"I don’t know her. I just picked her up off the street. She’s been following me ever since," Orson said with a grin, his eyes flicking toward the two henchmen. Both shook their heads like pendulums. "We really don’t know her."
"Who is she then?" Naoko smiled lightly, meeting Blank’s scrutinizing gaze.
"Security Number One," Orson nodded.
Blank’s expression turned cold. She didn’t want to lose face in front of the others but could barely suppress the urge to snap. Naoko, sensing a potential threat from Blank, sized her up with a smile. There was something in Blank’s eyes—something more than just disdain. Naoko felt it—jealousy, bitterness.
Naoko confidently walked over, extending her hand. "Let me introduce myself. I’m Naoko, Orson’s girlfriend."
"Huh!?"
Not again!
Orson’s eyes widened, about to protest, but he saw the deadly look in Naoko’s eyes, and it forced him to swallow his words.
"Emma, from game guild LD, Blank," Blank replied coldly, nodding before adding, "So you’re the one who betrayed the Thousand Hands Guild and willingly became Orson’s lackey. Quite an interesting player, I’ve seen you around."
The air grew tense as Naoko smiled faintly, not backing down. "Interesting? Oh, you mean the one who set her sights on Orson-kun, only to lose to some random frog in a 1v1 duel? Now that’s interesting."
"What the hell?! Did you just call me a frog?" Madman exploded beside them, but Bradley quickly stepped in, holding him back and whispering, "Ladies’ spat. Stay out of it, or it’ll turn bloody."
Blank’s smile faltered for a moment, but she didn’t let it show. "You’ve got quite a mouth. We’ll see when the national war begins. I’ll make you rethink that."
Naoko’s smile turned more mischievous. "Orson-kun will protect me, and all you have is yourself."
Madman’s eyes widened. "Holy crap! That’s a death blow! She just cursed Blank to a lifetime of loneliness!"
Blank clenched her fists, visibly holding herself back. Losing her temper in a war of words would only give Naoko the upper hand, and she wasn’t going to let that happen.
"You’re probably mistaken. This man only has eyes for his sister. Naoko, you’ve miscalculated," Blank said, her voice oozing with venom as she dropped her bombshell.
"What sister? What are you talking about?" Naoko furrowed her brow, but Blank just smiled, a hint of mockery in her expression, and turned to leave.
Naoko, still in disbelief, turned to Orson. "Is it true?"
Orson smiled faintly. "And you’re still sticking with me?"
"Hmph." Naoko huffed in defiance but held on even tighter to his arm, determined not to let go.
Orson sighed heavily and gave in to her clinginess, mentally preparing for the long haul.
Just then, a commotion echoed through the venue, followed by the sound of tables being banged and a mix of languages as voices grew louder.
"Alright, I’m going over there," Blank said into her earpiece.
She shot one last glance at Orson, who was enjoying the tension in the air. "Are we really going to wait for them to turn this place upside down?"
"No rush. We haven’t had lunch yet. Let’s enjoy the five-star hotel service first," Orson replied with a smile, shaking his head.
"You’re unbelievable. Be careful, or this could turn into an international incident."
"Don’t worry. They’ll wait. We can let them cool off for a bit."
With that, the four of them turned toward the VIP suite on the second floor, where they could observe the chaos below.
After a leisurely lunch that stretched for almost an hour, the atmosphere in the hall finally quieted down. The crowd was clearly simmering with frustration, their faces set in hard expressions, eyes burning with unspoken anger.
"Welcome, friends from afar," Orson called out with a smile as he opened a window. "The game helmets are ready. Once the auction is finished, it’s cash on delivery."
"That’s him! He looks just like his character in the game!"
"What the hell! Is this how you treat your guests?"
"Orgod, you’ll regret treating me like this!"
Orson waved his hand dismissively, thoroughly enjoying the heated atmosphere. He snapped his fingers. "Let’s get started."
The auctioneer stepped up, the lights dimmed, and a virtual screen projected an image.
"Item: The Demon Sada’s Key."
The auctioneer smiled. "Starting bid: 1 million gold coins. The minimum increment is 100,000 gold coins."
The first item was a big one—the very relic Usher had been after. Usher, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. One of his men immediately raised the bid card. "1.5 million gold coins."
Everyone in the room gasped. This was a personal item, something that was meant for Usher, yet he had raised the bid by 500,000 gold coins in one go. It showed how much he valued the item—and how little time he was willing to waste.
Others could sense this was not just an ordinary auction. With so many big players in the room, anyone bidding too low might invite trouble.
"1.6 million," a calm voice interrupted.
Usher turned around, surprised, and his face showed a hint of displeasure. The man who spoke was a tall, handsome white man with smooth golden hair and a chiseled jawline—Kanting, the Swordmaster from NR.
"2 million," Usher said, without a word, having one of his subordinates raise the bid for him.
"2.1 million," Kanting countered, steadily pushing the price higher.
Bradley, unable to contain his excitement, grabbed Orson’s arm. "What the hell is going on? They’re bidding against each other now? What’s Kanting gonna do with that relic?"
Madman snickered. "You didn’t hire him to be your stooge, did you?"
Orson shook his head. "Kanting is trying to pressure Usher. The Sword Spirit Twins have felt some pressure from him in the Abyssal Rift, and this is their way of striking back."
Usher, if he truly wanted the item, would never let it fall into someone else’s hands. By raising the price this high, Kanting was aiming to deplete Usher’s funds, weakening his ability to outbid others.
"3 million," Usher said, his voice sharp and unwavering. His eyes locked onto Kanting with a cutting gaze.
The room gasped in shock. The price had far surpassed the item’s value, and everyone now saw just how deep Usher’s pockets were.
"Respect," Kanting said with a smile, raising his thumb.
With the final hammer fall, the deal was sealed.
Orson, Bradley, and Madman exchanged looks and grinned. This was just one relic, and they’d already made a whopping 3 billion gold coins. Who knew how much more they’d make tonight?
When it came to Usher, the sky was the limit. More wealthy players like him? They were welcome to keep coming. A night of absolute profits was ahead!
The screen switched again, showing three ancient scrolls.
"SS-level Profession Awakening Scrolls!"
The crowd straightened, a collective buzz running through the air. Most of the wealthy players in the room had come for these scrolls. Relics and divine items were secondary to them!
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The scrolls weren’t just any ordinary items; they were key to unlocking S-tier jobs, and once these players hit level 50, they’d be ready for the exclusive Divine Soul Seals, and with the SS-tier job scrolls, their power would skyrocket!
"Three SS-level Profession Awakening Scrolls. Separate auction."
The auctioneer gave a brief introduction, then continued, "Starting bid: 2 million gold coins, with minimum increments of 100,000."
"That expensive?" someone exclaimed. "It’s just a job upgrade, not an immediate benefit!"
"Is this extortion?" A voice from the back shouted, anger evident.
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One of the women with a dragon tattoo on her arm, arrogantly crossed her legs. "Just because you have money doesn’t mean you can afford to be reckless."
Before anyone could respond, a booming voice echoed from the entrance, making everyone freeze in their tracks.
The group of eight entered, exuding an aura of dominance. Leading them was a man towering nearly two meters tall, his skin dark, his eyes sharp as knives.
Orson’s gaze shifted, recognizing the aura immediately. The King of the Underground World.
Demon Emperor!