TCPUAAV Chapter 8

 

The second part of the auction began promptly at 3 p.m.

 

Traditionally, the items in the second auction were never as impressive as those in the first, so to maintain an air of mystery and excitement, the item list for the second half was not announced in advance. Every year, there were attendees who spent all their money on items in the first part, only to regret it when something more desirable appeared later.

 

It was a recurring scenario.

 

This also revealed an important fact: the second auction rarely attracted the truly wealthy.

 

But today was different. Auction-goers whispered among themselves, casting curious glances at the elevated floating private boxes. The presence of prominent figures who hadn’t yet left sparked speculation—could it be that something valuable was coming up in this round?

 

The Nine-Tailed Fox cub from the first auction was already extraordinary. Could there really be another treasure in the second part?

 

The crowd buzzed with growing anticipation.

 

The host, still the same one as before, dazzled with their vibrant energy and witty commentary, expertly fanning the flames of excitement.

 

After several rounds of bidding, the auction reached its final item.

 

The host, their voice now tinged with breathless exhilaration, announced through the loudspeakers, “And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for—our final item!”

 

“Let’s not keep you in suspense any longer. The Silver Falcon engine and drive, starting at 100,000 star coins!”

 

The announcement was like water splashing into a pot of hot oil, igniting a frenzy.

 

From one of the private boxes, someone immediately shouted, “150,000!”

 

“200,000!” came a swift counterbid from another box.

 

“250,000!”

 

Ordinary attendees who had been holding out hope, intending to pool their remaining star coins to bid, quickly realized they had no chance and gave up.

 

“It’s already at 250,000 in the blink of an eye,” Xiong Fangfang muttered, feeling as if he were dreaming.

 

When he accompanied Ruan Shiqing to the appraisal, he had guessed the engine would fetch a decent price. But this? He had never imagined such a scenario.

 

With just a glance at Ruan Shiqing, he could see the boy sitting calmly with the pup in his arms, perfectly composed. No one would suspect that he was the seller of the Silver Falcon parts.

 

Taking a deep breath, Xiong Fangfang forced himself to mimic Ruan Shiqing’s composed demeanor, remaining as still as a mountain to avoid giving anything away.

 

The bidding continued to climb, though no longer in such large increments. Most ordinary participants had withdrawn, leaving only a few of the major players in the private boxes fiercely competing.

 

“350,000!”

 

“360,000!”

 

“370,000!”

 

“450,000!”

 

The numbers on the screen flipped rapidly, finally stopping at 450,000 star coins.

 

After a ten-second countdown—

 

“450,000! Sold!” the host announced, her voice trembling with excitement. This was undoubtedly the highlight of her career.

 

Xiong Fangfang exhaled deeply, gripping the seat to restrain his urge to jump up and cheer.

 

Meanwhile, Ruan Shiqing gently pinched the pup’s ear and murmured softly, so only the little one could hear, “We’re rich now.”

 

Rong Heng glanced up at him and gave his hand a half-hearted pat with his paw.

 

When he had bought the Silver Falcon, it had cost him a hefty 3.6 million star coins—even at the Crown Prince’s discounted price. The engine and drive alone were worth at least 1 million.

 

Now, this idiot had sold them for a mere 450,000 and was still gleeful.

 

Tsk.

 

Ruan Shiqing had no idea what the Silver Falcon was originally worth. Since he had essentially gotten it for free, the 450,000-star coin sale was far beyond his expectations. He felt a giddy sense of joy bubbling up inside but kept it discreet, sharing his excitement only with the pup.

 

This feels like money falling from the sky. Amazing.

 

As the auction concluded, the hall’s vibrant atmosphere shifted. Energetic music gave way to a soothing melody, and attendees, still buzzing with excitement, began to leave.

 

Ruan Shiqing, understanding the importance of keeping a low profile, quietly blended into the crowd. He planned to return later to collect his payment.

 

Xiong Fangfang walked beside him, his steps equally measured, while Xiong Yuanyuan couldn’t help blurting, “That’s it? What about our stuff?”

 

“Don’t ask,” Xiong Fangfang snapped, giving his brother a frustrated look. “You’ll understand later.”

 

“Oh.” Xiong Yuanyuan slumped, silencing himself.

 

As the three made their way toward the exit, the music abruptly cut off. Gunfire echoed through the hall as armed soldiers rushed in, sealing off the doors and aiming their weapons at the crowd. “Everyone, return to your seats,” a commanding voice ordered.

 

Faced with the dark muzzles of the guns, those who hadn’t left yet reluctantly moved back into the hall. Soon after, attendees who had already exited were escorted back inside as well.

 

“All cloaks off. Masks off,” the officer in charge demanded. “Line up for inspection.”

 

“What’s going on?” Ruan Shiqing instinctively tucked the pup deeper into his coat and asked the person next to him.

 

“Apparently, something was stolen from the auction,” the man muttered, cursing under his breath as he begrudgingly removed his cloak.

 

Stolen?

 

Ruan Shiqing’s heart skipped a beat. For the auction house to go to such lengths, the missing item had to be immensely valuable.

 

Could it be the fox cub?

 

As attendees began lining up for inspection, Ruan Shiqing kept his coat closed and moved forward slowly with the crowd.

 

A soldier’s gaze locked onto the bulge in his coat. The man’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, and he raised his weapon, his voice tinged with excitement. “What’s in your coat?”

 

Ruan Shiqing calmly unzipped his jacket, raising his hands. “It’s my pet dog.”

 

The soldier leaned in for a closer look. When he saw the small dog, his face fell, his tone turning impatient. “Move along.”

 

Once outside, Ruan Shiqing stated with certainty, “The Nine-Tailed Fox cub is gone.”

 

The Xiong brothers stared at him in confusion, unsure how he had deduced this.

 

Rong Heng, meanwhile, glanced at him with a faint look.

 

Not bad, you’re not completely clueless.

 

“Just a guess,” Ruan Shiqing said, brushing off the question.

 

He had noticed the soldier’s expression—how it shifted from excitement to disappointment and then frustration upon seeing the pup. Combined with the news of the missing auction item, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.

 

Whether someone stole her or she escaped, I hope it’s the latter.

 

“Let’s go,” he said, his steps light with relief. “Before everyone comes out, let’s collect our payment.”

 

Donning their cloaks and masks again, the three took a different route back to claim their money.

 

The engine and drive had sold for 450,000 star coins. After the auction house took its 10% commission, the remaining 405,000 coins were loaded onto an anonymous crystal card, which the auction manager handed to Ruan Shiqing.

 

“You could provide us with an account, and we’d transfer the funds directly,” the manager suggested.

 

“No need. This is safer,” Ruan Shiqing replied curtly, declining the subtle probe. He pocketed the card and left without delay.

 

The manager, frustrated by Ruan Shiqing’s caution, had no choice but to let him go, preoccupied as he was with the missing auction item.

 

Once outside, the three shed their disguises in a secluded spot and casually blended back into the bustling crowd.

 

The auction had just ended, and many attendees strolled through the marketplace afterward, discussing the events in the auction hall. Mingling among them, Ruan Shiqing and the Xiong brothers didn’t stand out at all.

 

As Ruan Shiqing browsed the stalls, he casually asked the brothers in a low voice, “Where can I buy a smart terminal around here?”

 

From his reading, he’d learned that in this world, traditional phones and computers had been replaced by smart terminals. These devices were bound to personal ID cards and integrated entertainment, education, daily life, and work functions. To better understand this world, owning a smart terminal would be invaluable.

 

A smart terminal was equivalent to a phone, computer, VR headset, and storage space all in one. Its capabilities were undeniably impressive—so was its price.

 

A few days ago, he wouldn’t have even dared to consider buying one.

 

But now? Things were different. He’d struck gold!

 

“Smart terminals have to be bound to ID cards, and you can only buy them at stores in the Inner City,” Xiong Yuanyuan explained. “If you want to buy one, you’ll need to get an ID card first.”

 

“You can get an ID card replaced?” Ruan Shiqing asked in surprise. “Why didn’t you mention this earlier?” He had assumed it would be a complicated process.

 

“Replacing an ID card requires paying fines and fees—a total of 10,000 star coins,” Xiong Yuanyuan chuckled sheepishly. “I didn’t bring it up before because we couldn’t afford it.”

 

Only after leaving the auction hall did it dawn on him that the engine they’d brought had been the star item of the auction. He’d been laughing ever since the realization struck, all the way to the market.

 

Ruan Shiqing couldn’t help but smile at his infectious joy. “Well, we can afford it now.”

 

The brothers took Ruan Shiqing to the ID card processing center.

 

When he walked in and noticed the brothers weren’t following, he paused. “Aren’t you coming?”

 

“We don’t need ID cards,” Xiong Fangfang explained. “We’ll wait for you out here.”

 

Understanding their hesitation, Ruan Shiqing smiled lightly. “Come in with me anyway. Consider it keeping me company.”

 

Hearing this, the brothers exchanged a glance and followed him inside, flanking him on either side.

 

The staff at the counter didn’t even bother looking up when they entered. “Replacing an ID card costs 10,000 star coins per person.”

 

Their shabby attire practically screamed poverty. The staff assumed they couldn’t possibly afford the fee.

 

In the Outer City, how many people could?

 

Feeling a surge of superiority, the staff sneered internally. These were just rats living in the garbage heaps—without ID cards, their deaths wouldn’t even warrant police attention.

 

“We need three ID cards,” Ruan Shiqing said curtly, his earlier smile fading at the staff’s rude tone. He pushed a crystal card across the counter. “Charge it.”

 

The staff’s expression shifted slightly upon seeing the crystal card but begrudgingly began processing their information.

 

The process involved taking photos, recording voice, fingerprint, and iris data, and completing several formalities. Afterward, the staff swiped the card and handed three ID cards over to Ruan Shiqing.

 

The clerk’s attitude softened somewhat, though it still carried an air of condescension. “Here are your ID cards. Please sign to acknowledge receipt, and you may leave.”

 

Xiong Fangfang and Xiong Yuanyuan took the electronic pad, ready to sign without hesitation, but Ruan Shiqing stopped them.

 

Flipping through the document, he noticed the second page had a default selection for a positive service review. Turning the screen toward the staff, he smiled faintly. “The service review is for us to decide, isn’t it?”

 

The staff member’s smile stiffened, their face twitching slightly. “Of course, sir,” they replied, barely hiding their irritation.

 

In the Outer City, where education was scarce, few people could read, let alone understand official documents. Even those who earned some money from scrap metal sales rarely dared challenge the system.

 

But now, here was someone bold enough to push back.

 

The clerk’s eyes darkened with anger as they issued a low-voiced warning. “I advise you not to do that.”

 

The stronger the resistance, the more certain Ruan Shiqing became of the review’s importance. Spinning the stylus in his fingers, he tapped the counter lightly. “I’m guessing that no matter how poorly you treat people, it won’t matter unless we submit a negative review. But if we do, your superiors will find out, and it might affect your evaluations. Am I right?”

 

Though this was a different world, Ruan Shiqing figured the rules probably worked similarly.

 

The clerk’s expression turned stony. They wanted to lash out but were afraid of provoking him further. Apologizing, however, was out of the question.

 

Ruan Shiqing calmly changed the default review to “dissatisfied” and thoughtfully added improvement suggestions before signing and submitting it.

 

The Xiong brothers followed suit, altering their reviews before signing.

 

“Thank you,” Ruan Shiqing said casually, pushing the pad back. Waving dismissively, he turned and left.

 

The clerk sat seething, glaring daggers at their retreating figures.

 

Xiong Yuanyuan glanced back and snickered. “That puffed-up face makes him look like a purple frog.”

 

Xiong Fangfang, however, was more cautious. “Do you think he’ll cause trouble for us later?”

 

“If he had that kind of power, he wouldn’t have been assigned to work here,” Ruan Shiqing replied coolly.

 

Given the Inner City’s disdain for the Outer City, a post that required frequent interactions with Outer City residents was unlikely to be a desirable job.

 

Even if the clerk was furious, they’d have to stew in silence.

 

Xiong Fangfang relaxed at that and hesitated before asking, “About the money for the ID cards…”

 

Before he could finish, Ruan Shiqing interrupted. He didn’t need to hear the full question to know what the brothers were thinking. “It’s part of your payment. Once I buy a smart terminal, I’ll transfer another 20,000 star coins to you. You’ve earned it, so there’s no need to feel awkward about it.”

 

Over the past few days, the brothers had helped him immensely. Without their assistance in gathering information, the engine sale wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

 

Though initially reluctant, the brothers weren’t the type to dwell on false modesty. They accepted the payment with gratitude. “If you ever need help again, just let us know.”

 

“Don’t worry. I won’t hold back.”

 

Laughing and chatting, the three followed the signs toward the shopping district.

 

The Inner City was far more prosperous than the Outer City.

 

Neat streets crisscrossed through orderly rows of buildings. Massive screens displayed advertisements on loop, while unique-looking airships and hovercars occasionally zoomed overhead, their wind stirring the grass and trees along the roads.

 

The stark contrast with the garbage-filled, chaotic, and overcrowded Outer City made it feel like an entirely different world.

 

 

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Our ML sure is a cute little snob lol

 

Thanks for reading!