Chapter 569: A Frequent Spate of Accidents
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 569: A Frequent Spate of Accidents
It was noon.
The conclusion of the auction preview signaled that the afternoon auction was fast approaching.
By now, most of the invited guests had arrived, filled with anticipation at the prospect of bidding on their desired items. The Heavenly Chosen and the wealthy elite gathered here, enjoying a leisurely lunch.
Everything was proceeding as it should have, until a tremor surged through the entire hotel, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks.
Under the force of this earthquake-like anomaly, the ordinary people present cried out in terror. The clatter of metal cutlery against porcelain plates echoed incessantly throughout the hall.
After the initial shock, the service staff immediately moved to fulfill their duties, stepping forward to comfort the frightened guests, though to little effect.
An incident of such magnitude was rare and clearly an accident. However, considering that the Magic Capital did not sit on a fault line and the tremor had subsided after a single shockwave, many people quickly regained their composure.
After all, most Transcendents were veterans of many storms; they wouldn't be afraid even if it were a real earthquake. They soon surmised a likely possibility: a few big shots had probably gotten into a friction-filled scuffle.
Still... even the battle between those two Teaching Assistants hadn't caused such a commotion, which left many of them deeply puzzled.
It wasn't until the guests seated by the windows heard the sudden shattering of glass from outside that the attention and curiosity of the crowd were drawn once more.
Could it be that Transcendents were actually fighting?
Brawls between Transcendents were nothing new to those from the various academies, but the ordinary people were terrified. Lacking the power to protect themselves, their fates rested entirely on whether any nearby kind-hearted Transcendents would lend a hand. They all had bright futures ahead of them; none wanted to end their lives here.
"Someone... someone jumped!"
A person by the window suddenly shouted, instantly piquing the curiosity of the masses. Some didn't even bother to put down their cutlery before rushing to the floor-to-ceiling observation windows.
Looking down from the heights, shards of shattered glass were only just now hitting the ground on the first floor with a piercing crash.
Amidst the chaos, several figures who had burst through the windows landed on the ground below.
This scene was captured perfectly by the onlookers. From the upper floors, the crowd could clearly see who those figures were.
"Is that... a Fallen One from the Fallen Academy?"
"It's the Abyssal Demon Transcendent Academy. What did they do? They were invited this morning, and now they're being hunted and jumping out of windows to escape at noon?"
"Wait... it's not just the Witch Academy chasing them, is it? The most prominent one—is that the Holy Angel Academy? They can actually fly... so cool!"
The crowd huddled by the windows marveled at the sight, though most maintained the posture of mere spectators watching a play.
Two incidents had already occurred during the preview stage of a single auction. If the first was merely a conflict between guests, this one was different.
It was obvious that the pursuers were from the host, the Witch Academy, and even members of other academies had stepped in to help.
As the news spread, it caused a massive stir. Everyone was here to eat, and the bastards from the Abyssal Demon Academy were actually causing trouble?
No wonder they had been stuffing their faces in the restaurant all morning; they clearly knew they wouldn't have time to eat at noon.
Speculation began to run wild regarding what those guys had done to provoke a chase by the hosts. Naturally, most people assumed the worst.
After all, the reputation of the Abyssal Demon Transcendent Academy had been abysmal lately. Not long ago, an entire city had been paralyzed, and there were even heinous reports of Abyssal Demons stealing the corpses of the deceased.
With trouble brewing now, people naturally jumped to conclusions. Many guessed that the Abyssal Demon representatives must have stolen an incredibly valuable auction item; otherwise, they wouldn't have incensed the crowd to this degree.
Before long, the head person in charge arrived at the restaurant to soothe the guests and urge them not to panic.
Under the pressure of the surrounding crowd, the official was forced to give a brief explanation of the situation.
After the preview ended, the various auction items were being transported from the exhibition area back to the specialized storage vaults. During this window, the Abyssal Demon Academy took the opportunity to attempt a theft of the auction's grand finale item.
They were discovered by the staff, but the culprits severely injured several security guards and workers, forcibly seized the Heart of the Cold Wave, and fled.
Currently, the hosts, with the assistance of several "enthusiastic guests," were in pursuit of the perpetrators...
Once the series of events was explained, the guests felt a sense of clarity; it was exactly as they had suspected.
However, many were still concerned about whether the auction would proceed. Some even asked if other items had been stolen. If the items they had their eyes on were snatched by those god-forsaken Abyssal Demons, wouldn't their trip have been in vain?
Amidst the clamor, these questions could only be addressed slowly. For many, their appetite for a good meal had vanished.
Still, most were Transcendents; skipping one meal wasn't an issue. Now that such a major event had occurred, they certainly wanted to get involved.
The group most curious about the situation, however, was the Witch Academy contingent. Those witches who didn't know the truth would use any means necessary just to get a good look at the "fun."
* * *
"I didn't expect a simple auction to stir up so much trouble."
In the restaurant, many people had already left due to the sudden accident. The once-crowded hall had suddenly become quite spacious.
Among those who remained was Tan Han. As one of the most brilliant students of the Witch Academy's freshman year—a status she maintained even now—she had naturally been invited. Sitting across from her was Shopkeeper Xia Li.
Generally speaking, graduated students wouldn't receive invitations, but some individuals received special treatment, such as Tan Han. Guests with special status were permitted to bring friends to the auction, provided they registered with the receptionist.
Of course, Xia Li could have entered the auction through the same channels as the wealthy elite by verifying her assets. It was just a matter of method; it wasn't difficult for them, only a question of whether they wanted to.
"Indeed, they're always up to some nonsense. If you ask me, this is probably a play they've directed and acted out themselves," Xia Li said with a clear bias against the Jack-of-all-trades Club's auction.
If she hadn't been worried about Tan Han being bullied here alone, she wouldn't have wanted to come at all. Truth be told, she felt that if she opened up her own private stash, she could probably put together an auction of her own, though she would never actually do such a thing.
"Surely it wouldn't go that far? Wouldn't that be ruining their own reputation?" Tan Han asked skeptically.
"In the beginning, this auction was just a platform for internal resource exchange within the Witch Academy. It only gradually expanded to other Transcendent academies. With the Jack-of-all-trades Club backing it, do you think they're afraid of ruining their reputation over something like this?"
"It feels... very different from the auctions my parents used to take me to," Tan Han remarked.
"Of course. This started as a club activity within the Witch Academy. Naturally, the process is different from external auctions and isn't as formal. Later, this process became a 'feature,' and no one thought it was a problem. You just have to get used to it. This world is just one giant, makeshift stage."
"Is that so? A makeshift stage..." Tan Han repeated the phrase, falling silent.
She had been invited here because she had heard about the "Heart of the Cold Wave" being auctioned. According to Xia Li, it was a part of the crown she possessed and an indispensable fragment of [Transcendent Knowledge].
While she didn't particularly crave it, if there was a chance to obtain it, she would naturally strive for it. At the very least... Shopkeeper Xia Li had said that if there was no foul play in the auction, she was willing to support Tan Han fully in securing the Heart of the Cold Wave.
If for nothing else, then simply to spite the Jack-of-all-trades Club.
Weren't those people at the Jack-of-all-trades Club arrogant? Didn't they talk about a struggle for Luck? Weren't they coveting her [Transcendent Knowledge]?
Now that she had given all those things away, she felt her mind was clear, as if there was nothing left to worry about. Consequently, she saw many things with newfound clarity.
"Don't think too much. Eat more of this good food. You can't get this stuff without spending a fortune normally."
"Shopkeeper, slow down. Even if you eat your fill, they won't feel the sting. Like you said, they'll make it all back with this auction."
"True. Sigh... let's not talk about that." Xia Li's fork paused as she was called out. "Let's change the subject. Xiao Tan, the auction will most likely continue. Did you see anything you liked during the preview? I saw a few high-consumption spellbooks that looked quite good; they seemed to suit you. It never hurts to add more tools to your arsenal."
"That won't be necessary. No matter how many methods of the same level I have, they won't bring about a qualitative leap. Besides, the Crown of Absolute Zero you gave me... the weapon being crafted from it should be ready shortly after the school term starts."
"Is that so?" Xia Li looked at Tan Han, her mind drifting back to when she had first lured the girl to the Witch Academy.
Back then, Tan Han had the audacity to demand a Myriad Methods Book from the academy. Her attitude of "I don't care if I can use it, I just want it" was the polar opposite of her current self.
When exactly had she changed?
"Still, having more tricks makes it harder for others to target you," Xia Li continued to advise.
"I used to think so too... until I met..." Tan Han sighed, her words trailing off into a hesitant silence. Her tone was filled with a sense of defeat, though this dejection was only temporary. She would find a way to turn that pressure into motivation.
"Xiao Tan, don't compare yourself too much with freaks. You're just sabotaging yourself," Xia Li immediately interrupted.
She knew exactly who Tan Han was referring to. Since arriving, she had been quite restrained in not mentioning Xiao Han in front of Tan Han, but this auction preview was filled with too many legends regarding her...
"I know. You don't need to trouble yourself with counseling me, Shopkeeper. I understand it all in my heart. But I should face myself properly, and I should face Xiao Han properly too, shouldn't I? Refusing to speak of something is a sign of fear. I have the confidence that I can reach her level one day."
"Alright, alright." Xia Li sighed helplessly, giving up on the lecture and returning to her food.
* * *
While everyone's attention was diverted by the noon incident, the players lurking in the crowd were also left staring in bewilderment.
What on earth was going on?
Faced with this sudden "emergency" that fell outside their plans, they were caught completely off guard, unable to fathom what had happened.
They could only watch helplessly as the tech core fragment known as the "Heart of the Cold Wave"—which was central to their plan—was snatched away by a group of hideous-looking creatures who then made a clean getaway...
This was the first time these players felt that these Transcendents were utterly useless!
The time for the harvest was right before their eyes, yet they had to watch as these guys ran right out of the scope of their plan!
Although many Children of Destiny remained in the hotel, allowing them to still acquire a large number of game qualifications, letting such an important item slip away was truly painful.
In the eyes of the players, that item was already in their pockets. To have it snatched away now was a bitter pill to swallow.
They had to report this back immediately, letting the Game Architects make the decision on whether to have the standby players outside the hotel pursue the thieves or to ignore the incident and proceed directly with harvesting game qualifications.
When the news reached the Game Architects responsible for maintaining the Terminal of Myriad Worlds, they immediately erupted in a fit of emotional venting!
But faced with such a sudden situation, they had to make a choice.
After all, they were in charge of top-tier players who specialized in conquering worlds, as well as a think tank responsible for data analysis. Their judgment and decision-making capabilities were formidable.
Based on the information sent back from the front lines, they quickly reached a conclusion: there was a high probability that those guys had pulled this stunt specifically to target the players!
If they ordered the standby players outside the hotel to attempt a seizure, there was a high chance they would be counter-attacked by those groups. The risk outweighed the potential gain.
Trying to lure them back into the hotel trap would be equally difficult.
However, they quickly made a decision. They ordered the standby players not to pursue the stolen fragment. Instead, they were to cause a commotion outside the hotel, expose their identities, and then quickly hide.
They would then observe the reactions of those groups and arrange a temporary plan accordingly.
If possible, they naturally wanted everything resolved quickly. Every moment the Terminal of Myriad Worlds was delayed was a waste of resources—a net loss!
They had to obtain a return equivalent to that loss!
Whether it was the game qualifications of this world or that tech core fragment, as long as they could obtain something good, it would be worth it.
However, if they did obtain the tech core fragment, they faced another problem.
Namely, how would they get their hands on it?
If their home world attempted to approach this world for a physical transfer, it would undoubtedly be slow. If the tech core seized by the players was snatched back by the natives, all their efforts would be for naught.
They would only feel at ease once they had it in their hands for research.
They had already rehearsed the process of acquiring a tech core back in that small world. The only pity was that they hadn't managed to secure the core from that world.
However, there had been good news recently: the world they had discovered now seemed to have collided with that small world, creating spatial rifts.
Therefore, they had to accelerate their encroachment on this world, acquiring its tech core in the process. Then, using this world as a springboard, they would reclaim the small world they had discarded and slowly retrieve the tech core they hadn't found yet.
One could say their grand strategy was sound. Although many felt the plan was somewhat idealistic, no one dared to deny the overarching direction.
"The overall plan has been finalized. We will first authorize the decision-making task permissions of the Architects to those players. The remaining specific steps are what they excel at most."
With those words, the temporary meeting between the Game Architects concluded.
Meanwhile, back at the auction hotel, the attempt made by the representatives of the various Transcendent academies had achieved its goal in a different way. The players had indeed been forced to reveal themselves and take action because of their plan.
But... it was not in the manner they had hoped.