Naoko remained unfazed, tilting her head and wearing an expression that wavered between madness and mischief.
"Why isn't this guy reacting? I've been waiting forever," someone whispered around them.
Orson's scalp tingled. If he was recognized, things would be a mess. In broad daylight, here he was, a former professional player, toying with a girl's feelings on the street—he'd look like nothing but a scumbag, living up to his reputation as a Triple Crown winner with a tainted image.
After pondering for a few seconds, Orson suddenly declared in a serious tone, "I've been married for years to my wife, I can't accept you."
A few people nearby let out a disappointed sigh, their gazes turning to Orson with some disdain.
Naoko finally opened her eyes, curiously looking at him.
"Don't you like me?" Naoko pouted, then arrogantly turned her gaze to the river view.
Orson's mind was racing. Like her? Who in their right mind would be able to handle this girl? He wondered if any of the billions of players, or readers for that matter, would be brave enough to claim they could.
"I can give you the shard of the divine item, the Yata Mirror, just... can you act normal? Is that too much to ask?" Orson lowered his voice.
"Okay! You should've said that earlier," Naoko smirked with an inscrutable smile, then turned and walked toward the park exit.
Orson was dumbfounded, standing there, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She had been teasing him the whole time, only to get what she wanted and walk away like it was nothing?
The wind by the river howled.
Orson stood there, alone, dazed and disoriented. He chain-smoked three cigarettes, trying to calm down after being mentally stirred up.
Damn it!
He almost slapped himself but stopped. After all, it would hurt in real life. He laughed awkwardly and let his hand drop.
This wasn't the Infinite Dimensions world. Naoko had no idea he had begun the process of weaponizing himself. She didn't view him with any kind of fear or respect.
She wasn't just a beautiful woman with an innocent demeanor. Naoko had disrupted the Thousand Hands guild beyond belief. If she didn't have some control over men, the elite remnants of that guild wouldn't have willingly followed her to join the Bright Galaxy guild.
"Women... such a mysterious species. No wonder Sienna always says I'm an idiot," Orson muttered bitterly to himself.
But the shard of the Yata Mirror had always been intended for Naoko. The only reason he'd put it up for auction was to teach her a lesson.
Naoko was a key player in Orson's plans for the UJ district. Without her top-tier combat strength, it would be hard for Bright Galaxy to carry out the frontline tax collection missions.
Orson smiled and shook his head as he looked at the view. He had predicted that Naoko would eventually come running to him in a state of panic.
According to his script, after a bit of coercion and persuasion, Naoko would be so loyal to him, she'd be willing to add 99 points to her trust just for the divine item.
Though the process was a bit off-track, the end result would be the same.
A single shard wasn't enough to support Naoko's ambition.
With his Divine Soul Seal skill, the True Eye, Orson could see clues about incomplete divine items and relics. With that power, Naoko would always be under his control.
Orson had never expected that the offline auction would hook so many big fish from the UJ district. This could be the chance to push Bright Galaxy to the forefront of the UJ district.
After all, it had been some time since he last visited UJ. The players there might start to get a little greedy, trying to reduce their tithe or act like they didn't know what was going on.
And with the three major guilds resisting, the mission to unify the frontline outposts had encountered some setbacks. The number of items Charles had sent him had clearly begun to drop.
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After sorting through his thoughts, Orson called Sienna to ask about her situation. She'd been transferred to a regular ward after the surgery, and her recovery was going well. Soon, she'd be moved to a more advanced rehabilitation center under military protection, with round-the-clock security.
By the afternoon, Madman and Bradley had handled the auction arrangements.
Orson returned to the villa and logged into the game, receiving messages from unfamiliar IDs. These players were all from different guilds in other districts, and their messages were mostly about confirming the details of the offline auction.
The reason they hadn't opted for an online auction was that, before the country-wide war event in Infinite Dimensions began, it was difficult for players from different districts to communicate. Although there were global mall privileges to send "gifts" and transfer items to players in other districts, those transfers were limited in quantity and didn't allow for gold coin transactions.
Orson wasn't foolish enough to hand over the items first and then wait for the money to come. People like Pokpung, Jungle Maniac, and Sinternan would love to see him fall. If he sent them the items, they'd surely try to rip him off.
Arranging offline transactions was the safest route, so he had set up the auction with game helmets, ensuring it was cash-on-delivery.
Time was limited, so Orson didn't waste any more time. He began to hunt down numerous orc tribes along the borders of the two major empires. These orcs were low-level, but in large numbers, they were a perfect target for farming.
The problem was that orcs, unlike monsters, had fixed numbers in Infinite Dimensions. If they were wiped out, they wouldn't respawn.
Orson, riding the Crimson Lizard King, swept through the area, clearing nearly every orc in sight.
"I can't go any further," Orson muttered, glancing at the distant, dark red sky. If he flew deeper into the Dark Dragon Empire, he'd reach a major city, home to the dark dragons.
He didn't hesitate for long before turning away, remembering how close he had come to dying under the Golden Dragon's claws. That was a lesson. No matter how strong he was in the Infinite Dimensions world, he could still be killed.
He needed to stay vigilant.
At Baiguo City's Yunlong Hotel, nightfall descended, and Naoko waited eagerly by the dimly lit entrance.
She was dressed in a black strapless dress, looking far less neurotic and much more alluring, holding onto a bag that Orson wouldn't even know the name of.
"Sorry, I don't know how to say it," she pretended to act clueless to a rich young man who was trying to chat with her. Then, she distractedly looked into the distance.
Her lips curled into a mysterious smile as she watched the endless flow of cars, seemingly waiting for someone.
The young man, feeling a bit awkward, pulled out a translation app to try to communicate.
"I can't read, I'm sorry!" Naoko playfully bowed.
Orson stepped out of the taxi, looking down at his feet. One hand covered half his face, and he tried to sneak past the two, hoping they wouldn't notice him.
"Orson-kun, you finally made it! I've been waiting for you. Do I look pretty?" Naoko's voice, like a sweet bell, caught his attention, and she showed off her curves in front of him.
Orson sighed inwardly. Maybe it was because she was just too stunningly beautiful. When a pretty girl says anything, it feels like it's always the right thing to say…
The young man nearby seemed paralyzed by the scene, unable to take his eyes off Naoko.
"Hey, buddy, what's the deal?" The rich young man wasn't pleased and draped his arm around Orson's shoulder.
Naoko's expression shifted slightly, but she stayed silent, curious to see how Orson would handle this situation.
Orson was pulled aside, and Naoko imagined him as a cool, aloof guy who didn't fear anyone, effortlessly dominating the situation.
"That's so hot! I totally love him!" Naoko's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"You trust me, this girl's got hundreds of thousands on her, you won't be able to resist," the rich young man whispered, and Orson nodded in agreement. He could believe that.
Then the young man added, "I'll give you 2,000. Can I have her?"
Orson froze.
Someone was offering to take the bait, like it was some kind of deal!
Orson's face turned serious. "Transfer the money. No refunds!"