Chapter 153: Stirring Up Trouble
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 153: Stirring Up Trouble
“...”
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes, giving the waiter a long, hard look before turning his gaze back toward the auction hall through the one-way glass.
After a brief surge of excitement, the "naked swimmers" among the spectators were retreating. Only a few small boats with some lingering capital remained, desperately chasing treasures they would never be able to reach.
The bidding had reached five million, but for ten drops of Ancient Dragon Heart Blood, that price was nowhere near enough.
According to the standard market rate, five million would likely only buy a single drop.
Yet here, there were ten.
Furthermore, items like Ancient Dragon Heart Blood were the definition of "priceless and unavailable"—even if you had the money, there was usually no supply.
“And the price...?”
“Naturally, it will be whatever price you win the bid at, sir.”
“Heh, is your boss really that kind-hearted?”
Based on the current pace of the auction, Lorenzo estimated he could snag the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood for around eight or nine million.
This was significantly lower than his initial estimate.
He had come here ready to demand answers, but now that he realized he was the one getting a bargain, he felt a flicker of unease.
“The Boss says that in business, one must make many friends. It just so happens that your Red Fire Gang, as one of the major powers in the Lower District, is qualified to be his friend.”
The waiter pressed a hand to his chest and bowed respectfully.
“Of course, whether you can grasp this opportunity or not has nothing to do with us.”
“Hmph. My Red Fire Gang isn't so pathetic that we can't even swallow meat that's been handed to us.”
Lorenzo sneered and waved his hand, signaling the man to get lost. “Fine. Give your boss my regards. Tell him the Red Fire Gang accepts this favor.”
“As it should be.”
The waiter quietly withdrew.
Lorenzo’s confidant leaned in, whispering worriedly, “Boss, a windfall like this... could there be some kind of catch?”
“So what if there is? Do we have a choice but to take it? Do you dare to fail the Lord’s orders? Without the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood, we’d have to go back to kidnapping people. Dammit, where are we going to find that many people to snatch? No matter how messy the Lower District gets, it’s still right under the Emperor’s nose!”
Lorenzo picked up the red wine the waiter had brought in, glanced at the label, and couldn't help but sneer.
“Red wine from the Locke Winery. Hmph, exactly the kind of crap those Great Nobles love.”
“The rumor that the tycoon behind the black market is actually a powerful noble from Belland... is it true?” the confidant asked, trembling slightly.
“A rumor? It’s not a rumor; it’s an open secret everyone agrees on. To be able to protect the black market during the previous purge, if that boss doesn't have 'Count,' 'Marquis,' or 'Duke' in front of his name, even the rats in the gutter wouldn't believe it.”
Lorenzo crudely popped the cork, tilted his head back to gulp down several mouthfuls, and then slammed the bottle down. He cursed, “Dammit, it’s sour and bitter. I don't know what’s so good about this sissy wine. I heard it sells for two hundred thousand a bottle? Shit, for two hundred thousand, I could get a sexy woman with a thin waist, long legs, and big tits until I’m sick of her!”
He flopped back onto the sofa, watching the prices in the hall rise at a snail's crawl. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest, his expression shifting between light and shadow. He continued, “So, even if that boss really has some scheme or agenda, we’re helpless to stop it. We must secure the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood this time!”
“Don't worry, Boss. Like that guy said, since they didn't announce the Dragon Heart Blood in advance, the people at this auction are likely just small fry. How could they possibly compete with the Red Fire Gang?”
“Hmph, true enough.”
Lorenzo gave a disdainful smirk, then slapped his confidant upside the head.
“What are you standing there for? That slut is already swinging her gavel! Place the bid!”
“Oh! Right!”
The confidant scrambled to grab the number paddle, but as he held it, he hesitated and looked back.
“Uh, Boss, how much should I bid?”
“What’s the current bid?”
“Seven point five million.”
“Seven point five million...”
Lorenzo rubbed his chin and grinned.
“In that case, let’s make things interesting.
“Bid ten million directly. Let those country bumpkins see what real money looks like!”
*
“It feels... so cheap.”
Watching the people below call out their bids, Muen couldn't help but feel the nagging suspicion that it might be a fake.
Ten whole drops of Ancient Dragon Heart Blood for just a few million? Could such a good deal really exist in this world?
Shouldn't items at an auction carry a premium?
Unless it was a treasure that even the auction house couldn't identify, how could anyone expect to find a bargain like this?
“And thinking about it carefully, the fact that Ancient Dragon Heart Blood appeared at an auction of this level without any prior notice is strange in itself.”
Once the initial excitement faded, Muen gradually calmed down.
The most expensive item previously auctioned was the set of ten Magic Armors, which sold for three million.
But compared to the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood, that was still the difference between heaven and earth.
Even if the auction house wanted a "red flower" to stand out, these "green leaves" were far too pathetic.
Besides, was the house really sure that this crowd of paupers—who trembled at the thought of spending a few hundred thousand—could even appreciate such a thing?
Muen looked down at the hall. Through the special vantage point of the private booth, he noticed many gazes scanning the room, tracking the people making the bids.
Like paparazzi stalking a celebrity, they were determined to catch a glimpse of the true faces behind the disguises.
“As expected of the black market,” Muen muttered, rubbing his chin with a smile.
Compared to the invisible clashes within the auction hall, the real show would likely begin after the auction ended.
“In that case, to be safe, I can't bid on the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood directly.”
Although money wasn't an issue, he was only one person. If he were targeted by so many people, it would be extremely dangerous. It wasn't worth risking his life for something that could be bought with money.
“But... watching someone else get such a steal makes me feel a bit annoyed.”
Muen suddenly flashed a wicked grin.
Seeing someone else make money feels worse than losing it myself.jpg
“Well then, I suppose I have to stir the pot a little.”
*
“Ten million! Guest Number One from the secret booth has bid ten million!”
Miss Fairy’s seductive voice, amplified by a magic device, echoed through the hall, reigniting the cooling atmosphere.
Everyone gasped in unison. They thought to themselves that this "Number One" big shot was absolutely formidable—to raise the price by two and a half million in one go!
That was two and a half Tears of True Love!
Their curious gazes shifted toward the booth, wondering which tycoon was so wealthy. It had to be a person of significant status.
However, the dark one-way glass blocked all prying eyes, leaving them with nothing but limited speculation.
“Guest Number One bids ten million. Are there any further bids?”
Miss Fairy scanned the room, only to find that the excitement was fleeting. Or rather, this kind of excitement—which didn't stem from the item itself—was useless.
On the contrary, most people were intimidated by this display of "nouveau riche" power and didn't even dare to call out a price.
“Is that all?”
Miss Fairy bit her lip, feeling a sense of frustration.
Although the Boss had instructed her before the auction that the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood didn't need to sell for a high price, as a professional auctioneer, seeing an item sell for below market value was unbearable. It felt like an insult to her career.
But there was nothing she could do.
She knew this auction had been specifically set up for a certain transaction. By handing out flyers on the street, how could they possibly attract truly powerful clients?
She had the will, but not the means.
Miss Fairy sighed and raised her gavel.
“Ten million, going once...”
“Ten million, going twice...”
“Ten million, go—”
“Wait.”
Just as the gavel was about to fall, a familiar voice—one that made her heart flutter slightly, a voice filled with aristocratic arrogance and the sheer confidence of the obscenely wealthy—rang out across the auction hall once more.
“Number Eighty-Eight bids...”