In less than ten minutes, the bidding had already skyrocketed to $8 trillion.Some of the smaller households had already bowed out. Very few families had that kind of money. Even for the four prominent families of Rielton, $8 trillion was equivalent to using all of their available funds.At this point, only the old-money families like the Wheelers, the Millers, the Moores, and the Johnsons were still in the bidding war.However, the bidding had slowed down considerably. Once it hit $8 trillion, even they had to think about their financial limits. That's why the bids were only increasing by $10 billion at a time.The bidding continued, but back in Room Number Two, Terry suddenly said, "Nelson, stop bidding."Nelson was stunned. "Sir?""Haven't you noticed that Alain's side has been quiet this whole time?" Terry leaned back in his chair, his tone relaxed.Nelson glanced over and realized they were indeed quiet, but he didn't think much of it. "So what? That just means they don't r
Eden lifted her head and saw the herb in the lobby. Her expression changed, and she immediately walked out of the room.Alain, Horace, and Caelus were all taken aback by her sudden action.Quickly regaining his composure, Alain caught up with Eden and whispered, "Is that the Bloodgod Herb?""No," Eden replied, her expression serious as she studied the herb.Horace followed them and asked, "If it's not the Bloodgod Herb, why are you so excited?"At that moment, the host began his usual opening speech. "This is the second herb up for auction today. The starting bid is $10,000...""100 thousand!" Eden interrupted before the host could finish.The old-money families around her burst into laughter. This herb didn’t resemble the Bloodgod Herb at all, and with a starting bid of only $10,000, it clearly wasn't anything impressive.No one would compete for it even if she bid just $11,000. But she bid $100,000 instead.What a fool.But then, a voice came from Room Number Two. "10 milli
Both Alain and Terry were taken aback.Terry stared at Eden in disbelief.Everyone emerged from their private rooms, casting curious glances at Alain and Eden.Alain rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.After a moment, Alain said, "Caelus."Caelus, still in shock, snapped back to reality. He walked over to Alain and replied, "Mr. Ward?""Move all available funds into my name right now. All of them," Alain said, casting a glance at Eden and sighing.50 trillion…He wondered if he could actually gather that much.Caelus hesitated for a moment before saying, "I'll get on it right away."The auction fell into complete silence.Even the host was momentarily at a loss for words.He knew the herb he was auctioning wasn’t the Bloodgod Herb and was worth at most 50 thousand dollars.And now, it was sold for…How many times more?"You..." Terry stared at Eden, rendered speechless.He thought he had enough funds, but he hadn’t anticipated Eden bidding 50 trillion doll
In the end, Eden won the herb with a bid of $200.Horace and Caelus were puzzled by Eden's actions. Caelus was more composed and chose not to ask openly, but Horace couldn’t hold back his curiosity."What’s this thing, Eden? $200... It’s not anything special, right?"Before Eden could respond, Alain and Caelus rolled their eyes at him.Horace, irritated, asked, "Seriously? Rolling your eyes at me? Did I say something wrong? What can $200 get you?"Caelus replied, "Do you really think Ms. Griffith would buy an herb without a good reason?"Alain didn’t even bother to look at him.Horace, still unconvinced, pressed, "What is this thing, Eden? Tell me.""It’s the Bloodgod Herb," Eden said as she placed the herb into a small box and put it into her bag.With everything she wanted secured, her demeanor softened and she seemed much more relaxed.Alain was left speechless.Horace’s jaw dropped.Caelus was too stunned to speak.All three of them gave Eden a thumbs up.No one would
When Terry saw Eden leaving, he had a sinking feeling in his gut.The staff then brought him the auction item. Terry paid for it and immediately turned to Cain. "Something’s not right. We need to go back as soon as possible. Can you check if this is the Bloodgod Herb?"Cain leaned back in his chair, looking defeated. "There’s no need to check. This is not the Bloodgod Herb.""What?!" Nelson’s face went pale with shock. "That can’t be! We paid 80 trillion for this!"Terry's face was also grim. He stared at Cain and asked, "Are you sure?""I'm absolutely sure. This isn't the Bloodgod Herb," Cain said, shaking his head. "I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen."Cain had noticed something was off when Terry and Eden started bidding, but his warnings fell on deaf ears."Then who has the real one?" Terry’s demeanor turned icy, radiating a chilling intensity."Eden," Cain said, stroking his beard as if deep in thought.Terry’s eyes narrowed. "The one she spent 50 trillion on?"
"I..." Skylar paused before continuing, "I didn't mean anything by it, Ms. Griffith. It's just that you know what this is. This herb is called the Celestial Herb. It’s sold for a low price but is incredibly valuable—more valuable than the Bloodgod Herb, right?"Eden smiled, her hands in her pockets, looking at Skylar with a roguish glint in her eyes. She raised an eyebrow, signaling him to go on."The Celestial Herb is my father's most prized possession. There are only two in existence: one with my father and the other with a retired elite. My father and this person were close friends, but he lost contact with them a few years ago after they suddenly disappeared." Skylar paused, noting Eden’s darkening expression.He continued, "Before the auction began, my father asked me to change the rules and put the Celestial Herb up for bid. If someone spends everything they have to buy it, I’m to refund the entire amount after the auction. He also wants to meet you."Eden’s eyes narrowed, he
Before Eden could react, someone had already thrown their arms around her.She looked up to see Ryan’s face, which seemed to be begging for a beating."Why didn’t you tell me you were in Rielton? You didn’t even reply when I asked which room you were in. You've become so heartless, Griffy... You’ve changed," Ryan complained, draped lazily around Eden’s neck.Alain’s face darkened immediately. He grabbed Ryan by the collar and threw him to the side, his anger palpable as his voice sent chills down one’s spine. "Get lost!"Ryan, who was not paying any attention to Alain, was tossed a few meters away and instantly flared up. "What’s your problem? You want to fight?"Alain shot him a cold glare and kicked him. Ryan, his blood boiling, spat out, "You’re dead!"Ryan lunged at Alain.Eden rubbed her forehead, at a loss for words.Caelus, watching Alain and Ryan fight, frowned and asked, "Should we stop them, Ms. Griffith?"He was aligned with Alain, but he knew Ryan was a close frien
Ryan’s confidence faltered.His eyes darted everywhere except toward Eden."Investigate me, huh?" Alain raised an eyebrow, a cold glint in his eyes as he approached Ryan.Ryan could only watch in silence.What bad luck!And now he had made another person upset!Ryan gave an awkward smile. "You can't blame everything on me, right? Besides, if it weren’t for me, would you have built such a great relationship? Would you have been able to find a prodigious wife like Eden, senior? Or would you have found a handsome, rich boyfriend who dotes on you, Griffy?"Alain’s expression softened a bit. True, if Ryan hadn’t investigated him for Eden, he might never have met her.Eden, with a roguish smile, said, "So, I should thank you?""You don’t have to," Ryan replied, leaning in and whispering with a grin, "Just buy me dinner.""I’ll give you a punch."Eden immediately threw a punch at Ryan."Whoa!" Ryan dodged the attack.He didn’t dare to fight Eden, so he just kept dodging.But Ede
Eden had never seen this scarlet rock before. It looked like it had been scorched red by fire, but it felt cold to the touch.She was immediately drawn to it, even though she didn’t think much of it as she picked it up.At first, she thought it might be something unpleasant. But as soon as she touched the rock, a surge of limitless energy flowed into her body, making her realize that her power had reached a new level.Alain finally snapped back to reality, pulling Eden into his arms and patting her head. His voice was rough as he said, “Can you please avoid doing things that make me worry like this?”Eden was taken aback. She had only picked up a rock. What was he so worried about?Then she realized that Alain and Horace had probably seen the mist enter her body.“Alright. I’ll let you know what I’m doing next time.”Only then did Alain seem to relax.He looked at the rock in Eden’s hand and said, “This is called a Styx Rock. An old man gave it to me a few years ago after I sav
The last time Horace was kidnapped, Eden did everything she could to save him.Caelus had been with her for a long time and followed her every command. She wouldn’t just let him die.The two of them had just left the entrance when Horace came rushing over.“I heard Eden is awake. Let me see her!”Horace had been outside organizing the search for the murderer. When he heard Eden was awake, he left everything and came straight over.He treated Eden like a younger sister, so of course, he wanted to visit her now that she was awake.“Yes, I’m awake,” Eden said with a gentle glance at Horace. Then, she gave a slow, meaningful smile as she curled her lips. “I’m going to save Caelus. Come with me.”Horace suddenly shuddered.She turned to Alain. “What’s with her? Why did she smile so frighteningly?”Alain didn’t respond and got into the car.Horace followed them without delay.Caelus had been in the ice coffin for three days, and his body was already starting to deteriorate.Eden
Eden had just walked out of the room when Sinead arrived.“You’re finally awake. I’ve been so worried about you,” Sinead said, taking Eden’s hand. She then checked Eden’s forehead and pinched her face. Once she was sure Eden didn’t have a fever, she finally relaxed.“I’m really sorry for making you worry,” Eden said, her usual shyness showing.“No need to apologize,” Sinead replied. “If it weren’t for you trying to save us, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt so badly. I’ve been feeling guilty about it, so don’t say anything that’ll make me feel worse, okay?”Sinead glanced around at the nurses in the villa, knowing Alain had recruited them recently. “I know these nurses have been carefully selected, but they can’t compare to me taking care of you myself. Why don’t you come back with me? I’ll look after you personally and make sure you get all the nourishment you need.”“Alright,” Eden agreed immediately.Alain, who was behind Eden, could only watch silently.It seemed he had definite
“I… I wouldn’t dare,” the young nurse said, taking a few steps back, visibly trembling.Eden looked up at her. It was clear that the nurse was frightened, though she was trying to hide it.“What’s your name?” Eden asked as she ate the oats, which tasted fresh and just right.“My… My name is Gem. Gem Scarlet,” the nurse replied, her eyes fixed on the floor, avoiding Eden’s gaze.“How old are you?” Eden inquired. Though she was only slightly older than Gem, she exuded a calm, dependable demeanor.“Eighteen,” Gem answered quietly.Eden stroked her chin, observing Gem. “Do you stutter?”“Huh?” Gem looked up in surprise. “No.”Eden continued eating. “Are you afraid of me?”Gem seemed too stunned to stutter anymore and nodded instinctively. “Yes.”But she quickly corrected herself. “No… I… I’m not afraid of you…”Gem’s eyes filled with tears, and she struggled to hold them back.She bit her lip and, with her head lowered, explained, “It’s… It’s Mr. Brooks. He said you have a bad
Even though Hades was known as the king of all Banevermins, it wasn’t always active. Once the person implanted with Hades had consumed enough blood, Hades would fall into a deep slumber.He had just committed several murders, which meant that Hades had been fully fed and wouldn’t be triggered again anytime soon.Eden figured the reason for his sudden activity was that he was searching for a safer place to hide.“The Johnsons?” Liam repeated thoughtfully. “Since Alain is investigating them, and so are you, did they really do something they’re trying to keep hidden from outsiders?”Eden considered this and then decided to share the truth with Liam. “Have you ever heard of the Shamblers?”“Shamblers? One of the kids at the Agency was reading a horror novel a few days ago, and I overheard them mention it…” Liam said, pausing as he stood up suddenly. “Wait, are you saying the things in those novels are real?”Eden thought about it and nodded slightly. “Not entirely, but it’s not too f
Liam was genuinely impressed with Eden’s progress.If his own children had achieved as much, he’d be able to die happy.Eden, however, had a headache.She already knew about it.When Alain told Horace, she was in the same room and overheard it. She was unsure whether to tell Alain or not, wondering if he could accept the world she was part of.The world where the war would take place.After thinking it over, she finally said, “I’ll take it.”“Alright, I’ll send the reply.”Just before hanging up, Liam remembered something. “You’re in Estburg finishing your senior year, right? Almost ready to graduate?”“Yeah.”“With how smart you are, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble getting into a good university. Have you thought about studying in Rielton? We could grab coffee when we’re both free.”Eden replied indifferently, “The Agency must have a lot of free time these days, huh?”“Well, not exactly. I’m working on something pretty complicated and staying busy, but I’m making time to c
Eden massaged her head, glancing at all the nurses surrounding her.They watched her anxiously, afraid they might upset her.“All of you can leave. I don’t need everyone here,” she said, irritated by the crowd.As soon as the nurses heard her, they began to cry. “Did we do something wrong? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Please don’t fire us!”"That's right. Mr. Ward warned us that if we make you unhappy, he’ll kill us.”“We don’t want to die; please let us stay.”Eden froze, then muttered under her breath, “Darn it.”Was Alain out of his mind?Since when did he become so ruthless?Eden lowered her gaze, feeling the tension rise in the room. She glanced at the nurses, who were now kneeling in front of her, sobbing.Frustrated by the crowd, she said, “Just go. Alain won’t kill you.”Turning to Sulien, she instructed, “Pay them five times their salary and send them away.”Sulien, once obedient only to Alain, now followed Eden’s lead. Without hesitation, he paid the nurses as she as
Alain rarely mobilized his organization, and it was even more unusual for him to take a personal interest in anything. But Sinead knew it was serious if he had to step in himself.She remembered the call she had received from the Gardner family earlier, and a sense of unease settled over her.Could the person Alain and Horace were talking about be connected to that?If so, Rielton would become a living hell.The moment Sinead realized this, she quickly pulled out her phone and dialed a number as she walked outside. "I need your help."Three days later, at Pear Garden.Eden woke up shortly after Alain had left.As she opened her eyes, a young woman stood in front of her, staring at her.After a moment, the young woman excitedly exclaimed, "Ms. Griffith is awake, Dr. Sulien. Look!"She had barely finished speaking when dozens of people rushed into the room. Eden instantly frowned.She had only been unconscious for a little while. What... happened?Where did all these people co
Alain arrived just after the rest of the Ward family had left."Why are you here? Is Eden awake?" Sinead asked. She wanted to stay in Pear Garden to take care of Alain and Eden, but with the Ward family pressuring her for answers, she returned to the family residence to handle them first.They had just left when Alain arrived, and she thought Eden might have already woken up."She's still unconscious," Alain replied, unbuttoning the top button of his blazer as he sat down. "I’m here to see grandpa, and then I’ll head to the company."Sinead nodded. "He just woke up. Your uncles were here, arguing with me. He thinks it’s too noisy and doesn’t want anyone disturbing him, so don’t go in for now.""Got it," Alain said, lighting a cigarette. "Can you go stay with Ed in Pear Garden?""Alright."Sinead didn’t say much, grabbed her purse, and left.She had just reached the entrance when Horace rushed in. Without even greeting her, he hurried to Alain."Alain, he’s shown up again."Ho