Many people attended auctions hoping to score a hidden gem. There was always the chance of stumbling upon something valuable that others didn’t recognize at these regularly scheduled auctions. If you happened to know its worth, winning the bid could mean a tidy profit.
Of course, scenarios like that were mostly the stuff of storybooks and serialized tales. In reality, everyone could recognize a good item. Picking up a hidden treasure wasn’t nearly as easy as it sounded. More often than not, when you thought you had gotten a steal, you might’ve actually walked straight into someone else’s trap.
Li Xiaofei sat on a spacious sofa with his legs crossed, waiting for the auction to begin. He had faintly sensed a familiar presence moments ago and had a few guesses already.
Soon, the hall that was large enough to seat over two hundred people, was completely filled. All kinds of individuals were present, but the majority were still soldiers. After all, Starblossom City had always been a military stronghold; its very foundation was rooted in strategic concerns. Official source is novelFirｅ.net
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s auction has officially begun. We have sixty-seven lots in total, each one carefully curated by our Starblossom Auction House...”
An elderly bald man with white eyebrows began the introduction on stage. His assistant was a long-legged woman in black stockings whose beauty could hold her own anywhere.
The auction items varied widely. There were weapons, pills, spirit herbs, cultivation techniques, star route maps, star beast cubs, high-grade star beast blood, technological inventions, and even bones from high-stage Reapers.
With twenty million in funds, Li Xiaofei bought whatever caught his interest. One item he was interested in was a plant known as Everlasting Spring Grass, said to have rejuvenating properties. He didn’t hesitate to bid on it.
By the time the twentieth item came up, Li Xiaofei’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
A star magnetic cage was pushed onto the stage and the curtain pulled back, revealing the creature imprisoned inside. It was a dog. A black dog. The entire hall instantly erupted into a commotion.
“Everyone, please hear me out first,” the elderly auctioneer raised his voice and declared, “This dog may appear ordinary, but it is far from it. It is the only living creature in the past fifty years to have walked out of the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone alive. It was wounded, which is the only reason we were able to capture it. Starting bid is five million kgs of celestial jade.”
The uproar in the hall grew even louder. It was nothing more than a miracle to have survived the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone. And more astonishingly, it was a dog.
What could a dog do? It could navigate paths. It could track and trace scents. If someone managed to buy this dog, they might just be able to venture into the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone themselves.
It was said that while the forbidden zone was perilous beyond measure, it also contained hidden realms brimming with resources. If one took one big risk to strike it rich, they will have enough to live worry-free for the rest of one’s life.
As a result, many in the crowd began eyeing the dog with a newfound heat in their gazes. But when the actual bidding started, there were surprisingly few who raised their hands. Because no matter how tempting those hidden realms sounded, who would really tie their life to their belt and wager everything on such an uncertain future?
Li Xiaofei scanned the room. Only four people were bidding, and the competition between them was fierce.
One was a bearded mercenary-looking man, while the second was a striking red-haired woman clad in dark crimson soft leather armor. The third was a thin young man wearing a mask that obscured his face. The last was a man with a raspy voice, filthy and disheveled from head to toe, his matted hair covering his face. He looked like a beggar who hadn’t eaten, bathed, or left the sewers in over ten days.
Very quickly, the bidding for the black dog reached eight million kgs of celestial jade. That price had already surpassed any reasonable valuation. The filthy, raspy-voiced man was the most aggressive bidder. No matter what price others offered, he would always add exactly fifty kgs of celestial jade on top.
“Damn it, are you just trying to pick a fight?” The bearded mercenary cursed aloud.
The raspy man said nothing and remained completely still. The first to back out was the striking red-haired woman. Next, the thin man with the purple compound-eye mask also withdrew from the bidding, at least for now.
When the bearded mercenary raised the price to ten and a half million kgs of celestial jade, the filthy man followed up with another fifty, prompting the former to spring to his feet and glare at him with blade-like eyes. Security personnel at the auction immediately rushed over to calm the two down.
Li Xiaofei chuckled softly and slowly raised his paddle, saying, “Twelve and a half million.”
Gasps swept through the entire hall. Many people looked at Li Xiaofei like he had completely lost his mind.
At twelve and a half million, the price had clearly already exceeded the dog’s actual value. It was clear the bearded mercenary was simply caught up in a bidding war with the raspy man.
Realistically, the dog wasn’t worth more than a half a million kgs. Its price had been inflated to five million solely because it had survived the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone, but now... Even the bearded mercenary was stunned.
The raspy man was silent for a long moment before he spoke with difficulty, “Add... fifty.”
Li Xiaofei didn’t hesitate and said, “Fifteen million kgs.”
A collective gasp echoed once again. The bearded man stared at Li Xiaofei as if looking at a fool cursed by heaven. The raspy man also turned to stare at Li Xiaofei.
His eyes shone with a strange, inexplicable light beneath his tangled, crusted hair. He could no longer raise the bid. This was beyond his absolute limit. Let alone another fifty kgs, he couldn't afford even half a kg more.
“Sold!” The elderly auctioneer brought the gavel down excitedly. Even he hadn’t expected that a dog would end up being his biggest sale of the night.
Soon after, the comatose black dog was delivered to Li Xiaofei. The female assistant approached with a cheerful smile and reminded him, “Honored guest, do be careful. It’s quite vicious.”
Li Xiaofei picked up the black dog in his arms. There was no doubt about it. It was Black Emperor. This little guy had followed Brother Dog to the Star Battlefield, intending to join the war effort. But somehow, it had ended up here, reduced to nothing more than an auction item.
Li Xiaofei carefully sensed its condition. There were some injuries within the dog’s body, but nothing too serious. It was likely under the effects of a powerful sedative, which explained the dormant state. In fact, this state might even be beneficial for its recovery.
After settling the payment, Li Xiaofei carried the small black dog and headed straight for the exit. Just as he stepped outside—
“Friend, please wait.” A voice called out behind him. It was the bearded mercenary.
Li Xiaofei turned back and looked at him.
The bearded man forced a smile that appeared friendly. He said, “Friend, are you also planning to explore the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone?”
Li Xiaofei replied coolly, “No comment.”
“Friend, to be honest with you, our Mythic Mercenary Group is also preparing to explore the area. That black dog is... very important to us,” the bearded mercenary stepped a little closer as he spoke.
Li Xiaofei cut him off directly and asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
"Why don’t we work together?" The bearded mercenary suggested, "You have the black dog, and we can provide experts and exploration equipment. We’re also willing to share information we’ve gathered about the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. I don’t see why you’d refuse."
Li Xiaofei gave it a moment’s thought before replying, "I’ll consider it. I’ll contact you later."
The bearded man left him with a way to reach out. As expected, the striking red-haired woman and the thin man with the purple compound-eye mask also approached him not long after, each expressing their desire to collaborate and handing over their contact details.
Li Xiaofei exited Cloudtop Brocade City and stepped onto the street. He sent messages to the old Chancellor and Song Yu, informing them that he planned to return to the hotel.
As he walked, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"You’ve been following me for quite a while now. Is there something you need?" Li Xiaofei stood still and asked calmly.