novelones Chapter 236 A Battle of Wits in Bidding: A Psychological Game!
Chapter 236 A Battle of Wits in Bidding: A Psychological Game!
The entire venue fell silent, and everyone's attention was focused on the VIP box where Su Chen was.
The elders of the Star Devouring Cult and the "original owner" in the corner were also waiting for his bid.
"Twenty-one million..."
Su Chen's voice rang out slowly and deliberately, and he paused for a moment.
Then he announced a number that shocked everyone.
"...Zero One".
"Twenty-one million and one soul crystals."
Dead silence.
A deathly silence that lasted for several seconds.
Then, the entire venue erupted in chaos!
"What's going on?"
"Zero One? He added a Soul Crystal?!"
"What is this? This is humiliation! Utter humiliation!"
This offer has completely deviated from the scope of bidding and has become a kind of high-handed, cat-and-mouse game!
"Aaaaaah!!"
From the corner of the private room came a suppressed roar of anger.
The original owner was completely enraged.
A venomous thought flashed through Su Chen's mind: [That bastard! He's playing me! He doesn't even respect me! Does he think I'm only worth a soul crystal?!]
Blinded by rage, the original owner practically roared out the new price: "Twenty-five million!!"
He added nearly four million in one go, just to prove that he wasn't a poor guy who couldn't afford the price.
However, his anger played right into Su Chen's hands.
Before the auctioneer could speak, Su Chen's voice rang out again, still in that calm and collected tone.
"Twenty-five million and one."
Another Soul Crystal!
Same tricks, same humiliation!
Inside the Star Devouring Cult's private room, the black-robed elder's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He realized that "Dust's" target from the very beginning was not that troublemaker in the corner, but him!
This "dust" is using this method to make the ultimate provocation to him and the Star Devouring Cult!
"This is outrageous!!!"
The elder roared, "Thirty million! I'll put up thirty million! I'd like to see if you can add another one!"
He tried to disrupt Su Chen's rhythm and regain the initiative by using a huge price range.
Thirty million and one.
Su Chen's response was as fast as a pre-programmed sequence, without the slightest hesitation or pause.
"puff--"
The "original owner" in the corner private room felt a mouthful of blood rise to his throat.
He understood completely.
From beginning to end, he was merely a tool used by this mysterious tycoon named "Dust" to provoke and manipulate the Star Devouring Cult!
He was like a clown jumping around, being manipulated at will on stage.
【Good! Good for 'Dust'! Good for the Star-Eating Cult!】
Another barrage of comments filled with despair and madness flashed by.
[You just wait! You all just wait! Since you want it so badly, then let you fight over it! I'll watch you dogs fight! In the end, whoever gets it, I'll make them pay a bloody price!]
That hoarse voice fell completely silent.
The original owner was forced out of the game by Su Chen using the simplest and most brutal psychological warfare.
However, the seeds of hatred he planted before leaving were simultaneously aimed at Su Chen and the Star Devouring Cult.
Su Chen has achieved half of his goal.
Now, only his final showdown with the Star Devouring Cult remains on the field.
After the "original owner" withdrew, the black-robed elder did not feel relieved at all; on the contrary, he felt even greater pressure.
He felt like an enraged bull, and that "dust" was the matador holding the red cloth, elegantly teasing him.
Every offer from the other party was like a needle, precisely pricking his most sensitive nerve.
"Calm down! We must calm down!"
The elder forced himself to sit down.
He knew that whoever lost their temper first would lose.
"Prophet, calculate his psychological bottom line and financial limit," Su Chen commanded the AI in his mind.
"Calculation in progress... Based on the other party's emotional fluctuations, the sect's financial resources model, and the importance of this mission... a conclusion has been reached!"
"The other party's final acceptable price is around 40 million soul crystals. If it exceeds this price, he will not be able to bear the responsibility for failure."
"Forty million..." Su Chen had a good idea of what was going on.
Thirty-five million.
The elder in black robes announced a new price, his voice now calm.
Thirty-six million.
Su Chen stopped using a soul crystal to provoke him and instead used a more oppressive method.
By gradually eroding his resolve through moderate price increases, he was slowly worn down.
Thirty-seven million!
The elder spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Thirty-eight million."
Su Chen's voice followed closely behind.
……
The entire audience fell silent, not uttering a single sound.
Everyone's sight and hearing were focused entirely on the bidding between the two.
Because they know that the final outcome will be decided soon.
They also wanted to know who the final winner would be.
Meanwhile, in everyone's mind, who exactly is the person who dares to challenge the Star Devouring Cult?
Could there be a powerful force backing them up behind the scenes?
Or perhaps the other party is very strong, which is why they are so calm?
These questions fueled a deep curiosity in everyone's hearts; their eyes held both doubt and curiosity, eager to know how the story would unfold.
In their seemingly uneventful exchange, the price gradually approached that critical point.
When the price reached "thirty-nine million," the Star Devouring Cult's private room had been silent for a long time.
The black-robed elder's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
This price is already close to the limit of what he can afford.
If he fails at the next level, he will face extremely severe punishment upon returning to the church.
But he was absolutely unwilling to give up like that!
Just as he was struggling with this internal conflict, Su Chen's devilish voice rang out again.
"Forty million."
A clean and crisp integer.
It was just right, hitting the very point where the elder's nerves were about to snap!
This price was like the last straw, completely breaking down the black-robed elder's psychological defenses.
He slumped into the chair, his whole body drenched in cold sweat, unable to utter another word.
He lost.
We lost completely.
The auctioneer's voice trembled with excitement: "Forty million! Forty million soul crystals! Is there any higher bid?!"
"Forty million once!"
"Forty million twice!"
"Forty million... Sold!!"
"Congratulations, Mr. 'Dust' of the VIP box! This cosmic treasure is now yours!"
The auction gavel slammed down, sealing the deal.
Su Chen successfully bid for the incomplete map at a price that seemed exorbitant but was actually the result of meticulous calculation.
He slowly stood up, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.
He knew that the end of the auction was just the beginning.
The real danger is about to strike.