The Auction's Reckoning

Mistakes had consequences.

It wasn't a matter of if—only when.

Auction item number 200 was slowly carried onto the stage under the expectant gazes of the crowd.

It was a cage the size of a small child, covered with a thick red cloth, concealing whatever was inside.

The moment this obviously-not-a-dark-elf auction item appeared, the audience erupted into murmurs of dissatisfaction.

"What's going on? This isn't what was promised! Wasn't it supposed to be that item?" someone boldly stood up and shouted, expressing their frustration.

At least he had some sense not to blurt out the original item's name.

The others took the opportunity to stir the waters. "Yeah, is this how the Treasure Pavilion treats its clients? Changing the auction item at the last minute—this is some masterful bait-and-switch. Who's to say if the original item even existed?"

"Exactly!"

"The Treasure Pavilion isn't so great after all."

"What a disappointment. Do you know how expensive your auction invitations were?"

"Came all this way for nothing—what a waste."

The number of people demanding an explanation grew.

Perhaps they hadn't come for that particular auction item, but now that they saw a potential benefit, they wanted their share.

With false expressions of righteousness, they stood atop the so-called "moral high ground," scrutinizing the auction house, determined to strip it of at least one layer of its dignity.

As the voices of protest grew louder downstairs, the private booths upstairs remained eerily silent, as if no one was there.

Illiya's gaze was filled with contempt as he looked down at the people below as if they were already dead men.

From his vantage point, he could see everyone on the floor below.

Every single person who stood up to feign disappointment, to criticize, or to clamor for justice—he silently memorized their faces.

None of these people had good intentions.

It was clear they were all after the dark elf.

Once the auction was over and he arrived at the city lord's mansion, he would settle the score—none of them would escape.

Unlike the reckless fools downstairs, the guests in the private boxes were far more cautious.

They hadn't uttered a single word beyond placing their bids.

With no way to discern their motives, he decided to put them aside for now.

The auctioneer on stage did not stop the commotion.

He simply watched the noisy crowd with his murky gray eyes.

To him, these "righteously indignant" people were nothing more than clowns—like a swarm of buzzing flies.

He couldn't be bothered to explain why the auction item had been switched, nor did he care what the original item was.

What did surprise him was that the swap had taken this long to happen.

From within the wide sleeves of his black robe, the auctioneer extended a withered hand, grabbed the black velvet cloth, and forcefully pulled it away.

The hidden auction item was finally revealed to the audience.

It was a delicate glass bottle.

The bottle itself was not the focus—the contents inside were what mattered.

Suspended in the center of the glass bottle was a natural elemental crystal.

The white crystal floated in the middle, radiating a faint glow.

It wasn't dazzling, but it was enough to make people envious.

The once-noisy auction hall fell silent in an instant.

No one was thinking about the previous auction item anymore—this was what they truly wanted.

After all, purchasing a dark elf would only lead to relentless pursuit from the elves, making it more trouble than it was worth.

However, acquiring a natural elemental crystal?

That was an entirely different story—securing such an item meant a future of boundless potential, possibly even overnight ascension.

Seeing the hall fall back into silence, the auctioneer smiled in satisfaction.

However before he could announce the start of the bidding, the sound of a military formation assembling echoed from the entrance.

A powerful voice boomed from outside the auction hall: "All of you inside, listen up! You are now surrounded. Do not attempt to contact anyone outside, and do not try to escape—it will be futile. Surrender immediately. Any resistance will be considered an act of defiance and will be met with immediate execution!"

Even those in the private boxes—protected by high-security barriers—could hear the announcement loud and clear.

Illiya was taken aback by the familiar voice.

Wasn't that the unfortunate Young Master Eoryun, the one who had been publicly "rejected" in a marriage dispute?

And now he was leading this operation?

His teacher hadn't mentioned that Eoryun would be the one coming.

More importantly, Eoryun's approach was unexpectedly bold.

Should he go out and make contact?

The mere thought of being the center of attention made Illiya hesitate.

Meanwhile, outside the auction hall, Eoryun wasn't done speaking.

He raised a loudspeaker, infused it with magic, and ensured his voice reached every single person inside.

"Give up your futile resistance! I don't care where you come from or who backs you. No matter how powerful your connections are, right now, you are standing in the Haneulsae City. Here, it doesn't matter if you're a dragon or a snake—you will behave yourselves. And don't accuse me, Eoryun, of abusing my authority.

"All of you are suspected of trafficking dark elves. If you don't raise your hands and walk out peacefully, I will be forced to take action. At that point, I won't be counting the casualties!"

"I'm giving you three seconds!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Eoryun deliberately paused for a moment, giving the people inside time to react and come out.

However, reality was completely different from what he imagined—it was like two separate worlds.

Not a single person had surrendered or stepped forward.

Since that was the case, he had no patience for further formalities.

Before being assigned this mission, the city lord had granted him special authority: if anyone resisted, they were to be executed on the spot.

Eoryun deeply despised those who engaged in the trafficking of sentient beings.

It was even more shocking that the prestigious Treasure Pavilion would participate in such activities—it was truly unexpected.