The bronze gong of the underground auction house echoed through the smoky auditorium.
On the velvet-covered stage, a glass display case held the antique Han-Dynasty Nine-Dragon Bronze Medicine Cauldron and its matching Warm-Jade Vitality Mortar. The double-walled bronze vessel gleamed under the soft candlelight, etched with microscopic Taoist cloud patterns and nine coiled dragons.
Sitting on his front-row velvet throne, Chairman Zhao Kun leaned back, puffing an expensive Cuban cigar. A cruel, mocking smirk played across his thin lips as he glared at Dr. Gu Qinghe.
“Eight million yuan!” Zhao Kun shouted across the room, blowing a thick gray cloud of smoke toward the ceiling. “I am buying that bronze cauldron just to use as a cigar spittoon beside my office desk! Let us see if old Gu Qinghe can brew miracle decoctions in a tin pot!”
Laughter broke out from several corrupt merchants and Black-Tiger bodyguards surrounding Zhao Kun.
Beside Lin Mo, Dr. Gu Qinghe’s hands trembled against his knees. The sixty-year-old physician stared at the bronze cauldron and jade mortar, his eyes burning with decades of family memories. Sixty years ago, his grandfather had pawned that very apothecary vessel to buy thirty sacks of grain, saving three thousand villagers during the Great Famine. To see it treated as a spittoon by a pharmaceutical criminal was like a knife twisting in his heart.
The auctioneer raised his wooden hammer, his voice vibrating with excitement. “Eight million yuan from Chairman Zhao! Eight million going once—”
Lin Mo lifted his wooden VIP paddle calmly.
“Twenty million yuan,” Lin Mo said, his tone casual and flat.
Silence slammed into the cavernous hall like a physical weight.
The auctioneer’s hammer froze in mid-air. The laughing merchants choked on their cigars.
Across the front row, Zhao Kun spun around so fast his silk collar twisted. His bloodshot eyes bulged behind his gold spectacles, staring at Lin Mo in pure disbelief.
“Twenty... twenty million?!” the auctioneer stammered, wiping sweat from his forehead. “Bidder Number Eighty-Eight bids twenty million yuan in liquid funds!”
Zhao Kun slammed his fist onto his velvet armrest. “Lin Mo, you broke orphan! You are bidding twenty million for an old bronze medicine pot?!”
Lin Mo took a slow sip of tea from his thermos, not even glancing at Zhao Kun.
“To a man who poisons people with starch pills, it is just scrap bronze,” Lin Mo said in a deadpan voice. “To a real physician, it is a vessel of life. Do you wish to bid twenty-one million, Chairman Zhao? Or does your liquid cash end at eight million?”
Zhao Kun’s face flushed a furious scarlet. He opened his mouth to shout a higher bid, but Hall Master Huo leaned over, grabbing his purple sleeve.
“Chairman Zhao, be patient,” Huo whispered urgently. “Our primary target tonight is the three-hundred-year wild blood-ginseng at the end of the auction. If you waste twenty million now, we won’t have enough liquid funds to secure the blood-ginseng!”
Zhao Kun gritted his teeth so hard a vein bulged on his temple. He lowered his paddle with a venomous snarl.
“Twenty million going once! Twenty million going twice!” The auctioneer struck the brass anvil with a sharp crack. “Sold to Bidder Eighty-Eight for twenty million yuan!”
Lin Mo tapped his Black-Gold Card on Su Wan’s mobile reader.
“Su Wan, execute the transfer immediately,” Lin Mo instructed. “Twenty million yuan for the Han-Dynasty Nine-Dragon Bronze Medicine Cauldron and its accompanying Warm-Jade Vitality Mortar on the catalog lot.”
Su Wan authorized the transaction: ¥20,000,000.00.
BEEP.
A magnificent, resonant celestial chime echoed deep within Lin Mo’s consciousness:
[Ding! Detected spending of ¥20,000,000.00 RMB on Han-Dynasty Nine-Dragon Bronze Medicine Cauldron & Warm-Jade Mortar for Dr. Gu Qinghe!]
[Beneficiary: Dr. Gu Qinghe (Goodness: 96/100) & National TCM Heritage Restoration!]
[Target Integrity Verified: Restoring ancestral medical heirlooms to righteous master healer, defeating malicious desecration.]
[Triggered 100x Pure Benevolence System Refund!]
[Received Cash Refund: +¥2,000,000,000.00 RMB!]
[Funds deposited directly into Host Personal Liquid Vault!]
[Personal Liquid Vault: ¥69,000,000,000.00 RMB!]
[Personal Wealth Milestone: Vault Reaches ¥69,000,000,000.00 RMB!]
[Benevolence Merit Points: +2,000,000 BMP | Total BMP: 161,949,528 BMP!]
[Good People Network Expanded: 9,450 Verified Righteous Allies (Existing Beneficiary Dr. Gu Qinghe — Heritage Artifact Restoration)!]
Two billion cash refund, Lin Mo thought, watching his vault balance reach sixty-nine billion yuan. Spending twenty million to return a sacred family treasure to an honest doctor, and gaining two billion in profit. Doing good is the most untouchable sovereign force in existence.
Two ceremonial attendants carried the red velvet tray to Lin Mo’s table.
Lin Mo picked up the antique rosewood cradle containing the bronze cauldron and jade mortar and placed it gently before Dr. Gu.
The moment Dr. Gu’s fingers touched the nine bronze dragons and warm jade mortar, something miraculous occurred.
HUMMM.
A clear, musical vibration resonated through the room. The bronze cauldron and warm jade radiated a soft, warm golden glow, synchronizing with the medicinal qi in Dr. Gu’s meridians. The ancestral resonance was so pure that the fragrance of dried herbal lotus filled the air around their table.
Two large tears spilled from Dr. Gu’s eyes, running down his wrinkled cheeks. He pressed his palms against the rosewood cradle, bowing deeply to Lin Mo.
“Chairman Lin... my grandfather’s spirit can finally rest,” Dr. Gu choked out, his voice thick with devotion. “This vessel will never be defiled by corrupt hands. It will brew life-saving medicine for the poor and the sick as long as I draw breath.”
Dr. Gu gently ran his callused fingers along the Han-Dynasty bronze medicine cauldron. The heavy vessel was cast with nine archaic glyphs of vitality and longevity.
“This bronze cauldron was cast by imperial court herbalists during the Han Dynasty,” Dr. Gu explained softly, his eyes shining. “Its double-walled heat chamber maintains a perfect boiling temperature, extracting ninety-nine percent of rare herb essence without scorching delicate roots. With this cauldron and warm-jade mortar, our hospital can brew true life-extending vitality draughts for our critical patients.”
“They are where they belong, Dr. Gu,” Lin Mo said softly. “A master physician deserves tools forged with wisdom.”
On stage, several routine lots of antique jade bracelets and bronze coins were auctioned off over the next twenty minutes.
Then, the auctioneer cleared his throat, striking the bronze gong with great ceremony.
CLANG!
“Distinguished collectors, we now present Lot Number Ten!” the auctioneer announced proudly. “Excavated from a subterranean tomb in the northern mountains, we present the Tang-Dynasty Imperial Longevity Dragon Seal!”
Attendants pushed a velvet-draped pedestal onto the center stage.
Resting on the velvet was a fist-sized square seal carved from deep green translucent stone. Carved on its top was a coiled imperial dragon. Under the spotlight, the stone seemed to emit a strange, oily green sheen.
The auctioneer gestured dramatically. “Carved from mystical celestial jade, ancient texts record that this seal gathers heaven-and-earth vitality! Resting near it can extend human lifespan by twenty years! Starting bid: ten million yuan!”
The room buzzed with murmurs of excitement. Several wealthy elderly tycoons leaned forward, their eyes gleaming with greed.
Lin Mo activated his [Pure-Heart Eye Lv.1] and extended his 500-meter Rank 2 Qi Sense toward the stage.
The moment Lin Mo’s qi touched the green seal, a cold sneer formed in his mind.
[Target: Lot #10 — Counterfeit Tang Seal.]
[Material: Industrial epoxy resin mixed with pulverized fluorite and lead slag.]
[Condition: Dyed with carcinogenic chemical salts, emitting toxic gamma radiation. Extended exposure causes severe marrow necrosis and internal organ hemorrhage within six months.]
A poisonous radioactive rock, Lin Mo thought with deadpan amusement. And the auction house claims it extends lifespan by twenty years. It extends your path to the graveyard.
Beside him, Su Wan leaned in, reading the synthetic readings on her tablet. “Chairman Lin, the chemical sensors detect high toxicity.”
“I know,” Lin Mo whispered softly, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Watch closely, Su Wan. It is time to let Chairman Zhao Kun buy himself an early retirement.”
Lin Mo immediately raised his paddle.
“Fifteen million yuan!” Lin Mo called out, his voice sharp and eager.
Zhao Kun’s ears perked up instantly. He stared at Lin Mo, then looked at the glowing green seal.
Lin Mo just spent twenty million on old needles without batting an eye, Zhao Kun reasoned in his arrogant mind. Now he is jumping five million on this longevity seal! This boy has internal martial arts backing! He must know this seal has genuine spiritual qi! If he gets it, he will extend his lifespan and strengthen his foundation!
Zhao Kun leaped from his velvet throne, raising his paddle. “Twenty million yuan!”
Lin Mo leaned toward Su Wan, pretending to speak with intense urgency. Then he raised his paddle again: “Twenty-five million!”
“Twenty-eight million!” Zhao Kun roared, his veins throbbing against his neck.
“Thirty-two million!” Lin Mo called out immediately, standing up from his seat as if desperate to secure the treasure.
The entire auction hall was gripped by absolute tension. Two billionaires were bidding tens of millions on an imperial longevity seal!
“Thirty-four million!” Lin Mo called out, slamming his paddle down on the table with an expression of furious frustration.
Zhao Kun burst into triumphant, hysterical laughter. He thought he had pushed Lin Mo to his absolute limit!
“You want to fight me for longevity, broke boy?!” Zhao Kun screamed at the top of his lungs, thrusting his paddle toward the ceiling. “Thirty-five million yuan! Cash on the spot!”
The auctioneer was sweating profusely. “Thirty-five million from Chairman Zhao Kun! Thirty-five million going once! Thirty-five million going twice!”
The auctioneer looked pleadingly toward Lin Mo. “Bidder Eighty-Eight, will you raise to thirty-six million?!”
Lin Mo slowly settled back into his leather armchair. He took another sip of warm tea from his thermos, looked across the hall at Zhao Kun, and smiled with calm, deadpan mockery.
“No, thank you,” Lin Mo said, his voice smooth as silk. “Thirty-five million is a wonderful price for a piece of dyed industrial plastic. Congratulations, Chairman Zhao. The radioactive rock is all yours.”
Zhao Kun froze. His triumphant grin melted into confusion. “What did you say?!”
Before Zhao Kun could step forward, a sharp, cracking sound echoed from the stage.
CRACK!
Under the intense heat of the four thousand-watt stage spotlights, the synthetic epoxy resin inside the seal began to soften. A jagged hairline fracture ripped across the dragon’s coiled spine.
SNAP!
The Tang-Dynasty Longevity Seal split cleanly in half right on the red velvet pedestal!
A foul, chemical stench of burning plastic and battery acid filled the front rows of the theater. Green oily dye leaked out from the hollow core, dissolving the velvet fabric into smoking black sludge.
“Toxic resin!” an antique collector in the third row yelled, covering his nose. “It is a cheap modern chemical forgery! It’s not even real stone!”
“Smells like industrial bleach and lead!” another buyer shouted, backing away in disgust.
The head auctioneer’s face turned completely gray. He backed away from the smoking pedestal, unable to say a single word.
The entire auction hall erupted into mocking laughter and pointing fingers.
“Thirty-five million yuan for a broken plastic brick!”
“Chairman Zhao Kun just paid thirty-five million for toxic sewer sludge!”
Zhao Kai’s uncle stood frozen in the aisle.
His knees buckled. His eyes turned completely white with rage and humiliation. Thirty-five million yuan of his private personal liquidity had vanished on a cracked piece of poisonous garbage, broadcast before hundreds of city elites.
PFFT!
A mouthful of bitter blood sprayed from Zhao Kun’s lips, splattering across his purple silk robe.
“Lin Mo...” Zhao Kun choked out, clutching his chest as his body trembled violently. “You baited me! You deliberately tricked me into bidding thirty-five million!”
Lin Mo looked at the foaming, blood-stained oligarch with cool indifference.
“I merely made a bid, Chairman Zhao,” Lin Mo said calmly. “Your own greed and arrogance swung the hammer. Enjoy your longevity.”
Zhao Kun leaned against his velvet throne, his chest heaving with murderous hatred.
Beside him, Hall Master Huo helped him wipe the blood from his chin, his dark eyes locked onto Lin Mo like a viper.
“Hold on, Chairman Zhao,” Huo whispered in a venomous growl. “We still have the finale. The three-hundred-year Changbai wild blood-ginseng is Lot Twelve. Combine your remaining corporate accounts with Black-Tiger Hall’s reserves! No matter what happens, Lin Mo will not leave this dock alive tonight!”
On stage, the auctioneer hurried to clear the smoking debris, ringing the gong for the final lot of the night.