CHAPTER 297: WHAT KIND OF SCAM IS THIS?

From the back of the stage, a beautiful woman stepped forward. She wore a fitted white dress that hugged her form, exuding elegance and calm authority. Her arrival drew gasps and whistles from the crowd. Her beauty was almost ethereal, her presence commanding the room effortlessly.

Across dozens of livestreams, bullet screens exploded:

"Damn, who is she?! That’s the auction host?"

"I don’t even care about the items anymore. I’m here for her."

"10/10 design. NPC or real model?"

"If this is the vibe from the host, the legendary item better be divine."

The woman gave a graceful nod and spoke in a voice as clear and smooth as flowing water.

"Welcome, honored guests," she said, her tone polite yet brimming with charisma. "Let the Valemire City Auction officially commence. I am Davina, your host for the day."

A ripple of excitement ran through the hall.

"Please, bring out the first item."

An elegant assistant walked onto the stage, holding a polished black case. She placed it atop the pedestal, unlocked the latch, and opened it slowly.

Inside gleamed a huge broadsword, dark steel edged with a faint green shimmer.

Davina turned toward the crowd. "Our first item today: a finely crafted Rare-grade sword. Usable by players level 50 and above. It boasts extraordinary stats and has interesting enchanted skills."

Immediately, a low murmur rolled through the audience. Assassin and mage mains leaned back, uninterested. Sword-focused warriors, on the other hand, leaned forward in their seats, eyes narrowing with curiosity. A few in the VIP section even tapped discreet messages into their interfaces.

Meanwhile, the sword itself sat under the glow of mana-powered lights, the green shimmer dancing like mist trapped in steel. It wasn’t a game-changer, but it was rare enough to warrant serious attention.

"Starting bid: 40 Gold Coins," Davina declared, raising a single delicate hand.

A chime echoed as the bidding began.

"Forty-five!" someone in the back shouted.

"Fifty!" came another voice from the left balcony.

"Sixty-five!" a heavy spender in the mid-row raised a crystalline token.

"Eighty!" a VIP player murmured.

Damon watched with mild amusement from his seat in the shadows. No one was bidding seriously at the moment. This sword, while flashy, was just an appetizer. The legendary item was still under wraps, and everyone was waiting for it.

The bids on the broadsword eventually crested just above 140 gold coins. A burly warrior-type from the Frosthammer Guild secured it with a satisfied grunt and a raised fist.

Davina offered a polite smile as the weapon was carried away. "Congratulations to bidder seventy-three. Let us proceed to the next item."

But across the hall, the murmurs grew louder.

"When will they reveal the legendary item?"

"I bet they’ll drag it out until the last ten minutes."

"Does anyone know what it is yet?"

"Someone said it glows. Like, literally glows even in the dark."

Damon chuckled under his breath, enjoying more than he should. Let them guess, he thought. The chaos hadn’t even started yet. He adjusted his posture and leaned back comfortably, eyes fixed on the stage.

The next item was brought forward, another mid-tier piece, a magic ring with minor stat boosts and an aura of frost. But no one cared. The ring ended up selling for 150 gold coins.

The hostess Davina continued bringing out one item after another, and with each item, the impatience of the audience only grew. Thankfully, all the items brought out were top-tier items at least rare-grade in quality, so they were not a complete time waste. Combined with Davina’s persuasive words, the sales were picking up quite good.

"The upcoming item is the second-to-last in today’s lineup," Davina announced, her voice drawing renewed attention.

She gestured subtly toward a small, ornate box displayed on a pedestal. "Crafted by a reclusive alchemist whose name remains unknown, this potion is so rare and valuable that my words won’t do it justice. Instead, I invite you all to see for yourselves."

Immediately, the focus in the hall shifted. Stream chats lit up with rapid-fire commentary:

"Is this thing legit or is she just hyping it up?"

"Come on, it’s second to last before the legendary item. There’s no way it’s trash."

"Exactly! The auction’s been building up. This one’s gotta be at least epic tier."

"I’m backing that. This potion has to be something serious!"

"Yeah, that dude’s right. Now I really wanna know what it is."

Davina could feel the anticipation brewing in the crowd. She allowed it to simmer for a beat longer before continuing.

"Now, this item is a single-use consumable, and per the seller’s request, bidding will start at 100,000 gold coins."

The entire room froze. Even the digital chat feed went quiet for a second. Not a single message rolled across the screen. Then came the flood.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

"Did I mishear that? 100,000 gold coins for a one-time-use item?!"

"This better be made from the tears of a divine beast."

"Someone really thinks we’re all rich idiots, huh?"

"Spending that much on a throwaway item is just burning money."

The mood inside the Valemire City Auction House grew tense. Some players in the hall looked visibly irritated.

The most vocal critics were members of the Dark Knights Guild. One of them, Heaven Conqueror, shouted loudly. "What kind of scam is this?! You think we’ve got time for this nonsense? Bring out the legendary already!"

Other guildmates joined in, jeering. "Name the seller! Let us see who dares pull this stunt, we’ll make sure they regret it!"

The Dark Knights Guild had a notorious reputation in Earth Online. They were rumored to be backed by shady real-world interests. Most players avoided crossing paths with them.

Davina met their outrage with a neutral smile, her professionalism unshaken. Only the briefest flicker of contempt crossed her eyes before vanishing beneath her practiced mask.

"I’m afraid seller identities remain confidential as per Valemire City Auction House policy," she said evenly.

Heaven Conqueror scoffed. "Tch. Only a sucker would bite." He remained seated, clearly frustrated. Were it not for the powerful players present, he might’ve attempted to storm the stage.

***

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