"Night Owl"

"The next item is a family-inherited manual from an old friend of our auction house. However, due to the passage of time, it has become incomplete, with only a portion remaining."

"So, this lot is a special benefit personally subsidized by our boss. Anyone interested is welcome to bid actively."

"This manual is called 'Night Owl.' The complete version should contain nine levels of Combat Secret Techniques and a ninth-order Gene Guidance Technique."

"It was created by a powerful Ninth Order Martial Artist, what we once called a War God Level expert."

"But today, only one level of the Combat Secret Technique and an introductory Gene Guidance Technique remain."

"Furthermore, this manual has one flaw."

"As everyone knows, Dawn Auction House has an excellent reputation precisely because we always evaluate our auction items objectively and never embellish them."

"So I'll be honest: this manual is extremely difficult to learn and is only suitable for martial artists with exceptional comprehension."

"All right, that concludes the introduction. The starting bid for 'Night Owl' is 200,000 Alliance Coins, with each increment no less than 10,000."

"Bidding begins now."

In front of his computer, Xu Qing was so excited he nearly crushed his mouse.

Wasn't this manual tailor-made for him?

This level of incompleteness.

This learning difficulty.

Other than him, who would buy it?

Only someone with something wrong with their brain would spend money on such a thing!

Just as he thought that, a guest at the venue raised the paddle in his hand.

"Guest Number 30 bids 210,000!"

Xu Qing: "."

Damn, what was wrong with him?

Xu Qing waited without making a bid right away.

He wanted to see whether anyone else would compete for it.

If someone did, it meant this manual still had a market.

Then bidding first would inevitably get him pushed out, and those who bid later would have to keep raising the price because of it.

After waiting more than twenty seconds, with the host having asked four or five times and no one increasing the bid, just as he was about to bring down the hammer—

Xu Qing clicked the bidding price.

"Oh! One of our anonymous off-site guests has placed a bid—220,000!"

The auctioneer smiled in surprise.

"Does anyone have a higher bid?"

The guests in the venue looked at one another and all shook their heads.

Clearly, they felt this thing simply was not worth that much money.

Combat Secret Techniques were already extremely difficult to cultivate, and mastering one would certainly take a great deal of time.

Yet this manual had no subsequent sections and could not be continued.

Wouldn't that just be a waste of time?

For martial artists, time was life.

Not a single day could be wasted.

But just as Xu Qing eagerly hoped no one would bid against him, Guest Number 30 actually made another offer.

"Oh! Guest Number 30 has bid! 300,000! He bids 300,000!"

Many people in the auction house turned to look at Guest Number 30.

Seeing the mask on his face, everyone revealed contemptuous smiles.

Wasn't he just a rich fool?

What was the difference between having only the opening portion of a Gene Guidance Technique and an ordinary Gene Cultivation Method?

There was no difference at all!

Some were even less effective than Gene Cultivation Methods.

The reason Gene Guidance Techniques were powerful was precisely because of the effects of their later sections.

That was also why no one was interested.

In front of his computer, Xu Qing felt helpless.

This guy was really competing with him.

So he placed another bid.

"310,000! That anonymous guest has bid again!"

The auctioneers were all smiling.

They loved seeing scenes like this.

No matter who won or lost, as long as someone was competing, they were the ones who profited in the end.

However, after Xu Qing made his bid this time, no one bid again.

Guest No. 30 also shook his head and stopped bidding.

He probably felt it was no longer worth it.

Thus, Xu Qing successfully won the manual.

"310,000, going once!"

"310,000, going twice!"

"310,000, going three times!"

"Sold! Let's congratulate this anonymous guest!"

Scattered applause rang out through the venue.

Sitting in front of the computer, Xu Qing leaned back in his chair and let out a heavy breath.

Although Guest No. 30's bidding had made him spend an extra 100,000 in the end, 310,000 was still far below what he had expected.

He had actually managed to buy what he wanted for just 310,000.

It had to be said that his luck was pretty good.

"Mm, ever since Boss Zhou Yu saved me back then, I felt my luck was pretty good.

Now it seems it really is. Sigh, luck is part of strength too."

Xu Qing smugly patted his own face.

Chuckling, he paid the auction amount on his phone.

Now, all he had to do was wait for the manual to arrive.

With Dawn Auction House's reputation, nothing should go wrong.

Xu Qing then reassuredly shut down the computer and carefully cleaned up any traces he had left at the scene.

Only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he turn and leave the warehouse.

He drove toward the Lunar Surface Commerce Alliance branch in the county seat.

Once he arrived, Xu Qing directly explained why he was there.

The moment the clerk heard that he had been referred by the main branch, he received him with great enthusiasm.

Following Xu Qing's request, he brought out ten Grade D Gene Potions for him.

"The total comes to 300,000. With a discount, it'll be 295,000."

Xu Qing smiled and thanked him before paying the bill and leaving with the goods.

Looking at the metal case beside him, Xu Qing drove back in high spirits.

This trip to 0121 County had accomplished nearly everything he wanted to do.

He had even unexpectedly obtained a Punch Strength Testing Machine.

It could truly be called a fruitful haul.

He was in an exceptionally good mood.

He even found himself humming a tune along the way.

However, not long after leaving the county seat, Xu Qing's phone rang.

"Hello, Zhou Tong?"

Glancing at the caller ID, Xu Qing answered in surprise.

"Damn it! I'm so pissed off!" Zhou Tong started cursing the moment the call connected. "I'm furious!"

"What happened?" Xu Qing asked helplessly.

This woman, getting worked up again for no reason—

"You have no idea. I just saw something extremely useful at Dawn Auction House. I originally wanted to give it to you, but some idiot bought it first. I'm so mad!!"

Zhou Tong shouted through the phone, gritting her teeth.

Xu Qing froze for a moment.

Dawn Auction House? Just now?

"Uh, what is it? It's fine, I don't need you to give me anything." Xu Qing asked tentatively.

Zhou Tong said angrily, "A secret manual! A secret manual containing the Gene Guidance Technique! Aghhh!! It was clearly mine for just two hundred thousand, but some dumbass spent three hundred and ten thousand competing with me for it!!!"

Xu Qing: "."

So the dumbass was me.

Xu Qing coughed awkwardly. He had never expected things to turn out so dramatically.

"By the way, why are you giving me a gift? You already thanked me before, didn't you? You pestering me like this is really troubling, okay? Woman!"

he said helplessly.

"I..." Zhou Tong was stunned by Xu Qing's question. Then her tone softened. "Isn't it said that even a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring?"

"Bullshit, you're just lusting after my body!" Xu Qing exposed her without mercy.

"Bullshit! As if I'd be interested in you!" Zhou Tong immediately cursed.

The two bickered for a few more exchanges before Zhou Tong finally hung up in a huff.

After ending the call, Xu Qing smiled. "This girl..."

But after smiling, he realized something was wrong and immediately cursed, "Damn it, she made me waste a hundred thousand of my hard-earned money! Stupid woman!"

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