Chapter 77 - The Taegwi Island Auction

"Welcome to Taegwi Island!" Yeo Su-gu declared, grandly spreading his arms.

Unlike the other islands, Taegwi Island served as the final sanctuary for the descendants of the destroyed White Dragon Island, which meant their security screening was surprisingly strict. Not that there was any place I couldn't infiltrate with my skills, but it would be troublesome if I got caught sneaking onto the back of the White-Shelled Great Tortoise, the last remaining island of White Dragon Island and a sacred beast passed down through generations.

It was the ultimate proof of their status as the rightful descendants of White Dragon Island. They treated the safety of that tortoise—whose age was beyond reckoning—with an almost pathological obsession. And unfortunately, the reason why the White Dragon Sea, once one of the Five Dragon Seas, had devolved into the lawless Dongheo Sea was incredibly absurd. That damn Castle Lord is utterly useless to the very end. White Dragon Island—or rather, what was now the stronghold of its descendants. If our true identity as Dokkaebi were exposed, these bastards would be the first to foam at the mouth. That was why I went through ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all this tedious trouble.

If you're wondering why I bothered entering Taegwi Island, which was bound to be hostile territory... well, isn't it obvious? We're going to be operating in the Dongheo Sea, and it'll be a real pain if the leader of the pirate coalition ruling this entire region is our sworn enemy. A bunch of Samgeuk experts roaming around together committing piracy was bound to draw attention. If our identity as the Night Goblins got out, it wouldn't just be annoying—it would be a catastrophe of epic proportions.

Of course, we would hide our identity as Night Goblins and conceal our Samgeuk-level strength as much as possible... but expecting a secret to keep forever while actively committing piracy was just plain foolish. On the other hand, splitting ourselves into multiple smaller pirate crews just to avoid suspicion didn't sit well with me either. That was why I had brought the entire strength of our family all the way to Taegwi Island. If the descendants of White Dragon Island—who currently ran the pirate coalition—turned out to be weaker than expected, I planned to take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠off their heads first.

Sure, it would cause a massive uproar, but why should I care? A guy who rose to become the chief of a pirate coalition was bound to have plenty of enemies anyway, so everyone would probably just shrug it off after the initial shock. I wouldn't have bothered coming here under normal circumstances, but our dear merchant friend had told me something very interesting.

"Is this it?"

"Yes, that is correct."

Hayun chuckled dryly as he looked at the poster plastered directly onto the stone wall. "They really went all out."

The poster hanging on the largest, highest section of the stone wall was incredibly blatant. It detailed everything from the horns on the head to the lack of scales or carapaces, noting instead the general physical traits of primates.

The terms were so generous that I almost wanted to gift-wrap one of our Core Condensation disciples and hand them over. This was exactly why I couldn't just sit still. I could feel it in my bones. As long as these bastards were hunting down their ancient grudge with such fiery eyes, we were bound to clash eventually. The ironic part was that I personally harbored absolutely no ill will toward them. The Castle Lord was the one who started the war, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠why did I have to suffer the consequences? Collective responsibility? Screw that. I only wanted to enjoy pleasure without any of the duties or obligations.

"The Merchant Alliance, is it? You're saying they sell information, goods, and pretty much everything there?"

"Since merchants dealing in all kinds of wares gather there, you can obtain almost anything if you place a request. Of course, without the recommendation and introduction of someone trustworthy, it would be impossible to contact those who possess items worthy of your satisfaction, honored guest."

Hmm, he was talking too much. Today was yet another victory for the old adage that a long tongue belongs to someone who is utterly terrified. Grinning, I reached out and grabbed Yeo Su-gu by the scruff of his neck as he walked toward the Merchant Alliance.

"Ha, haha! Is something the matter? If you have suddenly changed your mind, honored guest, I can introduce you to the finest brothel on Taegwi Island."

"Hey. You know who I am, don't you?"

The man's back was growing damp. I had no desire to smell a man's sweat, so I gripped his neck and shoved him down. I had deliberately chosen a deserted alleyway, so there was no risk of being seen.

"To be honest, I was planning to dispose of you at the harbor the moment we landed on Taegwi Island, but I kept you alive just in case you were hiding something useful. Turns out, you're pretty empty."

"If you kill me, it will cause you a great deal of trouble."

"I think keeping you alive would be even more troublesome."

A pirate merchant? That was literally a liar squared, wrapped in pure untrustworthiness. Having even one of those titles made someone a liability, but since he held both, this was his inevitable end.

He tried to make a move, but what could he possibly do when I already had him by the neck? *Crack!* I simply punched a hole through his skull, then immediately channeled a massive surge of demonic energy to boil his body from the inside out. Ssssshh— In an instant, his flesh melted into an unrecognizable, viscous mush. I unleashed another massive burst of demonic power, completely vaporizing any remaining trace of his existence.

"Works like a charm."

Having a specialized artifact for body disposal was incredibly convenient. The Gang family's massive size certainly came with its perks, including access to such professional tools.

"Let's see..."

I pulled out a mirror to check my reflection. The horns on my head were completely gone, replaced by striking blue scales along my cheeks. At the very least, I wouldn't face any discrimination based on my appearance. By now, the rest of those pests from the Bamgodeung Merchant Group, who had been trapped on their ship, should have been thoroughly cleaned up. Time to head down. While scouting and sizing up the enemy was important, taking care of my own needs always came first. I might as well pay a visit to Taegwi Island's famous auction house.

"Since you are in the Qi Circulation realm, honored guest, please take this silver plaque."

"Understood."

Gaining entry to the auction house was incredibly easy. Of course, that was only because the admission fee was outrageously expensive. For any ordinary cultivator, the entry fee alone would have completely wiped out their entire life savings. It was a blatant filter to keep the riffraff out. What a waste of my precious money. If I hadn't thoroughly plundered the Akgwi Pirates, I would have been quite annoyed by the price. Fortunately, since I possessed the entire fortune of a pirate warlord who had spent centuries doing nothing but pillaging, I could easily afford this. Those crazy bastards better not put up garbage on the stage after charging this much.

"My lord, since there is still some time before the auction begins, we offer complimentary drinks and massages. Would you care for one?"

At least the service was excellent. Perhaps they felt obligated to treat us well after charging such a ridiculous entry fee, but the beauty of the maidservants and the quality of the drinks were impressive enough to surprise even me.

"Mmm... Does this humble girl please you, my lord?"

Of course, that was assuming you weren't a normal mammal. For any human or beast of the land, the sight of an unidentified tentacled creature—whose beauty could only be appreciated by fellow deep-sea marine life—cooing and clinging to my arm was a bit much to stomach.

"Hahaha! Come here, you little minx."

"Oh, my lord~"

Nearby, a cultivator who looked like a tropical fish was happily stroking ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠what appeared to be the waist of a sea anemone maidservant. Come to think of it, wasn't there a symbiotic relationship between sea anemones and clownfish? I guess that was what I was witnessing. Watching this incomprehensible display of affection between a fish and a bunch of tentacles, I had to actively restrain my twitching fingers. If I cause a scene here, everything goes down the drain. I decided to focus on flirting with a mermaid maidservant who actually met my aesthetic standards. It was right around then.

"I offer my humblest greetings to all the esteemed guests who have graced Taegwi Island today! I am Baek Gu-ji, the director in charge of this White Dragon Trade Association auction! Our association boasts a history of over two thousand years on White Dragon Island..."

The auctioneer finally made his appearance. Everything was fine, except he immediately launched into a history lecture that absolutely nobody had asked for. He went on and on about how deep their roots were and their historical ties to White Dragon Island, and the display was so blatant it was almost comical.

I guess there are plenty of bastards who constantly challenge their legitimacy. Or perhaps it was a method devised to ensure that the descendants, wandering long after losing their homeland, would never forget their roots. Either way, listening to it was pure torture. I wanted to tell him to shut the hell up and just bring out the goods... but seeing how the other attendees merely grumbled "here we go again" without actually protesting, it was clear that anyone who had complained in the past had been thoroughly beaten down. Since I had no desire to listen to a speech about their rightful inheritance of White Dragon Island, I simply sipped my alcohol while playing with the maidservant. I even began to wonder if the high-end service was just a clever trap to keep people from walking out during the boring speech. I took a sip of the slightly salty beverage and scanned my surroundings. The place was protected by high-level restrictions and barriers, guarded by sentries of formidable cultivation. Their disciplined, rigid posture gave off the impression of a trained army rather than mere security guards. Most of the participants were at least in the Qi Circulation realm. The entry fee was far too steep for Core Condensation cultivators, and they wouldn't stand a chance in the bidding anyway. Any Core Condensation cultivator who actually managed to get in here? Well, they would be someone to watch out for—though of course, that warning applied to the other Qi Circulation weaklings, not me. The only ones who caught my interest were the Samgeuk cultivators sitting in the golden pavilions on the upper floor. They were the undisputed rulers of the Five Dragon Seas.

"Now, let us skip the tedious introductions and begin the auction! Our very first item is... the egg of a White-Shelled Tortoise! Considering what the White-Shelled Great Tortoise carrying this very island represents, I believe this is an item everyone will covet!"

Ah, that tortoise. It would certainly feel amazing to have a giant beast that carried an entire island on its back as my spiritual pet. But what the hell would I even use it for? It was a white elephant from the very start.

"What! The White-Shelled Tortoise is a sacred beast strictly managed and kept exclusively by the descendants of White Dragon Island! To think they would put up one of its eggs for auction!"

Was it really that big of a deal? The shock on everyone's faces seemed too genuine to be a mere marketing stunt. Even the VIPs in the golden pavilions looked stunned.

"Is there some sort of defect? Even when I personally requested one, the Chief barely agreed to spare a single beast. I cannot help but question the motives behind this."

An old man in one of the golden pavilions grumbled, his petulance on full display. To be precise, he looked like a young man who had just discovered that the girl who refused to even hold his hand while they were dating was actually the top hostess at a local hostess bar. And when an old man gets petulant, it's incredibly hard to appease him—especially one with power.

"Haha, of course, Elder. Do you see the runic inscriptions on this egg? They indicate that it was born with a fire-attribute spiritual constitution. As you know, the White-Shelled Tortoise is naturally a creature of pure, yin water. Unless it is constantly sustained with specialized spiritual elixirs, it will not survive a single day after hatching."

"I see. Well, it makes sense that there would be such a catch. However, I have one more question."

"Please, speak freely. There is nothing we would hide from the Grand Elder of the Chirhyeon Sect."

"Your association surely does not lack spiritual elixirs. Is there another reason?"

"It is quite simple. While we do possess the elixirs to keep this one alive, we recently obtained another White-Shelled Tortoise egg with far superior talent. Pouring our resources into nurturing that child has already strained our sect's finances to their limit."

"I understand. Proceed with the auction."

The old man's expression softened. He now looked like that same young man who had just heard a tragic, tear-jerking story about how the hostess bar girl only did it to pay for her parents' medical bills. I could practically see his burning resolve to rescue her from her tragic fate. Personally, I thought a sob story didn't change the reality of the situation, but if he wanted to throw his money away, I had no reason to stop him. There was a very high probability that the old man would take the egg. I leaned back comfortably, completely losing interest. Let whoever wanted it take it.

"Furthermore, as a side note! A White-Shelled Tortoise in its unhatched, embryonic state serves as an extraordinary ingredient for tonic medicine. It is the primary ingredient for the Spirit Pill, which aids in reaching the absolute peak of mental clarity. Need I say more?"

I, Gang Hayun, a black-haired beast capable of bearing the mantle of a NTR protagonist if necessary, was also the rightful heir to the legacy of the great pirate Dae-akgwi of the Dongheo Sea. Somewhere in the depths of hell, I could almost hear Dae-akgwi's phantom shriek. A desperate scream claiming that it was his money. Why the hell would it be your money? Your money is my money. That's how the world works.

"The starting bid is 100,000 Spirit Stones! Bids may be raised in increments of 10,000!"

"200,000!" the old man in the golden pavilion shouted with a look of grim determination.

"1,000,000," I called out.

The old man glared at me. What? You got a problem? You think you're richer than me?

"2,000,000!"

"3,000,000."

"3,010,000!"

The bastard was already running out of steam. Even the old man seemed to realize how pathetic he sounded, his face flushing slightly. Jumping from millions to a measly ten thousand increment was a bit embarrassing, wasn't it? It wasn't against the rules, but it basically screamed to everyone that he was scraping the bottom of his barrel.

"4,000,000."

"4,010,000!"

"5,000,000."

"5,010,000!"

Oh... really? Knock yourself out, then.

"I fold."

"Huh?"

The old man's face as he suddenly found himself obligated to pay 5,010,000 Spirit Stones was... well, how should I put it? It was the face of an absolute sucker, just begging to be teased. There was simply no other way to describe it.