NFBE Chapter 143 South African Auction (2)
Chapter 143 South African Auction (2)
The item Gu Jinxing bid on was a diamond called "Star".
This diamond is not large, but it is an extremely rare two-color diamond.
Furthermore, the white and blue colors are not evenly distributed on both sides, but rather the white diamond is the main component, with blue crystals in the middle of the diamond.
Like a night sky dotted with stars.
The name "Starry Sky" diamond comes from this.
Furthermore, the cutting technique of this diamond is extremely exquisite.
When the auctioneer presents the diamond, there's no need for lights. He simply picks it up, and the chandelier shines on it, making the diamond refract light brilliantly.
The starting bid for the "Starry Night" diamond far exceeded that of the two suitcases of rough diamonds that Shen Wancheng bought the day before yesterday. The starting bid was $500 million, and each bid could not be lower than $50.
While that might not sound like much in US dollars, at the current exchange rate, it's equivalent to HK$2500 million.
Does that sound like a lot?
The bidding for this diamond was extremely fierce, with the number of participants decreasing from more than 10 at the beginning to just five at the end, and the price reaching $1000 million.
Shen Wancheng felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to each bid.
After all, compared to the people present, she was still a "poor wretch".
When only five people remained bidding, Gu Jinxing suddenly said to Shen Wancheng.
"Go outside for some fresh air."
Shen Wancheng was stunned for a moment. She wanted to say that she didn't feel stuffy and didn't need to breathe.
But before she could say it, she suddenly understood what Gu Jinxing meant.
There are now five bidders left, and many people are already looking over every time Gu Jinxing makes a bid.
If Gu Jinxing ultimately wins the bid for this "Starry Sky" diamond, it will definitely attract the attention of everyone present.
This is South Africa, after all; attracting too much attention isn't a good thing.
Gu Jinxing wanted Shen Wancheng to avoid the limelight.
Shen Wancheng nodded in agreement with Gu Jinxing and got up from her seat.
When Kola and Shen Yao, who were waiting in the corner, saw Shen Wancheng get up, they immediately came to Shen Wancheng's side.
Shen Wancheng led them out of the auction hall, first to the restroom, and then to the banquet hall next door to eat something.
When Shen Wancheng was in the banquet hall, she saw that the sky outside the window had completely darkened.
It was only 6 p.m., so it shouldn't be this dark yet.
Shen Wancheng walked to the window and noticed that the sky outside was covered with dark clouds, indicating that a rainstorm was about to arrive.
Shen Wancheng also noticed that there seemed to be more bodyguards in black outside the villa.
Shen Wancheng called Kela to the window and asked her.
"Look at those people outside, aren't they the same group that came in with us?"
Following Shen Wancheng's gaze, Cora squinted for a moment before speaking.
"It doesn't really seem like it..."
Cora changed her mind halfway through her sentence, "They are definitely not the same group of people."
Cora looked at Shen Wancheng in surprise.
Having spent this time together, Cora felt she had come to know Shen Wancheng quite well.
She is very intelligent, independent and clear-headed, but overall she is still an ordinary person. Logically speaking, Shen Wancheng should not be as perceptive as her mercenaries.
Shen Wancheng understood what Kora was surprised about, but she didn't feel the need to explain it to her.
She just wanted to verify her point of view.
Shen Wancheng continued, "The group on the left were originally equipped with ordinary pistols; not everyone was issued a Glock 17. But now, everyone there is equipped with Desert Eagles."
Cora was shocked once again. She had noticed this when she spoke and realized that the bodyguards in black outside had been replaced.
This is because mercenaries are used to judging people by their sidearms. Just now, because Shen Wancheng asked if the person had been changed, Cora first looked at the person's face and demeanor.
Cora was surprised that Shen Wancheng could identify the type of gun from the partially exposed parts of those guns.
Shen Wancheng had only touched a firearm for the first time before setting off.
Despite her surprise, Cora still remembered to answer Shen Wancheng's question.
"You're right, all those men's sidearms have been replaced."
Shen Wancheng's expression became more serious.
“Let’s go back to the auction hall.”
When Shen Wancheng returned to the auction hall, the bidding for the final item was already underway.
The item in this auction is an oil painting by a famous European artist.
The competition was far fiercer than for the "Star" diamond, so no one noticed when Shen Wancheng came in and sat down next to Gu Jinxing.
Shen Wancheng took Gu Jinxing's arm, acted intimately, and whispered to Gu Jinxing.
"The security outside has been completely replaced, and the equipment is top-notch."
Gu Jinxing's heart sank, but his expression remained smiling.
"We're probably still being watched. You take a team and we'll split up."
Even though Shen Wancheng is intelligent and calm, she was still nervous and uneasy when she encountered this kind of thing for the first time.
Gu Jinxing squeezed Shen Wancheng's hand tightly.
"We're definitely not the only ones being targeted; you'll be fine."
The occasion was inappropriate, and although Gu Jinxing spoke simply, Shen Wancheng understood his meaning.
Since these criminal gangs in South Africa have their eyes on the guests of this auction, they certainly won't just be targeting Gu Jinxing, who won the bid for the "Starry Sky" diamond.
Other guests who won bids on valuable items were also targeted.
Those attending this auction all brought mercenary bodyguards, so the criminal gangs certainly didn't have enough people to kidnap all the guests; they would definitely have focused on certain groups.
Someone like Shen Wancheng, who clearly has no bids and is accompanied by a wealthy man, would only be followed by low-level thugs if she were to leave alone.
Shen Wancheng was a little worried about Gu Jinxing, but she only said to him, "Be careful."
After the auction ended, Gu Jinxing went to retrieve the "Starry Night" diamond he had won, while Shen Wancheng parted ways with him and went to the parking lot to leave.
*
The rain started before the auction ended, and it was heavy and torrential.
The scene when the auction guests left was not as orderly as when they arrived.
Six bodyguards, including Cora, escorted Shen Wancheng as she left. To avoid attracting attention, Shen Wancheng did not rush to be among the first to leave.
Have the bodyguards in the car blend into the traffic and leave.
Once the cars left the manor, they went their separate ways.
The rain intensified, with raindrops pounding on the car roof like bullets, creating a dense, pattering sound.
It unnecessarily increased the tension in people's hearts.
Shen Wancheng and Shen Yao sat side by side in the back of the car. Cora calmly took out two Glock 17 rifles from the suitcase in the car and handed them to Shen Wancheng and Shen Yao respectively.
Cora's voice was very calm.
"Just in case, for self-defense."
Shen Wancheng and Shen Yao took the Glock.
Shen Yao's gaze lingered on the Desert Eagle at Cora's waist and the UZI submachine gun carried by another bodyguard in the back of the car.
Shen Wancheng noticed Shen Yao's gaze and was suddenly amused.
"You haven't practiced with the Desert Eagle and Uzi, so the Glock is easier for you."
Shen Yao thought for a moment and nodded.
“What my sister says makes sense.”
Shen Yao's series of reactions relieved Shen Wancheng's tension considerably.
Just then, the bodyguard in the passenger seat suddenly spoke up.
"Miss Shen, something seems amiss up ahead."
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There will be 1-2 more chapters tonight, but I'll post three chapters for now.