Chapter 331

The curtain rises again.

Beneath the red curtain, twenty men and women in various splendid costumes emerged in single file.

The symphony swells.

Once the item at the forefront came into view, the entire auction hall fell into a brief hush.

Accompanied by the band's uplifting melody.

In an instant, the formerly rowdy, vulgar auction house transformed back into an elegant stage.

"The first item!"

Qie Huba's cheeks quivered with laughter as he pointed at the woman in an elaborate court gown.

Actually the line after 【10】 is 【12】? The user wrote:

Thus we need to add "Qie Hu Ba" (or "Qie Huba").

Under her flawless makeup, her beauty was breathtaking.

She held her head high, her tall, slender figure accentuated by a long, snow‑white neck held proudly like a swan's.

The lavish princess dress, adorned with gold‑thread crystal, unreservedly revealed her perfect figure.

From a distance, she looked like a medieval palace princess—pure and untouchable.

Hu Ba looked satisfied at the audience's expressions below.

Everyone admitted to the auction was either a faction leader or a grain magnate.

What haven't they tried?

Many had grown bored of ordinary fare and now sought the exotic.

Yet the woman behind them, using her grace and beauty, captivated them—proof of her allure.

Qie Huba cleared his throat and, with a touch of pride, introduced the first auction item:

"I'm sure you're all eager to know—just who is this beautiful princess?"

"But maybe some well‑informed bigwigs have already figured it out..."

"She is..."

"Once! First Princess of the Troy Safe Zone! Miss Anna!"

"As a safety zone bearing the nature of a religious kingdom, surely you've heard of the renown of the First Holy Temple!"

"With two hundred thousand zealous Holy Temple soldiers under their command, they once dominated half the wilderness!"

"Miss Anna, daughter of the former Troy Safe Zone leader and a holy maiden of the First Holy Temple!"

"This holy maiden, once revered by millions, is today's auction item!"

The audience below gasped in astonishment, many staring wide‑eyed at the holy maiden Anna on stage.

I never expected the Bolaka auction to be so extravagant, even managing to secure the daughter of a safe‑zone leader who once rivaled Bolaka.

Although the Troy Safe Zone suffered a coup, its leadership has been thoroughly purged.

Originally a special safe zone that united politics and religion after the disaster, it has since altered its governance.

But Anna, hailed as a kingdom princess and holy maiden of the Troy First Holy Temple, has wound up on the auction block—truly lamentable.

I don't know where the Bolaka Safe Zone obtained it, but it's no surprise Bolaka proudly touts this auction as the year's finest.

The auction opens with this kind of top‑tier item...

After giving the guests plenty of time to talk, Hu Ba glanced, eyes smiling, at Lin An's second‑floor box:

"I think perhaps someone of importance might be very interested in her~"

The crowd on the first floor, hearing this, turned curious eyes toward the box Hu Ba was gazing at, while the well‑informed whispered among themselves.

"That box must be the Troy envoy."

"I heard they staged a mutiny, but they never found the corpse of Troy's former leader."

"What are they here for? Do they want to buy back the former holy maiden just to have some fun with her?"

"Who knows? I've heard this woman knows many of the Holy Temple's secrets, and some even claim Troy knows about the 【High Tower】..."

Upon hearing the words 'High Tower' and 'secret'...

Many eyes flickered.

Originally, it was merely a lust for the holy maiden's beauty and the fantasy of buying her back to savor the thrill of humiliation—after all, owning a slave of this caliber brings immense satisfaction, both psychologically and in terms of prestige.

Now Anna is still implicated in those matters, and many can't help but have second thoughts.

Inside the box, the vole crept up beside Lin An and lowered his voice:

"Sir, you must buy Holy Maiden Anna."

"One of the Troy envoy's tasks is to bring her back."

"If you show no interest, it's easy for others to suspect your identity."

Lin An gave a casual nod; he had indeed received this information before dealing with the envoy.

Thanks only to his keen hearing, he noticed the words '【High Tower】'.

He gestured, erecting a mental barrier, then Lin An, lost in thought, asked the vole:

"What is the High Tower?"

"Is it important?"

The vole paused, then began to explain:

"Hmm."

"Sir, the High Tower is a place. Rumor has it that it is the source of the catastrophe."

"Do you still recall me telling you about that great power that tried to 'save' the world?"

"Rumor has it they once knew the secret of the High Tower, but after their mysterious downfall, no one knows what it really is anymore."

Of course, it's just a rumor.

Perhaps the higher-ups know more about it. People like me, small figures, have only heard the term.

Although I think the so-called disaster source doesn't exist, I clearly remember that the first batch of zombies that appeared in the disaster were everywhere...

As for the princess knowing the news about the tower, perhaps it was false information deliberately released by the Bolaka Auction House.

Otherwise there would be no reason to auction it; they would simply imprison it themselves.

Lin An heard this and a flicker of astonishment flashed in the depths of his eyes.

Although the lemming thought it was fake.

But.

The source of the disaster!?

Regardless of whether this news is true or false, this news is enough to draw his attention.

It seems that, for the first auction item, whether it's concealing one's identity or the news about the tower, I am sure to obtain it.

Money and supplies mean nothing to me; anyway, after tomorrow I will control the entire Safe Zone.

Without overthinking, Lin An carefully observed the cold-faced Anna on stage, and also noticed the restless emotions below.

A cold chuckle.

It seems the auctioneer of this auction is deliberately putting on a show for 'himself'.

Such incitement of emotions is nothing more than grasping the envoy's psychology of being determined to obtain the Holy Maiden, in order to sell her at a high price.

Below, many impatient guests couldn't help urging Hu Ba; those who had ordered food simply started fighting on the spot, their eyes obsessively fixed on the Holy Maiden on stage, venting their desires.

Seeing the guests impatient, Hu Ba, smug, jumped up and struck the auction hammer:

"Kingdom princess! Noble Holy Maiden! Perfect beauty! Miss Anna!"

"Starting bid: one..."

The crowd's eyes blazed, everyone guessing what it could be.

A slave gang? That would be too cheap.

Or perhaps an elite company of soldiers? Or maybe a satellite city?

In the midst of speculation.

Hu Ba made an exaggerated expression, deliberately pausing before shouting out the rest:

"Grass cake!"

"Just one grass cake! The stunning Holy Maiden before you will be your plaything!"

"Hehe, play however you want!"

"To be honest, even I, Hu Ba, am moved!"

"Moreover, I can tell you, Her Holy Maiden Highness has just come of age this year~"

As the price of one grass cake was revealed, the entire auction instantly fell into a wave of bidding.