latelenovela Chapter 226 General's Uniform
Chapter 226 General's Uniform
The cultivator exuded a powerful aura. He sat behind a sandalwood table, holding a brush and writing something on a scroll. When Zhong Ming and his companions arrived, he glanced at them and casually remarked:
"Sent by the military?"
“Yes.” Zhong Ming was about to continue when the man interrupted him.
"These are all guards sent by the military, ranging from ordinary soldiers to Golden Core cultivators. Your cultivation levels are arranged in the lower-level meeting room. Do you have any objections?"
"Um, senior, we are new here and not very familiar with the auction house. We don't know..."
"You can familiarize yourselves with it later. The lower level is a mortal auction house, selling only ordinary items. Occasionally, cultivators will go down for a stroll. You can handle it." The man waved his hand, about to send the group away.
Zhong Ming was speechless. Why was I banished to the underworld again? Was I destined to be underground in this life?
However, given his level of cultivation, he didn't have much right to speak, so he had no choice but to obediently head down to the lower levels.
Along the way, the staff found the roadside unusually simple, with only lighting gems, air stones, and solid wood walls. But when they went down the stairs, out the door, and into an area accessible to guests, they were stunned by what they saw.
The road seemed to be made of gold, glittering and dazzling, with expensive paintings and many works of art hanging on both sides. Even a ceramic vase taller than a person made them feel a little intimidated.
This treasure, if you accidentally break it, how much will you have to pay for it?
Their expressions quickly attracted the attention of some of the visitors. Most of the men kept a serious expression and walked past as if they hadn't seen anything. However, the ladies, who were used to being spoiled, began to talk about Zhong Ming and the others in a blatant manner as soon as they covered their faces with veils and scarves, without even lowering their voices.
"Look at them, dressed like servants. I wonder if they'll be treated like servants and ordered around."
"Who knows? If there are any peddlers or laborers coming and going in the lower row who want a drink, that would be quite amusing."
"Exactly, exactly. When it comes to buying tickets, we need to buy seats on the second floor."
The group chatted and laughed, completely ignoring Zhong Ming's presence.
The second floor of the auction house consists of several rows of tiered seats and private rooms in the center. The seats are spaced far apart and separated by partitions, making it suitable for lively women to chat and laugh. It is the main consumption area for jewelry.
For those who do not wish to reveal their identities, the auction house provides masks free of charge.
Zhong Ming felt somewhat annoyed, as it reminded him of some unpleasant experiences.
The day before his hometown was destroyed, why did he go to the Gao family to polish his mirror, dressed in fine clothes? It was because of these snobbish people who had nothing better to do than to say a few words and offend others, even if they were complete strangers.
It seems that if they don't make some baseless grudges, they're not worthy of their "noble" status.
They quickly circled around, and there were some people guarding the lower auction hall, but most of them were ordinary warriors in full armor.
The four of them first met with the experienced captain of the mortal guard, a private soldier of the auction house who was very familiar with the place.
"Welcome, immortal masters." The man was burly, with a black beard and a rugged face; he was a brave and skilled warrior.
Zhong Ming extended his right hand and shook hands with him. "I am Captain Cuihong Zhenren."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Qi Cheng, the captain of the guard." He was different from the others. "Hey, I thought that one of you was the captain. My apologies."
Unlike the others, he believed from the beginning that Chen Dahai was the captain.
In war, no one carries useless things. That person in the wheelchair must have extraordinary abilities, most likely exceptional decision-making wisdom, making him the perfect candidate to be the captain.
These words at least pleased Chen Dahai.
"He's a skilled man. Take him to a place with a better view, and he'll keep everything within your sight safe."
"That's wonderful." Captain Qi clasped his hands in a fist salute, gesturing for the group to sit down quickly. The ordinary soldiers behind him immediately went to bring over some food.
He showed Zhong Ming a map of the lower auction hall. There wasn't much to say; it was just a large circle with three staircases leading to the second floor, one for the VIPs in the side rooms and the other for the guests in the middle seats.
The rest of the people on the floor left through a wide exit, which was just wide enough for four people to pass through.
"Our exit route and a section of the auction area for high-level cultivators are close to each other, separated by only a wall. There will be Foundation Establishment stage immortal masters guarding that area, so even if an invincible enemy appears, there is no need to fight too hard."
The man's expression was very solemn, clearly indicating that he had some unpleasant experiences in the past.
"Are robberies common here?" Zhong Ming picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smelled the fragrant aroma. His expression remained calm and composed.
"Of course not, who would dare to send their photos to us for auction? But no one can say for sure this time."
Some transactions are prone to conflict.
For example, once when a mythical beast was being auctioned, a family insisted that it was their own pet that had been captured and sold here. They also happened to have some skills and caused quite a scene.
Zhong Ming quickly made a decision: everyone should familiarize themselves with the venue first, and then Chen Dahai would be in charge of the central staircase area on the second floor.
Just keep the small cubicles separate and avoid the gaze of the women; Chen Dahai isn't usually very talkative anyway.
Xuanjing and Yue Kaishan were responsible for guarding the people in the private rooms on both sides, while Zhong Ming was in charge of the noisiest and most crowded area on the lower level.
"Xuanjing, Brother Yue, disguise yourselves as soldiers. Captain Qi, give them a well-fitting suit of armor and let them infiltrate your ranks."
"No problem, lieutenant, get two sets of top-quality armor over right away."
"No, no, no, ordinary armor, preferably no different from that of an ordinary soldier." Zhong Ming smiled slightly. I'm not going to be the mantis stalking the cicada, but at least I'll be a harmless little leaf. If anyone dares to cause trouble, they'll be "frightened".
"Captain Qi, are there any seats left for spectators? I want to be hidden among the audience, preferably near the entrance."
"Of course, I'll adjust it for you right away."
The location near the entrance was quite poor, too far from the auction area to see anything clearly, so when someone was suddenly told by staff that someone was willing to trade a front-row seat for it, they happily agreed.
So, Zhong Ming swaggered off to attend the auction.
Captain Qi Cheng suddenly stopped him, saying somewhat embarrassedly, "Master Cuihong, why don't you change into some more elegant clothes? That would make it easier for you to blend in."
"Ahem, could you provide one set?"
"Uh." Captain Qi thought for a moment. These guards, a bunch of poor men, certainly didn't have any nice clothes. One fine garment would cost them several years' wages, but the bodyguards should have some.
As a result, Zhong Ming's request was relayed to the guards at lightning speed, and someone immediately brought him a rather appropriate set of clothes. It was a dark green silk robe with python patterns. Although it did not look as luxurious as those of other wealthy merchants, it had its own air of majesty.
The man also brought a wig along with a precious jade headdress.
Zhong Ming was dressed neatly, his demeanor suddenly changed, his face was covered with many scars, his appearance was not handsome, but he looked a little fierce. At this moment, he blended in with his clothes and looked exactly like a general.