Chapter 172

The auction houses Sloane had known before were all the same, bright exhibition halls, neatly arranged seats, and items displayed under crystal lights while bidders raised numbered paddles. This one was completely different. The auction was held inside an underground city. Not a metaphor, not an exaggeration, an actual city beneath the surface, sprawling so wide it felt endless. From what she had heard, it stretched beneath almost the entire metropolitan area, large enough to house private clubs, hidden markets, even a full-scale racetrack. It was her first time here. She couldn’t help but look around, curiosity written all over her face. The lighting was dim but refined, the architecture bold and futuristic. Everything felt secretive, controlled, like a place that didn’t exist unless you were invited. Only then did she realize something else. Everyone was wearing a mask. At first, she hadn’t fully understood the reason. Now, it was obvious. The items auctioned here were not ordinary c