Three days passed swiftly. Eagle King, through close observation, had roughly located Flying Fish's prison. Who would have guessed the cunning Caleb had hidden him in his lover's mansion? Only the careless chatter of Caleb's subordinates, overheard by Eagle King's surveillance, revealed the location. He truly admired Yvette's cunning. Each of the three possible locations was more peculiar than the last, but Flying Fish was indeed in one of them. Tonight, he would show those scoundrels hell. With Yvette present, Eagle King was unconcerned about Caleb.
The Kransbay weather was exquisite that day. Huge clouds drifted across a clear blue sky. Fiery red wildflowers bloomed along the path. The sun-baked ground was smoldering and dusty.
The Emerald Auction was a contest among emerald merchants—a battle of wealth, insight, and nerve. Before the auction, all raw emeralds were numbered, indicating quantity, weight, and a generally low starting price. These were publicly displayed for three days. Merchants meticulously examined each piece, selecting desired emeralds and evaluating their worth to determine optimal bidding prices before placing their bids.
The competition was fierce; no one knew their rivals' bids. Pricing was precarious. Too high, and they'd lose money; too low, and someone else would win. In auctions, underbidding by mere dollars could mean losing a piece worth hundreds of thousands.
The exhibition hall showcased old-mine raw emeralds, with prices ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Gigantic raw emeralds, weighing several tons and possessing exceptional quality, could fetch over thirty million dollars.
This year's auction, held in the city center's vast exhibition hall, attracted emerald enthusiasts worldwide, all hoping for the best stone at the best price. Some arrived early, meticulously examining each gem. This was stone gambling; one cut could bring immense wealth or utter ruin. Many desperate individuals risked everything, driven by a single, common goal: money.
Only two people stood apart from the crowd: Yvette, already at the entrance, and Jeremiah, still en route. They were there for Caleb.
At the entrance, Kevin and Martin presented their low-grade invitations. The staff glanced at them dismissively and pointed vaguely. In Clusia, Kevin's family was wealthy; he was accustomed to being addressed as Mr. Garcia. This indifferent treatment was a first, and he felt deeply slighted.
Resentment etched his face as he complained, "Uncle Martin, these Kransbayans are contemptuous."
Martin, seeing Kevin's naiveté, felt helpless. He knew Kevin's sheltered upbringing had ill-prepared him for Kransbay's harsh realities. He scolded, "Do you know where we are? This is Kransbay, a lawless place. Reckless talk could get you killed."
Kevin, chastened, fell silent. He knew Kransbay was far more dangerous than Clusia. He didn't want to appear submissive to Martin, so he simply looked around awkwardly. He then spotted the girl he'd met on the plane and at the hotel, a coincidence he found striking. While Martin was examining emeralds, Kevin slipped towards the entrance.
Yvette wore a loose white T-shirt, hinting at her collarbone, and baggy sweatpants. Jeremiah said, “I’m afraid it’s not suitable to fight here. She seems to be accompanied by ten expert martial artists, and the hall is full of his men equipped with heavy weapons.”
Jeremiah set down his cup, his expression inscrutable. "No need to rush," he said mysteriously. "There are plenty of opportunities."