eurekapd Chapter 1045, Number 077, Holding Up a Sign
Chapter 1045, Number 077, Holding Up a Sign
As the summit's flagship vessel, the Sea Shark attracted a large number of wealthy merchants like a magnet ever since the auction announcement was posted online.
They came from afar, and when they boarded the ship, they were all dressed in sharp suits, the well-tailored fabrics making them look tall and straight.
His female companions were dressed in gorgeous gowns, their skirts shimmering with iridescent light.
Her every gesture exudes elegance and grace, perfectly complementing the luxurious aura of this giant ship.
At the entrance of the auction venue, Chang Haihe and Chang Miaomiao greeted the guests with smiles and exchanged a few pleasantries with them from time to time.
Chang Miaomiao's voice was gentle and sweet. Seeing a middle-aged man approaching, she immediately went to greet him.
"Boss Shi, you've finally arrived! My godfather has been waiting for you for a long time."
"We've specially arranged a head seat for you, right in the same row as Mr. Andy Coles."
Her gaze shifted to the woman beside the man, her smile widening. "Oh, this beautiful goddess is..."
Mr. Shi introduced with a smile: "This is my wife. This is Ms. Chang Miaomiao."
The woman simply nodded slightly to Chang Miaomiao without saying anything more, her brows exuding a distant and aristocratic air.
Chang Miaomiao's gaze shifted, and she caught sight of Feng Zhan. She immediately took small steps forward, her tone carrying a hint of reproach:
"Second Master, why are you only arriving now? All the bosses have already arrived and are waiting for you to enter the venue together!"
Feng Zhan didn't look at her; his gaze swept across the crowd toward the harbor—where many people were still rushing toward the Sea Shark.
His tone was casual yet tinged with a hint of wariness: "Let them wait."
There are too many people at today's auction; I need to keep an eye on things to make sure nothing goes wrong.
Teng Zijing blended in in the crowd, barely noticeable. He had deliberately grown some stubble.
It added a touch of maturity and ruggedness to his originally handsome face, making him look completely different from his usual appearance.
His "female companion" was even more eye-catching—it was none other than Ji Yang, who had been longing to flirt with Teng Zijing.
Ji Yang wore a silver-white sequined strapless fishtail dress today, the skirt hugging her curves.
As she walked, the sequins shimmered with her movements, as if she were draped in a galaxy.
Her delicate makeup accentuated her bright features, and her long hair was loosely tied up, revealing the graceful lines of her neck.
Standing next to Teng Zijing, they appeared to be a formidable duo.
Previously, Ji Yang had been following Teng Zijing, but now she looked focused and moved in sync with him, playing the role of a well-matched female companion.
Meanwhile, the team members, hidden in various corners of the Sea Shark, were already in their positions.
They either disguised themselves as waiters or mingled among the guests, and when their eyes met unintentionally...
They communicate with just a subtle glance or gesture, silently conveying information.
The surface of the giant ship appears calm, but an invisible net has been laid beneath it.
Jiang Chengyu, dressed in silky pajamas, sat cross-legged on the carpet beside the large bed, his eyes closed.
His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, which slowly slid down his flushed cheeks.
After completing a set of internal energy cultivation techniques, he slowly adjusted his breathing, exhaled and inhaled to conclude the practice, and his body's energy gradually stabilized.
He stretched his arms and got up, heading straight to the bathroom to take a hot shower. Soon, the sound of running water stopped abruptly.
Jiang Chengyu came out wrapped in a bath towel and took out a set of business attire from his suitcase to change into.
His gaze swept over the box and he saw that Mu Xiaoji's clothes were all inside, so he picked up his phone and dialed his number.
The call was quickly answered, and Mu Xiaoji's voice was relaxed: "Good morning, little monster."
"Good morning, Xiao Ji," Jiang Chengyu replied. "Which room are you staying in? I'll bring your clothes over."
No sooner had he finished speaking than there was a knock on the door.
Jiang Chengyu opened the door and saw Mu Xiaoji standing there with dark circles under her eyes and a tired expression.
He was speechless for a moment: "You..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mu Xiaoji pushed him aside and went into the room. She went straight to her suitcase, took out her clothes, and turned to walk towards the bathroom.
Just as they were about to close the door, Andy Colles and his men happened to pass by. Andy Colles wore a bright, sunny smile.
She greeted him politely: "Oh, dear Kate, good morning. Do you live at number 52?"
Jiang Chengyu nodded silently.
“Oh, that’s a really good number,” Andy Coles added.
"Thank you," Jiang Chengyu replied calmly.
“I live next door,” Andy Coleston paused, his tone hesitant, and hesitantly requested.
"If you don't mind, could we have a drink together tonight?"
Jiang Chengyu was somewhat embarrassed. Ever since he first met Andy Coles at Winston Manor,
He had a strange feeling that he didn't like the person and always wanted to stay away from him.
He subconsciously turned to look in the direction of the bathroom, his mind telling Andy Coles that he was not able to use the bathroom.
Andy Colles smiled dismissively and said meaningfully, "I don't think you love him, do you?"
"How do you know?" Jiang Chengyu frowned and asked in confusion.
"Hmph, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the front desk to book a room so late last night."
Andy Colles shrugged. "You know, the auction is today, and the rooms are already full."
The receptionist had no choice but to recommend a small, unfurnished linen room to him.
Jiang Chengyu's heart tightened upon hearing this, and he pressed, "How do you know all this?"
"I happened to see it last night when I went downstairs for a late-night snack," Andy Colles said, feigning kindness.
“If you don’t mind, there are two beds in the room next to mine, so your lover won’t have to squeeze into that warehouse.”
Just then, Mu Xiaoji's voice came from the bathroom: "Little monster, where are the bath towels in the bathroom?"
"Coming," Jiang Chengyu replied, then said to Andy Coles, "Thank you, excuse me, I'll go in first."
After saying that, he casually closed the door, picked up a towel from the sofa, and headed to the bathroom.
Pushing open the door, I saw Mu Xiaoji standing on one leg, drying her hair with a hairdryer.
The missing part of his right leg has a faint mark around it, which is the mark left by years of wearing a prosthesis.
Jiang Chengyu silently approached and gently wrapped a bath towel around his waist.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Ji..." His apology was drowned out by the buzzing of the hairdryer.
Mu Xiaoji turned off the hairdryer, turned her head to the side and asked, "Little Monster, what did you say?"
Jiang Chengyu took Mu Xiaoji's hand and walked out of the room. The corridor was already bustling with people.
The giant ship "Sea Shark" was packed with people today, with the crowds several times larger than last night.
Footsteps and conversations mingled together, conveying the excitement and hustle and bustle of the approaching auction.
Not far away, Teng Zijing and Ji Yang walked side by side, pretending to chat, but their eyes were keenly scanning their surroundings out of the corner of their eyes.
Suddenly, the invisible wristwatch on Teng Zijing's wrist vibrated slightly, sending an encrypted message.
He followed the instructions without making a sound, his gaze settling on an inconspicuous corner—
Gu Shoucheng was mingling among several wealthy women, seemingly chatting elegantly. His gaze briefly met Teng Zijing's before instantly looking away.
Immediately afterwards, Teng Zijing saw Gu Shoucheng's fingers tap rapidly on his arm a few times, a skill they were required to learn during training:
"In the small mezzanine in the corner ahead, Gu Ze and Feng Tao are imprisoned. Two guards are watching over them, while ten other people in various uniforms are deployed around them."
Teng Zijing nodded and responded with the same coded message: "Understood."
At the same time, Jiang Chengyu and Mu Xiaoji had reached the staircase leading to the auction hall.
Many people had already entered the exhibition hall downstairs, all dressed smartly and with expectant expressions on their faces.
The two exchanged a glance and slowly walked into the venue with the flow of people.
Inside the auction hall, gilded chandeliers reflected a dazzling halo, illuminating the entire space with a solemn and luxurious atmosphere.
The invited gentlemen and business tycoons entered the venue one after another, all dressed in accordance with the etiquette norms of high-end social occasions.
The bespoke suit is made from the finest Italian wool and hand-stitched to fit the body perfectly.
The shoulders are sharply defined, and the waist is perfectly cinched, creating a stunning inverted triangle silhouette with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
The sleeve length is precisely 1.5 centimeters below the wrist bone, and 0.5 centimeters of the shirt cuff is visible, demonstrating the meticulous tailoring.
Some attendees wore silk bow ties or Windsor knot ties, with 18K gold sapphire-set lapel pins and cufflinks.
The alligator leather strap echoes the material of the watch, and the overall design maintains the seriousness of business attire while subtly conveying a symbol of wealth.
The seating arrangement in the venue follows the principle of "visualizing identity hierarchy" and adopts a fan-shaped arrangement structure.
The front central area is a VIP seating area, equipped with high-backed genuine leather sofas and a separate tea break table.
Beneath the tempered glass tabletop, champagne-colored velvet lining the space, gathered the core buyers with the strongest bidding power—
This includes the president of the Chow Group, who controls half of Hong Kong's shipping industry, representatives of multinational capital involved in the energy sector, and several hidden tycoons who hold scarce resources.
They either whisper to their business partners beside them, keeping their gestures within 30 centimeters of their chest, exuding a calm and composed aura at the negotiating table.
Or perhaps they're flipping through the auction catalog with its gold-embossed cover, their fingertips marking "unique item" as if it were a rare find.
A light tap on the page displaying the words "Heritage Edition" reveals a sharp, determined look in one's eyes.
The middle row is the secondary bidding area, featuring rows of seats made of walnut wood, with embedded metal cup holders between each pair of seats.
When Jiang Chengyu and Mu Xiaoji arrived, the usher immediately stepped forward to guide them, leading them to seats on the right side of the third row according to the number on the invitation.
The view from here is unobstructed, allowing for a clear observation of the bidding reactions of the bigwigs in the front row.
They maintained just the right amount of distance, which was in line with their low-key approach to the event.
The armrests of the seats have embedded electronic displays that allow users to view real-time details of the auction items and current bids.
On the right is the sign numbered "077," made of acrylic with a frosted coating.
To avoid glare, the edges are rounded, providing a smooth and warm feel when held.
Not far away, several businessmen in bespoke suits were chatting idly, waving their number plates around.
009 was an elderly man with white hair and beard, while 127 was being toyed with by a young woman's fingertips.
Some people complained that the number 203 assigned by the system wasn't auspicious enough, and kept pestering the person in charge: "Can you change it to one with an 8? I'll pay extra."
The person in charge smiled and shook his head, pointing to the notice board on the corner of the table: "Sir, the numbers for this event are assigned according to the order of sign-in. To be fair, there will be no changes."
Mu Xiaoji sat in her booth, turning the name tag over and over, her fingertips brushing against the cool metal back.
"This number is quite auspicious. I hope I can get two of your items photographed later."