The most shameless alchemist in history

She could even clearly hear the shouts and discontented questions from the audience in the front row. At this moment, she should have been standing on the auction stage to start the auction, but the person who called her over was a high-ranking figure in the auction house, so she had no choice but to go. In the lounge, an old man was waiting.

"Mr. Fama, what's going on? The auction is about to start, and the guests are very dissatisfied. What's the matter that's causing such a rush?" the girl asked the white-haired old man in front of her. The old man looked to be in his sixties, with a hunched back, and was wearing a gray robe.

“Miki, if it weren’t for an urgent matter, I wouldn’t have risked offending our distinguished guests by calling you here. Something very serious has happened.” The old man was a respected figure at the auction house. Although he looked somewhat frail, his actions were exceptionally swift and decisive.

With him in charge of the auction house, most people would consider it a foolproof plan. However, it was precisely under his supervision that a major event occurred that made him, who was usually very calm and collected, agitated. This was the first time the girl named Miki had ever seen him like this.

"What exactly is this serious situation?" Miki asked cautiously, beginning to speculate about what had happened.

"The cursed bracelet is gone." The old man named Fama took a deep breath and slowly said what he had called the girl over to tell her.

"The cursed bracelet is missing? This is the highlight of tonight's auction! We've been promoting it extensively. If we were to tell our guests now, at this crucial moment when the auction has already begun, that the cursed bracelet they've been eagerly anticipating is missing, it would be truly..."

The young girl, Miki, was taken aback. She knew very well the importance of this item to the auction house; this was arguably the worst possible unexpected event.

"That's right. As a high-level alchemical amplification bracelet, the Cursed Bracelet is something countless alchemists dream of. Its existence is extremely rare, usually appearing only once every ten years or so. Our auction house spent a great deal to acquire the Cursed Bracelet this time."

The old man's expression was extremely solemn, and even his hands were trembling. Even someone as experienced as him knew the serious consequences this would bring. Despite his extraordinary status in the auction house, he still could not bear the consequences of losing the cursed bracelet.

"Mr. Fama, what should we do now? Should we stop the auction immediately?" Miki calmly asked the old man for his opinion. Being able to host such a large auction, she, who looked only seventeen or eighteen years old, naturally had her own unique qualities.

"No, that won't do. If we tell our guests now that the auction is canceled and the items are lost, our jade auction house will be disgraced. Our competitors will seize this opportunity to suppress us severely, and the serious consequences of that are beyond our capacity to bear. We absolutely cannot accept that."

The old man shook his head firmly. He knew very well the importance of reputation to an auction house, especially since the jade auction house had developed rapidly in recent years, which had attracted the covetous eyes of many people. It was no exaggeration to say that the auction world was surrounded by tigers and wolves.

“But if we hold the auction as usual, and the guests find out that the cursed bracelet is missing, won’t that also lead to a loss of reputation?” Miki said worriedly. She had worked hard to gain a foothold in the Jade Auction House, and she was worried that the Jade Auction House would suffer a fatal blow.

Then she may lose everything she has now, which would render all her efforts futile.

"No, it won't happen." The old man shook his head again.

“But Mr. Fama,” Miki knew all too well what the guests were thinking. Although she respected the elderly, she did not agree with him on this point.

"Take this to the auction stage." The old man pondered for a moment and handed a box to Miki.

"This is a cursed bracelet. Wasn't it perfectly fine here?" Miki opened the box with a puzzled look. Inside lay a black bracelet, its material difficult to discern with the naked eye. A faint black aura emanated from it, sending chills down one's spine.

“If the cursed bracelet were real, I wouldn’t have needed to call you here. This is a replica,” the old man sighed.

“What counterfeit, Mr. Fama? Our jade auction house values ​​its reputation highly and never deals in fakes. That’s how we’ve built our reputation in the auction world. I’m sorry, but I can’t bring myself to give a customer a counterfeit.” Miki shook her head emphatically.

Although she cherishes her current job, she also has a strong sense of professional identity.

"I'm not asking you to present the replica to the customer, but to use it to buy time. Although it's a replica, it's still a high-level alchemical amplification bracelet, just that its effects are far inferior to the real thing. Even if there's an expert among the customers, as long as he doesn't go on stage, he won't be able to tell the difference."

The old man pushed the box that Miki had refused back in front of her.

“Delaying the process will only make the customer realize the cursed bracelet is a fake once they get it,” Miki said, still unable to accept it.

"The cursed bracelet was just lost. I've already had Maple Tower sealed off immediately. The person who stole the cursed bracelet must still be inside the tower. While you're auctioning it, slow down a bit. I'll find the real bracelet during that time. Understand?" the old man instructed her.

"But what if we don't find the real cursed bracelet?" Miki was still a little unsure.

"No, the one who stole the cursed bracelet is a person, not a bird. He doesn't have wings and couldn't have flown away from the Maple Tower. I will definitely find him. In case of any accident, I will explain the situation to the buyer, compensate him for his losses, and I will bear all the consequences."

The old man spoke with great conviction, but seeing the still hesitant look in Miki's eyes, he finally made a promise and guarantee.

“It seems there’s no other way, I understand. Then please find the cursed bracelet as soon as possible, Mr. Fama.” After hesitating for a long time, Miki finally accepted the old man’s suggestion.

235 Who looks better?

The auction had already started, but the auctioneer was nowhere to be seen on the auction stage. This made the expectant guests somewhat impatient. While they maintained their aristocratic etiquette outside the venue, once inside, they seemed to have been injected with a stimulant and became excited.

As time went on, the initial excitement gradually turned into dissatisfaction and anger. Shouts of cursing the auction house rose and fell. Moreover, many of the people who participated in the auction knew each other. Those who were on friendly terms cursed the auction house for being unpunctual, while those who were not on good terms cursed each other.

"What's going on with this jade auction house? Is it going out of business? Ten minutes have passed, why hasn't it started yet? Don't you know my time is precious? I suggest you just close down now. With this attitude, how dare you continue to operate in the auction industry?"

"You're right. If I hadn't heard that there were some important items at this auction, I would have left long ago. What are you guys up to? Are you treating us guests like idiots? I'm warning you, this kind of behavior is very dangerous."

"I'm not here for the auction items. I'm a big fan of Miss Miki. Miss Miki is hosting today's auction, right? Why isn't she out yet? I really want to see her cute face. It would be so great if we could go on a date after the auction."

The noise from the guests rose and fell, one wave after another, making it exceptionally noisy. This left Du Lei, who was visiting such a place for the first time, somewhat bewildered and unable to adapt to the atmosphere. In contrast, Nono next to him seemed much more normal and appeared quite familiar with the place.

"Is this how auction houses deliberately neglect their guests? It's like playing hard to get," Du Lei asked Nono, who was clearly more experienced, as he didn't know much about auctions.

“No, that’s not the case. Auctions are always punctual, and the Jade Auction, as a rising star in the auction world, is known for its punctuality and credibility. The reason it hasn’t started yet must be due to some unexpected situation.” Nono shook her head; she knew the Jade Auction’s background.

"What kind of unexpected situation could occur?" Du Lei asked curiously.

"You ask me? How would I know? This is the first time I've encountered something like this either." Nono rolled her eyes at him.

"I thought you knew everything." Du Lei looked somewhat disappointed when his questions went unanswered.

"I'm not omniscient or omnipotent, why does your statement sound like a barb to me?" Nono said, somewhat displeased.

"No, no, you're wronging me. Absolutely not," Du Lei assured him confidently.

"I hope you don't, otherwise..." Nono's words carried a threatening tone.

"By the way, what exactly do you want to film? I've heard them mention several things, like antiques and jewelry. Are you interested in those things?" After taking his seat, Du Lei listened to the conversations of the people nearby. He had excellent hearing and was also a good listener.

Because listening to different people can gather different information, and then summarizing this information, he learned a lot about the outside world by listening to the mercenaries' conversations when he was still in the hot spring village. Now that he has left the village, although it has not been long, he has been absorbing knowledge.

“Usually only old men or nouveau riche are interested in those things, right? Do you think I’m that kind of person?” Nono asked back.

“It definitely doesn’t look like it. Nono, you’re cute, beautiful, and have great style. How could you be an old man or a nouveau riche?” Du Lei immediately denied it.

"Wow, I didn't realize you were so good at giving compliments. I've never seen this trait in you before," Nono said, giving him a second look.

"No, I'm just stating the facts, so what exactly are you interested in?" Du Lei waved his hand, glossing over the topic.

“You’ll see once you keep watching. Look, the host is coming out, and the auction looks like it can finally start.” Nono still didn’t answer Du Lei’s question. She pointed to the auction stage, behind the curtain, where someone finally walked out from behind, and a spotlight shone on her.

This gave the dimly lit and frenetic auction hall a sudden sense of "brilliance," making it a refreshing experience.

"Honorable guests, we are very sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. The reason we took so long is because we have prepared a surprise for you." The graceful young woman was not intimidated at all when facing a large audience, whose dissatisfaction was clearly palpable.

This is something that Dure admires greatly, because he believes he could not be as calm and composed as her.

"Hey, are you staring at her like that? Is she really that pretty?" Just then, Nono tugged at Du Lei from the side.

"Wh-what?" Dure seemed not to have heard what she said clearly.

"As expected, no man is any good," Nuonuo said, crossing her arms and turning her head to the side.

"I've just never seen a scene like this before, and I admire her for being able to remain calm in front of so many people," Du Lei immediately explained to Nuonuo. He knew that if he offended her, he would be in for a world of trouble.

"Didn't you hear what I just said clearly? Why do you remember now?" Nono wasn't buying it.

"You know I'm a bit slow on the uptake, of course I'm not as quick-witted as you," Du Lei said, sounding rather unsure of himself.

"At least you have some self-awareness. What's there to envy? Practice makes perfect. She's been on stage a lot, so she's naturally used to it. Hey, I have a question for you, and you have to answer me honestly." Nono turned her head and stared into Du Lei's eyes as she asked.

"What is it?" Du Lei seemed a little guilty.

"Who's prettier, me or her?" Nono pointed to herself, then to the female host on stage.

"She," Du Lei said weakly.

"What did you say?" Nono was furious, on the verge of exploding.

"I haven't finished speaking yet. How can she compare to you, Nuonuo, who is gentle, cute, kind, generous, and elegant? Even ten of hers couldn't compare," Du Lei immediately changed his tune, and what he said was the truth.

"Really?" Nono was a little skeptical, looking at Du Lei's expression with suspicion, as if trying to find a clue.

"Really," Du Lei said, patting his chest with certainty and conviction.

"That's more like it. It shows you have good taste. It wasn't for nothing that I brought you here." Nono finally smiled with satisfaction.

"The surprise is that all guests attending this auction will receive a gift from our jade auction house, and in addition to the original lots, the auction will add five mystery items that were not mentioned in our prior announcements."

"So, please look forward to seeing what kind of mysterious item will be featured. The auction is now officially open."

As the auctioneer, Miki loudly announced the start of the auction, which ignited a frenzy in the auction hall. The doubts and accusations from before vanished instantly, and the auction finally began.

236 When to make a move?

For Dure, the auction was not his stage, at least not now. This was his first time in such a place. Although he had heard rumors about the auction before, with the mercenaries exaggerating the details, Dure still kept his head clear.

All he could do was sit quietly to the side, observe the surroundings, and absorb everything he could. After the commotion of being late, the auction finally officially began. Fortunately, the host, Miki, was quick-witted and managed to defuse the dissatisfaction of the auction guests in time.

Not only that, she was also a master at stirring up the atmosphere. Under her instigation, the atmosphere at the scene rose wave after wave. The celebrities and gentlemen who were still dressed in their finest clothes outside the auction hall shouted one after another as the auction progressed. This scene greatly surprised Du Lei.

"Are you surprised?" Nono, sitting next to Dure, seemed to see through Dure's thoughts and asked him.

"What?" Du Lei didn't understand what Nono meant for a moment.

"I mean you're surprised by the behavior of these celebrities and nobles?" Nono was quite patient and repeated herself.

"You mean this? Probably a little bit." Du Lei didn't hide anything and reported this truthfully.

"What do you think celebrities and nobles should be like?" Nono asked again.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure about this. According to the books, nobles are pioneers who drive progress, but what I've seen seems to be different." Dure thought about it carefully, then shook his head. Even though the auction was in full swing, he was very clear about one thing.

Neither he nor Nono were interested in this, or rather, what Nono was interested in hadn't appeared yet, otherwise she wouldn't have had the leisure to chat with him. In the gap between these words, Du Lei glanced at the stage, where a gemstone necklace was being auctioned.

"What's different?" Nono continued to ask, seemingly very curious about the question.

“In my hometown, the richest man was a wealthy man named Hart. Although he always considered himself a celebrity, everyone just regarded him as a rich nouveau riche. Not many people took him seriously. People often joked about him over tea and after meals, but in reality, he was a good man.”

Dure then brought up his hometown, something he only ever mentioned to Nono, something he'd never even told Lance.

Nono, the "good guy," originally thought she would hear something different from what he said.

"That's right. No matter how fierce or cunning he may seem on the surface, he is actually a good person. When the bullies in town come to the village to bully people, he protects the village in every way. But he never makes a fuss about doing such things. He still treats the villagers with a haughty attitude and bears the infamy."

Dure recalled Hart's skinny appearance; when he got angry, he would jump around like a monkey.

"He's really a strange person. He does good deeds but doesn't publicize them, only showing the bad side." Although Nono didn't witness it firsthand, she could get a sense of it from Du Lei's description.

“But there is another person in the village, who is refined and well-dressed, and is said to be a true nobleman,” Dure continued.

"Oh, didn't you say your hometown was very poor? How come there are pure nobles emerging here?" Nono became interested again.

"Those are all things the old folks say. They say he came here with his family to escape disaster a long time ago. I was very young then, so I don't really know." Du Lei couldn't give a reasonable explanation for this, since he was only fourteen years old this year.

"And then what happened to him?" Nono gestured for him to continue, completely uninterested in anything else despite the surrounding noise and commotion.

"He's good-looking and has a great presence. To be honest, I envy him a lot. Everyone in the village likes him, unlike me, who's hated by everyone." Du Lei said this with a self-deprecating tone, recalling the past, which filled him with mixed feelings.

"That's really not something someone like you would say. So what happened next?" In Nono's memory, Du Lei was a shameless person, but she never expected that he would envy others.

"On the surface, he spoke many good words for the villagers and did a lot of good deeds, but that was all just for show. In reality, he looked down on everyone. Even when the town's bullies came to the village to cause trouble, he colluded with them and betrayed everyone," Du Lei continued.