Getting Drunk

The bidding price for the mobile phone initially rose quite rapidly, but as it neared five hundred thousand, the momentum began to slow.

After all, no one present was foolish.
They didn’t even know the specific contents of the item, let alone the fact that the phone was password-protected.
What if it couldn’t be cracked, or if cracking it yielded no useful information?
Wouldn’t hundreds of thousands of coins simply be thrown away?

Even a gambler would weigh the odds when the potential returns didn’t justify the cost.

Soon, the phone’s price settled at four hundred ninety thousand.
The hostess looked around, hoping to push the price higher, as it concerned her performance and year-end bonus.

“Four hundred ninety thousand. Does anyone have a higher bid?”

“Five hundred thousand!”

Seeing no one else vying for it, Ren Daozhen, with tears in his eyes, called out five hundred thousand.
This amount was enough for him to buy dozens of tri-fold phones back on Earth.

“This guest has bid five hundred thousand. Any higher?”

The hostess continued to ask.
The hall fell silent.
Seeing no further bids, the hostess wasn’t too disheartened; this price already far exceeded their estimates, making it a decent conclusion.

“Six hundred thousand!”

However, just as the hostess prepared to strike her gavel, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

A cool, clear voice emanated from a private box on a higher floor.
The layout of the private boxes in this auction house was straightforward: the higher the box, the more distinguished the occupant’s status.

The owner of this voice was clearly a noble of considerable standing.
However, to protect client privacy, there were no labels or emblems outside the boxes, making it impossible to ascertain their specific identity.

“Which lowlife! Are you trying to pick a fight?”

Ren Daozhen looked up towards the high-level box, but he couldn’t pinpoint their exact location.
Even the voice had been specially processed, though he could still faintly discern it belonged to a young woman.

“Seven hundred thousand! This young master isn’t short on money right now. Do you think I’m afraid of you?”

Ren Daozhen shouted, a hint of defiance in his tone.

“Eight hundred thousand!”

The other party was equally decisive, immediately adding another hundred thousand.

“One million! Go on, if you dare to follow! Let me tell you, you lowlife, only I can use this thing. For you, it’s just a piece of scrap metal. This young master is giving you a friendly warning, so you’d best believe me!”

“Two million! You say only you can use it? What arrogance! I refuse to believe it. If you have the guts, keep bidding!”

The other person seemed to have lost their temper, and thus, they directly shouted back and forth with Ren Daozhen across the hall.

“My good intentions are being taken for granted. If you don’t listen to good advice, you’ll regret it. Three million! If you dare to compete with this young master again, I’ll withdraw. Don’t come crying later!”

“No need for your concern. I have nothing else but money. A mere five million is well within my means.”

“What’s so great about having money? Who do you think gave you that money? It’s your parents, not your own! Six million! Bid or don’t! If your parents find out you’re spending so much on a useless piece of metal, be careful, they might break your legs!”

“Crude. I can’t be bothered to waste words with you. Seven million. Do you dare to follow?”

“My lady, your temper is truly stubborn, insisting on arguing with me. I’m starting to wonder if you’ve fallen for me. Eight million! That’s it!”

“How dare you! A mere… Hmph, don’t stop me, you all…”

Seemingly enraged by Ren Daozhen, the woman wanted to continue bidding, but she appeared to be restrained by her companions, falling silent all at once.

For a moment, the venue plunged into silence once more.

“Hey, referee! Uh, no, hostess! What are you standing there for? Announce the price!”

“Oh! Eight million once! Eight million twice! Eight million thrice! Sold! Congratulations to this guest for winning this item!”

As the hostess’s gavel struck down with a heavy thud, the mobile phone finally returned to Ren Daozhen’s possession.

A thunderous applause immediately erupted in the hall, especially from the adventurers below, who enthusiastically gave Ren Daozhen thumbs-up and whistled in appreciation.

These adventurers had long been displeased with the arrogant and haughty nobles.
To witness someone daring to challenge a noble in such a setting naturally filled them with admiration.

Ren Daozhen, too, basked in the praises and cheers of the crowd, tears of excitement welling in his eyes.

‘Wuwuwuwu… Eight million… That’s eight million! My brain must be fried… How did I get so carried away…? All this money was earned with my blood and sweat, stroke by stroke… Though it was much easier than manual labor… it’s still money!’

With his heart bleeding, Ren Daozhen sat back on the sofa, wanting to cry but finding no tears.
He looked utterly burnt out.

As for the subsequent auctions, Ren Daozhen had lost all interest in listening.
He had already acquired the natural potion and the phone, and his funds were almost entirely depleted; there was nothing left for him to buy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the next item, I believe, has been long awaited by many of our esteemed guests.”

The crystal platform holding the items suddenly split in two, and a large box shrouded in black cloth slowly ascended.
A faint fragrance permeated the entire hall, even causing the dispirited Ren Daozhen to brighten, involuntarily looking towards the center of the venue.

As the hostess dramatically pulled back the black cloth, the object within the box was revealed to all eyes: a young girl.

Evidently, this auction was for a s*ave girl, and not just any ordinary s*ave.

The girl appeared young, around fourteen or fifteen years old, yet her figure was astonishingly well-developed.

Most strikingly, she had a head of brilliant golden hair and pointed ears, radiating a gentle aura.

However, upon her head sprouted a pair of silver horns, and on her lower back, near her navel, were a pair of small, bat-like wings, pressed tightly against her skin.

Her eyes and mouth were covered by black cloth, and her hands, feet, and neck were all bound by chains.

The girl cowered in the corner, trembling. Though her expression was hidden, her delicate appearance alone, combined with her captivating beauty, was enough to mesmerize countless onlookers.

Immediately, the atmosphere in the entire hall grew tense. Countless scorching gazes swept over the young girl, and a commotion rippled through the crowd below. Some were so eager they looked as if they wanted to rush onto the stage and claim her for themselves.

Even Ren Daozhen’s eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like a bull in rut, his vision filled only with the delicate and enchanting girl. A single thought consumed his mind: he had to buy her, no matter the cost!

“Calm down! Don’t let her enchant you.”

Just as Ren Daozhen was about to lose all reason, a basin of cold water seemed to be directly splashed over him, drenching him completely. Ciel’s cool, clear voice then resonated.