Chapter 932: Chapter 932: The Power Behind Shanshui Group
After everyone agreed that the minimum bid increase for each round would be five billion, the new round of bidding began.
However, Liu Zixuan remained calm and composed, leaning back in his seat and watching the situation unfold.
Firstly, the current price was still too low, not the right time to formally bid, and secondly, he needed to learn a few things first.
He turned his head and whispered to Zhu Yi, "Brother Zhu, do you know anything about the Shanshui Group?"
"I heard about it long ago. It’s a well-known publicly listed group in the Southwest Region, with a complex array of businesses, involving almost every industry. But to my knowledge, the Shanshui Group was wholly acquired by a mysterious person a month ago, and it’s no longer the same Shanshui Group!" Zhu Yi replied in a low voice.
"Can you find out who acquired it?" Liu Zixuan asked.
"I’m afraid that’s difficult because I don’t have any business connections in the Southwest Region!" Zhu Yi replied with an awkward smile.
"I’ll make a phone call to inquire." Bei Meiyin said as she got up and walked outside.
"Fifty billion!"
"Seventy billion!"
In just a short time, several wealthy entrepreneurs had already started bidding, and because the minimum bid increase was five billion, the price soared quickly. By the time Bei Meiyin returned from her phone call, it had already reached one hundred seventy billion!
Bei Meiyin sat beside Liu Zixuan, glanced at the mature woman from the Shanshui Group, and then said in a low voice, "I asked a friend from the antique industry to find out, and a wealthy businessman named Shi acquired the Shanshui Group a month ago."
"Shi?" Liu Zixuan narrowed his eyes slightly, "A rich businessman named Shi in the country seems to be from the Shi Family, one of the original Four Great Clans, right?"
"That’s right! He is the one who wanted to cooperate with you!" Liu Ruyan replied with an intriguing smile, "Such a coincidence to meet again in this kind of setting!"
"Ruyan, this isn’t coincidental at all!" Liu Zixuan grinned as he squinted; "Although the Shi Family wanted to cooperate with me to stand against the Martial Realm, after I joined the Profound Sword Sect, they still aligned with the Celestial Dao Alliance. I suspect that behind the Shanshui Group is the Celestial Dao Alliance!"
"If that’s the case, wouldn’t it make this auction even more challenging?" Zhu Yi and the others frowned.
Having the Void Mountain Sect already felt like facing a formidable foe, and if the Celestial Dao Alliance got involved, wouldn’t it be even tougher?
Liu Zixuan thought for a moment and said, "It doesn’t matter. Let’s see how that woman bids. If she doesn’t go overboard, I’ll let it slide. But if she insists on provoking me, then it will be as if the Celestial Dao Alliance is gifting me a big present!"
"A big present?" Everyone was a bit perplexed.
However, Liu Ruyan understood immediately, "You’re not planning to trick the Shi Family once again, are you?"
"Your sister was right yesterday. A family as large as ours requires quite a bit of money to maintain, and bidding on this land will cost a lot. Somehow, we need to earn a bit more to support you all. I won’t earn much now if I go out to make money, but if the Shi Family sends it to me, I’ll gladly accept!" Liu Zixuan spread his hands and laughed.
This made the people next to him smile silently.
In their memory, Liu Zixuan’s skill in tricking others was already quite masterful, and he had never failed.
"But it’s just a piece of land suitable for tourism, reaching such a high price. Our Weiye Group will bid two hundred ten billion, and if anyone else continues, we’ll pull out!" A man stood up and said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
Indeed, a land intended for tourism already has a price nearing a hundred billion. Even if it goes higher, it would only be a difference of one or two hundred billion. Any more than that, it’s unlikely to break even, turning into a losing venture.
If it doesn’t have any special value, no normal group would spend such money.
"In that case, I’ll play the bad guy this once." Miyamoto Haoran stood up, bowed deeply to the crowd, and said, "I’ll bid five hundred billion. If you can’t outbid this price, don’t bother saying anything!"
"Five hundred billion? Is this Witch Country savage insane? That plot of land is worth at most two hundred billion, and even if fully invested, it’s not more than five hundred billion. Now, they bid five hundred billion outright? Burning money here?"
"Truly affluent! Five hundred billion to buy a piece of land? Just for tourism?"
For a time, four or five wealthy businessmen nearby started discussions. They also got up and sat in the back.
If it were a regular auction, they would have left already, but now it was a good show worth watching. They wanted to see who would ultimately acquire this piece of land!
Soon, only the Void Mountain Sect, the Shanshui Group, and Liu Zixuan remained seated in the front row.
Director Hu glanced around and smiled slightly, "Since only three groups remain, let’s continue!"
"Director Hu, since it’s down to these three, each with a determination to win, to avoid wasting time, why not change the bidding rules?" proposed the mature woman from Shanshui Group.
"How do you propose we change them?" Director Hu asked with difficulty.
"Since the bottom price is already five hundred billion, adding five billion each time doesn’t hold much significance anymore. Let’s set the minimum at fifty billion instead." The woman stated confidently.
"Do either of you have any objections?" Director Hu asked Miyamoto Haoran and Liu Zixuan.
"Since avoiding hassle with this bidding method creates even more hassle, let’s each simply state the maximum price we’re willing to provide. The highest bidder wins the land," Liu Zixuan spread his hands and said.
"I wonder how much wealth this boss has for a match against us?" The woman looked at Liu Zixuan, her eyebrows showing disdain.
In her view, Liu Zixuan seemed unfamiliar, and since she recognized most of the wealthy individuals in the Star Sea ranking, she naturally presumed Liu Zixuan wasn’t very rich.
"Whatever price you can offer, I dare to match." Liu Zixuan replied nonchalantly with a smile.
"Young man, although I don’t know which group’s heir you are, for trades worth hundreds of billions to trillions, let’s ask your guardians first, shall we?"
In the woman’s eyes, Liu Zixuan looked very young, and having such a large mouth seemed to imply his financial backing was substantial.
But for business deals ranging in the hundreds of billions to trillions, even the top ten wealthy individuals in the Star Sea wouldn’t speak easily.
Miyamoto Haoran chimed in, "I’m determined to get that piece of land as well. If you want to play big, I’ll accompany you to the end. However, a proof is needed to avoid bragging without money to pay the officials. That joke could go too far."
Undoubtedly, the words from these two were implicitly ridiculing Liu Zixuan as an inexperienced youth without much money, implying he was speaking boastfully.
Director Hu looked at Liu Zixuan and said, "Sir, they are not without reason. Why not show your identity? As the organizer’s representative, if your identity is verified, I can facilitate your continued participation in the bidding!"
