The Transmigrated Author

Chapter 42  Shopping (2)

[Destination: Seoul IDS Station.]

The Seoul IDS station shined under the sterile glare of overhead lights. Unlike the bustling chaos of a traditional airport, an air of quietness occupied the silence that went with this Station.

 Attendants, dressed in crisp white uniforms, stood calmly around consoles, their movements echoing with the quiet efficiency of the automated systems.

There's still a point in travelling by plane as transporting many shipments at once through an IDS Station would only create disruptions through the travel path that's used to locate The Starting Point and The ending point. (Nerding out) As I approached the counter, the attendant, offered a courteous smile. "Welcome, Sir. Where would you like to go today?"

"734," I breathed, barely containing my excitement. Dawn Frisk's auction house awaited.

The attendant's fingers danced across a tablet, the gates swirling with energy before solidifying into shimmering portals. "Step through, sir," she gestured, her voice laced with a touch of awe. "Have a wondrous journey."

[Dawn's Estate: Golden Horizon Auctions]

The Golden Horizon hosted one of the most eye-catching auctions globally, where Dawn Frisk, a now-retired hero, sold and auctioned many items from his glory days of subjugating dungeons and Journey of the Towers.

Despite being an old man, he was remarkably strong and swift, standing as the richest person in the world at one point he was considerably the strongest hero back in his day. Thankfully, he was also known for giving back through his years as a hero and an adventurer.

The auction house he created was a place where the highest luxuries could be sold, and he expanded his benevolence by establishing other Auction Houses such as Silver Horizon and Bronze Horizon for those with tighter budgets.

These places housed numerous rare weapons and items, and today, my visit was driven by curiosity rather than a specific purchase.

Since the Golden Horizon's house was a 35-minute walk from Seoul's IDS Station, I opted for an Uber to get there. Standing before the golden gates, luxury was apparent at first sight. My equipped cloak concealed my features, aligning with the masked passersby.

"Afternoon, sir. What entry ticket are you purchasing today?" The attendant presented a screen with tiers of the auction popping up.

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[Golden Horizon's Tier System]

[Tier 1: Platinum Ticket] Exclusive Auction Access: - Access to all auctions, including exclusive Platinum Room auctions.

Priority Bidding: - Ability to place bids before other tiers.

VIP Priority Seating: - Reserved seats in the most premium locations for all auctions.

Artifact Insider: - Exclusive access to pre-auction previews of upcoming artifacts and materials.

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[Tier 2: Gold Ticket]

Premium Auction Access: Access to Gold Room auctions and all auctions in lower-tier rooms.

Priority Bidding: - Ability to place bids before lower-tier passes.

- Reserved Seating: Designated seats for Gold Room auctions.

Material Maven: Early access to information on newly available materials.

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[Tier 3: Silver Ticket]

Silver Room Access: - Access to Silver Room auctions and all auctions in lower-tier rooms.

Standard Bidding Privileges:

- Standard Bidding: Equal footing with other Silver Pass holders.

- Open Seating: First-come, first-served basis for auction seating.

Artifact Explorer: Access to a curated guide on potential artifacts for bidding.

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[Tier 4: Bronze Ticket]

Bronze Room Access:Access to Bronze Room auctions and all auctions in lower-tier rooms.

Equal Bidding Ground: - Standard Bidding: Equal footing with other Bronze Pass holders.

- Open Seating: First-come, first-served basis for auction seating.

Novice Collector:

- Basic insights into entry-level artifacts and materials available for bidding

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"The highest one," I responded swiftly.

"Platinum?" The attendant purred, eyes glinting as they raked over me. "Rare choice, sir. Most patrons find the Gold tier sufficient." A hint of something – suspicion? Envy? – flickered in their gaze.

It was more wise to enter the auctions anonymously than to be known in the crowd since this place only opens 3 times every month and it's open until 3 am There was no doubt that going here at this time would be the best time for me to avoid all the strong people.

"Alright, sir, the total for today would be $100,000." The holographic screen projected the total, and I swiftly tapped my watch to make the payment.

"Are you a member by any chance, sir?" The attendant handed me the ticket, and I wondered about the mention of membership.

"No, sorry... But a member of what?"

"Oh, since you bought a platinum ticket, I assumed you were a member with us in the Dawn's Exclusive Membership (DEM) program!" The attendant presented the program, revealing an unexpected opportunity.

"Dawn's Corporation has recently launched an exclusive program that allows instant entry across all buildings owned under Dawn Frisk! That includes all arenas globally, along with the auctions and special events hosted by our cooperation. If you'd like, we can register you under our exclusive membership program for free since you've already reached the payment threshold required to be a member."

If it makes watching and gambling much easier, then a fat yes it is.

"Sure," I replied.

"No worries! So first of all, we need to verify some information with you. It can be filled in through an app that you would need to download. I'll write it down for you." He handed me a sheet of paper as more people streamed through the gates, preparing for the day's auctions.

The app was named "Whitelist." Though this wasn't something I had created I ended up creating an account and sending all the necessary information to get the membership anyways.

"Okay! Thank you very much, Mr. Shadow Writer. Here's your card, and a piece of advice: it's much more appropriate to wear a mask over your face instead of completely concealing it. There have been instances of people with robes trying to steal from this auction house, especially at this hour. I'll give you this mask to wear instead of completely hiding your features."

The attendant handed me an obsidian-black card with a V-shaped shield and the letter D in white at the centre.

"You're good to go through, and if any bodyguards need inspection checks on you, please cooperate with them without complaint; it makes their job much easier."

I nodded, placed the black mask on my face, and flicked my hood backward as the wind blew against my hair. I made my way through the gates and into the building without much fuss.

The automatic doors swung open, showing another world lined with shimmering gold. The main lobby wasn't just a room it was a cathedral of wealth, displaying the skulls of monsters Dawn Frisk had slain as Crystal chandeliers, each a miniature nebula, cascaded down, casting multicolour reflections on the polished marble floor.

The air buzzed with a symphony of whispered conversations and clinking glasses. Wealthy customers, dressed in fabrics that seemed spun from moonlight and stardust, glided like exotic fish through the crowd. Jewels winked from fingers and necks, while laughter, as brittle as spun glass, danced on the edges of the room.

"Greetings, esteemed patrons!" An announcer spoke over the speakers in the room. "For this evening's auctions please listen to today's announcement for any re-arrangements and alerts for on-going bids."

As a holographic map shimmered into existence above the crowd, showcasing the mansion's layout. "Straight ahead, with Pure Gold outlines on the doors, lies the Gold Auction Hall. Here, a total of 10 items will be sold from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm and afterwards, complimentary food will be handed out at the end of the auction. for more information on the next gold auction schedule please refer to our website for any inquiries"

"To your left, lies the Bronze Auction Hall. Here, A total of 250 items are on for bidding today times will be split into an hour of per 50 items and all complimentary food and drinks are provided as well over the long period of the bronze auction." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"To your right, lies the Silver Auction Hall. Here, A total of 210 Items are on for bidding today with times being split into an hour per 50 items and as always complimentary food and drinks are provided."

"Last but not least the Platinum Auction is located above the Gold Auction hall all information provided will be on the website for the exclusive members..."

The announcer gestured towards two gleaming staircases flanking the Gold Auction Hall's entrance, spiralling upwards to the Platinum Auction Rooms. A hush fell over the crowd, whispers rippling like flames amidst the anticipation.

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Author's Notes:

- Vladamir Bane is a stakeholder in the Golden Horizon's Auction as he also goes through dungeons to sell items that are deemed useless to him.

- Those of the recently turned Demi-Humans (Demon humans) have also been locked up in maximum security prisons for further measures. They're also being used as test experiments to supposedly try and revert them into humans.

- The Mercenaries Cooperation has been one of the most successful businesses after being launched by Jaxon Cain when he was 21 years old. With one of the more reliable businesses, the mercenary's corps has also been hired to celebrate a kid's birthday one time.

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INFORMATION DUMP: Functions of the IDS Station

Purified Mana Stones: The core of the platform consists of a medium-sized circular platform made of Purified Mana Stones, each resonating with a unique magical frequency. These stones are meticulously arranged in concentric circles, creating a harmonized field of magical energy.

Central Conduit Chamber: At the centre of the platform lies a conduit chamber, where the skilled conductor interfaces with the teleportation system. This chamber is equipped with a laser emitter, capable of projecting a focused beam that resonates with the mana frequencies of the stones.

Laser Conductor Activation:

Upon activation, the conductor's laser (Harmless) emits a focused beam into the array of Purified Mana Stones. The laser serves a dual purpose: it repels mana particles within the enclosed space and generates a negative wave effect that initiates the teleportation process.

Negative Wave Effect: The negative wave effect, resembling ripples in a magical pond, begins its journey from the centre of the platform. It travels outward, creating a subtle repulsion of each mana particle present. This controlled repulsion is crucial for inducing 'Particle Acceleration' and guiding the user through the quantum place called 'travel path'.

User Encasement: As the negative wave effect spreads, it envelops the user standing within the platform. The user experiences a gentle repulsion, feeling as though carried on a wave of pure mana energy.

Particle Acceleration and Quantum Travel Path: The conductor's laser, working in harmony with the negative wave effect, propels the mana particles and the encased user with precision. This process initiates 'Particle Acceleration,' propelling the individual through the quantum travel path an invisible yet controlled route.

Reassembly at Point B: At the destination (Point B), the conductor's laser assists in the precise reassembly of the transported individual. The negative wave effect disperses, ensuring a smooth transition from one point to another.