Few people participated in the bid assessment, and although most attendees were drawn by the treasure map and showed interest in it, the current auction price had already reached five hundred million, and this was merely for the treasure map itself.
The true deciphering of the treasure map and the extraction of the treasure were a bottomless pit, especially for the treasures of the **[Lu Miao Tang]** families.
The Tang family was unrivaled in poison.
The Miao family excelled in蠱 (gu), unsurpassed worldwide.
The Lu family’s mechanisms were exquisitely crafted.
The treasures of these three families were something one could only dare to think about but not safely obtain. Although, in everyone's understanding, the Lu family had been wiped out, the Miao and Tang families still existed. If an outsider acquired the treasure map, how could these two families stand idly by? It was likely that considerable trouble awaited.
This was especially true considering the scene caused by the Tang family not long ago. To continue bidding, besides financial strength, one also had to gauge whether their own neck was thick enough and their life hard enough.
After the bid assessment, the female auctioneer took the stage with a smile and announced, “We have only five distinguished guests who participated in the bid assessment for our final auction item: Miss Xia Qingtian representing the Tang family, Mr. Gu, Mr. Miao Sang of the Miao family, Mr. Gu Yaoqing of the Gu family, and Mr. Wilson.”
As the female auctioneer finished speaking, beams of light swept over the names she announced, one by one.
Hua Xueyuan, disguised as **[Wilson]**, smiled faintly under the light.
In the VIP room where the Miao family was located upstairs, Madam Miao squinted in his direction, like a predator locking onto its prey.
Meanwhile, Gu Yaoqing straightened his back and tilted his chin upwards after the light swept over him, his expression arrogant and triumphant.
“Regarding the bid assessment by our five distinguished guests, our Lei family has verified your substantial funds and confirmed your eligibility to proceed with the upcoming auction,” the female auctioneer said with a smile. “However, as it is getting late, the Lei Auction House senior management has decided to change the bidding rules for the upcoming auction to a blind bid.”
Blind bid?
Hearing this rule, everyone was slightly taken aback. Was this going to be a decisive conclusion? Coupled with the appearance of the Wen family patriarch earlier, people had some guesses. The excuse of it being late was likely just a pretext; perhaps the Lei family head was planning something grand, only to be stopped by the Wen family patriarch.
Indeed, this treasure map involved the Tang and Miao clans, as well as the annihilated Lu family. It was impossible to ensure absolute fairness, and it might even reignite a bloody conflict, repeating the tragedy of the Lu family. Since that was the case, it would be better to halt the proceedings and use a blind bid to prevent further issues.
Upon hearing about the blind bid, Gu Yaoqing looked at the Gu family patriarch with a hint of confusion, while the patriarch’s expression remained unchanged, cold and indifferent.
“Our staff will now deliver paper and pens to the five distinguished guests. We kindly request that you write down your final bidding price on the paper. In ten minutes, we will make the final decision and complete the treasure map auction,” the female auctioneer announced. As she spoke, staff members carrying trays weaved through the crowd, offering paper and pens.
“Grandfather, what should we bid?” Gu Yaoqing asked the Gu family patriarch. “One billion, or…”
“Yao Lin,” the Gu family patriarch called out to Gu Yao Lin.
“What?” Gu Yao Lin was uneasy, his cheeks still aching. He was startled when the Gu family patriarch called him.
“Go see how much that beast bid, and then report back to me,” the Gu family patriarch said sternly.
“!” Gu Yao Lin was taken aback by the request. “Grandfather, I don’t…”
“Just go! Stop babbling!” Gu Yao Qing immediately interrupted Gu Yao Lin, his eyes wide with anger. “What? Do you want to betray the Gu family like that traitor?”
“But…” Gu Yao Lin tried to say something else, but was cut off by the Gu family patriarch.
“It’s the same whether we drive away one person or two,” the Gu family patriarch’s eyes were clouded with rage. He just wanted to teach that ungrateful scoundrel Gu Yao Yang a lesson. “Do you want to be kicked out of the Gu family with him?”
Gu Yao Lin bit his lower lip upon hearing this. After a moment of struggle, he stood up and walked towards the stairs, his head down. Seeing that Gu Yao Lin was somewhat obedient, the Gu family patriarch’s expression improved slightly.
Meanwhile, after going upstairs, Gu Yao Lin lingered at the entrance of the room, afraid to enter. He didn’t know how to fulfill such a shameless request.
“Who’s outside! If you’re a man, don’t cower; come in and speak!” Pavilion Master Shi was the first to notice the hesitant Gu Yao Lin. His brows furrowed, and he said coldly, “Or do you want me to ‘invite’ you out?”
Gu Yao Lin swallowed and then walked in. Upon entering, he saw Xia Qingtian and Gu Yao Yang each holding a piece of paper, leaning together as if discussing something.
Seeing Gu Yao Lin arrive, Xia Qingtian’s lips curved. “Yao Yang, you were right.” When it was announced that it would be a blind bid, Gu Yao Yang had said that someone would surely be dishonest and try to take a shortcut. And it was the Gu family who was the first to act shamelessly, even sending such a young man.
Hearing Xia Qingtian’s words and meeting her gaze, Gu Yao Lin felt utterly ashamed, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.
“Brother… I… I should go back first…” Gu Yao Lin couldn’t lift his head and stopped in his tracks, about to leave.
“Wait a moment,” Gu Yao Yang said. “If you go back like this, they won’t let you off.”
After saying this, Gu Yao Yang picked up his pen, wrote a number on the paper, and held it up to Gu Yao Lin. “Go back and tell them.”
“Brother…” Seeing Gu Yao Yang act like this, Gu Yao Lin felt even more ashamed. In the end, he could only say, “I’m sorry,” and turned to leave.
“Remember what I told you,” Gu Yao Yang said faintly as he watched Gu Yao Lin’s retreating back. “Get out of there soon; you’re not a child anymore.”
Without pausing, Gu Yao Lin savored Gu Yao Yang’s words again before quickly walking out. After descending the stairs, Gu Yao Lin didn’t return directly to his seat but first called his parents. “Dad, I want to go study abroad.”
“Didn’t you refuse to go even after we pleaded with you? What changed your mind?” came his father’s voice from the other end of the line.
“Yes, I saw my brother at the auction. I… I want to go out and make my own way,” Gu Yao Lin said after taking a deep breath. “Dad, brother is doing very well, he’s always been doing well.”
There was a long silence on the other end of the line before his father replied, “I understand. When do you want to leave?”
“The sooner the better,” Gu Yao Lin’s gaze deepened. His brother’s words were always accurate. He wanted to leave the Gu family, and the sooner, the better.
“Alright.”