Human Auction (2)
The first Special Awakener went to us. I sent three texts in a row to Han Byeol, which made her phone vibrate three times in her pocket. That was the signal to bid on the current item up for auction. I sent the signal, and Han Byeol secured the first one. The price was just fifty bottles of cheap booze. No one else wanted her.
"Her expression is kinda subtle," Han Byeol said over the radio. She explained it was a mix of confusion—why take someone with a useless ability like hers?—and fear of potential abuse at our place.
"Yeah, I guess..."
Even in my domain, the most prosperous spot in Korea right now, we never wasted food. Back before the world went to hell, we'd trim and toss vegetable cores and such, but now we ate every bit. Fish bones got chewed up entirely or boiled for broth. Beef and pork bones were simmered, then stripped clean to suck out the marrow. In Nakyuan, only I and Seo I-rang picked bones out of smelt—we were the only ones. Everyone else chomped them head to tail, bones and all. Crop sacks got repurposed however possible. Useless trash piled up until the drones dissolved it with their Dissolving Liquid Projection.
"Next item, the second one!"
"It's an older guy, looks pretty rough," Han Byeol reported.
"We'll demonstrate the ability first."
"The auctioneer just dumped dirt on the floor."
Surprisingly, the second Special Awakener's power turned dirt rock-hard like stone. As he activated it, gasps of admiration crackled over the walkie-talkie.
"Ah... I really want that ability," Han Seol said.
"Definitely... Thinking about our road maintenance business, it's basically like laying down pavement blocks."
Harsh as it was, I hoped his condition was even worse than Han Byeol described. The rougher he was, the cheaper we'd get him—and we could treat him back home. I signaled Han Byeol.
"How much should we go up to? 150 bottles?"
I sent one text. One vibration meant yes, two meant no. Fewer bidders than expected, so she snagged him for 100 bottles. Way too cheap for a human life.
The third, fourth, and fifth Special Awakeners created water, peanuts, and sugar, respectively. They seemed in good shape, judging by the roaring cheers. The auction heated up wildly. Useless to us, so we sat it out. They fetched 1,320, 470, and 740 bottles of booze each. Han Byeol said the water guy filled a massive tank in seconds without breaking a sweat.
"Worth every bottle."
Then the final item appeared.
"Everyone... you've waited so long...! The main event of today's auction. Straight from Incheon!"
Applause erupted.
"This Awakener creates fuel—a Special Awakener! Liquid or solid form, works in any machine perfectly. And the efficiency? Far beyond our old fuels. A true miracle from the gods!"
Cheers exploded as bidding kicked off.
"She looks fine overall, but has abuse scars here and there. Age... around Im Jui's," Han Byeol reported.
"Another high schooler?"
She demoed her power to massive roars—the loudest yet. Our remaining stock: 350 cheap bottles and 500 premium from the brewery. Even if it cost everything, we had to have her.
***
Fierce bidding ended with a merchant dropping 1,860 bottles of booze and 400 canned meats.
"Haa... we're screwed."
"Do-hyun..."
"It's fine. We still have one last shot."
Just before the auction wrapped, Han Byeol executed the final plan.
"Hold on!" she shouted.
"Some issue...?"
Lowering her voice, she continued. "No matter how I look at it, the auction format's fishy. The booze I brought is premium—nothing like that cheap swill—yet it's treated the same per bottle. Doesn't make sense."
She challenged the quality. The auctioneer's voice faltered. "We've already inspected all your booze."
"Did you really? Half of our 1,000 bottles are from the Union Leader's personal stock. Heard of it?"
The crowd murmured.
"Our staff must've skimped. Mind if I check personally?"
"Go ahead. Pick any from the 500 and taste-test if you want."
"Wait! This is ridiculous! I won the bid! Fuck! Who the hell are you?!"
A middle-aged man's voice cut in—the final winner, by the sound of it.
"Sir, calm down. If it's truly the Union Leader's booze, it's worth way more than our auction swill. At least three cheap bottles' value..."
Han Byeol interrupted. "You messing with me? Nakyuan premium equals three watered-down bottles? Minimum five."
After bickering, the auctioneer soothed them and wheeled out our booze crates in plain view. Yoon Hak-jae spoke up. "The Union Leader's wing logo is genuine. Fakes are rampant these days... mind if I taste?"
"Go for it. We've got kaoliang, whiskey, cognac—sample each type."
Tasting followed.
"Damn, Han Byeol's crushing this. I told her to, but didn't expect pro-level."
"Byeol's always been a natural negotiator," Han Seol said.
"Less negotiation, more chaos-stirring."
Han Byeol manipulated the scene like a seasoned auction vet. Yoon Hak-jae confirmed: "This taste... definitely the Union Leader's. Apologies to the winner, but as this lady says, it's worth five times our booze."
"We'll put up our 500 Union bottles and 350 commons."
"Please mention it upfront next time."
"Sure."
We won it. Surprisingly, the original winner conceded gracefully and backed off.
***
We handed over all 1,000 bottles—verified as 500 Union premium—and finally left the auction house.
"You did great. Really great."
Han Byeol beamed. "Praise me lots when we get back."
"Yeah, everyone worked hard."
She mounted her phone on the dash for video call as soon as she hopped in the truck.
"The Special Awakeners?"
"Fed 'em lunchboxes; they're crashed out in Kyung-min's truck backseat."
They'd devoured the bentos like animals. Conditions better than expected, but all three needed intensive care on arrival. Hooked to Nakyuan pharmacy IVs, sleeping it off in the truck. Two trucks: front one with Han Byeol, Han Eun-ji, Im Jui; rear with Lee Kyung-min, the Union merchant, and our three prizes. Video calls en route.
"Lord."
"Yeah?"
"Hope it's just me overthinking, but that first merchant who won... think he'll tail us?" Han Eun-ji asked.
"Nah..."
This was a regular auction. If buyers got robbed post-purchase, the house's rep would tank. Stirring trouble here meant enemy to every merchant guild in Gyeonggi. No idiot would risk it, rage or not.
"Hold up, stopping."
"What's wrong?"
Han Byeol pulled over, face serious. "Im Jui says stop."
Im Jui flashed her notepad.
I sense incongruity in the terrain ahead.
Ambush.
"Ambush? No way..."
Im Jui's instincts were near-Special-Awakener level—spot-on. If she said ambush, there was one.
"Han Seol."
"Yes."
"Server Room—activate all four blue drones, scout the brush ahead. No, come up here with me."
"Got it!"