That night, Alex wore a suit with a bow tie, sitting in a black luxury car as he headed toward the Federal Supreme Auction House.
It was the largest auction house in New York. Items sold there easily went for tens of millions, and even prices exceeding a hundred million weren't anything unusual.
Tonight, Angelina would attend the auction as the president of the Kayton Group.
At that time, the auction house would be putting a piece of land up for sale. Angelina planned to win it and use it as Alex's private experimental base.
She had already gone ahead to prepare at the auction house. Alex wasn't in any rush. Only after finishing dinner did he leisurely make his way there.
With the combat suit bracelet provided by Shuri, Alex no longer needed to wear his suit at all times.
So tonight, he didn't plan to attend the auction as Homelander.
Instead, he had Angelina arrange an invitation for him under the name "John."
A normal person, unless they had some unusual preference, wouldn't want to run around all day in a tight combat suit.
That thing wasn't nearly as comfortable as regular clothes. Just the issue of breathability alone made Alex dislike it.
Before, he had no choice. But now, with Wakanda's vibranium suit, he could transform into "Homelander" at any time. There was no way he'd keep himself wrapped in that suit all the time anymore.
Holding the information Angelina had given him, Alex casually glanced through it.
There weren't many people attending the auction tonight, but all of them were influential figures.
For example, Arnold, the president of Olga Corporation, was among them.
There were also several major conglomerates and prominent families.
One of them was a wealthy Italian family, Christ Hank.
The Christ family had operated for many years, with deep foundations and wealth far surpassing Angelina's father.
Of course, a single family member couldn't mobilize all of the family's assets, and this "Christ Hank" wasn't the direct heir.
But his presence indicated that the Christ family intended to expand into the Federation.
When Alex put down the materials and looked out the window, he had arrived at the Federal Supreme Auction House.
The building resembled a Greek palace, and in the large plaza outside stood a towering statue.
Alex stepped out of the car and entered the reception hall.
Since the auction hadn't started yet, everyone attending had gathered there.
Tonight's guests were anything but ordinary. Looking around the brilliantly lit hall, the men were impeccably dressed, and the women wore long gowns that trailed along the floor.
There were corporate presidents and hidden tycoons from powerful families.
Whether it was their clothing or accessories, if you converted everything they wore into numbers, the total would be enough to make people's eyes pop.
The suit Alex wore wasn't cheap either, but compared to the custom-made Italian outfits most people here wore, it was far behind in price.
However, the "Traveler's Ring" on his hand stood out. The sapphire shimmered with a faint blue glow under the dazzling lights, truly extraordinary.
Compared to the rings and watches worn by the other men, it was subtly a tier above.
Inside the reception hall, both men and women formed small circles, occasionally letting out quiet laughter. Clearly, they all knew each other.
Although they were here for the auction and would soon become rivals, no one wanted to miss the chance to show their connections or make new ones.
Not seeing Angelina, Alex quietly walked to a corner, casually took a glass of champagne, and waited for the auction to begin.
Everyone in the hall formed their own circles. Someone like Alex, standing alone, was practically nonexistent.
So when people glanced at him, their gazes carried all kinds of meaning.
Alex didn't care in the slightest, even when some of those looks seemed to question how an unfamiliar face like his had appeared in such a place.
At that moment, a deep voice sounded.
"Move aside."
Then someone placed a hand on Alex's shoulder, trying to push him away.
However—
How could he possibly be moved?
Alex didn't budge at all. He even took a sip of champagne before slowly turning to look at the person trying to push him.
It was a solidly built white man. His muscles were clearly outlined beneath his suit. He wore black sunglasses and a Bluetooth earpiece. He looked either like a bodyguard or an assistant.
He probably hadn't expected that he couldn't push Alex. He froze for a moment, though his eyes couldn't be seen behind the sunglasses.
The man said impatiently, "I told you to move. Didn't you hear me?"
"If you get in Mr. Hank's way, you'll be in serious trouble."
His voice echoed through the hall, drawing quite a few people's attention.
Before Alex could speak, someone walked out from behind and said, "Sir, please step aside."
"The one about to enter the hall is Mr. Christ Hank. Mr. Hank does not wish to be disturbed before the auction."
Alex turned around.
It was the hall manager. The name on the badge on his chest read: Berkeley Laud.
Alex smiled, "What, is he too ugly to be seen?"
Immediately, several women in the hall let out soft laughter.
A few men also smiled in amusement, though more people shook their heads, thinking Alex didn't know his place.
The hall manager, Berkeley Laud, thought to himself, 'How could there be someone this stupid?'
Then he reconsidered. The Christ family was an Italian powerhouse. Everyone in the Federation who knew them was a big shot.
It wasn't strange that this somewhat unfamiliar-looking man, dressed rather "ordinarily," didn't know.
The manager said in a low voice, "Sir, please don't make trouble."
Alex laughed lightly, "I came to attend the auction. Strictly speaking, I'm one of your guests."
"I'm just standing here drinking champagne. How is that making trouble?"
At this point, the Christ family's bodyguard was already impatient, "Mr. Hank is about to arrive."
The hall manager quickly forced a smile, "I'll handle this right away."
He looked at Alex, "Sir, do you have an invitation?"
"Our auction tonight is not open to the public. Only those with invitations may attend."
Alex pulled out the invitation Angelina had given him and handed it over.
The manager took it and opened it. Seeing the name "John" written on it, he had someone verify it in the back. The result showed that such a person did exist.
But after glancing at the Christ family's bodyguard, the manager tore the invitation apart in a few quick motions.
"I believe there's been a mistake. My apologies, Mr. John, but you are not on the invitation list."
At once, murmurs spread through the hall.
"Did he bribe someone to sneak in?"
"I've heard that some people pay off staff at high-end places just to get in and approach wealthy individuals."
"Didn't expect people to actually do that nowadays."
"Just look at what he's wearing. Who comes to this kind of auction dressed in store-bought clothes?"
The hall manager raised his hand and said sternly, "Mr. John, this way please."
He lowered his voice, "Please don't make me call security."
Alex's lips curved into a bright smile, "You won't need to call security."
He was just about to casually crush this ant who dared to play tricks on him when he heard Angelina's voice.
"Mr. John is my guest."
"Who dares ask him to leave!"
All eyes in the hall turned forward as a gorgeously dressed Angelina walked in like a queen.
Recently, as the successor of the Kayton Group and the vice president of Vought Corporation, this young woman had stepped into the upper circles of the Federation and become the center of attention.
Now that she said this man had been invited by her, the hall manager's expression turned ugly. After all, he had just torn up her invitation.
"Ms. Angelina, please listen to my explanation—"
Angelina walked over, gave Alex a slight bow, then looked at the manager's name badge.
"Mr. Berkeley Laud."
"You can leave."
"I will file a complaint with the auction house later. As a hall manager, you were extremely rude to my friend."
"This is a serious dereliction of duty."
Cold sweat immediately broke out on the manager's forehead. If Angelina really did that, he could easily imagine being fired.
Only then did Angelina look at Alex and smile, "Mr. John, please forgive my lateness."
"Please come with me. We can enter early."
Alex nodded, then looked at the manager and said sincerely, "You're very lucky, Mr. Berkeley. You should thank this lady."
If Angelina hadn't shown up, losing his job would have been the least of his problems.
As for whether the manager realized he had just walked back from the gates of hell, Alex didn't care.
Just as they were about to leave, a voice sounded from behind.
"Mr. Berkeley didn't do it on purpose. Ms. Angelina, aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill?"
"Mr. Berkeley, don't worry. I'll explain things to the auction house later."
"You'll be fine."
Alex turned back.
It was a fairly young man, just in his early twenties, blond-haired and blue-eyed, speaking with an Italian accent.
Angelina said quietly, "He's Christ Hank. Our biggest competitor tonight."
Christ Hank then looked at Alex.
"And this gentleman is?"
"To receive such a respectful welcome from Ms. Angelina, you must be someone extraordinary."
"But strangely enough, I don't recognize you."
Alex smiled faintly, clasped his hands behind his back, turned around, and walked off, not interested in speaking to him at all.
Angelina followed right after, equally uninterested in building any rapport with the Christ family.
Left standing there, the young man touched his nose and gave an awkward laugh, "Looks like I've been underestimated."
"In that case, that piece of land tonight is something I absolutely must get."
"After buying it, I'll develop it into a hotel along with surrounding chain malls. It will serve as the bridgehead for our Christ family's entry into the Federation. This battle cannot be lost."
Beside him, the hall manager, whose job had just been saved thanks to Christ Hank, now respectfully invited the young heir to the auction hall.
———
A short while later, the auction began. After all the guests left the reception hall, Arnold from Olga Corporation finally arrived late.
Though his figure was thinner than before, his complexion was unusually ruddy. As he walked, he said, "This is the Federal Auction House I told you about. I've checked, among tonight's guests, there's a woman named Angelina."
"She seems very close to Homelander. Not long ago, when she was injured in an assassination attempt at the Seven Tower, Homelander rescued her and even healed her."
"So if you can possess her, I think there's a good chance you'll find Homelander."
Beside him stood a black bodyguard. Wearing sunglasses, he said coldly, "It'd better be like you say."
The two of them walked toward the hall as they talked.
If someone were to remove the bodyguard's sunglasses at this moment, they would see that his eyes were filled with fear.
It seemed he had no control over his own body or actions.
By now, the auction had begun.
The first item was a piece of jewelry, said to have once been worn by a French queen in the Middle Ages.
As soon as it appeared, multiple parties began bidding. In the end, it was won by Harry Winston Wright, the largest jeweler in the Federation, who purchased the gemstone necklace named "God's Favor."
Forty-eight-year-old Wright was the head of the top jewelry company Harry Winston.
He bought the piece in preparation for the upcoming "World Jewelry Exhibition," jointly held by jewelers from various countries.
Next, several more items were auctioned off in succession. Some were sold, while others failed.
Half an hour later, the host cleared his throat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item up for auction is a piece of land located in Southampton, New York State—"
Before he could finish introducing it, someone raised a paddle, "Five hundred million."
The host froze for a moment.
Then all eyes turned toward the bidder.
The one who raised the paddle was Christ Hank's assistant.
This immediately caused a stir.
Everyone had already guessed that the Christ family intended to enter the Federation's business world. But no one expected that the moment Christ Hank appeared, he would bid five hundred million for a piece of land.
Before the host could strike the hammer, a crisp female voice rang out.
"Our bid is one billion."
The entire venue erupted.
People looked over and saw that the one raising the paddle was none other than the elegantly dressed Angelina.
Some sharp-eyed individuals began whispering.
"That lady actually raised the paddle herself. With her status, she wouldn't need to do that personally."
"That can only mean she's bidding on behalf of someone else. Someone with even higher status than her?"
With that speculation, some people began looking toward Alex.
Christ Hank's expression remained unchanged. He smiled and nodded at his assistant.
The assistant raised the paddle, "One point two billion."
The moment he finished speaking, Angelina didn't even hesitate before raising her paddle again, "One point five billion."
Christ's expression finally changed. He looked at the accountant beside him.
The accountant wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief, "Sir, if it exceeds 1.5 billion, this land will no longer be worth it."
"But we can't be knocked down the first time we appear."
Christ glanced at his assistant and made a gesture.
The assistant nodded and called out loudly, "Two billion."
Christ intended to end things quickly.
But at that moment, Angelina calmly raised her paddle again, "Two point three billion."
"Crazy, she's gone completely crazy. That woman is bidding such a high price."
"She's clearly determined to go against the Christ family."
"Is it really worth it?"
Christ's face darkened. He adjusted himself slightly, then stood up with a smile.
"Ms. Angelina, if you're willing to give me this piece of land, the Christ family will be grateful to you."
Angelina didn't even look at him and raised her paddle again, "Two point five billion."
Christ felt as if he'd just been slapped across the face. His cheeks burned.
He snorted and said in a deep voice, "Ms. Angelina, since you refuse to back down, then I can only accompany you to the end."
Alex frowned slightly and cast a casual glance at Christ Hank.
The latter had been about to sit down, but suddenly his whole body stiffened. Then he burst into loud laughter.
"Let me be blunt. In front of the Christ family, everyone here is only fit to carry our shoes."
"Today, sitting together with all of you, you should feel honored and grateful."
"After all, opportunities like this don't come often. Let me say this plainly, if any of you want to oppose our family, you'd better weigh your own worth first."
"Don't make fools of yourselves."
In an instant, Christ's words offended everyone in the hall.
The jeweler who had just bought "God's Favor" stood up and said sternly, "The Christ family may have deep foundations, but Mr. Hank, don't you think you're being too arrogant?"
An old man also snorted and stood up, "Young man, even if your father were here, he wouldn't dare speak to us like this."
"You've got quite the nerve."
Someone else even pointed at Christ Hank and shouted, "You're not welcome here. Get out!"
The organizers were at a loss. They didn't want to offend either the Christ family or anyone else.
At this point, they didn't dare take sides.
Christ's eyes rolled wildly. Sweat poured from his face, yet he continued laughing loudly.
"You think you're worthy of shouting at me?"
"What are you, anyway?"
"I advise you to apologize to me immediately. Otherwise, the Christ family will consider all of you enemies."
At this point, even the people who had come with Christ Hank were stunned.
They had no idea what had gotten into their boss. Saying such things behind closed doors was one thing, but saying them here, was he trying to make sure the Christ family didn't have enough enemies already?
These words completely enraged the guests. In the end, seeing the situation spiral out of control, the auction house staff had no choice but to step in and, with forced politeness, invite Christ Hank to rest in a VIP room.
"No!"
At that moment, Christ Hank suddenly shouted.
"That's not what I wanted to say just now!"
"I was being controlled!"
"Who is it? Show yourself!"
If he hadn't said that, it might have been one thing. But the moment he did, people became even more convinced he was mentally unstable.
In the end, Christ Hank was "escorted" out of the hall. Naturally, that piece of land fell into Angelina's, or rather, Alex's hands.
After winning the bid, Angelina looked at Alex. Though she had no proof, her intuition told her this might have been his doing.
Master is getting more and more formidable, in every sense.
At the back of the hall, Arnold let out a light chuckle, "This time, the Christ family has completely lost face."
He then looked at the black bodyguard beside him, "Aren't you going to act?"
Arnold's gaze shifted toward Angelina in front.
The bodyguard beside him said in a low voice, "My instincts tell me that approaching her recklessly right now would be dangerous."
Arnold paused, "What kind of danger?"
The bodyguard shook his head, "I don't know. But I trust my instincts. They've kept me alive until now."
Arnold shrugged, "Suit yourself."
[T/N: This chapter is 2999 words long which is almost equal to 3 chapters. So when the word count drops again, I will continue posting 2 chapters/day. Till then, there will 1 chapter/day.]
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