A private room on the second floor.
Chen Yu held two iron ingots, tapping them rhythmically as he looked down at the scattered guests.
"What are you all shouting about?"
"All I hear is your incessant chatter from start to finish. The auction is hosted by the Elton Merchant Guild. They can conduct the auction however they please. Are you demons and monsters here to protest?"
"Huh?!"
"Everyone here has been invited. They are all reputable individuals. For such trivial matters, aren't you ashamed to be making such a fuss?"
"Pathetic, I truly look down on you all. Hmph~"
Chen Yu had really thrown caution to the wind.
Hero saving the damsel?
He was overthinking it!
He was purely led astray by the little demon and did it because of that.
It all stemmed from a single sentence from the little demon.
"Hey, didn't you say you wanted to infiltrate the underground?" the little demon winked. "Go mock them, and your name will instantly spread."
Chen Yu heard this.
It made sense!
Without hesitation, he grabbed his two iron ingots and went for it.
The mass taunt had begun.
The scattered guests below instantly turned their attention to Chen Yu.
"Who are you talking to?!"
"From the private room upstairs, bidding five hundred bundles together. That should satisfy you rich patrons, right? You're in league with the Elton Merchant Guild."
"You little brat…"
*Swish!*
A sword extended out of the window, pointing at the orcs below.
"Who said 'little brat'?" Chen Yu's face contorted with ferocity, the sword's edge shimmering with a colorful light, his eyes glaring. "Come on up here now, and I'll chop your head off."
*Gulp.*
In an instant, the hall on the first floor fell silent.
A multicolored sword!
The warrior from the private room upstairs, the one initiating the taunt, was wielding a multicolored sword. With the weapon drawn, who dared to utter another word?
To be able to wield a sword of this caliber…
Either one possessed great strength.
Or one had a powerful background!
Seeing that this young master was no pushover, everyone feared that when they returned home tonight, they might find their camps ransacked.
"Nothing more to say? You've quieted down?"
Chen Yu, gripping the sword hilt, rebuked them with a furrowed brow, then slowly retracted the blade.
"If I don't show my weapon, you all don't know that your father is sitting upstairs!" Chen Yu sneered, tilting his head and taking a large gulp of the ice-cold spring water.
Exhaling forcefully, he pointed at the crowd below again.
"If you can afford it, buy it. If you can't afford it, don't. You can't afford it and then complain. Do you have any shame?" Chen Yu stretched his neck out, glaring. "You're obstructing the normal proceedings of the auction and interfering with the host's bidding decisions. It's already generous that we haven't thrown you out. What are you still yelling about?"
"Let me tell you…"
"Although you're silent, I know you're not convinced. If you're not convinced, then come at me with your money. In an auction, whoever has more money talks, understand?"
After pointing and gesturing for a while, there was still no sound from below.
"Fine~"
"Miss, please continue the auction."
Seeing that the people below had finally settled down, Chen Yu stood by the window and stretched lazily.
"I'll set the pace. Ten thousand gold coins."
The auctioneer, Dai Bi, was clearly an experienced individual. She hadn't lost her composure despite the protests from below and Chen Yu's sudden intervention.
Upon hearing Chen Yu's participation, she officially moved the auction forward.
"Private Room 006 bids ten thousand gold coins."
"Hahaha, this young friend from Private Room 006 might be unfamiliar, but his temper suits my taste." Another hearty laugh echoed from a private room. "Let's get acquainted after the auction. However, I cannot give up on this legendary blueprint. I bid fifty thousand."
"Fifty thousand!"
People from the scattered tables below also started to join the bidding.
Everything seemed to be turning around due to Chen Yu's control. Luo Ni, sitting in her private room, bit her lip as she looked at Chen Yu's face through the window.
She clenched her fists and then relaxed them.
"Young Master Chen helped you out, remember to thank him later," the fox-like elder whispered with a smile. Luo Ni, however, let out an arrogant snort, "I'm using him. Looking at him, he doesn't seem like a good person. Third Grandpa, how can you treat him as a VIP of our family?"
"Luo Ni, our family is in the business of commerce. We have to interact with people from all walks of life."
"He…"
"It's Young Master Chen, though." The fox-like elder chuckled and shook his head. "From my years of experience in judging people, Young Master Chen isn't bad at heart."
"Not bad?"
Luo Ni's eyes widened.
"Look at his demeanor, he's like a street hooligan, and he occasionally reveals a smug expression of petty triumph. How does he resemble a noble young master at all?"
"Luo Ni, you must remember what Third Grandpa is about to say forever."
"Huh?"
Seeing the fox-like elder suddenly become so serious, Luo Ni quickly collected herself and assumed an attentive posture.
"Seeing is not necessarily believing," the fox-like elder whispered. "What you see might just be what they want you to see. The external behavior you focus on might not be what everyone cares about. Some people will simply show you the side of themselves they deem unimportant, and these people, precisely, are the ones who live with clarity."
"Third Grandpa, what does this actually mean…"
"You don't need to understand it now. Just remember it, and you will understand in the future. Use Young Master Chen as an object of observation. Try to interact with him more, and you will understand these words today."
The fox-like elder smiled gently.
Luo Ni, sitting by the window, looked puzzled but silently raised her gaze towards Chen Yu's private room.
"Damn, this is exhilarating!"
Chen Yu, standing by the window, grinned.
"You're having fun, but you've also offended quite a few people," the little demon whispered in a low voice. Chen Yu pouted, "You think I'm afraid of that?"
Before doing what he did, Chen Yu had already considered all the possibilities.
Enraging the masses?
What was so terrible about that?
Life is always full of thorns and challenges. If things were too smooth sailing, it would erode a person's resilience. Chen Yu had been too smooth sailing lately; he wanted to find some trouble for himself.
Was that not allowed?
If he could have a direct confrontation offline, that would be even better. It would be a good opportunity for him to replenish his resource reserves and improve his expansion efficiency.
"Boss, those people seem to be fawning over you?"
Black Bean said, wagging its tail.
"Do they?"
Chen Yu extended his neck.
"Hahaha, the young brother in Private Room 006 said it well. That was a satisfying insult, especially the part… 'Auctions are about money, that's so true.' That statement is spot on. Auctions are about money, I bid ninety thousand!"
Tsk!
It really was.
Chen Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, and Black Bean grinned.
"Boss, you're awesome~"
"Hey, Black Bean, do you think they're really fawning over me?" Chen Yu scoffed. "Their current overtures are actually them trying to get familiar with me. If I show them consideration, then I won't compete with them for the legendary blueprint."
"Ah?"
Black Bean was stunned after hearing this.
"Then what should we do!"
"So, boss will give you another lesson." Chen Yu grinned, stood by the window, and shouted towards the auction stage, "Thank you all, esteemed ladies and gentlemen, for your favor. I offer my cupped fists to all of you. Auctions are indeed about money, so I bid one hundred thousand!"
After speaking, Chen Yu added.
"By the way."
"Allow me to introduce myself, Chen Yu, courtesy name Ba Tian. We're not familiar, so let's not get too chummy. Let's talk with money, respect!"
Familiarity?
I'll directly turn it into a transaction.
Rejecting useless social interactions, advocating for freedom and independence.
Legendary blueprint, give it to me!