The scene settled back into calm, and many of the performing guests began to appear.
However, after the incident, many attendees felt a strange atmosphere at the venue, especially at table number five, which only had four people.
Ye Longlin, Mu Hanqi, Murong Tianyun, and Mu Ye.
The original plan was for ten people per table, but now, naturally, six people would not get to eat.
"Distinguished guests, the performance part of the charity gala has concluded. Next, we will move on to the auction. We believe there are quite a few special VIPs present. Allow me to briefly explain the rules.
We will have ten auction items in total. The prices for these ten items will be announced. If the price exceeds the item's value, eighty percent of the auction price will be given to the original seller, and the premium portion will be transferred to the Great Xia Charity Federation under the supervision of our on-site staff.
This charity federation is undertaken by Wang's Auction House. You can rest assured about our reputation. Now, I invite the first auction item!"
"The first item is a painting, Mr. Qi's last work before his passing, titled '98-Year-Old Gourd.' The lines in this painting exhibit a sense of weakness, and Mr. Qi passed away at the age of ninety-three, not ninety-eight. Furthermore, there has been considerable controversy surrounding this painting's previous auction price of a staggering 22.4 million yuan.
This is because it is considered Mr. Qi's worst work, and the error in the signature suggests that Mr. Qi was mentally disoriented before his death. After this, Mr. Qi became so weak that he could not get out of bed.
However! Some believe this is Mr. Qi's best work, as it is not a painting at all but was created by Mr. Qi in his dying moments. It is an expression of spirit, a celestial masterpiece.
The starting bid is zero yuan, with a minimum increment of ten thousand yuan. The bidding begins now."
This auction was the centerpiece of the charity gala. The funds raised would be used to support impoverished mountainous regions. Of course, it was also a form of celebrity endorsement, a common tactic in the entertainment industry to gain attention by simply appearing on the red carpet and making the news.
"Since this charity gala was initiated by me, I'll start things off. Fifty million!"
No one spoke. Buying this thing for over twenty million yuan... A significant number of people found it unlucky, as in Great Xia, anything associated with the deceased is often subconsciously considered inauspicious.
Yet, the Twelve Zodiac Heads, stained with countless drops of blood, were not considered unlucky by anyone.
It was truly interesting.
"Fifty million, first call."
"Fifty million, second call."
"Fifty million... third call!"
"Let us congratulate Mr. Shi Yi, Chairman of Rock Group from Rongcheng's Shi family, for acquiring this painting."
With this opening, the subsequent items proceeded smoothly until the tenth item. The auctioneer took the stage and slowly began, "The tenth auction item is not a physical object, but a piece of information. I suspect this information might be useful to a major figure present.
The seller states they are willing to donate one hundred million yuan for the buyer to acquire this information. Of course, if it fails to sell, the funds will be returned to the original source."
"This information pertains to a person from the north who was pursued to the south over twenty years ago and subsequently joined the military. To be precise, it is a list, a list of quite a few of those pursuers back then."
Upon hearing this, Ye Longlin's brow furrowed intensely.
Over twenty years ago, a person from the north was pursued to the south and joined the military...
All these pieces of information pointed directly at Ye Longlin, and moreover, it was a significant list!
This was quite intriguing.
"Hiss! The person behind this has quite the nerve, starting with one hundred million yuan, equivalent to giving this information away for free. And this one hundred million is a favor to the buyer, donated in the buyer's name. Who could it be, to pay such a price?"
"Who says not? However, this is not something we can discuss casually. A person from the north joining the military clearly indicates they have achieved a high position within the military. Now that they are returning to settle scores, and this list is being provided after being revealed, I suspect it's an act of appeasement."
"This is not something we should discuss. Everyone, shut up, or you might be dealt with along with them later!"
A group of people began to exchange glances, all feeling a sense of shock. The appearance of such a matter was clearly unexpected.
As they were discussing, Ye Longlin tapped the table, and the entire venue immediately fell silent.
"Bring it down."
With just three words, everyone present gasped in unison!
Could it be this top-tier figure?
Everyone's minds buzzed. They knew full well the terrifying power of this magnate. The people in the South Province Mansion dared not speak further, and even the Murong family members treated him with great respect. His status was undoubtedly extraordinary!
Coupled with his subordinate referring to himself as 'Your humble servant' earlier...
This...
Upon hearing this, the auctioneer respectfully handed over a guest list and then said calmly, "Prepare paper and pen."
The auctioneer spoke into a walkie-talkie, "Half a minute for paper and pen."
In less than half a minute, someone respectfully brought a tray and bowed deeply.
"Is that... an rms05 pen? There are only five in Great Xia, I never expected to see one here!"
"The pen body is coated with over a thousand layers of the manufacturing company's independently developed NTPT carbon fiber material, making it very complex to produce. Furthermore, the nib is crafted from 18K white gold, and the pen's interior houses a Swiss watch movement. The movement uses grade 5 titanium and is built with 12 rubies.
This movement plays a significant role, enabling the pen to operate mechanically. After writing, closing the cap triggers a mechanism, causing the nib to automatically retract, all thanks to this movement that allows for mechanical operation.
Only fewer than 50 rms05 pens were released worldwide. This pen is not something one can acquire merely with money."
"Uh... why do you know so much?"
"Don't you notice? He's the king of stationery. This is a top-tier product in his industry, what do you think!"
Ye Longlin left a contact number and waved them away.
"Sir, please rest assured, your contact information will be kept completely confidential, even internal staff will not have access to it. We will not disturb you further. We wish you a pleasant day and look forward to your next cooperation."
The charity gala officially concluded at this point. Following this was a gathering of business elites, and some official personnel began to depart gradually.
However, before leaving, everyone respectfully greeted Ye Longlin, and only after receiving his nod did they depart. This further deepened the mystery surrounding Ye Longlin's identity.
"With the appearance of this guest list, the capital city, no, even half of the martial arts families will not be able to sleep tonight, especially those families who made a move back then! Hahaha!"