The two entered one after another. Although Shen Qi was half a head taller than Lu Zhi, the aura between them was harmonious and intimate.
Shen Qi's action of falling half a step behind, assuming the stance of a protector, his gaze towards Lu Zhi was openly aggressive. Anyone with eyes could see their unusual relationship.
The buyers wore different masks, but their eyes clearly showed disdain and disgust.
Although this world was already very open, some people still held feudal and rigid ideas, believing that the harmony of yin and yang was the proper way, and that men being together was against ethics.
Lu Zhi looked around the private room on the 17th floor. It was actually a large flat plane with no walls in a circular shape. He didn't know what the designer was thinking. The architectural style was European, but the furniture and decorations used retro Chinese screens and wooden chairs.
"Your seats are this way." The waitress at the door, dressed in a qipao and wearing a uniform white mask that only revealed her eyes, bowed and led the two inside.
Lu Zhi estimated that there were twenty seats. No matter which seat they occupied, they had a panoramic view of the entire 16th floor.
"Thank you." Lu Zhi sat down and politely expressed his gratitude.
The waitress replied, "You are too kind. These are the refreshments prepared for you. Please enjoy."
Two waiters behind them placed tea, pastries, and some fruits on the table between the two, then quietly retreated.
Lu Zhi raised his teacup and took a small sip, leaning slightly towards Shen Qi. He asked in a hushed voice, "Why are they staring at us like that?"
The 17th floor space was vast, with each buyer about three meters apart. The screens were virtually useless in blocking them, but buyers opposite could clearly see each other's positions.
"Scared?" Shen Qi tapped the table with his index finger, his posture relaxed and at ease. He crossed his legs, his well-defined fingers resting on his knees, and raised his eyes to scan the surroundings.
An invisible pressure permeated the entire venue, causing the stealthy gazes to shrink back in fear.
Lu Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'm not scared, I just feel uncomfortable."
He disliked being the object of attention, whether it was malicious or speculative.
"The innate weakness of humanity." Shen Qi directly referred to the rabble currently before the strong, his condescending gaze like that of looking at a bunch of clowns. If he was in a good mood, he might spare them a glance; if not, a single thought could be enough to kill all the so-called strong individuals present.
This was the superiority, the absolute power of a god.
Lu Zhi picked up a pastry and took a bite, secretly thinking that Shen Qi seemed to dislike humans, perhaps due to regaining his divine memories.
But at least so far, Shen Qi had not targeted humans, merely expressed his displeasure.
*Snap—*
All the lights suddenly went out, leaving only a beam of light from the auction hall shining directly onto the center of the venue. A sexy, mature female voice suddenly rang out, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Gallop Auction. I am Ni Hong, your host for this auction."
A woman in a black fishtail dress and a feather mask, wearing high heels, entered their sight.
From the private room on the 17th floor where Lu Zhi was located, they could see everyone on the 16th floor without looking down. He roughly estimated there were several hundred people. However, many were ordinary wealthy individuals there to join the fun, but there were also a few supernaturals with weaker abilities participating in the bidding.
Lu Zhi quickly found Jiang Yue and others in the crowd. He also saw Luo Shiyu sitting in the bidding seats.
He wondered what the auction items were. Lu Zhi asked, "Is there no catalog for the auction items?"
As far as he knew, many auctions provided detailed catalogs beforehand to facilitate bidding for suitable supernaturals. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"No." Shen Qi leaned back lazily, supporting his cheek with one hand, his eyes fixed on Lu Zhi, who was eating one pastry after another, like a little squirrel secretly foraging in winter. The curve of his lips never faded. "The auction items are not disclosed to avoid some unnecessary trouble. Possession of jade brings about calamity. Even with a strong background, it is difficult to guard against villains."
Lu Zhi understood and asked no further questions. The first auction item was already displayed in the auction hall.
Host Ni Hong introduced, "This is a healing fruit. I believe everyone present knows how precious this fruit is and the danger involved in picking it. The starting bid is three million."
Lu Zhi was surprised, "A healing fruit? There's such a thing?"
"Yes, and quite a few," Shen Qi explained. "For incurable cancers that humans struggle with, just one fruit can restore a healthy body. Ordinary people will rush to get it."
Human technology was advancing, and medical standards were improving, but there were still many cancers that remained unconquered. Wealthy individuals would certainly not care about this small amount of money.
As expected, the price quickly soared from three million to fifteen million and continued to climb. Lu Zhi, the poor wretch, widened his eyes.
"Will the Sacred Island have this fruit?" Lu Zhi was getting a little restless. If he picked one or two, wouldn't he become a millionaire?
"Are you short of money?" Shen Qi asked, changing the subject, his smile alluring. "Be good, call me husband, and all my money is yours."
Lu Zhi's instinctive reaction was to shove the half-eaten pastry into his mouth, which was full of cheesy remarks. His ears, hidden beneath his dark hair, turned bright red. He said fiercely, "You wish."
Shen Qi clearly paused for a moment, then swallowed the pastry directly, sensually licking his lips, his eyes narrowing with pleasure as he teased, "The pastries that my darling has eaten are indeed different, they are sweeter."
Lu Zhi: ... I can't compete with your flirting, so I'll just shut up, okay?
"Congratulations to bidder number 356 for successfully acquiring one healing fruit at the price of thirty-five million," Host Ni Hong announced, striking the hammer. The second auction item was immediately presented.
The previous few auction items were all fruits and plants with special effects, or valuable parts of Nightmare Beasts. Lu Zhi listened with growing drowsiness.
Until the host, with feigned mystery, announced the highlight of the evening, "Auction item number three, said to be able to bring the dead back to life and mend broken bones—Divine Marrow!"
Lu Zhi's eyes snapped open, and his hand on the armrest suddenly clenched, "Divine Marrow?!"
Wasn't this what his brother Lu Chengxuan had been searching for?
It actually appeared at the Gallop Auction?
Could the male lead also be here?
Lu Zhi quickly scanned the bidders. Unfortunately, everyone on the seventeenth floor wore masks. However, the explanation of Divine Marrow was enough to drive the supernaturals into a frenzy, willing to go to any lengths to bid.
Bringing the dead back to life, mending broken bones.
Wasn't that equivalent to having an extra life as a safeguard?
"Starting price, thirty million!" As soon as the host finished speaking, everyone began to bid wildly.
Watching the price rolling on the projection screen, it had already surged to a hundred million in the blink of an eye.
Lu Zhi looked at Shen Qi, "Do your words from earlier still count?"
Shen Qi raised an eyebrow, instantly understanding, "Of course they count."
Lu Zhi pursed his lips and said, "Is your money enough for me to buy the Divine Marrow?"
Shen Qi suddenly leaned close to Lu Zhi, his smile unrestrained at such close proximity, "Unlimited."
Lu Zhi gritted his teeth, enduring the burning shame that swept through him. He mumbled in a voice as faint as a mosquito.
Shen Qi's eyes deepened, "Ah~ too quiet, I didn't hear you."
Shen Qi was doing this deliberately, but seeing the rolling price gradually subside, Lu Zhi threw caution to the wind. He hooked his arm around Shen Qi's neck and, biting his teeth, whispered into his ear, "Hus——band——"
Shen Qi's silver-grey eyes plunged into the sea. For a moment, they uncontrollably turned crimson-gold, but quickly returned to normal. He stared intently into Lu Zhi's black eyes, which were rippling with shyness, his voice hoarse, "I'll give you my life."