Chapter 55: The Auction

The next evening.

At sunset, the temperature began to drop. The pale yellow sun scattered lazily across the horizon, and the Great Golden Pagoda—a national symbol—refracted a nearly dazzling glow.

A four-wheel-drive SUV crept along a narrow single-lane road, hemmed in by slow-moving pedestrians. Street vendors jostled for space, hawking corn and fresh flowers with boisterous calls, while barefoot children pushed bicycles down the thoroughfare.

Foxtail palms and fishtail palms lined the roadside, their broad, sword-like fronds shimmering green in the cool breeze, evoking the distinctive allure of the tropics. The sleek black off-roader headed toward the Cross-River Bridge. In the passenger seat, Ye Jingqiu fastened her seatbelt, the distant crash of waves from the beach faintly audible.

Up ahead, police flagged them down for inspection. But before the on-duty officer could rap roughly on the window, the impassive Shi Zui produced a document scrawled in Burmese with one hand and flashed it.

The young rookie scrutinized it with a puzzled frown, but the veteran behind him recognized the script instantly, yanking the newbie aside and offering a respectful apology in halting English.

Shi Zui nodded and powered up the window. Just like that, the SUV—stuffed to the gills with military gear—continued unimpeded toward their destination.

“What was that about?” Ye Jingqiu asked, curiosity piqued.

“Myanmar’s been unstable lately. Flashing military government credentials smooths things over,” Shi Zui explained, giving the wheel a casual turn. “I slipped one into your document pouch too. Use it if there’s any hassle at the auction.”

Ye Jingqiu flashed an OK sign. While fishing out the ID, she double-checked the strap securing the elemental knife to her calf.

Catching sight of the motion, Shi Zui couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Relax. No danger here.”

“It’s not my first solo op. I’m just a little pumped.” Ye Jingqiu coughed self-consciously, revealing a glimpse of the youth she truly was.

From the back seat, Loteria teased, “Take good care of me, Ye. My life’s in your hands.”

The trio was en route to the auction house. Xiao Qiu’s earlier brush with mental control had put Team One on high alert. They’d scoured the Sedona Hotel from top to bottom without finding a thing, but no doubt the ever-present Savior was still lurking in the shadows, eyes on them.

Pandora’s Key had vanished and resurfaced under bizarre circumstances. The base was tearing through its systems in a full investigation, but if a mole was involved, its whereabouts were an open secret.

Messiah had deliberately lured them here, motives unknown.

Tonight, Yangon played host to a high-stakes Jadeite Raw Stone Auction. After deliberation, Team One opted to send Ye Jingqiu in solo with Loteria—they’d scraped together two tickets at the last minute, nearly giving Ning Wan a few hundred gray hairs in the process.

Xie Pingzhi would keep watch from outside, while Zhou Xianhui and Shi Zui teamed up with Zhong Qing at a site rich in elemental concentrations. Their dual mission: track down Pandora’s Key and snag a few Savior operatives.

Night had fallen by the time the SUV swung into an unremarkable side street.

The view burst open. Vast glass curtain walls threw back the glare of night lights, bathing the wild, untouched Inya Lake in front of the Sedona Hotel in near-daylight brilliance.

A Buddhist spire stabbed skyward from the tower, its brown-tiled roofs capping walls of pristine white. Flanking rows of golden-lit buildings angled welcomingly outward in classic Southeast Asian style.

This was Yangon’s near-iconic hotel, but tonight its sprawling, estate-like grounds were devoid of tourists. The SUV rolled straight into the courtyard, where attendants waved them along amid a lush array of palm varieties.

The engine cut out. Loteria hopped out with her ticket in hand, exchanging words with the attendant. Stock-still as a statue, Ye Jingqiu shot Shi Zui a wink.

“No other advice from me,” Shi Zui said, reading her teammate’s intent perfectly. She leaned in and deftly unbuckled Ye Jingqiu’s seatbelt, her expression bearing only the faintest smile. “Nothing should go wrong in a place like this, but Savior’s people are ghosts. As an Action Division specialist, look after Professor Luo.”

It was pure Shi Zui: no lectures on caution, yet concern threaded every word.

Ye Jingqiu nodded, her face now all business. She murmured a quiet goodbye to the captain, gave her gear a final once-over, and stepped out.

The door thudded shut. Loteria and Ye Jingqiu strode inside shoulder to shoulder. Shi Zui gripped the wheel, eyes on her little teammate’s retreating figure. For a moment, she realized Ye Jingqiu had grown a bit taller—and standing next to Professor Luo, she cut a proper specialist’s profile.

Truth be told, the assignment held no real peril; handing it to Ye Jingqiu solo was ideal training. And yet, after six months of near-constant proximity, the sudden emptiness beside her felt strangely off-putting.

What was this feeling?

Captain Shi mulled it over, hunting for the right word. Parental didn’t quite fit; friendly fell short. Watching the teammate she’d raised depart firsthand stirred something nuanced—reluctance, perhaps?

A friendly honk from behind jolted her back to reality. Shi Zui banished the increasingly elusive thoughts from her mind, steadied herself, and pulled away.

Oblivious to her captain’s tangled sentiments, Ye Jingqiu stuck to the pre-planned protocol. Ushered by the attendant alongside Professor Luo into the auction hall, her eyes gleamed with quiet excitement, her poise a far cry from the high school girl of half a year prior.

Loteria let out a soft tsk to herself. No surprise from an S-Rank Specialist who’d slain a Candle Dragon and been molded by Shi Zui’s hand. She still played the kid around the captain, but away from her, Xiao Qiu’s dependability shot straight up.

What was this? The plucky adolescent striking out solo, free from the nest?

Loteria chuckled to herself at the thought but kept her expression neutral as she followed Ye Jingqiu to their seats.

A faint Burmese folk tune played in the background. Ye Jingqiu glanced at the Number 28 placard in her hand and let out a soft tsk, thinking how lucky she was to draw her own birthday number.

Professor Luo flipped through the auction catalog beside her. “I hope tonight’s lots are as good as the brochure claims. They should keep the Base’s forge stocked with materials for cold weapons for a while.”

The evening featured pure blood jade as well as a raw stone with only half the face revealed. Loteria sipped her mint tea and hummed a melody under her breath, her mood buoyant.

“Has the Base’s jade supply really gotten this tight?” Ye Jingqiu whispered, giving her leg a shake. She felt something like a bug crawling, though the auction hall’s spotless condition made it unlikely.

Loteria shook her head. “Not exactly. The Base has stable jade mines operating in Xinjiang’s Hetian region, the American Cordillera Mountains, Tanzania, and other spots. But high-quality pieces have been in short supply lately, so the Dao Talisman Department had to look to Myanmar. I’m mainly here scouting jade pits—picking up a few finished items is just a bonus.”

Ye Jingqiu patted her leg again, her eyes on the starting bids in the catalog as she murmured, “Be honest—how many excuses did you feed Minister Sanjima before she loosened the purse strings?”

“Just one.” Loteria gave a faint smile. “I happened to know the reason she’s spent so many years alone and gave her a gentle nudge.”

“So that’s how you… threatened nine figures in euros out of her?” Ye Jingqiu paused to shoo away the bug, her face twisting oddly.

Loteria remained utterly relaxed. “That’s chump change at a trade fair like this. Last year’s top lot at the Yangon Jewelry Exhibition went for 580 million. The Base even has a side gig flipping drained, worthless jadeite—easy money off the rich.”

Ye Jingqiu nodded absently while batting at the itch; the sensation on her calf grew increasingly bizarre. She couldn’t take it anymore and quietly prepared to tap into her Instinct. But the moment she bent down, she locked eyes with a pair of round, gleaming orbs.

The Little Candle Dragon was coiled snugly around her leg, blinking up at her with pure delight.

Ye Jingqiu: “?”

Ye Jingqiu: “!”

How in the world was this creature here!?

Her three souls and seven spirits nearly scattered in terror. The venue was blanketed in 365-degree surveillance with no blind spots—if security caught even a snippet, this hotel would dominate global headlines overnight.

No, wait—how could Sister possibly let this dragon slip away?

Ye Jingqiu instinctively scanned the room. Sure enough, there was Olivia, dressed in local Burmese folk costume, blinking at her in helpless amusement.

“Professor Luo, I need to hit the restroom.”

“Go ahead. Grab me another mint tea from the waiter on your way back.”

Ye Jingqiu agreed, then swiftly stuffed the Little Candle Dragon into her clothes like a thief in the night and bolted for the washroom. Once Olivia slipped inside, she slammed the door shut and locked it, double-checked for cameras, and released the wide-eyed, innocent-looking Little Candle Dragon.

“How did it get out?” Ye Jingqiu snatched up the Little Candle Dragon as it tried to scramble into her hair and wreak havoc, staring at Olivia in disbelief.

Olivia shrugged. “Couldn’t be helped. It overheard my chat with Boss Xia, latched onto that ticket to Myanmar, and I figure it came straight for you.”

“For me?” Ye Jingqiu glanced at the Little Candle Dragon, now humming contentedly as it wound around her arm, and blinked in surprise.

The Little Candle Dragon hadn’t changed: still half a meter long and skinny as a broad noodle. At her words, its fist-sized head bobbed frantically in agreement, those azure vertical pupils brimming with affection.

“Let it hang out with you for a bit,” Olivia said with a grin. “Our little dragon’s a pro at pocket-diving. I’ll come collect it after the auction.”

Ye Jingqiu knew it was risky, but those expectant eyes melted her resolve—she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. With a helpless sigh, she tucked the Little Candle Dragon into her pocket and let it wag its tail while nibbling playfully at her hand.

“But what brings you here, Olivia?”

Olivia shrugged again. “To find you, naturally. And maybe snag Pandora’s Key while I’m at it.”

Right then, a knock echoed from the door—the auction was moments from starting. Ye Jingqiu cut straight to the point. “Listen, I suspect Ying Tian pulled me into the Base because of a Pixiu Jade Pendant. Any leads from Sister on this?”

Olivia leaned in and whispered urgently, “You gave Boss Xia half a Pixiu Jade Pendant once, called it a spare key you’d left with her.”

A spare key?

The knocking intensified. Ye Jingqiu gripped the doorknob and nodded. “Got it. Then ask Sister—if the pendant’s that valuable, just take mine back with you later.”

Olivia nodded. The instant the door swung open, she busied herself pretending to wash her hands as if nothing were amiss.

“The door jammed for a second—hope I didn’t hold you up.” Ye Jingqiu offered the newcomer an apologetic smile as she opened the door.

But Yu Tingwan froze on the threshold.

“A Chinese? You…” Yu Tingwan took in Ye Jingqiu’s attire from head to toe, her gaze lingering on those clear, keen eyes for several seconds before she pivoted. “One of tonight’s guests in Hall One?”

Uncertain of the woman’s angle, Ye Jingqiu nodded simply out of shared nationality. “Need something? If not, I’ll head back.”

Yu Tingwan let out an enigmatic laugh. “Wasn’t planning to, but now I am. Hall One demands a one-million-euro deposit. At your age… young and promising, perhaps?”

Ye Jingqiu took a step back to widen the gap between them. “Sorry, not looking to make friends here.”

“Too bad—I am.” Yu Tingwan’s smile held steady. “You’re of age, aren’t you?”

Ye Jingqiu blinked, caught off guard. “Huh?”

“Let me introduce myself. Surname Yu. Today’s my last day in Yangon—flying to Bangkok tomorrow afternoon.” With a warm smile, Yu Tingwan extended a business card. “If you’re vacationing too, we could travel together.”

Ye Jingqiu was still caught off guard and hadn’t even refused the business card when Miss Yu suddenly asked, “So, if I may be so bold, do you have a boyfriend?”

Ye Jingqiu: “Huh???”

Yu Tingwan let out a low chuckle, her eyes sparkling with even greater interest. “If not… I’m very interested in you.”

Olivia, passing by: “Pfft—”

~~~

Loteria glanced at Ye Jingqiu, whose steps had grown unsteady, and asked curiously, “Why is your face so red? Did the air conditioning break?”

Ye Jingqiu weakly handed over a cup of mint water and waved her off. “No, I just ran into something… really strange.”

Had she spent too much time cooped up at the Base? Had the outside world gotten this bold?

So much had happened in the past six months that Ye Jingqiu hadn’t noticed the changes in herself at all—she only felt her instincts had sharpened just a touch. But her combat training, tempered a thousand times over, had already forged her into something impossibly keen, and her experience bathing in exotic beast blood was one no one else could replicate.

Ye Jingqiu let out a long sigh and patted the little dragon in her pocket. Right then, the seat marked Number Twenty-Nine beside her scraped open, and a familiar scent washed over her. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to face a very familiar face.

Yu Tingwan smiled faintly. “Looks like we’re quite fated to keep running into each other.”

Thanks, but no thanks—a cursed kind of fate.

Ye Jingqiu felt a little helpless. She whispered a reminder, hoping to stir whatever conscience lingered in the woman beside her. “Miss Yu, I just turned eighteen this year. I’ve got the Gaokao coming up next year.”

“So you’re saying you’d prefer a different time frame?”

Ye Jingqiu: “……”

She was starting to understand what it meant to talk to a brick wall.

The auctioneer stepped onto the stage right on cue, rescuing Ye Jingqiu. After a brief opening speech, the evening’s main event kicked off. Loteria and Yu Tingwan both composed themselves.

“The next lot is the ‘Buddha’s Hand Bringing Fortune’ ice-type jadeite pendant. The color is even and full, the material crystal clear with superb quality—carved by China’s famed Master Sha, the Jade King himself. The lines flow smoothly… Starting bid: one million euros.” The auctioneer smiled. “Who’ll start us off?”

The auction soon reached its midpoint, with starting prices climbing ever higher. Bids kept flying, though, and Olivia even threw her hat in twice just for fun. Loteria, meanwhile, lounged back contentedly, sipping her mint water with no intention of participating.

She was after the raw jadeite blocks later on—the ones with good quality waiting to be carved. These finished pieces, marked up for the craftsmanship, weren’t on her list.

Ye Jingqiu studied the pendant for a moment. Buddha’s Hand Bringing Fortune was a nice symbol. She wasn’t Buddhist herself, but a little luck never hurt. With the bank cards her sister had given her, she could definitely afford it.

She kind of wanted to get the Captain a piece of jade—maybe a bracelet. A good-luck charm for missions!

“Number Twenty-Eight bids! One million one hundred thousand euros!” The auctioneer quoted cheerfully. “A very young buyer.”

Yu Tingwan turned her head and asked casually, “You like this one?”

Ye Jingqiu gave a polite smile. “It’s for a friend.”

“Very generous. Your friend will love it.”

“Thanks.” Ye Jingqiu nodded, her smile a little different from before. “Fingers crossed your words bring good luck, Miss Yu.”

Something flickered in Yu Tingwan’s eyes as she picked up on the shift in aura.

“Oh, Number Twelve bids—one million four hundred thousand euros.”

Number Twelve was a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark skin, the look of a military officer. A few people in the room hesitated before setting their paddles down. Ye Jingqiu didn’t flinch. She thought for a second and doubled it.

“Number Twenty-Eight—two million euros!”

She’d jumped it by double in one go. Heads turned, everyone trying to spot who Number Twenty-Eight was.

Number Twelve frowned slightly. He glanced back, clocking Ye Jingqiu’s exceptionally young Chinese features, and instinctively curled his lip in disdain.

“Number Twelve raises again! Two million five hundred thousand euros!” The auctioneer barely held back a grin; this was already a steal for the pendant.

Ye Jingqiu tsked under her breath, ready to toss in another two hundred thousand as a probe, when she caught Number Twelve staring daggers at her eyes while muttering a few curses.

Ye Jingqiu: “?”

How rude.

She let out a scoff and raised her paddle without a second thought.

“Number Twenty-Eight bids… three million five hundred thousand euros!”

The rest of the room set their paddles aside, settling in to watch the two go head-to-head.

The officer in black twisted his face in a snarl. This Chinese girl clearly had no idea who he was. And now the price was nearly double what he’d budgeted.

Did Number Twenty-Eight want it that badly?

He sneered coldly.

“Number Twelve—to four million euros! Four million once. Number Twenty-Eight, will you bid?”

It was absurdly overpriced by now. Loteria tugged at Ye Jingqiu’s sleeve and whispered, “Don’t bid just to spite him. If you like Buddha stuff that much, Department Head Yan can carve you seven or eight back at base.”

Ye Jingqiu couldn’t hold back a laugh. She blinked. “Don’t worry, Professor Luo.”

She patted the little dragon wriggling in her pocket and raised her paddle once more.

“Number Twenty-Eight—four million five hundred thousand euros! At this price, I’m starting to think our expert missed something—maybe this pendant holds a secret?” The auctioneer beamed, unable to close her mouth, and turned to the officer. “Number Twelve, care to continue? If not, it goes to our young Number Twenty-Eight bidder.”

Every eye in the room locked onto the Number Twelve officer. Under that kind of scrutiny, it was mortifying—especially for a man who prized his face above all else.

Number Twelve’s complexion shifted from green to white and back. Pushing higher would gut his wallet, but backing down… to lose to some kid who didn’t even look of age?

He gritted his teeth, betting on Number Twenty-Eight’s obsession.

“Five million euros!”

The auctioneer could scarcely believe this lot had reached such heights—fat commissions waving at her.

She turned an expectant gaze to Number Twenty-Eight, while the officer stared intently at Ye Jingqiu.

Ye Jingqiu raised her head, her right hand gripping the bidder’s paddle as though she were about to raise it for another bid. Number Twelve’s eyes lit up—

But then she revealed a perfectly regretful expression and shrugged her shoulders. “In that case, I’ll graciously step aside.”

The auctioneer let out a matching sigh of regret. “Very well, Number Twelve at five million euros, once…”

Number Twelve spat out, “……Fuck.”

He’d been played!

A filthy curse squeezed out from between his gritted teeth. When he looked up again, his eyes brimmed with resentment.

Price aside—whether he could even afford it or not—that kind of provocation was enough to piss anyone off. He licked his lips, sneering as he resolved to play his final trump card.

The officer whipped his head around, and in that instant, his gaze locked directly onto Ye Jingqiu!

Instinct: Illusion, activated.

Aether elements converged in a flash, but how could Ye Jingqiu—whose mental strength had long been tempered by Instinct beyond the Divine String level—possibly fall for such a trick? She sensed the officer’s intent almost instantaneously, and Word Manifestation triggered at once, rebounding the effect right back at him.

“Cough—”

Number Twelve suddenly sprayed out a huge mouthful of blood. Just then, the auction gavel fell, plunging the hall into utter silence, soon broken by scattered chuckles.

Had he… passed out from the shock of the price?

Ye Jingqiu didn’t crack a smile. Her Rampage Value spiked to its maximum in an instant, while Aether fired off the intel to Team One’s members.

So Messiah’s people had already infiltrated this deeply?