The Cruel Bargain and the System’s Trap

“12 million once!” “12 million twice!” “12 million three times!”

The hall fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the auctioneer’s voice amplified through the microphone, circling above everyone’s heads. Since the auction began, the ambient lights had dimmed; the only illumination came from a sharp exhibition spotlight hanging directly over the “merchandise.”

The harsh white light flooded the figure below—an Alpha male, tall and powerfully built. His wheat-colored skin shimmered under the light, and dark brown hair fell messily over his brow. From Shi Ji’s vantage point, he could just make out the man’s light brown pupils and sharp jawline.

His hands were cuffed behind his back with shackles as thick as wrists. He knelt on the floor, shirtless, his taut shorts outlining the solid muscle of his thighs.

The only flaw was a jagged scar that dominated the right side of his face, covering nearly half his features. When he first appeared, the audience had cheered for his impressive physique, only to let out a collective sigh of disappointment upon seeing his face.

According to the auctioneer, he was a standard-grade Alpha of unknown origin, a fitness enthusiast suitable for work as a bodyguard or an enforcer.

“Congratulations to Lady No. 151 for successfully bidding on Item 19 for 12 million!”

The gavel fell with a decisive thud. Staff members stepped forward, grabbing the chain attached to the Alpha’s cuffs and dragging him backstage. Shi Ji watched the man; his eyes were vacant, his head hung low, following like a dog that had lost all dignity.

Before him, several others had already been treated as commodities, their entire lives defined by a price tag that was often insultingly low. Shi Ji felt a wave of inexplicable sorrow wash over him.

As the Alpha disappeared, the spotlight faded, and the auctioneer announced a brief intermission. The hall lights flickered back on, and the elegant strains of classical music resumed. Cheongsam-clad waitresses moved through the rows to refill tea, and the previously silent room grew noisy with chatter—most of it centered on the highly anticipated “Top-tier Omega” still to come.

“It seems Mr. Shi has no interest in the previous items.” Ji Shichu’s voice drifted over. Shi Ji snapped back to reality, loosening his grip on the catalog and turning his head.

Ji Shichu had a faint smile, his dark red eyes lingering on Shi Ji. “I thought Item No. 8 would have been to your liking.”

Item No. 8 had been a female Omega, beautiful and soft-spoken, who sold for 98 million—the highest price of the night so far. Shi Ji only remembered her because her watery blue eyes reminded him of Li Chen.

“Why would Mr. Ji think that?” Shi Ji arched an eyebrow.

Ji Shichu sipped his tea and smiled. “A quiet, gentle woman standing beside Mr. Shi… it would be a perfect match, wouldn’t it?”

As he spoke, he pointedly glanced at Li Chen. The youth sat with his head half-down, lashes concealing his eyes, but the gloomy aura radiating from him was palpable. Sensing the gaze, Li Chen looked up and met Ji Shichu’s eyes with a sharp, resentful glare.

Oh. It seems I’ve said the wrong thing.

Strangely, seeing the boy’s irritation made Ji Shichu feel a surge of twisted satisfaction. He curled his lips into a smile, his red pupils glinting like a demon’s. Li Chen jerked his head away, breaking eye contact.

Shi Ji ignored the subtext. He knew Ji Shichu wasn’t actually interested in his love life.

“Mr. Ji must be mistaken,” Shi Ji said coldly. “However, there is one thing I am curious about—where exactly do these ‘items’ come from?”

Ji Shichu didn’t answer immediately. He tapped his finger against the armrest, the jade ring on his thumb reflecting the light. After a long silence, he said simply, “Volunteers.”

Shi Ji was stunned. In the original novel, Ji Shichu’s father ran the auction business, but Ji Shichu had supposedly built his own empire.

“Auctioning… volunteers?” Shi Ji was skeptical.

Ji Shichu nodded. “Tell me, Mr. Shi, if you were born in poverty, had a physical defect, and were rejected by society, how would you survive? Here, they are given a price. They are fed, clothed, and ‘repurposed’.”

Shi Ji felt a chill. He thought of the Alpha with the scarred face. His expression hadn’t looked human; it looked like a glitched program on the verge of a crash. He couldn’t imagine an Alpha being so submissive unless…

Before he could ask, the lights cut out again. A single beam of light hit the center of the stage.

The final item was brought out.

Several attendants pushed a massive metal cage to the center, entwined with purple roses. Inside lay a youth dressed in translucent gauze. He had silver-white hair, and his pale wrists were shackled, the delicate skin already rubbed raw and red.

Under the spotlight, he looked almost holy. The youth shifted, sitting up slowly as the gauze slid down one shoulder. He lifted his lids, his golden-orange eyes scanning the crowd. He didn’t look afraid; he looked profoundly tragic—like a canary singing a funeral song from within its gilded cage.

This was the Top-tier Omega Shi Ji had seen in the bar a month ago.

“How is he, Mr. Shi?” Ji Shichu asked with unmistakable pride. “An artificially cultivated Top-tier Omega. One drop of their pheromones can drive a hundred Alphas into a murderous frenzy. A terrifying power, isn’t it?”

Shi Ji didn’t respond. He stared at the stage until he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Li Chen looking at him with an expression he couldn’t quite read.

The auctioneer’s voice rose to a fever pitch. “Our final item! The world’s fifteenth artificially cultivated Omega!”

The youth in the cage stood up, turning slowly. The gauze fluttered, revealing glimpses of skin. Immediately, the Alpha officer sitting to Shi Ji’s right lost his composure. His face flushed a deep red as he raised his paddle. “One hundred million!”

The room gasped. “Two hundred million!” a voice shouted from the back. “Two hundred and thirty million!” the officer countered.

The bidding escalated at a terrifying speed until it hit an astronomical 30 billion. The room went silent. No one dared follow that number.

Shi Ji looked at the Alpha officer. The man was panting, his eyes bloodshot, his hands gripping the chair so hard the fabric was tearing.

“30 billion once! 30 billion twice! 30 billion… three times!”

The gavel fell. Thud.

The Alpha officer stood up like a victor, bowing deeply to the crowd. Many looked on with indignation that a rare Top-tier Omega had been won by a mere officer, but no one moved.

The officer looked ready to storm the stage and take his prize. Even as a Beta, Shi Ji could tell the man’s pheromones were becoming unstable and aggressive. He looked back at Li Chen; the boy was pale, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The Alpha pheromones are affecting him. He can’t stay here.

“Go wait for me outside,” Shi Ji whispered.

Li Chen shook his head stubbornly. Shi Ji frowned and gestured for Yan Guangsheng to come over. Yan, never daring to disobey, half-coaxed and half-dragged the struggling youth out of the hall.

The moment they left, the Alpha officer lost all restraint and charged toward the exhibition stage. The attendants trying to wheel the cage away jumped back in fright.

“I’m not leaving without him!!” the officer roared, his eyes wild with paranoia. “You’re trying to hide him from me!”

Ji Shichu’s smile vanished. He stood up and walked toward the stage with cold authority. “Sub-lieutenant Ning, control yourself. There are protocols to follow.”

“F*ck your protocols!” the officer snarled, grabbing Ji Shichu by the collar. “I’m taking him now!”

Ji Shichu looked at the man and let out a soft scoff. He reached up and swiped the man’s hand away. It looked like a gentle movement, but the Alpha immediately let go, his face contorting in sudden, agonizing pain. Shi Ji saw the bright red finger marks left on the Alpha’s hand.

“I think you need to cool down,” Ji Shichu said, his aura suddenly terrifying. “If you touch me again, I’ll have you sedated. We keep our word here, but we don’t tolerate fools.”

The crowd began to jeer at the officer, calling for him to get off the stage. Shamed and red-faced, the officer slunk away.

The Omega was wheeled backstage, and the house lights came up. Ji Shichu walked to the microphone. “My apologies for the disturbance. We have a banquet prepared for you all. Please, enjoy yourselves.”

He walked back to Shi Ji. “Mr. Shi, my father has arranged a private box for you. Please, follow me.”

Shi Ji stepped forward, but as he did, the noise of the crowd vanished. A familiar voice rang in his head.

[Detected: Protagonist Shou and second Protagonist Gong have successfully met.] [Target: Develop the emotional line between the Protagonist Shou and the second Protagonist Gong.] [Since the host’s identity is a barrier, the System will now intervene actively.]

Shi Ji’s heart hammered. “What do you plan to do?!” he blurted out.

Ji Shichu paused, frowning. “Excuse me? What did you say, Mr. Shi?”

Shi Ji didn’t hear him. The System ignored his question.

[Plot loading successful.] [Next Task: Take the Protagonist Shou, Li Chen, to a secluded place with water, and then—] [—Push him in.]