By now, the dynamic was glaringly obvious to everyone in the room.
The only players left in this high-stakes game were The Sterling Sovereign and Anonymous Bidder 01.
Based on the previous rhythm, the second Anonymous Bidder 01 raised, The Sterling Sovereign would immediately fire back.
What would the number be this time?
A hundred and forty billion?
Or would he just skip straight to an even more devastating figure?
Inside his room, The Raven was also waiting.
He was infinitely more anxious than anyone on the auction floor.
His bloodshot eyes were glued to the screen. His grip on the terminal was so tight that his hand had grown stiff.
His mind raced, frantically calculating whatever liquid funds he still had access to.
Every last cent Obsidian Sun could deploy via Project Zero-Transit was now riding on this bid.
A hundred and thirty billion.
That was the entirety of the wealth he had painstakingly accumulated over years of operations on Project Zero-Transit.
It was his absolute breaking point.
If The Sterling Sovereign threw another ten billion on top...
Could he afford to match it?
No.
At least, not right now.
The ship's security had severed his private communications, and all his internal alliance privileges were frozen solid.
The only tool left at his disposal was this heavily monitored bidding channel.
He had absolutely no way to transfer external funds on such short notice.
The Raven's breathing grew harsher, his eyes refusing to leave the screen for even a millisecond.
His fingers dug fiercely into the edge of the terminal.
Just as his heart felt ready to beat out of his chest, The Sterling Sovereign's suite remained... agonizingly quiet.
The bidding indicator light refused to illuminate.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
...
Absolute silence radiated from the suite.
The Raven blinked, the already-taut wire of his anxiety stretching to the snapping point.
Why weren't they bidding?
What twisted game was The Panacea playing now?
Were they planning to wait until the very last nanosecond to brutally crush his bid?
He was so traumatized by her manipulations that even her inaction felt like she was winding up for a fatal strike.
The Lead Auctioneer was clearly
sosefully dragging Quet
the
"One hundred and thirty...
billion dollars, going once .net>
No new lights flashed across the floor.
The auctioneer gripped his gavel, scanning the crowd one more time.
Finally, he locked eyes on The Sterling Sovereign's suite and cleared his throat. "Ladies and
is
gentlemen, Specimen Fourteen our final living asset of the evening. We are at one hundred and thirty bittion. Are there any further bids from our esteemed guests?"
"Ahem, one hundred and thirty billion dollars..." "Going... twice!"
The man stretched every single syllable to the limit.
The Raven swallowed hard.
He glared at the screen, wishing the host would just shut his mouth.
If no one was bidding, why wouldn't he drop the damn hammer?!
What the hell was he stalling for?!
...
Meanwhile, inside the ultra-luxury suite.
Serena casually tossed the bidding terminal onto the sofa beside her She leaned back languidly against Nicholas's chest, showing absolutely zero intention of continuing the fight.
FindNovel.net
Nicholas raised an eyebrow, gazing down at her. "What? Done playing?"
Serena smiled softly. "Yeah. This number seems just right."
His fingers idly twirled a lock of her hair. "Only a hundred and thirty billion. I thought
you liked it."
Serena looked up, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Who said I liked it? I have absolutely zero interest in a monster like that."
Seeing the wicked, cunning gleam in her eyes, Nicholas let out a low, rumbling laugh and pulled her even tighter against him.
Nestled comfortably in his embrace, Serena shifted her gaze to the main screen.
One hundred and thirty billion.
Her lips curved into a sharp, satisfied smile.