Dragon Raja 2; Chapter 78: Dragons’ Feast (6)

Dragon Raja 2

“Excuse me, may I pass?” a low, stern voice sounded beside him.

Lu Mingfei turned his head, sucking in a sharp breath—next to him were a pair of golden eyes like bright lanterns. The man beside him appeared to be in his twenties; he must have arrived late. Before Lu Mingfei could avert his gaze, their eyes met, and Lu Mingfei’s heart sank—busted! He should have brought a pair of golden-colored contact lenses. Amid this sea of golden eyes, he was like a green-eyed foreigner in the bustling city of Chang’an during the Tang dynasty—how could he not stand out?

Sure enough, the young man froze for a moment, and then his golden gaze seemed to become even sharper, as if golden blades were forming in his eyes.

Lu Mingfei froze. This piercing look! According to anime clichés, it’s the look someone has right before unleashing a special attack!

“Very subtle,” the young man suddenly complimented with admiration, and the golden light in his eyes dimmed a bit. He extended his hand in a friendly manner. “Romario Tencin. Just call me Roma.”

Subtle, my foot! It’s because I can’t make my eyes turn gold, dude! Lu Mingfei nervously shook his hand.

“Ever since these kinds of auctions started, there have been people who light up their golden eyes to show off their blood purity and intimidate others during direct eye contact,” Tencin said as he sat next to Lu Mingfei, lowering his voice. “Eventually, everyone started doing it, making it feel like a masquerade. But it’s hard to break free from convention—here, everyone values bloodlines as if they won’t be acknowledged without showing golden eyes.” Tencin sneered. “I think it’s better the way you are—natural, relaxed. After all, we’re here to find something we like. Spending money should bring joy. Lighting up your golden eyes for a few hours leaves you exhausted afterward.”

“Roma… you don’t suspect I’m a human?” Lu Mingfei asked tentatively, thinking to himself that he actually was human, but hoping desperately that Tencin wouldn’t suspect it.

“Impossible,” Tencin scoffed. “The screening here is very strict. I’ve never seen you before; are you new to the field?”

“Oh, yes, my family is in the building materials business in China, and I… I have a passion for…” Lu Mingfei hurriedly pulled out his character background.

“The building materials industry is very lucrative in China!” Tencin praised again. “Our family has also been involved in construction, but the golden age of construction in North America is long gone. There’s no way to compete with the real estate developers in China.”

“Oh, come on, you imperialist countries…” Lu Mingfei trailed off.

“I heard that in China, even workers’ wages can be delayed—how are we supposed to compete with that?” Tencin shrugged.

Damn it! Lu Mingfei cursed internally. The issue of unpaid migrant workers has even spread to the shores of Lake Michigan. How disgraceful!

“Don’t say too much. The more you say, the easier it is to make a mistake.” Anjou’s voice sounded in his ear. “Now it’s time for the Principal’s lesson.”

“You always thought Cassell College was the only settlement for hybrids? Let me correct that assumption. It’s just one of many. You come from China, Caesar comes from Italy, Chu Zihang from China, Zero from Russia… Hybrids are spread across different parts of the world, with dragon bloodlines reaching every corner through marriages. We don’t know how many hybrids there are in the world, and only a small portion of them are selected to join Cassell College. The others lead their own lives, but because of their blood, they are naturally drawn to one another, forming a sub-society hidden within human society. What you are witnessing now is the hybrid society. It has its own set of rules.

“The predecessor of Cassell College was the Secret Party, whose goal was to eliminate all pure-blood dragons. But not all hybrids hold that belief. Many hybrids remain neutral in this war. They harbor resentment towards dragons but do not see themselves as standing with humans. They believe their bloodline is superior to that of humans, seeing themselves as a ‘third race’ between humans and dragons. Due to their bloodline, they age more slowly than regular humans, and so their tastes remain stagnant. Some of these people have been active since the mid-20th century, which is why their style is still reminiscent of the opulent old Chicago era.

“Some of these families have been around for thousands of years, and their accumulated wealth and influence are astonishing. However, because of their differing stances, they may not support us. In short, this is the hybrid society. It’s full of different people with different ideas, and they need to communicate with each other. Auctions are one of the ways they socialize. Do you remember what is said to be the greatest obsession of dragons?”

“Kidnapping princesses?” Lu Mingfei thought. How would I know? Maybe you all just enjoy playing the villain, kidnapping princesses in fairy tales, only to get pierced by a knight’s lance.

“No, according to legend, dragons are obsessed with collecting precious metals and gems. They sleep atop hoards of gold,” Anjou said. “There is truth behind this myth. Dragons were the race that developed alchemy, which is the pinnacle of craftsmanship. Dragons are often obsessed with art, such as the Hun king Attila, who was buried in gold, silver, and iron coffins. Each coffin was intricately carved and inlaid with gems. Hybrids inherited this obsession from dragons. Half of the world’s top collectors are hybrids, but don’t expect to find their names in any collecting magazines.”

“They’re also a group of artists, it seems.” Lu Mingfei felt slightly more at ease. Since he was already in the den of dragons, he knew what “resignation” meant.

“The number on your paddle is 17, your birthday. What you need to do is bid in the most leisurely way. Usually, the increase doesn’t need to be too high, but a strong buyer can use their momentum to deter others. When you feel it’s time to take the item decisively, you need to boldly make a large bid. This indicates that you are determined to win it, and your competitors may hesitate. If they continue, the price could escalate too high, and they may back off. Besides, if you’re acting as a shill for the auction house or another seller, they’ll fall for it.”

“Momentum is such an elusive thing,” Lu Mingfei muttered.

“Actually, in the language you young people use…” Anjou chuckled, “just being a loud poser is enough.”

“The next item is a ‘Qing Dynasty Qianlong Enameled Longevity Wish Gourd Vase.’ This porcelain artifact from the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty represents the pinnacle of porcelain craftsmanship and was a royal item produced by the Imperial Household Department. It left China after the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. A similar item was auctioned off in Hong Kong for 17.3 million USD a few months ago.” The auctioneer scanned the room. “The starting bid is 9 million USD. Please place your bids.”

This was the sixth item today, with the starting bid having risen from the initial 200,000 USD to 9 million. Lu Mingfei hadn’t raised his paddle, as Anjou hadn’t given the command. Instead, Anjou himself had bid on the “Nanyang Jade Pilu Seated Buddha Sea,” sitting comfortably in the VIP section, chatting with a graceful lady beside him while bidding, seeming relaxed and carefree.

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