After the inspection was over, the host of the auction faced the crowd and announced with a booming voice.
"Dear guests, my boss thanks you for coming tonight. As you all know, these items will be sold later in the night."
The powerful and rich guests all looked towards the host and readied themselves with enthusiasm. This was the only time in the night they could spend money lavishly. They might lose some cash, but they will win it back in the form of prestige and admiration from their wealthy peers.
"The owner has prepared a delectable feast for this evening, served only by the best chefs using fresh meat hunted from the mountains of the Tumalayas. Please follow me to your seats."
The crowd moved towards the next room that was filled with round tables with silk covers and scented candles in the middle. Each table had sets of plates complete with knives and utensils for a 3-course meal.
The crowd grouped themselves according to their stature. The Young Master and his lackeys got the table at the very middle, the most luxurious seat for all to see. The businessmen flocked to the corner while the real estate moguls moved to the next beside them. In the end, there was only one table left at the very end of the room, separate from the crowd and away from their eyes. Zoran took a seat at that table.
Soon enough, waiters carrying plates of delectable foods came out of the doors and started to serve the guests. For appetizers, they were given salads and lightly toasted breads topped with freshly grated cheese. For the main dish, a steak made from the meat of the Heavenly Earthen Ox was served, which impressed the guest as this was an A-class monster that was infamous for its stubbornness to be captured. For desserts, a simple sweet pudding was given to balance the tastes.
All the guests were served the same except for the Young Master. For him, the auction prepared a special dish that was infused with condensed Yi energy. This was an expensive meal that replenished the energy of a cultivator and had the same meditating effect as a 10-year cultivation pill.
Most cultivators would kill to have a 10 year cultivation pill. But the Young Master treated the meal as just another form of sustenance that he ate everyday.
The guests chatted as they ate their meals. This was a good time for them to voice out their opinions on the items on the auction, whether it would be worth it to buy or not. With many voicing their intentions to buy a certain item, the price of that becomes higher and higher and even those not interested in buying it would have their interest piqued or else they would feel left out.
The businessmen even started a mini auction amongst themselves as they voiced how much they were willing to pay for the Adamantium wallet. They shouted out more and more ridiculous numbers as they got more drunk with their inhibitions fogged by the wine served by the waiters.
While the guests enjoyed a full meal, Zoran was not given any food, as expected. After all, he was not an official guest of the auction. But he was not worried because he saw a man walking towards him with the same greedy smile on his face. It was Eddie wearing his signature top hat.
"I did not expect to see you here," Eddie said as he took a seat right next to Zoran.
"Only in this place could the Silver Bleeding Diamond be sold for what it's worth," Zoran replied.
Eddie scoffed to himself. Didn't Zoran know that he had to register his items at least a week before the auction started? This was not just a wet market auction where anyone can introduce an item and be auctioned off. He rejoiced at the stupidness of Zoran, thinking that the Silver Bleeding Diamond would easily be in his hands at the end of the night.
"Well, good luck with that." Eddie said with a disingenuous smile.
Zoran could practically see Eddie's thoughts from his expression. Of course, he didn't care what he thought. After all, only results mattered. The one who gets outsmarted will be the loser.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot. I would like to establish a fair relationship between us. What do you say?" Eddie asked.
Zoran smiled and said, "sure."
Eddie laughed to himself thinking that Zoran was really easy to fool. He then gestured at one of the waiters to bring Zoran some food. The waiter, as if already waiting for the cue, walked towards Zoran's table with an appetizing steak and wine.
But just out of Zoran's eyesight, the waiter sprinkled some white dust on Zoran's food and drinks which quickly got absorbed into the meat and dissolved into the liquid. Within seconds, the meal looked normal as if it hadn't been tampered with. Even dogs with specialized noses couldn't distinguish the poison in this meal, how could Zoran?
"As a symbol for our new kinship, I prepared a 'special' meal. Just for you." Eddie gave a big smile as he gestured to the tempting food served to Zoran.
He deliberately let Zoran wait for his meal while the other guests finished their food so that he would become more hungry and eat the poisoned food without question. Once consumed, the poison would react immediately, and within seconds, Zoran would be as feeble and weak as a newborn baby.
He would then escort Zoran's unmoving body to the other room where his shadows are lying in wait where they could torture him for hours and hours on end. He smiled. He couldn't wait until he could watch as Zoran's beaten and bloodied face morph into an anguished look as he took the Silver Bleeding Diamond from him.
Zoran accepted the meal and used the knife to take a bite-sized portion of the steak. Eddie's face mutated into a more sinister look as Zoran put the poisoned food near his mouth.