Chapter 67: Claim Our Prize

The entire amphitheater remained in stunned silence.

One hundred million dollars for a single alchemical reagent was a sum that defied all reason.

Inside Skybox Number One, Zephyra completely panicked. She grabbed Evren’s shoulder, shaking him with wide, frantic eyes.

"Evren, what did you just do?!" she whispered in sheer terror. "One hundred million dollars?! Tell them it was a mistake! Cancel the bid right now!"

Evren looked down at her with an amused smirk, gently placing his hand over hers. "Too late to take it back now, Zephyra. Besides... my bids are never a mistake."

Zephyra froze, staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes, her breath completely caught in her throat.

On the main stage, the chief auctioneer stared up at Presidential Skybox Number One, his jaw hanging open so wide his golden monocle nearly fell from his eye.

It took the auctioneer three whole seconds to find his voice.

"O-One hundred million dollars!" the auctioneer stammered into the microphone, his hands trembling as he lifted the wooden mallet. "Bid is with Skybox Number One! Going once..."

Across the mezzanine in Skybox Number Four, Lord Varek Drossian stood frozen.

His face was ashen, his mouth slightly open, and his eyes completely bloodshot. His knuckles turned white around his serpent cane, trembling with pure rage. He couldn’t match a hundred million even if he liquidated his private properties on the spot.

"Going twice..." the auctioneer yelled, scanning the silent crowd.

No one moved. Not a single guildmaster dared to breathe.

BANG!

The wooden mallet struck the sounding block with a sharp crack.

"SOLD!" the auctioneer roared. "To Chairman Evren Crawford of Apex Sovereign Conglomerate for One Hundred Million Dollars!"

A thunderous wave of chatter and applause erupted across the amphitheater.

Amber smiled warmly, gently wrapping an arm around Zephyra’s trembling shoulder. "Told you he doesn’t mess around."

Evren set his glass down and stood up, straightening the cuffs of his charcoal suit. "Let’s go claim our prize," he said calmly.

—

Minutes later, the trio was escorted by two armed senior managers into the secure VIP Settlement Vault behind the stage.

Resting on a velvet pillow in the center of the heavy steel room was the cylindrical capsule containing the pulsing Astral Sun-Fire Coral.

The chief treasurer of the Exchange presented a digital payment terminal with trembling hands. "Chairman Crawford... the final invoice is one hundred million dollars flat."

Evren brought out his card, tapped the terminal, and authorized the transfer.

BEEP.

[PAYMENT APPROVED: $100,000,000.00 USD]

The moment the payment cleared, a cascade of radiant golden light exploded directly across Evren’s vision:

[DING!]

[INVESTMENT DETECTED IN HEROINE #2 (ZEPHYRA NIGHTSHADE): $100,000,000.00 USD (STAGE 2 CATALYST — ASTRAL SUN-FIRE CORAL)!]

[SYSTEM 100x PERMANENT REBATE MULTIPLIER ACTIVATED!]

[CALCULATING REBATE: $100,000,000.00 × 100 = $10,000,000,000.00 USD (10 BILLION USD)!]

[+$10,000,000,000.00 USD HAS BEEN DEPOSITED INTO YOUR REAL-WORLD LIQUID ACCOUNT!]

[CURRENT REAL-WORLD LIQUID BALANCE: $11,745,197,542.50 USD!]

[STAGE 2 PURIFICATION QUEST: 2/3 CATALYSTS SECURED!]

Evren’s eyes gleamed with cold satisfaction as he looked at the eleven-billion-dollar balance.

Immediately following the rebate alert, another system window popped up:

[ATTENTION: FINAL CATALYST #3 FOR ZEPHYRA’S STAGE 2 MEDICINE DETECTED!]

[TARGET ITEM: FROST-CRYSTAL MOON-ESSENCE]

[LOCATION: UNCHARTED UNDERWORLD VAULT (DISTRICT NINE DEEP CORE)]

Evren committed the location to memory. He picked up the sealed capsule containing the Astral Sun-Fire Coral, tapped his ring with a silver shimmer, and stored it safely inside.

"Two down," Evren murmured with a satisfied smirk. "Only one left."

—

After signing the final ownership certificates, Evren, Amber, and Zephyra walked out of the vault and entered the plush VIP corridor leading to the main foyer.

Before they could reach the grand double doors, three figures stepped out from a side lounge, blocking their path. It was Lord Varek Drossian and his two massive S-Rank shadow bodyguards.

Varek’s face was twisted in bitterness and murderous hatred. He leaned heavily on his serpent cane, glaring at Evren like a venomous viper.

"Enjoy your pretty little coral while you can, Crawford," Varek hissed. "In the Capital, buying something is easy... keeping it alive is the hard part."

Varek’s bloodshot eyes shifted toward Zephyra. A cruel sneer touched his lips as he spoke. "You think you’re safe behind him, little assassin? You belong in the dirt."

Before Zephyra could react, Evren stepped forward.

His eyes were completely devoid of warmth as he stared down at Varek.

"If you ever look at her again, Varek, you won’t live to see the sunrise," Evren said in a calm, lethal voice that carried the weight of an S-Rank titan.

A suffocating pressure washed over the hallway, making Varek’s two bodyguards instinctively reach for their daggers in alarm.

Evren didn’t give them a second glance. He brushed past Varek’s shoulder, leading Amber and Zephyra toward the grand exit.

Varek watched them walk away in silence.

—

A moment later, the trio walked out of the VIP corridor and entered the bustling grand marble foyer of the palace.

Dozens of high-society guests and media reporters were chatting near the revolving exit doors as luxury cars pulled up outside in the rain.

Evren stopped three paces from the grand glass doors, pulling out his phone. "I’ll let the chauffeur know we’re heading out to the canopy."

"Alrighty," Amber replied.

Evren finished tapping his screen and turned around with a relaxed smile. "Zephyra, let’s head..."

But his words died in his throat. The space behind them was completely empty.

Evren frowned as he scanned the crowded foyer. But Zephyra wasn’t there. There was no sound of a struggle. No scream. No disturbance in the bustling crowd.

Amber turned around too, seeing Evren’s expression. Her face instantly drained of all color as she looked around in panic.

"Evren..." her voice shook. "Where is Zephyra?!"

Evren called out into the lobby. "Zephyra?"

There was no answer; only the chatter of wealthy guests and media reporters echoed near the exit.

"Zephyra!" Evren called out louder, scanning the groups of people standing under the crystal chandeliers.

Amber rushed past a group of aristocrats, looking around in growing panic. "She was walking right behind us! Where did she go?!"

Evren turned around and began retracing their steps back along the red carpet toward the VIP corridor. As he approached the velvet-curtained pillar where they had passed just moments ago, something caught his eye.

Lying silently on the plush red carpet was Zephyra’s silver hair ribbon.

Evren bent down and picked it up. As he did, Varek’s death threat from two minutes ago echoed in his mind.

His eyes went cold, and a terrifying aura erupted from his body, causing the marble floor under his feet to crack.

"Varek."