, he didn't speak up.
This silence was an implicit consent to Hato's actions.
Everyone's hearts sank as Box 22 opened its door.
Indeed, Hato didn't choose to have the auction staff verify, but took the initiative himself, walking boldly to the door of Box 17 right under everyone's noses.
He knocked on the box door with a loud bang, bang, bang.
But at that moment, Merk, the host, finally spoke up:
"Hato, I don't want things to get out of hand. The Crystal Island will not tolerate the disruption of the free trade market. You should understand that this is the decree of the Thousand Islands Nation and the order of the Divine Island!"
Hato smiled, "Of course, I dare not disobey the Supreme Emperor's command. I'm just here to remind some people that if they don't have the money to disrupt the auction, the consequences will be more severe than just being thrown out. After all, the premise of free trade, the biggest premise, is to have money!"
But at that moment, a cold voice followed:
"Hato, this little matter shouldn't be your concern, right?"
Hato's eyebrows furrowed as he looked towards Box 11, "Naya? Is that you?"
"I'm just reminding you not to break the rules and not to lose face in front of everyone."
"Hmph!"
Hato didn't pay attention and continued to knock on the box door.
The next moment, the box door opened.
Then, without even looking at the person who opened the door, Hato walked right in.
The entire auction hall fell silent.
The two auctioneers above felt a bit lost for the first time.
Hato looked at the man and woman in the box, extended his hand, and summoned a light. A huge toad, half the size of a person, appeared in the box. Only then did he turn to the two in front of him, "You two, show me your account balance, or else, causing trouble in the Thousand Islands Nation won't be as simple as being thrown out. Of course, Naya has pleaded for you, and I can spare your lives if I want to."
Su Ping and Jia Ji looked at each other.
The former glanced at Jia Ji with some helplessness, "Senior, you won the bet."
Jia Ji chuckled, "In the premise of free trade, having sufficient strength is the key. I knew this old fellow would come knocking because of this."
Su Ping shrugged.
Hato, who had just entered, blinked, watching the two chatting casually. Only then did he realize that these two didn't take him seriously at all, and they had even placed a bet on whether he would show up or not.
The overwhelming rage that was about to surge within him slowly dissipated.
No one was a fool, and Hato, who had reached this level of strength, was no exception.
What was the reason for the calmness of the two in front of him?
At this moment, he didn't want to know.
He took a step back, narrowing his eyes, and before he could speak, a woman's figure turned around. Her seemingly ordinary eyes looked at him indifferently, "Kneel down. Since you helped me win a bet, pay the money for the Yin Water, and I might spare your life."
The entire box fell silent at that moment.
(End of Chapter)
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