Underground Auction

Jiang Fan was confused.

Lei Zhendong shook his head and explained.

"If you went looking for these so-called pharmacies now, you probably wouldn't even make it through the door, let alone get the chance to show them the medicine's effects!"

"Even if you did show them the medicine's effects, how could you get a good price by taking the initiative to seek out a partnership?"

"So the best way is to make them come looking for you!"

Jiang Fan nodded. That made sense, but putting it into practice was another matter. With his current connections, he simply couldn't make it work.

Lei Zhendong pondered for a while before speaking.

"The first thing you need to do is get this potion circulating on the market!"

"Only after they see it and realize the value of this potion will they come looking for you!"

"But the pharmaceutical market is currently controlled through legitimate channels by the Three Major Pharmaceutical Groups!"

"So the only option is to go to an underground auction!"

Jiang Fan furrowed his brows slightly. He knew very little about this side of things.

The words "underground auction" didn't exactly sound like they referred to a good place.

Lei Zhendong knew what Jiang Fan was thinking and chuckled as he explained.

"For now, this is the only way!"

"But you don't need to worry. I have a friend at the underground auction. I'll give him some instructions. Go find him, and he'll help you handle everything that comes afterward!"

Jiang Fan stared at Lei Zhendong in surprise.

"Uncle Lei, you're not going?"

Lei Zhendong laughed heartily and patted Jiang Fan on the shoulder.

"Although I do want a share of the pie, as I just said, I don't have the strength to take on this business!"

"As for the auction, I'm merely helping out while I'm at it!"

"If I, as your uncle, took benefits on top of that, it wouldn't sit right!"

As he spoke, he was afraid Jiang Fan would feel awkward, so he added with a smile,

"But I can't go without enjoying any preferential treatment. If this matter succeeds in the end—no, whether it succeeds or not—you'll have to keep your Uncle Lei supplied with this potion!"

"Don't worry, you don't need to buy the medicinal ingredients! But I want this upgraded version of the potion!"

Jiang Fan's heart warmed at his words, and he smiled.

"Of course!"

The two chatted for a while before Jiang Fan took the address Lei Zhendong had given him and left.

When he reached the door, Lei Zhendong called him back again.

Lei Zhendong pulled a stack of money from a drawer.

"Here's 50,000 Blue Star Coins. Take it!"

Jiang Fan hurriedly waved his hands, but Lei Zhendong forcibly stuffed the money into them.

"You only have one bottle of potion left!"

"When you get there, you'll definitely have to take out a bottle as a sample for evaluation. If you do that, how will you hold an auction? And how will you build momentum?"

"Take this money and... make some more potions so you have spares!"

"Li Hui used one bottle just now, so consider this payment for that bottle!"

Jiang Fan was about to say something, but Lei Zhendong cut him off!

"That's enough, you brat!"

"Don't be so coy and fussy like some girl!"

After saying that, his expression suddenly turned solemn.

"But remember this!"

"The underground auction is a chaotic place. Before the Three Major Pharmaceutical Groups show up, don't reveal your identity too easily!"

"Those few are legitimate companies and generally won't use underhanded methods. But the underground auction is crowded and full of prying eyes, so it's better to be careful!"

"If anything happens, come to me immediately!"

After leaving Thunder Martial Hall, Jiang Fan went straight to Zhenyao Workshop.

Given Anshintang's attitude last time, he naturally wouldn't go there to decoct the medicine again.

Even though his mere expenditure of 50,000 Blue Star Coins wouldn't have any impact on Anshintang, he still felt uncomfortable going there.

So he would rather travel a little farther to find somewhere that put him at ease.

Fortunately, Zhenyao Workshop's service was decent, and the entire decoction process went smoothly.

After buying the medicinal ingredients there and decocting them, Jiang Fan portioned the medicinal liquid into ten bottles.

After keeping nine bottles for himself, he gave himself a simple disguise and carried the remaining two bottles toward the address Lei Zhendong had given him.

The address Lei Zhendong had given him was somewhere on Seven Treasures Street in the Inner City.

Seven Treasures Street sounded incredibly grand and opulent.

In reality, however, it was the most run-down street in the Inner City.

It had earned its name because it was home to many scavengers, while most of the shops along the street dealt in such fringe businesses as paper rolling and antiques.

Because it was chaotic, few people came here.

Jiang Fan hadn't expected the so-called underground auction to be hidden somewhere along this street.

He walked over the uneven, pothole-riddled ground, the bricks and stones shattered beneath his feet. As he looked at the decrepit buildings lining the street, he could even sense an old, stale air drifting through the surroundings. He frowned slightly!

This place was even worse than the civilian districts of the Outer City.

The Outer City was dilapidated, but at least it was clean. This place, however, was both run-down and filthy.

Following the address and asking for directions along the way, Jiang Fan eventually stopped in front of a fairly orderly tavern.

Wanquan Tavern!

This was the place!

Jiang Fan stepped through the door.

As soon as he entered, a young man who looked like a waiter came over to greet him.

"Hello, welcome!"

"Please come this way!"

Jiang Fan glanced over the main hall. It wasn't very large, only around seventy or eighty square meters.

Aside from the counter, more than a dozen tables were arranged neatly throughout the remaining space.

The waiter was currently leading him toward one of the tables to the side.

Seeing that there was no one else in the tavern, Jiang Fan had no reason to hold back.

After sitting down, he asked directly,

"Hello, may I ask if Lu Bo is here?"

The waiter's professional expression vanished instantly when he heard Jiang Fan's words.

He seemed to have seen this sort of thing countless times before.

"Oh, you're here to see Uncle Lu?"

"Have a seat for a moment. I'll go report it!"

Several minutes later, the waiter returned.

"Come with me!"

"Uncle Lu is on the second floor!"

Jiang Fan followed the waiter up the staircase from the first floor.

After turning the corner and reaching the second floor, the wall directly opposite the stairs silently slid open. The waiter gestured for him to enter.

Jiang Fan looked down and only then discovered that behind the wall was another staircase leading underground.

He followed the waiter down six successive flights of stairs before finally arriving in an ancient-looking circular corridor.

The corridor connected all the way around, enclosing an area of more than two hundred square meters.

Looking down from the corridor, he saw a grand and imposing hall. It looked like the bidding floor of an auction.

Along the edge of the corridor were rooms of all different kinds.

"Uncle Lu is across the way!"

The waiter pointed out the direction.

Jiang Fan followed him all the way to Lu Bo's room. After knocking and announcing their arrival, the waiter gestured toward Jiang Fan and then withdrew.

Jiang Fan walked inside and saw a thin, gaunt middle-aged man sitting in a classical grand chair.

His skin was dark and withered, making him look malnourished.

"You're the kid Lei Zhendong introduced, right?"

Jiang Fan nodded.

Lu Bo nodded as well, seemingly turning a blind eye to Jiang Fan's disguise.

"Where's the item?"

Jiang Fan took out a bottle and handed it over.

After receiving it in his withered palm, Lu Bo held the bottle up to the light and examined it. Then he opened it and gave it a sniff, immediately knitting his brows.

"Are you sure this potion is effective?"