Chapter 46

Chapter 46: This whole thing reeks of an insurance pitch

Qian Qi cleared her throat, set one small foot on the step, and, like a karaoke queen taking the stage, shouted with rhythm and flair: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Qian Qi’s auction; this is your host, Qian Qi, and I’m here live to explain why every home needs a Defense Fruit!”

She raised her voice and called out: “Are you worried that one day a Magibeast will leave its nest and stomp you flat, leaving your parents at home with no protection and no one to stand up for them?”

She kept going, counting on her fingers as she spoke: “Are you scared that one day you will be only ten minutes away from escaping a Dungeon alive, but then get crushed by a D grade Magibeast at the last second?”

She leaned in and pressed the point: “Do you want life security for yourself and your family? Do you want to buy protection for the dangers ahead? Do you want to leave something precious for your future children and grandchildren?”

Holding a small tin box high, she spoke with excitement: “Then buy a Defense Fruit! One Defense Fruit can protect you for ten minutes at the key moment. One Defense Fruit gives your family an extra layer of safety. One Defense Fruit shows your deep love for your future kids and grandkids. What are you waiting for? Buy a Defense Fruit and bless your whole family!”

The crowd stared, confused: [???]

People glanced around, thinking: why does this whole thing feel like a pushy insurance ad?

They had thought the top student would shout some hot blooded lines to fire them up to buy a Defense Fruit, but these reasons were so plain and down to earth that it felt funny.

Qian Qi put on a sincere face and said earnestly: “You never fear ten thousand, only that one. What if, that one time, one Defense Fruit is the difference between life and death?”

She softened her tone as if comforting everyone: “I’m not cursing anyone, of course. But with Magibeasts running wild in society right now, it’s dangerous out there. If we buy a Defense Fruit as our insurance, don’t we all have a bit more protection?”

The students fell silent, and the insurance pitch vibe got even stronger.

She clapped to regain their attention and called out: “Classmates, when you hesitate to buy, you will hate having too few when you need them! Don’t hesitate, don’t wander off. Trust Qian Qi’s recommendation. Qian Qi brand Defense Fruit, those who use it will know!”

She sold both the practical angle and the resale angle as she added with a grin: “Whether you buy it for yourself or for your family, whether you resell it for a high price to Awakeners outside or to classmates who skipped the match, it’s the best choice you can make!”

Lifting her Thumbs up Staff like a gavel, she opened the auction: “Today’s limit is eight fruits, one per person, highest bid wins!”

She called the first lot in a clear voice: “We now start bidding for the first Defense Fruit. Starting price is 30,000. Each raise must be at least 2,000!”

As soon as she finished, students couldn’t help shouting bids:

Someone yelled from the front: “I’ll do 35,000!”

Another voice jumped in: “I’ll do 38,000!”

A third cut through the noise: “40,000!”

Students shouted over one another, trying to squeeze to the front. Even kids on other bleachers hurried over to see what the legendary Defense Fruit actually looked like.

Very soon, the price climbed to 120,000.

That number was about right. For 120,000 you could rent a D grade Awakener as a bodyguard for a day. A Defense Fruit only worked for ten minutes. But in the face of a group of Magibeasts, a Defense Fruit made you briefly invincible, so the price wasn’t outrageous.

Qian Qi raised the Thumbs up Staff and called out: “One hundred twenty thousand. Any higher than 120,000? One hundred twenty thousand, going once, going twice…”

A calm voice came from the very front row, where he had been sitting since Qian Qi stepped down: “One hundred thirty thousand.” It was Su Ang. He looked at the small tin box in her hand and said lightly: “I bid 130,000.”

Qian Qi tapped the railing with the staff and called with delight: “This classmate bids 130,000! Any higher than 130,000?”

After she called three times with no response, she pointed the staff at Su Ang and announced: “Congratulations to this classmate for winning the first Defense Fruit! Please come to me after the auction to pay and collect. Now let’s move to the second Defense Fruit!”

The little auction burned hotter as it went, and the prices climbed higher. Even the principal joined the fun and bought one. By 2 p.m., Qian Qi had sold all eight Defense Fruits.

Some students still weren’t satisfied and eyed the Defense Fruit in Qian Qi’s own pocket.

She covered her pocket and shook her head fast: “Don’t be that hardcore, classmates!”

The onlookers sighed and finally left, unhappy but helpless. The six big spending students who had won bids came running to Qian Qi, ready to pay and pick up their goods.

Su Ang stood and handed over the Light Brain he had been holding.

Smiling, Qian Qi strapped the Light Brain onto her wrist. As the transfers hit one by one, she passed each Defense Fruit to its buyer and reminded them: “Take good care of it. If you crush it, I’m not paying you back!”

“Got it, boss!” The classmates grinned as they left.

After sending them off, she turned to Su Ang and smiled with her eyes: “Senior Su, you were the one who controlled that Contract Beast just now, right?”

He lowered his gaze to her, and seeing she looked like she wanted to get friendly, he quietly put a bit more distance between them, then nodded and said coolly: “No need to thank me.”

“That won’t do!” Qian Qi clapped, meaning he was being too polite, and said brightly: “You saved me, so I at least owe you a discount, right?”

The principal, standing nearby, felt a sour sting in his chest when he heard that. He thought that if he had stepped in just a second earlier, maybe he could have gotten that discount too.

Getting a discount out of someone as stingy as Qian Qi would feel like a major achievement.

Then the principal watched as Qian Qi took one Defense Fruit from the tin box and put it into her own hand. She pushed the tin box holding the last Defense Fruit into Su Ang’s hands and said cheerfully: “Thanks for saving my life, Senior. I’ll waive the packaging fee for you.”

The principal almost spat: he made a choking sound.

Su Ang went silent.

Su Xing Le covered his face like a meme and muttered: “Junior, do you remember this little tin box is the one I dug out of the wardrobe yesterday? Do you have to be this stingy? Forget giving a few credits off, you actually gifted him a worthless second hand tin box?”

But Qian Qi felt she was perfectly reasonable.

First, she didn’t think she would die to a D grade Contract Beast anyway. Second, since Su Ang had saved her the cost of one Defense Fruit, that did count as saving her “life money,” so she should show some thanks.

Su Ang looked down at the tin box in his hand and fell silent.

He wondered if he had acted for nothing.

Maybe Qian Qi already had a Plan B, and he had forced a favor onto her for no reason.

He tightened his fingers slightly around the tin box, smoothed away the odd feeling in his chest, and said quietly: “Thank you for the discount.”

Seeing him accept it without fuss, Qian Qi nodded with satisfaction, then turned to the principal and flashed her payment code: “Principal, the money.”

The principal’s face twitched. In his heart he thought, Stop rushing me. I’m the principal. Of course I’ll pay.

Moving slowly, he opened his Light Brain and asked, sounding casual: “Qian Qi, where did these Defense Fruits come from? I heard they might be the fruit of some Magiplant.”

But Magiplant fruits can’t be eaten raw, right? Why does the Defense Fruit have no side effects?

Could this also be something Qian Qi improved?

She looked at him with a pure, innocent expression and said simply: “Yes, it is the fruit of a certain Magiplant.”

Seeing her skip his first question, the principal didn’t give up and pressed on: “So where did you find the Defense Fruit?”

“I forgot,” Qian Qi said, still wearing that innocent look. “Back then I was starving and close to death. I climbed the mountain to eat snow, and I accidentally ate a Defense Fruit. That’s when I discovered it had defensive power.”

The principal went blank.

Then his eyes widened: [What did I just hear?]