BXBX NOVEL Chapter 194 - Player Auction
"I think we should change locations if you want to see the item that I want to sell." Adrian said adding a mysterious element to his tone.
Piggy Bank raised his eyebrows as he did not know if this kid is serious or bluffing. Adrian is indeed right though as if it is an important item then you do not want other prying eyes to see it. This makes it seem that the item is much better than it seems but an acquaintance of the Evergreen guild must have some legitimacy so Piggy Bank decided to trust Adrian.
"Well then shall we move to the merchant guild? We can view the item there if it is so important. Hohoho." Piggy Bank stated with a happy laugh.
"Can we also join? Our interests are also peaked. I mean personally, I do not like some keeping me hanging. The suspense might kill me." Cersei stated while Anastacia and Mariposa nodded.
"Let us see if the person in question would like to agree to your request." Piggy Bank stated as he looked towards Adrian.
"I see no problems with that but you guys might want to but it from me directly if you see the item." Adrian stated which made everyone even more eager.
"Follow me then. This lad surely knows how to increase expectations. It looks like you might become a fine merchant if you decided to become one." Piggy Bank said with a hearty laugh.
"Did the businessman aura rubbed up on me due to dealing with my father and sister too long? Scary!" Adrian thought as he shivered.
All of them headed towards the headquarters that is located in the farthest part of the business district. It is located at the border between the noble district and the business district. It looked much grander compared to the rest of the stores in the business district.
The building did not have floor but the ceiling is high and it is wide. It would be more appropriate to say that it is as big as a colosseum. The merchant guild are basically the organization that legalizes those who want to do trade. They also crack down who do illegal trade and also issue patents to craftsman who want their work to be one of a kind.
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If one were to see the imperial capital from above then they could see the huge amount of traffic. This traffic is not only generated by the players who are flooding the capital because of the player auction but also those of NPCs that do their business in the capital. Not all businesses are legal though as even the most shining city will leave shadows but that story is for another time.
The players were busy lining up in order to participate in the auction. The VIPs have long entered the venue and is already in the rooms that they rented before the event started. The ones queuing would be the players not affiliated with a guild. They needed to pay a fee of five gold in order to enter. The limited slots of about fifty thousand made the early birds winners for this type of event.
Some wealthy players even paid the ones who are first in line in order to trade places with them. This action is not condemned as it is the player\'s own volition to sell the spot he lined for. Some of the early players lined up did this so that they could have money to fund their items.
"The event is going to start in an hour so please proceed accordingly and orderly. Those who do not comply will be banned from ever doing business to stores affiliated with the merchant guild." A guard shouted which made the rowdy crowd a bit orderly.
Nobody on their right mind would want to be banned because the merchant guild handles every business in the empire. You would basically have no way to buy stuff if you offend them which is why no one dared to be rowdy. There are some exceptions of course but they would be silenced by the guards.
With loads of money, the merchant guild could hire the finest of guards that are higher than the average level of the players. Offending the merchant guild also means offending the craftsman guild that they have a good relationship with so nobody would dare. The merchant guild officials are basically nobles by how the ordinary people treat them.
The venue where the player auction is being held is like a stadium type of place. The bleachers below are for those who queued while the rooms located above them would be where VIPs would be staying. Each person in the bleachers would be given a device so that they could cast their votes and purchase price.
The VIP rooms though will light up and a screen would flash the money value that they use. Anastacia, Mariposa, Cersei and Adrian are located at the seventh VIP room and it was awkward for Adrian. Awkward for Adrian at least as he is in a room full of women but he just pictures that he is with his older sister.
Thankfully for Adrian, there is an attendant of the merchant guild in there with him. It is an old man named Steve and is one of Piggy Bank\'s butlers. He would also be the one who would fetch the item that Adrian\'s group would successfully buy.
The crowd inside is rowdy because those who know each other are talking to one another while waiting for the auction to start. The more people started pouring in then the noisier the crowd had become. It did not take long for the entire venue to fill their seats. The event finally started when all of the seats are filled.
A beautiful woman in an elegant bright red dress walked towards the stage with a handsome entourage. The handsome men are basically the ones holding the where the first item is placed. The first item is covered with a glass box and that glass box is once again covered by cloth that could block ocular skills.
"Greetings Everyone! I am the announcer for this auction. My name is Mei. Please treat me well!" Mei stated while posing cutely which did not compliment her rather elegant looking outfit.
A scream erupted from the bleachers because they were mostly men. This is a known technique for auctions but it is always effective as an excited crowd usually bids more money. Seeing the crowd all excited Mei already started the auction.
"Let us start the auction then! I would also like to tell our lovely bidders that some items had been added to the items so I hope you brought some extra money with you. Anyways, we will now show the first item." Mei stated while gesturing the entourage to take off the cloth.
The players did not mind that some items were added because that usually happens when an item is suddenly presented. Just because it is added does not mean it will sell as no one knows what might happen. The item might be great but if no one had a use for it then it would usually not be bought.
The first item is revealed and it looked like a gemstone of some sort. It had a bright red color and the others stared in wonder. They tried using their ocular skills to know the item but all that popped up is its name which is Red Gem.
Item: Red Gem
Tier: Rare
"This is the first item on our auction list. Even the one who placed the item on our auction did not know what this stone is but all we could say that it can warm anyone who holds it. The bid will start at ten gold coins and an increment of one gold per succeeding bid." Mei explained.
Murmurs could be heard from all of those in the crowd as they thought this item is useless. There are potions that could do the same effect of this stone and those might be better. The owner of the stone might have just auctioned it off as it is just collecting dust in his inventory.
While the others gossiped about the stone\'s uses, one individual in the VIP room could not believe his eyes. He did not think that he would encounter one of the items he needed immensely in this auction. Adrian just really attended because he is curious on what an auction is like.
Item: Gem of Fire
Tier: Rare
Type: Runestone Fragment
Effect: Imbues the socketed weapon or armor with properties related to fire. For weapons, it would imbue it with one passive skill and one active skill. For armor, it would imbue resistance and a passive skill.
Adrian walked up to a machine to enter his bidding price. The light in VIP Room 7 suddenly glowed and it displayed the bidding price.
[VIP Room 7: 100 gold]