Chapter 164: The Auction [4]

Every single elite, guild master, and corporate titan froze in their tracks, their eyes widening in utter disbelief as they stared at the glowing nameplate, and then at the calm, masked man sitting behind it.

Even Gideon’s stoic face cracked, his eyebrows shooting up in rare shock.

No wonder. No Wonder. I should have known seeing how he was the new face in this elite crowd.

Next to him, Cynthia’s dark eyes narrowed sharply, a rare glint of genuine astonishment passing through her cold gaze.

Myriad Pill Palace????!

Who hadn’t heard of them over the past few months?

They were the mysterious, meteoric rising power that had taken the global market by storm.

Their revolutionary, hyper-potent pills had completely disrupted the traditional potion and alchemy sectors, threatening to dismantle monopolies that had stood for decades.

And most importantly… everyone knew they were the direct, rising rival destined to clash with Jade Pharmaceuticals, the undisputed giant of the medical industry.

Whispers erupted like a wildfire through the theater.

“Myriad Pill Palace?!”

“He’s the representative from Myriad Pill Palace?!”

“Damn it! That’s why he was so unbothered by S-Rank hunters!”

“I should have tried to talk to him in the reception hall… what a missed opportunity!”

Regret washed over dozens of corporate executives who had previously ignored him as a nobody.

Over at the Jade Pharmaceuticals table, Iris Jade looked like she had seen a ghost all color left from her face.

Her jaw hung open, her face completely pale. ‘He… he’s from Myriad Pill Palace?!’ she screamed mentally, panic surging through her chest. ‘The guy who saw me throwing a fit is our up and coming competitor?! What if he used the information to defame our company? I don’t want to be the reason that makes grandpa sad. What if he takes away all of my perks and money.’

While she was having her meltdown, the atmosphere around her had turned deadly quiet.

Old man Alexander Jade, the head of Jade Pharmaceuticals, stared at Derrick for a long, quiet second.

His sharp, wrinkled face showed no anger—instead, a deep, calculating light flickered in his aged eyes.

Without hesitation, the old man walked directly toward Derrick’s table.

The entire hall held its breath. The heads of the two pharmaceutical titans were about to meet face-to-face before the bidding had even begun.

Derrick didn’t move an inch. He simply raised his head, watching the old man approach with a relaxed, unbothered smirk playing under his fake face.

Alexander Jade stopped right beside the table, offering a polished, grandfatherly smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“So the famous Myriad Pill Palace has finally sent a face to Pearl City,” Alexander said, his voice quiet yet carrying a heavy weight. “It is a pleasure to meet you, young man. I am Alexander Jade.”

“Harold Bush,” Derrick replied smoothly, not bothering to stand up, though his tone remained entirely polite. “The pleasure is mine, Mr. Jade.”

“Mr. Bush,” Alexander continued, leaning in slightly with an inviting posture. “It seems we are both here for big things tonight.”

“Once the auction concludes, I would be honored if you could spare a few minutes for a private chat over tea.”

“There are many things our two sides could discuss. I am sure the person behind the screens of your company would love to hear what I have to say.”

The surrounding guests gasped softly. The head of Jade Pharmaceuticals was personally inviting the representative of his greatest rival for a private meeting!

Derrick swirled the remaining liquid in his glass, meeting Alexander’s sharp gaze head-on.

“I’d be happy to, Mr. Jade,” Derrick said with a faint smile. “A good discussion is always welcome.”

“Wonderful. I look forward to it,” Alexander nodded, giving a courteous bow before turning.

He walked back to his family and guided them to the upper floors where they had a private booth just for themselves.

While at the same time a representative of the Jade Pharmaceuticals stayed behind and took a seat on their designated table.

Iris stared at her grandfather in absolute shock as Alexander sat back down, completely unable to wrap her head around how smoothly the interaction had gone.

Seeing Alexander Jade pull back, several other guild leaders and corporate representatives immediately perked up, eager to rush over to Derrick’s table to hand over their business cards and introduce themselves before the main event started.

BZZZZT!

Before anyone could take a step, the heavy overhead lights suddenly dimmed, plunging the lower floor into cool shadow.

A single, brilliant golden spotlight beamed down directly onto the center stage, highlighting a massive, polished auction podium.

The well-dressed auctioneer stepped up to the podium, adjusting her headset microphone as the crowd instantly scrambled back to their seats, cutting off all remaining noise.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the auctioneer’s voice boomed softly across the high-tech speakers, laced with excitement. “Welcome to the Grand Apex Auction.”

“Tonight, history will be made.”

“So I would plead our honored guests to take their respective seats so we can start the great night on time.”

The crowd scrambled back to their assigned tables, leaving Derrick’s area clear just as the remaining executives reluctantly backed off.

On the central stage, the spotlight illuminated the female auctioneer.

She was a breathtaking woman with long, chestnut hair cascading over a dress that left very little to the imagination.

The deep crimson one-piece clung tightly to her curves, cut recklessly low at the neckline and boasting a dramatic slit up her side that exposed a length of smooth, pale leg every time she shifted her weight.

Her bold, confident smile seemed tailored to hold every pair of eyes in the hall captive.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” her sultry voice echoed purringly through the speakers, “I am Vanya, your host for this unforgettable evening. I promise you, tonight’s lineup will not disappoint.”

She raised a single hand, tapping a sleek control ring on her forefinger.

BZZZZT!

A massive 3D hologram flared to life in the center of the stage, hovering above the podium in vibrant, glowing detail.

It displayed a strange, translucent herb floating inside a glass field.

The plant had delicate, silvery leaves that flickered with a faint, pulse-like light, casting a soft blue hue across the front rows.

“To open our grand event,” Vanya announced, her dark eyes sweeping across the crowd with a playful glint, “we have an exceptionally rare specimen retrieved straight from a Rank-C spatial rift in the Northern snowpeaks, A pristine Tier 2 Frost-Vein Lotus!”