togophonebook Chapter 18 Auction
Chapter 18 Auction
At the end of the passage was a heavy iron gate, flanked by four imposing guards whose gazes, like those of hawks, swept over everyone who passed by.
The guide led Lin Mo to the door and whispered a few words to the guards. One of the guards then took out a thin leather mask and a wooden plaque engraved with the number "Seven Three" and handed them to Lin Mo.
"Put this on. This is your identity inside. Remember the rules: do not inquire about others' origins, and do not engage in private fights within the black market. Violators will be killed without mercy." The guide's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
Lin Mo took the mask; it felt slightly cool to the touch and had a peculiar texture.
He put it on as instructed, and the mask automatically fit his face, revealing only his eyes and mouth, effectively concealing his appearance.
He casually tucked the wooden plaque into his pocket.
The iron gate slowly opened, and a richer, more complex odor wafted out, a mixture of medicinal fragrance, metallic rust, a faint stench of blood, and an indescribable restless atmosphere belonging to the underworld.
Behind the door was not the dark cavern of expectation, but a vast underground space. A domed ceiling, inlaid with countless luminous pearls emitting a soft white light, illuminated the entire space as bright as day. At the center of the space was a huge circular platform, surrounded by tiered seats, already occupied by many people, most wearing various masks to conceal their true identities. Further out were concentric circles of stalls separated by simple partitions, where people conversed in hushed tones, conducting various shady transactions. The noise was incessant, yet strangely controlled within certain limits, forming a muffled hum.
This is the heart of the black market in the south of Qinghe Town—the auction house and trading area.
At the guide's direction, Lin Mo found a seat at the back, close to the aisle. This position allowed him to observe the entire scene and make it easy to leave at any time. He concealed his aura and calmly scanned his surroundings. The air was filled with various subtle auras, some strong and some weak, clearly indicating that the people who had come here were from all walks of life, a mixed bag, and among them were many with profound inner strength.
"clang--"
A clear, resonant gong rang out, drowning out the noise in the arena. Everyone's spirits lifted, and their eyes turned in unison to the central platform.
A middle-aged man, dressed in a brocade robe, slightly plump, and wearing a silver mask covering the upper half of his face, stepped onto the platform. He smiled warmly, clasped his hands in greeting, and surveyed the room before speaking in a booming voice: "Friends, welcome to this auction. As usual, the highest bidder wins; payment is due, and you leave with no regrets. Now, please look at the first item!"
The auction officially began. The initial items were mostly rare medicinal herbs, fine weapons, or fragments of obscure martial arts manuals. Bidding wasn't particularly fierce, but the atmosphere was gradually building. Lin Mo patiently observed; while these items were good, they weren't his primary focus. His attention was more on sensing the powerful auras within the auction hall, especially those of several distinguished figures seated in the front row.
"...Next item, a century-old Blood Spirit Mushroom, starting bid five hundred taels!"
"Five hundred and fifty taels!"
"Six hundred taels!"
……
Time passed slowly, and items were sold one by one. Lin Mo remained seated as still as a mountain, like an indifferent bystander.
Until the host in the brocade robe came back on stage, he was holding an antique sandalwood box in his hands, and his expression seemed to become more solemn.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item in this auction is somewhat special." He opened the wooden box, revealing not an actual object, but a yellowed, badly damaged thread-bound book with no writing on the cover. "This item was acquired by chance on the black market. It is made of a special material, impervious to water and fire, but the contents are mostly missing, and the writing is ancient and difficult to decipher. After examination by several experts, it is suspected to be related to the 'Netherworld Sect,' a mysterious sect that vanished hundreds of years ago."
The moment the words "Netherworld Sect" were uttered, a low murmur arose from the audience. Clearly, this sect held considerable weight in the legends of the martial arts world.
Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat when he heard the words "Netherworld Sect"! Fragments of his past life memories surged instantly, and the image of an ancient sect renowned for its bizarre movement techniques and manipulation of Yin energy surfaced in his mind. More importantly, he clearly felt that the dormant, mysterious power within his meridians was now slightly agitated, resonating with an extremely faint resonance with the tattered book!
that's it!
The host continued, "While its exact value cannot be determined, it may hold a hidden opportunity. The starting bid is one thousand taels of silver! Each bid must increase by at least one hundred taels!"
This starting price was incredibly high for a cultivation manual whose contents were unclear and mostly incomplete. The room quieted down considerably, with many people observing. After all, spending a fortune on a potentially useless, incomplete manual was far too risky.
"One thousand one hundred taels." A hoarse voice rang out from the front left. Lin Mo's gaze swept over and saw a tall figure wearing a ghost mask.
"One thousand two hundred taels." Someone else on the right also made a bid; it was a man with a soft, feminine voice.
The bidding proceeded slowly, with not many participants. When the price climbed to 1,800 taels, only the masked man on the left and the effeminate man on the right remained to compete.
Lin Mo knew it was time for him to make a move.
"Two thousand taels," he said, his voice coming through the mask, deep and calm.
This price immediately raised the original bid by two hundred taels, attracting a lot of attention. The masked man and the effeminate man also turned their heads at the same time, their gazes landing on Lin Mo, who was sitting in the back row of the "Seven Three" ship.
"Two thousand one hundred taels." The masked man paused for a moment, then raised the price again.
"Two thousand two hundred taels." The effeminate man followed closely behind.
"Three thousand taels." Lin Mo spoke again, raising the price to a level that would deter most people.
A collective gasp filled the room. A tattered cultivation manual, sold for three thousand taels? Either the buyer knew its value, or they were a complete sucker!
The masked man snorted coldly and fell silent. The effeminate man's eyes flickered a few times beneath his mask, and he too chose to give up. Betting three thousand taels on an unknown was clearly beyond their psychological limits.
The embroidered-robed host's smile widened: "Three thousand taels! This friend from the No. 73 bids three thousand taels! Is there anyone bidding higher?" He asked three times, but no one in the room answered.
"Congratulations to friend number 73 for winning this treasure!" The gavel fell, and the deal was done.
Soon, a waiter brought the sandalwood box to Lin Mo. Lin Mo took out the silver notes he had prepared beforehand—almost all his savings at the moment—counted out three thousand taels, and handed them over. After verifying that the silver notes were correct, the waiter respectfully handed the sandalwood box to Lin Mo.
The sandalwood box was quite heavy, and it was also very valuable. Lin Mo resisted the urge to immediately open it and carefully put it away. He could feel that the agitation of the mysterious power within him became more pronounced the moment he held the box, even stirring up a faint chill in the surrounding air. Fortunately, he suppressed it in time, so as not to attract the attention of others.
The moment he put the box away, several exceptionally sharp, even hostile, gazes, like poisonous needles, pierced him from different directions, locking onto him firmly. One gaze came from the direction of the effeminate man who had previously given up bidding, while another came from a corner in the back row, filled with an overbearing scrutiny.
Lin Mo sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. He knew that his extravagant spending had made him easy prey for some. The auction rules would protect him inside, but once he stepped outside…
He remained seated as if nothing had happened, continuing to watch the auction, but his mind was highly focused. His senses spread like an invisible spider web as he closely monitored the movements of the auras that were targeting him, while simultaneously planning his escape route.
The black market is indeed a deep and murky place. And the real trouble is probably just beginning.