at this time.

The staff member spoke again:
"Sir, they have already made concessions. If you continue to pester me, I can only ask you to leave according to the regulations. The auction is about to begin. Please put the overall situation first."

The man was silent for a moment, and finally said:
"Okay, I'll trust you for once. But after the auction, you must come with me. If I find out that you've told even a single lie, I will not let you off easily."

Zhuge Lan and Dugu Bo looked at each other and nodded helplessly.

……

Just when the farce had just subsided, the lights in the entire auction venue suddenly changed.

The surrounding lights dimmed, and all focused on the auction table.

A host in a black tuxedo walked slowly and elegantly toward the auction table. He was tall and straight, elegant, and every step was steady and powerful.

His hands were wearing white gloves. In one hand he held a delicate little wooden gavel, which hung naturally, while the other hand gently waved to greet the buyers.

When he finally stood at the auction table, the lights shone even brighter on him.

He raised his head slightly and glanced around the entire audience, his eyes full of confidence that he was in control of the entire situation.

With a smile on his face, he gently knocked the gavel in his hand, and the meeting room suddenly became quiet.

Then he cleared his throat and said in a charming voice:

“Dear guests, welcome to this grand auction. At this moment full of mystery and surprise, I am very honored to be here and host this highly anticipated auction.”

The host's voice echoed in the venue, clear and powerful.

At this time, everyone in the auction hall stopped their other actions and listened to the host's words nervously and expectantly, fearing that they would miss a single word.

"First of all, I would like to thank all the guests for coming. Your participation makes this auction more exciting. Today, we gather here for the common goal of finding those unique and valuable treasures. Here, each item has been strictly screened and identified to ensure its quality and value. Whether you are a collector, an investor, or just a lover who is curious about rare treasures, I believe that the treasures that appear in today's auction will bring you an unforgettable experience."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a burst of applause in the auction hall.

He paused slightly and scanned the audience again, as if making eye contact with every guest.

“Before the auction officially begins, I would like to remind everyone that this auction will follow the principles of fairness, justice and openness. Every participant has an equal opportunity to bid for the treasures they like. At the same time, we also hope that everyone can remain rational and calm and not be swayed by momentary impulse. After all, each item has its unique value and meaning, and we need to think carefully and make wise decisions.”

The host raised the gavel gracefully and continued:

"Next, let's look forward to the first lot of today's auction. This lot will open the exciting prelude of this auction for us, and I believe it will definitely make everyone's eyes light up. So, what kind of treasure is it? Let's wait and see!"

As the host finished speaking, the atmosphere in the venue became more tense and heated.

Everyone couldn't wait to see the true appearance of the first item.

"I'm coming!"

Zhuge Lan shouted excitedly, stretching his neck.

at this time.

The huge curtain behind the auction stage slowly opened, and under the expectant gazes of the crowd, a hostess walked gracefully onto the stage holding an exquisite tray in both hands.

The treasure in the tray was covered with a black cloth. The host slightly turned sideways and gently removed the black cloth covering the treasure. He smiled and said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, now we present to you the first lot of this auction - the Ocean Star Necklace. This necklace is made of rare deep-sea gems in the world. Each gem is condensed under the deep sea after a long period of precipitation. Under the light, the necklace sparkles with a brilliant deep blue light, as if all the mighty power of the ocean is gathered in the necklace."

Everyone stared at the necklace on the tray and exclaimed in amazement.

A lady in gorgeous clothes couldn't help but whispered:

"This necklace is so beautiful, it's simply irresistible."

The man next to him nodded in agreement:

"Indeed, such a precious treasure will definitely cause fierce bidding."

Another young man also said:
"Yes, I heard that deep-sea gems are formed after hundreds of years of accumulation in the sea. I heard that a deep-sea gem that has been accumulated for a hundred years is only as big as a peanut. If the entire star of this ocean star necklace is made of deep-sea gems, then these deep-sea gems must have been accumulated in the sea for at least five or six hundred years!"

The host continued:

“The Ocean Star Necklace is not only of great collection value, but is also said to possess mysterious powers. It is said that the wearer can obtain good luck and blessings, and it can even play an unexpected role at a critical moment. Of course, this is just a legend, but it is enough to prove the extraordinary nature of this necklace.”

After the host's introduction, the auction officially began.

"The starting price is 500,000 gold soul coins, and each bid increase must not be less than 50,000 gold soul coins."

As soon as the host finished speaking, someone couldn't wait to raise the sign in his hand.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins!"

Immediately afterwards, another voice sounded:
"Six hundred thousand gold soul coins!"

The bidding price continued to rise, and the atmosphere on site became more and more heated.

Zhuge Lan and Dugu Bo were also attracted by the necklace, and the man who had argued with them was also staring at the necklace closely, with a hint of desire in his eyes.

Zhuge Lan asked Dugu Bo:
"How do you feel?"

Dugu Bo shook his head:
"It's normal. Although the formation speed of deep-sea gems is indeed very slow, there are actually still many deep-sea gems in the sea. It's just that it's more difficult to find them."

Zhuge Lan nodded:

"Then let's not compete for now, just observe and see."

In the fierce bidding, the price quickly exceeded one million gold soul coins.

At this time, the speed of bidding began to slow down gradually, and everyone was carefully considering whether to continue to raise the price.

Seeing this, the host said at the right time:
"The Ocean Star Necklace is currently priced at 1.2 million. If you miss it, you will never have another chance. Is there anyone willing to bid higher?"

At this moment, a deep voice sounded:

"One million and five hundred thousand gold soul coins!" (End of this chapter)