Standing before Christopher Campbell was a strikingly beautiful woman in her early twenties, draped in a long wine-colored evening gown.

Her face seemed to embody perfection, as if the universe had taken its time to sculpt every feature with meticulous care.

With skin as pure and luminous as freshly fallen snow, she radiated an ethereal glow that made one wonder if she were truly human.

The softness of her skin suggested fragility, while a delicate diamond necklace adorned her swan-like neck.

Her figure was nothing short of exquisite; every curve and angle was flawlessly proportioned.

A slim waist led to perfectly elongated legs, creating an image of harmony that captivated all who gazed upon her.

Long black hair cascaded down her back like the night sky, framing a pair of mesmerizing dark eyes that sparkled with mystery.

Full, luscious red lips complemented long lashes that fluttered gracefully with each blink, she was simply too beautiful for words.

The moment she entered the grand hall, she eclipsed all other women present. Men stared in awe as her beauty cast a spell over the entire room.

Christopher’s eyes widened in amazement; he found himself momentarily forgetting his plans to confront the man who had interrupted him earlier.

Yet, just then, impatience flickered in Ophelia’s stunning gaze as she frowned slightly at Christopher. Even this small gesture added to her allure.

“Can you move out of the way?” came a voice from beside her, a young man, dressed in a custom-made black suit exuding aristocratic charm.

Christopher’s expression soured as he glared at Benedict. “What are you doing here Benedict aren’t you supposed to be in Metrospire?”

Benedict looked at him incredulously before snorting dismissively. “If you can come here, what makes you think I can’t?”

“Let me tell you,” Christopher replied with an air of arrogance, “as long as I’m here, don’t expect to claim even a scrap of land.”

Benedict shook his head mockingly. “I’m not here to squabble over land like you are; my Lancaster family has everything under control. I’m just here to accompany Miss Ophelia.”

Taken aback by this revelation, Christopher asked incredulously, “What do you mean?”

“Oh Christopher,” Benedict said disdainfully, “no wonder you’re the least favored in your family and always lose out to your older brothers. Do you really think top families waste their time fighting low-level commoners for something they could acquire with just a few words?”

Fists clenched tightly in anger, Christopher shot back defiantly: “Then why are you here if not for the auction?”

“As I mentioned,” Benedict replied casually with a lazy smile that belied any seriousness regarding their previous exchange, “I’m only accompanying Miss Ophelia. And even though my family has it all sorted out already, as part of my own test, I still intend to purchase some plots myself.”

Christopher inhaled deeply, his gaze locking onto the stunning woman named Ophelia.

A flicker of heat and ambition ignited in his eyes as he spoke, “Miss Ophelia, are you here to participate in the auction or merely to enjoy the spectacle?” He flashed a gentlemanly smile, hoping to charm her.

Ophelia shot him a cold glance before turning away without another word.

Benedict chuckled softly from nearby. “Christopher, I hear you’ve been targeting a small family in Neo-Luminara, even driving them to bankruptcy. Yet you still haven’t managed to seize the Blue Pearl, despite eliminating their head and his wife.”

“That’s none of your concern,” Christopher retorted disdainfully. “I will get my hands on the Blue Pearl eventually; that family is nothing but an obstacle.”

“Hahaha! You do realize you’re not the only one after it? Many eyes are on that prize,” Benedict teased playfully. “If you want it for yourself, you’ll find it quite challenging.”

“Why are you interested in the Blue Pearl?” Christopher narrowed his eyes at Benedict.

“I know my own strength,” Benedict replied confidently. “Instead of fighting tooth and nail for something that may slip through my fingers, I’d rather secure a smaller piece of land and develop it. That will yield immense profits down the line.”

He patted Christopher on the shoulder with a chuckle before striding toward Ophelia’s table.

Christopher clenched his fists tightly, mulling over Benedict’s words.

Deep down, he knew his Benedict is right, but surrendering was not an option.

He yearned to prove himself to both his family and the world; he wanted recognition as Christopher Campbell, a genius, not just another playboy.

Taking a deep breath, he unclenched his fists and forced a slight smile as he approached the table where Ophelia and Benedict sat.

———-

“So this is the guy Family Head warned me not to offend,” Ethan mused quietly while sipping red wine from across the room.

His gaze drifted toward Christopher two tables away before fleetingly landing on Ophelia, his admiration barely contained.

“The Campbell Family, Lancaster Family, and Sinclair Family… All three top families in Aurelian Federation are present tonight,” Ethan muttered under his breath. “I bet other influential families are here too, though perhaps less high-profile than these three.”

“But why would they attend? With their power, they could have already secured valuable plots of land.”

He pondered aloud whether this was merely personal business for their juniors or a test from their families. “Big families can be so peculiar… Am I speaking ill of the Osborn Family too?”

Ethan chuckled internally while occasionally glancing back at Ophelia, Benedict, Christopher, and several others who seemed equally important.

“I just hope those plots that Family Head instructed me to buy aren’t being eyed by these big players; otherwise, things could get tricky.” He sighed heavily.

” Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen”!

A sudden, booming voice echoed across the hall, snapping everyone’s attention to the stage.

There stood a man in a crisp white tuxedo, microphone in hand, radiating charisma as he scanned the crowd with a warm smile.

“Welcome to tonight’s auction! My name is John, and I’ll be your auctioneer,” he introduced himself confidently.

As if on cue, the lights dimmed slightly, revealing a stunning 3D projection behind him.

The map showcased an expansive piece of land divided into three rings and further segmented into numerous plots.

Some were marked in vibrant green, available for sale, while others glowed ominously red, already purchased or earmarked for government development.

The inner ring caught everyone’s eye; its bold red hue signified a coveted parcel that had already been snatched up at what many believed was a bargain price.

Regret and envy flickered across the faces of those present, particularly Christopher, whose expression darkened with resentment.

“So this is the infamous Blue Pearl everyone has been talking about! That lucky family really struck gold,” Benedict remarked playfully.

“Lucky? If they’re wise, they’ll sell it or partner up for development; otherwise, this land could turn from blessing to curse,” Ophelia chimed in calmly from her elegant seat.

“You’re right. After all they’ve endured under Christopher’s relentless attacks and their subsequent bankruptcy, they’re left with just one struggling real estate company,” Benedict replied thoughtfully.

“One struggling company? Is that all you see?” Ophelia narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly as her lashes fluttered delicately.

——–

“Alright everyone, let’s get down to business!” John interjected smoothly, redirecting focus back to the map.

“You know what these markings mean: green for sale and currently 500 plots of various sizes are available.” He flashed a bright smile as anticipation filled the room.

“Now let the secret auction commence!” John announced dramatically as the 3D map shimmered and transformed to reveal the first plot of land along with its details.

“This is Plot No. F126: The Green Oasis, spanning an impressive 800 square kilometers! The starting bid is set at 500 billion Unicreds with increments of at least 50 billion.” With a firm slam of his gavel, he initiated the bidding process.

“600 billion!” A voice rang out confidently from across the room.

“650 billion!”

“700 billion!”

“Going once… going twice… sold!” John declared triumphantly as he brought down his gavel again.

“Next up was Plot No. G15,a prime location near the university town slated for development, with an initial price tag of 200 billion Unicreds. Bids flew fast “:

“300 billion!”

“400 billion!”

“450 billion!”

“500 billion! Going once… twice… thrice… sold!”

——-

The secret auction buzzed with excitement as time slipped by, and plots of land changed hands one after another.

Ethan was on a roll, successfully acquiring five parcels of land that Arthur had instructed him to buy.

The competition was fierce, but he managed to outbid a few contenders without breaking a sweat.

Fortunately, he didn’t encounter any major headaches, everything went smoothly for him, and he faced no significant challenges at all.

As the auction progressed, Benedict secured five sizable plots before calling it quits.

Ophelia also joined in the bidding frenzy, picking up several pieces before she too decided to stop.

Meanwhile, Christopher was in high spirits after snagging quite a few more than both Benedict and Ophelia; he couldn’t help but cast a proud glance in their direction.

About an hour and a half later, the auction finally wrapped up.

Participants wasted no time rushing out; they were eager to return home and strategize on how to develop their new acquisitions.

Even Christopher didn’t linger, he hopped into his car and sped off without delay.

———–

“Captain Silvester, let’s go!” Ethan called out as he approached the captain, clutching a stack of documents in his hand.

“Absolutely,” Silvester replied as one of the bodyguards opened the door for Ethan to climb into the car.

With a low roar of engines, their convoy swiftly departed from the venue, making its way back to the Osborn Family Mansion.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep