Chapter 00017: Thousand Sounds Auction
# Thousand Sounds Auction
Chapter 17
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 17: Thousand Sounds Auction
"Mom, we promised Doctor Lan not to say he was the one who treated her..." In the VIP ward of Jihe Hospital, Xiao Man leaned against the bed, her tone somewhat unnatural.
Sister Shu also spoke with guilt, "I don't want to say it either, but... but..."
She repeated "but" several times but couldn't find the words. Deep down, she hoped Lan Xiaobu would step in to help. Just like when she was in despair when her daughter was trapped in a dire situation. Asking Lan Xiaobu for help was akin to grasping at straws before death.
She had never thought that Lan Xiaobu could truly heal her daughter's leg. When her daughter stood for the first time, she dropped to her knees in shock. Even when her daughter regained feeling in her calf, she was so excited that she couldn't sleep for several nights, constantly watching her daughter's leg.
Sister Shu didn't quite understand why Lan Xiaobu, with such astonishing medical skills, was unwilling to let others know. After all, a healer should have the heart of a parent. Moreover, Lan Xiaobu didn't seem like the type to ignore someone in need; he had saved Xiao Man without asking for any payment. She hadn't even thought of giving him money, and by the time she remembered, he had already left.
With a sigh, she realized that some things were beyond her control. For her, the fact that her daughter's leg could be healed was already the greatest miracle. Once her daughter recovered further, she would definitely bring money to thank Doctor Lan.
...
Lan Xiaobu got up, washed up briefly, and slung his bag over his shoulder before leaving. If it weren't for the need to rest, he would have left overnight.
The piece of sheep fat white jade in his hand should be able to fetch a good sum, enough to support him as he ventured deep into Kunlun Mountain to search for that alien spacecraft.
His cultivation level was still insufficient, and time was on his side, so after temporarily leaving Hu Prefecture, Lan Xiaobu chose to go to Jin City.
There were two reasons for choosing Jin City. First, he wanted to see what had happened to Shang Wei, who had managed to cultivate to the Innate Realm in just two years. Currently, his own cultivation was stuck at the Bone Tempering Stage, and regardless of whether it was due to the lack of a Bone Refinement Prescription, it made him realize how difficult it was to reach the Innate Realm in just two years.
If Shang Wei had indeed reached the Innate Realm, he might have some secrets. If there were truly tricks to advancing to the Innate Realm, then having money wouldn’t help him achieve it. Especially at the Bone Tempering Stage, where money alone wouldn't suffice without a prescription; perhaps Shang Wei had a family heirloom formula.
Secondly, Jin City was the most prosperous and developed coastal city in Huaxia. The sheep fat white jade he held could definitely be sold for a substantial amount. This money would be enough for him to prepare for his journey into Kunlun Mountain, and even to purchase materials for refining bones. Of course, this was contingent upon him obtaining the Bone Refinement Prescription.
The best place to sell sheep fat white jade was in Shenpu, but if he could sell it in Jin City, he wouldn't bother going to Shenpu. A bit more or less money didn't matter much to him.
As for whether someone was looking for him, Lan Xiaobu was completely unaware. Even if he knew, he wouldn't care. What he feared most was exposure and being surrounded. A quiet and unobtrusive process was the most suitable for him. He didn't want to sneak into Kunlun Mountain only to find a group of people secretly following him; that would not be a good thing.
...
At Kunhu Hospital.
Dean Chen Xun and Vice Dean Gu Xiren stood in the hospital's top VIP ward like children caught doing something wrong, heads bowed.
In the hospital bed lay a pale young man, glaring intensely at the dean, his eyes filled with anger and madness.
Beside the bed stood a middle-aged woman who slapped Chen Xun across the face, her tone icy as she said, "Chen Xun, if you don't bring Lan Xiaobu here to treat Junjun within two days, you can forget about being the dean."
Chen Xun's face burned with humiliation, but he didn't dare retort.
The young man in the bed spoke calmly, "Dean Chen, if the doctor isn't here, what do you want me to come to Kunhu Hospital for? Do you think Junjun is easy to bully?"
Though his tone was calm, anyone could hear the immense fury behind his words.
Chen Xun despised him inwardly, thinking to himself that it was foolish to call him here. They had heard about Zhai Man's situation and rushed to Kunhu Hospital; he hadn't invited them. However, he didn't dare voice these thoughts and instead continued searching for Lan Xiaobu.
It was destined that Chen Xun would not find Lan Xiaobu. At that moment, Lan Xiaobu had already arrived in Jin City, having discarded his previous phone card.
To investigate Shang Wei, Lan Xiaobu chose to stay at a hotel near Jin City University of Technology. He had never met Shang Wei, but he was very familiar with his appearance and some information about him. In fact, after Shang Wei took the spacecraft away in his previous life, his information had been thoroughly disclosed; not many were unaware of it.
Before Lan Xiaobu even reached the Physics and Electronics Building, he spotted Shang Wei without needing to ask anyone. Shang Wei looked decent, but his ears were notably mismatched in size, and there was a red line across the bridge of his nose.
During the lecture, Lan Xiaobu sat behind Shang Wei and observed him. He realized that Shang Wei was quite the diligent student, paying close attention in class, showing no signs of being anything out of the ordinary.
After tracking him for an entire morning, Lan Xiaobu found no opportunity to make a move. His plan was to wait until Shang Wei left school, then find a place to knock him out and interrogate him.
Shang Wei was evidently a good student; besides attending class, he rarely ventured out during breaks. He had heard that Shang Wei's family was well-off and a prominent family in Jin City, but there was nothing about him that resembled the demeanor of a young master.
It wasn't until noon that Lan Xiaobu finally found an opportunity. Shang Wei seemed to receive a phone call and hurried off to a secluded spot to take it. Lan Xiaobu naturally wouldn't miss this chance and immediately followed.
"Uncle Xiong, there’s no one around now; what’s going on?" Shang Wei glanced around to ensure no one was watching before covering the phone with his hand, asking urgently.
Under normal circumstances, Uncle Xiong would never call him unless there was something particularly important. Shang Feixiong was the most mysterious figure in the Shang family; many in the family didn't even know what he did. As the legitimate son and future heir of the Shang family, Shang Wei was well aware of what responsibilities Shang Feixiong held.
This was the person responsible for all the underworld dealings and clandestine activities of the Shang family. It could be said that the Shang family's current prominent status in Jin City was inseparable from Shang Feixiong. This figure had blood on his hands and was responsible for many lives.
On the other end of the line, Shang Feixiong chuckled, "Ah Wei, there's a big event tonight; I’ll take you to see it."
"What big event?" Shang Wei instinctively asked.
Lan Xiaobu was hiding nearby, straining to eavesdrop. His cultivation level had reached the Bone Refinement Stage, allowing him to barely catch the words "big event" and "tonight." He clearly heard Shang Wei's words and hoped he would inquire further.
Shang Feixiong's tone grew serious, "Tonight is the global event for the Thousand Sounds Auction, held right here in Jin City. Many big names you’ve never even imagined will be present, along with extraordinary treasures from the world. You are the future of our Shang family; you should witness such an occasion."
Shang Wei had heard of the Thousand Sounds Auction and immediately replied, "Sure, Uncle Xiong, I’ll leave school now and go with you."
Shang Feixiong's voice came through, "No need to rush; I’ll come to the school to pick you up tonight."
Shang Wei left, and Lan Xiaobu did not follow him this time. He had caught several key phrases: Thousand Sounds Auction and the fact that Shang Feixiong would come to pick up Shang Wei tonight.
Since Shang Feixiong was coming to pick up Shang Wei, Lan Xiaobu naturally planned to follow along.
As for the Thousand Sounds Auction, that name was familiar to him. After killing Cheng Jianjie, he had obtained a black iron token the size of a bank card, inscribed with the four golden characters: Thousand Sounds Auction.
That token was right beside him, and Lan Xiaobu immediately took it out.
To his astonishment, besides the four golden characters, there was an additional line of text: "December 15, Jin City, Wangjiang Road No. 291, S-Class Auction."
December 15, that was today. Lan Xiaobu speculated that the Thousand Sounds Auction was indeed holding an auction today, and he wondered if this token served as the entrance pass.
Regardless of whether it was or not, he would go take a look first. If it worked out, that would be great; if not, it wouldn't matter, as he could return and continue to follow Shang Wei.
Back at the hotel, Lan Xiaobu disguised himself as a middle-aged man. With his experience and life perception, his transformation into a middle-aged man was nearly seamless.
(Today's update ends here. Happy Lantern Festival to everyone! Good night. Friends applying for the operation officer position can leave a message here, and I'll add you in.)
(End of Chapter)