Old Vine had already studied the market conditions within Dominion and carefully analyzed the current situation among the player base. From his perspective, the timing could not have been better. If there was ever a mont to launch a second large-scale auction, this was it.
He had also heard rumors that rchant Alliance Auction House, operated by CryptoWarlord, was preparing a major auction of their own. If they managed to hold it first, they would attract a large portion of the high-end buyers.
Old Vine had no intention of letting that happen.
If he moved quickly and hosted his auction before theirs, he was confident that the combination of Marcus’s exceptional equipnt and the other rare items he had accumulated would make his event impossible to surpass. Whether in terms of quantity or quality, their competitors would simply not be able to match it. The Old Vine Auction House would host another spectacular sale, strengthening its reputation and pushing it firmly to the top of the market.
His research had already revealed another crucial detail. Equipnt above level thirty dropped extrely rarely. The pieces Marcus possessed, especially the level thirty items, would create a powerful impression on the entire player community. Elite players who were approaching that level would be desperate for upgrades, and when they finally obtained them through this auction, they would rember exactly where those items had co from.
"Old Vine, that’s your call," Marcus said without hesitation, casually handing the decision over.
With a veteran rchant like Old Vine handling the sales, Marcus had no concerns. Unless the old man had suddenly developed an inexplicable dislike for money, everything would go smoothly. Besides, Marcus himself knew almost nothing about the market and had neither the ti nor the interest to learn.
"Good. Then I’ll schedule the auction for tomorrow and post the announcent shortly," Old Vine said.
As he spoke, he stepped forward and gave Marcus a firm clap on the shoulder.
"Stone, from now on I’ll auction your equipnt free of charge. Aside from the system’s required cut, I won’t take a single coin from you."
Marcus blinked in surprise.
"This... that’s..."
Old Vine’s sudden generosity caught him completely off guard. The old man spoke with such sincerity and magnanimity that it almost felt suspicious. Marcus knew very well that nothing in the world ca free.
Since Old Vine had made the offer himself, Marcus decided not to rush his response. If he reacted too quickly, he might lose leverage without even realizing it. Instead, he simply kept a wide and cheerful smile on his face, letting the old rchant believe he was pleasantly surprised.
"Stone, because of the Guild Creation Token you sold here, my auction house’s reputation exploded overnight," Old Vine explained with visible satisfaction. "Business has been booming ever since. Daily transactions have reached tens of millions of gold. To be honest, I really owe you my thanks."
The smile Marcus wore did not fool the seasoned rchant for even a mont. Old Vine had spent his life reading people, and today he realized sothing he had not noticed before.
This young man was not as simple as he appeared.
Stonehaven had always seed easygoing and straightforward, the type who avoided confrontation and carried himself with a friendly, relaxed deanor. Yet beneath that calm surface there was a sharp mind quietly watching everything. When it mattered, he maintained control of the situation without making it obvious. Anyone hoping to manipulate him or steer him toward a particular decision would quickly discover that it was far harder than expected.
"Alright then, Old Vine. In that case, thank you," Marcus said with an easy nod.
By the auction house’s rules, Old Vine normally took an eight percent commission on every item sold. When Marcus thought back to the Guild Creation Token that had sold for nearly one hundred million gold, eight percent suddenly felt like an enormous amount of money.
If Old Vine truly intended to waive that fee without asking for anything in return, Marcus was not foolish enough to decline. Better to accept the offer imdiately before the old man had ti to reconsider.
Old Vine studied him for a mont, admiration creeping into his thoughts.
’This kid really hides it well.’
Marcus usually behaved in a relaxed and approachable manner, never domineering and always easy to get along with. Yet at critical monts he revealed a sharp instinct, making decisions quickly and leaving no opportunity for others to take advantage of him.
Old Vine had always had a habit of overlooking young players, especially those who seed unambitious or lacked the drive to seize opportunities. Marcus’s laid-back personality, the way he handled things, and his apparent lack of urgency all ran contrary to what Old Vine valued in rising talents. Normally soone like this would never have drawn his attention.
And yet, for so inexplicable reason, he found himself paying close attention to this knight nad Stonehaven.
The more he watched him, the more conflicted he felt. Part of him was frustrated by the young man’s lack of ambition. Another part felt regret, as though Marcus was wasting an incredible opportunity that only ca once in a lifeti. Old Vine even felt a strange sense of indignation, as if the young man should be striving to build sothing greater for himself.
’This boy needs guidance,’ Old Vine concluded silently. ’Soone needs to light a fire under him.’
Just as he reached that resolution, his gaze shifted from Marcus to the two won standing beside him. His expression imdiately changed.
Sothing was... off.
Old Vine’s eyesight was perfectly fine. When Marcus first walked in, he had noticed the two masked won imdiately. Because they wore similar masks to the pair Marcus had brought before, he had assud they were the sa two won Marcus had once introduced as his wife and sister.
He had not looked closely at the ti.
Now, however, the difference was impossible to ignore.
Their aura was completely different, as were their classes and equipnt.
The woman on Marcus’s right wore the long flowing robes of a Sorcerer. Her figure was slender and elegant, her bearing calm and graceful, like a drifting white cloud or clear flowing water. Even without seeing her face, the gentle aura surrounding her created the impression of a celestial maiden who had quietly descended into the mortal world.
The woman on Marcus’s left was dressed as a Knight. Her figure was strikingly curvaceous and full of vitality, radiating a lively and youthful energy. Confidence and pride seed to cling to her every movent, giving her a crisp, heroic presence that was difficult to ignore.
Even with their faces hidden behind masks, their figures and natural auras alone were enough to make one thing obvious.
They were undoubtedly beauties.
And judging by their presence, they were very likely comparable to the two won Marcus had previously brought here.
The gentle, fairy-like sorceress on the right stood close to Marcus, her hand lightly holding his arm. Although she occasionally glanced around the auction hall, her attention clearly revolved around him.
The knight on the left was slightly more reserved. Her relationship with Marcus was less obvious, but the way she stood quietly just behind him, listening to the conversation without interrupting, suggested a familiarity that went beyond ordinary friendship.
Old Vine stared at the scene in disbelief.
’This kid really has so skill.’
Barely half a day ago he had been here with his so-called girl and sister, yet now he appeared with two entirely different won, and the gentle one on the right was clearly very close to him. The look in her eyes alone was enough to tell that their relationship was anything but ordinary.
’What a player.’
For a mont Old Vine almost felt impressed. He had been sothing of a romantic himself in his younger days, but even he had to admit that managing several beautiful won at once without visible conflict required a certain talent.
The younger generation truly surpassed the old.
Then the admiration abruptly turned into irritation.
’This brat is a complete womanizer.’
The more he thought about it, the more convinced he beca that Marcus had all the makings of a playboy. If that was the case, Old Vine needed to be extrely careful. His two precious granddaughters absolutely could not be allowed anywhere near soone like this.
But then another thought suddenly surfaced.
Aside from that single eting before, Marcus had never contacted his granddaughters again. In fact, he had never even asked about them. It was as though he had completely forgotten their existence.
That realization made Old Vine even more irritated.
’The nerve of this kid,’ he grumbled inwardly. ’How dare he ignore my granddaughters!’
Despite all his criticisms and earlier doubts, Old Vine had to admit one thing to himself. In all these years, Marcus was the only young man who had ever truly caught his attention, the only one he felt might actually be worthy of his precious twin granddaughters.
"They’re my friends," Marcus said casually, completely unaware of the chaotic storm raging through the old man’s mind.
Noticing the strange expression on Old Vine’s face, he quickly tried to steer the conversation in another direction.
"Old Vine, I got lucky again. I found another Guild Creation Token."
With that, he pulled out the token that had dropped from the Two-Headed Mist-Tear Fiend and placed it on the counter.
Old Vine stared at it, but his expression remained strangely complicated.
Marcus watched him for a mont, feeling slightly puzzled.
’What a strange old man,’ he thought silently. ’Why is he acting so oddly today?’
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