"Number 176, bid one million six hundred thousand!"
"Number 29, bid one million eight hundred thousand!"
"Number 245, bid two million!"
"This gentleman, number 245, has bid two million. Two million is already a very high price."
The afternoon auction grew even crazier. A sculpture by a European master, even with defects, astonishingly fetched a high price of two million US dollars. This price already exceeded its original estimate by more than double, yet people in the audience continued to raise their paddles frantically.
Seeing this, even the croupier felt something was off. He raised his hand high but did not continue to announce a bid, instead advising the guests below in a deep, steady voice:
"Ladies and gentlemen, the current price has already surpassed the market estimate. If you wish to continue bidding and raising the price, please consider carefully."
