novelraw Chapter 485:Bring Him Out
Chapter 485:Bring Him Out
Chapter 485:Bring Him Out
Only an idiot would fail to understand what was happening. Ethan leaned back slightly in his chair, his fingers tapping slowly against the armrest while his thoughts moved rapidly.
His eyes stayed on the stage, but his mind was clearly elsewhere, trying to figure out the source of this trouble. "Who the hell is it…" he muttered quietly, his brows knitting together.
He could not remember offending anyone to such an extent. That was what made this situation even more strange and unsettling.
There was no clear enemy, no obvious person who would go this far just to oppose him again and again. Unless there was something he had missed.
Just as that thought began forming in his mind, the auctioneer's voice cut through the air and pulled him back to reality.
"The seventy-fifth item… one kilogram of Star Dust Essence." The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall stirred.
People straightened up, and the low murmurs quickly spread across the room. The item everyone had been waiting for had finally appeared. The atmosphere changed instantly, and even those who had remained calm until now showed clear interest.
"The Star Dust Essence is a special metal derived from fragments of fallen stars," the auctioneer said smoothly, raising her hand slightly toward the glowing material placed on display.
The silver-blue light reflected softly across the hall, and its dense magical energy could be felt even from a distance. "It possesses powerful starfall energy, is extremely durable, and is incredibly rare," she continued, her tone steady and confident.
"It is said that the top-tier Transcendent level Starfall Staff is forged primarily from this material."
She paused briefly, letting her words sink in, and then added, "Friends who like it, do not miss out. Starting price… four hundred million gold coins. Each bid must not be less than ten million." The moment she finished speaking, the hall erupted into a storm of bids.
"Three hundred and fifty million!"
"....."
Everyone paused and looked towards the room to find that idiot.
"Four hundred million!"
"Four hundred and eighty million!" The voices rose one after another, overlapping and competing.
The price climbed rapidly, and within moments it had already crossed eight hundred million. The momentum showed no signs of slowing down, and it quickly pushed toward one billion as if it was nothing.
Ethan remained silent during all of this.
'You want to play right..'
'Good..This time I will accompany you well?'
He did not rush to act because he knew that bidding too early would only waste effort. He waited patiently, letting others compete and exhaust themselves. But even after several rounds, the crowd showed no signs of stopping.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned forward.
"One point five billion gold coins." His voice echoed clearly through the sound transmission array, cutting through the noise like a sharp blade.
Instantly, the entire hall fell silent. All eyes turned toward his private room, and even the auctioneer paused for a brief moment before continuing. The sudden increase of such a large amount in a single bid shocked everyone present.
The bidding resumed, but it was slower now.
"One point five one…" "One point five two…"
The atmosphere had changed, and caution replaced the earlier excitement.
Ethan's patience thinned, and his voice turned colder. "One point six."
A brief pause followed, then another voice responded. "One point six one."
Ethan did not hesitate. "One point seven billion."
This time, the hall finally quieted. Many bidders withdrew, and only a few remained. The weaker participants had already been forced out, just as Ethan expected. Then it came again. "Two billion." That same voice. Ethan's eyes sharpened instantly, and his expression turned serious.
But this time, he was ready. "Three billion."
The sudden jump shocked the entire hall. Even the other party fell silent for a moment before responding again. "Three billion and fi—"
"Five billion," Ethan cut them off coldly. His tone was firm, and the pressure in the room grew heavier.
Another bid followed quickly. "Six bill—" "I quit."
Ethan's voice rang out clearly, cutting everything short. The entire hall froze, and everyone stared in disbelief. Just moments ago, he had been raising the price without hesitation, and now he had suddenly withdrawn without explanation.
Before anyone could react, Ethan stood up. The chair behind him scraped loudly against the floor, and the sharp sound echoed in the silent room.
The next moment, he stepped out of the private room with a strong and oppressive aura. He walked directly toward the central platform.
"Miss Juliet," Ethan said, his voice firm and clear. "I think that person is cheating."
The hall fell into complete silence again. His words carried weight, and no one dared to interrupt. "Combined with the previous bids, he has already spent around ten billion gold coins," he continued while looking around slowly.
"Is there really someone wealthy enough to throw ten billion gold coins around like this?"
His question stirred the crowd immediately. People began whispering among themselves, and several nodded while others frowned. Even for powerful nobles, ten billion was not a small amount that could be thrown away casually.
A man stepped forward from the side. He looked old, and his sharp eyes carried a cold glint. "Marquise Ethan," he said in a low voice, "are you doubting us?" His tone carried a clear hint of threat, but Ethan did not show any reaction. He remained calm and composed.
"Look… I am not doubting," Ethan said steadily. "But everyone can make mistakes." He crossed his arms slightly and continued, "What if the other party is a rogue or a thug who used some deviant method to enter?" His words made the surrounding crowd even more uneasy.
At that moment, a soft voice sounded from the side. "I support Sir Ethan."
Everyone turned immediately. A woman stepped forward, her long purple hair flowing behind her and her hazy purple eyes calm yet sharp. She held a fan lightly in her hand, and her presence alone made several people swallow nervously.
Regalina El Osantara. The daughter of Duke Osantara. Ethan recognized her instantly and gave a slight nod.
She returned it with a faint smile before speaking again. "I think we should check whether that person truly has the money," she said calmly, her tone firm.
Juliet hesitated slightly. "But Miss…" she began, but before she could finish, another voice rose from the crowd. "I agree." Soon more voices followed.
"That bastard is quite annoying."
"Yes, check it."
"This is too suspicious."
"We cannot allow someone to disrupt the auction like this."
The atmosphere quickly shifted. Even though that person had only targeted Ethan, the excessive display of wealth had made everyone uncomfortable.
It felt unnatural, and the growing doubt spread across the hall. The protests grew louder, and the pressure on the auction house increased.
Amid the noise, Regalina stepped forward slightly. She looked around the hall slowly,as her gaze moved across the private rooms. Then she spoke again, her tone calm but sharp.
"How strange…" she said softly. "Everyone has stepped out…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued, "But that gentleman with pockets full of gold has yet to make an appearance." Her words landed heavily, turning Juliet and the old man's expression pale.