Modern Traveler-Chapter 103. Auction Start

Neo and Sakura left the house at 5:15 PM and drove to the auction separately because Sakura planned to go home after the event. After driving for nearly 20 minutes, they both arrived at the auction house.

A variety of lavish cars were parked outside, belonging to billionaires and millionaires attending the event. The media was there to cover the auction as well. Isaac allowed only specific media representatives to report on the auction for the public. Reporters were seen waiting at the entrance, interviewing the billionaires as they arrived.

"Hello, sir! What do you think of the auction happening tonight? Are you going to bid?" one reporter asked a man accompanied by two bodyguards.

"Hmm? I don't think much of it, but whoever wins the stones sure has deep pockets! Hahaha! I'm just here to try my luck," the billionaire replied before walking inside.

"Look, it's Elon Musk!" one of the reporters exclaimed as they spotted him exiting his car.

"Are you here to win the stone?" a reporter asked Elon.

"I may be the richest, but I don't have the liquid cash to compete. I'm only here to watch how much the stone will cost," Elon Musk responded.

"Look, the Prince of Dubai is also here," the reporters noted.

"Not only him, but the King of the United Kingdom is here as well," they added.

"The CEOs of Rolex and Cartier—almost all the luxury brands—are here!" another reporter remarked.

"And some big names from Hollywood are present too," said a different reporter.

"Even some YouTubers are here. Are they allowed to attend?" one of the reporters questioned.

"Only invited YouTubers and streamers. Look, even the famous streamers Pokimane, Valkyrae, and Sakura are here," another reporter explained.

"But who is the man beside them? Wait! The most handsome man in existence—oh, I know now, it's Neo!" a reporter shouted.

"That's right! It's Neo! Let's interview him," the reporters said as they waited for Neo and the others to approach the entrance.

"Hello, Neo! Are you here to win the diamond? Aren't you just a millionaire?" a rude reporter interrupted.

Neo and the others were taken aback by the abruptness of the question. While interruptions can happen, rudeness crosses a line.

"Why? Am I not allowed to watch them fight for the stone?" Neo responded.

"Because you've been showing a lavish lifestyle lately; maybe you're here to bid billions for the stone," the reporter said with a smirk that made Neo want to punch him.

"Ah, don't be jealous of my lifestyle. Are you one of those haters who say, 'If you have money, you should help the poor'?" Neo replied.

The reporter was a little shocked; he didn't expect Neo to come back at him like that.

"I'm just asking if you plan on buying. If not, then why are you so offended?" the reporter pressed.

"To satisfy your curiosity, I'm not buying what was initially mine. I'm here to watch them fight for it," Neo clarified.

"Are you claiming to own the stone? You must be dreaming! Can't stop bragging in front of the girls?" the reporter sneered.

Before Neo could respond, Kim, who was waiting at the door, stepped forward to stand by Neo's side.

"You are not needed here anymore. And before you belittle someone, think first. The name of the stone is 'Neo Blue Diamond', N E O. Sir, Neo, please go inside. We have already prepared your room," Kim instructed, signaling security to eject the rude reporter.

"For real? Neo is the owner? Man, unlucky for you; you've hit a stone wall today."

"Why did he have to be rude, anyway?"

"That's what he gets. He was shamed live, and not only that but he also got kicked out."

"But owning the blue diamond? Just how rich is he?"

"This is first-hand news! We need to include this in our articles later," many reporters said as they took Neo's pictures for future use.

"Neo, follow me. Your place is over there; it's a private room that overlooks the entire venue," Kim said as he led them to a room.

"So, how many people are attending, Kim?" Neo asked as he sat down with the girls.

"Hmm? More than we expected. There are over 30 royals here to bid, and many businessmen are collaborating by pooling their wealth. Even countries have sent representatives to acquire the stone," Kim explained.

"Is that so? What's the estimated price going to be?" Neo inquired.

"It's quite difficult to estimate. The initial price is $150 billion, but it could go up to $200 or even $300 billion. We don't know yet," Kim said.

"That's a lot of money. Neo, you mentioned once that you would establish a charity. This could be a good opportunity to get an interview later. Now that they know you are the owner of the stone, reporters will surely want to talk to you," Pokimane suggested.

"Yeah, that's a great idea! With the YouTubers and streamers that got invited, this will be top news worldwide," Valkyrae added.

"Maybe we should message the YouTubers and streamers later? We can ask if they want to interview Neo," Pokimane proposed.

"I can ask the media covering the auction if they want to interview you," Kim offered.

"Since you three are influencers, I'll follow your advice," Neo agreed.

"Okay, I should go now. The auction will start in a few minutes," Kim said, leaving the room to go to where Isaac was.

Valkyrae messaged Mr. Beast, while Pokimane reached out to Kai and his friends. Sakura didn't message anyone; she wasn't as close to any streamer aside from Kyedae, Pokimane, Valkyrae, and Tenz.

Soon, the stadium lit up, and the auction was about to officially start. Isaac and Kim, accompanied by an unknown person, walked to the stadium. Kim, who was holding a covered box, separated from Isaac and made her way to the center, where a table was set up to hold the box. Isaac and the unknown person moved to where the microphone was positioned.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Today marks the moment we have all been waiting for. This auction is quite unique because only one item will be sold today. Let me present to you the precious stone that you will be bidding on," Isaac announced as he signaled for Kim to unveil the cover. Once the cover was removed, the audience gasped at the sight of the blue diamond on stage.

"This is the item you all desire: the 'Neo Blue Diamond.' As I mentioned when I announced the video, the carat value for this diamond is $89.7 billion. When factoring in the rarity of this substantial stone, its value rises to $150 billion. I want to be transparent with you: 10 companies and 15 royals have contacted me to purchase it for $200 billion, with some offers reaching as high as $220 billion. However, the owner of this diamond—who you may recognize because of the incident at the entrance—wants it auctioned to enhance its value. I know you are all eager to acquire this stone, so I have invited a professional to host the auction. Please welcome David."

Isaac then reminded the audience of the diamond's worth before introducing the host for the night.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is indeed a historic moment. Let the auction begin. The starting price is $150 billion, with a minimum bid increment of $1 billion. So, who will place the first bid?" David declared.