Absolute Cheater
Chapter 330 - 330: Meeting the Auction Manger

Just as Asher stepped out of the auction hall's private exit, the air outside the velvet-curtained corridor shifted.

A tall, bronze-skinned steward with seven silver chains sewn into his robe stepped forward and bowed deeply, careful not to make eye contact.

"Esteemed guests," the steward said, voice smooth but respectful. "Our reserve's senior coordinator, Lady Mireya, has requested a personal audience. She awaits you in the Emberglass Chamber."

Valeris's smile widened. "Mireya, hmm? The one who oversees the gate logistics and sealing certifications?"

"She does more than that," Veyra murmured, folding her arms. "She's the one who appraises volatile bosses and handles the transfer of dungeon permissions to off-site authorities. If she's asking for an audience… it's not just a courtesy."

Asher gave a slight nod, already walking. "Very well. Lead the way."

The steward exhaled—only now realizing he had been holding his breath—and turned swiftly on his heel. The hallway ahead curved through a series of dimly lit corridors, the walls inscribed with molten red lines that pulsed faintly, channeling residual mana from the secured auction floors. The scent of volcanic incense lingered in the air—rare, expensive, and meant to calm high-tier cultivators.

Eventually, they came to a tall obsidian archway with crimson silk draped along its edges. The double doors beyond shimmered with runes—heat runes, fire seals, and a warding layer keyed to identity. At the steward's silent gesture, the runes parted like petals blooming inward.

Inside, the Emberglass Chamber lived up to its name. Walls of translucent, fire-kissed crystal surrounded a central dais of smoothed igneous stone. A low circular table lay in the center, surrounded by luxurious seats fashioned from beastbone and lava silk.

Lady Mireya stood alone.

Her robe shimmered between red and black, patterned with ash-blown feathers and subtle sigils of flame authority. Her long hair was bound with phoenix-gold threading, and her eyes—amber and sharp—swept over the trio as they entered.

"Asher," she said, her tone a strange mix of warmth and calculation. "Lady Valeris. And the young Lady Veyra. Thank you for accepting the invitation."

"I assume this is more than hospitality," Asher replied, stepping forward without pause.

"Of course." Mireya's lips curved. "What you did today… will echo through every faction with a stake in the Hundred Mountain Reserve. Ten gates purchased outright. Without bargaining. Without hesitation."

She gestured to the table, where a glowing sigil map appeared—ten points lit with brilliant gold flame.

"Each of these gates links to one of our highest-risk Void dungeons. By rights, each would normally be released only after weeks of scrutiny, faction arbitration, and coordination with independent regulators."

She raised a brow. "You just made all that irrelevant."

Valeris chuckled darkly. "Then you should thank us for streamlining your paperwork."

"Oh, we will," Mireya said, voice silken. "But you must understand—those dungeons weren't just risks. Some are sealed on the edge of evolving. We've monitored at least three for signs of boss mutation, law convergence, or corruption emergence. And yet…"

She tilted her head.

"You paid. You claimed. And by the Council Charter, they're yours. But now—"

She snapped her fingers. Flame-sigil documents blinked into the air. Bound by oath-runes, each one hovered before Asher.

"You need to authorize final release. With that, the responsibility shifts fully. No oversight. No take-backs. You'll be their sole keeper, and if one of them breaches and levels half a province…" She smiled faintly. "It's on your head."

Asher stepped forward without hesitation and swept his hand through the sigils, branding each one with a sliver of his soul imprint. A quiet hum echoed through the room as the bindings accepted his mark.

Mireya's expression flickered. "I see. No fear, no second thoughts."

"Fear?" Asher echoed. "I wouldn't have bought them if I wasn't prepared to clean up what lies within."

Mireya's smile turned slow, admiring—and maybe, faintly wary.

"In that case," she said, summoning a smaller black-vialed cylinder from her sleeve, "a gift."

She handed it to him.

"What is this?" Veyra asked softly, watching the dark crystal tablet Mireya handed over.

Mireya's voice dropped an octave, more formal now. "This is a map—an encoded layout of all ten dungeons you've purchased."

She tapped the side of the tablet with one crimson-lacquered fingernail. Glimmering runes flared to life across its surface, revealing an intricate web of glowing paths, regions, and sealed chambers tied to each gate.

"Normally, a single dungeon map costs one Void Rank core. But… consider this a gesture of goodwill," she added with a small smile. "A bonus. Or perhaps compensation—because you've drawn the gaze of some very dangerous watchers today."

She stepped back, her tone shifting to businesslike gravity. "More importantly, the dungeons have been stabilized temporarily. Their core matrices are tethered to the Reserve's auxiliary seal web. That gives you thirty days."

Asher's eyes narrowed slightly. "Thirty days?"

"Yes," she confirmed. "After that, the Reserve will forcibly reclaim any uncleared dungeons. Their seals will collapse into purge mode, and the bosses—whether half-awakened or mid-transition—will be terminated. We can't afford the risk of escalation or regional law-fluctuations. So, if you want the true rewards... you'll need to finish the clears before then."

Asher glanced down at the tablet, then smiled faintly. "Understood."

Valeris stepped forward, arms folded. "So… no delays. No buffer. Just thirty days to conquer ten high-difficulty dungeons."

"Correct," Mireya said. "This is not merely a purchase. It's an open contract with the Reserve. Failure to clear them may not forfeit your rights… but if the gates implode or the seals rupture, any resulting destruction will be pinned directly on you. Political and divine tribunals alike."

Asher tilted his head slightly, a glint of cold amusement in his eyes.

"So that's what this is," he said quietly. "You people auction off dungeons when they're nearing critical collapse. Pass them off to someone strong or desperate enough to handle it. Lease the danger away before it explodes in your hands."

Mireya didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled—thin, sharp, professional. "You're quick to catch on."

Valeris let out a quiet, humorless chuckle. "Clever. Make it look like privilege while offloading the risk."

Mireya nodded. "Even with the vastness of the organisation, we're forced to rotate and seal over a hundred dungeons every month. The deeper we dig into the Hundred Mountains, the more difficult dungeons are. This auction system lets us stay ahead of the detonations. Barely."