Chapter 367 Rich!!!!!!!
"We have now reached the grand finale of tonight's auction..." the auctioneer announced, her voice a sultry purr that sent a shiver of anticipation through the crowd. Her lips curled into a satisfied smile, knowing that tonight's sales had far surpassed the auction house's wildest expectations.
With a graceful motion, she beckoned to her assistants, who stepped forward carrying an object carefully shrouded in a luxurious cloth. The fabric clung to whatever lay beneath, hinting at its mysterious contours.
The bidders leaned forward in their seats, their curiosity sharpened to a keen edge. They had already seen some of the finest items auctioned off earlier in the evening, yet here they were, breathlessly waiting for this final reveal.
What could possibly top the wonderful treasures that had already been sold?
Sensing their eagerness, the auctioneer let out a soft, teasing giggle that danced through the room like a whispered secret. Her full, crimson lips parted, drawing the attention of many men..... except for Aether!
'Slurp'
Aether's attention was wholly consumed by the exquisite beauty laid on his lap..... Liora, a stunning vision of MIL-ahem... mature femininity, was eagerly sucking on him, her voluptuous boobs pressed against his thighs. Her every movement was an intoxicating blend of skill and desire, her soft lips sliding over his hardened length with a sensuality that made his pulse race.
Compared to Liora's divine allure, the auctioneer's appeal faded into insignificance.
As the tension in the auction reached its peak, the auctioneer finally spoke again, her voice dripping with anticipation, "This... is one of the most advanced and complex circuits ever created," she declared, her eyes gleaming as she slowly pulled away the cloth, revealing a small, brilliantly white crystal!
A murmur of confusion rippled through the crowd....
"Huh?"
"Is that all?"
"What's the game here?"
The bidders exchanged puzzled glances, unable to fathom why such a seemingly insignificant crystal was being presented as the climax of the auction.
To them, it looked like an artificial crystal, perhaps worth 1,000ˀ at most... certainly nothing that could compare to the treasures they had already seen.
The auctioneer, noticing their confusion, allowed herself another soft, almost condescending giggle, "Our esteemed auction house never deceives our valued guests..." she began, her tone playful yet authoritative. She lifted the crystal delicately in her hand, its cool surface glinting in the light as she channelled her Arcane energy into it.
Ssssshhhhh
The bidders frowned seeing a small red flames erupting.... it's not worth it!!
"Are they kidding—" someone started to complain, but the words died on their lips as the crystal suddenly flared to life.... four more flames burst forth, each a different colour—blue, green, purple, and gold—dancing together.
"...."
The room fell utterly silent, every eye fixated on the magical flames that seemed to defy the very laws of nature. The beauty of the flames was otherworldly, captivating, and impossible to look away from.
Seeing the awestruck expressions, the auctioneer's smile broadened, though even her beauty seemed to pale in comparison to the ethereal light of the flames, "What you are witnessing...." she began, her voice rich with pride, "...is the pinnacle of technological and magical fusion, crafted by the genius inventor Mr. Lackey.... known for his groundbreaking innovations in the Scientific industry!"
The crowd frowned in unison..... Mr. Lackey? The name was unfamiliar, unheard of among the elite circles. The only name that resonated in this realm of technological marvels was Kennedy... a figure whose reputation was well-established within the academy as well as every Empire!
"The bidding will start at... 10,000ˀ."
Gasps filled the room. Continue your journey on empire
Even a single rare flame could fetch 5,000 to 6,000ˀ, yet here she was, starting at a mere 10,000ˀ for this incredible creation. Doubts began to creep into the minds of the bidders—was this some sort of trick?
The auctioneer, reading the room perfectly, quickly added, "Since this is a new product and its creator wishes to see its true market value, we will let you, our esteemed guests, determine its worth." She flashed a small, confident smile.
Realization dawned, and the room erupted into frenzied bidding:
"20,000ˀ"
"30,000ˀ"
...
...
As the numbers climbed higher and higher, Aether couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
When he first heard the initial bid, his heart had nearly stopped. Even Liora, whose mouth had been working so diligently around his shaft, had paused, her frown deepening as she stared daggers at the auctioneer.
"If they dare to deceive us... I'll make sure they don't leave this auction alive," Liora growled, her voice low and dangerous. Despite the menacing tone, her actions were anything but hostile..... Because her head lying on his abdomen staring at the towering twitching shaft... Her soft, delicate hands continued to stroke it, while her tongue traced tantalizing circles around its sensitive tip.
'Slurp'
'Squlech~'
Her words and actions were.....
'sigh, It's going to take some time to get used to this...' Aether thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he gently patted her head.
In an instant it melted away Liora's tension, her frown softening into a look of pure, unadulterated lust as she refocused on the task at hand.
Her eyes burned with desire as she prepared to take a sixth shot.... her tongue dancing around his tips!
"~Hmm~"
Yes, she had said five would be enough, but clearly, she had no intention of stopping anytime soon..... And Aether, lost in the sheer pleasure of her relentless heavenly sucking... had no reason to deny her.
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice pierced the air, interrupting the escalating bids.
"100,000ˀ"
Aether blinked in surprise, his attention snapping away from Liora's warm mouth and towards the source of the sound.
His eyes focused on another VIP room, hidden behind tinted glass. The auction room fell silent for a moment, the unexpected bid stunning the crowd into stillness. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the bidding resumed.... though the number of active bidders had noticeably dwindled.
The tension in the room thickened as the bidding war intensified. The price climbed higher, each participant pushing their limits, determined to outdo the other. The excitement, once palpable, now morphed into something more anxious, more desperate.
Then, the room fell silent once more as a new bid echoed,
"500,000ˀ!" The same cold, mechanical voice reverberated through the space.
The crowd hesitated, their enthusiasm dampened by the sheer magnitude of the sum.
Was this small crystal truly worth such an astronomical price? The auctioneer scanned the room, her eyes gleaming with barely contained anticipation, yet all she found were weary faces and subtle shakes of the head. Sensing the critical moment, she raised her gavel high and announced, "500,000ˀ once... 500,000ˀ twice..."
She allowed the pause to linger, giving the room one final opportunity to counter the offer. But the silence held firm...
"SO--"
"600,000ˀ"
The sudden bid snapped everyone's attention to Aether's room.
Liora halted abruptly, her mouth still wrapped around his shaft as she stared up at him, wide-eyed and shocked, a trail of white fluid visible at the corner of her lips. Her expression was priceless as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
Aether merely smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling with playful mischief, "Just for fun~" he whispered, winking at her.
[+4000 AP]
Liora shook her head, her shock giving way to amusement. She resumed her task, her mouth working on him with increased intensity as if rewarding him for his boldness, preparing him for 7th shot...
'SSSSLUUURRRPP~'
Meanwhile, Aether's focus shifted back to the VIP room,
"650,000ˀ," the mechanical voice responded coolly.
Aether nodded, "700,000ˀ," he declared, his voice passing through a device as it echoed around with the same mechanical voice.
"...."
The room fell into a tense silence.
Aether felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead, 'M-Maybe I shouldn't have pushed it this far...' he thought.
"700,000ˀ once... 700,000ˀ twice..." The auctioneer's voice rang out.
Aether's heart raced as the finality of the moment approached. Just as he was about to get fucked up literally...
When,
"800,000ˀ!"
The cold, mechanical voice cut through the silence once more. Aether exhaled a deep sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing as the pressure eased off him.
"800,000ˀ once... 800,000ˀ twice..." The auctioneer's gaze flicked back to Aether's room, expectant.
Aether shook his head firmly, a small, relieved smile playing on his lips. He was done playing this dangerous game.
Slam!
"SOLD! For 800,000ˀ!" The auctioneer's gavel came down with a decisive slam, the finality of the action echoing through the room.
"~MMM~" Liora moaned softly, catching another release from Aether, her lips wrapping tighter around him as she savoured the taste.
...
...
The chubby woman with the butterfly mask returned to the room shortly after, She handed over the money after the commission, her expression unreadable behind the elegant mask.
Aether gulped inwardly, his eyes widening at the sheer volume of money in front of him. Never in his life had he seen such an amount—heck, he hadn't even seen half of it before!
He glanced at Liora. She stepped forward to take the money.
The woman with the mask then turned her attention to Aether, handing him a small, intricately designed visiting card, "Come to this place once you've completed the final product," she instructed.
Aether frowned slightly, puzzled by her trust. "Aren't you trusting a stranger too much?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
The woman smiled behind her mask, "Like your wife, I have a good sense of people... and I trust that you will keep your word," she replied, gesturing toward Liora, who had an amused smirk playing on her lips.
Aether raised an eyebrow, still unconvinced, "Even though you don't know my real name?"
The woman let out a soft, melodic laugh as she turned and walked away, leaving the question unanswered.
Aether and Liora exchanged a glance and shrugged. Together, they called Kaelen and made their way out of the auction.
Meanwhile, in another VIP room....
A white-haired man sat in the shadows, wearing noble clothes... his sharp blue eyes fixed on the auction below. His expression was one of disapproval, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.
"Don't you think that's too much for a small crystal?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of disbelief.
"I don't know..." A melodic voice responded, Undeniably feminine, carrying a hint of something almost whimsical, "I just felt like I wanted it.... no matter what!"