Chapter 129 - 123: The Temptation of an Advanced Member

Chapter 129: Chapter 123: The Temptation of an Advanced Member

The first auction item, a Spell Scroll, ultimately sold for the high price of 51 Dream Crystals.

It seemed to have been jointly purchased by three Refining Stage powerhouses.

In the end, Long Niu and Chen Baichuan failed to win the bid.

For one, they represented the Countermeasures Bureau, so it wasn’t appropriate for them to use their wealth to overwhelm others. Of course, even if they were bidding for personal use, they couldn’t use the Bureau’s funds.

Most importantly, they were already members of the Safe Zone and had accumulated a fair number of Contribution Points.

It would be better to just queue up at the Curse Art Library to study it.

The Curse Art Library had been open for several days. At first, members thought the Scrolls inside would be quickly used up, but that wasn’t the case.

On the second, third, and fourth days, the library added new stock daily, replenishing the used-up Scrolls and even putting a few new Curse Art Scrolls on the shelves.

The only downside to the Curse Art Library was that, like the training rooms, you had to wait in line.

But for now, there weren’t many members with a large amount of Safe Zone contributions. At most, they would have to wait three or four days to study their desired Curse Art.

Long Niu suspected that if it weren’t for the existence of the Curse Art Library, the price of this ’Slicing Strike’ Scroll would have gone even higher.

’There are just too many rich people.’

The second item was brought up, and the auction continued.

The next dozen or two items were all quite normal: relatively precious items, Materials, and Treasure Medicines.

Some of these items came from the Safe Zone, while others came from the Countermeasures Bureau or a particular Dream Descender.

All of them sold for high prices.

Shi An had intended to use an alternate identity to bid on a few Treasure Medicines, but on second thought, he decided it wasn’t necessary.

’There’s no need for me to compete with my own members.’

His Safe Zone already had a large stockpile of Treasure Medicines. In fact, it was Shi An’s own limited ability to digest and absorb them that restricted his use of Treasure Medicines.

The auction was still underway, now mainly auctioning special items.

When the Safe Zone’s specialty product, the ’Witchcraft Flying Eye’, was placed on the display stand, the auction reached a small climax.

"It’s a Witchcraft Flying Eye!"

"I can’t believe the Manager put this thing up for sale! I’ve wanted to buy a Flying Eye for ages!"

Back when the Safe Zone had plenty of Dream Crystals and Incomplete Curse Objects, Shi An had already crafted batch after batch of Witchcraft Flying Eyes.

Now, the number of Dream Descenders renting Witchcraft Flying Eyes was more than ten times what it was before, yet the Witchcraft Flying Eyes were actually less scarce.

Even non-members who came here could often rent one.

But renting was one thing, and owning was another.

The Great Xia People’s mindset was to hoard things for themselves.

The Countermeasures Bureau was also eyeing them greedily.

This time, even Fen Huo, a Captain who could directly represent the Headquarters, made a bid.

Out of a total of five Witchcraft Flying Eyes, Fen Huo won the first and the fourth.

He didn’t use his authority to suppress others, but instead called out a high price.

In the end, it took immense Willpower for him to restrain the urge to keep bidding.

"The few of us don’t need this item, but many people at Headquarters who haven’t come to the Safe Zone yet can use it. It’ll be of great use."

This was the reason for his high bids.

Although another reason for calling out such high prices was that the items weren’t for his personal use and he could get reimbursed by the Bureau, so he bid without hesitation.

The auction continued, the quantity and quality of the items exceeding all imagination.

Many people had originally come just for the finale’s Rare Level Curse Objects, but now, before any had even appeared, some had already gone on several spending sprees.

In between, seven or eight Complete Level Curse Objects were also auctioned, each one a treasure among its kind.

Long Niu bought a ’Shadow Giant Scissors’. He wouldn’t make this kind of Complete Level Curse Object his Lifebound one, only using it superficially.

But by activating it with his Curse Power, he could still unleash the considerable power of the Shadow Giant Scissors.

In the blink of an eye, the auction had been going on for two hours.

There had been a short intermission in the middle.

Some Dream Descenders felt the premonition of their return to the Present Realm halfway through and could only disappear from the Safe Zone, helpless and full of regret.

Others had just fallen into a dream and happened to arrive at the Safe Zone.

The moment they pushed open the door, they were completely stunned.

’Who am I? Where am I? Since when are there auctions in the Nightmare World?’

Finally, amidst great anticipation, the first Rare Level Curse Object was brought out.

It was a black glove. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but in the eyes of the Dream Descenders present, the glove contained an immense, surging Curse Power.

The moment the glove was presented, it captured countless gazes.

"It really is a Rare Level Curse Object! The Curse Power it contains must be several times that of a Complete Level Curse Object! No wonder they say a Dream Descender who wields a Rare Level Curse Object has combat power far superior to others."

When Refining Stage powerhouses choose a Lifebound Curse Object, their range of choices is limited; not every Curse Object is suitable.

But even so, more than ten Dream Descenders on the scene began to bid.

In the end, a certain unaffiliated Dream Descender won this Rare Level Curse Object with a high price of 48 Dream Crystals.

The price was on the high side.

Among Rare Level items, a glove-type Curse Object could only be considered run-of-the-mill.

But the Dream Descender who won the Curse Object was still ecstatic. Opportunities to directly buy a Rare Level Curse Object with money were few and far between in all of Baijiang.

Immediately after, the second and third Rare Level Curse Objects were sold for the high prices of 42 and 50 Dream Crystals respectively.

"These three are all Curse Objects provided by our Countermeasures Bureau. Although we came to support the Safe Zone this time, we really made a huge profit."

Long Niu said in a low voice.

Fen Huo hadn’t expected them to sell for such high prices either.

Although Dream Crystals sometimes couldn’t buy the rarest Treasures, that didn’t mean they weren’t valuable.

On the contrary!

Ordinary Dream Descenders had little need for Dream Crystals.

Refining Stage powerhouses needed to use Dream Crystals from time to time.

And by the Extraordinary Realm, advancement rituals, Cultivation, and so on were all inseparable from Dream Crystals.

The higher the realm, the greater a Dream Descender’s need for Dream Crystals became.

The fourth Rare Level Curse Object was placed on the stand.

Yang Lina announced, "This is the Rare Level Curse Object, ’Strong Heart Strike’. It has the Ability to enhance blood production and strengthen one’s Physique. The drawback is that frequent use before Refinement will cause a significant loss of Life Force."

"This Curse Object contains a Curse Power value of approximately eight points. The starting bid is 30 Dream Crystals. Bidding starts now."

This was a treasure among Rare Level items!

As for the side effect of draining Life Force? In the eyes of Refining Stage powerhouses, that wasn’t much of a side effect at all.

What Curse Object didn’t damage one’s Life Force?

What Dream Descenders feared more were side effects that would directly impact their combat strength.

Furthermore, Strong Heart Strike was highly adaptable, and most powerhouses felt it was compatible with them.

The moment Yang Lina’s voice fell, one after another, both members and non-member powerhouses began to call out their bids.

"50!"

"55!"

"60! I bid 60! Everyone, do me a favor..."

A fierce-looking, burly man was just about to make a threat when the maintainer of order, Security Captain, Lord Blood, shot a glance his way.

The gaze sent a chill down the burly man’s spine, and his legs tensed as he quickly sat down.

It wasn’t that the burly man was scared.

He had just suddenly remembered the Safe Zone’s rules.

Disrespecting the rules could get his membership revoked, and in serious cases, he could even be put on the Safe Zone’s blacklist.

’That won’t do, that just won’t do.’

No one paid any mind to this little interlude. The powerhouses were all shouting their bids, and as the price climbed higher and higher, cold sweat began to bead on their foreheads.

The Ordinary Dream Descenders’ eyes were wide. They had truly stumbled into a gathering of titans today.

In the end, Boss Ye won the treasure with the exceptionally high price of 80 Dream Crystals.

He was very satisfied.

The other members and Refining powerhouses were disappointed and helpless.

Their financial power was simply no match for an old-timer powerhouse like Boss Ye, who also had his own enterprises.

At a certain table, the man in the Duckbill Hat had a grave expression. "This situation isn’t looking good. They’ve already auctioned off four Rare Level Curse Objects."

He hadn’t won a single one.

The gap in financial power was a bit too large.

’How many more Rare Level items can this auction produce? Three? Or two?’

’The chances are slim.’

They all knew that the number of Rare Level Curse Objects was limited. Even at an auction, it was impossible for too many to appear.

However, as long as Yang Lina hadn’t announced "the final item," they still held on to a sliver of hope.

The auction for the fifth Rare Level Curse Object, ’Goji Berry Thermos,’ began.

...

The auction for the sixth Rare Level Curse Object, ’Extremely Evil Wolf Fang,’ began.

...

The auction for the seventh Rare Level Curse Object, ’Old Cadre’s Suit,’ began.

...

The eighth,

The ninth,

The tenth,

...

The powerhouses bidding were red-faced and sweating profusely from the intense competition.

Their eyes saw only the Curse Object on the display stand, only the bidding numbers.

However, Chen Baichuan and the others who hadn’t planned to compete for Rare Level Curse Objects, as well as Boss Ye and those who had already won their desired items, gradually became dumbfounded.

"There are still more Curse Objects?"

"There are still more!"

"Since when did Rare Level Curse Objects get sold off one after another like this?!"

Fen Huo’s mouth fell slightly agape.

Then he chuckled in spite of himself.

"I originally thought that with the Safe Zone’s limited personnel, the Manager wouldn’t be able to produce too many rare items, and that our Countermeasures Bureau was here to offer crucial support. I never expected..."

"Then again, we’ve underestimated the Safe Zone and the Manager once more. Since the Manager was confident enough to hold an auction, he naturally wouldn’t be short on rare items."

He just hadn’t expected that even after more than ten Rare Level Curse Objects had been sold, it still wasn’t over.

Fen Huo could only guess, "The Manager must have taken out his entire stock of Rare Level Curse Objects! He truly spares no effort in cultivating his members!"

He was half right.

Shi An had indeed taken out basically all the Rare Level Curse Objects from his warehouse.

But this stock of Curse Objects was not the accumulation of months or years as outsiders speculated; it was merely the haul from two and a half weeks.

In total, over a dozen Rare Level Curse Objects were auctioned off this time. Naturally, not every member was able to buy their desired item.

But many were already satisfied.

Those who couldn’t buy one, or who lacked the financial means, were often members with shallower foundations. They were newly-promoted to the Refining Stage and their need for a second Lifebound Curse Object wasn’t as urgent.

The auction was over.

Before it concluded, Shi An stepped forward and, taking the opportunity with most members present, made a blockbuster announcement.

"Advanced Membership will be launching soon!"

"Those with higher contributions will be eligible to obtain Advanced Member status, form teams, and better conquer and explore the Nightmare."

The members who were just about to disperse and relax all jumped back to attention.