Cannon Fodder O Pretending to be A Will Lose Their Vest Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Looming Close; The Auction (Shura Field), All Three Want Him…

Kai Lan: “…”

He suspected his ears were playing tricks on him.

21 million star coins?!

In the center of the stage, Jiang Chenyan’s fingertips trembled violently. He froze in place as if a petrification spell had been cast upon him. He slowly raised his eyes to look at Shen Shiyue, his slightly parted lips suddenly pressing thin, his brows furrowing tight.

How did he get involved in the bidding?

The attention of the entire venue shifted toward Shen Shiyue like a spotlight.

Was it already this exciting only two minutes into the opening?

Was this truly the attraction of a top-tier Omega?

A casual, faint smile hooked at the corner of Xie Huaijin’s lips. He raised the card in his hand, his clear, cold voice echoing through the hall: “2500 million star coins.”

Another wave of uproar broke out below.

Someone stood up abruptly from their seat, staring at the number in disbelief.

A chill spread through Jiang Chenyan’s body. Even his breathing carried a hint of stagnant cold. He slowly shifted his gaze toward Xie Huaijin, catching the other’s eyes just as they met his.

Xie Huaijin’s thin lips parted slightly, wordlessly shaping a few syllables that acted like a long, thin chain, accurately entangling him:

“I am going to buy you.”

A layer of frost instantly covered the depths of Jiang Chenyan’s eyes, and his throat tightened. “…”

Xie Huaijin had already recognized him.

This was trouble.

The entire audience thought Shen Shiyue would stop before the astronomical price of 22 million star coins. No matter how noble an Omega was, they weren’t worth this price.

Right at that moment, Shen Shiyue raised his arm, decisively lifting the bidding card. His cool voice pierced through the venue: “2600 million star coins.”

“Hiss—”

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The sound of people drawing in sharp breaths rose and fell.

Kai Lan, beside him, was already dumbfounded. “Are you crazy? the three of us can’t produce that much money.”

Mo Qingyu’s forehead was breaking out in sweat as he also persuaded him, “Calm down.”

Shen Shiyue: “I am very calm.”

Kai Lan and Mo Qingyu’s lips twitched. Did he think they would believe that?

A contemptuous sneer spilled from Xie Huaijin’s throat. He raised his card, provocation wrapped in his casual voice: “2700 million star coins.”

“2800 million star coins,” Shen Shiyue’s voice followed immediately, devoid of any extra emotion.

“2900 million star coins.”

“3000 million star coins.”

“…”

Kai Lan froze in place, his mouth slightly agape, his gaze darting back and forth between the two. He even forgot to adjust his breathing.

Were these two really going head-to-head?

Jiang Chenyan’s hand hanging at his side unconsciously curled, his nails digging deep into his palm.

In all his calculations, he never expected the situation to turn out like this.

On stage, the hand of the host holding the microphone tightened slightly, and fine sweat seeped from his temples. In his many years in the profession, he had never seen such a fierce confrontation. He felt that the two were not competing for an auction item, but were declaring war.

No one else in the hall raised a card anymore. Everyone was drawn in by Xie Huaijin and Shen Shiyue, even becoming curious as to whose hands this silent Omega would eventually fall into during this white-hot bidding war.

On stage, Jiang Chenyan had long since lost his initial inner turmoil. The coldness from his fingertips spread through his limbs; he felt a bit numb.

He simply lowered his eyes, isolating their figures from his sight.

“8000 million star coins.”

A magnetic voice suddenly rang out.

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The voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.

For an instant, the entire venue fell into a dead silence. In the next second, a deafening commotion erupted.

“80 million? Did I hear that right?”

“Heavens, this price just doubled!”

Exclamations and gasps rose one after another. Even the host, who had been forcing himself to stay composed, gripped his microphone tight, his pupils constricting.

Everyone followed the sound. In a corner, an Alpha wearing a red mask slowly rose. The mask covered most of his face, revealing only a sharp jawline.

The Alpha was tall and slender, his somewhat long hair falling at the edges of the mask. Instead of appearing effeminate, he exuded an aggressive beauty, like a red rose blooming wildly in the dark night.

His thin lips hooked slightly, letting out a low, light laugh. “Him—I want him.”

Only then did Jiang Chenyan slowly raise his eyes, his gaze crossing the surging crowd toward the corner. But the distance was too far; he could only see that arrogant red silhouette, unable to even see the other’s eyes clearly.

He was a bit tired. When would this farce finally end?

80 million star coins…

Quite the price he was willing to pay.

Shen Shiyue’s fingertips had already touched the bidding card, his knuckles turning white from exertion, clearly wanting to continue following.

Seeing this, Kai Lan and Mo Qingyu on his left and right simultaneously pressed down on his arms. “Brother, don’t be impulsive. This price is already insane. That’s enough.”

Kai Lan truly wanted to kneel and beg Shen Shiyue. Stop bidding. If they bid any further, they wouldn’t even have their underwear left.

Shen Shiyue’s gaze pierced through the front rows, accurately colliding with Jiang Chenyan’s. In the moment their eyes met, Jiang Chenyan shook his head slightly at him.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he couldn’t use a communication device to talk to them.

Jiang Chenyan wanted to tell Shen Shiyue: Stop bidding. He could find a way to escape.

Shen Shiyue’s fingertips hovered over the card for a long time, his pads turning white, before he eventually withdrew his hand slowly.

He could only watch helplessly as that thin figure was submerged in the collective gaze of the entire venue.

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The spotlights beneath his feet pinned his shadow to the ground, as if he were a commodity being peeked at by everyone—or rather, he was the “commodity.”

On the other side, Xie Huaijin looked up at the red-masked man in the corner. Their gazes met briefly in the air.

Xie Huaijin sneered. He also made no further moves, intending to let it go and withdraw from this competition.

He withdrew his gaze, the corners of his mouth hooking into an intriguing curve. This bidding war that had been intercepted halfway was actually much more interesting than expected.

…

The hand of the host holding the microphone trembled slightly with excitement, his voice full of hard-to-conceal exhilaration: “Then the winner of this auction item goes to this Mr. M!”

As the words fell, the venue was instantly submerged in cheers and exclamations. Everyone was boiling over the conclusion of this astronomical bidding war.

Only Shen Shiyue stood up abruptly amidst the clamor, his eyes staring straight at that red figure in the corner as he said something without beginning or end: “I know who he is.”

“What?” Kai Lan beside him was a bit confused. Did he have telescopic vision? He could tell who it was from that far away? Just as he was about to follow up, he saw Shen Shiyue already taking a step, heading straight out of the venue.

“Where are you going?” Kai Lan and Mo Qingyu hurriedly chased after him.

Shen Shiyue looked back. “Don’t worry. I’m going to settle some matters. You two find a place to hide first. It’s definitely going to get messy here in a bit.”

Kai Lan understood his meaning. They had already secretly contacted the military, the police, and the media waiting outside.

As Shen Shiyue’s figure disappeared at the entrance of the meeting hall, Kai Lan and Mo Qingyu looked at each other, both frowning simultaneously.

“We’re leaving too,” Mo Qingyu’s voice was pressed extremely low, his hand already on the handle of the emergency exit.

Kai Lan nodded immediately, his footsteps following closely. While alertly scanning the surroundings, he asked in a low voice: “Where to?”

The moment they stepped into the passage, Mo Qingyu stopped. “To save Jiang Chenyan. We can’t let him actually fall into that Mr. M’s hands.”

Kai Lan nodded. “Alright.”

…

Jiang Chenyan was taken away by several people dressed in black. When he tilted his head, he specifically looked at the box in the center of the stage. No one knew that two people were hidden inside.

Just as they stepped out of the hall doors, a thick black cloth covered his eyes, and his vision instantly plunged into darkness.

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In the next second, an icy hand suddenly pinched his cheek, the finger pads forcefully rubbing against his skin. “Your information is truly mysterious. We searched for so long and couldn’t find even half a file.”

Based on the voice, he recognized him. This person was Luo De.

Jiang Chenyan kept his eyes lowered, remaining silent without responding.

He could feel the other’s gaze lingering on his face, but he wasn’t flustered in the slightest.

That pair of seemingly ordinary brownish-yellow pupils were specifically developed by Kai Lan over several months. They not only confused visual recognition of iris information, but once they encountered an identity scanner, they could also release weak interference waves, launching a stealth attack directly on the equipment.

It was normal that they couldn’t find his identity.

Everything was meticulously designed by Jiang Chenyan and the others. He said, “I am an undocumented person. An orphan.”

“Is that so?” Luo De let out a light laugh, his tone carrying a bit of playful regret. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. Anyway, someone already bought you for an astronomical price. To be honest, we’re truly a bit reluctant. We originally planned to keep you by our side; after all, a lot of value can be squeezed out of you.”

Squeezing out value.

Jiang Chenyan suddenly clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He heard Luo De say, “But later we changed our minds. Real gold and silver are more dependable.”

After saying that, as if he couldn’t be bothered to argue further with Jiang Chenyan, he turned and left without hesitation, his footsteps echoing in the long corridor.

Only the heavy breathing of the black-clad men remained in Jiang Chenyan’s ears. He was dragged forward by his arms, one person on each side.

Not long after, a slight vibration unique to an elevator in operation came from beneath his feet.

They went up two floors. Walking out of the elevator, the echoes in the corridor became suddenly clear.

Jiang Chenyan deliberately slowed his breathing. Listening to the footsteps, there were about five or six people. He quietly loosened and then clenched the hand hanging at his side.

Five or six people. Although they held the advantage in numbers, it wasn’t a perfect situation without a breakthrough point. He should be able to handle them.

In the darkness, he quietly adjusted his stance, shifting his center of gravity to his left leg.

Just as he was about to strike, footsteps came from deep in the corridor ahead—at least a dozen of them, approaching from far to near. His heart sank. He quietly withdrew his gathered strength, the hand at his side slowly relaxing. He had no choice but to let it go for now.

The footsteps soon drew close. They were likely patrolmen. After exchanging a few low-voiced words with the men escorting him, they moved aside to make a path.

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He was forced to continue forward. After walking a short distance, he was suddenly pushed into a room. When his back hit the cold wall, the door behind him clicked shut with a lock. The sound of pacing came from outside; clearly, someone was standing guard at the door.

Jiang Chenyan took off his blindfold and adapted to the soft light in the room for a moment. This was a simply furnished lounge with only a sofa, a large bed, and a giant floor-to-ceiling window.

Jiang Chenyan walked to the window and tapped the glass with his fingertips. The cold touch was followed by a dull echo. The entire window was sealed shut with thick boards. Not only was no light getting through, but there wasn’t even a single crack. Forget a person; probably not even a fly could get out.

He withdrew his hand, showing no panic. His state of mind was uncharacteristically good.

He sent his location to Shen Shiyue and the others, then turned to scan the room. His gaze landed on the beige sofa in the center. After hesitating for a moment, he walked over and decisively lay down.

Unexpectedly, the sofa cushions were soft. They carried a faint fragrance as he sank in. He adjusted into a comfortable position and closed his eyes to rest.

Jiang Chenyan pillowed his head on the sofa back, his fingertips casually stroking the stitching on the edge of the sofa.

his skills were quite good; he should be able to handle that Mr. M. When the time came, he would take M down, then use M as a hostage to threaten the black-clad men outside…

While he was pondering, the long-absent electronic voice of the system suddenly rang in his mind:

[I have been secretly watching you. Host, I feel the plot is now completely out of whack.]

Jiang Chenyan opened his eyes and looked at the exquisite chandelier on the ceiling. “If it’s a mess, let it be. It’s already turned into this state; could it possibly get worse?”

Everything had already deviated from the original trajectory. He might as well go with the flow.

The system was silent for two seconds:

[My heart is dead. Choosing to shut down.]

It went offline.

Jiang Chenyan let out a soft sigh toward the empty ceiling.

Right then, steady footsteps came from outside the door, followed by the electronic sound of a lock being opened.

“The person is already inside. Please come in.”

As the respectful voice fell, the room door was slowly pushed open.

Jiang Chenyan instantly sharpened his spirits and looked toward the door. He didn’t get up, still leaning on the sofa, his gaze landing straight on the Mr. M who walked in.

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He was a very tall person, exuding a sense of pressure as he approached.

M looked at the person sitting steadily on the sofa. A low laugh spilled from his throat. His footsteps were unhurried as he walked step by step in front of him, looking down at him. “From today on, you should know who you belong to.”

As M leaned in close, Jiang Chenyan finally saw the lower half of his face that was exposed outside the mask. The lines were sharp yet carried a bit of softness, and a curve rippled at the corners of his lips.

His smile was hair-raising.

An inexplicable sense of familiarity instantly surged in his heart. His fingertips paused slightly, and his face quietly turned pale.

“You…”

Just as the first word left his mouth, M’s slender fingertips hooked the edge of his mask and gave a light tug. The red mask fell to the floor.

A high-bridged nose, clear lip lines, and slightly upturned corners of the eyes—he was looking at him with that same half-smiling expression. This person was actually Mu Sian.

Jiang Chenyan sprang up from the sofa. He wanted to ask why Mu Sian was here. But the words reached his lips and were forcefully swallowed back down. He couldn’t expose his identity.

Mu Sian took in his struggle completely. A playful smile hooked at the corner of his mouth. Instead of backing away, he took a step forward, reached out to press down on his shoulder, and suddenly exerted force to pin him back onto the sofa.

Jiang Chenyan’s back hit the soft cushion heavily. Before he could react, Mu Sian had already leaned in close, his hands supporting himself on both sides of the sofa, trapping him in his shadow. His scent carried a faint, cold fragrance. “What? Are you that surprised to see me?”

“I have been thinking about you for a long time.”

Translator’s Note: “Shura Field” (修罗场) is a term often used in web novels to describe a scene of intense confrontation or a messy romantic entanglement. Here, it perfectly captures the high-stakes bidding war between Xie Huaijin, Shen Shiyue, and Mu Sian. Jiang Chenyan’s plan is getting more complicated by the second! Also, “Star Coins” (星币) is the standard currency in this interstellar setting. Stay tuned for the fallout!

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