Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Forest Capital, Part Five

Shortly after nine o’clock, the auction began. The auctioneer was unexpectedly a young woman, strikingly beautiful and dressed in a rather alluring manner, holding a gavel and standing with the items atop the stage.

She held a box in her hands—presumably the coveted object everyone had come for.

“Thank you very much to all our guests for coming today. I know you’re all here for a reason, so I’ll skip the formalities and start the auction,” she said in a captivating, mature voice that was remarkably pleasant to the ear. Such a voice could truly draw people in.

Many of the young men present seemed utterly enthralled by her; it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into selecting the host for this auction.

Someone arrived late—three people, in fact, and they were familiar faces. Mo Fan bowed to the crowd and smiled, “Sorry, I’m late.”

Han and the Flower Thief sauntered in with an air of nonchalance, completely unbothered by the attention of everyone present.

The seats at the front appeared to have been reserved especially for the three of them, so they took their places directly. As they entered, they caught sight of Mo Lan and Qian Yin, their gazes drifting repeatedly in that direction.

Although the other guests were surprised by the arrival, they didn’t pay much mind to these three young men, keeping their eyes fixed on the woman on stage.

Mo Lan eyed them, daring to show up so openly. The boss hadn’t come—she had expected to encounter them here. But what exactly did they intend to bid for?

Noticing the shift in atmosphere, the lovely auctioneer smiled and continued, “The first item up for auction is Boss Jin’s Jade Scallop. Starting bid: two million.”

Boss Jin—who would have thought the first item would be the cold-blooded designer’s scallop? Was it really so cheap, or was this intended as an opening surprise, a small thrill before the main event?

A man in a suit brought a box and set it on the table. The woman gently opened it, revealing the lifelike jade scallop. Its design and carving were flawless; at just over two million, the price was a bargain.

“Two point one million,” Boss Wang called out loudly, evidently eager to win favor with Boss Jin. He made sure to be the first to bid, shouting enthusiastically.

Boss Jin didn’t so much as glance at him, sitting quietly with closed eyes; he wasn’t interested in this item and hadn’t even brought cash—he had no intention of bidding tonight.

“Three million,” Mo Lan raised the stakes, bidding directly. It was beautiful enough; if the other party didn’t buy, she would. If they did, she would drive the price higher. Her aim was to give Boss Wang a hard time, making him spend without gaining any benefit.

Boss Jin opened his eyes and glanced at Mo Lan but said nothing, letting her play her game. Qian Yin quietly observed, holding Coldblood’s hand, uninterested in joining in. Since Mo Lan wanted to play, she’d let her have her fun.

Though the jade scallop was exquisite, the others refrained from bidding—their true prize lay elsewhere. The bid had jumped by a million right from the start; few could afford it, so they watched from the sidelines, enjoying the show.

Boss Wang glared angrily at Mo Lan. He hadn’t even settled scores with them yet, and now she dared to challenge him. Even if he didn’t buy, he’d make sure they paid.

“Four million,” Boss Wang stood, holding his paddle high, clearly ready for a showdown.

Mo Lan suppressed a smile—this monkey was taking the bait. She spoke softly, “Five million.”

“Six million.”

“Ten million,” Mo Lan went straight for the top. She had no intention of dragging it out; she could easily raise the price, and she certainly wasn’t short of money.

Boss Wang hesitated at the sum—it was well beyond his budget. He’d only intended to spend a few million to curry favor with Boss Jin, never expecting to spend ten million.

Meanwhile, An Feng watched Han closely, but Han didn’t spare him a glance. Han was focused on Qian Yin and the two hands entwined together. It was an eyesore; he wanted nothing more than to go over and separate them.

The Flower Thief watched the bidding war with interest. He didn’t know what was happening, but Mo Lan, fierce and adorable, caught his eye.

“No more bids?” The alluring auctioneer asked again.

Boss Wang couldn’t back down after his own bid; he declared, “Twelve million.” If the price went any higher, he’d have to give up—it was already over budget.

Mo Lan sensed it was enough and ceased bidding. After a minute with no further bids, the woman raised her gavel and struck, “Twelve million, going once.”

She scanned the room, slightly disappointed—the price hadn’t reached her expectations. The higher the bids, the more commission she’d earn.

“Twelve million, going thrice.” She skipped the second call. Though it wasn’t strictly by the book, no one seemed to mind.

The reporters on site began their live broadcast. Many watched this grand auction from afar; the guests present were all people of some status, and outsiders could only look on, not participate.

Several subsequent items failed to stir much interest among the crowd, resulting in lower prices. The auctioneer grew impatient—none of these goods could fetch high bids, so she briskly auctioned them off and finally reached the climax.

“At last, we come to the thrilling moment,” the auctioneer announced with excitement. Someone brought another box to the stage; she opened it, revealing a dazzling array of radiant colors, flickering intermittently, distant and dreamlike.

A collective gasp rose from the audience. It was the legendary “Rainbow Light Jade”—such a precious gem, how could it appear so casually here? Which magnate had put it up for auction?

“Oh heavens, I must win it!” Someone blurted out boldly. Instantly, all eyes turned to him, as if saying, “If you dare buy it, I dare take it from you.”

The man quickly pressed his lips together and fell silent. Qian Yin, too, wanted to win it. Though Boss Jin had many treasures, something so rare wasn’t worth asking him for. She still hadn’t returned the obsidian to Boss Jin and had already taken so much from him.

The auctioneer sensed the excitement finally igniting; she knew the price would not be low. She glanced at the card, then announced with fervor, “Starting bid: twenty billion.”

Many in the room were stunned by the price—though they’d expected something expensive, this was beyond imagination.