Location: South Pearl Port Auction Hall, Tier-One Bidding Zone
The auction house was nothing like the city's government halls — it was colder. Harsher. A steel-boned arena dressed in luxury, where silence meant leverage and every nod was a warning.
Lin Feng walked in wearing charcoal-grey tailored casual, no tie, no entourage. Just confidence dressed like calm.
System prompt:
"Auction Environment Detected.
Mode: Strategic Containment Engaged.
Estimated Host Threat Level: 8.4/10 – Approaching 'Board Reversal' Threshold."
He took his seat near the center.
Zixuan had already arrived, flanked by a discreet but unmistakable presence — a foreign rep in a white glove. They didn't speak, just adjusted their gold-framed glasses.
On the opposite side: the Third Bidder.
They wore a porcelain half-mask. Silent. Anonymous.
But when they turned slightly toward Lin Feng, he didn't need confirmation.
He already knew.
Ji Haoran. Or someone tied to him.
A new face on an old grudge.
