028 Robbery—Hand Over Your Treasures!

"Aftermath?" So-and-so stiffly pointed at the person seated below and asked Liangyin.

Liangyin blinked, saying nothing.

"Five million, seven hundred thousand!" A voice rang out from one of the private boxes, raising the bid. So-and-so patted Liangyin's shoulder reassuringly, but Liangyin was already petrified, unresponsive.

"Six million!" The person on the floor seats called out calmly, drawing surprised looks from the surrounding crowd. The focus of all these stares was none other than Andy Gilroth, the man who had kidnapped So-and-so and Liangyin that day.

"Why do I feel like this guy isn't here to buy anything, but is just trying to provoke someone into making a move on him? It's way too obvious," So-and-so muttered, tilting her head in confusion.

"Could he be fishing for someone?" Liangyin, shaking off her petrification, found herself agreeing with So-and-so's suspicion.

So-and-so couldn't even be bothered to speak, merely nodding vigorously, pointing back and forth between herself and Liangyin.

As the auction gradually drew to a close and the final lot had yet to appear, So-and-so and Liangyin slipped out of the venue, stealthily following Andy for quite some time.

"Didn't we already say he's fishing? Who in their right mind would follow the bait like this? Besides us two fools, who else would travel all the way to Akasia just for the Heart of Eternity? It's obvious we're being targeted," So-and-so grumbled to Liangyin.

"True, but could you at least slow down for me, Miss Impatience?" Liangyin replied coldly, watching So-and-so tail Andy with far too much enthusiasm.

"Uh..." So-and-so finally slowed her pace, falling in step with Liangyin.

After winning the Heart of Eternity, Andy left the auction—not toward the city of Akasia, but rather further and further in the opposite direction.

"There's another thing..." So-and-so eyed Liangyin's attempt to hide behind a pillar. "Don't you think we're being a bit too obvious in our stalking?"

Liangyin glanced at So-and-so, who wasn't even making an effort to conceal herself. "Then why is he pretending not to see us?"

"Well, why not just ask him directly?" So-and-so answered with a grin.

"Good point," replied Liangyin. They exchanged a look, instantly understanding each other. Liangyin darted forward, blocking Andy's path, while So-and-so quickly moved to cover his retreat.

"Robbery! Hand over the Heart of Eternity!" So-and-so shouted.

Andy seemed utterly unfazed by their arrival, merely quickening his pace to escape. Liangyin had no intention of letting him get away so easily; the blue light flickered on her Staff of Eternity, and in a flash, a chain of water wrapped itself around Andy. But Andy was no pushover. His movements were agile as he deftly dodged the chain's attacks. So-and-so tried to cut off his escape with a barrage of water bullets, but Andy's formidable strength sliced through them with ease.

Seeing Andy about to get away, Liangyin summoned two more chains, this time forged from ice, glistening coldly in the sunlight. If Andy tried to break them with his bare hands, he'd risk frostbite. So-and-so wasn't to be outdone either; a well-aimed jet of water struck Andy full in the face. His vision blurred, his feet tangled by the ice chains, and he lost his balance, crashing to the ground.

"Grab it!" So-and-so shouted. Liangyin rushed forward, about to snatch the Heart of Eternity, when Andy suddenly hurled it with all his might into a derelict building nearby.

The shattering of glass rang out as the pristine Heart of Eternity vanished into the darkness.

Liangyin had no time to worry about Andy; she dashed after the Heart of Eternity. But just then, the scent of burning filled the air from within the abandoned house, and flames began to consume the building.

"Trying to trap me with this trick?" Liangyin shot Andy a smile. "Don't you know what kind of mage I am?"

Without another word, she kicked the door open and dashed inside. So-and-so checked to make sure Andy, still securely bound by the ice chains, posed no threat, then hurried after Liangyin to help douse the flames.

"It's about time someone told Huanluo to start training the intelligence service properly. To think the most promising general in Akasia can't even distinguish his opponent's strengths and weaknesses! What a joke," So-and-so complained as she fought the fire.

Cradling the hard-won Heart of Eternity, Liangyin gently brushed the ashes from its surface, her heart aching with concern.

"Let's go. With a fire this big, the guards will be here any minute," So-and-so urged.

Liangyin nodded and headed for the door, only to find that the empty doorway felt as if it had been plastered over with an enormous sheet of invisible sticky film. Her foot met with overwhelming resistance, making it impossible to pass through.

Frowning, Liangyin hurled a water sphere at the door, but it too rebounded from some unseen force.

To have the Heart of Eternity in hand, yet be unable to leave—what bitter irony! In her frustration, Liangyin unleashed a barrage of powerful water missiles at the entrance, but all were deflected, bouncing back into the room. Just as she was about to try again, a pained yelp rang out from So-and-so.

"Ouch!"

Liangyin turned to see So-and-so, struck squarely on the head by one of the ricocheting water balls, squatting on the floor, clutching her head, tears welling in her eyes. "This is attempted murder..."

"Yes, that's exactly what it is..." murmured Liangyin, her gaze drifting to Andy outside, who had freed himself from the ice chains.

"What?" So-and-so looked up, startled, and saw Liangyin's rare, serious silhouette. "We've been deliberately trapped here. I suspect Huanluo's in trouble."

"You mean we've been intentionally confined by the same person twice, and both times Huanluo had to play the fool to save us two idiots?" So-and-so asked, still rubbing her head.

Liangyin nodded. "Look, this house is obviously covered with a mage-repelling shield—magic has no effect on it. Unless we can physically break through, we're stuck here waiting for rescue."

"Sounds like lambs to the slaughter..." So-and-so shivered.

"Foolish lambs," Liangyin corrected.

Before long, as they waited in the house for help, voices of excitement drifted in from outside, as if someone had accidentally won the lottery. "Andy, that woman really showed up!"

Disarmed and standing empty-handed before Andy, Huanluo's face was cold and unyielding. "Didn't I say those two are envoys personally invited by the king? They are not to be harmed."

Andy looked curiously at the people behind Huanluo, unsure why they were present, but he picked up her thread nonetheless. "If they're just envoys, they're not to be harmed. But if those envoys are caught red-handed in the forbidden underground auction of the White Tower Kingdom, shouldn't they be prosecuted?"

Huanluo's expression finally faltered, her calm replaced by a deep frown as she gazed at the two trapped inside.

So-and-so, finally grasping the situation, tugged at Liangyin's sleeve. "Hey, was that place we went to illegal? Why?"

Liangyin narrowed her eyes. "Yes, that auction is the notorious Rishi underground market, where all contraband, smuggled, stolen, and looted goods are sold. Otherwise, what kind of auction would deal in adamantine mother ore and the Heart of Eternity?"

"So..." A sudden realization dawned on So-and-so. "By that logic, Andy, you were there too! You even tried to buy the Heart of Eternity!"

"That's right," Andy replied without looking back, his voice resolute. "Better to be shattered than tainted—once I've seen you two safely delivered to prison, I’ll turn myself in as well!"

Stardust Chronicles 028_028: "Robbery! Hand over your treasures!" End of update.