Chapter 389: Underground auction house
Before Rory could even refuse, she felt a warm breath brush against her ear.
At some point, Lian had moved closer from behind her.
Lowering his head slightly, the man whose beauty seemed almost otherworldly leaned in until his cool, elegant face was just beside her ear.
Then he asked softly,
"Female Master... are you planning to trade me for those crooked melons and cracked dates standing behind her?"
His voice carried a faint trace of grievance, mixed with unmistakable teasing affection.
Warm breath swept across the sensitive curve of Rory’s ear as he added,
"If you really trade me away, I’ll never speak to you again."
As expected of a fox spirit.
His ability to charm people was practically unfair.
Rory shot him a speechless look before turning back to the beautiful woman in front of her.
"I’m not interested in exchanging partners."
Her tone was firm.
"And if you don’t leave now, I’ll have my partners escort you away."
Disappointment flashed across the woman’s face.
Still, she didn’t argue.
After all, exchanges like these were entirely voluntary. If the other party wasn’t interested, there was nothing she could do.
With a helpless sigh, she turned and left.
Once the matter was settled, Rory opened the event information Jasper had sent her earlier.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
"There’s an auction here."
She pointed excitedly at the listing.
"It says they’ll be selling all sorts of rare items. Let’s go take a look."
"Alright."
Vincent nodded.
Taking Rory’s hand naturally, he guided her toward the auction venue.
Behind them, Lian followed with a smile that refused to fade.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suppress it.
When he had called her Master just now...
She hadn’t denied it.
...
Deep underground.
The lowest level of the auction complex.
The vast hall was shrouded in dim lighting.
The air carried a strange blend of luxury and oppression, indulgence and cruelty woven together into an atmosphere that left people instinctively uneasy.
Yuel sat alone in one of the highest-tier private boxes.
His expression remained cold and indifferent as he watched the ongoing auction below.
On the stage stood several sub-females confined inside transparent energy cages.
Sub-females were not true females.
They were males who had undergone extensive modifications, altering their bodies to possess certain female characteristics.
Within the Beast Empire, females were exceedingly rare.
Every female received the highest level of protection and was assigned optimal matches through the Imperial System.
As a result, not every powerful male beastman was fortunate enough to be matched with a female of his own.
Those left without a designated mate often sought out sub-females to satisfy their emotional and physical needs.
Most sub-females came from society’s lower ranks.
Some possessed little talent and no hope of advancing further.
Others volunteered for modification simply to survive.
Still others had been abandoned by their families, captured by black-market organizations, and forcibly altered against their will.
Once transformed, their status sank even lower.
With few opportunities to support themselves and virtually no rights to protect them, they became commodities—objects bought and sold at the whim of others.
Hidden within the shadows of a distant corner, Xarion watched Yuel from afar.
A slight frown creased his brow.
What was Yuel doing in a place like this?
Surely he hadn’t come here to purchase a sub-female?
Onstage, the auctioneer enthusiastically introduced the caged individuals one by one.
Their origins.
Their appearances.
Even the physical traits acquired through modification.
Everything was shamelessly advertised as a selling point.
Each announcement drew bursts of laughter, lewd remarks, and increasingly aggressive bids from the crowd below.
Yet Yuel seemed entirely detached from the spectacle.
Reclining lazily against the oversized chair, he tapped one finger lightly against the armrest.
His gaze never lingered on the trembling figures inside the cages—not even for a second.
It was as though he existed outside the decadent world surrounding him.
The noise, the greed, the depravity unfolding beneath him all seemed unable to reach him.
An invisible barrier appeared to separate him from everyone else. Like a solitary observer watching the chaos from afar.
There wasn’t the slightest expression on Yuel’s face.
No interest.
No disgust.
Only a bottomless indifference that revealed nothing.
Watching from the shadows, Xarion narrowed his eyes.
Whatever Yuel was doing here, he clearly hadn’t come seeking pleasure.
At that moment, Xarion’s communicator lit up.
A message from Rory.
Rory: Xarion, are you and Yuel okay?
Xarion immediately replied.
Xarion: Mistress, we’re both fine. Everything is safe.
No sooner had he sent the message than he noticed a male dressed in fitted black combat attire approach Yuel’s private booth.
The man moved with practiced efficiency, his footsteps nearly silent.
Leaning down slightly, he whispered something into Yuel’s ear.
The words were too quiet for Xarion to catch.
For the first time that evening, a ripple disturbed Yuel’s otherwise impassive expression.
Turning his head, he asked coldly,
"You’re certain?"
"Absolutely."
The black-clad male nodded respectfully.
His tone left no room for doubt.
The moment the report ended, Yuel rose from his seat and headed toward the private corridor reserved for VIP guests.
Within seconds, his figure disappeared into the shadows.
Xarion immediately followed.
Suppressing every trace of his presence, he blended into the darkness like a ghost, silently trailing behind.
Beyond the VIP passageway lay a series of private suites.
Security was tight, with guards stationed throughout the area.
Yet Yuel seemed remarkably familiar with the layout.
No one stopped him.
No one questioned him.
More than ten minutes later, Yuel finally came to a stop outside a secluded room hidden deep within the complex.
Before Xarion even got close, his heightened senses picked up the sounds coming from inside.
His expression darkened instantly.
A man’s ragged breathing.
Soft sobs filled with pain and desperation.
The sounds intertwined behind the closed door, making it immediately clear what kind of situation was unfolding inside.
Xarion’s face turned cold.
He understood at once.
Without hesitation, Yuel strode forward and drove his foot into the heavy door.
Boom!
The door flew open.
The noises inside stopped abruptly.
"Yuel?"
The male inside froze.
His green pupils contracted sharply as shock flooded his face.
"W-What are you doing here?"
Yuel ignored him completely.
Instead, he activated his communicator and calmly snapped several photographs.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The camera shutter echoed through the room.
Only then did the man finally realize what was happening.
His face drained of color.
Hurriedly straightening his clothing, he rushed toward Yuel.
"Yuel, wait."
His voice was filled with panic.
"Delete those photos. We can talk this out."
The man’s name was Layton.
He was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Imperial Inspection Department.
The Inspection Department was among the most feared institutions in the Empire.
Its authority was immense, overseeing the conduct of government officials and nobles alike.
As one of its leaders, Layton had built a public reputation as a man of unwavering integrity.
The Emperor trusted him deeply.
No one would have imagined that such a respected figure would secretly appear in a place like this.
An underground auction house.
A hidden den of vice.
An official who publicly preached morality now stood exposed in circumstances that could destroy everything he had built.
It was a scandal of catastrophic proportions.
The photographs in Yuel’s possession were enough to ruin him.
If even a single image reached the Internal Discipline Division of the Inspection Department, Layton’s career would be over.
His reputation would collapse overnight.
His political allies would abandon him.
His enemies would tear him apart.
And depending on how far the investigation reached, he might even lose his life.
Layton had no idea how Yuel had found him.
At that moment, he desperately wanted to silence him forever.
But he knew exactly who Yuel was.
Without absolute certainty of success, he didn’t dare make a move.
Forcing a strained smile, he tried a different approach.
"Yuel, we’re friends."
His voice turned conciliatory.
"There’s no need to make things so ugly."
He gestured vaguely toward the room.
"I only came here looking for company. That’s perfectly normal."
"I’m not a sub-female."
A trembling voice suddenly interrupted him.
The victim had pulled their clothing tightly around themselves.
Tears streamed down their face as they crawled toward Yuel.
"I am not a sub-female."
Their voice cracked with emotion.
"I’m a normal male."
Shaking uncontrollably, they pointed at Layton.
"It was him."
Their finger trembled violently.
"He abducted me and brought me here."
The accusation echoed through the room.
For the first time since the confrontation began, genuine fear appeared in Layton’s eyes.
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