Chapter 45

"Where did this guy come from?!"

"This figure looks strange? It's not one of the big guys I know... So, he is really not famous, but he got to where he is now by luck?"

Surprised whispers gradually arose, and various eyes were scrutinizing the thin figure.

The gamble continues.

It gradually decreased from more than twenty to a dozen, then to seven or eight...until only three or four were left.

Among them were some extremely famous or well-funded bigwigs, but they were all ruthlessly eliminated.

In stark contrast, this young man who was a complete stranger and was considered to be unlucky persisted until the final round, dumbfounding the crowd who were there to watch the excitement.

"What's going on? Even if you're lucky, you can't always be lucky, right...?"

"Cheating? Can you report this to the auctioneer for inspection?!"

Sitting at the gambling table, Yael moved calmly, turning a deaf ear to the malicious remarks and not avoiding the eyes from all directions examining the cards. He flipped over the cards in front of him with confidence.

Still a very mediocre card.

He was not the last one to be eliminated, but he also did not win all the weights. But it was like this every time, and he stayed in this position for dozens of rounds.

A loud cry!

"Impossible! This guy is definitely cheating! The organizer! The organizer!!"

The ever-increasing jealousy finally boiled over and became as sharp as a knife. His bloodshot eyes glared fiercely at Yael who was sitting upright in the chair.

"That's not fair! He must have used some covert method to count the cards to be able to predict so accurately! We must check..."

"Excuse me."

Chong, who was presiding over the auction, kept smiling and politely rejected the call for a body search.

"The control room did not detect any abnormal fluctuations, nor did it find any trace of fraud."

"Bullshit! You better think about it. If this guy really cheats, the auction house's golden signboard will be smashed tonight!"

"Search! You must search! Otherwise it would be unfair to all the bugs!"

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately aroused a lot of cheers.

More voices were stirred up to shout, all from gamblers who had already been eliminated, almost forming a wave of condemnation.

Maybe he thought he had the upper hand over the auction house, and thought that with this round of public outcry, he could restart the game... maybe if it happens again, he will be the winner!

But the target of all the bugs didn't say anything. He flipped the card so cleanly that not even the black hair hanging between the masks got messed up.

The middle-aged bug opposite him suddenly changed his expression. He looked at Yael with fear, then carefully turned over the cards in front of him.

"I'm sorry."

Along with those plain words, the dealer announced that he was out. The bug's expression instantly became extremely ugly, but he could only leave in disappointment.

At this point there are only three worms left on the table.

Seeing that Yael was unmoved, and even eliminated another gambler in the gap between their shouting, and was about to become the first place, the insects shouted even more crazily -

“It’s not fair!”

"Search! Search!"

"We can't let anyone with bad intentions take advantage of us. Search and restart the game!"

The host frowned in some embarrassment.

He believed that there would be absolutely no problem with the auction house's equipment, and that person was still sitting on it.

What kind of cheating tricks can escape that person's eyes?

But the situation was so one-sided that he couldn't just ignore it, so he took a step forward and leaned over to ask.

"Sir, may I ask if you cheated in any way?"

"How can we check like this? Are you guys covering up for me? I don't think we need to wait until tomorrow. This golden signboard will be ruined tonight!"

"You really don't know your place. You actually dared to cheat under the nose of the Viscount. You must be searched and severely reprimanded!"

Yael pulled himself away from the card game for a moment, his eyelashes drooping lazily, and his hoarse voice lengthened a little.

"What means?"

"Use my brain to calculate."

They were so close that the host insect could even see every pattern on the mask. Just as the insect in front of him raised his eyes slightly, he was unexpectedly plunged into a deep and clear pool.

Those eyes were so captivating that they made him forget his professional ethics and he was stunned for dozens of seconds.

"Of course..."

While he was in a daze, Yael curled his eyes and urged him, "The game is set, don't delay any longer, finish it early and go home to sleep early."

He was really a little sleepy. He had planned to go to bed at around 2 o'clock in the morning, but now it was almost 5 o'clock in the morning. If he delayed any longer, he would have to stay up all night.

The words were so plain, it seemed as if he was sure of victory.

The bug opposite him froze in expression, and instantly took his hand away from the card. In panic, he moved his gaze upwards.

"etc."

A voice that made him feel relieved rang out, and the noisy insect tide below also became ecstatic!

"Your Excellency, the Viscount!"

"Hurry up and kick this disruptive guy out! How dare you cheat the auction house...!"

Enix stood up from his seat, staring at Yael below with narrow eyes, his expression still calm, but his eyebrows were slightly raised.

Only those who are familiar with him know that this is his unique expression when he is in high spirits.

He jumped down directly on the railing, but instead of attacking Yael as the bugs wished, he pushed away the remaining bugs on the table.

"You've already lost. Now...it's my turn to gamble."

He casually brushed aside the cards that had not been revealed, staring intently at Yael across from him, and nodded to the dealer, "A new round."

Yael frowned slightly, glanced at the time on his laptop, and leaned back in his chair.

"You didn't want to get involved at first, did you?"

There was a hint of sleepiness in his tone, as if he was a cat licking its fur intermittently. "The extra time is another price."

Brain cells cannot be regenerated. Staying up late once will cause you to lose millions. It is a huge loss, Yael thought coldly.

Enix continued to look at him as if he were a rare animal, and reacted to what he said.

"Yes, if you can beat me, you can choose any item here, and they will all be registered under my name."

“Even if you lose, you can still retain your first place and have the priority to choose a lot to take away.”

As soon as these words were spoken, there was another round of exclamation, but no one dared to say anything rude even if they had broken their teeth, and they could only glare at Yer even more fiercely.

"Can I refuse?"

Yael spread his hands, unmoved, "I came here just for one thing, I'll take it and leave, forget about the rest——"

"So can we just skip the bet with you?"

"No." Enix smiled with narrowed eyes, like a cunning and domineering fox.

"This is my casino. I make all the rules. If you don't bet with me, you won't get a single lot."

Yael tutted his words, his mental activity coincided with that of Elaine six hours ago.

Damn it, Tianlong Capitalists.

He sighed, patted the dust off his sleeves in a conciliatory manner, and sat up straight at the gaming table. "Then let's make it quick and easy."

The messy poker cards and weights on the gambling table were all cleared away, and the noise of discussion around became much quieter. Only the sound of the machine shuffling the cards at high speed could be clearly heard.

Elaine, standing outside the swarm of insects, was sweating profusely.

Enix's family made their fortune through gambling, and they put a lot of emphasis on training their children in gambling. The viscount in front of them is the leader, and can even be said to be a shining golden signboard.

If Yael loses, no one will be offended and he will get what he wants, so everyone will be happy.

But what if... he won?

Although he could get a few more lots, he also damaged the family's reputation, and he would inevitably run into troubles and even face assassination.

Now we can only hope that Yael can understand the pros and cons, be a little more tactful, and not be too obsessed with winning or losing...

Don't forget your original intention before entering the casino.

…

Different from the terrible situation of crazy elimination before, the speed of this game was extremely slow, which made Chong even more breathless.

Yael's expression became much more serious. The speed at which he took and turned the cards slowed down again and again, as he calculated the suddenly complicated deck at high speed.

Enix on the other side looked calm, but in fact he was the only one who knew that he was not as relaxed as he appeared to be.

At least... he felt the pressure for the first time in a long time.

That was the feeling of oppression and stagnation that I would only feel when competing with my elders at home.

Who on earth is this bug? Why have I never heard of it before? And why is it nesting on such a rubbish fringe star...?

Too many questions filled his mind, but Enix quickly brushed them aside and continued to concentrate on observing the game in front of him.

This time the game was a mixed bag of wins and losses.

Both sides insisted on their own opinions in their home court, and for a while they seemed to be stuck together.

But no matter how slowly it progresses, it is finally reaching the end.

"It's the last round."

Enix suddenly said.

He tapped his fingers on the table anxiously, and kept looking at the insect opposite him who was as motionless as a mountain, trying to see something from under the mask.

The current situation is that Yael has defeated him once. If he still can't turn this round around, then he will be badly defeated.

At least that's how Enix saw it. He hadn't been left so far behind for a long time. It was a full two points!

"yes......"

Yael wanted to appear more focused, but he couldn't help feeling sleepy. He was also a little afraid that the capitalist opposite him would suddenly go crazy, so he could only yawn secretly with his fist to his lips.

It was almost six o'clock...it was already daybreak, and he hadn't been able to go home to sleep yet.

Suddenly, a soft, hot sensation seemed to brush across the back of my hand, and a slight tingling sensation arose between my fingers again.

Before he could ponder what kind of illusion it was, a flowing soft honey color penetrated into his mind.

Yael was suddenly startled, straightened his back guiltily, and picked up the cards in his hand.

...What are you thinking about? I'm really too sleepy.

Like many insects that were eagerly waiting for the end, Elaine also stretched her neck to look inside.

The situation before him made his heart sink, but at the same time he felt an inexplicable sense of pride and honor, which was extremely contradictory for a moment.

"Open it."

Enix was not the type to procrastinate, so he flipped over his cards quickly and signaled to Yell across from him with his eyes.

"Congratulations."

Yael glanced at his cards, flicked them away, and said slowly.

He lost!

This realization instantly excited the surrounding insects, and they were already ready to say contemptuous words.

However, they soon realized a fact, and their expressions became distorted with disbelief.

Wait... No! It should be...!

It's a draw.

Elaine felt relieved instantly. The ups and downs almost made him paralyzed to the ground. He received too much stimulation tonight and almost had a heart attack.

Enix blinked blankly before he could come to his senses. "I... won? No, that's not right. We tied."

"Yes, I am very sorry that I have no chance to let you spend money."

Yael said casually that the curve of his thin lips had become much larger, and compared to the original ice sculpture-like perfection, it had more reality and life, and it looked very beautiful.

The dealer in charge of dealing the cards finally came back to his senses, but was suddenly struck by this random blur of stunning beauty, and was stunned again.

"That's enough. Can I go get the item I want?"

The host insect responded and looked at Viscount Enix across from him, "Of course! Your Excellency, please stay. I'll have them bring all the things over. Please wait for a moment."

The rule here is that the public can select and take away the items, so Yael sat back indifferently and waited for them to set up.

Enix finally came to his senses, but he was confused no matter how hard he tried. He had a very uncertain feeling just now. He felt like he was going to lose, but also felt like he might win.

This time he actually won, but he didn't feel that satisfying feeling at all. It was as if his opponent had secretly let him win on purpose.

Thinking of this, his expression turned dark, "You..."

"Um?"

Soon it was time to go to sleep, and Yael became a little more patient. "Is there anything else you need?"

Enix was stunned for a moment.

But in the final analysis, this is just his guess. There is absolutely no evidence to prove that it was Yael who gave him a hand, or that he just had a burst of luck and won the last game.

After a long while, he finally suppressed the anger in his chest, stretched out his hand to signal, and a black velvet box was carefully placed in his hand.

"You're here for this too, right?"

He opened it, took a look, and placed the box on the table, opening it towards Yael.

It is the "Heart of Mecha" necklace whose authenticity is unknown. It is rumored to be left behind by the empire's most dazzling general, Admiral Monte, on the battlefield.

"No."

Yel successfully found what he wanted and knocked on the protective glass cover to signal him to open it. "I only want this."

Enix raised his eyebrows, took a look, and read out the annotation below.

"What is this... a chip that can open the collar of a female slave? What the hell is this?!"

He showed disbelief and disgust in his eyes, and then turned his scrutinizing gaze to Chong, who was hosting the auction: How dare you put such a piece of junk up for auction? ?

"You came to this auction just for this thing, and even won first place for it..."

Not only Enix, but all the insects around him had dreamy expressions on their faces. They were so shocked by this absurd farce that they didn't know what day it was. They looked at each other for a long time, and in the end, they could only smile bitterly.

“It has a unique value to me.”

Yael didn't explain much. He picked up the things and put them away. He stood up, nodded and said goodbye. "I'm leaving."

"Please wait a moment, Your Excellency."

The voice behind him was cold and firm, less casual and arrogant than before, which made Yael sigh inwardly.

He did not turn around. He held the chip tightly in his coat pocket. His expression became colder under the mask. "Excuse me, Lord Viscount, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Take off your mask and show it to me. I'll give you this necklace, too. How about that?"

Enix still had doubts in his heart, and he also felt a little frustrated, which made him want to see who was under the mask and whether it was the bug he once knew.

Or maybe it was just an elder he hadn't seen for a long time, who knew about his previous ridiculous behavior and came to teach him a lesson that there is always someone better than you...

All in all, he had never been so worried since he was a child. If he let Yael go today, he would not be able to sleep well for the next ten years.

"I refuse."

Yer said without even turning his head and just ran away.

The crowded insects looked at him with fear and trepidation, and moved aside one after another, making way for him like Moses parting the sea.

Enix straightened up and ordered the insect waiting on the side in a cold voice, "Edenor, clear all those guys out! Turn off all the surveillance cameras on this floor."

"Also, keep the door closed."

Yael finally turned around and watched the bug that had just asked him if he was cheating come out. He quickly cleared the scene and called the control room to shut down all the equipment on this floor.

The guards who surrounded him took him back to the gaming table forcefully and then all retreated. He and Enix were the only two bugs left in the hall.

"I swear on the honor of my family that I will never retaliate against you in private, nor will I disturb your normal life... As long as you show up in my territory, even if you fall flat on your face, it's all mine. Even if you come to me to pay for your medical expenses, that's fine, right?"

Instead of taking more drastic measures, Enix made a lot of promises and even made an unprecedented oath.

But the insect in front of him remained unmoved, causing him to gradually grit his teeth.

"Let me see your face under the mask. All the items in this auction are yours!"

Yael examined him in silence for a moment.

He still didn't know what the nobleman in front of him wanted to do, but it was true that he was extremely domineering. If he didn't take off his mask, it was unknown whether he could get out of the door today.

Enix kept making exaggerated promises, even saying that it would transfer the entire building to him, but in Yell's view, it was just a big deal drawn by the difficult capitalists.

This mask is actually useless... With the power of this female insect in front of us, she is able to travel freely in this desolate planet of Etal. Just a simple investigation will reveal who he is.

He sighed, put his fingers on the edge of the white fox mask, and turned the precise buckle to loosen the bite.

Click.

The mask was placed on the table with a crisp sound.

Yael opened his eyes and looked at the stunned insect in front of him with a cold expression, "Is it okay?"

“…”

Enix was already stunned.

The bug in front of me was standing in the mess after a life of decadence and debauchery. His quiet features were like distant mountains, and under his casually scattered hair were lacquered eyes, sparkling with a very bright star.

The bright light from the crystal ceiling was not even as white as her skin, which looked like a handful of flawless new snow. The red marks left by the mask looked like dots of blood plum, creating a thrilling effect.

Enix's movements froze, and his eyes, which he was reluctant to blink, became dry for a moment, but he was completely ignored by the subject, and his mind went blank.

Yael frowned slightly, not knowing what he was trying to do, and not planning to continue wasting time here.

"I've seen it all. I'm leaving now."

Under his thin coat, he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and he was slender, handsome and tall, like a pine or bamboo.

The tentative step back makes each line come alive, as if a god has walked out of the painting.

Enix finally turned his gaze away from that face, but he couldn't move his eyes away at all, and his Adam's apple kept moving up and down.

"etc!"

Seeing that Yael was about to leave, Enix immediately whispered.

The moment Yael turned his head, he threw the small box in front of him to him and said, "Here, take it."

It's the Mecha Heart necklace.

Yael was not polite and nodded slightly to express his gratitude, then opened the door and walked out without any reluctance.

It was not until Yael's figure had disappeared for a long time that Enix came to his senses. He sank exhaustedly into the wide seat, but the picture was still lingering in his mind.

"Something seems to be wrong..."

A strong sense of strangeness swirled in his heart, reminding him that he must have overlooked something.

"The mask... has no insect pattern, and has a faint smell... a male insect?"

"Is he a male?"

Murmurs of disbelief echoed in the empty hall.

*

Not only the top floor, but the entire interior of the building seemed to have been cleared out, leaving only a mess that had not been cleaned up in time, and colorful weights were thrown all over the floor.

It wasn't until he walked out the door and saw Elaine waiting anxiously there that Yael relaxed a little.

"Are you okay?"

Elaine, who was waiting anxiously outside the door, rushed up and nervously checked whether he had any injuries. She was relieved only after confirming again and again that he was safe.

"It's okay, go back."

It was getting light outside and it was almost dawn.

The sky in the distance was gently stained with small patches of red and blue light, and a few stars hung on the boundary line at the end, like the tail left behind by the long night.

Yael rolled down the car window and took a deep breath of the cool air. The fatigue from the whole night made him drowsy, and he could only wake up by the cold wind.

After thinking for a while, he took out the small black box and opened it. A necklace was lying quietly inside.

Yael stared at the necklace for a long time, and suddenly frowned. He lowered his head and sniffed the scent on the necklace, but there was nothing else except the smell of rust and a faint smell of blood.

strangeness……?

I seemed to smell a familiar scent just now, but I couldn't remember where it came from.

“Beep beep.”

The optical computer issued a message alert, and Yael came back to his senses, put the necklace back into his pocket, and opened the optical computer page to check the message.

[The ownership of the Jade Auction House has been transferred to your name, please check it carefully! Attached to this letter: Auction House Title Deed*1, Equity Transfer Contract*5, Pictures of Stock Auction Items*1298...]

Yael: “……?”

Yael: “.”

It turns out that it is not the capitalists who are painting the big cake, but the foolish and rich boy who is giving away money?

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Main star worm pulse +1 (sound of gold coins entering the account)