CHAPTER 84: CHAPTER 84: RUAN RUAN’S WORLD ONLY NEEDS ME

Chapter 84

Su Ruan pretended not to understand anything, turning her head to look out the car window.

Even though the speed of the floating car was too fast to see anything more than passing shadows...

She pretended to see beautiful scenery.

Lu Shinian chuckled softly but did not expose Su Ruan’s deliberate avoidance.

From his angle, he could faintly see Su Ruan’s fair neck and the slightly red earlobe hidden beneath her hair, looking exceedingly cute.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the famous Chaotic Zone of Central Star.

Most of the people here were poor, coarse in personality but well-informed.

Some high-ranking individuals hid in this Chaotic Zone, transmitting and accepting news, concealing all the filth within, while the outside wealthy districts seemed oblivious.

Though it was a Chaotic Zone, the entire place did not appear disorderly, thanks to the hidden black market.

It’s said the black market owner spent a huge sum to expand the infrastructure here, providing jobs to originally unemployed impoverished people.

But the exact working model was unclear to Su Ruan; the more she understood the black market’s operations, the more she admired the legendary "Second Master."

Upon reaching the Chaotic Zone, they got out of the floating car.

The Chaotic Zone had its own set of rules, and since they were here, they naturally needed to adhere to them.

They wore masks as they walked inside.

Quite a few people passing by were also masked, probably here for tonight’s black market auction.

Lu Shinian led Su Ruan to the entrance of a bar, where a staff member with a professional smile welcomed each arriving guest.

This bar usually functioned as an ordinary bar, becoming the entrance to the auction only on special days like today.

Lu Shinian pulled out a black gilded invitation from his coat and handed it to the attendant.

After verification, the attendant respectfully said, "Please, come inside."

Lu Shinian said nothing, leading Su Ruan inside.

They passed through long corridors and layers of verification, walking for an unknown duration before finally reaching a circular hall.

At the front of the hall was a circular platform surrounded by seats on the ground floor; nine boxes were roughly visible on the second floor.

Lu Shinian led Su Ruan straight to Box 222 on the second floor.

Once inside the box, Su Ruan couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked, "How do you have an auction invitation?"

Lu Shinian took off his mask, laughing softly.

"Why would Ruan Ruan think I wouldn’t have an invitation?"

After a pause, he smirked slightly, his eyes tainted with a trace of mischief.

"Because I’m with the Military Department?"

Su Ruan thought so, but having Lu Shinian say it so directly made her feel a bit uninformed.

She removed her mask too, sitting opposite Lu Shinian, and continued, "That’s initially what I thought, but now I’m unsure."

Lu Shinian’s smile deepened, "Why is Ruan Ruan so adorable?"

Su Ruan: ...

"So?" she pressed on, "Are you actually connected to the black market?"

Lu Shinian did not directly answer, only saying softly, "Ruan Ruan, this world isn’t just black and white."

Being a Commander is merely a bright title; only he knew the bloodshed beneath it all.

"But..." He paused, his gaze deepening as it landed on Su Ruan, becoming enigmatic and unfathomable, "In Ruan Ruan’s world, only I need to be there."

Black or white, his Ruan Ruan need not worry about such things.

His existence was to shield Ruan Ruan from the black and white, allowing her to soar only in the sky he created.

A strong possessiveness surged within his eyes, yet Lu Shinian concealed it well.

"The auction is about to start, Ruan Ruan, if you fancy anything, just bid for it."

Lu Shinian handed the auction rights to Su Ruan.

This being her first time attending a black market auction, Su Ruan was inevitably curious.

As for his earlier comments, she didn’t particularly dwell on them.

Ever since long ago, her world only included him.

Such deep-seated obsession within her soul left no thought of leaving him.

Thus, naturally, she instinctively assumed her world just needed him.

The two reached a silent consensus on this matter; Su Ruan quickly became absorbed by the black market auction.

While they talked, the first-floor hall was already filled.

All the boxes on the second floor likely had occupants too, as lamps were lit in each, with shadows faintly visible.

With most people seemingly present, a person clad in an ancient-style robe, with a scholarly demeanor, stepped up from behind the platform.

"Welcome to this auction."

"I assume everyone is eagerly anticipating this event, so without further ado, let’s introduce the first auction item."

Second floor, Box 222.

Su Ruan stared intently at the light screen before her.

Due to privacy, the box didn’t allow direct views of the first-floor events, but each box had synchronized holographic projections, showing real-time activities on the platform.

"The first auction item is an unbound identity card."

An identity card is akin to a pass; generally, everyone is registered in the system at birth, generating a unique identity card.

Unbound identity cards refer to ones whose original owners are missing or deceased, but haven’t been deleted from the records, meaning the card remains but the person does not.

However, some with no official identity, especially criminals who can’t use their own cards, purchase these unbound ones to live under the former owner’s identity.

Such identity cards are strictly controlled on Central Star; who would’ve thought the black market would auction them directly here.

Su Ruan marveled, "Second Master has formidable influence."

Lu Shinian responded with a faint "Mm," without adding more.

As they spoke, the unbound card was already auctioned off.

"The second auction item..."

As the host continued introducing, Su Ruan suddenly heard a voice coming from Box 111.

"I want that."

The voice carried a lazy nonchalance, closely resembling... Second Brother’s voice?

Su Ruan was slightly startled, instinctively glancing sideways, but the wall blocked her view.

Noticing her reaction, Lu Shinian squinted, his throat moving.

"Ruan Ruan, what’s wrong?"