NOVEL NEXT Chapter 772: Slaves
The hall fell utterly silent as Shane made his bid.
"Seven hundred ten thousand points," Raze repeated as she glanced in Shane's direction.
She couldn't help but wonder if Shane still had enough points to join the Grand Auction Event later on.
For a brief moment, no one moved…
Many of them didn't even gather more than 450,000 points. Perhaps only about 20 or so had more than that.
Still, everyone looked at Shane…
At this point, they already knew who made that bid since the chamber had been quite silent after the bid reached 600 thousand points.
Although Shane was still wearing his Bio-Armor, they already had a guess that it was Shane. However, it could also be someone working for him.
The auctioneer's lips revealed a victorious smile after confirming the bid... She raised her gavel high.
"Seven hundred and ten thousand points! Going once!"
Her voice trembled with excitement—it wasn't often that she presided over such a monumental sale.
"Going twice!"
The entire hall seemed to have accepted the result.
"—Sold!"
Bang!
The gavel's strike echoed through the chamber. It was done.
The Floating Fortress had a new master.
The attendants swiftly took care of the stage and removed the item. They were preparing for the next items.
However, it seemed that the next one would be quite huge as many servants started making preparations.
For now, the Survivors couldn't help but talk about the last bid.
"Seven hundred ten thousand…"
"He bought it, just like that…"
"Who is that man?"
"That's definitely the Rank 1 Survivor, who else?"
"No… Being Rank 1 doesn't mean being the wealthiest. It could be the leader of the Overlord Clan, you know? Did you forget how he established that alliance?"
"I also know someone with a talent who can make 10 or so Item Upgrade Crystals per day... or was it per week? Anyway, that's a lot of points he could gather."
"R-right… I think I remember that. There are also those Treasure Hunters. They may not be strong, but they were filthy rich."
"Hmph… you're thinking too much. It's definitely that Shadow Strider."
Soon, the auctioneer raised a hand and allowed a pause for the tension to ease. Then, in a far more casual tone, she declared…
"We shall now have a short recess. Food and drinks will be served. During this period, we will also be offering bulk lots of useful supplies. These are not rare treasures, but necessities. Please enjoy yourselves."
The heavy air of tension dissipated.
The 89 Survivors relaxed as masked attendants rolled in carts filled with dishes and pitchers. Platters of steaming meat, spiced bread, roasted tubers, bowls of fresh fruit, and even fragrant soups were placed at every row.
Each Survivor was given a tray, cups, and utensils… Because of this, the atmosphere shifted from a tense competition to something resembling a grand banquet.
No one disliked such a treatment since they also realized that the meat being served wasn't an unknown meat but real pork and even some beef.
Shane decided to enjoy to celebrate his victory as well. Though he wasn't here for the food, he allowed himself a few bites while he used Cloud to monitor the surroundings for him…
During this time, the others murmured to each other as they started plotting their next moves as they were weighing their remaining points, and watching him carefully.
Meanwhile, the auction did not stop. Though only a few had decided to participate this time because of the nature of the items being sold.
On the stage, the attendants began rolling out crates, sacks, and bundles. The auctioneer clapped lightly and showed the next item.
"Next, a bulk lot—emergency medicine, fifty crates. It's not a cure for Zombie Virus, but it could help with your recovery from light injuries. Each crate contains twenty vials of general recovery fluid. Opening price: 500 points."
The bids were calmer this time.
"Five thousand."
"Six."
"Seven."
Soon, a Survivor bought them all for 12,500 points.
Then came more.
"Two hundred tents of standard grade, durable against rain and sandstorms. Opening: 300 points."
"Sold, 4,500 points!"
"Construction materials—wood planks, steel frames, and processed stone. A bulk lot large enough to build three barracks. Starting: 2,000 points."
"Sold, 11,000 points!"
"Everyday necessities: three hundred sets of clothes, blankets, and beddings. They're all top quality! Opening: 500 points."
"Sold, 15,500 points!"
Surprisingly, these necessities were sold for such a high price. Shane couldn't believe it. After all, they were simply clothes for a bunch of people. They could even make such clothes on their own. It was the same for others since their Survivor Store could also provide clothes.
'I guess it's because most clothes are meant for combat, huh…'
Still, what made him even more surprised was the fact that Diana was the one who actually fulfilled both these necessities.
'I guess she wants more change of clothes…' Shane mused…
Well, they also have a lot of recruits recently, so having more changes of clothes might actually be a good idea. However, the price was simply too high in his opinion.
'Well, it's top-quality at the very least.'
It might be made of silk, and perhaps, if the beddings were actually comfortable, he might ask a pair from her.
The bidding went on for nearly thirty minutes, casual and easy compared to the earlier frenzy.
Survivors ate and drank while raising their devices lazily, giving their bids from time to time. Some even chuckled and made light remarks, enjoying the rare relaxation.
Shane enjoyed this time as well, but he paid careful attention. He didn't need these bulk goods, not when he already had other means to acquire them… However, he silently noted who bought what and how much they were willing to spend. Information was power, after all.
Finally, as the trays were being cleared away and the last of the bulk lots sold, the auctioneer returned to the center of the stage.
Her gavel tapped gently to get everyone's attention…
"Ladies and gentlemen, we shall now begin the second part of tonight's Apex Auction. And for this segment… more slaves will be offered."