(5/5)
Anchor Hall
Chapter 525: Auction on the seventh basement level
“…”
Wen Jianyan expressionlessly put his sunglasses back on and got up to leave.
Bai Xue: “?”
Although he didn’t know what Wen Jianyan was trying to do, he also stood up without a word and followed closely behind him.
The deck was crowded.
The pool, the sun, the drinks… all the frenzy and clamor mixed into a warm-colored atmosphere that shot straight to the sky.
Wen Jianyan, in his beach shorts and floral shirt, was almost the most inconspicuous person there. He was like a nimble fish, diving headfirst into the dense crowd and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
That’s right, his coping strategy was simple, and that was…
To run!
Wen Jianyan practically oiled the soles of his feet, twisting and turning through the crowd in a mad dash. He ran out of the pool area in one breath and even circled a few times in a complex terrain area for good measure before finally stopping.
He caught his breath and looked around.
As far as the eye could see, there were only men and women reveling, each immersed in the pleasure of the moment, completely indifferent to everything around them.
The strange, white-haired, white-skinned boy had been thrown off somewhere, and there was no trace of him.
Wen Jianyan breathed a sigh of relief.
It seems he succeeded, thank heave…
The hem of his shirt was suddenly tugged.
Wen Jianyan froze and subconsciously looked down, right into a pair of pitch-black eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
To his side and slightly behind him, the white-haired, white-skinned boy stood expressionlessly, tilting his head to look at him.
Wen Jianyan: “…”
Ahhh, his head was splitting!
Ever since he won a few hands of poker against Bai Xue by cheating in the Prosperous Hotel instance, he had been completely entangled by this troublesome guy. What was worse… the other party was also very strong!
Wen Jianyan hardly dared to imagine what terrifying things the other would do if he found out that he had won by cheating.
So, it had turned into a situation where he couldn’t shake him off, nor could he afford to offend him.
Wen Jianyan was full of regret, wishing he could travel back in time and give himself a couple of slaps.
If he had known this would be the result, he would never have played cards with the other party!!!
The gain was not worth the loss!
Bai Xue tilted his head to look at him: “Coming?”
“No!” Wen Jianyan took a deep breath and refused through gritted teeth.
Bai Xue was puzzled: “Why?”
“Your skill is too poor,” Wen Jianyan lied without batting an eye.
With the bonus from his talent, Bai Xue’s card skills were actually not bad, and he could even rank in the top five among everyone Wen Jianyan knew.
If it weren’t for Wen Jianyan’s trump card of cheating, it would have been very difficult to win.
“Impossible,” Bai Xue frowned and replied decisively. “When I play with other people…”
Suddenly, a voice interjected from the side.
“Well now, little handsome, are you looking for someone to play with?” The next second, a hand rested on Bai Xue’s shoulder.
Bai Xue frowned and turned to look.
Having seemingly overheard a few words of their conversation, an anchor squeezed through the crowd and leaned close to Bai Xue.
His features were handsome enough, but his eyes had a strange, uncomfortable stickiness. He looked the boy before him up and down—although his eye color was unusual, Bai Xue had a beautiful face and fair skin, a perfect, exquisite snowman.
A suggestive smile appeared on the anchor’s face:
“What do you think of me? My skill is very high.”
“?”
Wen Jianyan blinked: “Wai…”
“Skill is very high?”
Hearing this, Bai Xue was taken aback and showed a thoughtful expression.
Wen Jianyan slowly took a step forward: “Wait…”
“Of course, you’ll know once you try.”
The smile on the anchor’s face widened, his restless hand wrapping around Bai Xue’s shoulder, as if preparing to lead him forward.
“?!”
Seeing Bai Xue about to be inexplicably led away right before his eyes, Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but jolt.
“Hey, hey!”
He couldn’t care about anything else now. He shot forward in a single bound, nimbly knocking away the accoster’s arm, and easily pulled Bai Xue back.
“Don’t just go around luring ignorant children!”
Seeing his arms empty, the accosting anchor’s face immediately darkened. He turned his head, but the moment his gaze fell on Wen Jianyan, he couldn’t help but be slightly stunned.
Clearly, when he was hitting on Bai Xue, he hadn’t gotten a clear look at Wen Jianyan’s appearance, and now…
The anchor’s strange gaze swept down from the young man’s face, lingering on the waist and abdomen revealed by his open shirt.
His expression gradually changed:
“What, handsome, you want to play too? It’s not impossible, you know?”
“…”
“Get lost,” Wen Jianyan said expressionlessly. “Not interested.”
He pulled Bai Xue and walked away, ignoring the accoster’s persistent attempts to keep them behind him.
The reveling crowd was very dense. Although the other party still wanted to follow, he was unable to, and could only give up unwillingly, watching as Wen Jianyan led Bai Xue out of sight.
Bai Xue: “Why can’t we play together?”
Wen Jianyan walked as if flying: “Children shouldn’t know.”
Another minute passed.
“You don’t want to participate?” Bai Xue seemed to have remembered the excuse Wen Jianyan used to refuse him earlier. He pondered for a few seconds and asked, “So, was that a group orgy?”
Wen Jianyan stumbled and came to an abrupt halt.
He turned his head, exasperated: “Children are not allowed to say that word!”
“…?”
Bai Xue tilted his head.
Although he didn’t know why Wen Jianyan was angry, he still obediently said “oh” and shut his mouth.
Finally pulling Bai Xue out of the danger zone, but before Wen Jianyan could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Bai Xue say in his usual, flat, indifferent tone:
“So, want to play cards now?”
Wen Jianyan: “…”
So tired.
He let go of Bai Xue’s hand and turned to look at him: “You really want to play with me?”
Bai Xue nodded.
“Then find something I want.” Wen Jianyan raised his hand, pressed it on Bai Xue’s head, pushing his head down. His tone was flippant and very improper.
“If you want someone to gamble with you, you have to put up a stake they can’t refuse… no stakes, no game, understand?”
Bai Xue was taken aback.
Before he could recover, the young man had already withdrawn his hand.
Wen Jianyan turned around nonchalantly, in his floral shirt and beach shorts, and waved without looking back:
“Bye-bye, little kid.”
Bai Xue’s appearance had disturbed Wen Jianyan’s mood for sunbathing. To prevent being pestered by him again, he went directly back to his own cabin.
Just as Ma Qi had exclaimed earlier…
The first-class cabins here were indeed super large and super luxurious.
There was a luxurious living room, a separate dining room and bedroom, and even a huge balcony with a private hot tub. Outside was the endless blue ocean, and the bright, brilliant sunlight slanted down, almost comparable to a five-star suite.
Wen Jianyan threw himself onto the snow-white bed, ordered a top-tier meal cooked by a private chef on his phone, and requested it to be delivered to his cabin.
Then, he casually picked up the paper brochure the waiter had mentioned and flipped through it.
Just as advertised, all kinds of entertainment were available here.
You could do anything you could imagine.
But… although that was the case, it was clear that the main and most crucial selling point of the cruise ship was not these.
[The Lucky].
The reason this cruise ship was given this name, apart from the fact that boarding it was a lucky journey in itself, was clearly also because it carried such a special existence.
The casino.
Out of a five-page brochure, three pages were related to the casino.
Wen Jianyan nonchalantly flipped through those three pages and came to the last one.
This was the internal layout map of the cruise ship.
The Lucky had a total of twenty-six floors. The middle part was for guest cabins, the stern was the casino, and the bow was the entertainment facilities area.
The cruise ship was extremely large, practically a floating steel castle on the ocean.
Suddenly, Wen Jianyan’s gaze swept lightly over this page. Suddenly, as if attracted by something, his gaze froze on a corner of the page.
He paused and subconsciously reached out, touching the bottom of the page.
Something was indented there.
A familiar method of intaglio engraving.
He paused, tilted the page, and looked at the corner against the sunlight.
It was a line of very faint golden text.
[Dear Black Gold VIP Exclusive User, you are welcome to play on the lower levels of the Lucky cruise ship. The specific method is as follows…]
“!”
Wen Jianyan jerked the brochure away, his heart pounding.
The lower levels of the Lucky cruise ship.
According to the information on the admission ticket, the “auction” he wanted to attend was on the seventh basement level of the Lucky.
And he had never heard before that the Lucky had basement levels.
He had seen this brochure many times before, but this was the first time he had discovered the small print in the corner…
Wen Jianyan recalled what Orange Candy had said to him before boarding the cruise.
“—You weren’t qualified before, so of course you wouldn’t know.”
Not qualified…
Wen Jianyan lowered his eyes, gazing at the brochure in his hand.
In his pocket, the black and gold admission ticket felt heavy.
So, he was qualified now, which was why he could see the entry method on the brochure?
“Knock, knock, knock.”
A knock on the cabin door.
Wen Jianyan was startled as if waking up. He shook his head, got out of bed, and walked to the cabin door.
The door opened.
It was the dinner he had ordered earlier.
A butler in a tuxedo and white gloves pushed a cart in, placing silver platters one by one in front of Wen Jianyan. The lids were lifted, and a rich aroma wafted out.
Dark red wine was poured into a transparent tall glass, making a tinkling sound.
“Please.”
The man bowed deeply and left.
Outside the open balcony, a salty sea breeze blew gently. A round, orange sunset was already approaching the sea surface. The near sea shimmered with light, looking very moving. It was almost hard to believe that he was not in the real world.
Although a dinner carefully prepared by a top chef was laid out before him, Wen Jianyan found it somewhat tasteless and just hurriedly filled his stomach with a few bites.
After a brief hesitation, he reached out and picked up the brochure again.
Wen Jianyan left the cabin alone.
He strictly followed the text guide on the brochure, weaving through the ship’s cabins. Soon, after turning a corner, an old-fashioned iron elevator suddenly appeared before him.
The entire cruise ship was modern, exquisite, and filled with a luxurious atmosphere, but…
This elevator looked completely out of place with its surroundings.
The iron railings were rusty, and even the wallpaper at the edge of the elevator seemed to have been corroded by time, faded and peeling. Yet, for such a jarring existence, there was no one around, as if no one else had discovered it.
Wen Jianyan’s gaze wavered, and he subconsciously took a step forward.
“Ding!”
A crisp sound came from the elevator. Wen Jianyan couldn’t help but jolt.
With a “clatter”, the iron railings automatically opened to one side, and the lights inside the elevator came on.
A waiter in a smart suit stood inside the elevator.
But… he didn’t know if it was because of the lighting, but this waiter’s face looked somewhat pale, and his eyes were strangely cold, yet he still wore a polite smile.
His gaze fell on Wen Jianyan:
“Respected guest, are you ready to go down?”
“…”
Wen Jianyan paused, and as if having made up his mind, he stepped into the elevator:
“Down.”
The light in the elevator was dim and flickering. The four walls were covered in red velvet, which inexplicably sent a chill down one’s spine.
The elevator’s control panel was made of brass and seemed very old. The white buttons on it were also faded, and one could only barely make out the shapes of the numbers.
Wen Jianyan’s gaze rested on the panel.
Among the buttons, the highest floor was 1.
And all the other buttons were negative numbers.
Wen Jianyan’s gaze moved down the panel. When his eyes landed on the number at the very bottom, he suddenly felt a chill down his back.
The basement levels of the Lucky cruise ship totaled…
Eighteen floors.
Suddenly, a polite voice came from beside his ear:
“Which floor would you like to go down to?”
Wen Jianyan paused, pulling himself out of his thoughts. He forced a smile:
“…Basement level seven.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.” The waiter smiled and pressed the [-7] button with his white-gloved finger.
Then, the small, old elevator began to operate, slowly descending.
The floor gradually rose, eventually disappearing completely from view. But after this floor disappeared, no more light appeared. Even though the floors were descending, it was still pitch black in front, as if they had entered another dimension.
Time passed, second by second.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the elevator stopped with a “ding.”
The iron doors clattered open.
The waiter turned to the side and said with an unchangingly polite attitude:
“Basement level seven has arrived. Please watch your step.”
“…Thank you.”
Wen Jianyan took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator.
What appeared before him was a vast, blood-red hall.
The floor was covered with a thick, blood-red carpet. It was hard to tell what animal’s fur it was made of, but the color was so vibrant that it almost made one suspect that blood would seep out if they stepped on it.
This didn’t seem to be the place where the auction was held, but merely the waiting hall outside. Dark red sofas were scattered about, and as far as the eye could see, there was not a single person.
Wen Jianyan strolled through the hall.
On the walls of the hall hung several large portraits. Although they were painted in rich colors, for some reason, the figures in them were all blurry. Everything above their shoulders was hidden in darkness, making them unrecognizable. One could only see the clothes they were wearing and pairs of crossed, pale hands.
Unconsciously, Wen Jianyan had reached the end of the hall.
There was a huge, heavy door.
The door was tightly closed, without a sound.
Wen Jianyan looked up and inexplicably felt an invisible pressure, making it almost difficult to breathe.
Even without any signs, he just knew…
The auction should be held behind the door.
But, before he could do anything, a smooth voice came from behind him: “Respected guest, are you lost?”
“?!”
Wen Jianyan was startled and whipped his head around.
A man in a tuxedo had appeared behind him at some point—Wen Jianyan had not heard a single sound the entire time, neither footsteps nor breathing, nothing.
His face was extremely pale. Although his attitude was polite, Wen Jianyan felt a familiar aura from him…
It was a certain cold, deathly smell.
“…No,” Wen Jianyan composed himself and replied, “I’m not lost.”
“You must be here for the auction, right?” The smile on the man’s face remained unchanged. “The auction will be held on time in six days. Before that, this venue will not be open to the public.”
“Excuse me.”
Wen Jianyan also put on a fake smile, looking very sincere. “It’s my first time attending an auction. I’m not very clear about these things.”
“So it’s a first-time guest.”
The man in the tuxedo bowed deeply to him. “A pleasure, a pleasure. My name is Carl Béar, and I am the auctioneer for this auction.”
“Since you are here for the first time,” Carl Béar straightened up, a courteous smile on his deathly pale face. “Please allow me to take the liberty of explaining the specific process for you, how about it?”
Wen Jianyan remained composed and nodded: “Please.”
“The day before the auction is held, we will display most of the auction items for this session, the specific auction times, and the relevant auction rules on this floor, so that the distinguished guests participating in the auction can prepare in advance,” Carl Béar said. “The duration of this auction is three days. Before the auction begins, we will verify the funds of all distinguished guests. This auction does not support any form of credit. In the event of insolvency, we will forcibly collect.”
“Before the auction officially begins, this floor is not open to the public.”
Carl Béar smiled as he looked at Wen Jianyan, his eyes cold and empty, like some kind of emotionless, cold-blooded animal. “Of course, if you wish for some entertainment, you can go to the casino area on basement levels one to six. It will be open to all distinguished guests around the clock.”
Wen Jianyan was secretly surprised.
Basement levels one to six were also casinos?
Was the casino here different from the one upstairs?
“Then, what about basement levels eight to eighteen?”
Wen Jianyan thought for a moment and asked.
Carl Béar: “Basement levels eight to eighteen are accommodation areas and require a room key to enter.”
Wen Jianyan forced a smile: “…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Carl Béar bowed deeply again. “It is my honor to serve a distinguished guest like you.”
No more information could be obtained.
After realizing this, Wen Jianyan nodded politely to Carl Béar, turned, and left this floor, returning to the elevator.
The waiter: “Which floor would you like to go to next?”
Wen Jianyan thought for a few seconds and seemed to have made up his mind:
“…Basement level six.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
As the button was pressed, the elevator began to move slowly again.
This time, Wen Jianyan didn’t have to wait long before the elevator arrived.
“Basement level six has arrived. Please watch your step.”
The waiter said.
Wen Jianyan nodded perfunctorily: “Thanks.”
He stepped out of the elevator, and what came into view was a vast casino, a hundred times more luxurious than the one on the surface. Everything glittered with gold, exuding an incomparable air of wealth.
In the hall to the left of the elevator door was the cashier’s counter. A pale-faced waiter stood behind it, smiling, waiting to exchange chips for the gamblers. Through the hall was the casino lobby.
To say this was a casino was less accurate than to say it was a VIP area with casino attributes.
The gambling tables were far apart, ensuring strong privacy. Behind each table sat a croupier in a suit and tie. Even if there were no gamblers at the table in front of them, they still maintained a smile, not slacking off in the slightest.
Wen Jianyan had been to the “surface” casino on the Lucky before. The atmosphere there was very similar to the real world, with clamorous sounds everywhere: screams, laughter, crying, rage, the sound of dice shaking, the clinking of glasses, the music of slot machines… all the sounds condensed into a wave of desire that made newcomers dizzy.
But here…
It was completely different.
As far as the eye could see, there was hardly a soul here. It was extremely quiet.
So… this should be the place where only distinguished guests with black and gold auction admission tickets could come to play.
Wen Jianyan took a step forward, about to walk in, when the waiter behind the cashier’s counter called out to him:
“Sir, please exchange for chips.”
“?” Wen Jianyan turned his head to look. “What, I can’t go in without exchanging chips?”
The waiter’s face wore an unchanging smile: “That is correct.”
Wen Jianyan’s brow twitched.
Although he had enough points, he didn’t really want to gamble.
But…
Indeed, many casinos had such a rule: no entry without exchanging for chips.
Thinking this, Wen Jianyan walked forward, preparing to casually exchange a few chips as an entry ticket.
Suddenly, a hoarse female voice came from behind:
“No need, he’s with me.”
Wen Jianyan was taken aback and subconsciously turned to look.
Before he even saw the person, a fragrant breeze wafted over.
Wrapped in that fragrant breeze was a graceful woman of stunning beauty.
She had a pair of charming eyes like smoke and mist, and her slender, white-onion-like fingers held a long, thin ladies’ cigarette, like a red-sleeved scimitar that could kill without shedding blood, beautiful and deadly.
“We meet again, little newcomer with the sweet words.”
Wen Jianyan was startled, and a layer of cold sweat subconsciously broke out on his back.
He would naturally not forget this face.
Dan Zhu.
Ranked third in Nightmare, not only the only beauty anchor in the top ten but also the president of the Eternal Day guild.
Dan Zhu opened her red lips, took hold of the cigarette filter, and took a light, slow drag, blowing it gently in Wen Jianyan’s direction.
“Go on, play a few hands.”
Seeing his subconscious backward lean and tense movement, Dan Zhu smiled happily:
“Put all expenses on my tab.”
__
Author’s Note:
Here comes the real rich woman!!
Simplemente me encanta 😍😍😍