The Curtain Falls

“I bid one hundred million!”

Lorenzo’s formidable and domineering voice swept through the auction hall, as if a true tempest had descended. Everyone instinctively held their breath, their faces etched with profound shock.

One hundred million!

A staggering one hundred million!

If converted into paper currency, it would form a veritable mountain.

Most people present had never witnessed such an immense sum in their entire lives. They knew the Lower City of Berland was teeming with sewer rats, yet even all those rats combined would likely not amount to one hundred million.

Even Miss Fairy was utterly stunned.

Naturally, she hoped the bids would climb higher and higher.

However, she never anticipated that Lorenzo would directly offer one hundred million!

She had presided over countless auctions, but never had an item broken the one-hundred-million mark.

But now, that record had been shattered!

Miss Fairy trembled with excitement, yet her beautiful eyes did not linger on Lorenzo, who had just shouted the exorbitant sum. Instead, they were fixed intently on the mysterious Box Eighty-Eight.

She knew that Lorenzo’s one-hundred-million bid wasn’t due to her skill as an auctioneer in stirring people’s hearts. It was entirely thanks to Box Eighty-Eight!

When the note reading ‘Auction Continues’ was passed to her from below the stage, she had a premonition that this person would be no ordinary individual. Now, she was eagerly anticipating whether Box Eighty-Eight would continue to raise the stakes.

Not just her, but at that moment, the gaze of everyone in the entire auction hall converged on Box Eighty-Eight, awaiting their next bid.

“So, they actually bid one hundred million?”

After a long silence, the leisurely voice finally sounded again, tinged with a hint of disappointment and regret. He sighed, “I genuinely cannot afford one hundred million. You win, Mr. Lorenzo. The Ancient Dragon Blood is yours.”

****

A murmur swept through the crowd.

Box Eighty-Eight had conceded!

This meant that the victor in the fierce competition for the Ancient Dragon Blood was ultimately Box One, Lorenzo of the Crimson Flame Gang!

“As expected of Lorenzo. Such dominance is truly awe-inspiring.”

“To casually produce one hundred million in cash, the Crimson Flame Gang’s power is not to be underestimated.”

“So, the mysterious Box Eighty-Eight still couldn’t compete?”

“Is this truly the end?”

Miss Fairy shook her head regretfully, but her face quickly brightened with a captivating, enchanting smile as she raised her auction gavel.

“I declare that the Ancient Dragon Blood will go to the guest in Box One, with a final成交价 of one hundred million!”

****

“Hahaha, you want to contend with me? You little punk, you want to contend with me?”

Inside Box One, after the dust had settled and he basked in the admiring gazes of the crowd, Lorenzo couldn’t help but laugh boisterously, hands on his hips.

Though the opaque one-way glass obscured the interior of his box, he could already imagine the infuriating Box Eighty-Eight being cowed by his kingly aura.

You dare challenge me? I have one hundred million. Do you?

You have absolutely nothing…

Doesn’t the Ancient Dragon Blood still belong to me?

Infuriating, isn’t it? Absolutely infuriating!

To be humiliated by me with one hundred million in front of so many people—isn’t that infuriating?

“You truly live up to your name, Mr. Lorenzo.”

Just as Lorenzo was overcome with excitement, Box Eighty-Eight spoke again, his tone filled with genuine admiration. “To directly bid one hundred million, it seems the fifty million I brought was far from enough.”

Hah?

Lorenzo’s laughing expression instantly froze.

The admiring gazes of the crowd also shifted.

Even Miss Fairy, who was about to offer some words of flattery to Lorenzo, nearly bit her tongue upon hearing this.

What did he say?

How much money did he bring?

Over fifty million?

Doesn’t that mean…

“Alas, I had hoped to try my luck, but now it seems I was too naive. Compared to a magnate like Mr. Lorenzo, who can casually produce one hundred million, someone like me, who has to tighten their belt just to scrape together fifty million, is simply not worth mentioning.

Indeed, there is always someone stronger, always a higher peak to reach in this world.”

Box Eighty-Eight spoke sincerely. “Thank you, Mr. Lorenzo, for helping me understand this truth.”

Thank him for what?

Thank him for being a super gullible fool?

“…” At this moment, the entire auction hall fell into an eerie silence.

Yet, everything was changing within that unspoken quiet.

The crowd felt as if this story was as thrilling as a novel. When they looked at Box One again, it was as if they were gazing at a tragic female character from a story, one who had been swindled out of both money and affection. They couldn’t help but show genuine pity.

While your grand gesture of throwing down one hundred million was indeed impressive, looking back, losing fifty million net makes you appear truly pathetic!

“You motherf*cker!”

Inside the box, Lorenzo violently lifted the sofa beneath him with one hand and slammed it against the glass in front of him.

The glass instantly shattered. Through the broken shards, the strange, pitying glances that met his eyes only fueled his rage further.

At this moment, how could he not realize he had been thoroughly played!

That Box Eighty-Eight had never intended to acquire the Ancient Dragon Blood!

He was simply there to infuriate him!

“You bastard, I’ll kill you!”

His bloodshot eyes glared at Box Eighty-Eight’s private room. He wished he could rush over right then and there to chop him into mincemeat!

He had never endured such humiliation in his entire life!

“No, Boss, you can’t make a move here!”

Fearing that Lorenzo, blinded by rage, might do something unthinkable, his confidant quickly stepped forward and tightly hugged his waist to restrain him.

“Get lost!”

Lorenzo kicked his confidant away. “I’m not that stupid!”

After all, this was the territory of the black market’s powerful backer; he wasn’t foolish enough to break the rules here.

Moreover…

Lorenzo looked down at the ordinary seats.

Though subtle, he keenly detected a genuine hint of greed in the eyes that were either pitying or gloating.

‘These wild dogs dare to covet my possessions!’

Lorenzo took a deep breath, quickly suppressing all his anger.

To rise to his position in the chaotic Lower City, he relied on more than just ruthlessness.

Those who couldn’t discern priorities wouldn’t survive long in such a place.

“Revenge can wait. First, get the Ancient Dragon Blood back.”

He swiftly strode out of the box, intending to quickly complete the transaction and leave before the fellows in the main hall could react.

Just before his figure disappeared into the dark corridor, he suddenly turned his head, looking deep into the hallway.

That infuriating private room remained tightly shut, with no movement whatsoever.

“Just you wait. This isn’t over yet.”

A cold glint flashed in Lorenzo’s eyes as he turned. “Leave two men outside to watch. Everyone else, let’s go.”

****

“Hmph, so angry?”

When the sofa flew directly out of the private room, Ewan was slightly startled.

Heaven knows, Ewan had spoken nothing but the truth.

He had originally intended to stop bidding around fifty or sixty million. After all, what if he accidentally ended up buying the Ancient Dragon Blood? Who knew the Crimson Flame Gang’s boss would be so easily provoked, directly raising the bid to one hundred million in one breath.

“I thought he’d just rush over and try to chop me up.”

Seeing that Lorenzo didn’t come seeking revenge but chose to leave instead, Ewan couldn’t help but touch his chin in surprise.

Perhaps it truly was the mark of a gang leader? Even in such a moment, his mind remained remarkably clear.

“So, is the new show about to begin?”

After Lorenzo left, many others in the main hall also quickly exited. Judging by their urgent expressions, they certainly weren’t going to throw a farewell party for Lorenzo.