55. Auction/Bid
When the bid in the private room reached 3 million credits, there was a momentary pause in the bidding within the auction hall. However, after a while, someone called out a bid of 3.1 million credits.
S-grade components commanded high prices, especially accessories for weaponry, which were among the most valuable components. Weapon accessory components like the annular connecting parts were large pieces connecting weapons to mechas, and their production costs were significant. Generally, bids for such S-grade components were higher compared to other parts, let alone for an 85% accuracy part.
After the 3.1 million bid, someone quickly increased the bid again.
Inside the KID's private room, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao listened to the bidding outside. Ji Qingfeng asked, "How much do you think this thing will fetch?"
"The value of an S-grade component depends on the buyers. S-grade attack-type component accessories are rarer. Those who want them won't hesitate to bid high," You Su explained, his gaze stopping on Ying Chenlin next to him. He didn't lack such component accessories, but many mecha bases did.
S-grade materials forged S-grade components, and when combined with weapon anomalous crystals, they created the embryo of an S-grade mech. The higher quality of materials brought about precision conversion and shared resonance, increasing the chances of awakening a mech's intelligent consciousness to S-grade.
Moreover, for components with this level of precision, aside from the needs of mecha pilots and bases, there were also those who participated out of curiosity for research or for resale. Presenting such a component would surely trigger discussions within a certain scope, with more people wanting to understand the technology behind improving precision.
You Su asked, "You had Shen Xingtang help you, to sell this component under KID's name, right?"
Ying Chenlin replied, "Yes, it's best if she's involved."
The connection between Yuan and KID was well-known. By having KID involved, Ying Chenlin's identity wouldn't be easily exposed by those with ill intentions. You Su was curious about why Ying Chenlin chose to release the component at this moment. He remembered that initially, Ying Chenlin had intended to exchange for materials. Changing his mind last minute surely had other reasons. "What are you planning to bid on? Apart from the Crimson Hare Beast."
Ying Chenlin answered, "I'm not sure if I'll be able to bid successfully, and I'm not certain."
Ji Qingfeng, listening to the sounds from outside, said, "Bids have reached 5 million credits! What kind of material is this? It can't be more expensive than that weapon accessory of yours, can it?"
"It's not a material." Ying Chenlin lowered his head slightly as he received a message from Shen Xingtang.
[Shen Xingtang: Cockpit component, accuracy 82%.]
Upon reading the message, his expression relaxed, and he refocused on the auction, "It's a component with special significance."
After realizing the technology level of components during this time period, Ying Chenlin had spent some time organizing the timeline of component development. Some time points and events from his memory matched with the data he gathered. The reason he had Shen Xingtang help was to identify the person behind this component. The components that auction houses pushed were not just about reputation; it was about the genuine appraisal certificate.
In other words, the person who submitted this component ensured it met the standards for upgrade, with accuracy higher than 80%.
Considering the location was Sirius, he was reminded of someone from his past life. In the maintenance room of KID, there was an elderly master who had been the oldest instructor. He had advised Ying Chenlin during his practice of polishing components, suggesting the use of mental power for polishing. They had spent time together, and the master once mentioned his early experiences. Before he joined KID, he had fallen critically ill after entering a polluted zone, and his grandson had sold his incomplete components to scrape by. Later, someone had bought the components at a low price and brought them to the Second Domain, sparking a reform in component design there, with the designer's identity being replaced by another person.
The master had been invited into KID by Shen Xingtang during difficult times. He later found out that the components he had devoted so much effort to researching had become someone else's achievement. However, he couldn't blame his grandson, as if his grandson hadn't sold the component, he might not have survived.
Ying Chenlin couldn't remember every detail of his past life, but when he died, the master was still alive, and his grandson had become an excellent successor. The two of them continued to research component technology. Even if he wasn't around, KID in the future should continue to operate with the efforts of others.
But he remembered the accuracy of that component, because during a time when he was polishing a component, the master mentioned that he had exceeded the critical point when researching that component, reaching 82%. If luck had been a bit better, perhaps that component could have been finished earlier.
Lin Yao scratched his head and asked curiously, "But won't there be more trouble if this S-grade component is auctioned off? An S-grade component with 85% accuracy, and it's an attack-type weapon component. Many mecha pilots want it, and some component companies might want it too, right?"
"It doesn't matter how many bids there are. That component was made from waste materials, and some of the pattern directions might be chaotic."
Ying Chenlin had mostly kept the waste materials separated while polishing. He had given all the Bai Suilan materials to KID, and the remaining scraps were scattered. It had been quite challenging to fuse the waste materials together. The disrupted patterns within the component due to the fused scraps were numerous. Some patterns were distorted, while others were sealed, in simple terms, they were no longer following the normal pattern directions. "Well... it's probably better to use it directly. As for studying it, it might require a lot of effort, and we might not see anything significant."
You Su looked at him, arms crossed, and observed the escalating prices in the auction hall. "Seems like getting rid of this component is a good thing."
Ying Chenlin nodded. He also felt that the surplus of S-grade materials was quite wasteful, so he had considered fusing them together. "It probably won't be bid up to 10 million credits. It's a pity that Mr. Zhou is in the A-grade mecha market; otherwise, I would've liked to offer him this thing at a lower price."
Ji Qingfeng added, "Speaking of Mr. Zhou, he seems to have been trying to contact you these days, but you've been busy."
"It's my oversight." Ying Chenlin was momentarily surprised, then he said, "I'll get in touch with him afterward."
Meanwhile, on the stage, bidding for the S-grade component continued.
In other private rooms, the heads of various mecha bases saw the price of the component rising higher and higher. Many had chosen to withdraw their bids, leaving the auction mainly among the major component companies. Yuan's component technology was unique, and with the scarcity of goods sold on the star network, there was no lack of businessmen among the bidders. Businessmen pursued profit, and while Yuan's A-grade components were lucrative, there had never been any S-grade components released.
Even though the price had exceeded the market value by a significant margin, the technical significance of an S-grade component with 85% accuracy was completely different.
People willing to bid on-site hadn't expected such a component to suddenly appear. It was a pleasant surprise, and the number of participants in the auction on-site was significantly fewer compared to the outside world. If news about this component had spread earlier, the price might have risen even higher.
With fewer people present in the auction hall, if someone managed to win the bid, it would undoubtedly be a substantial gain.
Ji Qingfeng turned his head to look at Ying Chenlin. His gaze resembled that of someone staring at a vast treasure trove, "Lin Ge, has it already gone past 10 million credits?"
Lin Yao added, "Now you're even calling him 'Ge'?"
Ji Qingfeng said, "I've never seen so much money! And this is just a single component! It's not even an anomalous crystal!"
Finally, the component was sold at a high bid of 12 million credits. As the auctioneer's gavel fell, Ying Chenlin's gaze also shifted to private room 1468, "Indeed, the price has gone quite high."
Lin Yao looked at that room with a hint of pity in his eyes. "No wonder Huo Ge told me that getting too involved in auctions can be a big headache."
"You see, room 1468 has become quite a headache now, hasn't it?"
---
When Gu Xiaotian followed the staff into another private room, he saw a woman in work attire who exuded professionalism. She didn't attempt to hide herself and remained confident, even in a place like an auction hall. Having watched mecha battles and being a native of Sirius, Gu Xiaotian immediately recognized her as the female owner of KID.
Upon seeing someone enter, Shen Xingtang said, "Please have a seat. You came over here, does that mean you've decided to withdraw from the auction?"
"I... I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to falsely use Yuan's name to deceive. It’s just that if I didn't have Yuan's name, I couldn't enter the auction." Gu Xiaotian was at his wit's end. The security outside the auction hall was tight, and when he said he wanted to sell components, the staff had told him to wait until Auction 8 was over before he could enter. Only when he invoked Yuan's name did they change their attitude.
He had originally planned to explain things clearly after the precision test results came out. However, the auction hall staff were too busy. Before he could find a chance to explain, they had already arranged everything else. "I wanted to explain, but I didn't find an opportunity. I'm sorry."
Shen Xingtang said, "Do you realize the legal consequences of impersonating someone else?"
Gu Xiaotian lowered his head and clenched his teeth. "I know, I can bear the responsibility... as long as I can get the money to save my grandfather."
Shen Xingtang looked at the boy before her, whose voice sounded rough, likely due to a voice changer. She could tell from his tone that he wasn't very old, yet he was pretending to be an adult in such an auction setting. She had initially thought it might be difficult to investigate, but as it turned out, the boy's disguise was quite poor, or rather, he had no disguise at all. Ever since he lingered around the auction hall's entrance, the various spies stationed there had already taken note of him.
With just a little bit of inquiry, she could learn the whole story. There were quite a few impostors pretending to be Yuan, especially after their online store gained popularity recently. Many subpar and fake online stores selling components had popped up, but those impostors were quite amateurish; the precision and durability of the components couldn't deceive anyone. However, the components this boy presented were different. She had just examined the appraisal documents. They were S-grade central cockpit docking components that exceeded market standards in terms of precision.
Components that surpassed standards were easy to sell; the challenge was finding the right buyer.
Shen Xingtang asked directly, "With so many renowned designers out there, why did you decide to impersonate Yuan?"
"Will you accept my components? I don't want to auction them. I really need money." Gu Xiaotian's voice trembled, but he held onto Shen Xingtang like he had grabbed onto a lifeline. "Someone told me to do this. He said that as long as I used Yuan's name, the auction hall staff would let me in without questioning."
Shen Xingtang's brows furrowed slightly. "Who?"
Gu Xiaotian replied, "I don't know him. He claimed to be a friend of my grandfather's. He had a Sirius accent... There were two of them. The accent of the other person didn't sound like ours. I heard them using a language from a different star domain."
---
Inside private room 1468 of the auction hall, the man in gray observed how the man had finally managed to secure the component with a high bid of 12 million credits. He seemed puzzled as he asked, "You don't lack S-grade components, so why did you bid for this one? If you needed a high-precision component, that boy surnamed Gu's component would have sufficed."
"Bidding for his component would have been simple, but creating the opportunity to bait someone would have been much more difficult. The Gu boy spent several years and could only achieve a precision of 82%. Meanwhile, this Yuan can casually raise the precision to 85%. Do you see why I went through so much trouble to find this person?" The man's gaze turned slightly serious. "The boy needs money. That 82% component of his can be reclaimed later, but opportunities to involve Yuan in our plans are limited."
He had even formulated a comprehensive plan. As long as he managed to circulate that component through the auction, besides the effect it would have on public opinion, he could also link the component to Yuan successfully. Even if Yuan didn't take the bait, he could still use the component as a breakthrough point.
As long as he claimed that there were issues with the component, assumed the identity of a buyer on the surface, and aimed to protect Yuan's reputation while investigating the identity of the counterfeit goods, KID wouldn't be able to ignore it. They would also maintain a connection with him.
But now, all his plans had been disrupted by Shen Xingtang.
A legitimate auction by KID would be similar in nature to selling components online. Using the component issue as an excuse to approach KID wouldn't pry open KID's mouth. Instead, it might even lead KID to focus their attention on him and shift the main conflict onto himself.
All of his arrangements were foiled by Shen Xingtang's intervention.
The man furrowed his brows slightly. Shen Xingtang couldn't have received the information so quickly, let alone arranged everything this swiftly. It was as if someone behind the scenes was pulling the strings, causing the development of this situation to deviate from his expectations.
The man in gray looked at him and asked, "But you spent 12 million credits on this item. Generally, the most high-end components on the market would only go for around 5 million."
Seeing the auction hall staff approaching to confirm, the man quickly signed and wore a stern expression. "Rest assured, a 12 million credit item will have no shortage of bases in the Second Star Domain wanting to study it when it returns."
The man in gray understood him. This man had never engaged in a losing deal. He chuckled and said, "So, you're planning to go home with a full load?"
The man's tone eased a bit as he replied, "Of course, I want everything – Yuan's components, Gu Xiaotian's components, and the upcoming S-grade anomalous crystals."
The auction had swiftly completed one item's bidding process and transitioned into a new one.
As one item after another was auctioned off, the atmosphere changed when a highly anticipated item appeared on stage. The auction had previously announced the presence of an S-grade anomalous crystal and hinted that it was an S-grade attack-type anomalous crystal. Such attack-type crystals were rare, and even if this announcement might have been a ploy by the auction house, many mecha pilots had gathered in response.
The auctioneer stepped back a bit, and from the central platform, a heavily protected transparent levitating stand rose up.
Inside the levitating stand, an S-grade anomalous crystal floated, emitting a peculiar pale color that was predominantly white. Within the swirling shades of white, there were traces of blue vortexes.
Inside the private room, the man's gaze brightened slightly. "It's here."
The auctioneer's voice boomed, "Ladies and gentlemen, the next item to be presented is a heavyweight in this auction. It comes from the S-grade mutant pollutant 'Wind Falcon,' and it is a [Wind]-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal. The anomalous ability is [Compressed Windstorm]."
The man in gray immediately sat upright. "It's actually a wind-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal! I recall that the weapon you currently use is a wind-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal, right?"
"Yes," the man's expression eased slightly. "I didn't expect such a barren place to produce a anomalous crystal like this."
In the KID private room, both Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng couldn't take their eyes off the anomalous crystal.
Theo looked excitedly at You Su, "You Su!! Wind attribute! Attack type!"
This was the type of anomalous crystal they had been searching for tirelessly in the contaminated zone!
Upon seeing this, Ying Chenlin blinked and turned his head towards You Su.
A wind attribute attack-type anomalous crystal, the weapon that Theo damaged was based on a wind attribute anomalous crystal.
You Su lifted his gaze slightly, focusing on the stage. "It seems that the feng shui here in Sirius is truly favorable."
The auctioneer's voice then rang out, "Starting bid for the S-grade Gale Falcon anomalous crystal is 200,000 credits! Bidding increments must not be less than 10,000 credits each time!"
As soon as the auctioneer's voice fell, various discussions filled the private rooms.
"The starting bid is unexpectedly high. It's so rare; I didn't expect this small place to have a wind attribute attack."
"A wind attribute anomalous crystal! Attack type!"
"I've heard that a single attribute attack-type anomalous crystal with wind attribute is almost as rare as dual attribute anomalous crystals."
"There must be a lot of big players bidding for it!!"
The criteria for distinguishing anomalous crystals come from the psionic abilities of the pollutants themselves and their corresponding attributes.
Wind attribute anomalous crystals were not uncommon, but most were categorized as support-type due to the nature of the pollutant's abilities, lacking strong offensive capabilities. The rarity of this particular anomalous crystal stemmed from it being both wind attribute and attack type.
Attributes carried by attack-type anomalous crystals were often metallic, fiery, or electrical in nature, possessing strong offensive potential. Even rarer were wind, ice, and water attributes.
The Gale Falcon had been registered within the Alliance, a contamination creature belonging to the flying species, and the registration data had emerged from the border contaminated zones.
Such pollutants were extremely rare, and only three had been registered within the Alliance. Its psionic ability was [Compressed Windstorm], capable of unleashing a devastating compressed Gale that was said to be able to obliterate an entire city in an instant.
The allure of an S-grade wind attribute attack-type anomalous crystal was immense. After the auctioneer announced the starting bid, the bidding frequency in the hall increased significantly.
"600,000!"
"620,000!"
...
The man sneered and immediately raised the bid to 900,000 credits.
As the bids flew in the auction hall, in the KID private room, Ji Qingfeng saw the escalating prices outside and covered his face, worrying, "Wait a minute? Who's this idiot who's being so aggressive with the bidding? Don't they know how to offer in a more subtle manner?"
Lin Yao glanced at him, "Da Feng, it's that big spender from room 1468, the one who bid on Chenlin's component."
Ying Chenlin, seeing this, pondered over his own finances—subtracting the money spent on bidding for the S-grade materials and the money used to buy components for Shen Xingtang. He considered how much support he could provide to You Su.
"I'm afraid of encountering those people with surplus money." Ji Qingfeng covered his wallet. "Yao Bao, how much do you have left? Let's contribute some to help You Ge."
Just as the three of them were counting their funds, You Su, sitting in the corner of the sofa, opened a virtual screen and entered a bid.
Inside the auction hall, the auctioneer received the bid and announced enthusiastically, "Lot 5666, 12 million!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Qingfeng quickly grabbed the armrest beside him. "Who's the idiot bidding 12 million for lot 5666?!"
Lin Yao turned his head and looked at the number on his private room, '5666', with golden borders, right in front of his eyes. "Da Feng, it seems like it's us."
Ji Qingfeng's head was spinning. He had forgotten where he had stopped while counting the money. "Ge?"
He looked at You Su, who was entering the bid on the virtual screen in the corner. "Ge, this isn't the right way to be 'on top'!"
As the bidding price increased, the number of bidders gradually decreased.
Inside private room 1468, the man in the gray clothes had done some simple research before coming to the auction. Although most bidders remained anonymous, a quick check of the flight itineraries of certain important figures revealed who had gathered at Auction House No. 8. "Several of those bidding against you are from mecha bases. There aren't many backers bidding for anomalous crystals. Most of them are from mecha bases in the First Domain. A small portion is from other domains. They probably can't outcompete you."
They had specifically come to Sirius Auction House for the rumored attack-type anomalous crystal. To secure it, they had already conducted thorough pre-auction investigations and had a general idea of the price range people in the hall could afford.
The man furrowed his brows as he frequently heard the number 5666 being mentioned by the auctioneer. He turned his head slightly to the man in gray clothes. "Who is number 5666?"
The man in gray clothes frowned. "Number 5666 is from a secondary room."
A secondary room was farther from the central auction stage, indicating that the people staying in those rooms didn't have a high level of spending and weren't top-tier clients of Sirius Auction House.
At this moment, private room 1468 bid again, raising the price to 13 million.
You Su's expression remained unchanged. He raised his hand and entered a new bid on the virtual screen, pushing it to 15 million.
Lin Yao asked, "Da Feng, it's 15 million now. Is our little treasure chest enough?"
Ji Qingfeng fell silent. "... We can manage a bit more. The wife's savings are still there."
Soon after, the bidding price in the hall increased again, skyrocketing to 18 million.
You Su calmly entered a new bid.
The auctioneer's voice grew excited. "25 million! Private room 5666, 25 million!"
Lin Yao said, "Da Feng, You Ge bid 25 million."
Ji Qingfeng slumped onto the sofa. "The wife's savings are gone."
You Su's expression remained unchanged. It was as if entering those prices were merely entering a string of numbers for him. Hearing the price increase outside, he was about to input a new bid when he suddenly noticed the gaze from across the room.
He lifted his eyes and caught sight of Ying Chenlin, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, staring directly at him.
As You Su entered the bid, he casually asked, "What's the matter?"
Ying Chenlin whispered, "I'm out of money too."
You Su's expression subtly changed, and he suddenly became interested. He looked into Ying Chenlin's eyes and asked, "So what do you do when you have no money?"
Ying Chenlin hesitated slightly. "It seems we can't intervene in the auction anymore."
Taking into account his remaining star coins, he couldn't afford the current high price that You Su was bidding. Even if he wanted to sell the other materials and components he had polished in storage, he couldn't do it right now.
Outside the hall, the price continued to fluctuate, gradually rising to 40 million.
At this moment, private room 1468 suddenly raised the bid to 50 million!
With this price, the competing voices in the hall suddenly fell silent.
Inside private room 1468, the man stared at the now-silent auction hall.
While the S-grade anomalous crystal market was indeed high, considering the competitive capacity and cost considerations of the other participants in the room, they generally wouldn't continue competing with him once the price surpassed a certain threshold. The usual transaction price for S-grade anomalous crystals in the auction house was around 30 million, with the exception of special ones. Once the price went over 50 million, capital would withdraw, and mecha bases would evaluate the cost and generally not continue to compete.
The man had accounted for all of this; everything was under control.
The man in gray clothes looked at the auctioneer's hammer about to fall. "It seems the competitive power of Sirius isn't up to par. A wind-type attack-grade for 50 million is enough to secure it. If it were in our domain, we could add another 20 million."
The man's tone was indifferent. "That's why I said this is a barren place—"
Suddenly, as the auctioneer was about to bring down the final hammer, a new bid appeared on the virtual screen in the hall.
The man stood up abruptly, his expression astonished.
The auctioneer seemed stunned, gazing at the price displayed on the virtual screen. His voice trembled slightly, then he excitedly announced, "80 million! Private room 5666 bids 80 million!"
In KID's private room, the virtual screen in front of You Su displayed a price of 80 million.
You Su looked at Ying Chenlin and chuckled.
Then, he glanced out the window and noticed that private room 1468 had stopped bidding.
He said to Ying Chenlin, "Don't worry, we don't need your little treasury."
"He can't beat me."
TN:
OOOH Sugar Daddy You in the house! Don’t worry Da Feng, your wife’s treasury is safe! These two new sus men are giving me mad antagonist vibes.
Also it seems You Su affinity is wind related. Probably why he moves so astonishingly fast.
jjwxc tutorial.
Author Support Project
KOFI Donations using the pop-up button.
55. Auction/Bid
When the bid in the private room reached 3 million credits, there was a momentary pause in the bidding within the auction hall. However, after a while, someone called out a bid of 3.1 million credits.
S-grade components commanded high prices, especially accessories for weaponry, which were among the most valuable components. Weapon accessory components like the annular connecting parts were large pieces connecting weapons to mechas, and their production costs were significant. Generally, bids for such S-grade components were higher compared to other parts, let alone for an 85% accuracy part.
After the 3.1 million bid, someone quickly increased the bid again.
Inside the KID's private room, Ji Qingfeng and Lin Yao listened to the bidding outside. Ji Qingfeng asked, "How much do you think this thing will fetch?"
"The value of an S-grade component depends on the buyers. S-grade attack-type component accessories are rarer. Those who want them won't hesitate to bid high," You Su explained, his gaze stopping on Ying Chenlin next to him. He didn't lack such component accessories, but many mecha bases did.
S-grade materials forged S-grade components, and when combined with weapon anomalous crystals, they created the embryo of an S-grade mech. The higher quality of materials brought about precision conversion and shared resonance, increasing the chances of awakening a mech's intelligent consciousness to S-grade.
Moreover, for components with this level of precision, aside from the needs of mecha pilots and bases, there were also those who participated out of curiosity for research or for resale. Presenting such a component would surely trigger discussions within a certain scope, with more people wanting to understand the technology behind improving precision.
You Su asked, "You had Shen Xingtang help you, to sell this component under KID's name, right?"
Ying Chenlin replied, "Yes, it's best if she's involved."
The connection between Yuan and KID was well-known. By having KID involved, Ying Chenlin's identity wouldn't be easily exposed by those with ill intentions. You Su was curious about why Ying Chenlin chose to release the component at this moment. He remembered that initially, Ying Chenlin had intended to exchange for materials. Changing his mind last minute surely had other reasons. "What are you planning to bid on? Apart from the Crimson Hare Beast."
Ying Chenlin answered, "I'm not sure if I'll be able to bid successfully, and I'm not certain."
Ji Qingfeng, listening to the sounds from outside, said, "Bids have reached 5 million credits! What kind of material is this? It can't be more expensive than that weapon accessory of yours, can it?"
"It's not a material." Ying Chenlin lowered his head slightly as he received a message from Shen Xingtang.
[Shen Xingtang: Cockpit component, accuracy 82%.]
Upon reading the message, his expression relaxed, and he refocused on the auction, "It's a component with special significance."
After realizing the technology level of components during this time period, Ying Chenlin had spent some time organizing the timeline of component development. Some time points and events from his memory matched with the data he gathered. The reason he had Shen Xingtang help was to identify the person behind this component. The components that auction houses pushed were not just about reputation; it was about the genuine appraisal certificate.
In other words, the person who submitted this component ensured it met the standards for upgrade, with accuracy higher than 80%.
Considering the location was Sirius, he was reminded of someone from his past life. In the maintenance room of KID, there was an elderly master who had been the oldest instructor. He had advised Ying Chenlin during his practice of polishing components, suggesting the use of mental power for polishing. They had spent time together, and the master once mentioned his early experiences. Before he joined KID, he had fallen critically ill after entering a polluted zone, and his grandson had sold his incomplete components to scrape by. Later, someone had bought the components at a low price and brought them to the Second Domain, sparking a reform in component design there, with the designer's identity being replaced by another person.
The master had been invited into KID by Shen Xingtang during difficult times. He later found out that the components he had devoted so much effort to researching had become someone else's achievement. However, he couldn't blame his grandson, as if his grandson hadn't sold the component, he might not have survived.
Ying Chenlin couldn't remember every detail of his past life, but when he died, the master was still alive, and his grandson had become an excellent successor. The two of them continued to research component technology. Even if he wasn't around, KID in the future should continue to operate with the efforts of others.
But he remembered the accuracy of that component, because during a time when he was polishing a component, the master mentioned that he had exceeded the critical point when researching that component, reaching 82%. If luck had been a bit better, perhaps that component could have been finished earlier.
Lin Yao scratched his head and asked curiously, "But won't there be more trouble if this S-grade component is auctioned off? An S-grade component with 85% accuracy, and it's an attack-type weapon component. Many mecha pilots want it, and some component companies might want it too, right?"
"It doesn't matter how many bids there are. That component was made from waste materials, and some of the pattern directions might be chaotic."
Ying Chenlin had mostly kept the waste materials separated while polishing. He had given all the Bai Suilan materials to KID, and the remaining scraps were scattered. It had been quite challenging to fuse the waste materials together. The disrupted patterns within the component due to the fused scraps were numerous. Some patterns were distorted, while others were sealed, in simple terms, they were no longer following the normal pattern directions. "Well... it's probably better to use it directly. As for studying it, it might require a lot of effort, and we might not see anything significant."
You Su looked at him, arms crossed, and observed the escalating prices in the auction hall. "Seems like getting rid of this component is a good thing."
Ying Chenlin nodded. He also felt that the surplus of S-grade materials was quite wasteful, so he had considered fusing them together. "It probably won't be bid up to 10 million credits. It's a pity that Mr. Zhou is in the A-grade mecha market; otherwise, I would've liked to offer him this thing at a lower price."
Ji Qingfeng added, "Speaking of Mr. Zhou, he seems to have been trying to contact you these days, but you've been busy."
"It's my oversight." Ying Chenlin was momentarily surprised, then he said, "I'll get in touch with him afterward."
Meanwhile, on the stage, bidding for the S-grade component continued.
In other private rooms, the heads of various mecha bases saw the price of the component rising higher and higher. Many had chosen to withdraw their bids, leaving the auction mainly among the major component companies. Yuan's component technology was unique, and with the scarcity of goods sold on the star network, there was no lack of businessmen among the bidders. Businessmen pursued profit, and while Yuan's A-grade components were lucrative, there had never been any S-grade components released.
Even though the price had exceeded the market value by a significant margin, the technical significance of an S-grade component with 85% accuracy was completely different.
People willing to bid on-site hadn't expected such a component to suddenly appear. It was a pleasant surprise, and the number of participants in the auction on-site was significantly fewer compared to the outside world. If news about this component had spread earlier, the price might have risen even higher.
With fewer people present in the auction hall, if someone managed to win the bid, it would undoubtedly be a substantial gain.
Ji Qingfeng turned his head to look at Ying Chenlin. His gaze resembled that of someone staring at a vast treasure trove, "Lin Ge, has it already gone past 10 million credits?"
Lin Yao added, "Now you're even calling him 'Ge'?"
Ji Qingfeng said, "I've never seen so much money! And this is just a single component! It's not even an anomalous crystal!"
Finally, the component was sold at a high bid of 12 million credits. As the auctioneer's gavel fell, Ying Chenlin's gaze also shifted to private room 1468, "Indeed, the price has gone quite high."
Lin Yao looked at that room with a hint of pity in his eyes. "No wonder Huo Ge told me that getting too involved in auctions can be a big headache."
"You see, room 1468 has become quite a headache now, hasn't it?"
---
When Gu Xiaotian followed the staff into another private room, he saw a woman in work attire who exuded professionalism. She didn't attempt to hide herself and remained confident, even in a place like an auction hall. Having watched mecha battles and being a native of Sirius, Gu Xiaotian immediately recognized her as the female owner of KID.
Upon seeing someone enter, Shen Xingtang said, "Please have a seat. You came over here, does that mean you've decided to withdraw from the auction?"
"I... I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to falsely use Yuan's name to deceive. It’s just that if I didn't have Yuan's name, I couldn't enter the auction." Gu Xiaotian was at his wit's end. The security outside the auction hall was tight, and when he said he wanted to sell components, the staff had told him to wait until Auction 8 was over before he could enter. Only when he invoked Yuan's name did they change their attitude.
He had originally planned to explain things clearly after the precision test results came out. However, the auction hall staff were too busy. Before he could find a chance to explain, they had already arranged everything else. "I wanted to explain, but I didn't find an opportunity. I'm sorry."
Shen Xingtang said, "Do you realize the legal consequences of impersonating someone else?"
Gu Xiaotian lowered his head and clenched his teeth. "I know, I can bear the responsibility... as long as I can get the money to save my grandfather."
Shen Xingtang looked at the boy before her, whose voice sounded rough, likely due to a voice changer. She could tell from his tone that he wasn't very old, yet he was pretending to be an adult in such an auction setting. She had initially thought it might be difficult to investigate, but as it turned out, the boy's disguise was quite poor, or rather, he had no disguise at all. Ever since he lingered around the auction hall's entrance, the various spies stationed there had already taken note of him.
With just a little bit of inquiry, she could learn the whole story. There were quite a few impostors pretending to be Yuan, especially after their online store gained popularity recently. Many subpar and fake online stores selling components had popped up, but those impostors were quite amateurish; the precision and durability of the components couldn't deceive anyone. However, the components this boy presented were different. She had just examined the appraisal documents. They were S-grade central cockpit docking components that exceeded market standards in terms of precision.
Components that surpassed standards were easy to sell; the challenge was finding the right buyer.
Shen Xingtang asked directly, "With so many renowned designers out there, why did you decide to impersonate Yuan?"
"Will you accept my components? I don't want to auction them. I really need money." Gu Xiaotian's voice trembled, but he held onto Shen Xingtang like he had grabbed onto a lifeline. "Someone told me to do this. He said that as long as I used Yuan's name, the auction hall staff would let me in without questioning."
Shen Xingtang's brows furrowed slightly. "Who?"
Gu Xiaotian replied, "I don't know him. He claimed to be a friend of my grandfather's. He had a Sirius accent... There were two of them. The accent of the other person didn't sound like ours. I heard them using a language from a different star domain."
---
Inside private room 1468 of the auction hall, the man in gray observed how the man had finally managed to secure the component with a high bid of 12 million credits. He seemed puzzled as he asked, "You don't lack S-grade components, so why did you bid for this one? If you needed a high-precision component, that boy surnamed Gu's component would have sufficed."
"Bidding for his component would have been simple, but creating the opportunity to bait someone would have been much more difficult. The Gu boy spent several years and could only achieve a precision of 82%. Meanwhile, this Yuan can casually raise the precision to 85%. Do you see why I went through so much trouble to find this person?" The man's gaze turned slightly serious. "The boy needs money. That 82% component of his can be reclaimed later, but opportunities to involve Yuan in our plans are limited."
He had even formulated a comprehensive plan. As long as he managed to circulate that component through the auction, besides the effect it would have on public opinion, he could also link the component to Yuan successfully. Even if Yuan didn't take the bait, he could still use the component as a breakthrough point.
As long as he claimed that there were issues with the component, assumed the identity of a buyer on the surface, and aimed to protect Yuan's reputation while investigating the identity of the counterfeit goods, KID wouldn't be able to ignore it. They would also maintain a connection with him.
But now, all his plans had been disrupted by Shen Xingtang.
A legitimate auction by KID would be similar in nature to selling components online. Using the component issue as an excuse to approach KID wouldn't pry open KID's mouth. Instead, it might even lead KID to focus their attention on him and shift the main conflict onto himself.
All of his arrangements were foiled by Shen Xingtang's intervention.
The man furrowed his brows slightly. Shen Xingtang couldn't have received the information so quickly, let alone arranged everything this swiftly. It was as if someone behind the scenes was pulling the strings, causing the development of this situation to deviate from his expectations.
The man in gray looked at him and asked, "But you spent 12 million credits on this item. Generally, the most high-end components on the market would only go for around 5 million."
Seeing the auction hall staff approaching to confirm, the man quickly signed and wore a stern expression. "Rest assured, a 12 million credit item will have no shortage of bases in the Second Star Domain wanting to study it when it returns."
The man in gray understood him. This man had never engaged in a losing deal. He chuckled and said, "So, you're planning to go home with a full load?"
The man's tone eased a bit as he replied, "Of course, I want everything – Yuan's components, Gu Xiaotian's components, and the upcoming S-grade anomalous crystals."
The auction had swiftly completed one item's bidding process and transitioned into a new one.
As one item after another was auctioned off, the atmosphere changed when a highly anticipated item appeared on stage. The auction had previously announced the presence of an S-grade anomalous crystal and hinted that it was an S-grade attack-type anomalous crystal. Such attack-type crystals were rare, and even if this announcement might have been a ploy by the auction house, many mecha pilots had gathered in response.
The auctioneer stepped back a bit, and from the central platform, a heavily protected transparent levitating stand rose up.
Inside the levitating stand, an S-grade anomalous crystal floated, emitting a peculiar pale color that was predominantly white. Within the swirling shades of white, there were traces of blue vortexes.
Inside the private room, the man's gaze brightened slightly. "It's here."
The auctioneer's voice boomed, "Ladies and gentlemen, the next item to be presented is a heavyweight in this auction. It comes from the S-grade mutant pollutant 'Wind Falcon,' and it is a [Wind]-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal. The anomalous ability is [Compressed Windstorm]."
The man in gray immediately sat upright. "It's actually a wind-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal! I recall that the weapon you currently use is a wind-attributed attack-type anomalous crystal, right?"
"Yes," the man's expression eased slightly. "I didn't expect such a barren place to produce a anomalous crystal like this."
In the KID private room, both Lin Yao and Ji Qingfeng couldn't take their eyes off the anomalous crystal.
Theo looked excitedly at You Su, "You Su!! Wind attribute! Attack type!"
This was the type of anomalous crystal they had been searching for tirelessly in the contaminated zone!
Upon seeing this, Ying Chenlin blinked and turned his head towards You Su.
A wind attribute attack-type anomalous crystal, the weapon that Theo damaged was based on a wind attribute anomalous crystal.
You Su lifted his gaze slightly, focusing on the stage. "It seems that the feng shui here in Sirius is truly favorable."
The auctioneer's voice then rang out, "Starting bid for the S-grade Gale Falcon anomalous crystal is 200,000 credits! Bidding increments must not be less than 10,000 credits each time!"
As soon as the auctioneer's voice fell, various discussions filled the private rooms.
"The starting bid is unexpectedly high. It's so rare; I didn't expect this small place to have a wind attribute attack."
"A wind attribute anomalous crystal! Attack type!"
"I've heard that a single attribute attack-type anomalous crystal with wind attribute is almost as rare as dual attribute anomalous crystals."
"There must be a lot of big players bidding for it!!"
The criteria for distinguishing anomalous crystals come from the psionic abilities of the pollutants themselves and their corresponding attributes.
Wind attribute anomalous crystals were not uncommon, but most were categorized as support-type due to the nature of the pollutant's abilities, lacking strong offensive capabilities. The rarity of this particular anomalous crystal stemmed from it being both wind attribute and attack type.
Attributes carried by attack-type anomalous crystals were often metallic, fiery, or electrical in nature, possessing strong offensive potential. Even rarer were wind, ice, and water attributes.
The Gale Falcon had been registered within the Alliance, a contamination creature belonging to the flying species, and the registration data had emerged from the border contaminated zones.
Such pollutants were extremely rare, and only three had been registered within the Alliance. Its psionic ability was [Compressed Windstorm], capable of unleashing a devastating compressed Gale that was said to be able to obliterate an entire city in an instant.
The allure of an S-grade wind attribute attack-type anomalous crystal was immense. After the auctioneer announced the starting bid, the bidding frequency in the hall increased significantly.
"600,000!"
"620,000!"
...
The man sneered and immediately raised the bid to 900,000 credits.
As the bids flew in the auction hall, in the KID private room, Ji Qingfeng saw the escalating prices outside and covered his face, worrying, "Wait a minute? Who's this idiot who's being so aggressive with the bidding? Don't they know how to offer in a more subtle manner?"
Lin Yao glanced at him, "Da Feng, it's that big spender from room 1468, the one who bid on Chenlin's component."
Ying Chenlin, seeing this, pondered over his own finances—subtracting the money spent on bidding for the S-grade materials and the money used to buy components for Shen Xingtang. He considered how much support he could provide to You Su.
"I'm afraid of encountering those people with surplus money." Ji Qingfeng covered his wallet. "Yao Bao, how much do you have left? Let's contribute some to help You Ge."
Just as the three of them were counting their funds, You Su, sitting in the corner of the sofa, opened a virtual screen and entered a bid.
Inside the auction hall, the auctioneer received the bid and announced enthusiastically, "Lot 5666, 12 million!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Qingfeng quickly grabbed the armrest beside him. "Who's the idiot bidding 12 million for lot 5666?!"
Lin Yao turned his head and looked at the number on his private room, '5666', with golden borders, right in front of his eyes. "Da Feng, it seems like it's us."
Ji Qingfeng's head was spinning. He had forgotten where he had stopped while counting the money. "Ge?"
He looked at You Su, who was entering the bid on the virtual screen in the corner. "Ge, this isn't the right way to be 'on top'!"
As the bidding price increased, the number of bidders gradually decreased.
Inside private room 1468, the man in the gray clothes had done some simple research before coming to the auction. Although most bidders remained anonymous, a quick check of the flight itineraries of certain important figures revealed who had gathered at Auction House No. 8. "Several of those bidding against you are from mecha bases. There aren't many backers bidding for anomalous crystals. Most of them are from mecha bases in the First Domain. A small portion is from other domains. They probably can't outcompete you."
They had specifically come to Sirius Auction House for the rumored attack-type anomalous crystal. To secure it, they had already conducted thorough pre-auction investigations and had a general idea of the price range people in the hall could afford.
The man furrowed his brows as he frequently heard the number 5666 being mentioned by the auctioneer. He turned his head slightly to the man in gray clothes. "Who is number 5666?"
The man in gray clothes frowned. "Number 5666 is from a secondary room."
A secondary room was farther from the central auction stage, indicating that the people staying in those rooms didn't have a high level of spending and weren't top-tier clients of Sirius Auction House.
At this moment, private room 1468 bid again, raising the price to 13 million.
You Su's expression remained unchanged. He raised his hand and entered a new bid on the virtual screen, pushing it to 15 million.
Lin Yao asked, "Da Feng, it's 15 million now. Is our little treasure chest enough?"
Ji Qingfeng fell silent. "... We can manage a bit more. The wife's savings are still there."
Soon after, the bidding price in the hall increased again, skyrocketing to 18 million.
You Su calmly entered a new bid.
The auctioneer's voice grew excited. "25 million! Private room 5666, 25 million!"
Lin Yao said, "Da Feng, You Ge bid 25 million."
Ji Qingfeng slumped onto the sofa. "The wife's savings are gone."
You Su's expression remained unchanged. It was as if entering those prices were merely entering a string of numbers for him. Hearing the price increase outside, he was about to input a new bid when he suddenly noticed the gaze from across the room.
He lifted his eyes and caught sight of Ying Chenlin, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, staring directly at him.
As You Su entered the bid, he casually asked, "What's the matter?"
Ying Chenlin whispered, "I'm out of money too."
You Su's expression subtly changed, and he suddenly became interested. He looked into Ying Chenlin's eyes and asked, "So what do you do when you have no money?"
Ying Chenlin hesitated slightly. "It seems we can't intervene in the auction anymore."
Taking into account his remaining star coins, he couldn't afford the current high price that You Su was bidding. Even if he wanted to sell the other materials and components he had polished in storage, he couldn't do it right now.
Outside the hall, the price continued to fluctuate, gradually rising to 40 million.
At this moment, private room 1468 suddenly raised the bid to 50 million!
With this price, the competing voices in the hall suddenly fell silent.
Inside private room 1468, the man stared at the now-silent auction hall.
While the S-grade anomalous crystal market was indeed high, considering the competitive capacity and cost considerations of the other participants in the room, they generally wouldn't continue competing with him once the price surpassed a certain threshold. The usual transaction price for S-grade anomalous crystals in the auction house was around 30 million, with the exception of special ones. Once the price went over 50 million, capital would withdraw, and mecha bases would evaluate the cost and generally not continue to compete.
The man had accounted for all of this; everything was under control.
The man in gray clothes looked at the auctioneer's hammer about to fall. "It seems the competitive power of Sirius isn't up to par. A wind-type attack-grade for 50 million is enough to secure it. If it were in our domain, we could add another 20 million."
The man's tone was indifferent. "That's why I said this is a barren place—"
Suddenly, as the auctioneer was about to bring down the final hammer, a new bid appeared on the virtual screen in the hall.
The man stood up abruptly, his expression astonished.
The auctioneer seemed stunned, gazing at the price displayed on the virtual screen. His voice trembled slightly, then he excitedly announced, "80 million! Private room 5666 bids 80 million!"
In KID's private room, the virtual screen in front of You Su displayed a price of 80 million.
You Su looked at Ying Chenlin and chuckled.
Then, he glanced out the window and noticed that private room 1468 had stopped bidding.
He said to Ying Chenlin, "Don't worry, we don't need your little treasury."
"He can't beat me."
TN:
OOOH Sugar Daddy You in the house! Don’t worry Da Feng, your wife’s treasury is safe! These two new sus men are giving me mad antagonist vibes.
Also it seems You Su affinity is wind related. Probably why he moves so astonishingly fast.
jjwxc tutorial.
Author Support Project
KOFI Donations using the pop-up button.
