A Formidable Challenge

“The auction will continue.”

Three minutes later, Miss Fairy precisely restarted the auction. The auction house seemed to have taken no action against bidder number eighty-eight, yet Lorenzo once again crushed the armrest of his sofa.

“What’s happening? Does that bumpkin truly have the money to keep going?”

He turned to his confidant beside him. “Can you ascertain his identity?”

“That… I’m afraid not.”

The confidant shook his head, a bitter expression on his face. “After all, this is a black market auction. No one’s identity is verified upon entry. Unless we can drag him out of his private box and see his face, it’s virtually impossible.”

“Useless!”

Lorenzo cursed, his face turning ashen.

He had initially believed he’d found a massive loophole, expecting to acquire ancient dragon heart’s blood worth tens of millions for a mere eight or nine million. Yet, a meddling bumpkin had suddenly appeared, throwing all his plans into disarray.

He had intended to use the anticipated savings from this acquisition to purchase a large batch of new equipment, thereby bolstering the strength of the Crimson Flame Gang!

Lorenzo’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are those two previous groups being watched closely?”

“They are!”

The confidant stiffened, his voice serious. “Personnel have already been dispatched. There will be no mistakes!”

“Good.”

Any grievances suffered here would have to be rectified elsewhere. This was the black market, a lawless domain where even money spent didn’t guarantee ownership.

“Boss, please calm your anger,” the confidant offered comfortingly. “In truth, the current price is still far below market value. If we calculate it, we’re still making a profit. That kind of clown won’t be able to jump around for long!”

“Of course, I know that. I just can’t swallow this insult!”

Lorenzo settled back into his seat.

The estimated market price for ten drops of ancient dragon heart’s blood was around fifty million, and such rare, sought-after items typically commanded significant premiums. To be safe, he had brought a full one hundred million for this auction.

Even with the current bid at twenty million, it was still an undeniable steal.

“Continue.”

Lorenzo’s icy gaze swept toward box number eighty-eight, a sneer twisting his lips. ‘I want to see what right you have to contend with my Crimson Flame Gang’s resources!’

****

“Fifty million!”

“Fifty million… and one thousand.”

“Bastard!”

Ten minutes later, after dozens more rounds of ‘fierce’ bidding, Lorenzo, despite his disdain for the bumpkin, could no longer remain seated.

Fifty million!

The bid had already reached fifty million!

That damned bidder was still raising the price by a mere one thousand each time, challenging him!

He had expected the person in box eighty-eight to retreat once the price escalated. Instead, they had matched him all the way to fifty million.

There was no profit left now. And judging by the relaxed tone from box number eighty-eight, the bidder still seemed to have reserves!

Who knew how much higher they would go?

‘Could they genuinely want the ancient dragon heart’s blood, rather than simply inflating the price?’

Lorenzo’s mind raced. The more enraged he became, the calmer his thoughts grew. Having come this far, the ancient dragon heart’s blood could not be lost.

He rose and deactivated the sound-masking feature of his private box. Using his true voice, he spoke solemnly toward box number eighty-eight: “To the gentleman in box number eighty-eight, how about we become friends? I am Lorenzo from the Crimson Flame Gang in the Lower District. This ancient dragon heart’s blood is extremely important to me. I hope you can part with it, and I assure you a generous reward in the future.”

“Crimson Flame Gang?”

“Lorenzo?”

His declaration caused the audience, who had been lulled into drowsiness by the unembellished bidding, to erupt in renewed chatter.

“He’s actually attending this auction in person?”

The Crimson Flame Gang was a formidable organization, renowned throughout the Lower District of Belland. They controlled over a dozen docks, both large and small, along the Gryne River and managed several smuggling routes, accumulating immense wealth.

As the leader of the Crimson Flame Gang, Lorenzo was infamous for his ruthlessness, cunning, and malevolence. It was rumored that his influence extended even to the noble lords. Not long ago, a certain baron spoke ill of him, and the very next day, the baron’s mistress was stripped naked and found hanged beneath a bridge.

Lorenzo’s infamous reputation was such that it could silence crying children at night. Anyone operating in the Lower District typically had to show him respect.

Therefore, his words were not merely a signal of goodwill but also carried an undertone of threat.

But that was only if one ‘operated in the Lower District.’

Inside his private box, Ewan paused slightly upon hearing the name.

‘Lorenzo?’

‘Who is that?’

The Crimson Flame Gang sounded faintly familiar. It seemed to be a cannon fodder gang in the original novel, eliminated by the protagonist, Ariel, after only two chapters.

‘Are they really that formidable?’

“I apologize, but as the son of Duke Raymond, I have no desire to be friends with you,” Ewan replied, his processed, low voice echoing, still utterly nonchalant.

It was as if he truly were the son of a duke.

This time, however, the audience wasn’t shocked. Instead, low chuckles rippled through the room.

Lorenzo, too, was so infuriated that he laughed.

‘Son of Duke Raymond?’

‘You?’

‘If you’re the son of a duke, then I’m the prince!’

‘Look at where you are! This is the black market in the Lower District! It’s a place where even the great noble lords would consider it beneath their dignity to set foot!’

‘Would the son of a dignified duke come to a place like this?’

‘Are you messing with me?’

“Are you saying, then, sir, that you are determined to oppose me?”

Lorenzo glared, grinding his teeth, at box number eighty-eight. If the one-way obsidian glass hadn’t obscured his vision, his eyes alone might have killed.

“Oppose you? Where did that idea come from? I’m merely bidding normally. Are you suggesting there are restrictions on bidding in this auction house?”

Ewan then looked at Miss Fairy. “Are there?”

“Naturally, there are none. All actions by the gentleman in box number eighty-eight adhere to our auction house’s rules.”

Miss Fairy smiled alluringly. She didn’t care if the two of them fought afterward. After all, the fire wouldn’t spread to the auction house itself.

As a professional auctioneer, she only cared about the final sale price of the item.

Fifty million! Could it go even higher?

Thinking this, her gaze towards box number eighty-eight was so captivating it seemed to drip with charm.

‘Keep going, big brother in box number eighty-eight!’

“See? Even Miss Fairy agrees.”

Ewan said lightly, “Mr. Lorenzo, if you can’t secure the item, it’s simply because you’re incapable, isn’t it? How can you blame me?”

“In… capable?”

As Ewan’s seemingly casual words fell, the venue suddenly fell silent.

It was as if everyone sensed an impending storm.

No one dared to breathe, their gazes fixed reverently on box number eighty-eight.

In the Lower District, no one had ever dared to speak to Lorenzo in such a manner!

“He… said I… was incapable?”

Sure enough, in box number one, Lorenzo’s face was contorted in a ferocious grimace, his eyes bloodshot, completely consumed by rage. It was as if a sensitive nerve had been struck.

“I absolutely despise it when people say I’m incapable!”

“Today, I’ll personally show you whether I am or not!”

He snatched the bidding paddle from his confidant’s hand, and his resonant voice instantly swept through the entire auction hall.

“I bid one hundred million!”