Chapter 180: Chapter 180 - Healing For Sale
I couldn’t explain the feeling, but I was certain that Mateo Ward harbored murderous intent toward me.
"Alright, you might be overthinking things. You’ve been under a lot of stress lately," Jack Schultz said, giving my shoulder a reassuring pat.
I nodded without saying much.
Afterward, I continued examining uncut stones in the auction hall. After several rounds of inspection, I didn’t find any worth buying, so I stepped aside.
This auction wasn’t just about gambling on stones. The event also featured high-value rare herbs.
With one quick look, I spotted several herbs with effects lasting for decades. Unfortunately, these herbs came with astronomical price tags; even the cheapest one cost tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions.
"This is fucking ridiculous," I muttered, shocked despite my experience.
No wonder the prodigies from Great Families possessed far more power than ordinary people. Better resources allowed them to progress in strength faster, and greater strength enabled them to make even more money. A vicious cycle indeed.
"The poor rely on mutations for progress—that saying isn’t just a joke," I thought with a bitter smile.
Before long, my funds were nearly depleted. With four or five decades-old herbs in my possession, my wallet was practically empty.
Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly felt an intense surge of dark energy. The moment this dark energy erupted, my eyes darted toward its source.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Mateo Ward, standing not far away, turned his gaze at the same instant. Our eyes met, both sparkling with identical determination.
This Mateo Ward definitely had a hidden agenda!
I strode toward the booth where a stone statue stood, dark energy visibly emanating from it.
"Boss, how much for this?" I asked, pointing at the statue.
Without looking up, the vendor replied, "Two hundred million, no bargaining."
"Boss, that price seems excessive, doesn’t it?" I frowned.
If the energy surrounding the statue had been qi, I could understand the price tag. But dark energy had limited appeal. Ordinary people avoided dark energy—why would anyone pay such a premium for it?
"Take it or leave it. This is my family’s heirloom. If I hadn’t fallen on hard times, I wouldn’t sell it regardless of the offer," the owner snorted. "Don’t blame others for high prices if you can’t afford them."
At that moment, Mateo Ward approached and stood beside me. "Boss, I’ll take it for two hundred million," he said softly.
I frowned and looked earnestly at the vendor. "Boss, give me an hour. I’ll raise the money."
"I don’t have time to wait!" The boss dismissed me with a wave.
He turned to Mateo and said, "Just get the money ready, and it’s yours."
"No problem," Mateo replied with a faint smile, revealing a bank card in his hand.
"I can raise the price to two hundred and fifty million," I quickly interjected. "Keep it for me."
No one could resist the temptation of money, including this vendor. After hearing my words, his hand, previously extended toward Mateo, hastily retreated.
"Are you serious?" The boss’s eyes brightened with anticipation.
I nodded firmly. "I swear."
After a moment’s consideration, the boss said, "I’ll give you an hour. If I don’t see the money by then, I’ll sell it to this gentleman."
"Alright," I agreed.
Mateo’s face turned cold as he glared at me. "This item won’t do you any good. It’s useless to you."
I raised an eyebrow and sneered, "You’re not as simple as you appear. Tell me, who are you really?"
"It doesn’t matter who I am," Mateo snapped coldly, "but I warn you, if you spoil my plans, I won’t let you off!"
"Oh, really? We’ll see about that," I replied icily.
After dropping these words, I walked toward Jack Schultz and Blair Blake.
"Gentlemen, could you lend me some money? I’ll pay you back in a few days," I asked, somewhat embarrassed.
"How much do you need?" Blair inquired without hesitation.
I held up three fingers and said, "Three hundred million."
Hearing this figure, Blair stuck out his tongue, and Jack shook his head.
"Mr. Raymond, you think we’re all like you. Three hundred million is a fortune," Blair said, rolling his eyes.
Jack nodded in agreement. "Even with all my savings combined, I don’t have three hundred million."
This made me feel awkward. I hadn’t realized when I’d started losing perspective on the value of money.
"If you can’t raise the cash, the item will be mine," Mateo approached from behind, gloating.
I glared at him and replied indifferently, "This little sum won’t stop me."
With that, I walked straight to the center of the auction hall. After surveying my surroundings, I suddenly announced loudly, "From now on, I will sell my medical skills. For enough money, I will treat someone three times. No restrictions on time or location."
My voice, infused with spiritual power, resonated in everyone’s ears, causing a commotion throughout the hall. People gathered around quickly.
I calmly sat on the ground, waiting for potential patients to approach.
"Isn’t this Mason Raymond? I heard he’s the president of the Traditional Medicine Association."
"That’s right, his medical skills supposedly surpass even Lucian River’s!"
"Last time he made a Curing Pill that could heal all diseases!"
As the Traditional Medicine Association’s president, I drew quite a crowd.
"Mr. Raymond, could you examine my condition? I’ve been feeling weak for years," someone asked.
I nodded and replied, "Of course, as long as you’re willing to pay."
"Mr. Raymond, my mother suffered a stroke and has been bedridden for years. Would you visit her?"
"Mr. Raymond, I’ll pay any price for your Curing Pill."
"Dr. Raymond..."
The crowd’s enthusiasm kept growing. For these wealthy individuals, life mattered more than money. Having three chances for me to treat them was like having three insurance policies on their lives.
"Mason Raymond may have excellent medical skills, but he angered the Schroeder Family. How long do you think he’ll live? Will he even have a chance to treat you?" Mateo Ward’s voice suddenly cut through the crowd.
