Chapter 68 - The Owner?

"Cut to the chase," Hecathe clicked his tongue, "The auction house never sends the auctioneer to deal with this sort of stuff. Why are you here?" 

The auctioneer nodded with a chuckle as he confirmed Hecathe's words, "Sir, you're right. We don't usually do this but for this deal, I thought it would be best if I personally came to see you." 

Hecathe's eyes narrowed down on the man as he suddenly managed to understand something, "You thought?" 

As long as he knew, the auctioneer didn't really have the power to do anything other than announcing the bids.

When the auction was going on, the auctioneer had complete control but as soon as the auction was over, the auctioneer's job was also naturally done. 

The one who decided which staff to send to the bidders was someone in a higher position. 

"You're not just an auctioneer, are you?" Hecathe didn't bother beating around the bush as he straightforwardly asked, voicing out his suspicions that were caused by the man's tongue slip.   

The auctioneer was a bit surprised as he heard this question, "Sir, as expected, you are quite smart. Even the woman who attended you before this said so." 

"Don't bother flattering me," Hecathe sighed as he interjected, "Who are you?" 

The auctioneer gulped as he pursed his lips into a thin line and took time as he answered Hecathe's question, "I'm the one who organizes the auctions." 

Hecathe frowned as he heard this answer and didn't really look to be pleased with it. 

"It's not really meant to be a secret, Sir," The man chuckled as he added and when Hecathe thought about it a bit, he found that the man was not lying. 

This auctioneer had always announced the fact that he had been the one organizing these auctions but it seemed that nobody ever understood what he truly meant by saying that. They simply thought that as the auctioneer, it was only natural for him to organize the auction. 

"So you're the owner?" Hecathe questioned as he looked at the man. 

The auctioneer nodded as he confirmed Hecathe's suspicions, "That's right. I'm the one that started this auction house so I'm naturally the one in charge." 

Hecathe couldn't help but find it funny that Alphius who had recorded everything down in his diary had never realized that the one organizing these auctions had always been right in front of them. 

"As the saying goes... The best place to hide something is in plain sight," Hecathe commented as he found it a bit amusing. 

The fact that he knew something that Alphius didn't... It really was a bit amusing for Hecathe. 

"Sir, since you now know who I am, I'm sure you understand how important the matter must be for me to personally come here to discuss it over with you." 

Hecathe leaned back on the chair as he crossed his legs and frowned, "Important matter? What is it?" 

"We have double-checked the mutant beads that you've sent and we are satisfied to see that you have not lied to us at all. They are all pure and undamaged mutant beads. It is the first time in history such a large quantity of pure mutant beads have been casually sold by someone like this." 

"That's probably because he's an idiot," Hecathe unconsciously muttered out his thoughts. 

"Eh?" The auctioneer tilted his head in confusion as he heard Hecathe. 

"Nothing," Hecathe shrugged his shoulder as he responded, "Please continue." 

"..." 

Hecathe was mentally thinking what a big idiot Alphius was. He had the power to collect thousands of pure mutant beads easily but he still decided to let his mecha-suits join the auction for them. Letting the mecha-suits spend away million and trillions of Lenix uselessly on something that their Captain could have easily provided them. 

Hecathe actually understood why the man never did such a thing, but this didn't change the fact that he still found Alphius stupid for missing out on such an opportunity. 

Alphius, the man who was famously known as the villain was actually a man with a foolishly soft heart. While everyone else in the world saw mutants as lowly beings that didn't even deserve to live, Alphius saw them as creatures that were once humans and his sympathy for them made it impossible for him to harm them in any manner. 

He was really the opposite of Hecathe in that manner. 

"Sir, you look like a capable individual and it makes me wonder," The auctioneer took a deep breath in as he smiled and asked, "Do you perhaps have more mutant beads with you?" 

Hecathe smirked as he heard this question that was to be expected. 

"Why? You want me to sell it to you for the minimum price again?" 

The auctioneer gulped as he immediately shook his head, "Sir, we can discuss the price." 

"What if I ask five trillion for each mutant bead?" Hecathe leaned in, resting his chin on his palm as he questioned with an amused teasing tone. 

The man gulped as he thought about it for a minute before nodding his head, "That sounds good as well!" 

Hecathe blinked in surprise as he heard this response. 

"Do you have more, sir?" 

Hecathe chuckled as he heard the man shamelessly asking him for more mutant beads. 

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I have none left with me," Hecathe sighed as he replied, "I gave them all to you for that Dorgon egg." 

The auctioneer immediately frowned as he heard this and he was silent as if he was waiting for Hecathe to say something more. 

Hecathe was clearly lying when he said that there was none left. 

Five trillion for a single bead was actually a pretty good deal, however, Hecathe wasn't looking forward to selling more mutant beads today. 

"Was that all you were here for?" Hecathe asked as he looked at the man with a bit of suspicion. 

The man smiled brightly as he shook his head, "Of course not, Sir." 

"..." 

"I'm also here to inform you about the Dorgon Egg that you've won today!" The man exclaimed happily as the disappointment that he had shown previously didn't even manage to leave a trace on his face. 

Hecathe learned something from this: This man was good at hiding his thoughts and controlling his expressions.