Chapter 16: Nightmare, Section 9

Two days later, the auction was held as scheduled in the largest square on Silver Star. On this day, representatives from almost all factions gathered in this square known as Sky Dome, waiting for the person they had long anticipated. In fact, Sky Dome was not really suitable for commercial use; it served merely as a symbol on Silver Star—a symbol of a highly developed commercial civilization. As a result, its area was astonishingly large at thirty hectares. The ground was covered entirely with smooth and sturdy alloys. A huge, hexagonal purple crystal sat at the center of the square, emitting a dreamlike beauty under the light of countless surrounding lamps.

If anyone thought this crystal was man-made, they were wrong. Unless one saw it with their own eyes, no one would believe that this massive hexagonal crystal was actually pure amethyst ore, whose value was immeasurable. The Silver Star government spent astronomical amounts of money each year to protect it. No one ever dared to challenge the dignity of this planet in this place.

Yet today, this vast 30-hectare square was packed to the brim. The Silver Star government deployed 5,000 troops to maintain order, but to no avail. This situation was something no one had expected at all.

All of this, of course, was thanks to Koko’s arrangements. This shrewd Ganluo star native invested heavily to hold the auction here—tons of crystal coins were spent just on publicity. But it was all worth it. In such a spacious area, other factions gathering together could hardly coexist harmoniously, giving Black Hair more opportunities.

And indeed, despite the crowded crowd, it was clear that people were divided into several factions, staying to themselves. If Blood Pupils were here, they could easily identify their origins. The Pirate Alliance, the Hunter Guild, the Assassin Guild, the Five Major Families—oh, aside from the Interstellar Fleet, almost all major factions could be found here. Any one of these factions could cause a huge stir in the universe. How could they possibly coexist peacefully when gathered here? Although they maintained a ridiculous facade of peace on the surface, secret conflicts raged beneath, with their hostility openly displayed.

But soon, the situation became clear. As a group of people gradually appeared on the east side of the square, the noisy chatter suddenly ceased. Everyone’s gaze was drawn to those figures.

A young man with black hair, accompanied by a few companions, walked smiling down the path they had left behind. Despite being watched by countless people, he showed no sign of discomfort, merely smiling gently while occasionally glancing around. His relaxed and natural expression seemed like that of someone strolling after a meal.

Could he really be the owner of the Cemisi ore!?

The crowd in the auction hall began to stir, with countless whispers blending together like a noisy buzz, creating a very uncomfortable atmosphere.

Yet the black-haired man paid no attention to this. He quickly made his way to the center of the square, to the spot reserved for him—right next to the huge hexagonal amethyst ore. There, six figures had already been waiting for some time.

A bearded man, a thin man clad in black clothes, a graceful and pretty girl, a handsome young man in blue casual clothes, and Betty from the Beth family, whom the black-haired man had seen before, along with a little boy who appeared to be about twelve or thirteen years old, with a cute appearance, chewing on a string of candied haws.

Six people… six factions?

The black-haired man smiled calmly, as if unimpressed, simply nodding slightly before sitting down on the chair in front of them. Blood-eyed and Baroka immediately stepped behind him.

“I’m really sorry for being late.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s already a great honor to meet you. I’ve always been curious about who could possess so much Cemisi ore. Now I finally see you. You’re quite impressive.” Unexpectedly, the first to speak was none other than the youngest of the six—a little boy. As he chomped on his candied haws, he spoke indistinctly, then stretched out his chubby little hand toward the black-haired man.

The black-haired man was momentarily stunned before quickly reacting. He smiled slightly and extended his hand in return, shaking the little boy’s hand.

This gesture caused the pupils of the others to narrow sharply, but none of them showed any reaction. The little boy, however, laughed. He proudly waved the hand that the black-haired man had just shaken in front of everyone, with a sly smile.

Only then did everyone notice that his right hand was covered in sticky, shiny syrup—probably from the candied haws. He had used that hand to shake hands with the black-haired man… didn’t that mean…?

“Haha, you’re really good. You knew about my little trick yet still shook my hand. I admire you. Young man, my name is Richa. I like you.” The little boy smiled triumphantly and casually threw the eaten candied haws down below the stage, speaking in an aged tone. Despite his youthful appearance, his voice was so old-fashioned that it gave off an extremely eerie feeling.

Richa? One of the Five Great Families? Baroka, who was behind the black-haired man, immediately grew serious, his gaze toward the little boy changing.

No matter what his appearance was, just the name of one of the Five Great Families meant he couldn’t be underestimated. Someone who could represent such a family and sit here was definitely no easy opponent. Baroka didn’t dare take him lightly.

The auction today seemed harmonious on the surface, but the hidden currents beneath could only be understood by those who experienced them firsthand. In short, the group led by the black-haired man was prey for these powerful forces. No one would be satisfied until they got what they wanted.

“My name is Hei Fa. I’m glad to meet you all here,” Hei Fa said with a smile, responding to the little boy.

“Stop talking nonsense. We’re not here to hear your self-introduction. Quickly bring out the Cemisi ore, and the rest has nothing to do with you. Kid, I advise you to be honest. Otherwise, I guarantee the Assassins’ Guild will make sure you can’t leave this square.” Seeing Hei Fa’s calm demeanor, the man in all black couldn’t hold back and suddenly interjected.

But before he could finish speaking, the bearded man next to him suddenly slammed the table.

“Shut up!! You coward who dares not show your face, sit down! Do you know who’s in front of you? Damn it, he’s one of the greatest leaders of our alliance. If you keep talking nonsense, I swear I’ll break your neck right now!!”

The bearded man’s voice was so loud that not only those on the platform but also people within hundreds of meters around could hear it clearly. Immediately, many people’s expressions changed.

It was too unexpected. This news was truly surprising. They never could have guessed that the owner of the Cemisi ore had such a status and such deep ties with the Pirate Alliance. This shocked almost everyone.

Not only them, but the others on the platform were also stunned by the man’s sudden outburst and fell silent.

They hadn’t expected such a major twist to occur before the main event even started, disrupting all their original plans. If what the bearded man said was true, they would need to completely adjust their strategies. Clearly, the Pirate Alliance would never sit idly by and let Hei Fa get away unscathed.

And the black-haired man, who was the instigator, showed no sign of dissatisfaction at all. He simply raised a finger and tapped the table.
“Calm down, everyone. I know why you’re here. I don’t see any need for infighting at this moment. To be blunt, you should be targeting me instead.”
What?
Everyone’s attention turned back to the black-haired man. Shock appeared on everyone’s face.
Was this young man with black hair really fearless? How dare he make such a provocation in such a situation and atmosphere? Didn’t he know that any of the leaders present could end his life with just a yawn?
“No, Leader Blackhair. That’s not what I meant. I’m Jerry, the leader of the Thunderstorm Team. I’m here at the Speaker’s request. He doesn’t know that you’re the owner of these Cemxi ores. Please forgive my rudeness. But rest assured, our Pirate Alliance has never had a tradition of infighting. Whoever dares to touch you even a little will have their life taken away!” the bearded man hurriedly argued.
“What boldness…” The blue-clothed youth, who had remained silent until now, grew displeased. He smirked disdainfully. “Our Warriors Association wants to see just how much you pirates can do to us.”
After saying that, he turned to face the black-haired man.
“Mr. Blackhair. You must understand why we’re all gathered here. What are your plans? To be clear, everyone here knows how valuable the Cemxi ores are and wants them desperately. So, this sale must be fair. We don’t care how much it costs—we only care if anyone is trying to manipulate things.”
“Good!” The words of the blue-clothed youth resonated with everyone. They all nodded in agreement, even the representative of the Assassins Guild, who had been arrogant at first, had to agree.
There was no choice—after all, none of them were easy opponents. Anyone trying to pull a trick would likely fail. Under these circumstances, fairness might indeed be the only option.
The black-haired man thought the same. So he nodded in agreement, his gaze toward the youth showing a hint of admiration.

“Very good, then I won’t waste any more time with nonsense. As for how the Cemexi ore came about, I won’t explain it to individuals. But I still have ten tons of ore with me—quite a significant amount. I also understand the value of this ore. Make your bids; as long as they satisfy me, why not give it to you?” After saying that, the dark-haired man seemed to remember something and suddenly raised a finger, shaking it.
“But I want you all to understand—I’m not taking any money for this auction.”
“What!!!?” Everyone exclaimed in shock.
No money? Then what does he want?