Chapter 355: Flame Carillion

Xia Fei had set his eyes on the two auction items of Everchange and the Cloudmother after browsing the catalog. Furthermore, there would still be some special items that the auction planned to announce at the last minute. These things were shrouded in secrecy before the reveal, and there was no way of knowing just what they might be.

Early in the morning, in the largest auction hall on the Thirteen Pearls Island.

The level of excitement among the people present was the highest it had been since the opening of the Trade Carnival. Many famous and important people in the Alliance had also arrived.

Just before he went through the doors, Xia Fei easily spotted Thuram looking around in the crowd, seemingly waiting for someone.

“Uncle Thuram, I thought that you wouldn’t be coming.” Xia Fei chuckled.

“Let’s go; I’ve been waiting for you forever,” Thuram grumbled. “I’ve been busy with work; being able to find time to come and join this final auction is already not bad.”

Xia Fei whispered, “Is this because of the insectoids?”

Thuram chuckled. “Your information sources are pretty good, huh, you rascal. That’s right. The insectoid emissaries are currently in the capital. They suggested organizing a series of martial arts exchanges with us. I really don’t understand what’s going on. Could the insectoids have had a change of heart? Are they planning to coexist in peace with the Pan-human Alliance now?”

Xia Fei did not comment on this. The military and the Adjudicator Union were two different organizations, and there was no reason for him to share with Thuram the military’s decision, or at least, not here out in public.

Xia Fei had already spent two weeks on Thousand Island, and this was the first time he had set foot into the actual auction itself. This hall was at least able to accommodate several hundred thousands of people in one sitting, with august decorations all around.

“What have you got your eyes on this time? Thuram asked.

Xia Fei answered, “A tool and the Cloudmother. What about you?”

Thuram rumbled in a deep laugh. “Nothing yet, but there’s a piece of Purple Heart of Spirit that’s decent, so I’m considering trying my hand at bidding for it if the price is within reasonable margins.”

Xia Fei was momentarily silent. The one who had consigned that piece of Purple Heart of Spirit was none other than himself, yet Uncle Thuram was actually planning to buy it?

“Uncle, I’ve seen that piece of Purple Heart of Spirit you’re talking about, too, and the starting bid alone will be around fifteen billion,” Xia Fei intentionally probed.

“Who cares? It’s not like I’m spending it out of my own pockets. It is the president of the Adjudicator Union who asked me to purchase it, so I’ll be spending the union’s money,” Thuram replied.

Xia Fei was secretly delighted upon hearing that. Since it would not be Thuram’s money he would be earning, he was more than happy to see more people bid on it.

Xia Fei and Thuram were both holders of the top-class black pass, so they were admitted to the VIP lounge on the second floor of the auction hall.

Looking around, Xia Fei commented, “I thought that the place would be packed with people, but it looks like I was mistaken. There’s barely but a handful of people here.”

“Are you kidding? A hundred billion star coins entry deposit isn’t something anyone can just pull out. Say, did you manage to earn so much money from the Alliance Military? How are you talking like a hundred billion star coins is hardly worth anything?”

Xia Fei scratched his head awkwardly. “That’s not it at all. While it’s true that the military paid plenty in advance, it isn’t that much. How could I compete with you old folks who may have up to hundreds and thousand duns to your name?”

Thuram was smug. “There’s no need to be so anxious. An A-list supplier of the military will easily be able to earn several duns of annual profit. Just give it another year or two when you’ve got enough assets; then even the Jian family will not dare to despise you.”

Xia Fei nodded. He could not help but feel a bout of worry when Avril was mentioned. This sojourn to the insectoid territory might very well be the greatest risk he would undertake in his life. In terms of worry, it was his beloved lady whom he worried the most about.

After some time passed, General Williams arrived at the hall and took a seat a short distance from Xia Fei. The latter gave a friendly smile to the former as a greeting, while the lady Nicole soon arrived and sat somewhere further from Xia Fei.

More and more people filed in, most of which Xia Fei did not recognize. The noise levels in the hall gradually increased, though everyone was speaking in hushed voices, creating quite a tense atmosphere even before the auction began.

A middle-age