AITAMITB Chapter 107

“If I didn’t read it wrong, this should be the list of auction items, right?”

The person in question raised an eyebrow without much concern.

Lin Bai, who was taking out a computer from the suitcase and had just taken a photo of the parchment with a camera, started using a text recognition program to distinguish the characters on it. After a series of processing, he obtained the Chinese results.

“It is indeed a list of auction items,” Lin Bai said, looking at the series of eccentric names translated, “but it should be auction items unknown to us.”

Gou Rixin inquired, “So, there are actually two auctions on this ship? One auction for ordinary items and another auction for these special items?”

Zhao Xiaokui looked at the parchment, touched her chin, and said thoughtfully, “Speaking of which… don’t you find the names of these things somewhat familiar?”

Gou Rixin asked, “Familiar in what way?”

With her hint, Lin Bai’s gaze scanned the words on the parchment one by one, and his brow gradually furrowed.

“Indeed,” he said, “if you rearrange the letters, it’s the works from the auction list on the surface.”

Zhao Xiaokui smirked, “So, this is a case of ‘openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing Chencang¹a Chinese idiom that originates from a historical event. It refers to the strategy of openly repairing or reinforcing a road (in this case, a plank road) while secretly preparing for a different action. The idiom is often used to describe a situation where someone is pretending to do one thing but is actually planning or doing something else in secret.‘? Auctioning one thing, but actually selling another? I’m curious, what did they substitute it with?”

She was not concerned about her name on the auction list. Lin Bai and Gou Rixin, on the other hand, were quite worried. Before going to sleep, they repeatedly reminded her to be careful, not to fall into any traps, and to avoid falling into the hands of others.

“Your strength is not weak, but in the hands of every extraordinary force, there are a few things unknown to others. Don’t easily let your guard down,” Lin Bai cautioned.

Zhao Xiaokui nodded, “Rest assured, I’ll be careful.”

The night was deep, and the cabin was so steady that one could hardly feel the undulation of the waves. After everyone had fallen asleep, Zhao Xiaokui quietly opened the window of her cabin—her room faced the sea, providing a perfect view of the scenery on the sea surface.

Lin Bai and Gou Rixin opened their eyes, exchanged a cautious glance with her, and then allowed her to open the cabin window silently. She leaped out, jumping into the sea.

The two men lay back down, continuing their sleep, while Zhao Xiaokui submerged into the sea, closely following alongside the cruise ship.

Although the cruise ship wasn’t entirely immersed in water, Zhao Xiaokui’s perception when in the sea was several times more heightened than usual. She could blend into the water more easily, avoiding detection or sensing by other extraordinary individuals. Therefore, they had agreed beforehand that, when everything was normal, Zhao Xiaokui would lurk underwater to gather as much useful information as possible.

Without putting her ears to the ship’s side, various sounds penetrated through the air and water, entering her ears.

There were the intermittent snores of a middle-aged man, the hushed whispers of plastic sisters lying together, and the occasional moans of couples in various stages of intimacy…

Then, within her perceptual range, a couple appeared.

Unlike the others, this couple was not in a room but in a dim corridor.

The man was tall, the same handsome young man who had chatted with her earlier. The woman in his embrace was petite, wearing a white long dress. She shivered in the cold wind and huddled closely to him.

While the young man whispered sweet nothings, the girl, despite shivering from the cold, refused to leave her lover. She playfully bantered with him until the man suddenly lowered his head, sharp fangs protruding from his mouth, piercing into her delicate neck.

The scent of blood emanated from the point of contact.

The girl’s gaze began to haze, even as her body continued to lose blood. Her cheeks, though drained of blood, took on a strange crimson hue, and her eyes became dreamy and unfocused.

Zhao Xiaokui was not surprised that an ignorant girl had fallen under the enchantment of a vampire. Rather than being concerned about a group of vampires gathering on the ship, she was more worried about any hidden conspiracies or schemes they might have. As for the girl who caught the attention of the vampire, being chosen by a Viscount indicated that her blood likely held significant energy. Perhaps, given the right opportunity, she could awaken as an extraordinary being. It was worth taking note of, as she might become an ally one day.

Regarding saving her, Zhao Xiaokui wasn’t overly concerned about revealing herself for the sake of a young girl. While she didn’t understand the true purpose of the Dark Council’s presence in Huaxia or what they sought with this auction, as long as both sides maintained a semblance of decency before tearing each other apart, the sudden disappearance of a high-profile miss was almost impossible.

After all, on land, if someone was missing, you could explain it away with excuses like the person going out to have fun, forgetting the phone somewhere, or throwing a tantrum. But at sea, what excuses could there be? It wasn’t feasible to say the girl swam home, right?

The girl lured out by the vampire did not reach the climax with the man. After the vampire youth extracted enough blood from her body, although she appeared radiant, her body was weakened to the point where she couldn’t utter a word. She seemed as if she had been split into two parts.

Part of her was the spiritual essence. Facing such a high-quality man, she felt like a little deer in confusion, spring feelings budding. The other part was the tangible body. Even though it was just a simple kiss, with a slightly more intimate Eternal Wave, she felt exhausted, as if she was about to collapse. Her brain was heavy, and she lacked the capacity for any extra thoughts.

Did she get too excited and high yesterday? Why was she suddenly so sleepy at such a critical moment?

The girl thought this way. Her vision gradually blurred, and then she slumped into the man’s arms.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Xiaokui licked her sharp teeth.

Mermaids, like vampires, had a pair of similar sharp fangs, but fundamentally, the two were vastly different.

After all, a mermaid’s fangs, like their nails and scales, were more like weapons. In combat, mermaids often resorted to biting directly with their mouths. Vampires dared not do the same. If they used the same method on their fangs, it was guaranteed that tomorrow, others would see a vampire with a broken tooth.

She licked her teeth, not because she wanted to drink blood but because her fighting spirit was getting a bit too intense.

Since advancing, she hadn’t had a good, exhilarating fight with someone for a long time. Even those specially developed tools for intermediate extraordinary individuals were not very durable for her at the third tier, and fighting with them lacked the feeling of a real person.

No, not now…

Zhao Xiaokui swam to the window below Shen Zhifei’s, sniffing the faint lover’s scent in the air. She slowly closed her eyes.

Before dawn, Zhao Xiaokui flipped into her room from the window. She didn’t need to bathe; she felt fresh and clean, with no traces of being in the sea. Lin Bai and Gou Rixin were awakened by her deliberately amplified movements, stirring from their slumber.

Zhao Xiaokui asked, “What are you guys going to do today?”

Lin Bai said, “Nothing much. Today, we’ll follow you. Wei’s team has received the message; they should catch up before this ship leaves the open sea. We’ll leave the main matters to them.”

He then patted the eager Gou Rixin on the shoulder, “Don’t be impulsive. Anyone on this ship could easily crush you with just a pinky finger.”

Gou Rixin rolled his eyes dramatically, expressing his frustration at the lack of trust between the two.

“I’m not stupid. As a first-tier extraordinary individual, I’d be out of my mind to confront them.”

Zhao Xiaokui chuckled, tidied up first, and then went out to knock on the doors of Shen Zhifei and Bai Jingru, inviting them to have breakfast together.

During the day, the cruise ship was calm and peaceful.

Fine wines, delicious food, and a hired band.

Calling it a feast wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

When the sky turned red, the auction officially began.

Zhao Xiaokui didn’t attend the banquet. Instead, as a guest performer, she was taken to the dressing room. It was said that her costume and jewelry had been prepared in advance. This had been agreed upon before she accepted the invitation. There was no need for Zhao Xiaokui to bring her own team; the organizers of the auction would take care of everything.

Bai Jingru and Shen Zhifei were seated together. They looked at the auction item list in their hands, occasionally lifting their heads to glance at the scene of the auction. One abstract and hard-to-decipher piece of art after another was brought onto the stage. Under the lights, the host’s voice seemed to have a unique charm. In just a few words, it stirred people’s hearts.

Even the two who originally had no intention of buying anything felt a slight temptation once or twice.

This was quite unusual.

Shen Zhifei realized this, and in the next moment, she pressed the bidding button in her hand.

“Thirty-five million, thirty-five million for the first time. Any higher bids? Thirty-five million for the second time… Thirty-six million!”

She tossed the bidding device aside and took a slow breath.

Bai Jingru looked over and asked, “Is there a problem?”

Shen Zhifei didn’t say directly. Instead, she remarked, “If you like something, grab it right away to avoid someone else snatching it.”

To the ears of others nearby, it sounded like she had missed out on something she liked at the auction and regretted it. She reminded Bai Jingru to act decisively when making a move. To Bai Jingru’s ears, however, she was indicating that something was clearly off in this auction. She advised not suppressing the urge and showing a bit of impulsiveness to avoid others detecting their abnormality.

The auction started off lukewarm, and anyone could see that it was just some small, trivial items. Shen Zhifei looked around and noticed that most of those bidding were ordinary merchants, confirmed by Zhao Xiaokui as such. Those presumed to be extraordinary individuals sat calmly on the side, observing with a hint of indifference.

As the auction progressed, with each item brought to the stage, the atmosphere gradually heated up, and discussions among the crowd began.

Halfway through the event, the host suddenly said, “After two hours of intense bidding, I believe everyone’s spirits are now very tense and fatigued. Next up is the performance segment prepared for everyone…”

In the darkness, a few scattered figures gradually sat up straight.

As the lights descended, a woman wearing a blue fishtail gown slowly rose from the ground.

She held onto the microphone, raised her eyelids slightly, and the shimmering gaze swept across the crowd. Countless people held their breath under such a gaze.

“A masterpiece,” someone whispered.

“I smell the scent of her blood. I’m claiming this treasure for myself.”

“Is it a surprise?” In the darkness, a hoarse voice made a harsh sound, “Such pure mermaid blood, the best sacrifice for restoring your strength.”

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  a Chinese idiom that originates from a historical event. It refers to the strategy of openly repairing or reinforcing a road (in this case, a plank road) while secretly preparing for a different action. The idiom is often used to describe a situation where someone is pretending to do one thing but is actually planning or doing something else in secret.