Chapter 2296: Nouveau Riche[^1] (1)
Translator : MoonWhisperer, BlackieMeow Editor : Cey, frozenfire, TWIP
One would be able to reap in crazy amounts of money just by selling the crystal fruit! What a great deal! Such a great choice!
Therefore, everyone looked excitedly at the Chief Appraiser, waiting for him to raise the placard.
However, right at this time, the Chief Appraiser cleared his throat in embarrassment. "But this Ancient Crystal Tree has a little flaw."
“What's the flaw?" Everyone asked in unison, their voices brimming with impatience.
"It… is on the brink of death." The Chief Appraiser didn't conceal it because it was impossible to hide it, so he had mentioned the facts. "The root of this small Ancient Crystal Tree is rotten. After appraisal, the chance of it surviving is… One percent."
"What???" Simultaneous gasps rang out from all of the rows!!
One percent survival rate! Wasn’t that the same as death? Although the Ancient Crystal Tree was extremely valuable, who would want to buy a dead tree? Wouldn’t it just be a piece of waste wood when it died?
The Chief Appraiser was able to anticipate the reaction from the audience, and he sighed softly in response. If the survival rate were higher, how would such a profitable treasure be auctioned at a starting price below five million?
"The auction will start now, the starting price is…100,000 points. With 10,000 points being the minimum increase in bid." The Chief Appraiser signaled for the silence of the audience before starting the auction.
Nevertheless, many people’s hopes were driven away after he shouted out the starting bid. One hundred thousand points for a piece of wood to bring home? Was the auction house assuming that everyone’s points were blown into their hands by the wind? Only a fool would buy it!
Therefore, after the Chief Appraiser said the starting price, silence filled the entire Auction House as not a single person made a bid.
The Chief Appraiser sighed silently in his heart. From the looks of it, his old friend’s old Ancient Crystal Tree would not be auctioned off after all.
In his opinion, an intact Ancient Crystal Tree would be auctioned with a starting bid of one million points. Using that as a guideline, the one percent survival rate of this tree would correspond to a starting bid of 10,000 points. Nevertheless, his old friend vehemently rejected his suggestion, and he had no other way to change his old friend’s mind.
If this wasn’t auctioned off, by next month, he was afraid that the one percent survival rate would be gone, and it would really become a piece of wood.
"There’s one minute left."
"The countdown is thirty seconds."
"Twenty seconds down."
Time continued to tick by.
Yet, everyone in the audience remained indifferent.
It seemed that this Ancient Crystal Tree was really not going to be auctioned off… What a pity. His poor old friend was seriously ill and was waiting for the points to seek help. A sorrow flashed in the Chief Appraiser's heart.
Right at this moment, the clear voice of a girl rang out.
"One hundred thousand points."
This voice came from VIP Room Number 6 on the second floor.
Without a doubt, Su Luo was the person who raised the bid.
When the Chief Appraiser said that the fruit of this Ancient Crystal Tree had memory-recall property, Su Luo was already tempted. After this time, Su Luo was really not used to it. This world, which was devoid of cameras, always made her feel that something was missing.
But now, the Ancient Crystal Tree has given her a little hope. Although there was only one percent survival rate, this was true only for other people. For Su Luo, who possessed spatial storage, the survival rate would reach as high as 70% to 80%. Therefore, Su Luo waited for the last possible moment to place her bid.
After Su Luo made the offer, many people in the audience shot dumbfounded looks at VIP Room Number 6. One hundred thousand points to buy an Ancient Crystal Tree that was destined to die? Was there any clearer definition of a fool than this?
However, contrary to those people, the Chief Appraiser was very happy. At the same time, he was deeply grateful to Su Luo, as he had assumed that Su Luo had placed the bid to give him face.
"One hundred thousand points going once. One hundred thousand points going twice…"