(1)
Players fervently checked their system times in anticipation for the top of the hour.
"Time really goes slow when you're waiting for something, huh?"
"Right? It almost feels like we've been waiting twice as long!"
At 0100 natural hours, the lights dimmed slightly, prompting some audience members to make exclamatory noises.
The NPC Jisha just talked to strode up to the stage from behind the curtains, and a cheer erupted from the audience. Her appearance was stunning enough for some of the male players to comment on.
"Isn't she beautiful? Where am I?"
"It's a VR world, dude. It's not hard to be beautiful here."
"Yeah, of course..."
As the applause died down, the NPC took a bow and began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first auction of the Covan Hamlet... featuring Beyonders! I hope everyone enjoys their stay. There are many exciting items in today's queue. You won't be disappointed!"
The first thing that players noticed was that the auctioneer NPC wasn't holding any sort of device to amplify sound, yet every word she spoke could be heard crystal clear by everyone in the auditorium.
The next thing they noticed was a term unfamiliar to them: "Beyonders". This wasn't surprising as it wasn't a term that existed during the beta phase.
"Beyonders? What is that?"
"Is that some sort of rare item?"
"Is there something special about this auction?"
"Dunno, guess we'll have to find out..."
Though Jisha had heard this term countless times in her past life, the current players had no idea that they were basically alien beings to the NPCs, or the current residents of the world. This was another difference from most other games and Synergy; there was effectively some fourth-wall breaking happening here.
Even though Jisha was a super-experienced player, neither she nor anyone she knew truly understood where the name "Beyonder" came from. The most believable hypothesis was that players came from "beyond" the scope of the virtual world, making them some sort of superior existence. However, this hypothesis could neither be confirmed nor denied. No NPC would ever give a direct answer if you tried to ask them.
As the players and NPCs in the audience clapped, the auctioneer continued with her speech.
"I will now be introducing our first item. As a cheer to the Beyonders, our first item is being sold by one of them! Let's take a look."
The auctioneer clapped twice, and an old-styled wooden cart automatically rolled out from behind the stage causing more inexperienced players to gasp with awe.
*Haha, I forgot how easily newbies are impressed.*
Every little thing that was slightly infeasible in the real world seemed fantastical to someone who had never experienced the hyper-realistic VR experience that was Synergy.
*If they're impressed by things this insignificant, they won't find their time in this world boring any time soon.*
Jisha herself had been infatuated with many aspects of this virtual world for many years after its launch. Even over 11 natural years after the game's launch, she still found things that surprised her once in a while.
It was infeasible to try to process the logistical scope of the game - no, the world - called Synergy. They say hindsight was 20/20, but looking back, it was even more confusing as to how the developer was able to fit so many features in this old hardware. Jisha wasn't an expert, but even experts didn't have a clue. Any attempt to look into the game's source code was rendered useless, so nobody truly knew how the game functioned.
The item on the cart, which was now in the center of the stage, roused Jisha from her thoughts. It was the wooden dagger she wanted to sell earlier.
The auctioneer picked up the knife and gave another small speech.
"This is the Level 5 Small Wooden Dagger left to us by the Beyonder. There aren't any special stats on this Dagger, but the fact that it's the first item sold by a Beyonder will give it incredible value! The bid on this item starts at 50 Copper."
"60 Copper!"
"70 Copper!"
"100 Copper!"
...
When the auctioneer mentioned the fact that it was the first Beyonder's item, the NPCs went into a bidding frenzy over the mundane object.
Seeing this, Jisha smiled to herself. She had guessed something like this might happen.
"160 Copper!"
"180 Copper!"
...
*>Hutian Crest: Is there any value in this item? Should we bid on it?*
*>Simulator Child: It's a level 5 Common item and the NPCs are going crazy for it. We'd just be losing money if we went for this."
*>Censer: Yea, just let this one go.*
Jisha silently watched the org leaders discuss the matter in chat.
*Well... It wouldn't matter even if they wanted to bid on it. All of the money would come back to me, anyway. On top of that, I have all the money which means I'm the one doing the bidding. I don't want everyone here against me...*
If it were possible, she would have convinced one of her "allies" to bid on the item. But if she won the bid... there might be some negative consequences.
As she watched the chat, the seven organization leaders fortunately came to the decision of not wanting to bid. But that didn't stop the audience from bidding!
"470 Copper!"
"500 Copper!"
"... One thousand copper!"
When this bid was placed, the audience went silent. Even Jisha was stunned by this bid. Though NPCs bid fervently, only a player would raise the bid by such a ludicrous amount.
*I guess there's others out there with tons of money at this point, too, huh...*
The auctioneer turned her head towards the source of the voice.
"One thousand copper. Going once!"
She waited for any other bids to be placed, but naturally nothing came.
"Going twice!"
...
More silence.
"Sold to the Beyonder Lujen!"
----------------------------------------
Luden Grace wanted nothing more in this world other than money. To him, obtaining as much money as possible was equivalent to getting a high score on some arcade game. Ever since he was young, he had some sort of sixth sense that told him when to invest into certain ventures and when to back out. This sense catapulted him out of poverty and into new money.
When he was 4, he begged for change on the streets and found money wherever he could. When he was 5, he had saved up enough for anF electronic reader and publicly rented it for cash creating a source of passive income. When he was 16, he had bought and sold various stocks and tokens and had a net worth higher than most adults. When he was 22, he had already bought out several companies and prime real estate properties in their infancy and watched their values grow to an unprecedented degree.
However, at age 30, his net worth had taken a significant hit after the recent downturn in the market and some unlucky investments. Not only was he not top 100 in the world, he wasn't even top 100 in the Northeast anymore! Never having taken such a hit before, he decided to research riskier ventures to try to earn his spot back.
Being an investor, he had at least surface level knowledge on almost all private sectors, and virtual reality wasn't out of the question. When he heard the news about Synergy, a brand-new hyper-realistic VR game and experience, he suspected it was most likely a scam. However, the allure of the project was too great, and in some combination of desperation and wonder, he attempted to find more information on the company behind this product.
However, he was shocked to find no information about the developers. Even if the project was a scam, there would at least be some bits of false information. However, there was nothing! On top of that, the developers didn't plan on going public with their company, nor would they accept any private shareholders... is what he presumed, since the dev team seemed to output radio silence at all times. On top of that, there was no way to contact them.
As an investor, this was a clear red flag. But that didn't stop him from checking the official website once in a while since their claims were indeed alluring. Of course, usually this *would* end up being a scam, but once the beta released, Luden was surprised to find the product on sale and compatible for every full-dive VR hardware on the market.
And when he entered the world for the first time...
*Yeah. This is legit.*
... his sixth sense told him there were profits to be made here.
So, he decided to start a gaming organization solely for the purpose of earning money within the world of Synergy. Though there was no clear revenue stream from the game yet, Luden had a strong feeling that real money could be made in the not-too-far future.
Thus, Shock Collar was born. His public reasoning for the name was that they'd become powerful enough to control everyone around them, so much so that their enemies would seize up in fear of the name. But his true reasoning was that he wanted strict control over his own organization's members and financials.
He discovered a building called an auction house in the small town, or "hamlet", he spawned in and soon realized that the economy of this game - no, this world - was massive.
A couple of weeks later, he noticed trends in the market among certain items and was confident in his ability to make lots of money once the game released for real.
But now...
"Sold to the Beyonder Lujen!"
*What?*
What was a Beyonder? Nobody knew. After all, in the beta phases of the game, this term didn't exist. In a lapse of judgement, Luden assumed a Beyonder was a special type of NPC. However, the truth was far worse.
*Beyonders are players?*
To Luden, having somebody else take his money was akin to a criminal offense. This included the government. In his opinion, taxation was theft. As an expert of holding on to money, he obviously found loopholes in the tax code and exploited them to the maximum.
So to have another person blatantly take money from him in this moment... was frustrating!
But why did he bid on this dagger?
Well... Luden trusted the NPCs. He had visited other auction houses in the beta phase, and in his experience, the value of NPCs' bids were always fair. This meant that, sometimes, bidding even double the amount of what the NPCs were going for could result in a positive trade if the item being sold increased in value afterwards.
And judging by the behavior of the NPCs when they heard of the term "Beyonder", he speculated that he could sell the item for much more in a higher-leveled district.
But after knowing his money unintentionally went straight to a player, he had trouble thinking. It took a moment for him to calm down after that, but when he did, he realized something.
*Wait. If Beyonders are players, this is even better news for me. If NPCs are so fervent about players now, then how obsessed will they be once there are thousands, no, millions more players in the game? Won't the value of this item exponentially increase?*
After calming down, Luden assessed the future value of the "first Beyonder's" item. He believed this thousand Copper to be an investment for the future that would surely pay off.
The wooden dagger appeared in his inventory as the 1,000 Copper disappeared from his Coin Pouch. When he inspected the item...
*>Name: Small Wooden Dagger*
*>Type: Weapon (Melee)*
*>Class Restriction: Batonista or Fracasier-branch*
*>Description: An introduction to a slightly different fighting style to a traditional Batonista or Fracasier. The first item to have been sold by a Beyonder in an Auction House.*
*>Rating: Level 5, Common*
*>Abilities:*
*>Passive: +33 ATK while equipped.*
There was a bona-fide flavor text which effectively appraised the item as a genuine one!
Once he knew his investment would be worth it, Luden was able to focus on the rest of the auction that was to come.
----------------------------------------
(2)
*>+1,000 Copper*
Another cash deposit entered Jisha's coin pouch.
When the crowd heard the name "Beyonder" uttered by the NPC, another hubbub commenced.
"Lujen? Isn't that the leader of Shock Collar?"
"Lujen is a Beyonder?"
"Is there something special about him that none of us knew?"
"... Are Beyonders players?"
Most players had begun to figure out the true meaning of the word, but some were still skeptical.
"How can a player have a level 5 item already?"
"Maybe Beyonders are just special types of NPCs?"
"... Then Lujen has just been an NPC this whole time?"
*Well, it doesn't matter who wants to believe what. At the end of the day, I'm the one getting paid.*
*>Hutian Crest: Dammit, we should have bid on it. The NPCs seem like they're going crazy for this item.*
*>Censer: Maybe...*
Jisha silently observed the group chat once more. She disagreed with their sentiment; she pondered how good the buyer's foresight skills were.
*Decent, maybe?*
As a regressor with perfect foresight, it was difficult to accurately judge. But if the reason Lujen had purchased the dagger was to flip it for a higher price later, he would be in for a world of hurt.
In an ordinary game, the following logic would apply:
Assuming Lujen was a beta player, he would have seen other villages and towns in Synergy. The further one progressed towards the center of the continent, the higher the cost of living would be. Thus, higher-tiered locations were more wealthy. These wealthier NPCs would buy the dagger from Lujen at a price far higher than 1,000 Copper.
*But Synergy is not that simple.*
This dagger was a highly valued item among even the NPCs of this small hamlet. There was no telling what fickle methods they might employ to claim the dagger. In addition, news from the auction would spread to other locations in the game world. Higher-leveled NPCs would hear about this auction and about who purchased the item. It was possible for Lujen to be hunted down and killed before he even knew what hit him...
Of course, in ordinary circumstances, high-level NPCs would not be interested in low-level auctions. However, the item this time was too extraordinary!
Jisha sighed as she pitied Lujen's fate.
After the crowd quieted down once more, the cart rolled off stage and returned with another item. When the players saw this item, they didn't think much of it.
But when the auctioneer NPC picked the item up and gave her monologue...
"This is the second item of a Beyonder! Though it's an ordinary slingshot, the fact that it's the second item a Beyonder is selling will give it great value! This bid starts at 40 Copper!"
... they were stunned!
The NPCs in the audience fervently began bidding once more.
"50 Copper!"
"60 Copper!"
"70 Copper!"
...
*>Simulator Child: What the hell?*
*>Aphro Expo: What the hell is right...*
*>Hutian Crest: Wait, isn't that...?*
*>Censer: Yeah, it's a level 5 Slingshot. A player is selling that?*
The group chat, as well as the audience, exploded with commotion when they recognized this item.
Of course, not everyone recognized the item, but the ones who did were quick to tell the uninformed.
This was a level 5 Wooden Slingshot! What did that mean?
----------------------------------------
*That's impossible.*
When Lujen laid eyes on the level 5 item, he instantly knew what it meant.
As the leader of an organization as well as being a beta player, he knew every possible weapon the system would bequeath a level 5 player upon completing the class evolution quest.
Level 0 players were split into melee and ranged, and once they hit level 1, not much changed; the only class evolution available upgraded a Starter Melee/Ranged into an Adroit Melee/Ranged.
However at level 5, there were far more options.
For the second class evolution quest, an Adroit Melee could evolve into a Fracasier, Batonista, or Neophyte Battle Magus.
An Adroit Ranged could evolve into a Pitcher, Slingshotter, or Neophyte Mage.
Fracasiers would receive rudimentary grappling gloves that slightly boosted one's strength and speed. Batonistas would essentially receive an upgraded version of the Adroit Melee Stick. Neophyte Battle Magi would receive a short wand that excelled in short-range spells.
Pitchers would receive rudimentary gloves that enhanced one's throwing speed and accuracy. Neophyte Mages would receive a short wand which excelled at long-range spells. And Slingshotters would receive the very slingshot that was on sale now!
This meant that not only had a player already hit level 5, but they were willing to sell their best item, one that practically defined their class!
Lujen was a bit confused when he tried to process this.
After all, he was only level 3, and that was with the help of his organization snagging quests for him. The amount of experience required to level up to 5 was almost double what he currently had.
Not only this, but the only reason he could think of why a level 5 Slingshotter would sell their weapon was that they had a better weapon!
*And what if this is the same player that sold the dagger? My money went straight to them!*
Lujen felt like he was about to lose his mind when he had this thought, thus refusing to bid on the slingshot.
But as he watched the NPCs bid...
"450 Copper!"
"475 Copper!"
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"490 Copper!"
...
His envy and frustration grew. Why wasn't he the one with all this money? He thought he had planned his strategy from the beta phase perfectly! Yet...
"800 Copper!"
... he could only watch as a nonsensical bid benefitted the anonymous player.
"... You f*cking retards!"
Lujen could no longer contain his anger as he threw a fit in his seat.
----------------------------------------
*>+800 Copper*
Of course, this was the final bid. No other player wanted to bid on the worthless item, and the NPCs must have decided the price was too high.
The group chat had also come to the consensus of not bidding on the slingshot. After all, since they were beta players and organization leaders or branch leaders themselves, they knew of the second class evolution quest and what items were given out.
Why spend hundreds of Copper only to receive something that was given out for free at level 5? But they couldn't help but express envy when they imagined a player receiving 800 Copper.
*>Censer: Ah... No point in thinking about it anymore. Let's just get some good items for ourselves...*
*>Aphro Expo: Yeah...*
This time, the crowd wouldn't simmer down so easily as they too realized that players had earned 1,000 Copper and 800 Copper respectively, resulting in the auctioneer having to step up to restore order.
When the crowd finally calmed down again, the cart rolled out and brought a third item onto center stage.
"Don't tell me this item is also being sold by a player..."
"I really hope not. It's so unfair! How can someone have a thousand Copper in two hours?"
"They're obviously guild players... How can normal players have a chance?"
*Normal players, huh...*
*>Coin Pouch:*
*>Silverium: 1*
*>Bronzium: 93*
*>Copper: 3,496*
*Yes, solo players are pretty normal, aren't they?*
Jisha was confident that she was the wealthiest player in the game at this point. The only thing left to do was to spend this money.
The auctioneer introduced the third item to the crowd.
"There are no more items being sold by Beyonders today. The Covan Auction House is very fortunate to be the home of the first Beyonder's items, and it is already a feat that there were not one, but two items from them! We shall now move on to our regularly scheduled program - items from our World Residents.
"Our first item is a standard rank D healing potion: the famous Homeopathic Twine Remedy! The bid starts at 100 Copper!"
"..."
"100 Copper!"
"..."
"110 Copper!"
After the excitement from the previous items, the mood in the audience seemed to have died down significantly. The bidding from the NPCs was far less fervent than before. And this was natural - after witnessing something extraordinary, how could ordinary things catch one's eye?
But the auction pressed on, and at the very least, Jisha's group chat seemed to be interested in this item.
*>Hutian Crest: Bid 150 Copper!*
*>Dolphin Killer: Ha, we need this more than you. 200 Copper!*
*>Censer: Damn, 200 Copper for a worthless potion. Enjoy getting ripped off.*
*>Fae Sol: Alright! I'll take that as a final bid, then!*
And for the first time today, Jisha placed a bid in the auction house.
"200 Copper!"
When the audience heard this, there were murmurs of annoyance as well as chastising remarks.
"200 Copper for a potion. What an idiot!"
"Right? She's a typical one - doesn't know how to spend money. Where did she get that much in the first place?"
...
The auctioneer paused for a moment waiting for other bids, but none came.
"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 200 Copper!"
*>-200 Copper*
*>+1 Homeopathic Twine Remedy*
*>Fae Sol: After the auction, meet me at the entrance; I'll distribute the items there.*
*>Dolphin Killer: Haha. Thanks!*
And this was the plan they had formulated from the beginning. Once the organization leaders saw its potential, they salivated over the items they would steal from Shock Collar and the other organizations that had refused the alliance. And on top of that, none of their names would be known to the audience since only one person would have to do the bidding!
That's right, all of the hostility from the players, especially Shock Collar, after this auction would be focused on Fae Sol if she continued to outbid everyone on everything.
Obviously, Jisha knew this, but she couldn't care less.
Even on the off chance that she wasn't able to fend for herself, she still had Shahar's Nightwalker. If it came to hiding, Jisha was already a transcendental master.
The auction continued. The cart brought the fourth item onto the stage.
"This is the glorious shield brought to us by our World Resident Arvinter, a glorious citizen of Azhen Town! This is the Clayesque Frontplate; meticulously crafted at the behest of countless Clay Dolls, this is a reliable tool to reduce physical significantly below level 10! This bid starts at 120 Copper!"
"150 Copper!"
"170 Copper!"
"180 Copper!"
...
On top of the item being sold from a Town resident, it seemed far more useful than the last item, and the bids for the item immediately rose to rapid heights.
"250 Copper!"
"..."
At this bid, the hype died down a bit and no more bids were placed.
"250 Copper going once!"
"..."
No bids.
"250 Copper going twice!"
"..."
But just as the item was about to sell...
"350 Copper!"
... a familiar voice called out a slightly higher-than-normal bid. When the crowd heard this, they couldn't help but voice their frustrations.
Jisha looked over to the left side of the theater to pinpoint the source of the voice.
*Yep, as I expected...*
It was Covan's favorite player once again, Lujen.
*>Fae Sol: You guys are staying quiet now? Don't you remember the entire point of this alliance?*
*>Hutian Crest: That's right! It's all of us against Shock Collar now! 360! Put it up!*
*>Fae Sol: Yes, sir!*
"360 Copper!"
Jisha ecstatically put up the next bid that stirred the crowd.
"Another girl that is too wasteful with her money... What a shame."
"No, it's her again, right?"
"... Who *is* that?"
...
"360 Copper going once!" said the auctioneer.
But immediately after she said this, the familiar voice spoke up once again.
"365 Copper!"
*>Simulator Child: 370. I just checked with our group, and it looks like one of us really wants this. Sorry, Hutian.*
*>Hutian Crest: Whatever. We don't need that thing anyway.*
"370 Copper!" said Jisha, parroting Simulator Child's bid.
"... going once-"
"375 Copper!"
*>Simulator Child: ... 400.*
"400 Copper!"
When the audience heard this bid, nobody dared challenge it...
"... going once..."
"..."
"... going twice..."
"..."
"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 400 Copper!"
... and everyone snuck nervous glances in one man's direction, anticipating a reaction...
----------------------------------------
A fierce back and forth took place between a player whose name was hidden and Shock Collar's leader Lujen. And at this moment, if VR technology allowed it, a vein would have been seen bulging on his forehead.
*>Lujen: Who is this player?! Why is there no information about her!*
*>Axis Jack: No idea, sir. I've been trying to find information about her with the rest of the group, but there is nothing known.*
*>Lujen: Dammit, do your jobs properly! What do you think you're in here for...*
*>Axis Jack: ...*
Lujen slammed the armrest of his seat with fury as the fifth item was wheeled out on the cart. Fortunately, it wasn't something Shock Collar needed to bid on. Lujen lost himself in thought.
*Everything was going to plan. Who is this bugger that decided to show up now??*
As if on cue, his subordinate came back with a response.
*>Axis Jack: This is all the information we have about this player. Presumed to be a female avatar, she is the only player in the immediate area who has found a username and level concealment method at this stage of the game. There was supposedly one sighting of her roughly 30 minutes ago, but there is no evidence...*
*>Lujen: Are you kidding me? Nobody decided to record anything?*
This seemed unbelievable. In a crowded hamlet with over a hundred players, how was it so difficult to find footage of one who could hide their name?
*>Axis Jack: Apparently strange things happened with all attempts to record this player. Usually the footage was straight up deleted...*
Hearing this, Luden wanted to shoot his messenger, but this wasn't possible nor wise. The thing that infuriated him the most was the fact that he knew which player had taken the 1,800 Copper from the first two items! If it wasn't her, then how was it possible for her to have so much money?
And as if his frustration couldn't get any worse...
"... Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 100 Copper!"
... amidst the hubbub and across the crowd, the anonymous player made eye contact with Luden and gave him a sweet smile.
----------------------------------------
(3)
Across the audience, Jisha spotted a very frustrated man.
*So that's the leader of Shock Collar, huh...*
She smiled when she imagined the anger he was feeling.
*I'm not a sadist, but...*
Jisha couldn't get enough of winning battles while watching her opponents' mental state break down. And this auction was a battle of its own kind.
The cart wheeled out the sixth item. Jisha looked over at Lujen who was completely focused on the item.
Before the auctioneer even said a word, the group chat exploded.
*>Censer: Is that what I think it is?*
*>Aphro Expo: Yeah. We definitely need that.*
*>Dolphin Killer: We need it more!*
*Hm...*
Jisha could see why the crowd was so hyped for this item...
"Here's the only omni-class item of the day! Boosting all attack potential by a significant percentage until level 10, please welcome our Rudimentary Strength Bracelets! The bid will start at 100 Copper!"
... but to her, it was pretty useless.
Items that boosted stats by a percentage were great, but they usually had a level cap. For example, these attack-enhancing bracelets would only be equip-able until level 10. After that, they'd be useless. And for Jisha, level 10 was something she was planning to hit tonight. In other words, it would become obsolete for her in a few hours!
*But my... er - "allies" - are already in a bidding frenzy...*
The audience, in the meantime, was just as lively as the group chat.
"500 Copper!"
"520 Copper!"
"570 Copper!"
"650 Copper!"
...
But as the price soared to new heights, some of fiery passion began to extinguish.
*>Simulator Child: If the bid exceeds 1000 Copper, we should probably give up on it, right? We need to save some money to buy other items. Especially the final one.*
*>Hutian Crest: Are you serious? Even if you don't want to bid on it, I will!*
*>Censer: Dude, we *must* claim the final item over Shock Collar. And all of our money is in the same pot. Or else what was the point of this alliance anyway?*
*>Hutian Crest: Right, right. My mistake...*
"900 Copper!"
...
With this bid from the audience, the shouting from earlier dissolved into murmurs. It seemed like nobody wanted to go any higher until...
"1000 Copper."
... Lujen's clear voice pierced the air.
Some people in the audience gasped. After all, Shock Collar had already spent 1,000 Copper in this event and wanted to spend another thousand! Just how rich were they?
*>Censer: Alright, we're not bidding. Save the money!*
*>Aphro Expo: I guess it hurts, but we have to see Shock Collar take this item...*
*>Simulator Child: Fae Sol. How much money do we have left to bid?*
Jisha, who was reading the chat as well as paying attention to the audience, was surprised that this question had come up again so late.
*Looks like they're finally starting to think a bit?*
But whether they wanted to use their brains or not wouldn't affect the outcome! When they agreed to this plan, their fates were already sealed.
*>Fae Sol: That's a secret. Just know that there is enough!*
*>Censer: What? We agreed that this was an alliance. We should all be standing together against Shock Collar! What do you have to gain by hiding the amount from us?*
Jisha suppressed laughter when she saw this message. Of course, she didn't respond.
*If only they knew...*
*>Censer: ... If you're not going to respond, we'll just have to share our net worth with each other here. Collecting all the money from our group, we'd gathered 438 Copper. What about the rest of you guys?*
*>Simulator Child: What the hell? You guys are clearly filthy rich! Our group only managed to scrape together 307 Copper.*
*>Hutian Crest: Yet you spent 400! You owe all of us a little bit, don't you think? Besides, why should I tell you how much money we had?*
*>Censer: ...*
*>Simulator Child: ...*
*>Dolphin Killer: I'm not willing to share that information, either. If Fae Sol says there is enough, why don't we just bid freely?*
*>Aphro Expo: I'm only willing to share if everyone else is.*
*>Censer: Are you guys dumb? How can you possibly believe that all of our net worth combined is greater than Shock Collar's? You know how many quests we missed out on and how many mobs nearby were monopolized by them. Please be rational. Let us know how much money we have left to bid with! And Fae, I'm begging you, please understand what I'm saying!*
*>Fae Sol: I perfectly understand what you are saying!*
*>Simulator Child: Then...?*
*>Hutian Crest: Bid 1100 Copper!*
*>Censer: WHAT?*
*>Simulator Child: You f*cking hypocrite... You're saying I'm the one that bid too much?*
*Hahaha!*
Jisha was thoroughly amused when she saw these messages.
*>Fae Sol: I'll raise you one better.*
"... going twice..."
"11 Bronzium!"
Just as the item was about to be sold, Jisha's voice reached everyone's ears!
----------------------------------------
Luden was still angry. But more so... he was confused.
Confused on who this player was.
Confused as to how this player had so much money.
Confused as to why he hadn't heard of her before today.
And confused as to why no one could record her!
*>Lujen: You're seriously saying that no matter who you talk to, none of them have recordings or recollections of this player?*
*>Axis Jack: Again, yes. All attempts to record this player become corrupted, and we have not seen this player before 35 minutes preceding the auction.*
Luden attempted to confirm something that he had already heard the answer to a hundred times at this point. And no matter how many times he heard it, his brain refused to process the meaning of it.
How could no one have heard of someone with this much influence?
Luden thought of his business rivals in the real world.
*Maybe Arkline has something to do with this?*
It was the only possibility he could think of. After all, only someone who had more money than him could be a fair competitor.
And they had to run out of money soon. There was no way they had enough to outbid him on every single item! To secure the thousands of Copper for Shock Collar's auction funds, Luden not only had to basically monopolize every quest that dispensed a monetary reward in Covan, but he also had to secure hunting grounds in a wide radius of the hamlet using the entire manpower of his organization.
Not only that, they had to kill players in the wild to take their coins which meant some of their players had begun to lean towards evil alignment.
"... sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 11 Bronzium!"
Yet not only did this player have massive amounts of Copper, but Bronzium too!
Luden hoped his rival would inevitably run out of cash... but he had no idea that this hope would be shattered.
----------------------------------------
When the audience heard the number 11 Bronzium, they began to become disillusioned. It wasn't even surprising anymore. It was similar to hearing about big numbers... Then about bigger numbers... Until everything became impossible to comprehend. What was 1000 Copper? What was 2000 Copper? 10, 20, 30 Bronzuim? The meaning of these words began to blur in the ears of the audience.
Even if this player began to pull out real money in the game, they probably still wouldn't be surprised!
However, there was one emotion they were unanimously feeling.
"Take that, Lujen!"
"Idiots at Shock Collar! How dare you try to ruin the game for new players!"
"Die, Shock Collar! Die, Axis Jack!"
It was the relief of a weight being lifted from their shoulders. For two grueling hours, the new players of Covan were oppressed beyond belief.
Oppressed... wasn't that a bit of an exaggeration? But to players who logged in and wanted to explore a new world? For players that wanted to relax and play a game after a hard day at work? For players who wanted to escape their current reality and have fun? They were definitely feeling oppressed!
And when some underdog came out of nowhere and stood up against the oppressor...
"Down with Shock Collar!"
"Down with Shock Collar!"
"Down with Shock Collar!"
... the response from the underclass was radical!
*>Censer: What the f*ck!*
*>Hutian Crest: Hahahaha, take that, Lujen!*
*>Simulator Child: Well... as much as I didn't want that money to be spent, this reaction from the crowd is quite something.*
*>Aphro Expo: Indeed... It's a cathartic takedown!*
*>Fae Sol: Well aren't you fired up now? Bid away. Like I said, there's no one stopping you!*
The cart wheeled the seventh item onto the stage.
The item wasn't a spectacular one, but with all the chanting from the audience and Jisha's devilishly sweet words enticing the group chat, no one hesitated to bid their hearts out.
"50 Copper!"
"60 Copper!"
"90 Copper!"
*>Jiel: That's one of the 3 organizations in their own alliance. Should we bid on this item?*
*>Fae Sol: Yeah, I think one of you should place the bid, though? Who's up for it? You'll feel pretty good that *you* were the one to outbid them!*
*>Censer: This doesn't make any sense.*
*>Dolphin Killer: 110 Copper. Put it up!*
*>Hutian Crest: No, 130! I want it to be MY bid!*
*>Simulator Child: Why does it matter whose bid it is? Fae, what are you trying to do here?*
*>Fae Sol: I take it that Hutian Crest has the final bid on this item?*
*>Aphro Expo: 150. We want this.*
*>Fae Sol: Haha, alright then!*
"1 Bronzium, 50 Copper!" Jisha said.
What was left to be said?
"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 1 Bronzium, 50 Copper!"
Nobody was surprised anymore, but...
*Hmm? He's getting quite worked up.*
Lujen, who most likely assumed Jisha would run out of money, was fuming in his seat.
The cart wheeled the eighth item and the auctioneer introduced the item with a mischievous smile.
"We have 3 items left. And this next one is a panacea! Until level 10, it can be a full heal, ladies and gentlemen! The bidding starts at 500 Copper!"
They way it was introduced, it seemed to be the most valuable item of the auction thus far. The bidding frenzy began once more.
"750 Copper!"
"1 Bronzium!"
"1 Bronzium, 50 Copper!'
...
At this point, the bids were higher than they ever were before. It was clear that the organizations that had held off on purchasing some of the previous cheaper items were going all in on the final 3.
*But this item seems to be a bit overpriced?*
The auctioneer had ornerily labeled the item as a panacea, but from what Jisha could remember about it...
*Hm... This item is a classic!*
*>Dolphin Killer: I don't know how much we have left, but it's clear that someone had Bronzium from somewhere. I saw we raise the bid. 1 Bronzium, 100 Copper?*
*>Hutian Crest: 2 Bronzium!*
*>Censer: Hutian, you've absolutely lost it...*
*>Fae Sol: We won't be winning this item. Not because there isn't enough money in the pot, but because this item is overpriced. I'll deal with this.*
*>Simulator Child: Oh, and how do you know that?*
*>Fae Sol: I have my ways.*
"1 Bronzium, 70 Copper!" Jisha said, placing a bid that was reasonable for the field to compete with.
"1 Bronzium, 75 Copper!"
And naturally, it was raised.
"1 Bronzium, 80 Copper!"
So Jisha raised it again.
"1 Bronzium, 90 Copper!"
"1 Bronzium, 95 Copper!"
...
And thus, a back and forth of small increments ensued. There were still a few players in the mix, but eventually they were weeded out. Only two were remaining bidding back and forth.
"1 Bronzium, 130 Copper," said Lujen.
"1 Bronzium, 135 Copper," said Jisha.
The audience could only stare in awe as the two titans' wealths collided.
----------------------------------------
When Luden saw what item was being sold, he knew he had to obtain it. From his beta testing experience, it was a bona-fide full heal potion that not only restored all HP and MP, but also removed all status effects.
"1 Bronzium, 140!" said Lujen. But as soon as he said it...
"1 Bronzium, 142!"
The anonymous girl raised the bid again. To Luden, who was starting to lose his mind, these bids from the girl could only be bluffs. However, you could not place a bid if you didn't have sufficient funds. This meant that, in some absurd logic, she actually had the money she claimed to and was willing to spend it on this item!
"1 Bronzium, 150!" he said.
*There's no way she has more.*
"1 Bronzium, 155!" she said.
"Tch... 1 Bronzium, 170!" he said.
*It's impossible. This has to be her limit.*
"1 Bronzium, 171," she said... but *very* slightly quieter.
Luden didn't miss the change in the player's articulation.
*Only incremented by one... She's clearly less confident about this! This has to be her limit! This next bid will crush her.*
"2 Bronzium!"
And so Luden placed a bid that once again made the audience gasp!
With a smug smile, he looked over at the female avatar who appeared to be nervously biting her thumb.
*Haha, you like that? This item is mine!*
When no other bid was placed, the auctioneer began to count.
"... going once..."
"..."
No bids.
"... going twice..."
"..."
More silence from his opponent. Luden continued to stare at her.
*Yes, show me your frustration!*
"Sold to the Beyonder Lujen!"
But when the auctioneer confirmed the sale... The anonymous player's face twisted into a chilling grin.
When he saw this, Luden was confused.
Why did her face show such glee at losing such a valuable opportunity?
*>-2 Bronzium*
*>+1 Magic Milk Bottle*
Something wasn't right!
Luden quickly checked the descriptions of the item he had just received.
*>Name: Magic Milk Bottle (Expired)*
...
*>Description: Under level 10, has a 25% chance to remove all status effects on consumption and has a 75% chance to inflict Nausea.*
*... Huh?*
It was odd. In the beta, Luden could have sworn that he used an identical-looking item to instantly heal him back to full. It even had the same name. But...
*Expired???*
When Luden looked at the smug girl who was staring back at him... He couldn't help but fly into a rage.
*I'm going to kill her!*
----------------------------------------
(4 - Final)
The Magic Milk Bottle. Under level 10, it was possibly the best healing item in the game. It was also relatively cheap to produce. However, it had one flaw. It spoiled quickly! Many years ago, Jisha recalled when her best friend pulled a prank on her.
----------------------------------------
Two players in the middle of a forest were running for their lives.
*>Fae Sol: Syny, I'm almost dead! Why is there a wild boss here???*
*>Synycal: Aaaaaah! Run away! Don't worry, Jishy, I've got us covered! Take this!*
*>+1 Magic Milk Bottle*
In a supposedly peaceful area, the two girls had stumbled upon some powerful mob by bad luck!
*>Fae Sol: Is it a potion?*
*>Synycal: Yeah. Just drink it!*
Jisha immediately drank it, but she wasn't healed like she had been promised.
*>Fae Sol: What? Syny, what is this?*
*>Synycal: Hahahahahaha!*
*>Fae Sol: Ugh, my head feels kind of weird... What did you give me???*
*>Synycal: It's the best potion ever! Eep!*
*>Party member Synycal has died!*
In a whimsical manner, Syny tripped and fell. In her immobile state, the wild boss easily finished her off!
*>Fae Sol: Ah... Come on...*
Feeling the effects of the spoiled milk, Jisha stumbled to the ground. She could only watch as the large monster swung a club at her, eliminating the last of her HP.
----------------------------------------
*Those were the days...*
Jisha reminisced about when the game was still a game and wished she didn't have to take life so seriously this time around. Though she wanted to get stronger, Jisha still wanted to have fun. Synergy was still fully an innocent game before level 10. Only after this significant level threshold would people begin to realize it was more of a second reality instead.
She looked at Lujen who was most likely frantically messaging people and ruefully smiled.
*Though if the battles are too easy, they're not super fun...*
Jisha did enjoy seeing people's face twist in despair, but simple battles were too boring!
She sighed as the cart wheeled out the second-to-last item of the auction.
"This is a brand-new set of gauntlets brought to us by Covan's very own Quex Chet! It's the perfect item for a fledgling Fracasier! The bid on this Epic item will start at 500 Copper!"
"500 Copper!"
"550 Copper!"
"600 Copper!"
...
Once again, Jisha wasn't too enthralled by this item, but her group chat thought otherwise.
*>Jiel: We need this one. I don't know how much money we have left, but can you bid 1 Bronzium on our behalf?*
*>Aphro Expo: Nah, we'll take it. 1 Bronzium, 75 Copper.*
*>Hutian Crest: I think Fae Sol's just made out of Coins. Why don't we just bid 1 Silverium?*
Something ridiculous was just said in the group chat. Nobody could take Hutian Crest seriously anymore.
*>Fae Sol: Why would you bid 1 Silverium for a level 5 item...*
*>Hutian Crest: I dunno. It's not my money!*
*>Censer: Hutian. F*ck you.*
Meanwhile, the audience's bids kept rising.
"1 Bronzium!"
"1 Bronzium, 25!"
"1 Bronzium, 35!"
When the bids reached this amount, Jisha tossed in Aphro Expo's bid.
"1 Bronzium, 75!"
And once the audience heard this, they began to grumble again... But this didn't stop Lujen from bidding!
"1 Bronzium, 80!"
*>Jiel: ... 1 Bronzium, 100."
"1 Bronzium, 100!"
"1 Bronzium, 105!"
...
Members of the audience began to look at each other. Some of them were a bit tired of this charade. What was the point of them even being there?
"1 Bronzium, 110..."
Some of them tried to keep up with the towering amounts, but...
*>Aphro Expo: 1 Bronzium, 115.*
"1 Bronzium, 115!"
Nobody, not even Lujen, could keep up with these ridiculous amounts!
"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 1 Bronzium, 115 Copper!"
----------------------------------------
Luden shook his head when this bid was placed. He was definitely firing some people today!
*>Lujen: What do I pay you guys for if you can't even find information about the competition...*
*>Axis Jack: ...*
Even though it sounded like it, Lujen wasn't worried. He looked at his coin pouch, and he was sure he'd win the final item.
*>Lujen: We're going all in on the finale.*
That's right - he wouldn't hold back! Straight out of the gate, he was willing to empty his pockets for this item. That's how valuable it was to him.
The cart wheeled the 10th and final item of the auction out onto the center of the stage.
Though this was the item most people had been waiting for, nobody was expecting to win it at this point. They expected another fierce back and forth between the two titans.
However, before Lujen could place his bid...
Before the auctioneer even spoke a word...
"50 Bronzium."
A girl's clear, calm voice pierced through the audience.
Despite how quietly she said it, everyone in the audience heard it clearly.
The voice carried power and confidence, but when people heard it, they couldn't believe their ears.
"Huh?"
"Did I hear that amount right?"
But it was definitely real! After all, you couldn't bid more than you had at an auction.
"How is that possible?"
50 Bronzium, or over 5000 Copper, was casually thrown out. The voice did not carry excess ego, nor did it carry hint of boasting. The voice was above them. This was a simple fact!
The hall was silent.
There was no competition. The one they assumed to be the underdog was a dark horse all along.
"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 50 Bronzium!"
And just like that, the auction was over.
----------------------------------------
The group chat was silent as Jisha inspected the item she had just purchased.
*>Name: Magical Oaken Dagger*
*>...*
*Yeah. This is for her.*
When Jisha was contacted by her best friend in this life, Jisha had already resolved herself to give her a gift when they met up.
When she found the ordinary level 5 dagger, Jisha considered giving it to her. However, Jisha quickly realized that she could easily find something better, thus deciding to sell it off at this auction. But she didn't expect to find something great so soon.
Syny Cytem, also known as Synycal in the game, would, alongside Fae Sol, become a very well-known player in the future. In her past life, Syny had become one of the greatest dagger wielders in the game... And this was only after Syny was indecisive about her class for so long. If Jisha could nurture Syny's talent at an early stage, how much better would she become?
Jisha believed Syny could be at the level of a top player in a few weeks!
And though professionals didn't exist yet, Jisha was certain that Syny would stand above all future pros if she was trained properly.
Jisha couldn't wait to test this theory.
Skill level was an odd thing.
When one begins learning a skill, whether it be a game, craft, hobby, or something else, they would struggle. In the very beginning, one is obviously worse than average.
But if one were to train properly, they could easily exceed average.
This was because a vast majority of people, regardless of what they were practicing, were not practicing optimally. If one received guidance on *how* to and how *not* to practice, they would avoid practicing improper things thus putting their fundamentals at a higher level than most people. Without proper fundamentals, it was impossible to reach a high skill level. But with fundamentals, one was unshakeable.
So, in Synergy, when nobody had a clue about any optimizations, those who would rise above were either lucky to have found an optimal path or had exceptional talent in some area. If Jisha, someone who knew about all optimal routes and was talented in many areas, taught a protégé with these methods, the results would be astounding.
Of course, Jisha wasn't going to write any guides. At least not ones that were available for the public. The information she knew about the future was worth an unfathomable amount of money. It was suicide to simply give it away. She was going to use this information to grow herself and those around her.
This dagger Jisha had purchased was one of the many "optimizations" she could think of for a fledgling dagger wielder. Not only was it a superior weapon until level 10, but it was also upgradeable. Usually, new weapons and equipment would have to be purchased or found after certain level thresholds. However, the if an item was upgradeable, one could use it for much longer than ordinary weapons.
*>Fae Sol: Everyone meet outside.*
*>Censer: ... Yes.*
The auction had concluded and many of the NPCs had already left, but many of the players still lingered around wanting to catch a glimpse of the dark horse that took out an organization. As Jisha, Brookie, Jiel, and the seven leaders walked outside, much of the crowd attempted to follow behind.
*Now, it's time.*
Using the Nightwalker's ability "Item Cloak", Jisha cloaked seven items she was keeping in her inventory. Outside the door, she fairly distributed the items that they had purchased in the auction.
"Congratulations! Here's your item!"
"Thank you!"
And every time she did, she gave them a celebratory pat on the back or a hug. None of the men objected getting a hug from a pretty girl even if the gender of the user behind the avatar was ambiguous.
But once all the items were distributed and everyone was feeling chipper, Jisha dropped a bombshell statement.
"Now, gentlemen. Do you want to know the catch?"
"... Huh?"
Though some of the keener org leaders had remembered there would be a catch at the end, most had clearly forgotten.
"... What can you even do? We already got our items," said Simulator Child.
"I wonder. Do you remember how much money you spent?" Jisha asked.
"We spent 100 Copper," said Censer.
*Huh. I guess I was really underestimating them.*
Though it wasn't anything special, Jisha was mildly impressed that one of the org leaders actually kept track of how much money they bid.
*It's the bare minimum effort they could've put in, but still.*
"Honestly, I didn't expect any of you to actually know how much you spent. And surprisingly, Censer, you stayed within your budget! Congratulations!" Jisha praised sarcastically. "Here's your 338 Copper back!"
"... Thanks?"
"And I'd also like to give an honorable mention to Jiel, who spent 0 Copper and also stayed within his budget. Let's give him a round of applause, shall we?"
"..."
The organization leaders awkwardly looked at each other. No one clapped.
"Tch, tough crowd huh? Well, that makes sense. Because the rest of you..." Jisha said ominously as she turned to the rest of the group. "Why don't we start with... the least debt? Dolphin Killer, amazing job. You spent 200 Copper and are only 2 Copper in debt. Fantastic!"
"What? Is that even right?" Dolphin Killer asked.
"Did you really think that I wouldn't keep track of how much *I* spent? It was all my money, you know."
"... What do you mean? It's our money. We pooled it together to take out Shock Collar. That's what we agreed on," Aphro Expo said.
*They're so naive.*
Jisha couldn't help but *almost* feel bad for these guys... but they had to learn the ways of the world sooner or later.
"Is there a contract anywhere saying we agreed on it?" Jisha asked.
"I-"
The org leaders were baffled once this play started going off-script.
"And Aphro Expo... How sad! You spent 2 Bronzium, 165 Copper and are 46 Copper in debt!"
"..."
One by one, Jisha listed the sum of every leader's total bids in addition to the "debt" they were in. At first, the leaders didn't understand how she was getting this "debt" number.
But they quickly realized that it was the difference between the total amount they bid and the original amount they put in! This meant that Fae Sol had not only remembered how much they spent, but also remembered how much they each individually put in as well as how much more they spent, and calculated the debt value... for all 7 members.
When they realized this, the organization leaders got chills. It wasn't that this math was hard, but it seemed tedious for no reason! Why was she going out of her way to torture them with this meticulous information? She was ruthless!
Finally, Jisha approached the end of the list.
"Hutian Crest... I am so incredibly sorry for you! You've spent the most, and even though you were the richest in the beginning... You're the most in debt. You spent a whopping 11 Bronzium, and your debt is 6 Bronzium!"
"... so?"
"Hutian Crest, do you understand what's happening right now?"
"We totally beat up Shock Collar?"
"Haha, of course. That is true, but what's happened to you right now?"
"..."
"You're deep in the red, Hutian Crest," Jisha said as she lowered her voice. "Not only you, but all of you except Censer and Jiel! All of you are indebted to me and are to pay me back this value by this day next week!"
"... I figured something like this would happen," Censer said.
"... D*mn, we should have thought of that. At the end of the day, we did spend some of her money, too. Well, it should be simple to pay it off by next week," Dolphin Killer said.
The group leisurely discussed this problem among themselves, but Jisha wasn't done quite yet!
"And when I said 'this value', I mean the value of the money I loaned today accounting for inflation. And don't forget interest! Are you all a bit more aware of what you owe me now?"
When the organization members heard this, they were confused for a bit.
"Inflation? You mean the value of money dropping?" Aphro Expo asked.
"Yes, you seem to understand exactly what I mean. After all, the 46 Copper you owe won't be worth the same amount in one week! To equal the value I was so generous to bestow upon you gentlemen today, the number of coins you need by next week will be quite a bit higher, don't you think?"
"Oh, sh*t..." Censer mumbled under his breath. He had a faint idea of what was going on here, and when he thought about it, he was extremely glad to not have spent any money at all.
"What? So how much do we owe you?" Hutian Crest asked.
"Hmm... Lets see. If what I remember is correct..." Jisha murmured as she tried to estimate a value. "Ah, I got it," she said as she clapped her hands. "How about one hundred times?"
"... What?"
Once again, the group was confused. At first, they didn't even understand what these words meant. But Censer immediately did, and if VR facial expressions were realistic, his eyes would be bulging from their sockets.
Slowly, the rest of the group began to comprehend what was just said. But...
"Hahaha... Fae Sol, that is a very funny joke! How much do we actually owe you?" Hutian Crest jovially asked. One hundred times? It was clearly nonsense!
However, Jisha didn't respond but instead gave a bright smile.
When the group realized that she was most likely being serious, their first reaction was dumbfoundedness followed by rage.
"Do you seriously mean we owe you 97 Silverium?" asked Simulator Child.
"Precisely! One week from now, you, Simulator Child, will owe me 97 Silverium. You're a bit slow to catch on, but if you weren't, then you wouldn't have fallen for this anyway!" Jisha said.
"100 times today's coins??? That's a total ripoff!" Hutian Crest fumed.
When she heard this, Jisha wanted to laugh.
"A ripoff? Yes! It's a ripoff. You've been scammed and there isn't anything you can do about it! After all, you were the fools who gave up all of your money in the first place. Did you think there was going to be a happy ending for you once you did that?"
"100 times. I assume you understand what you're saying and being serious... But that would be literally impossible to pay back," argued Aphro Expo.
"Actually, it's not," said someone unexpected.
The group turned around to look at Censer. Being one of the two people in the black, he was a little more confident to speak up about this.
"A week from now, at least in the beta, inflation reduced the value of currency by approximately 50 times," he stated. "This was because earning Silverium wasn't very difficult... comparatively. Once we got to Aurite, players started having a bit more trouble. But... 50 times was simply in the beta. If many more players join the game in the coming week, the economy will be flooded with new cash since every player starts with 10 Copper. On top of that, some of those new players will be earning a bit of Silverium in the coming week. Since we were at the forefront of the game's progression, it was natural for us to have more money than the average player. So... as ridiculous as it sounds, especially if you were to account for interest... 100 times is quite a reasonable estimate... even if it'll completely bankrupt you."
After he said this, they turned to look back at Jisha who was still smiling sweetly.
Someone audibly gulped.
But some still weren't convinced.
"Ok, well... First of all, I don't believe that. Second of all, you're gonna make us pay you how, exactly?" asked Hutian Crest.
"That's right! You can't force us to pay you!"
"And why can't I do that?" Jisha asked.
"Ha, easy. We'll just group up and kill you," Hutian Crest said.
"Yeah? Do you want to try that?" Jisha said as she continued to smile.
"..."
Her confidence baffled the organization leaders. Though her level was obviously hidden, there's no way it was that high, right? And even if it was, stat gains per level were pretty small, so even a player that was multiple levels higher could easily die to a lower-leveled one.
"I don't know why you're so confident. You're clearly bluffing. Aren't you just one *girl*?" asked Aphro Expo, putting the emphasis on *girl*.
Jisha's eyebrows would have twitched in real life when she heard this, but she maintained her current expression.
"And... on the off chance that you *can* kill us... We'll just split up and run away," Dolphin Killer said. "You're clearly a beta player. You know how big Synergy is."
"Oh, you're right... I should have thought about that!" Jisha said as she feigned helplessness. "Synergy is really really big!"
By now, those who had been a bit scared had calmed down. Due to the outlandishness of her claims and her unthreatening stature, the organization leaders weren't able to take her seriously anymore. They shook their heads and split up going their own separate ways.
Only Censer and Jiel caught the obvious sarcasm in her voice... But they didn't have to worry. They were in the black.
"Don't forget! You all owe me 100 times! Have that money ready next week! Or else!" Jisha yelled after them.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Hutian Crest said, obviously not caring.
Even some of the random audience members who were witnessing the shenanigans laughed at the little girl yelling after a group of guys who were clearly ignoring her.
But little did they know, when Jisha had given them a hug or a pat on the back...
*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*
*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*
*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*
...
*>Name: Shahar's Nightwalker*
...
*>Abilities:*
...
*>Shahar's Blessing (Rank 0) - Item Cloak: Mask the Presence of up to 10 Rank 0 Consumable-type items by 99% per week. Items cloaked: 7/10. Cooldown: 1 week. Upgrade this ability using Shards of Darkness. Shards: 0/1.*
At the end of the day, there was only one true winner in this auction.
She would definitely find them!