Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 369 (Patreon)

Chapter 369: Bidding

Under the yellow sands of the Kendia Desert lie countless relics unrecorded in historical documents, with numerous treasures hidden in the darkness, never seeing the light of day.

There are two types of people who risk their lives in the desert for profit: merchants who buy low and sell high, and adventurers with a gold rush mentality.

The former bring cartloads of goods to the oasis nation, sell them at high prices, then purchase antiques or local specialty products at low prices to sell them again, making huge profits on both ends.

The latter form small teams to explore the dangerous desert, hoping to dig up treasure-filled ruins or find bargains on Vulture Street.

Both the large teams of the former and the small teams of the latter not only face potential dangers from the desert but also threats from sand thieves, a single misstep could cost their lives.

However, money always attracts those who are not afraid to die.

The people on Vulture Street are mostly outsiders, including merchants, gold seekers, and even travelers hoping to try their luck.

At this moment, on a stage resembling an auction platform, an elder in a long robe called Zelas was calmly evaluating the Greed Pot, concluding: it’s a high-quality counterfeit!

The tanned woman in shorts and a short-sleeve shirt, seemingly unafraid of the scorching sun, appeared to be the host. Upon hearing the elder’s conclusion, she looked regretfully at the middle-aged man.

“Sir, your family heirloom is not a genuine article. As per the agreement, regardless of the appraisal result, you owe Master Zelas fifty thousand Jenny for the appraisal fee.”

The middle-aged man lowered his head slightly, despairing, “I don’t have that much money.”

“Master Zelas mentioned that although the pot is a counterfeit, the high-quality craftsmanship is distinctive. You could auction it now; it’s worth at least one hundred thousand Jenny. You can take advantage of the crowd and auction it on the spot. If the price exceeds one hundred thousand, you’ll not only cover the appraisal fee but also earn fifty thousand Jenny.”

The tanned woman smiled brightly.

The middle-aged man, appearing drained of spirit, had no reason to refuse the woman’s suggestion. Moreover, fifty thousand Jenny was a considerable amount, so he agreed to auction the Greed Pot on the spot.

Seeing the man agree, a fleeting trace of delight appeared in the woman’s eyes as she addressed the crowd below: “As you all have seen, despite the Greed Pot being a counterfeit, Master Zelas gave it a positive evaluation, proving it has some value.”

“With the owner’s consent, we will now auction this Greed Pot, starting at fifty thousand Jenny with a minimum bid increment of ten thousand. Highest bidder wins!”

The tanned woman’s voice was loud yet not harsh, clear enough for everyone present to hear without a microphone.

After she finished speaking, the guests whispered among themselves, but no one made a bid. Despite Zelas’s evaluation, it was still a counterfeit, significantly reducing its value.

After a moment, someone finally raised a hand and called out, “Fifty-one thousand!”

The tanned woman quickly glanced at the bidder, “This gentleman bid fifty-one thousand, any higher bids?”

Confirming twice, another person hesitantly bid fifty-two thousand after a long pause, showing their reluctance.

Seeing the lukewarm response, the middle-aged man panicked. His cherished family heirloom turned out to be a counterfeit, but at least Zelas had valued it at one hundred thousand. Selling it would cover the appraisal fee and leave him with fifty thousand.

Yet the low enthusiasm made him increasingly anxious.

Occasional bids slowly raised the price to sixty thousand.

In the crowd below, Luo observed the people on stage and the bidders, sensing something was amiss.

He tugged on a nearby uncle’s sleeve, pretending to be an innocent newbie, and asked, “Uncle, who is Master Zelas? He seems famous and powerful.”

The uncle looked at Luo with disdain, “Kid, what are you doing here?”

“Just trying to learn!” Luo blinked innocently, looking as cute as a piglet.

The uncle replied impatiently, “Master Zelas is a top appraiser, renowned in the three oasis nations. He can appraise anything, though his fees are high.”

“This is a place for grown-ups, not for kids like you. Scram.”

Meanwhile, the Greed Pot’s price reached sixty-five thousand, with the second confirmation underway. One more confirmation and it would be sold for sixty-five thousand.

The previous bidder showed no interest in continuing.

Seeing the Greed Pot about to be sold, Luo quickly raised his hand and bid, “One hundred thousand!”

The jump from sixty-five to one hundred thousand immediately drew everyone’s attention. Many here were wealthy and wanted to see who was willing to spend so much on a counterfeit.

The uncle who had dismissed Luo earlier was stunned, stepping back in shock, staring at Luo as if the world had gone mad.

Luo ignored the uncle and the astonished looks, focusing on the stage.

Master Zelas sat in a chair, indifferent to the auction, while the tanned woman glanced deeply at Luo, and the middle-aged man with the Greed Pot looked thrilled.

Without Luo’s bid, the final price would likely have been sixty-five thousand. Now, the previous bidder had to decide whether to continue.

Bidding a hundred thousand for a counterfeit was incomprehensible to most.

The Greed Pot was entwined with nen, making it a must-have for Luo. He would pay even a million to get it.

The factors unseen by others were the reasons for his determination.

Moreover, based on Luo’s experience with ancient items, those entwined with nen were highly likely to be genuine, despite Master Zelas’s confident appraisal.

Unfortunately, a precise evaluation required physical contact, enabling the White Smoke font to give an accurate assessment, including the price.

After bidding, Luo watched the tanned woman’s reaction. Seeing her quick glance away and back, he understood instantly.

If the Greed Pot was genuine, the auction was a staged drama.

The previous bidder raised the price to one hundred and one thousand.

Luo didn’t immediately counter, instead giving the tanned woman a meaningful smile.

She hesitated, her extraordinary psychological training failing to quell her unease.

It felt like someone was about to disrupt the auction.

Suppressing her inexplicable emotions, she smiled at Luo, “Sir, will you continue?”

“Of course, one hundred and two thousand,” Luo replied leisurely.

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