Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 48: The “Evol” weapon

The auction hall, once lively with polite conversation and the occasional murmur of deals being made, fell into an eerie stillness as the auctioneer stepped forward for the final item of the night.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice carrying through the grand hall, "our last item is something... special."

The staff wheeled in a reinforced case, sleek black metal reinforced with advanced security mechanisms. The moment it was placed on stage, a ripple of anticipation spread through the crowd.

For weeks, whispers of a new weapon had circulated through the underground world. A weapon unlike anything before. Some dismissed it as a myth, others speculated it was a prototype leaked from a secret facility.

No one knew the truth.

And now, the truth was about to be revealed.

The auctioneer let the tension build before continuing, "Many of you have heard rumors. A weapon that surpasses all existing technology. A game-changer in combat. A tool that could alter the balance of power. A new next gen weapon."

Eyes sharpened and bodies leaned forward, all anticipating for the reveal.

"Well," he said smoothly, placing a gloved hand on the case, "allow me to introduce you to the Evol weapon."

The locks disengaged with a sharp hiss.

As the case opened, the first thing revealed was a gun—sleek and futuristic, its structure unfamiliar, yet undeniably lethal. Next to it, a knife rested, its blade reflecting a strange light, almost as if it pulsed with energy. But the true centerpiece was something else entirely.

A small, metallic device sat between them, its surface smooth yet intricate, lined with unfamiliar patterns. It gave off no sound, no light, yet something about it made the air feel heavier.

For a moment, there was only silence. Then—

"What... is that?"

"This is the Evol weapon?"

"I’ve never seen anything like it."

The auctioneer smiled. "Each of these components is a weapon in its own right, crafted with an unknown technology. The gun and knife? Advanced beyond any known models. But this—" he gestured to the central device, "—is the true core of the Evol series. The secret behind its power."

A hushed murmur spread through the hall.

One bidder, an older man with sharp eyes, leaned forward. "What does it do?"

The auctioneer’s smile deepened. "That, my friends, is what you are bidding to find out."

That was all it took.

Excitement, greed, and desperation collided in the air.

"Fifty million!"

The first bid was almost instant, a sharp voice from the front.

"Sixty!"

"Seventy-five!"

Qingran calmly lifted her paddle. "Eighty."

A few heads turned, assessing her.

"Ninety."

"One hundred."

"One twenty."

The numbers climbed rapidly. No one wanted to back down.

"One sixty."

"One eighty."

Qingran raised her paddle again. "Two hundred."

A beat of silence.

Some bidders hesitated. Two hundred million for something they didn’t even understand?

Then—

"Two fifty," a man in the balcony called, his voice lazy, amused.

Qingran’s gaze flicked up. A silver-haired man leaned back in his chair, twirling a glass between his fingers. His companion, a silver-haired woman, watched the stage with interest but didn’t bid.

He smiled at her. "New faces shouldn’t get too greedy."

Qingran lifted her paddle. "Two sixty."

His amusement deepened.

"Three hundred."

Gasps rang out.

The room buzzed with tension.

"Three ten."

"Three twenty."

The silver haired man chuckled. "Four hundred."

Dead silence but the tension was high.

The auctioneer’s grip on the podium tightened.

Even among the wealthiest bidders, four hundred million was a reckless number for an unknown weapon.

Some bidders cursed under their breath, lowering their paddles. Others stared at the case, debating.

Qingran’s expression didn’t change.

Her fingers brushed the paddle, calculating. Lingquan’s voice murmured in her mind.

[You can stop here.]

She didn’t.

Her paddle lifted.

"Four twenty."

The hall tensed, waiting for the silver haired man’s response.

For the first time, he hesitated.

Then, after a moment, he laughed softly, setting his glass down. He didn’t raise his paddle.

The auctioneer’s voice cut through the heavy silence.

"Four hundred and twenty million. Going once—"

No one moved.

"Going twice—"

A final pause.

"Sold."

Qingran exhaled, lowering her paddle as the gavel struck down. The Evol weapon was hers.

The moment the gavel struck, sealing the deal, a new kind of tension settled over Qingran.

Reality sank in. She had just won the bid for the Evol weapon.

For four hundred and twenty million yuan.

And she only had six million.

A slow, amused chuckle reached her ears.

She turned her head slightly, already knowing what she would see.

Feng Yizhou sat back leisurely, smirking as if he had been waiting for this exact moment. His wine glass dangled between his fingers, untouched, his sharp gaze flickering with amusement.

He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear.

"Allow me two kisses," he murmured, "and I’ll pay."

Qingran bit the inside of her cheek, her fingers tightening against her dress.

Two kisses...

For a weapon worth four hundred and twenty million.

She wanted to call him shameless. She wanted to roll her eyes and tell him to get lost.

But she didn’t.

Because, as much as it infuriated her, she wasn’t in a position to refuse.

And he knew it.

She exhaled slowly, suppressing the urge to strangle him. Then, in the quietest voice, she muttered—

"...Fine."

Yizhou’s smirk widened, the satisfaction in his gaze infuriating. He didn’t even try to hide it.

"Good choice."

The auctioneer tapped the gavel lightly against the podium, his pleased smile lingering.

"And that concludes tonight’s auction," he announced smoothly. "To our esteemed bidders, we thank you for your patronage. Please proceed with your payments accordingly. Our staff will ensure all transactions are handled with the utmost discretion."

A final murmur rippled through the hall, the tension still palpable from the last bid. Even now, hushed conversations speculated about the Evol weapon, its unknown origins only fueling curiosity.

Qingran barely had time to process everything before the system notification flashed.

[Mission Complete.]

[Reward Issued: System Upgrade Token + 200 System Coins.]

[Breakdown: +200 System Coins (100 from securing a high-value auction win, 100 from surpassing personal bidding limit)]

She exhaled slowly, fingers tapping lightly against her clutch. She had expected the system to reward her, but even so, seeing the numbers confirmed made it feel real.

Beside her, Feng Yizhou was still looking far too entertained, his smirk not fading in the slightest. He had gotten his deal. Now came the issue of settling the actual payment.

Before she could move, a subtle shift in the room’s atmosphere made her pause.

The people who had been watching them at had moved, coming down the balcony, it seems their intentions was too meet them.

The silver-haired man from the balcony moved first, his steps unhurried and his expression unreadable. His crimson-eyed companion followed, amusement flickering in her gaze as she took in Qingran and Yizhou with evident curiosity.