AIISA's Grand Auction & Networking Gala was not merely an event.It was a battlefield dressed in chandeliers and silk.
The Grand Hall—massive dome ceiling, marble floors reflecting soft amber lights, velvet curtains—looked like a place where royalty debated empires. Students arrived in tailored suits and designer dresses, heirs mingling like young gods with too much money and even more arrogance.
But tonight, before the auctioneer struck his first gavel, the real entertainment had already arrived.
Steven Blake walked in.
Not alone, but with Veronica on his arm, Leon at his flank, and Mira adjusting her earrings beside them.
Whispers shot through the crowd like sparks leaping across oil.
"There he is—the Soft Rice King."
"He really came? Bold, coming with his sponsor."
"Does he think Veronica will pay for the bidding?"
"Why is Veronica still with him?"
"Look at him acting like he belongs here."
Someone even whispers loudly on purpose: "Can he even afford the entry ticket?"
Leon nearly explodes, but Steven raises a hand. "Let them talk."
Mira mutters: "Steven… your patience level is terrifying."
Leon mutters, "I can knock at least five of them out before security even moves."
Veronica grips her bag tighter. She's no longer just angry — she's hurt. Steven notices instantly.
He places a hand over hers. "Walk with your head up. You are a queen; you walk in your pride."
Her eyes softened instantly. A small smile bloomed.
And that was when Lucas Vandenhall arrived. Tall, handsome, arrogant—the three things Lucas believed were his natural birthright. Heir of Vandenhall Holdings, owner of casinos and luxury hotels stretching across Miami's coastlines.
His smile was polished evil.
"Veronica Bennett," he said smoothly. "Didn't expect to see you here."
His gaze slid toward Steven. "Or… that thing next to you."
The insult dropped like a stone in still water.
Veronica stiffened.
Lucas continued casually, "I didn't know the Adams family's standards had fallen this low. Must be because of your father."
The air cracked. Leon's hand twitched. Mira's breath hitched. Veronica's face drained.
The comment hit like a shard of glass.
Because it wasn't just an insult — It dragged out her history.
Her mother — Alina Adams, the elegant princess of the Adams family. Her father — Praneet Bennett, a brilliant man but from an ordinary family, she fell in love with. They eloped. Married in secret. Had Veronica.
When the Adams family discovered this, they cut them off entirely. No support. No acknowledgement. Isolation for years.
Not until her grandfather, General Adams, returned did things change.
He reinstated Veronica and her mother. Cherished them. Defended them.
Because despite Praneet Bennett's humble origins — He had talent, ambition, and character. Things General Adams valued more than wealth or pedigree.
But the scar of those years remained.
Veronica froze — hurt flashing through her eyes before she masked it.
And Steven saw it. He stepped forward.
His voice? Soft. Calm. But unmistakably sharp.
"Careful, Vandenhall," he said. "You're spilling jealousy all over the floor."
Gasps rippled.
Lucas laughed too loudly. "You? You have no place here. You bought a Speedtail with whose money, hmm? Veronica's pocket? We all know she pities you——"
Steven cut him off like slicing silk.
"If you want a spectacle," he said, eyes half-lidded, "wait for the auction. I'll give you a front-row seat."
The air crackled.
They all entered the Grand Auction hall and settled in seats they could find. The auction started with electric vigour and whispers.
The first item rolled out: a rare Rolex. Base price: $400,000.
Lucas lifted his paddle immediately.
"$900,000!"
Students nodded — classic rich kid move.
Steven lifted his calmly.
"One million."
Whispers exploded.
Lucas scoffed. "Trying to look rich?"
"Trying to buy the watch," Steven replied.
Leon snorted loudly.
Lucas snapped, "1.5 million!"
Steven yawned.
"Two million."
Gasps. A few parents sat up straighter.
Lucas gritted his teeth. "2.7 million!"
Steven raised his paddle.
"3.5 million."
Then he looked at Veronica and said casually,
"Am I really outbidding the people who call me Soft Rice King?"
The crowd lost it.
Lucas nearly combusted. "Four million!"
Steven lifted two fingers lazily.
"Five million."
"You're insane!" Lucas shouted. "You don't even know the value of money!"
Steven shrugged.
"On paper? It's my card and my money. If you're capable, grab a rich girl's thigh and get your own cash. Might even get you an allowance increase."
The hall erupted:
"NO WAY—!" "He said that!" "Lucas is done!"
Lucas's face turned tomato-red.
"Fine! Ten million!"
This time Steven didn't raise his card.
BAM. Hammer dropped. Sold.
Everyone stared at Lucas. Their eyes weren't filled with awe or wonder—it was pity. In that moment, Lucas realized he had spent an exorbitant amount of money on something not even worth a fraction of its price. The watch no longer appeared as an exquisite piece of luxury; instead, it stood as a glaring reminder of his humiliation, the sting of being deceived. Lucas now felt as though he'd been robbed—not by a thief, but by fate itself.
Veronica whispered, "Steven… you pushed him."
"He pushed himself."
Leon was wheezing on a chair.
When the next item, a diamond-studded limited-edition iPhone, came up, Lucas one again started bidding. Steven closed his eyes and just murmured, perfectly audible:
"Let's see if he learned."
Lucas hadn't. As Steven played with him, he overbid again — wildly, desperately.
Third item: a limited-edition sports car.
Steven glanced his way.
"You won't let the Soft Rice King beat you again… right?"
Lucas raised the price by 40% instantly. And once again, Steven played him beautifully.
By the fourth item, Lucas's friends were physically holding him back.
"Bro, STOP.""He's baiting you!""He's farming you like EXP!"
By then, Lucas had spent $27 million on maybe $4 million worth of items. He had gotten the three items, but it didn't feel like a victory.
Steven hadn't spent a single cent, but played Lucas like a clown.
For the finishing blow, Steven said lightly:
"For someone born rich, your money management is terrible."
Lucas erupted."You—!"
"But hey," Steven added, "you spent thirty million tonight just trying to beat someone you call poor."
The room HOWLED.
Lucas shrivelled; he stood up and exited the auction, not willing to remain here even a second more.
The auction continued. Most of the things didn't interest Steven; Veronica bought a beautiful jewellery. And then.
Lot #49 appeared on stage.
DeltaElectro Manufacturing Group. A dull name. Mediocre reputation. Outdated tech.
But Steven saw gold.
12 factories. 30 R&D labs. Perfect infrastructure for the invisible smartphone.
Base price: $10 million.
Nobody bid.
Steven raised his paddle.
"Ten million."
Silence. Absolute silence.
No one dared follow. Not after the massacre they just witnessed. Nobody wanted to become the next Lucas.
SOLD.
Just like that, Steven bought an entire electronics company for the price of chump change.
After the auction… Whispers change tone.
"He played Lucas like a fiddle."
"Veronica's boyfriend isn't simple."
Some students still followed the previous rumours, some shifted with new rumours — but the smart ones — took note:
-He reads people perfectly.
-He is unfazed by pressure.
No sugerbaby will have those qualities. And the conclusion they came to was completely opposite to rumours—he isn't supported by Veronica. He supports himself.
"Steven Blake… We should keep an eye on him." They told themselves, afraid they would forget about it and miss a valuable opportunity.
A few even discuss approaching him later.
Veronica looks at Steven with new eyes. "You weren't just defending me… were you?"
Steven smiles. "I was showing them what your name means to me."
Veronica's heart skipped. She felt happy and relieved, leaning gently on Steven's shoulder.
As they stepped out of the hall, Steven's vision flickered.
[Side Quest Completed: Silence the Noise]
Objective: Reveal the first hint of your true potential.
Progress: 18% — Some at AIISA now view you differently.
Rewards:- 5 × Automated Manufacturing Belts (delivered to owned facility)
Standard Mode — 200 phones/day Overclock Mode — 500 phones/day; +3,000 SP.
Steven exhaled.
The belts were perfect: compact, efficient, scalable.
Integrated into DeltaElectro's factories, they would be unstoppable.
The first step toward a revolution.
He closed his eyes and pictured it—
A transparent smartphone. Eva Mobile OS. A device that would make even giants tremble.
All he needed now was time. And time was something he intended to conquer.
AIISA had just handed him the battlefield to prove himself.