Inside the glass cage, trapped like a rare specimen, was a person. A woman. A breathtakingly beautiful woman.
Her features were exquisite; her figure was slightly voluptuous yet undeniably alluring. But what stood out the most were her eyes. They were a mesmerizing blend of seduction and authority, a contradiction of panic and indifference. She had a natural charm that one couldn’t explain but only feel.
Her curves flickered in and out of sight in a sheer, translucent gown. This style that was half-revealing, half-concealing was far more tantalizing than outright nudity. She looked like a golden canary trapped in a cage.
But Li Xiaofei wasn’t shocked just because the auction had taken a turn toward selling living humans. It was because he knew this woman. She was Fan Lingling, a legendary actress from over five hundred years ago, back when he still lived in the peaceful era.
She was a famous celebrity of Great Xia, who had once dazzled Earth’s entertainment scene. She was from his timeline. A chill ran down Li Xiaofei’s spine, followed by a volcanic surge of rage.
Bastards. It’s bad enough that they are smuggling animals from his era, but now they are treating humans as merchandise?
Although Li Xiaofei had never been a devoted fan, he had once admired her beauty from afar. Seeing her here, in this state, stirred an unshakable sense of kinship. A tragic recognition between two lost souls from the same world.
"This is a renowned actress from Base Planet 1818," Xia Mengxi introduced with a charming smile. "She was a household name on her planet, famous for her stunning beauty and delicate, flawless physique. With countless admirers, she has already been granted legal residency..."
Her voice remained graceful and professional as she continued, "The starting bid is 2,500 kilograms of celestial jade, with a minimum increment of 250 kilograms per bid."
The VIP booths around the auction hall erupted in a frenzy of bidding. The competition escalated rapidly, reaching a fever pitch.
Li Xiaofei frowned and thought to himself, Logically speaking, no matter how beautiful a low-level lifeform is, it shouldn't be worth such an exorbitant price. Why are these powerful elites so desperate to win the bid?
He turned to Huang Dinggou to voice his confusion.
"Boss, these days, a lot of powerful and wealthy people have... twisted tastes," Huang Dinggou quietly explained, "They’re obsessed with exotic goods, always chasing that authentic experience. These smuggled low-level humans from Base Planets aren’t protected by Chongque City's laws. Once they’re purchased, the Inner Division won’t intervene even if they’re forced into deadly games or played to death."
If Huang Dinggou had hoped that explaining things would help, he couldn’t have been more wrong. The moment Li Xiaofei heard those words, his rage exploded to new heights.
Motherfuckers. They already treated Earth as a recruitment pool. They already stripped Earth of resources. They already turned Earth into a training ground for bloodshed. But now? Now, they are auctioning Earth’s people as playthings? What kind of monstrous bastards are these?!
Fury boiling over, Li Xiaofei shot to his feet.
"25,000 kilograms of celestial jade," said Li Xiaofei, placing an outrageous bid.
It was an insane move. Countless eyes turned toward him in an instant. Li Xiaofei let out a cold, sinister laugh, sweeping his gaze across the room.
"This woman has a perfect fertility rating and exceptional beauty. She’s an ideal candidate to bear heirs for my Li family. I hope everyone here will show me some respect and not make things difficult for me, Li Qingchen."
That name had been making waves across Chongque City recently, and was still burning hot in public discourse. Kidnapping the young princess of the Fengyu Merchant Guild. Beating Nangong Longjian to death.
These two incidents alone had turned an otherwise fallen noble from a once-prominent family, previously infamous for his eccentricity, into a notable figure in the city's underworld. After a brief moment of hesitation, many attendees withdrew from the bidding war.
Over at Booth 22, Cao Shaoang chuckled, raising his wine glass and offering a distant salute in Li Xiaofei’s direction. He said, "Alright. This woman is yours."
Li Xiaofei gave a slight nod. In the end, Li Xiaofei successfully won the bid for the celebrity surnamed Fan for 25,000 kilograms of celestial jade.
Huang Dinggou could only groan internally.
My lord... If this is what you are into, there are plenty of other ways to satisfy such urges. There is absolutely no need to spend such an astronomical amount. And worst of all... how the hell is he supposed to get this reimbursed by the gang?
But Li Xiaofei said nothing. He simply sat quietly in his booth and sipped water. There was an old saying. The more wine you drink, the warmer you feel. The more water you drink, the colder you become. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Right now, Li Xiaofei needed this ice-cold water to calm himself down and think things through. He wondered whether his overbearing purchase of Miss Fan would attract the attention of Eden, the mysterious faction lurking in the shadows.
After careful consideration, he arrived at a conclusion. No. His public persona was that of a lustful predator. Not only was Miss Fan’s appearance and physique stunningly beautiful, she was also seemingly fertile. She perfectly matched the type of prey he had always pursued.
Moments later, a barefoot Miss Fan, dressed in a sheer, lightweight veil, was delivered to Li Xiaofei’s booth. Her star-like eyes struggled to conceal her panic. Yet, years of experience had trained her well. She forced herself to remain calm, maintaining a facade of composure.
She carefully examined the man before her, her new ‘master’, who clearly held significant influence in this strange city. She had already begun considering how to use her natural advantages to win his favor, securing his protection and avoiding an even worse fate.
At the same time, Li Xiaofei was also studying Miss Fan. To be honest, seeing a living, breathing version of a celebrity who had once seemed untouchable was an incredibly surreal experience. One thing immediately stood out— her skin.
Even compared to the polished images from magazines and television back in his previous life, her complexion was even more flawless in person. It was as smooth as jade, and her eyes twinkled like stars.
Did she undergo advanced medical aesthetics?
Li Xiaofei speculated that the auction house must have used some special techniques to refine her appearance, repairing even the smallest imperfections so that she appeared perfect without the need for makeup.
After all, in this world, Great Dao cultivation techniques applied to beauty treatments were practically a cheat code compared to conventional cosmetic technology.
"Sit," Li Xiaofei said indifferently. Turning to Huang Dinggou, he added, "Go find her some proper clothes to wear."
Huang Dinggou hurried off to carry out the order. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
"Thank you, Master," said Miss Fan. Her voice was gentle and obedient, her demeanor as harmless as a little white rabbit.
It had been a month since she was kidnapped. But to her, this month felt like an entire lifetime. It was as if she had been reborn into a world of madness. She had witnessed too many impossible things. There was no doubt in her mind now that she was on an alien planet. The only silver lining? The aliens looked exactly like humans. Even their language was identical to Earth’s.
Li Xiaofei had a hundred questions he wanted to ask her. But this wasn’t the time or place.
Suppressing his curiosity, he simply said, "There’s food and drinks here. Help yourself. But don’t eat too much, or you won’t be able to digest it."
"Thank you," she replied.
Miss Fan was, indeed, starving.
Just then, the next auction item appeared. It was another human. But this time, it was a man. A young man, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with delicate, pale skin and an expression filled with fear and confusion.
He wore an imperial yellow dragon robe, and he had a royal emperor’s crown atop his head. He trembled uncontrollably inside the glass container.
"This is a king from the feudal era of Base Planet 1920. He is the second emperor of the Zhu dynasty from the Great Ming Empire," Xia Mengxi introduced smoothly, her voice professional and composed. "The starting bid is 2,500 kilograms of celestial jade, with a minimum increment of 100 kilograms per bid."
People immediately began placing bids. Meanwhile, a dark shadow spread across Li Xiaofei’s face. His fists clenched under the table as a storm of rage burned inside him.
This is... Zhu Yunwen. The second emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the legendary ruler who had mysteriously disappeared from history. And now? He is nothing more than a product, an item to be sold to the highest bidder. Unforgivable.
Li Xiaofei’s grip tightened.