CH.55 God of Auctions (2)
Han Hyun-min concealed a smile at the corner of his mouth.
In a low voice, he placed his bid.
-400 million.
-500 million.
Another twist occurred once again.
This time, Do Jae-hyun placed a competing bid without hesitation.
When he bid 300 million, his face wrinkled in annoyance, but when he bid 500 million, his expression remained blank.
It was the same face he had when he first bid.
While it might seem unchanged to others, Han Hyun-min understood the significance.
‘He’s determined to take it.’
When competition arises for the desired item, he engages in competitive bidding without hesitation. His attitude indicates a strong determination to acquire this item.
And such a demeanor…
‘That’s your mistake, Do Jae-hyun.’
For him, a hunter of auctions, it was nothing but a prey full of flaws.
-1 billion.
With confidence, Han Hyun-min swiftly raised the bidding unit.
As the competition ensued with increments of 100 million, the price suddenly jumped to 5 billion.
While such price fluctuations are common in auctions, intense price competition for unappraised items is rare.
Of course, there are times when competition for unappraised items goes beyond several tens of billions of won.
For instance, domestically classified artifacts deemed as ‘items’.
Items steeped in history could be legendary or, even if not legendary, possess significant performance.
Auction prices are determined considering these aspects.
In fact, even the [Sword of Repentance], an unappraised item at the time, achieved an auction price of 90 billion based on excavation circumstances, conditions, and the item’s appearance.
However, this auction item had no relevant basis…
A completely unappraised live item.
Even if it were sold for just 100 million, it would sell well.
And around that time…
The surrounding Holders started to stir.
“What’s this? 1 billion?”
“What’s so special that you’d bid 1 billion? Isn’t it an unappraised item?”
“Hey, hey, that person is him. He’s a dedicated Holder from the Sunset’s Flower. His auction success rate is incredible, so shouldn’t we follow his lead?”
“Man, you followed, thinking something good would come out of the unappraised item. What in God’s name are you bidding 1 billion for?”
Unappraised items are, quite literally, speculative items.
No matter how much money holders make, spending over 1 billion on such items is foolish.
Only A-grade Holders can afford such sums comfortably.
And they aren’t interested in unappraised items.
With their financial resources, they can purchase verified items and still have plenty left over.
‘Now, how will it turn out, Do Jae-hyun?’
Han Hyun-min gazed at him with keen interest.
Although not clearly visible from a distance, his expression was caught—twisting and turning.
A look that seemed unsolved.
His second change in expression since Han Hyun-min’s initial bid.
-1 billion. Is there no one else bidding? If not, I will conclude the bidding after the third bid. 1 billion, 1 billion…
And just before the auctioneer’s declaration of the winner…
Do Jae-hyun placed a new bid.
-2 billion.
“2 billion?”
“What’s going on? How’s this flowing?”
“Could there really be something special about that item? Shouldn’t we buy it right now?”
“Oh, I don’t know. If you want it, you buy it. How much did I lose by following the previous unappraised item?!”
A bid of 2 billion.
The price doubled in an instant.
The commotion among the onlookers intensified, and Han Hyun-min was also surprised, staring at him.
‘He’s bidding so aggressively.’
Something is up.
There’s definitely something.
The situation isn’t easily understandable.
Suspicious behavior.
Han Hyun-min felt his hypothesis gaining strength.
‘There must be runes or items involved.’
Skills or items that can roughly assess unappraised items.
He hadn’t experienced them firsthand, but he’d heard about them from other Holders he’d encountered at auctions.
They seemed to know something and participated in auctions with such conditions.
And those unappraised items were almost always big hits.
Special auction conditions he’d only heard about.
Do Jae-hyun was certainly participating with such conditions.
Even if he had a feeling, would he just bid 2 billion right away?
Unless he could use related runes to check unappraised items.
It was an amount that wouldn’t come easily.
‘Perhaps he thought I’d drop out.’
It’s only natural.
This amount is not something you’d bid on just out of competition.
If you followed here, you’d actually be the fool.
But Han Hyun-min smiled inwardly.
‘It’s still early, Do Jae-hyun.’
At least in terms of Holder auctions.
He was a veteran who played above Do Jae-hyun’s head.
“Eun-chul, is the Holder with the appraisal skill waiting outside?”
Han Hyun-min asked his junior clan member next to him.
Before this auction, he received support from the clan, totaling 40 billion won and a Holder with an ‘appraisal’ skill affiliated with the clan.
The clan demanded that he win items they required and, at his discretion, acquire items that would benefit the clan.
This was possible due to Han Hyun-min’s numerous auction successes as a member of <Sunset’s Flower>.
Thanks to this, he obtained many valuable items using approximately 33 billion won.
Leaving around 7 billion.
It was still more than enough to deal with a rookie Holder.
“Yes, he’s waiting outside.”
“He will go to the 6th floor reception desk after this item’s auction ends. Get this item and prepare for appraisal immediately.”
“Understood.”
Unlike regular items, …
Unappraised items can be received by proxy. Due to the lengthy auction duration, many Holders want to appraise the items immediately and check the information. That’s why junior clan members are assigned to handle proxy receiving. This unappraised item, it’s certain that he will be the one to receive it.
-3 billion.
-4 billion.
Han Hyun-min placed a bid of 3 billion.
And Do Jae-hyun immediately followed with a bid of 4 billion.
Although it’s hard to believe that a rookie Holder he’s never heard of has that kind of financial power, he probably isn’t falsely bidding. If he doesn’t have that amount when receiving the bid, heavy penalties and fines will be imposed. It’s not a market where bluffing can easily win.
‘Huhu, he’s lost his mind.’
Do Jae-hyun, seen from a distance, seemed a bit desperate.
He probably thought he could easily push him out when he bid 2 billion, so he must be frustrated bidding 3 billion right away. This unappraised item is a treasure that only Do Jae-hyun knows about.
‘He was good at the beginning, but he makes mistakes in crucial moments. He’s still inexperienced.’
Han Hyun-min clicked his tongue.
He thought he was facing a newcomer opponent he hadn’t seen in a while. Unfortunately, it was only up to this point. An unexpected competitor emerged, leading to hesitation and bidding. Even the undesired price rose, leading to irrational bidding. The buildup he had been creating at the beginning was good, but when it mattered most, he made mistakes. Han Hyun-min felt a vague sense of regret, pressed the buzzer, and spoke up.
-7 billion.
That was the end of it.
“Ah…”
The sound of despairing exclamation reached this far.
Do Jae-hyun gave up bidding due to the overwhelming price increase. Even though he’s good at auctions, he’s still a rookie Holder. Financially, he couldn’t surpass Han Hyun-min, who received support from his clan.
After an intense psychological battle, it was Han Hyun-min’s victory with a material advantage.
‘Got it!’
After the auction was completed.
Even though the auction continued, Han Hyun-min was too excited to spare attention for anything else. His focus was solely on the item he had just won, a peculiar unappraised item.
‘Hehe, at least Epic-grade, and if I’m really lucky, maybe even Legendary-grade.’
The outcome had already been determined.
Han Hyun-min had hunted auction participants like this many times before. He would sell such items to unsuspecting rookies at high prices, and when he encountered participants who knew something about auctions, he would use psychological tactics and overwhelming funds to secure victory. This time was the first encounter with an opponent and he was slightly confused by the opponent’s strong start, but…
Waiting for an opening, he found the reversal to be quite easy. He just shook his opponent a little, and the opponent fell as if surrendering. Once again, his high auction success rate rose in an instant.
About 30 minutes passed like this.
The junior clan member who had left for the reception desk returned.
“Holder Han Hyun-min?”
“Oh, right. You came, finally. What happened?”
“That… “
The junior clan member handed over a sword with a hesitant movement.
It meant for him to check it personally.
‘What is this?.’
If he had appraised this incredibly valuable item, the junior guy should be surprised, right? But Han Hyun-min wasn’t too concerned. His auction today was perfect. If the results weren’t good, the person checking them must have bad eyesight.
After receiving the sword and checking the information, his face turned incredulous.
“This… “
His face was filled with an expression of disbelief.
Today’s auction was perfect. If the results weren’t good, the person checking them must have…
‘Could it be… my eyes?’
Doubts like that were inevitable.
At the very least, Epic-grade.
Maybe even Legendary-grade for this eagerly anticipated unappraised item.
But the result was…
<Item Information>
â—ŽName: Rusty Iron Sword
â—ŽType: Sword
â—ŽGrade: Normal
â—ŽDurability: Critical (Needs Repair)
â—ŽMaker: –
–
â—ŽSpecial Effect: –
â—ŽDetailed Information:Â An ordinary iron sword. The durability is compromised due to heavy rust, so it might break even when cutting something.
Even if you were told to find it, it would be hard to find.
It was a trash sword.
“This doesn’t make sense…”
To think that he had invested the clan’s funds of 7 billion won for such a thing.
For a Normal sword that seemed like it could break at any moment.
Burning 7 billion won for this?
Han Hyun-min quickly turned his head to look at Do Jae-hyun.
He felt frustrated for buying the unappraised item…
And even more.
Do Jae-hyun was participating in the auction with the same expressionless face again!
‘…I fell for it!’
There were never any runes or items that could check unappraised items in advance.
The expressionless face.
The seemingly startled demeanor.
The hasty bidding.
It was all a façade.
He had simply eliminated one competitor through bluffing, just like Han Hyun-min did to rookie auction participants.
‘No way. Who is this kid who built up like this from the start?’
He couldn’t believe his eyes as he looked at Do Jae-hyun.
While Han Hyun-min had been conscious of Do Jae-hyun all along, he was conducting his own auctions according to the clan’s demands.
He had spent 33 billion won on items using that fund.
With the remaining 7 billion, he planned to hunt for Do Jae-hyun’s pick.
But it turns out that was his plan from the beginning.
He waited for Han Hyun-min to spend the 33 billion.
Thinking about it, he burst out laughing.
And muttered absentmindedly.
“That little… He’s the God of Auctions.”
This was nice, psychological warfare
Despite making lose if they can burst out laughing you call them respectable veteran