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.
耶爾倏地一驚，有些心虛地挺直了脊背，将手裏的牌攏起。
……想什麽呢，真的有點困過頭了吧。
和不少翹首以盼結局的蟲一樣，伊萊恩也拼命伸長了脖子往裏面看。
眼前的局面讓他的心不斷下沉，但又莫名有種與有榮焉的驕傲，一時間矛盾極了。
“開吧。”
艾尼克斯不是會故意拖延的蟲，幹脆利落地掀開了自己牌，然後用眼神示意對面的耶爾。
“恭喜。”
耶爾看了眼他的牌，将手裏的牌輕彈了出去，同時慢悠悠地道。
他輸了！
這個認知讓周圍的蟲瞬間興奮起來，鄙夷的話已經含在了嘴裏。
然而很快，他們猛地意識到一個事實，神色難以置信到扭曲——
等……不對！應該是……！
是平局。
伊萊恩瞬間如釋重負，這一起一落幾乎要讓他癱軟在地，今晚收到的刺激太多，讓他幾乎有些心梗了。
艾尼克斯還沒有回過神來，愣愣地眨了眨眼，“我……贏了？不，不對，我們平局了。”
“是啊，非常遺憾，沒機會讓閣下破費了。”
耶爾随口道，薄唇彎起的弧度大了許多，較之原先冰雕似的完美有了更多真實與鮮活，好看極了。
負責發牌的荷官好不容易回神，又陡然撞到這随意暈染開的一抹驚豔，再次傻愣在了原地。
“到此為止吧，請問我可以去拿想要的拍品了嗎？”
主持蟲反應過來，看了眼對面的艾尼克斯子爵，“當然！閣下留步，我讓他們把東西全部拿過來，您稍等片刻。”
當衆挑選和拿走拍品是這裏的規則，耶爾無可無不可地坐回去，等待他們布置好。
艾尼克斯終于回過神來，卻怎麽想怎麽不得勁，剛才他有種很不确定的感覺，覺得自己仿佛要輸了，又覺得興許會贏。
這下真的贏了，卻完全沒有那種酣暢淋漓的感覺，仿佛對手暗中放了水，讓着他故意讓他贏一般。
想到這，他的神色變得黑沉，“你……”
“嗯？”
很快就能睡覺了，耶爾也變得耐心了一點，“閣下還有什麽事嗎？”
艾尼克斯卡殼了一瞬。
但說到底，這只是他的猜測罷了，完全沒有證據可以證明是耶爾給他放了水，而不是他爆發了一波運氣贏了最後一場。
好半晌，他才壓下了胸口的郁氣，伸手示意了一下，一個黑色絲絨盒子被小心地放到他手中。
“你也是為了這個來的吧？”
他打開看了一眼，将盒子撂在了桌上，敞口正對着耶爾。
是那條不知真假的“機甲之心”項鏈，謠傳是帝國最為耀眼的将領，蒙特上将在戰場上的遺留。
“不。”
耶爾順利找到了想要的東西，敲了敲上面保護的玻璃罩示意打開，“我只要這個。”
艾尼克斯挑了挑眉，看了一眼後把下面的注解念了出來。
“這是什麽……一塊可以打開雌奴項圈的芯片？這什麽鬼東西？！”
他眸底露出難以置信和嫌棄，随即審視的目光移向主持拍賣的蟲：這什麽破銅爛鐵也敢拿出來拍賣？？
“你、就為了這東西，專門來參加這次拍賣，甚至為了這玩意拿了一個第一名……？”
不僅是艾尼克斯，周圍的所有蟲都露出夢幻的神色，被這場荒誕鬧劇震撼得不知今夕何夕，面面相觑半晌，最終也只能苦笑幾聲。
“它于我有獨特的價值。”
耶爾沒有多做解釋，将東西拿起來放好後站起身，點了點頭權做告辭，“走了。”
“閣下稍等。”
身後的聲音冰冷且強硬，和剛才相比少了一些随意和高傲，讓耶爾暗嘆了一口氣。
他沒有轉身，放在大衣口袋裏的手攥緊那塊芯片，藏在面具下的神情漸冷，“請問子爵閣下還有什麽事嗎？”
“你摘下面具給我看看，我把這條項鏈也給你，怎麽樣？”
艾尼克斯仍然心懷疑慮，還有着一些銳氣被挫的懊惱，讓他很像看看那面具下到底是誰，會不會是自己曾經認識的蟲。
或者幹脆就是很久不見的長輩，知道他之前的荒謬行徑，專門過來給他個教訓知道天外有天……
總而言之，他從小到大都沒有這麽撓心撓肺過，如果今天就這麽放耶爾走了，他未來十年都會睡不好覺。
“我拒絕。”
耶爾頭也不回地道，直接拔腿就走。
那些擁擠的蟲潮又懼又怕地看着他，紛紛往旁邊讓開，摩西分海般讓出了一條通道。
艾尼克斯直起腰，冷聲吩咐一旁候着的蟲，“愛德諾，把那些家夥全部清走！這一層的監控器什麽的全關了。”
“還有，把大門關好。”
耶爾終于轉過身，看着剛才詢問他是否作弊的蟲站出來，動作很快地清了場，呼叫總控室将這一層的設備全部關機。
包圍過來的警衛有些強硬地将他帶回賭桌前，又全部退了出去，這一層大廳裏便只剩下他和艾尼克斯兩只蟲。
“我以家族名譽起誓，絕對不會私下對你進行報複，也不會打擾你的正常生活……只要你出現在我的地盤裏，就算平地摔都算我的，盡管來找我賠醫藥費，這總行了吧！”
艾尼克斯卻沒有采取更多強硬手段，而是自顧自保證了一大堆，甚至破天荒地發了誓。
但眼前的蟲仍然不為所動，讓他逐漸咬牙切齒起來。
“讓我看看你面具下的臉，這一場的拍賣品都是你的！”
耶爾無聲地審視了他一會。
他仍然不知道眼前這個貴族到底想幹什麽，但十足霸道是真的，如果不摘面具，今天能不能出這個門還真是未知數。
那邊艾尼克斯将許諾不斷誇張，甚至說要将這一整棟建築轉讓給他，但在耶爾看來不過是難纏的資本家畫大餅。
這個面具其實也沒什麽用……以眼前這個雌蟲的權勢，足夠在艾塔爾這個荒星暢行無阻，随便調查一下都能知道他是誰了。
他嘆了口氣，手指覆上白狐面具的邊緣，精密的卡扣轉動着松開了咬合。
咔嗒。
面具被放在賭桌上，發出一聲清脆的聲響。
耶爾睜開眼，神色冷淡地看着眼前呆住的蟲，“可以了嗎。”
“……”
艾尼克斯已經呆滞了。
眼前的蟲站在一片紙醉金迷後的狼藉中，安靜眉目一如遠山，随意散落的碎發下是點漆似的眼眸，眸光中潋滟着一枚極亮的星子。
水晶吊頂投下來的大亮燈光，竟比不上那肌膚一分白膩，好似一捧無暇新雪，讓面具硌出來的紅印子都像點點血梅，潑灑出一片驚心動魄。
艾尼克斯動作凝滞，舍不得眨的眼睛泛起一陣幹澀，但已經被主體完全忽視掉，腦子裏一片空白。
耶爾微蹙了蹙眉，不知道他到底想幹什麽，也不打算繼續在這裏消磨時間。
“看也看過了，我走了。”
他薄薄的大衣下身形寬肩窄腰，蕭蕭肅肅、清俊颀長如松如竹。
試探着後退幾步的動作讓每一根線條都鮮活起來，好似從畫中走出來的神祇。
艾尼克斯的視線終于從那張臉上移開，卻也根本移不開眼，喉結上下滾動不已。
“等等！”
眼看着耶爾就要離開，艾尼克斯立刻低聲喊道。
在耶爾側頭的瞬間，他将面前的小盒子扔了過去，“這個，你拿走吧。”
是那個機甲之心項鏈。
耶爾也不客氣，朝他微微颔首表示謝意，然後毫不留戀地打開門走了出去。
一直到耶爾的身影消失很久之後，艾尼克斯才徹底回過神來，渾身疲憊地陷在寬大的座椅裏，只是那副畫面仍然在腦子裏揮之不去。
“好像有哪裏不對勁……”
一股強烈的怪異感就盤旋在心頭，提醒他一定是忽略了什麽。
“面具……沒有蟲紋，還有那股似有若無的味道……雄蟲？”
“他是一只雄蟲？”
難以置信的喃喃在空曠的大廳裏響起。
*
不僅是最上層，整棟建築內部似乎都清了場，只剩下一片還沒來得及清理的狼藉，五顏六色的砝碼被扔得滿地都是。
一直到走出大門，看到焦急等在一邊的伊萊恩，耶爾才稍稍放松下來。
“還好嗎？”
焦急等在門外的伊萊恩沖了上來，緊張地查看他身上有沒有傷口，再三确認他安然無恙才松了口氣。
“沒事，回去吧。”
外面天色漸白，時間已經接近清晨。
遠處的天空溫柔暈染開小片赤紅蔚藍的霞光，幾顆星子挂在極目的交界線，像是長夜遺留下的尾巴。
耶爾搖下車窗，深吸了一口冰涼的空氣，通宵的疲憊讓他昏昏欲睡，只能通過吹冷風清醒一下。
想了想，他拿出那個小黑盒子打開，裏面靜靜地躺着一條項鏈。
耶爾凝視着這條項鏈良久，突然眉心緊蹙，低頭嗅了嗅項鏈上的氣息，但除了鐵鏽味和似有若無的血腥味外再無其他。
奇怪……？
剛才好像聞到一股熟悉的味道，但是怎麽都想不起來歸屬于哪裏。
“嘀嘀。”
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?
The author has something to say:
Main star worm pulse +1 (sound of gold coins entering the account)