In the grand hall, Lakeman lounged lazily on the sofa, eyeing the auction managers before him. He gently set down the phone bug he had been holding.
Beside him stood the butler and the chief of the guard. More guards surrounded them, watching the management with wary eyes.
"..."
Hancock was also observing the auction staff, gently rubbing Lakeman's shoulders, her expression one of surprise. These significant figures were reduced to mere sycophants in front of the Celestial Dragon.
Lakeman accepted their subservience as if it were his birthright. Hancock struggled to reconcile the powerful figure before her with the boy who held her to sleep at night. They seemed like two completely different people.
'No, that's not right,' she thought, narrowing her eyes.
'There have been changes.' She couldn't pinpoint when it started, but Lakeman had begun displaying more of an aura of superiority—stern, deep, and domineering. At night, he had gradually become more condescending, and she had unknowingly started obeying this authority.
Lakeman's voice broke her thoughts.
"I'll give you a minute," he said, looking at the management. He picked up the teacup at hand and took a sip. This unique tea, sourced from the sea, had an extremely refreshing taste that he had fallen in love with at first sight.
"Yes!" The leader of the managers was overjoyed.
He wasn't afraid of Lakeman's cold attitude but feared not being given a chance to speak. Being allowed to speak meant there was room to explain. What they feared most was Lakeman ordering the guards to kill them without a word. Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not materialize.
'My analysis is correct; this Celestial Dragon is more intelligent and kind! This kindness is exactly what we can take advantage of!' the man thought.
The leading man, a senior executive, straightened his back, adjusted his tie, and showed an extremely apologetic and guilty expression.
"I'm extremely sorry, Master Lakeman! It's all the people below who are so obsessed with money and full of greed that they dared to pay attention to you. Even if they died ten thousand times, it wouldn't be enough to atone for their crime!"
"It's also because we didn't do a good job. Sabaody Archipelago's staff is in disarray, and there are all kinds of gangsters. We didn't check their character before recruiting them as employees, which led to what happened today. It's truly regrettable. I feel deeply sorry!"
The man bowed deeply, the corners of his mouth quivering slightly. These words perfectly absolved them. They admitted their mistakes, but it wasn't them who made the mistake, just the daring employees below. They simply made the mistake of not properly vetting the character of their employees. But this cannot be blamed on them, as the Sabaody Archipelago is a mixed bag; most areas are illegal zones, and even the Marines and World Government can't do much about it.
'This is the perfect speech I prepared!' the man chuckled internally. 'Master Lakeman, with your kindness and intelligence, you can definitely understand my words and my painstaking efforts.'
"To express our apologies, we have contacted the boss." The man raised his head and glanced at Lakeman, only to see that Lakeman's face remained calm and composed. In the man's eyes, this was good news—at least he wasn't angry.
"Our boss is the Black Hemp Kingdom of West Blue, one of the participating countries of the World Government." The man revealed the identity of the boss behind him.
"The Black Hemp Kingdom is willing to dedicate all the auction goods to you, sir. As an apology, please accept them."
After saying that, the man knelt directly on the ground and pressed his head heavily to the floor. The management team behind him followed suit, kneeling and pressing their foreheads to the floor.
Compared with saving their lives and wealth, what did it mean to just kneel down? Even if they had to lick the Celestial Dragon's shoes, there would be no problem!
"..."
Hancock's eyes were wide with shock. 'Do such a group of glamorous elites kneel without hesitation because of their subordinates' mistakes? And they even presented the goods they had worked hard to collect throughout the year! Their attitude is too sincere.'
'Obviously, the franchise country is behind this, paying heavenly tribute every year and being protected by the World Government, but they still came to apologize in person...' Hancock thought, shocked. 'Is this the nobility of the Celestial Dragons?'
For a moment, Hancock felt a bit unbearable. Seeing these people kneeling reminded her of when she was forced to lose her freedom and become a slave of the Celestial Dragons. But she was the only one who felt this way.
The surrounding guards and servants had expressionless faces and vigilant gazes. They didn't even listen to what the man said. It didn't matter whether the management was wrong or not; what mattered was what Saint Lakeman thought.
'A bunch of damn guys!' the housekeeper's eyes flashed coldly after hearing this
. 'You dare to play with words, trying to deceive the master and gently expose the offense to the young master?' The housekeeper's murderous intent emerged, but he said nothing, knowing Master Lakeman would not be fooled. He firmly believed in the young master's sensitivity and intelligence.
"One minute's up," Lakeman finally spoke, and his words caused the kneeling management's expressions to change drastically.
"Lord Lakeman!!" the leading man suddenly raised his head, showing an expression of disbelief.
"Very noisy," Lakeman said, rubbing his ears gently. Immediately, a guard next to him slapped the man hard across the face.
Snapped!
The man spun like a top, his body flipping two and a half times before falling heavily to the ground. He passed out directly.
"..."
The others fell silent, their faces showing horror.
Hancock's eyes widened in shock, unable to understand why things had developed this way. 'Didn't they apologize already? It's not their fault; it's just the private behavior of the employees below!'
She was about to speak to dissuade him but suddenly froze, her heart turning cold.
On the sofa, as if expecting it, Lakeman turned around and glanced at her lightly. This look made Hancock feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave. It was as if her entire being had been seen through, sending chills through her heart.
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