Chapter 171 Shadow Abyss Auction House

Caesar saw the Mirage dock and enter the harbor from afar, and a smirk crept onto his lips.

Zhou Zhiheng spends money like water in the world of top-tier collectors, and Caesar had long anticipated his arrival.

The thought that the person this young tycoon was frantically searching for all over the world was now in his arms filled him with uncontrollable elation, and he radiated a sense of bliss.

"What are you laughing at?" Ning Shuyin noticed that Caesar seemed to be in an unusually good mood today.

"Yes, I'm very happy to think that you're about to break through to A-level combat power," Caesar said, trying to hide his feelings.

The two were led into the main auction hall by a waiter.

The entire hall is a huge, circular abyss, just as its name, Shadow Abyss, suggests.

Countless private booths extend upwards from the bottom of the circular platform, suspended above the abyss, all the way to the dome.

The private room is covered by a specially made one-way energy screen.

From the inside, one can have a panoramic view of the entire magnificent auction hall. But from the outside, only the gleaming silver boxes are visible; the people inside are not.

The special energy shield can block all mental probes, effectively isolating everyone from prying eyes. Each person is a hunter hidden behind a mask, waiting for their prey.

The security measures at the auction house were also top-notch.

Guards were stationed in the shadows of the corridor, and hidden energy weapons occasionally emitted a faint buzzing sound as they charged.

Caesar's box was situated in the best mid-level position, directly facing the auction stage. The box was as spacious as a mansion's living room.

"Please sit, my queen." Caesar pulled out a sofa for her with an elegant gesture.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Shadow Abyss Auction House. Tonight's auction is about to begin."

The auctioneer at Yingyuan was a very beautiful and mature woman. She introduced the items in a calm and unhurried manner, and her ability to create a lively atmosphere was just right.

Ning Shuyin tapped the electronic catalog, and the energy crystal was designated as a regular auction item, which would be presented in the first half of the auction, with a total of 10 lots available.

Ning Shuyin easily won a bid as she wished.

Due to its rarity, the "Crystal of Purification" was placed at the beginning of the second half.

After the host finished his witty introduction of this legendary item that could cure everything...

“Fifty billion star coins.” A cold voice came from one of the upper-level private rooms, without any sound enhancement devices.

Ning Shuyin's heart skipped a beat.

That sound...

It's Loran.

He actually came. Is he buying the Purification Crystal because he was injured in the K100 Ruins?

She thought of the impact of the plague's energy at that time.

If Loran is injured, then...

“One hundred billion Star Coins.” Another voice, as steady as a mountain, rang out.

As expected, Situ Linchen also arrived. Ning Shuyin's fingertips curled slightly.

"50 billion."

A third voice rang out, young and arrogant, announcing a five-fold increase in price, causing a stir among the audience. Even the steady auctioneer couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

It was Zhou Zhiheng.

Ning Shuyin frowned, turned around and asked Kross something, only to receive a shake of the head in response.

The conclusion is that Zhou Zhiheng should not have suffered any damage to his consciousness from the apostles of the plague.

Prices continued to climb, and more than half an hour passed without a result. The tension grew stronger with each fluctuating number.

Two hundred billion...

Three hundred billion...

Five hundred billion!

Zhou Zhiheng's voice rang out again, still in that nonchalant young master tone.

This price once again caused a stir in the auction hall.

Ning Shuyin had already realized that he didn't care about the purification crystal at all.

For him, the stone was at best an expensive collectible.

His only goal today is to raise the price.

To be precise, it was to annoy the other two men who were bidding against each other.

That's indeed the case.

Zhou Zhiheng came with the intention of causing trouble. Just thinking about how they were right next to her in the K100 ruins, yet they still managed to put her on that damned news, and in the end, they didn't even bring her back.

He was feeling resentful.

These are all acceptable.

Situ Linchen even told him that Ning Shuyin had acquired a male servant. At that moment, he almost choked on his own breath.

As a businessman, his method of retaliation was simple: Since you need this stuff so much to heal your wounds, then bleed a little more for your needs.

Besides that, he had a little scheme up his sleeve. He knew she was coming back today.

The hidden module he implanted in the hyperdimensional ledger secretly identified her online search habits, located her StarNet search records, and knew that she had searched for energy crystals at the Shadow Abyss Auction House.

He knew she was in one of the private rooms. He didn't hide his voice; he was greeting her.

He leaned back leisurely in his chair, swirling the wine glass in his hand with anticipation.

He had already decided to wait for her at the exit and give her a surprise.

Oh no, it should be said that it was a shock from the boss.

Inside Ning Shuyin's private room, Caesar did not make a bid; he simply watched the competition with great interest.

He leaned close to Ning Shuyin's ear, his warm breath brushing against her half-face mask.

"They've practically turned the entire galaxy upside down, but little did they know, you're right here, closest to them..."

His voice carried a smug laugh, as soft as a lover's whisper: "Right beside me."

When the price climbed to the staggering figure of one trillion, the lights in the entire auction hall flickered suddenly.

"Master, there's an unusual energy fluctuation." Kross immediately sensed something was wrong and stood protectively in front of Ning Shuyin.

A black shadow, as fast as lightning, swept past the central auction stage.

The moment he touched the display stand, the special energy shield protecting the Purification Crystal flickered violently twice, as if eroded by some force, and directly disintegrated and dissipated.

The shadowy figure's goal was simple—he aimed directly at the crystal floating on the display stand.

The moment the Purification Crystal left the exhibition stand, an alarm sounded throughout the entire auction hall.

A large number of guards surged out like a tide and rushed into the central abyss.

"Grab him!"

Almost at the same moment, Situ Linchen's figure shot out of the private room like an arrow, his body bursting with red energy arcs.

On another occasion, Loran, wielding a lightsaber, appeared in a corner of the arena, attempting to block the robbers' possible escape route.

Ning Shuyin felt ripples in the space around her. Caesar had already disappeared from the private room and teleported to the central auction stage, joining the encirclement of the robbers.

The entire abyss was in complete chaos.

The three top experts had formed a pincer movement, trapping the dark figure.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A deafening explosion came from several VIP boxes above the abyss.

The alloy structure was shattered, and broken glass and metal components poured down from the dome like a torrential rain.

It was clear that the robbers had planted explosives beforehand.

The massive dome structure crashed down, its target the people locked in combat below. The impact shattered the protective screens in at least half of the private rooms, and screams erupted from all sides.

Caesar's gaze swept directly in the direction of Ning Shuyin, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.

The private room she was in was still safe.

"ah!"

Ning Shuyin saw that in the shattered private room next to her, a young waitress was cut in the abdomen by flying debris and fell to the ground screaming. The buyers who had scattered and fled did not care whether she lived or died.

Ning Shuyin opened the door to the private room a crack.

A wisp of pure, green healing energy drifted toward the next room.

At this moment, Situ Linchen reached out and smashed a falling metal plate, but his body suddenly shuddered.

This aura...

Warm, familiar, as if it could soothe the wounds of the soul.