The Crimson Talent Auction was designed to feel luxurious.

That made it more disgusting.

Red velvet curtains. Crystal lamps. Soft music. Polite attendants. Private boxes. Numbered paddles. Wine made from spiritual fruits. Whispering buyers wearing masks of beasts, flowers, stars, and crowns.

Below the stage stood glass coffins.

Inside them lay children, young climbers, failed heirs, captured beastkin remnants, and sleeping spirits. Above each coffin floated a label.

[Minor Flame Affinity Fragment]

[Incomplete Shadow Step Talent Root]

[Bloodline Spark — Unknown Grade]

[Class Seed: Defensive Barrier Type]

[Future Potential Bundle — High Compatibility Unknown]

Qin Mo’s face was pale.

Lin Xian’er’s voice was ice.

"They broke people into inventory."

The mission panel appeared.

[Floor 117: Crimson Talent Auction]

[Main Mission]

Destroy the auction network and preserve victim talent roots.

[Sub-Missions]

1. Identify auction authority structure.

2. Rescue at least 20 victims.

3. Prevent talent root collapse above 30%.

4. Capture or defeat the Auctioneer.

5. Recover evidence ledger.

[Warning]

A talent sold once leaves scars even when returned.]

Qin Yuheng’s voice was calm.

"Roles."

Qin Yuchen would protect victims.

Qin Lian would identify guards and exits.

Qin Mo would stabilize talent roots.

Lin Xian’er would analyze auction contracts and buyer ledgers.

Qin Yuheng would handle the Auctioneer.

They could not attack immediately.

If the auction authority panicked, it might destroy evidence or collapse victim roots.

They entered as disguised buyers using safe illusion tools.

Lin Xian’er handled their cover perfectly. She spoke with the bored arrogance of someone rich enough to be dangerous and uninterested enough to be believable.

Qin Mo whispered, "You are frighteningly good at this."

She smiled without warmth.

"I learned from people I dislike."

The first hour was investigation.

Auction authority had three layers:

Buyer contract network.

Talent extraction stabilizer.

Auctioneer’s central ownership ledger.

Destroying only guards would fail.

They needed the ledger.

The Auctioneer appeared at midnight.

A tall figure in crimson formal robes, wearing a mask with no eyes. Its voice was smooth.

"Esteemed guests, tonight’s central lot is rare."

A glass coffin rose.

Inside lay a young boy with silver hair, no more than twelve, with a faint star mark on his forehead.

Label:

[Unawakened Star-Soul Talent Root]

[High growth potential.]

[Extraction risk: Moderate.]

Qin Yuheng’s eyes became terrifyingly calm.

Lin Xian’er placed one hand over her bidding paddle.

"Not yet," she whispered.

Qin Yuheng knew.

They had to save all, not only the boy.

The bidding began.

Buyers raised numbers.

Qin Mo’s hands trembled with rage as he prepared stabilizing arrays beneath the floor.

Lin Xian’er bid once, not to buy, but to delay.

Then Qin Lian signaled.

Ledger located.

Behind stage.

Protected by three authority locks.

Qin Yuheng moved.

The operation began without a shout.

Qin Lian cut the first guard’s shadow.

Qin Yuchen disabled two extraction pillars.

Qin Mo activated the Child Talent Root Protection Core and Sovereign Dormant Potential Preservation Crystal together.

Victim coffins stabilized.

Lin Xian’er stood and threw a contract blade into the auction ceiling.

The buyer network froze.

"All current bids are contaminated by stolen-party invalid consent," she said coldly.

The auction hall erupted.

The Auctioneer turned toward her.

"You dare disrupt exchange?"

She smiled.

"This is not exchange."

Qin Yuheng appeared behind the Auctioneer.

"It is theft."

The battle began.

[Crimson Auctioneer]

[Level Equivalent: 70]

[Type:

Talent trade authority / ownership ledger core]

[Abilities:

- Talent Collateralization

- Buyer Shield

- Root Extraction Chain

- Ownership Claim]

The Auctioneer used buyers as shields through contract links. Attacking it directly risked harming victims whose talent roots were listed in its ledger.

Lin Xian’er fought the contracts.

Qin Mo stabilized roots.

Qin Lian cut buyer links.

Qin Yuchen protected freed coffins.

Qin Yuheng used Innocent Guarantor Liberation Seal, True Value Appraisal Heart Stone, and Clean Exchange Road Seal.

"No consent. No ownership. No sale."

The ledger shook.

The Auctioneer screamed.

It tried to claim the silver-haired boy’s star-soul root as emergency collateral.

Qin Yuheng used the Future Obligation Severing Blade to cut the claim.

Then pierced the Auctioneer’s chest ledger with thunder.

Lin Xian’er burned the buyer contracts with False Authority Signature Burning Ink.

The Auctioneer collapsed into red paper ash.

The victims remained alive.

The evidence ledger floated above the stage.

Captured.

[Crimson Auctioneer defeated.]

[Talent auction authority destroyed.]

[Victims preserved.]

[Evidence ledger recovered.]

[Final Evaluation greatly increased.]

Qin Yuheng looked at the unconscious children.

This floor had no beauty.

No poetic lesson.

Only a clear truth.

Some enemies did not deserve negotiation.

But even then, victims had to be preserved before vengeance.

Floor 117 was complete.