CHAPTER 40: MR. HALO

Ti-ring!

~Active Skill Eye Of Apollo~

Ti-ring!

~Object Acquired~

~7 Kilograms Amethyst Gem~

~The gem is popularly known for it abily to gleam in different shades of green. Valued for its unique and soothing colour, it is often used in jewelry and decorative items~

~Target Value~

~7 Kilograms Amethyst Gem $550,000~

"There it is..." Maximus said softly in anticipation.

"Set the opening bid at $550,000 please..." he said with a cunny smile.

After providing the shop owner with his account details, he followed the convention staff to where the auction would be held.

Seeing as he requested to keep his identity, he was given a mask to shield his face from the potential audience during the auction.

The lights crumbled in the dark sudded auction hall, leaving only the elevated platform the audience in the auction room could look up to.

He was wearing a sleek silver mask, stepping into the spotlight with the amethyst gem sitting beside him on a podium.

The lights, mask and the fact he was the center of attention gave him a magnetic presence. Calm, like a predator walking into a den full of prey.

Going by the pseudo name— Mr. Halo, Maximus stood tall beneath the mask, his eyes scanning the crowd from behind the reflective surface.

And, to his surprise his actions were valid. He could see them, all of them.

He did expect them to be at the convention, he just didn’t think they would all be gathered in the auction room waiting to purchase high quality items.

From Donald Matson in his smug, glinting designer tuxedo to Victor and Vikram Sawyer who were in attendance too. Valerie Sawyer, sipping champagne with her glossy nails.

And in the VIP booth, covered in luxury and silence, sat Valerie’s grandmother- Matriarch of the Sawyer family.

Amongst them were high ranking elites of the capital city of Xhina.

Maximus smiled beneath the mask.

’This ought to be interesting...’

A female auctioneer stepped up to the podium, her voice was refined and echoed through the auction room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we present one more item— an Amethyst stone, untouched, flawlessly cut and verified by our finest..."

"Presenting the gem here is the man standing by my left, goes by the pseudo name Mr. Halo..."

Gasps and whispers spread across the room like a dynamo effect.

Valerie leaned toward her grandmother. "It’s perfect. That’s at least a tier-2 resonance gem, maybe higher..."

Her grandmother’s eyes narrowed. "I’ve never seen this in circulation. Where the hell did he get it?"

Clap!

The auctioneer clapped her hands and raised her gavel into the air. "Opening bid set at $550,000 by Mr. Halo."

Hands went up almost instantly.

"Six hundred thousand," one man from behind barked.

"Six fifty!" a prestigious lady came, her fan snapping shut.

Maximus stood still, his hands were clasped behind his back, with a perfect posture to go with it. Everytime the audience seemed to slow, he shifted slightly, projecting silent pressure like gravity.

The room’s attention stayed locked on him, begging him to move, speak or react once he was satisfied with the bid.

He did nothing, except smile inwardly.

"Seven hundred thousand!"

"Seven fifty!"

"Eight hundred!"

The Sawyer family matriarch raised her card, "Nine hundred thousand..."

People gasped, no one outbid the Sawyer matriarch.

But then— "Nine fifty..."

The Sawyer family matriarch snapped her head towards her granddaughter in shock.

"Valerie?"

She didn’t even look at her, her eyes were still fixated on Maximus hoping he would agree to the bidding.

The room grew hot with tension as the auctioneer cleared her throat nervously.

"Do we have...?"

"One million," someone spoke up.

The audience gasped again.

Maximus exhaled slightly beneath his mask, then slowly... tapped his gloved finger on the rail of the auction stand.

Just once.

The crowd flet it. An unspoken sentence, he definitely wanted more, and the bait worked.

The Sawyer family matriarch’s eyes flared.

"One million and one hundred thousand!... and one cent!"

Her gavel lifted.

Maximus stepped forward, at last.

The audience released the loudest frenzy of gasps since the beginning of the auction.

"Mr. Halo has indicated that he is satisfied with the current bid... are there any more competitors?" the auctioneer announced.

The audience remained silent.

"Going once... going twice..."

"Sold!"

Bang!

The gavel slammed.

Cheers and claps erupted from the audience. Flash photography followed suit, Valerie looked stunned, her grandmother looked like she wanted to burn the stage with her money.

"You didn’t have to add the One cent grandmother..." Valerie leaned in and whispered to her grandmother.

"That was a testament..." she said with dominance.

Maximus turned without bowing and without a word of thanks.

Maximus tightened the leather straps of his gloves and subtly adjusted the sleek, silver mask on his face.

He made his way back into the vibrant antique hall of the Global Jade Convention.

moving silently through the busy path ways of the convention hall, analyzing and strategizing.

Simultaneously, he was performing the systems Daily Test task as he did so.

~Question 3... Correct!~

~Question 4... Correct!~

~Question 5... Incorrect!~

~Question 10... Correct!~

~Congratulations. You have passed the test with a 85% score~

~Grade A. Reward 5XP Points~

He still embodied the pseudo name Mr. Halo as he did during the auction.

Despite the noise and bustle of the convention hall, his presence still cut through atmosphere as he walked pass. The shop owners took second glances, or more like curious glances, unsure whether to approach or wait for him to approach.

He still walked past many, his eyes scanning and calculating.

He came to a screeching stop before a boutique like antique store. Above the store, the name was boldy written on a huge placard hanging on the top of the entrance: WEN FAMILY CURIOSITIES- Est. 1990.

Inside was luminated with golden lightning. There were elegant porcelain statues lining the shelves, alongside bronze ornaments, ancient scrolls and rare coins locked in glass cases.

The reason he stopped for this shop was because it was modest, quiet and had a lesser number of people inside the rest of the antique shop— it was perfect.

Maximus stepped inside to meet a hunched old man behind the counter looking directly at him.

The old man immediately suspended what he was doing on his counter when he saw the sight of a potential customer.

But, before Maximus could speak or engage the shopkeeper in any negotiation, the shops entrance bell jingled behind him.

"Whoa-ho! No way! You again!"

The voice carried an arrogant familiarity that Maximus recognized way to well, it was like rusted nails dug into his mind.

Victor Sawyer.

The man ho wanted to swallow the Sawyer family fortune for himself by trying to force his adoptive son on Valerie.

Victor walked closer, flashing that signature smug grin as he brushed back his dark hair that was tinted with grey strands here and there.

The scent of expensive cologne followed Victor like a stubborn shadow.

Maximus knew better not to flinch.

Victor reached out and slapped a hand against Maximus’s shoulder in mock familiarity.

"I knew it! That mask.... you’re the one from the auction, aren’t you? Mr. Halo right?"

Maximus didn’t respond. He simply turned slightly, allowing the light to catch the silver shine of his mask.

Victor chucked, taking Maximus’s silence as some attempt of mystique.

"Ah, I get it... silent type, huh? Playing the mysterious game, I respect that. Keeps people guessing, very powerful move." he chuckled again, as if sharing a joke with a friend of his.

"Well, you didn’t talk during the auction, don’t see any reason why you should talk now..."

Maximus smiled from beneath his mask, the bait worked. Victor couldn’t possible figure out who was behind the mask, and that was enough for him.

’If only you knew the man you were shaking hands with, Victor...’ Maximus thought.

Victor walked past him and scanned the shop’s displays with fleeting interest before spinning around.

"About your little sale... impressive stuff, really. That gem? Caused quite a stir within my family members. I was sitting in the same row as Valerie Sawyer, and even the matriarch raised her bid. That’s not something that happens every day."

Maximus offered a polite, silent nod.

Victor leaned casually against the nearest glass case and dropped his voice slightly. "I don’t know who you are, or where you came from. But someone like you... you’ve got presence, skills... I can tell."

He paused, then said with a small, calculating smile, "I happen to be one of the higher ranking member of the Sawyer conglomerate. I manage a great chunk of our regional investments... and honestly I’m always scouting for new partners."

"And you my friend, are going to be one hell of a business partner... I don’t know, there’s this charisma you have, it’s intoxicating."

’Tch...’ Maximus remained quiet, watching him ramble on and on.

Victor took it as a mysterious interest and pushed forward.

"I’m thinking we could... collaborate. The Sawyer conglomerate has been planning to expand its footprint into young entrepreneurs who are into antiques like yourself. You’ve already made a splash in my opinion. Why not turn it into a ripple effect? I could help fund and streamline the process. Of course, with shared profits..."

Maximus’s eyes widened under the mask.

Still, he didn’t speak, he simple tilted his head as though giving Victor the stage to keep talking.

"You don’t have to say anything now. I get it, you’re an enigma. But consider it. I’ll send over a proposal through one of our family’s private channels. And I promise you it’ll be beneficial to the both of us... Especially you"

Maximus’s lips curled slightly under the mask.

He replied with a short, firm nod as he outstretched his hand to receive the Sawyer conglomerate private channel card from Victor.

"Great! Then I’ll take that as a firm yes!" Victor said with a confident clap of his hands.

The fool walked away, waving as he moved towards the shop seller like he’d just won a negotiation.

Maximus stood behind, glancing at his back as he swayed his hips gleefully.