Chapter 17: A Blessing and a Misfortune
The timer hit 9:59, signaling the final second of the auction. The current bid stood at $85,000, and this was the critical moment when all last-minute bidders made their moves. As the final second ticked away, a flurry of bids appeared, pushing the final sale price to a staggering $120,000.
"Damn it! I bid $110,000 and still lost?!" Bobby growled, his frustration palpable. He had expected the weapon to sell for around $100,000 and had even placed a higher bid to secure it, hoping to outsmart other bidders. Yet, despite his efforts, someone had beaten him.
"Damn, I'll find out who bought it and make them regret it," Bobby muttered angrily.
Meanwhile, Jeremy and his team breathed a collective sigh of relief. "You were right, Jeremy. Some people really don't treat money like it matters. Twelve grand for Black Iron gear in the early game—what's next?" Liam remarked.
"It's simple. Sealed knows how to pick the perfect timing. That weapon was in high demand, and we happen to have a few wealthy players in our village. Not every novice village has such deep-pocketed players. Once we get to the main city, competition will increase, and prices will stabilize," Jeremy explained calmly.
Harold sighed. "Being in the same novice village as him is both a blessing and a misfortune."
Everyone nodded in agreement. With their skills, they would have dominated any other novice village, but here, they were just playing second fiddle.
"According to official stats, over two hundred million players in Zentaria have joined the game so far, and that number is still climbing. So yeah, high prices for gear make sense. It's an opportunity for us too. Even though Sealed's presence overshadows us, thanks to him, many players in our village already have high-attribute gear. That gives us an overall advantage, and when we reach the main city, that advantage will shine," Jeremy concluded.
"Agreed," the others chorused.
On the other side of the village, Uncle Lee handed the [Tusk Greatblade] to Sophia Mueller. "Miss, with this weapon, our grinding efficiency will increase significantly. We should aim to reach level 10 quickly and secure a favorable position in the main city."
"Got it," Sophia said, marveling at the weapon. "Twelve grand... Sealed must have made tens of thousands of dollars just from selling gear in the past day."