The Masked Man No One Loves

Everyone, cloaked in black and wearing masks, arrived before a wooden door, where, as expected, they were stopped by two Soul Elders standing guard.

After checking their invitation, a masked man led them through a pitch-black corridor. Shen Ranxi sensed that they were heading deeper and deeper underground. After who knew how long, the man stopped before a massive door, took out a token and pressed it into the door. Two seconds later, he made a gesture inviting them inside.

Shen Ranxi stepped in without hesitation. Before her stretched a long street paved with green bricks, lined with stalls on both sides.

Everyone wore black cloaks, with rectangular sheets spread out before them displaying the items they wished to sell.

Ma Hongjun and Oscar stuck close together. Clearly, they had never been somewhere like this before and looked rather awkward. Unable to resist, they edged up to Shen Ranxi and whispered, "Little Xi, are all those things on the ground for sale? And why is everyone wearing cloaks?"

Shen Ranxi explained, "Why do you think this place is called the Underground Market? It's a place for fencing stolen goods. Plenty of people rob things they have no use for and sell them here. No one can recognize you here, and fighting is forbidden in the Underground Market. You can even trade items for other items."

"Ah?" The two let out short cries of alarm. So these people were all robbers. For a moment, they imagined the faces beneath those cloaks must be vicious beyond belief. The two clung to each other and trembled, completely forgetting that they themselves were robbers too.

Oscar squeezed out through clenched teeth, "Little Xi, aren't you scared?"

Seeing how relaxed and unruffled she was, they secretly wondered whether she had come here behind their backs before.

Shen Ranxi froze at the question. Two seconds later, she returned to normal and continued forward. "Are you stupid? We just finished robbing people before coming in ourselves. And once you put on a cloak, no one gives a damn who you are. Who knows what you look like? Even if I said I was the emperor's daughter, who could expose me? Who doesn't know how to show off? What's there to be afraid of? No one dares to make a move here anyway!"

A cold snort came from beneath Shen Ranxi's mask.

The two suddenly understood. Right, everyone was wearing cloaks—who could recognize anyone? They immediately separated, straightened their collars, and put on the air of lofty experts.

The entire auction hall was built in dazzling splendor and looked lavish beyond measure.

The owner of this Auction House must be loaded. There should be plenty of good stuff... Shen Ranxi thought.

After entering, beautifully dressed attendants in revealing outfits guided guests to their seats. Shen Ranxi watched the Girls moving about the hall. Seductive smiles hung on their faces, but a closer look revealed nothing but emptiness in their eyes. Her gaze darkened.

After they took seats in a corner, they saw that some men who looked like wealthy merchants or Nobles had one or two beautiful attendants in their arms. Shen Ranxi watched the restrained expressions on the attendants' faces and clenched her fists. Her earlier excitement was doused as though by a basin of cold water.

An attendant even asked Shen Ranxi whether she required companionship services. After being refused, she withdrew to the side without changing her expression, yet Shen Ranxi could still sense the relaxation in her body. Her expression became complicated.

It was Little Bell's first time seeing such a scene. She timidly leaned against Shen Ranxi. Oscar and Ma Hongjun were also at a loss, their faces filled with righteous indignation.

"Endure it! We can't save them now!" Shen Ranxi said gravely.

She knew the oppression of women in this world went far beyond what was in front of her. Even in a world with such fantastical powers, women's status and rights were not much better than in feudal times.

She was still too weak... One day, she would become the one who made the Rules! Her expression beneath the mask grew even more resolute.

The auction soon began. A beautiful blonde Female stood on the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I trust you have all been waiting for this moment. Today's auction officially begins." As her words fell, clouds of multicolored smoke sprayed out around the auction platform.

The alluring auctioneer presented the first item. "I believe many of you have Juniors in your clans who need Soul Rings. The first item up for auction today is an eighteen-hundred-year Revolving Heaven Snow Goose. This species possesses incredible speed as well as an ice attribute. I'm sure you all understand its value. The opening bid is one thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

A man below questioned, "How can you be sure it's eighteen hundred years old? If it's older than that, won't the person absorbing it Explode and Die?"

The auctioneer onstage laughed calmly. Rather than answering, she asked, "Sir, is this your first time at Zhuoguang?"

The man answered awkwardly, "S-so what if it is?"

The woman smiled. "Otherwise, you wouldn't ask such a question. Our Auction House is renowned for its excellent reputation. There has never been an accident. We have our own exclusive appraisal methods, so customers need not worry!"

Several impatient voices rang out from other corners. "Where did this country bumpkin come from? If you're not buying, get lost! Stop wasting our time!"

"Exactly. Questioning Zhuoguang? How absurd!"

The man's face reddened beneath his mask. Furious, he shouted, "Who said I don't have money?!"

The auctioneer said, "Oh my, gentlemen, don't get worked up. Let's not hurt the harmony. Let's get started right away!"

Shen Ranxi sneered. Isn't this exactly your trick? Next, this man will start throwing money around to prove himself.

Sure enough, the man's bids grew louder and louder. In the end, he spent three thousand gold coins to purchase the Soul Beast, then stood up smugly and glared at the people who had spoken earlier.

Little did he know, the truly wealthy people had yet to make a move. Shen Ranxi glanced toward the uppermost levels, her eyes unreadable.

The woman continued auctioning off the remaining items: some rare and precious medicinal herbs, along with several Soul Beasts.

Shen Ranxi had no interest in any of them. As for medicinal herbs, she only needed to buy seeds. Anything grown in Feifei's space would definitely have a better medicinal effect than ordinary herbs.

"Next are several ores—five pieces sold together as one lot. They can be used to forge weapons. Who knows, perhaps they might even be crafted into divine armaments. The opening bid is two hundred gold coins."

Shen Ranxi looked at the stones onstage. Two of them were rather pretty, but she had no use for them herself.

Feifei suddenly poked out from beneath her cloak and leaned close to Shen Ranxi's ear. "Idiot! Those are all good things! Bid on them!"

Shen Ranxi was puzzled, but she still raised her paddle.

"Two hundred thirty."

"Two hundred forty."

"Two hundred sixty."

Few people had thought highly of these stones in the first place. The wealthy Nobles had merely planned to buy them as collectibles; they were hardly essential. Since someone else wanted them, they might as well save their money for the better items later.

"Two hundred fifty, going once!"

"Two hundred fifty, going twice!"

"Two hundred fifty, going three times! Congratulations, sir!" The woman pointed toward Shen Ranxi's seat.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun had been holding themselves back for quite some time. Shen Ranxi's sudden bid had startled them, and hearing that it was over two hundred gold coins left them too shocked for words. In all their lives, they had never seen that many gold coins!

"Little Xi, Little Xi, why did you spend so much money on a few stones?" Oscar asked curiously.

I don't know why I spent so much money on these things either... Shen Ranxi complained inwardly.

"I'll explain it to you later." Because I don't know either.