:::[Adam POV]:::
I already knew that some of the Guardians were involved with the dark side of the Empire, but I didn't expect to see one this soon.
Well, I guessed that the auction was something similar to a regular yearly gathering. It looked like it was also an event where the newcomers needed to show themselves and earn the veterans' favor.
From the look of it, the dark side of the Empire was not as different from the other form of community when it comes to how it functioned as another form of society.
Nonetheless, to think that an opportunity to use Gerrard as too for me to create an image for myself would present this often.
'I am going to buy everything auctioned during this event. I can't wait to see his face later,' I thought to myself.
Thinking about these things, all of the guests were asked to move to another room that looked like a theater.
Looking around the room, I could see that various high-level gift holders were stationed at every corner of the room. Most of them were level 8 but some were stronger.
Not that they could stop me from doing what I was about to do, but I just wanted to make sure that everything was within my predictions.
"Have managed to slide into the network?"
"Yes, master. I am downloading the files," Cristal replied to my question.
As long as it was a technology created by humans and was innovative enough to have some data and commands insulted by its motherboard, taking control of it was something that Cristal liked to do.
For some reason, she was quite interested in the data that she collected from my uncle. Most of them were related to the management of the Raizel family, but Cristal expressed her curiosity about the system that the Empire used to store their data.
From what I could see, it could be related to the fact that there was an artificial intelligence similar to her somewhere within the Empire.
Hearing this, I asked to refrain from accessing directly the Empire's main server or whatever they were using to keep track of the vast data and communication all around the universe.
"Stop immediately if there's something suspicious," I said, and Cristal nodded at my words.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!"
The event had begun and the host explained the rules of the auction, but I wasn't interested in listening to him as I already knew everything that I needed to know.
My attention was focused on Gerrard who was currently sitting in the VIP section. Only the most influential people were given a set there.
"Okay, can establish the link now," I said to Cristal, referring to the recording device I put on Gerrard by pretending to touch his shoulder earlier.
It was something similar to a little bug with the abilities of camouflage like a chameleon, and It picked up the colors of the target's clothes.
"Roger."
After the connection was established, all of the voice around Gerrard was transmitted inside a device I put inside my years.
"I am thankful that you accepted to take care of this matter, Mr.Gerrard."
"Don't mention it. However, we are doing business, so you have to pay the adequate price for my services," Gerrard said.
The man who talked looked like he was not a simple man himself, but in front of Gerrard, he almost sounded like an employee talking to their superior.
"Of course, of course. This person has been causing me a lot of problems lately, but he is acquainted with some of the higher-ups so I couldn't get rid of him easily," the man continued.
"Don't misunderstand the situation. As long as you pay the amount that I deem appropriate for the task, it will be done. As such, you should pray that no one has enough money to buy your head."
I have already gathered all of the information I could manage to find about all of the Guardians, but it was not like all of them were one hundred percent accurate.
It was highly probable that most of this information was falsified. As such, observing the individual with other methods would be more efficient.
That was why meeting Gerrard here was such a good opportunity.
'I always have these little gadgets on me since I create them along with the vehicle. I feel like some kind of secret agent,' I thought to myself.
Anyway, apart from recording the voice around Gerrard, that little bug would also give me his location.
As such, I would be able to figure out all of the important locations where the most influential people meet secretly, whether it was the Guardians or the so-called shadow rulers.
"Hahaha, I will watch out to not offend such people."
"Hmph!"
The conversation between the man and Gerrard ended there, and the first item to be auctioned was unveiled.
"... The bid with start at one million I.C."
As soon as the host finished saying these words, I pushed the button with an illustration of a hand on the device next to my chair.
After that, the screen on top of my had lighted up and showed a number.
"Number 450! One million I.C. Is there anyone else eyeing this Item? 1.1 million I.C?"
The bidding continued for a while until it reached 7 million I.C, then it was still the same for the other items.
However, the first few items were just something similar to an appetizer. Starting from the fifth item, the initial starting price was around 30 million.
Nonetheless, I continued to buy all of the items with a smile on my face.
The tenth item reached an astronomic price of 1 billion I.C before the other person gave up on it.
I didn't know exactly what the item was, but it looked like a sword. Well, my plasma sword was the best in this world, as far as I could see, so it didn't interest me.
At that point, however, people began to look at me with various expressions and I waved back at them with a smile on my face.
I also saw Gerrard looking at me so I waved at him but he ignored me. I could hear what he was saying though.
"Mr. Gerrard, do you know that person?" The man next to Gerrard asked, but I could hear that the other VIPs were also curious about my identity.
"Do I look like I know him?"
"Well, it looks like he doesn't know his place. How should we deal with him?" One of the VIPs said? I couldn't see his face but he sounded like an old man.
It looked like the old man was tired of living, picking fights with people that he didn't even know.
"I will take care of him," Gerrard said with an intimidating tone but from where I sat, I didn't see any change in his expression.
"Mmm. It's rare for people to be this arrogant. I am not even sure if he is not just stupid," the old man added.
After that, they went on badmouthing me and my attitude, but Gerrard looked like he wasn't interested in talking with these old men.
"Dad, Do you see that?"
Suddenly, the bug picked the voice of a woman.
"We must get our hand on that. That's an extremely rare monster's core." Answering the woman, a man who had a deep and rough voice said these words. His voice reminded me of these yakuza or mafia leaders in those action films.
Nevertheless, the item that they were talking about was the fiftieth item on the list and the item that I auctioned. A monster's core that I asked Cristal to pick up from all of the rare monsters we killed.
I always thought that they would be useful sooner or later, so I decided to keep the rarest ones, so I didn't absorb them when I was dealing with Linda.
The starting price for it was 500 million I.C, and this was the only time I didn't bid.
"What's going on? Why is he not bidding?"
"Mmm. Is it because he was the one who auctioned the item?"
The people in the VIP section continued to discuss topics related to me, and the fact that I didn't blow their heads was enough to prove that I was better at controlling my emotions.
"12.5 billion! Anyone else? Number 4, 12.5 billion. Is there anyone else?"
As such, the two mysterious people who appeared to be a father and his daughter got their hands on the core for 12.5 billion.
It was an astronomical sum because the total asset of a planet under the jurisdiction of a level 5 lord was just around 100 billion I.C.
Still, I was already spending more than 1 trillion so it was not like the money that I gained from this auction would help me to pay for the other items.
Fortunately, my money was unlimited as long as I stayed within the Empire. I managed to think about a way to get make unlimited money, and Cristal did the job for me. In other words, these people were just paid with their own money.
With this, the economy of the Empire would surely collapse after a while.
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