Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 26

 

| PN | Auction | 26

The auction on Blue Star was a mixed bag, so for safety's sake, Qi Chao specially prepared a cloak for Moss. After getting off the aircraft, Moss put on the hood, revealing only his bandaged chin.

"Moss, you must follow me obediently and not talk to strangers, understand?" Qi Chao nagged while walking towards the auction venue.

Moss didn't respond, but the hood bobbed up and down a few times, clearly indicating a nod.

It was just a quarter past eight, and the auction had already begun. Nearly thirty items were up for bid, and the fifteenth item was currently being auctioned. Fortunately, Qi Chao arrived just in time, as the diamonds he had his eye on were around the twentieth lot.

Qi Chao had specifically reserved a seat in a front corner. After finding his seat, he handed Moss pictures of the items he was interested in, letting him take a look in advance.

There weren't many attendees at the auction—only about half of the five hundred seats were filled. Though few in number, each attendee was either rich or noble.

The auctioneer on the stage was eloquent and never repeated himself. He occasionally made harmless jokes to lighten the mood, making the bidders below burst into laughter.

"This one looks the best."

Moss handed Qi Chao a picture of a pigeon-egg-sized diamond he was most satisfied with. His tone was serious: "This diamond is so bright, father will definitely like it."

The diamond Moss pointed to was the largest and brightest among all the diamonds, definitely worth a fortune. On Blue Star, top-quality diamonds could easily fetch tens of millions.

"Then we'll bid for this one," Qi Chao said softly, his eyes smiling, as if unaware that with only a million star coins, he might not be able to afford this large diamond.

It felt good to have his suggestion taken seriously. Even Moss was no exception. Although he didn't like auctions, he could tolerate this one for now, Moss thought to himself, fiddling with the bow on his wrist.

On stage, the auctioneer was introducing the twentieth item. Qi Chao glanced up briefly before lowering his head again, his slender fingers tapping the screen.

Winning the best diamond might be difficult with his current savings, but it wasn't impossible. His identity as the son of the richest man is still very useful. At least the organizers of this auction were happy to give him some face.

Auctions on Blue Star seemed transparent on the surface, but there were many hidden ways to maneuver. The original owner had attended no less than ten auctions, so Qi Chao, possessing his memories, naturally knew the rules of the game well.

This was one reason Qi Chao chose to come to the auction instead of opting for relatively cheaper diamonds from a company. After all, having navigated society for nearly thirty years, Qi Chao would always choose the most advantageous option for himself, as long as it didn't violate his principles.

The diamond Moss and Qi Chao fancied was the twenty-third item. After the auctioneer read out the number and gave a brief introduction, someone immediately raised a paddle to bid. The bidders kept raising the price one after another.

But when Qi Chao bid seventy thousand, the previous bidders surprisingly stopped raising their paddles. The auctioneer's gavel came down, and the valuable diamond was finally sold to Qi Chao for seventy thousand.

Things went so smoothly that it seemed almost unnatural. Qi Chao didn't know what price the auction owner had paid to bribe those bidders, but since the owner was willing to help him, it indicated that in the owner's eyes, establishing a connection with the wealthiest man was far more attractive than petty profits.

Qi Chao noted this favor and typed a few words of thanks in the chat interface, skillfully engaging in some mutual flattery with the auction owner before stopping.

 It was now nearly 9:30 PM, and with Moss's bedtime at 10 PM, Qi Chao kept an eye on the time and whispered to Moss, "Once the auction staff bring us the diamond, we'll leave."

"Alright," Moss agreed without objection.

Having bought the gift for the Doctor, Qi Chao felt a sense of relief, as if he had completed a task. He glanced at the auctioneer, simply watching the proceedings for entertainment.

Qi Chao was initially focused solely on selecting the diamond that he hadn't paid attention to the other auction items. Resting his head on his hand, his deep brown eyes filled with amusement. 

However, when he saw the next item on the stage, the amusement in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Next is item number twenty-five—the S-Class Double Puppet Mirror!" The auctioneer knew many were here specifically for this item, and without a doubt, the transaction amount for item twenty-five would be the highest today.

Suppressing his excitement, the auctioneer introduced with full effort, "I don't need to say much about S-class Puppets; everyone here knows how rare they are. In my ten years of hosting, I've only encountered three! And this Double Mirror is the most unforgettable one!"

Though the auctioneer spoke passionately, few bidders were listening attentively. Their gazes, whether strange, disdainful, or eager, were all fixed on the puppet on the stage.

Double Mirror, also known as "Twins," lives up to its name as it consists of two puppets, one with white hair and white eyes, the other with black hair and black eyes. They look like delicate and beautiful thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boys. 

However, the reason the bidders' gazes were so varied was not their exquisite appearances, but their eerie bodies.

The two puppets were tightly pressed back-to-back, not because of an intentional pose, but because their spines were fused together.

"Double Mirror" is a deformed puppet.

"The creator of Double Mirror is the puppet master, Qing Yu, the champion of the last Puppet Master Contest! The difficulty of placing two puppet hearts in a single body is unimaginable!" the auctioneer exclaimed passionately. "This is art!"

Art, my foot.

If Qing Yu were here, Qi Chao would definitely go up and punch him twice. What the hell is this creation?! Calling deformity art? This is an insult to art! Damn it!

Qi Chao was furious, curses spilling from his mouth. Why create such a puppet? Everyone knew that a deformed body meant shared organs and unbearable pain.

If human twins are deformed and their bodies are connected, they will suffer from the moment they are born, and every breath will be extremely painful. 

While puppets did not have pain-sensitive nerves like humans, they could still feel pain, as Lan Luo had mentioned the first time they met.

It was imaginable that these two children had been enduring pain since their creation.

Scientists developed technologies and explored medicine in every possible way to prevent the birth of deformed children, yet that wretched puppet master went ahead and created such a body for the two puppets?

For the sake of art?

Art is crying out of grievance, okay?

Qi Chao was fuming with anger, his teeth grinding in frustration.

In contrast to Qi Chao's seething reaction, Moss, under the cloak, remained expressionless. He seemed accustomed to such scenes; not all puppet masters were as gentle as his father. There were plenty who treated puppets as mere tools for garnering attention.

Moss tilted his head slightly and looked at Qi Chao. He didn’t understand why this person was getting so angry.

There wasn't much time allocated for each auction item. After the auctioneer's introduction, the hammer fell, and bidding began.

Despite Double Mirror's deformity and no matter how exquisite their appearance, their eerie nature couldn't be ignored. Yet, the number of bidders was substantial, their eyes fervently fixed on the puppets, and the bids quickly soared past tens of millions.

Qi Chao usually tried not to think badly of people, but watching this scene, he couldn’t help but ponder deeply on the intentions of these bidders. 

Human cruelty could surpass that of beasts, a truth already proven by the original body’s experiences.

If Double Mirror were taken home by kind-hearted individuals, it would be somewhat acceptable. But if they ended up with someone as vile as the original body, it would be akin to stepping into hell.

Qi Chao decided to bring Double Mirror home. Even if he had to shamelessly borrow money from the original owner's father, he couldn't stand by and watch these two little puppets fall into the abyss.

Moss suddenly heard Qi Chao's bid and looked over in surprise, his black eyes probing, only to see Qi Chao's tense jawline.

Soon, another bid was placed. Qi Chao raised his paddle, each time bidding one thousand star coins higher. The price climbed to an astonishing level, and the number of bidders dwindled. At this rate, Qi Chao was confident he could bring Double Mirror home.

However, before Qi Chao could secure the puppet, his communicator suddenly vibrated.

Auction Owner: [Young Master Qi, stop bidding. You won't get Double Mirror. The Association has already reserved it. No matter how much you offer, we won't give it to you.]

Qi Chao found the message familiar. This was exactly how he had secured the diamond earlier. 

He had to admit, it was quite disheartening.

Qi Chao: [Even if I outbid them?]

Auction Owner: [No, this isn't about money. The Association can easily take us down, and your father's company collaborates with them. You should know how they operate.]

The Puppet Master Association was always domineering, sometimes they wouldn’t even give face to the original owner's father. Offending them could implicate his father, and Qi Chao couldn't afford to drag him into this.

Qi Chao's thumb brushed across the communicator screen, and he typed a simple "Okay." If it was the Association, they likely wouldn't harm Double Mirror.

But would they really?

In the past, Qi Chao might have believed that the association wouldn’t harm puppets, trusting his fellow puppet masters. But looking at the little puppets on the stage now, he wasn’t so sure anymore. 

Do puppet masters really never harm their puppets?

The auctioneer's gavel sounded, and amid his excited announcement, Double Mirror was taken away by the staff. Qi Chao lowered his lashes, the darkness in his eyes lingering.

The auction ended, and they returned to the villa. Qi Chao was unusually quiet on the way back. 

Moss occasionally glanced at Qi Chao curiously, unable to understand why he seemed so down.

When they reached the living room, the Doctor was sitting on the sofa, seemingly having waited for a long time. 

Moss stiffened, nervously calling out, “Father,” and stood still, unsure of what to say next. Qi Chao patted Moss on the shoulder, telling him to go to bed. Moss glanced at his father, and upon seeing his slight nod, he quickly ran upstairs.

Qi Chao tried to smile, but it looked awkward due to his current mood. Shen Yuxi noticed something was off, frowning slightly with concern. “Did something happen?”

“No,” Qi Chao forced a smile, not wanting to talk about it. “Let’s discuss it tomorrow. I’m a bit tired.”

Based on Qi Chao’s understanding of Shen Yuxi, he expected him to nod gently and not press further. 

But this time, he was mistaken.

“Then can you tell me why you took Moss out in the middle of the night?”

Shen Yuxi’s tone was still calm and gentle, like a soft piano melody. Yet, upon hearing this, Qi Chao felt a sudden stiffness, as if fate had grabbed him by the throat.

Qi Chao turned around, seeming to change the subject but also genuinely asking, “Then can you tell me, Brother Shen, why you put your puppets up for auction in the first place?”

In the past, Qi Chao had never thought about this question, but today, attending the auction for the first time and seeing that deformed puppet standing alone on the stage, it suddenly dawned on him.

Auctions meant uncertainty for the little puppet’s future masters. Did the Doctor truly trust that his puppets wouldn’t end up in the hands of bad people? Or was he, like Double Mirror’s creator, indifferent to the fate of his creations?

The Doctor paused, seemingly surprised by the question, and didn’t answer immediately.

Qi Chao watched him quietly, not pressing for a response. The two stood about a meter apart in the living room, facing each other in a tense atmosphere.

The system, once again witnessing such a scene during its routine visit: ...

Wait, why are you asking this, host?

The system was on the verge of tears. Why else would the villain do this? Of course, it’s to easily select you unfortunate souls for his plans!

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