I walk sideways in the game world

Chapter 268: A plan to break the deadlock, a turning point is coming

Ren Xiaoyao was in a dilemma when a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He recalled a previous experience of deciphering an ancient formation. That time, he was also trapped in a thick fog, unable to find a way out. Just as he was feeling discouraged, he unexpectedly discovered that if he took a step back and changed his perspective, he could see the entire formation clearly.

"Since Boss Qian is so interested, then for this treasure, I will..." Ren Xiaoyao deliberately dragged out his voice, but his eyes drifted away intentionally or unintentionally, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was in some hesitation and struggle.

Seeing him like this, Boss Qian was secretly delighted. He thought he was no longer able to hold on, so he urged him, "Boss Ren, you're known for being straightforward. Why are you so fussy today? Could it be that you're short of money and can't afford more?"

Ren Xiaoyao ignored his provocation and pretended to be embarrassed. He sighed and said, "Boss Qian, you're joking. It's just that the price has been rising all the time, and my liquidity is indeed a bit tight..."

His words were half true and half false, showing his tight financial situation, but at the same time he did not completely give up the bidding, leaving some room for his opponents to imagine.

Shopkeeper Zhao had been a bit worried at first, seeing Ren Xiaoyao and Boss Qian arguing fiercely. But now, seeing that he seemed to be backing out, he perked up and started fanning the flames, saying, "Boss Ren, if you're really out of money, just quit now, or you'll be embarrassed later!"

Ren Xiaoyao didn't look at him, but just shook his head slightly, then raised his hand and said in a low voice: "Three million and five hundred thousand."

The announcement of this price caused an uproar in the audience. Everyone had expected him to raise the price significantly, but he only raised it by 50,000, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor.

Boss Qian and Shopkeeper Zhao exchanged glances, each catching a glimpse of triumph. It seemed the big fish had finally taken the bait… Ren Xiaoyao's show of weakness completely disarmed Shopkeeper Zhao. He concluded that Ren Xiaoyao's funding had reached its limit, and the subsequent bidding was merely a desperate struggle.

"Three million and one hundred thousand!" Shopkeeper Zhao raised his hand proudly, as if he was sure of victory.

"Three million and two hundred thousand!" Boss Qian also followed suit. Although he didn't know Manager Zhao's background, at this moment, they had a common goal: to completely defeat Ren Xiaoyao.

The two of them sang in unison, and the price continued to climb, soon breaking through the four million mark. The other merchants on the scene had already been scared off by the frenzied bidding, leaving only the three of them still competing.

Ren Xiaoyao remained calm on the surface, only raising his hand occasionally. In fact, each time he raised the price, he kept the increase to a very small amount, like an exhausted traveler struggling to find the last source of water in the desert.

At this moment, Xia Lin quietly returned to the auction house. She leaned over and whispered a few words in Ren Xiaoyao's ear, then slipped a note into his hand.

Ren Xiaoyao took the note calmly, quickly glanced through the contents, and a barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Four and a half million!" Shopkeeper Zhao's face flushed as he shouted out a price that even he himself felt painful. He didn't believe that Ren Xiaoyao could offer a higher price than this!

"Four million. Six hundred thousand." Ren Xiaoyao's voice sounded indifferently, as if a basin of cold water was poured on Shopkeeper Zhao's head.

"You..." Shopkeeper Zhao was furious and was about to curse, but was grabbed by Boss Qian's sleeve.

"Don't worry, Manager Zhao. I think Boss Ren is at the end of his strength. If we add one last push, he will definitely lose!" Boss Qian leaned close to Manager Zhao's ear and whispered.

Upon hearing this, Shopkeeper Zhao suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and was about to raise his sign again when he heard Ren Xiaoyao's clear voice ringing in his ears:

"Everyone, wait a minute. I have something to tell you, which may affect your judgment..."

Ren Xiaoyao looked around, his gaze lingering for a moment on the faces of the hesitant merchants. Finally, he lowered his voice so that only they could hear him and said, "Everyone, I've heard that the treasure map being auctioned this time is very likely a fake!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the originally quiet auction hall suddenly exploded like a pot of boiling water, with whispers everywhere.

"What? A fake?!"

"This... How is this possible? How could a fake appear at an auction held by the Chamber of Commerce?"

"Who knows? Maybe someone tampered with it..."

The merchants looked at each other, their eyes filled with suspicion and uneasiness. They were all seasoned businessmen, and they naturally understood the meaning of "risk." If this treasure map was truly a fake, then all their previous bids would be for naught.

Shopkeeper Zhao's face turned livid as he listened to the surrounding discussions. He glared at Ren Xiaoyao and gritted his teeth, saying, "Ren Xiaoyao, stop talking nonsense here! You're deliberately disrupting the order of the auction. What's your intention?!"

Ren Xiaoyao smiled calmly and said calmly: "Why are you so excited, Manager Zhao? I am just giving you a kind reminder. Believe it or not." As he spoke, he deliberately sighed and shook his head, as if saying "I have done my best."

His behavior, seen by others, deepened their doubts.

"Five and a half million!" Shopkeeper Zhao, blinded by anger, raised his hand again recklessly. He simply couldn't believe he would lose to a young man like Ren Xiaoyao!

However, this time, no one followed his lead in bidding.

Boss Qian had originally planned to wait and see, but seeing that everyone else had stopped, he couldn't help but hesitate. Although he wanted to seize the opportunity to swallow this piece of fat meat, he didn't want to risk his life and property for a treasure map whose authenticity he didn't know.

"Five million and a half for one time..." Butler Sun's voice trembled a little. He secretly glanced at President Wang, but found that the other party also had a serious expression on his face.

Time ticked by, and you could hear a pin drop in the auction hall. Beads of sweat formed on Shopkeeper Zhao's forehead, and he felt his breathing quicken.

"Five million and a half times..." Butler Sun's voice sounded again. This time, there was a hint of anticipation in his tone, hoping that someone could break the suffocating silence.

Everyone's eyes were focused on Ren Xiaoyao, waiting for his decision.

Ren Xiaoyao slowly raised the sign in his hand...

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Ren Xiaoyao, awaiting his decision. You could hear a pin drop in the room, only the heavy breathing of Shopkeeper Zhao was particularly clear in the silence. He clenched his fists, his palms slick with sweat, his eyes burning with anger and unwillingness, but he was helpless.

Ren Xiaoyao looked around, a confident smile on his face. He slowly raised the sign in his hand and said in a clear and firm voice, "Five million six hundred thousand!"

Those few brief words were like a hammer, hammering down on Shopkeeper Zhao's heart. His vision went dark, and he nearly lost his balance. He opened his mouth, wanting to raise the price again, but found he was no longer able to. Five and a half million yuan was his entire fortune, and now Ren Xiaoyao had only added a hundred thousand, but it was like a mountain, crushing him.

"Five million six hundred thousand for one!" Steward Sun's excited voice broke the silence, a relieved smile finally breaking through his face. They had initially thought the auction would end abruptly due to the dispute over the treasure map's authenticity, but unexpectedly, Ren Xiaoyao managed to turn the tide at the last moment, not only successfully bidding for the treasure map but also recovering the Chamber of Commerce's losses.

"Five million six hundred thousand twice! Five million six hundred thousand three times! Deal! Congratulations to Mr. Ren on successfully winning the treasure map!" As the gavel in Butler Sun's hand fell, this thrilling auction finally came to an end.

Ren Xiaoyao took the treasure map from Butler Sun without showing much joy on his face, as if all this was within his expectations. He turned and looked at President Wang, who was not far away, and nodded slightly. President Wang also looked at him with appreciation.

At this moment, someone in the crowd whispered, "Boss Ren is truly a hidden talent..."