"And now for our final auction item!"
The auctioneer's impassioned voice rang out through the underground auction house. The entire venue was plunged into darkness. A moment later, a spotlight flared to life, illuminating the stage. Upon it stood a massive cage, shrouded by a black cloth.
Instantly, all eyes were drawn to the massive cage at the center of the stage. Every single person stared with either an air of absolute determination or a look of playful, speculative curiosity about what lay within.
All but one.
"Jace, it's the final item. Aren't you going to see what it is before you leave?" In the auction house's primary VIP section, a man in a white suit saw the cold, imposing man beside him—clad in a black trench coat and wearing a mask—stand up to go. He spat out his chewing gum and scrambled to his feet to stop him.
"Not interested." The man was as aloof as ever.
He already had what he came for; nothing else here could hold his attention.
"I'm sure all you esteemed patrons know the rules of our house," the auctioneer announced, raising a hand. "As is tradition, we'll unveil the item before opening the bidding. The starting price for this final piece is—one hundred and fifty million!"
One hundred and fifty million was no small sum. The most valuable piece sold so far today had only gone for five hundred million.
The black cloth over the cage was slowly drawn away. The crowd, abuzz with curiosity over what final treasure could possibly command such a starting price, watched as the item was revealed. Lying inside the cage was a girl, clad in silk pajamas.
The girl's eyes were shut tight; she was as still and quiet as a docile kitten. Her delicate features formed a face of breathtaking beauty. A camera zoomed in, projecting her exquisite face onto the massive screen—not a single flaw could be seen. Only the unnatural, feverish flush of her cheeks and her slightly furrowed brow hinted at her true condition.
She was beautiful—a beauty that ignited a man's desire to conquer.
And every man who could set foot in this place had money to burn.
"One hundred and eighty million!"
Before the auctioneer could even offer an introduction, someone had already raised the bid by thirty million.
"Two hundred and forty million!" another man shouted.
"Two hundred and fifty million!"
"Three hundred million!"
"Three hundred and thirty million!"
...
The price climbed relentlessly. The wealthy patrons in the VIP booths, in particular, seemed driven by a desire to outdo one another. The auctioneer, his eyes gleaming, spoke into the microphone, "Three hundred and thirty million! Do I hear more? Anyone willing to go higher than three hundred and thirty million?"
"Alright, three hundred and thirty million, going…"
"One billion!"
Just then, a voice rang out—cold, imperious, and imbued with a nobility that no one dared defy. Instantly, the entire auction house fell silent. Even the auctioneer on stage was too stunned to speak.
"Jace, you…"
The man in the white suit whipped his head around, so stunned he accidentally swallowed the piece of gum he'd just popped into his mouth. He couldn't believe it. He never imagined the man who was always so resolute would change his mind—not only coming back to the booth after having left, but also bidding such an astronomical price for the girl in the cage.
The girl in the cage was beautiful, sure, but… one billion!!!
That was one billion, not ten bucks!
"Alright, one billion, going once!"
"One billion, going twice!"
"Is there any bid higher than one billion?"
The auctioneer snapped back to his senses, repeating the question twice more as a matter of formality. Knowing it was futile, he wasted no more time. With a decisive CRACK of the gavel, he announced, "Alright! One billion! This final auction item is sold to the gentleman in primary VIP booth number ten!"