Capítulo 59: Alchemy Magic Network
As the helicopter appeared on the big screen, showcasing its various performance features, there was finally some movement in the crowd.
Diane had initially intended to continue bidding, skipping over the items she wasn't interested in, but was stopped by the man in gold.
The Difeng family was undeniably wealthy—very wealthy—but they couldn't afford to act recklessly. Those in attendance today were wealthy businessmen from various cities and other prominent families from the congress.
While the medicines didn't matter much to them, the profits were minimal, and they were happy to speed up the process. However, continuing to bid without consideration could easily offend others.
Diane curled her lips in frustration, sat back in her seat, and watched in silence.
As the helicopter's demonstration finished, a black-robed figure in the crowd immediately raised his bid: "Eighty thousand."
Before he could finish, another bid quickly followed: "Two hundred thousand."
"Two hundred and ten thousand."
"Two hundred and twenty thousand."
Once the price hit 200,000, the pace of bidding slowed. Most of the wealthy businessmen already owned aircraft and were focused more on the commercial value. The helicopter's performance was far from impressive compared to other aircraft, and its only real advantage was its low cost. While the market for it was vast, its technology couldn't support a very high price.
"Two hundred and thirty thousand."
"Two hundred and forty thousand."
"Two hundred and fifty thousand."
The bidding continued but reached a standstill. Bai Yi smiled and said, "Two hundred and fifty thousand, is there anyone willing to bid higher? This helicopter, much like the steam train, can be manufactured, operated, and maintained by non-professionals."
Bai Yi scanned the room, then said, "Two hundred and fifty thousand going once, two hundred and fifty thousand going twice."
"Two hundred and sixty thousand."
Bai Yi raised his eyebrows. The bid came from the wealthy businessman who had bought the steam locomotive. Those with access to iron ore couldn't resist such a cheap deal. After all, that's how this world operated.
The mages had revolutionized agriculture, developing a staple crop with an incredibly high yield. With just one grain base, the entire city could be easily supplied with food, even leaving three to four months each year for more profitable crops. The earnings from these secondary plants were higher than what was needed to feed the city's three million residents.
Federal law ensured that food prices remained low, capping the cost at two copper coins per pound, which prevented civilians from starving. However, ordinary people's wages remained extremely low, with the most skilled workers earning no more than ten silver coins per month. The government ensured that civilians survived but didn't thrive. They could only look enviously at the rich districts, using that envy as motivation to seek greatness.
This allowed business owners to hire labor cheaply, lay railways, and set up production lines for things like helicopters—all of which required capital.
"Two hundred and seventy thousand." The fat man glanced at the person next to him, thought for a moment, and raised the bid again: "Two hundred and eighty thousand!"
At this point, the crowd fell into an awkward silence.
"Two hundred and eighty thousand, it seems Mr. Luo's cash flow is still abundant," Bai Yi remarked with a smile. "Is there anyone willing to bid higher?"
The wealthy businessmen in the room remained quiet. It was clear that the price had reached its limit.
"Two hundred and eighty thousand going once, two hundred and eighty thousand going twice—sold to Mr. Luo for two hundred and eighty thousand!"
Bai Yi smiled and promptly sent over the helicopter's manufacturing process via worker bees, as well as a Dawn Badge to finalize the deal.
The next few lots received lukewarm responses. Although some items sold, the prices were relatively low. Motorcycles, single-seat jet aircraft, steam trucks—cheap but somewhat useful technologies—didn't attract much enthusiasm from the wealthier bidders.
During this time, no members of the congressional families made any bids. Diane watched Bai Yi impatiently, often tempted to bid on the items she found trivial, but each time, she was dissuaded by those around her. Everyone knew that these were meant for the connected buyers or distant bidders, and the real focus would be on the final few items.
As the auction moved along, nearly a million gold coins were deposited into the account. Bai Yi waved, and a cup of milk was brought to him by a worker bee. He took a sip and began to introduce the next item.
"The ordinary technologies are now behind us. Let's move on to the extraordinary. As usual, I'll begin with something everyone's been waiting for: the Alchemy Magic Network."
"I've already introduced this item previously, so no need to go into detail. The starting price remains one gold coin."
Bai Yi grinned. "However, there's a catch with this one. It's not just about money. I'll need two conditions for the Alchemy Magic Network to be auctioned off. First, 20% of the shares must go to me, and second, Mr. Sunu will serve as the supervisor."
The moment these words were spoken, a murmur ran through the crowd, including the congressional families. Everyone knew the value of this technology, but the second condition implied something that raised more than a few eyebrows. Did this mean that the Koman family would control it?
Bai Yi, anticipating the confusion, explained calmly, "Don't worry. I've already spoken with Mr. Sunu. He will establish a magic network company and lead it as its CEO. Whoever wins the bid for the magic network will receive 70% of the company's profits. I will retain 20%, and Mr. Sunu will take 10%."
The room fell silent as those present processed this information. Sunu, a genius born into a civilian family, could use this opportunity to establish his own company, which would effectively grant him independence from the Koman family.
This seemed to open a door to a chance for advancement—perhaps even a path to becoming a mid-tier gold alchemist.
Of course, the Koman family had already discussed this with Sunu and knew what was at stake. While it was painful to part with some of the profits, the long-term potential income was enormous. Offering free internet for a year would attract extraordinary individuals, and once the service fees kicked in—even if they were just one silver coin per month—the revenue from the massive population base would more than make up for any initial loss.
They had no intention of losing the auction. As a leading family, they could handle the investment, even if it meant some discomfort in the short term. As for the 20% share that Bai Yi sought, no one cared much. After all, he was an SS-level alchemist—a genius who would eventually rise to the upper gold tier. It was always wise to make allies with someone of that caliber.
"It seems everyone agrees with these terms. Let the auction begin!" Bai Yi declared, smiling.
This was a long-term investment, much like acquiring a stake in a company like Penguin. Whoever secured it stood to gain immensely.
The room buzzed with excitement. Even without Sabo's agents speaking, the bidding shot up to a million gold coins within moments.
Estado de energía semanal
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