CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33 "BIDDING"

"Six million coins," he declared, staring at Victor.

"All set to move straight to Mr. Ray’s account. Think of it as finished. Are you still looking to continue, or should I seal my deal?" Thompson asked Victor after glancing at him briefly.

Victor’s face turned white as he asked, "Six million for a car!" Even for his guild, that was a serious setback.

He was wealthy, but it was a tough choice to spend so much money on a single car when he had other commitments to fulfill.

He had the option to bid more, but at what price? There was a long, expectant silence. In anticipation of Victor’s next move, the audience became more anxious.

Victor finally shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. With a bitter tone, he conceded, "All right, Thompson, you win this round."

"But this isn’t over."

He gave the other cars on display a serious look, making it obvious that he intended to compete for them.

He lost the Chevrolet Silverado, but he still had a chance to win the battle of getting another one of these vehicles.

The crowd let out a collective sigh, expressing both excitement for what would come next and disappointment that the fierce bidding war was over.

With the victory, Thompson confirmed his status as the player with seemingly limitless wealth, as well as the strongest.

With a triumphant gleam in his eyes, Thompson nodded slightly. Although his tone suggested more than just excited triumph, he said, "A fair game, Victor."

Then he returned his focus to Ray, his voice taking on a more direct and respectful tone. "It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Ray. I’ll set up the pickup soon."

Ray nodded with acknowledgment for the successful transaction, with a simple nod in return.

The fact that the coins had already reached his account was evidence of how effective the in-game banking system was.

This one car had brought him a healthy profit, further boosting his new identity as the armed car dealer in Apex Survival.

Thompson then added, "Mr. Ray, our team is going to explore further this world, and I really wish you could join us."

His proposal was not surprising enough for Victor, who knew what Thompson was after. He didn’t stop him, knowing Ray would reject him too.

His proposal was better than Victor’s, but Ray had already planned his things out. Right now he didn’t wish to join anyone, though in the future he would like to have a team like Thompson’s.

"I’ll give you the same answer." Ray rejected the offer. "I have no plan at this moment to join anyone, and I gave the same answer to Mr. Victor too."

Thompson smiled as if he had predicted this. "Oh well, unfortunate for us. Though I still wish to meet you again for a business deal, are you okay with that?"

Victor thought, ’Why I’m not surprised?’

Ray agreed, "We can do that, maybe next week."

Thompson nodded as Ray then moved to the next car, a Ford Mustang.

If the Chevrolet Silverado was the best car in defense, then the Ford Mustang was the best offensive car.

Its mechanical tail was ready to unleash an attack while the hidden gun in its tip made it more deadlier.

The best combination for close as well as long-range attacks.

"If the Chevrolet Silverado has the best defense, then the Ford Mustang has the best offense. This car is a beast itself, so who is going to start the bidding?"

Ray announced for the bidding on the next car, and Victor was the one who opened the bid while still looking at Thompson, thinking he might again ruin things.

With a price tag of eight hundred thousand, Victor added, "Eight hundred and fifty thousand coins."

However, unlike last time, there were others from the crowd who couldn’t go for the first car and started competing with Victor.

"Eight hundred and fifty thousand coins!" Victor declared, his gaze fixed on Thompson, half-expecting his rival to jump back into the fray.

"Eight hundred and sixty thousand!" a voice from the crowd shouted, breaking the tension.

Victor let out a small, almost imperceptible sigh of relief. Thompson remained still, a small, unreadable smile playing on his lips.

"Nine hundred thousand!" Victor countered immediately, his voice firm. He wasn’t going to lose another one.

The bids continued to climb, slowly but surely. "Nine hundred and twenty thousand!" "Nine hundred and fifty thousand!"

Each time, Victor matched or raised the bid, his determination hardening.

He could feel the eyes of the crowd on him, some impressed, others perhaps baffled by his persistence.

He glanced at Thompson again, but the other man remained a silent observer, occasionally exchanging a quiet word with Mr. Ray. Good. This was his to win.

"One million!" Victor finally boomed, pushing his bid to a staggering amount. He knew it was steep, even for a car as formidable as the Ford Mustang, but the thought of letting Thompson win again, even by default, was unbearable.

A pause. The crowd seemed to collectively hold its breath. No one dared to raise the bid.

"Sold to Victor for one million coins!" Ray’s voice rang out, clear and decisive.

A wave of relief washed over Victor, quickly followed by a pang of regret at the cost. But it was done.

He had secured the Ford Mustang, the offensive powerhouse that would complement his guild’s forces. As the transaction completed and the coins transferred, Victor turned to Thompson, a curious glint in his eye.

"I thought you were going to join the bidding once again," Victor said, a hint of challenge in his tone, "but you didn’t. Why?"

Thompson’s smile widened, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

He spoke in a loud voice, clear enough for many around them to hear, "I got what I wanted! What I need now is a single armed vehicle, just like my Chevrolet Silverado. And above all, I got to meet such a guy like Mr. Ray, who has such an amazing skill!"

Victor’s doubts were confirmed. ’So he is indeed interested in Ray and his skill more than just a single car,’ Victor thought, a new understanding dawning on him.

The attention then shifted to the next vehicle. "Next up, we have the incredibly versatile Toyota Land Cruiser!" Ray announced, his voice carrying through the auction hall.