Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Black Market Auction (2)
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One of the three SS-rank hunters bestowed the title of Emperor in China, the daughter of the Spear Emperor, and an S-rank hunter known as Snow Flower Spear—Xiao Ling.
She was also famous as one of China's Seven Beauties, and with her immense popularity, she frequently appeared in the media. There was no way I wouldn't recognize her.
She knew that I recognized her and gave a small smile.
'Hmm... why is she here?'
The reason was obvious: to build a connection with me. She was probably here to gauge and analyze me as well.
Calling me the Golden Lord meant the headquarters chief had already leaked the info. It had only been a few minutes since he left—impressively fast.
Her clear, transparent eyes turned toward me. Beneath her smiling facade, I could sense an unmistakable chill.
She earned the moniker Snow Flower Spear for her beautiful mastery of ice-element spear arts, but in truth, she was more commonly known by another title.
Ice Flower—a stunning blossom that harbored the coldness of ice.
She possessed breathtaking beauty, yet her heart was as cold as ice: a woman who was rational and calculating to the core.
That smile, that warmth—it was all part of a calculated performance.
I checked her profile on the tablet screen at just the right moment. Profiles with potential allies had a green background, while those likely to become enemies were red.
Hers... was half green, half red.
Even the headquarters chief couldn't predict her. Whether she'd be friend or foe. More precisely, not even he could read her true intentions.
Was it because she was capricious? Or unpredictable?
No. True to her frozen flower nature, she was coldly rational and logical. It all depended on how well I could win her over—whether she'd oppose me or join forces.
Rumors said she treated those who entered her domain exceptionally well.
'Before my regression, there was that famous story from China: she personally killed an S-rank hunter to avenge a subordinate whose family was brutally murdered.'
At the time, she had become an SSS-rank hunter, inheriting her father's title as Spear Heaven and succeeding him as the second Spear Emperor. Naturally, she faced no punishment.
No power in China—no matter how mighty—could punish an SS-rank hunter. And they certainly couldn't ignore Spear Heaven standing firmly behind her.
"Pleased to meet you. Flower as cold as snow. Just call me Golden Lord."
In response, she smiled and fully entered the room.
"I was so curious who would claim Room 3... but if it's the Golden Lord, it makes perfect sense. After all, you're the one who generously tossed ten absurd items into this little backwater country's modest black market."
Modest? It controlled more than half of our nation's underworld. It hadn't expanded overseas, but its connections were substantial.
Finding a black market of this scale in China wouldn't be easy either. It was clearly just a probing remark.
"Is that so? That's not how I see it. I think there's no place as satisfying as this. It's not too small to handle all my goods, and above all, it has the unique advantage of using Abyss territory."
Xiao Ling simply smiled at my words.
"Above all, it's hard to find a better trading partner that caters to my convenience so well."
I calmly continued, turning my gaze away from her. I had no intention of making her an enemy, but boldly asserting myself like this was absolutely necessary.
If I let her look down on me once, she'd keep doing it—and start thinking I was beneath her.
We needed to be equals, not principal and agent. No one leading while the other followed.
At the very least, it had to be a picture of mutual exploitation. Like the association president and me.
"Hmm~ Our Golden Lord has a cute side, doesn't he?"
My brow furrowed reflexively. What was that supposed to mean?
Heh heh heh heh.
Xiao Ling began observing me with eyes brimming with curiosity, as if dissecting me piece by piece.
How long did those inscrutable gazes pass between us?
"What exactly are you trying to—?"
Frustration getting the better of me, I finally opened my mouth toward her.
Bang bang bang.
Someone roughly pounded on the door, and it flew open aggressively as a man stormed in.
"Who the hell are you? You? How dare a punk like you get assigned this room?"
He didn't even hide his face. Most black market auction participants—especially VIPs—knew each other to some extent, but brazenly showing off like this was rare.
After all, a black market was shadowy territory, where illegal dealings far outnumbered the legal ones.
With reputations and trust on the line, people were cautious.
"Oh my! Who's this? If it isn't our precious spoiled young master? What brings you here today? After the embarrassment last time, you'd think you'd stay away. Has he no shame, or is his face just that thick?"
At Xiao Ling's mocking words, the man who had been snarling at me turned to her in shock and instinctively stepped back.
'Not a particularly high-rank Awakened.'
That said, he wasn't weaker than me. Despite appearances, he seemed at least C-rank, on par with that bastard Lee Ji-yong.
How much money had his family thrown around for a hunter who flinched at a mere aura?
I quietly flipped through the documents to the page featuring his face.
'Red.'
Someone with connections that could harm me. Or rather, from first impressions alone, he didn't seem like he'd be helpful.
Just as Xiao Ling said—a spoiled brat living selfishly, nothing more or less.
"Y-You... why are you here?"
"Oh? Can't I be here? But young master, are you talking down to your big sis right now? Want another scolding like last time? Where do you get off throwing tantrums?"
The young master—no, Hallas Rockefeller of the Rockefeller family, one of America's massive corporate and mage clans—bit his lip and retreated.
Even as he did, he kept glaring at me.
"Damn Asian scum! Ptooey!"
With that pathetic parting shot, he fled.
"That could have been annoying. Thanks for the help."
"Heh heh heh. No problem. I don't like that idiot much either. I didn't expect him to show up again after such a humiliation at the last auction. In one sense, he's steadfast; in another, just plain stupid. Anyway, since he came looking for you like this, looks like he didn't get a VVIP room."
What on earth had happened? If humiliation was mentioned, it must have been mortifying.
'From the looks of it, he probably mouthed off without thinking and got a proper schooling...'
But the conversation couldn't continue. An announcement signaled the auction's start.
"Heh heh heh. It was a pleasure meeting you, Golden Lord. I have a feeling you'll be the big winner this auction... but let's have a good fight anyway."
She stood, signaling her bodyguard, who immediately pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to me.
"It's the card for a small company my father set up in Korea. I'll be here for a while, so if you need my help—or even just someone to chat with—feel free to reach out. See you."
Once Xiao Ling left the room, I tossed aside the stuffy mask and sank my tense body into the sofa.
"Already exhausted."
Rubbing my eyes, I checked the business card she'd given me.
-Taesan Group. Executive Director—Xiao Ling
A "small company," huh? Claiming ownership of a firm in the top 10 of Korea's conglomerates.
"What a insane scale."
Taesan Group, starting from Taesan Trading, had quietly and rapidly expanded its influence, boasting overwhelming capital and market power.
And all thanks to Chinese backing.
Well, technically, Xiao Ling was third-generation chaebol herself. Her grandfather—the Spear Emperor's father—was one of China's top tycoons.
Friendship with her meant no losses—only gains. Not just money, but immense influence and power no one could ignore.
Tucking the card away with that thought, I turned my attention to the now-started auction.
Two of the VVIPs had come to see me. Even if some without rooms didn't visit, it was a shame—but...
Making even one connection exceeded expectations.
-Alright! Let's begin today's auction!
The auctioneer appeared—a woman in a rabbit mask different from the staffer I'd seen earlier.
The proceedings flowed smoothly. With practiced skill, she captivated the crowd with her words, bringing out and introducing items one by one to sell.
-Next up is a magic item, folks! Wow~ A unique one right from the start! Among magic items, this is a rare curse-type. Rank: Unique! Grade: S-! Starting bid: 100 million! Increments: 10 million! Let the bidding begin!
And the item I wanted appeared early on. I jumped in without hesitation.
It was one of the two must-haves for today's auction. No way I'd let it go.
'Curse-type magic item—bidding will be fierce.'
The curses on magic items were far more potent and vicious than those on regular gear. Especially those tied to demonic black magic—their value was immense.
Unfortunately, not demonic black magic. Just a crude curse, but still worthy of Unique rank.
Whatever—I wasn't using it for the curse anyway.
-Bids climbing fast! 250 million! 280 million! Up to 350 million! Increments now 50 million! 400 million! 400 million bid!
Everyone piled in. To participate here meant billions in assets—this was pocket change, bid without restraint.
I kept raising without a care. I could crush them with sheer cash, but experiencing the competition wasn't bad, so I focused intently.
-1.75 billion! No more? 3... 2... 1~~! Sold! Congratulations! The Unique magic item goes to bidder 3!
In the end, the magic item fell into my hands.