A faint melody filled the air as the grand staircase at the center of the hall lit up with golden strips of mana-light. Conversations faded. Heads turned.
From above, a man and a woman descended gracefully—both dressed in formal, dark attire, holding a pair of cue cards in their hands.
They moved with practiced poise, their steps in sync until they reached the stage. The man addressed the guests first; his smile was professional yet warm.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We welcome you all to tonight's exclusive event. I'm your host: Cheng Yi. And this is my co-host: Ci Yuan'er."
Polite applause rippled through the hall.
After the usual introductions, the man's tone shifted into a more formal register.
"As informed beforehand, today's auction will proceed in two rounds.
The first round is the blind auction."
He raised a card in demonstration.
