Chapter 299
Sebastian couldn't contain his excitement. He had been worried that the auction might not feature the century-old dragon root, but to his delight, it was the first item up for bidding. Now, he could relax.
However, the century-old dragon root had immense value. It could extend an ordinary person's lifespan, save the terminally ill, and boost practitioners' cultivation base. Sebastian knew he wasn't the only one who desired it.
Lana announced, "I believe everyone knows this is a century-old dragon root from Ivory Mountain. Its effects are well-known, so let's not beat around the bush.
"Let's start the bidding at one billion dollars, with increments of at least a hundred million dollars."
The bidding war erupted.
"1.1 billion!"
"1. 3 billion!"
"I'll go 1.5 billion!"
"I'll pay 2 billion!"
The bidding prices shot up at an astonishing rate-jaw-dropping. They soared to over three billion dollars in less than a minute, with no sign of stopping.
"Mr. Wilder, aren't we bidding?" Zia asked.
"Not yet," Sebastian replied calmly. After all, the dragon root wasn't going anywhere, and they had plenty of time.
When the price crossed five billion dollars, there were noticeably fewer bidders.
"Ten billion dollars!" Sebastian seized the timing. He made his first bid and instantly skyrocketed the price to a new high.
The whole room fell silent, stunned by the staggering amount.
Even among the wealthy attendees, spending over ten billion dollars on a single dragon root seemed insane. After all, why splurge when there were countless other treasures?
All eyes turned to Sebastian.
Sebastian still had his mask on. But with his distinctive mask and the company of Joseph and Zia, he was hard to miss.
"Isn't that Ms. Sanders' fiancé? Why is he bidding such a high price? Is he bidding the price up on purpose?" someone questioned skeptically.
Some auction houses used shills to make extra profit. They deliberately raised prices to maximize their earnings when dealing with highly sought-after auction items.
"Ms. Sanders, is the bidder offering ten billion dollars your fiancé?" another person asked Lana.
Lana's face lit up as she glanced at Sebastian in the crowd.
"That's right. But don't assume he's a shill we brought in. I had no idea he wanted this century-old dragon root. Otherwise, I wouldn't have put it up for auction. I would have given it to him directly."Content is property of NôvelDrama.Org.
Lana spoke truthfully. Moreover, the Sanders family provided the century-old dragon root. Nobody would have objected, even if they gifted it to Sebastian instead.
The crowd was then convinced. After all, the resources of Phaedra Island were vast. There was no need for such subterfuge.
Lana continued, "Any objections? No? Let's carry on, then. Bidder 6697, with ten billion dollars. Any other takers?"
"Ten billion going once, ten billion-"
"11 billion dollars!"
Lana's quick call for bids was unmistakable to secure it for Sebastian.
But the battle was far from over for those determined to get their hands on the century-old dragon root.
The bidding war continued, quickly reaching a staggering 15 billion dollars. This price was clearly inflated and by a significant margin.
Before this, the century-old dragon root had been auctioned twice, with the first sale at only eight billion dollars and the second at ten billion dollars. Now, at 15 billion dollars, several people were still vying for it.
However, the century-old dragon root was indeed a priceless treasure. Missing out on this opportunity meant it might not appear again for decades.
So, each bidder's perception of its value varied greatly. Some might not even consider buying it for a million dollars, while others were willing to pay a premium.