Chapter 162: Twenty-Three Billion—Sold
Paddles instantly shot into the air across the crowded floor, slicing through the heavy tension of the hall.
If there was a substance in existence that could effortlessly clear toxins and save a dying man within seconds, the entire global medical industry was obsolete.
There would be no need for complex surgeries, specialized treatments, or spending billions on continuous medication. This was a revolutionary discovery, and every single shark in the room wanted a piece of it.
"Ten billion!" the MC shouted, his voice instantly shifting into a sharp, rapid-fire auction cadence. "We have ten billion in the front row! Do I hear eleven?"
"Eleven billion!" a paddle rose in the center.
"Twelve billion from the corporate block!"
Up in the VIP box, Nat watched the chaotic flurry of paddles with a deep, knowing grin. He leaned closer to April, his golden eyes reflecting the frantic movement below.
"The best way to make high-volume capital out of a premium commodity like your miracle water isn’t to sell it at a fixed price," he murmured, his voice laced with a lazy amusement. "You have to place it right where the sharks can smell it. Once they want to devour it, the value increases a hundred fold."
April watched the bidding war unfold, her eyes tracking the numbers as they flashed rapidly on the digital screens. She saw that clearly now. Auctions were exceptionally productive loops for resource generation.
"Fourteen billion! Fifteen billion by the wall!" The MC was sweating now, his professional composure cracking under the sheer weight of the numbers being thrown around. He gripped the podium, his eyes darting frantically across the room as paddles rose almost simultaneously. "Sixteen billion! We are at sixteen billion, ladies and gentlemen! Going once—"
"Eighteen billion!" a raspy, desperate voice cut through the noise.
It was an elderly, morbidly obese tycoon in the front row. He had flown entirely across the country for this exact market opening.
"Twenty billion!" a rival bidder shouted from the upper rows.
The fat tycoon didn’t even hesitate, slamming his paddle up with trembling, fleshy fingers. "Twenty-three billion!"
The sudden, massive three-billion-dollar jump struck the hall like a physical blow. The room went dead silent. The rival bidder slowly lowered his paddle, shaking his head.
"Twenty-three billion from the front row!" the MC yelled, his voice cracking slightly with sheer disbelief as he raised his wooden gavel. "Twenty-three billion going once... going twice... Sold!"
The heavy thud of the gavel echoed through the stunned silence of the room.
Nat leaned back in his chair, gesturing toward the breathless fat man with a flick of his chin.
"That old bastard is suffering from end-stage kidney failure," Nat explained, his tone casual. "His body is too weak to survive a transplant, so he’s been staring down a death sentence. He was ready to throw his entire fortune at a cure tonight, even if it was just a hearsay rumor. Seeing that live demonstration gave him his hope back."
April didn’t care whether the man was experiencing hope or not. Her mind didn’t allocate energy toward the emotional state of a dying tycoon.
Instead, her eyes were slightly wide behind her mask in sheer, calculated disbelief at how much wealth she had managed to rake in with just a single crate of twenty vials.
Twenty-three billion.
It was three billion more than She would’ve gained by selling the vials separately.
She could immediately transfer this entire capital over to her engineering teams to begin procuring the high-grade materials for the fortress dome. This operation was pure gold.
"Can we put another crate up for auction right away?" April asked, turning her head toward Nat. Her voice carried a rare, underlying spark of absolute urgency.
Nat just grinned, his eyes locked onto her face as he thoroughly enjoyed her sudden excitement. He let out a low chuckle.
"Relax, sweetheart. For things like this, we have to build anticipation," he said, his gaze shifting down toward the stage.
The MC was currently looking up toward their private VIP booth, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead as he waited for a signal.
Nat gave a slow, decisive nod through the glass, and the MC instantly caught the cue, pulling himself back together.
"You’ve gotta make sure they leave here hungry," Nat continued, turning back to April. "If you give them everything at once, the price and value drops. You have to make them come back tomorrow even more desperate and prepared not to lose the battle. Gotta bleed them dry, you know."
Down on the stage, the MC cleared his throat, his voice booming over the microphone to address the restless crowd.
"For those of you who are disappointed by tonight’s conclusion, do not despair!" the MC announced grandly, his voice ringing with newfound excitement. "This initial crate was merely the appetizer. At the exact same time tomorrow night, more of this miracle water will be introduced to the floor. However, the quantity remains strictly limited, so ensure you return very well-prepared!"
The announcement instantly triggered a frantic wave of whispering across the rows.
Meanwhile, the heavy, fat tycoon who had won the first crate was already dragging his pig-like body out of his seat, accompanied by his private security detail.
He was moving as fast as his legs could carry him, desperate to secure his goods and consume the liquid as soon as possible.
Nat stood up smoothly from his chair, smoothing down his clothes before reaching a hand down toward her.
"Come on, sweetheart," he murmured, his eyes flashing with satisfaction behind his mask. "The show is over for tonight."
They walked out of the private VIP box and descended the carpeted stairs leading to the back exit. The heavy, gold-embossed token was still warm in April’s pocket.
"I’ll have my accounts transfer the twenty-three billion to your designated account within the hour," Nat said, his voice dropping into a relaxed, easy tone as they paced down the quiet, secure corridor.
April shook her head slightly, her gaze fixed straight ahead. "No. It is fine. Keep it in your accounts for now. Once the engineering bills for the fortress dome are finalized this week, I will have you transfer the entire sum I need directly to the contractors." She explained. "And then you can send the rest of it to my account."
"Whatever you want, sweetheart," he murmured.
Just as they reached the doors that led back to the underground parking garage, Nat suddenly stopped. April paused, turning her head slightly to look at him, but before she could ask what the hold-up was, he took a step closer, closing the distance between them.
His large hand reached out toward her face.
The unexpected movement made her freeze for a fraction of a second, her eyes tracking his fingers. But he wasn’t reaching for her face with any sudden malice. His fingers gently slid behind her ears, finding the silk ribbons of her mask. With a deft, practiced flick of his wrist, he untied the knot and slid the mask away from her skin.
"There," Nat said, a low, incredibly satisfied chuckle escaping his chest as he looked down at her. He spun the mask lazily around his finger and said, "I missed that pretty face."