Chapter 198: Chapter 182: Golden Auction’s Compensation, Golden City Port Enters First-Level Military Control
The attendant behind them nodded. After confirming the list was correct, Zhang Yi swiped his card without hesitation.
Sima Yuan paid for everything himself. As for Hong Tianyi, Zhang Yi fronted him 6,000,000 Faith Value.
The entire payment process went smoothly, without any cliché scenes of some minor character causing trouble. However, the decisive way Zhang Yi swiped his card made both Hong Tianyi and Sima Yuan raise an eyebrow.
"Transaction complete. Thank you, esteemed guests, for your support of the Golden Auction!" the attendant said. "The smaller auctions will continue for the next two days. Our promise to waive the handling fees is valid for all three days."
"Additionally, after the new year, there will be a True God Level auction. If you three esteemed guests are interested, we can send the invitations to you. You just need to leave your contact information with us."
Hearing this, Zhang Yi and Hong Tianyi both shook their heads. After the new year, they would be off to the University Alliance Training Camp. How would they have time to come here?
Only Sima Yuan, who wasn’t going to the University Alliance Training Camp, left his information.
After leaving the Golden Auction and heading to the garage, they found the driver of Hong Tianyi’s Flying Phantom already waiting. They got in the car and headed back to the city center, as Zhang Yi had other plans at home that evening.
"Zhang Yi, don’t worry. I’ll pay you back the 6,000,000 Faith Value I owe you in a few days," Hong Tianyi said solemnly once they were in the car. "I promise I won’t drag it out."
Zhang Yi shook his head. He was quite confident in Hong Tianyi’s integrity.
"There’s no need for that," he replied. "If it really comes to it, once we’re in the University Alliance Training Camp, you can just compensate me with a Divine Domain Card of equal value!"
For Hong Tianyi, even though his family was well-off, 6,000,000 Faith Value was no small sum. He would remember this favor.
"Besides, without you two, I wouldn’t have had the chance to get these two Five-star Professional Cards today," Zhang Yi added. "Come to think of it, I’m the one who should be thanking you both."
Sima Yuan and Hong Tianyi were stunned for a moment after hearing Zhang Yi’s words. Then, a warm feeling spread through their hearts. Zhang Yi was looking out for their pride.
"Brother Zhang, say no more. Once we’re in the University Alliance Training Camp, I’ll give you my full support!" Hong Tianyi declared. "The two of us will team up and aim for greatness!"
Sima Yuan added, "Brother Zhang, don’t you worry. Even though you’re leaving school, I won’t let the gap between us grow wider! We three will meet again at the top!"
The three of them exchanged a look, the bond between them clear without a word.
Let’s rewind the timeline to that morning, when Zhang Yi was entering the Golden Auction and admiring the exhibition hall. At the same time, at Golden City’s largest Interstellar Port, the port’s director, Wei Xuan, was sweating bullets!
An hour ago, they had suddenly received a notification from the Blue Star Federation Military, ordering the entire Golden City Interstellar Port to be sealed immediately and placed under military control! The originally endless stream of interstellar flights, starships, and cargo freighters arriving at the port were all abruptly canceled.
The main hall, originally bustling with crowds waiting for their interstellar flights, suddenly heard an urgent announcement from the port’s internal speakers!
"Urgent notice! Urgent notice!"
"By emergency order of the Blue Star Federation Military, effective immediately, the entire Golden City Interstellar Port will enter a First Level state of military control!"
"Effective immediately, all flights are suspended indefinitely! This order will remain in effect until the First Level state of military control is lifted!"
"All port personnel are to remain in place. No unauthorized movement is permitted. All communication devices are to be shut down and will be jammed immediately!"
"I repeat: All port personnel are to remain in place. No unauthorized movement is permitted. All communication devices are to be shut down and will be jammed immediately!"
Hearing the announcement from the internal speakers, everyone—be it the port staff, people conducting business, or passengers preparing to board their flights—stared at each other in stunned and bewildered silence. They had no idea what earth-shattering event could possibly have occurred to trigger a First Level state of military control.
One had to understand that while Golden City’s port couldn’t compare to the famous Cosmic Ports that could support the operations of an entire Crystal Wall System, it still ranked among the top 50 major ports on Blue Star’s Main Star. The daily turnover of goods at the Golden City Interstellar Port involved tens of billions in Faith Value. What kind of major event could warrant the immediate lockdown of the entire port and the indefinite delay of all other flights and routes?
Wei Xuan, the director of Golden City Port, was usually a man of high status and great authority. But after receiving the notice an hour ago, even he, a Weak Divine Being, had his forehead beaded with fine sweat. The back of his shirt was completely soaked through.
Behind him followed a group of senior port leaders who, upon receiving the urgent notice from the Blue Star Federation Military, had run all the way to the conference room and just finished a meeting. These senior port leaders were now all rushing about. From the looks of it, they were heading to their respective posts in various parts of the port, their tense expressions tinged with a hint of terror.
This was no routine inspection from a superior where everything was "you’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good." An important figure from the Blue Star Federation Military was about to arrive at the Golden City port. In fact, the person hadn’t even arrived yet, but the emergency notice for First Level military control had already been issued. What kind of status did this person have? One could only imagine! If they messed this up, it wouldn’t just be their career on the line—they’d be finished for life!
"Faster! A little faster!"
"Get the word out! Initiate all emergency procedures!"
"Raise security to the highest level!"
"I don’t want to see a single living thing in this entire port besides authorized personnel!"
"Get our people to clear the center of the port, now!"
The senior leaders, who had been rushing to their posts, were now all roaring into their communicators. Just for a Starship to appear and dock here, the Blue Star Federation Military could bypass all local procedures, issue a dual-layered command directly from the central government and the military itself, and throw the port into a First Level state of military control regardless of the economic losses. Just what kind of existence was the figure who was about to arrive? Wei Xuan didn’t even dare to imagine their identity and status. He would be lucky to keep his job after this was all over.
Soon, the various senior leaders of the port arrived at their posts. All non-essential personnel and non-essential cargo were cleared out. The center of the port, originally packed tight with cargo, had now been turned into a vast, flat clearing. Countless barriers and roadblocks were laid out from the port, connecting to the main roads.
There were still four hours until the arrival time of the VIP announced by the Blue Star Federation Military.
The army moved in. The troops, urgently mobilized from surrounding military districts, didn’t use Blue Star’s main roads. Instead, they were deployed directly from space via countless Starships. These countless Starships formed a long procession, which then became a patrol fleet, scanning the surrounding space for any potential threats. Meanwhile, the most elite commander had quietly entered the Golden City port and taken over command from the previous port director, Wei Xuan.
As for Wei Xuan, the now-former director of the port, he actually breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the military’s notice. This was too big for him; he didn’t dare mess it up, but he also couldn’t guarantee that nothing would go wrong. With the military taking over, the responsibility was no longer his. This was the best possible outcome! So, he readily handed over command of the port.
「Three hours until arrival.」
The personnel in the port had been completely replaced by elite soldiers. Even the space outside the Golden Port, for tens of millions of miles around, was under a dual lockdown by both Magic and radar. Beyond that perimeter, a patrol fleet of countless military Starships was on constant watch. In an instant, Golden City’s port had transformed into a heavily-fortified military harbor! All of these preparations were for the arrival of a single, important figure.
「Two hours until arrival.」
The major general and commander of the nearest military district arrived.
「One hour until arrival.」
The leaders of Golden City arrived, along with the provincial head.
「Thirty minutes until arrival.」
The lieutenant general from a nearby military district arrived.
And mixed in among them, preparing to welcome the VIP, was Wei Xuan, the original director of this Golden Port. He looked to his left, at a line of officers with the rank of general. He looked to his right, at the top provincial officials. Among all these leaders waiting to greet the VIP, his own position was the lowest.
It feels like a husky that’s stumbled into a pack of wolves, Wei Xuan couldn’t help but think amidst his nervousness.
