Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 638

Chapter 638

Chapter 638: Collateral

With the premise of an extended future in mind, everyone’s heart ached for the chance . Western politicians resisted the calls from their own people, but only briefly . Before long the Western Alliance had released a number of official protests . In flowery and diplomatic language, the West decried Eastern attempts to keep them from the auction . They made the case that although it was the East who recovered the crystals, they were a precious resource for all of humanity . The West had as much of a right to buy them as anyone else .

Zhou Xueguan’s administration gave an even more clever response . Because the West had refused to accept these crystals as real, their invitation was rescinded to avoid conflict .  Harsh words were flung back and forth, but as the time for the auction neared Western politicians had begun to walk back on some of their rhetoric . Politicians wanted to live long lives as well, and behind every politician was a group with money . If those silent partners pulled support, they would be reduced to nothing . Vital crystals would be the least of their worries .

In the end the West had to admit defeat . They acknowledged that the East had indeed found and recovered accurate data on the alien creatures . They also had to made concessions in other areas, and on top of all that required a higher collateral payment .

For Northerners, the buy-in was a single battleship . For the West, they required an expedition cruiser – ten times the worth of a battleship . Only twenty seven parties from their Alliance could even afford to join . But for the East, that was already twenty seven expedition ships! Not a single crystal was sold, and already the East had the value equivalent of two dreadnoughts . There had never been a higher buy-in for an auction .

In the end, the West was permitted to participate . However, that was just a chance, not a guarantee . Obtaining these crystals from competitors would be daunting, and trust did not come easy . No one side wanted the others to know how much they paid or received . The West elected to participate anonymously . Of course, participating openly was also an option, if the buyer elected .

First to suffer fallout from the West’s public shaming was the Austin family . Both directly and indirectly they had been the loudest skeptics . Consequences as biting as these would need to be answered for, and those in power were quick to put the loss on the Austin’s shoulders . Thankfully the East had only increased their buy-in . If the political cost had affected direct bidding, Sylva would have had hell to pay .

Undoubtedly, the East was using the pricelessness of these crystals for political gain . They dangled them like carrots before the Western government’s collective noses . For the first time, weak little Eastern Alliance was in a position of absolute authority .

The long-awaited day of inspection had come . After paying so much just to participating, the rich and powerful were eager to hear from their representatives . Because of how much was at stake, every representative was either experienced with the exuvium process or had gone through it themselves . Everyone agreed to adhere strictly any rules the East imposed . If anyone dared to break those rules – for instance, by attempting to steal a crystal – their delegation’s invitation would be revoked and their pay-in kept . These rules were meant to be restrictive and strict, but also fair .

Where the inspections were held was kept a secret until the day before . When delegates learned where it would be held, they couldn’t help but scowl to themselves . For those with less honorable intentions, they news was even more distressing .

Skyfire Museum!

A plain and simple name, but what it represented made Adepts shiver . It’d been the seat of the Clairvoyant . Although the one called the Eye of Tomorrow was gone, he was famously enigmatic . Who knew what surprises the old seer left after his passing? Beyond that, anyone familiar with Skyfire Avenue knew what choosing this location meant . Anyone who dared step a toe out of line would immediately suffer the full force of the Avenue’s ire .

As an organization, no one could doubt its dominance . In recent years the Avenue not only produced a number of Paragons, but also put its bright future on display in the Great Adept Tournament . One of its young leaders even walked away Champion . All analysts were in agreement that Skyfire Avenue was in the midst of a meteoric rise . It already far surpassed the two Citadels and the Great Conclave .

Among the Northern dignitaries were representatives from the Chu family . Chu Dong, as patriarch, had come personally . It was his first visit to the Avenue . His son had told him a lot about it, but seeing it all in person was very different .

He took a shine to the Avenue the minute he walked in . Chu Dong was a traditionalist and loved the old style . Each antique building lining the road was exquisite . Be it the elaborately carved balustrades with fantastical Chinese beasts or soaring gothic towers passing solemn judgment, he saw a striking beauty in them all .

Each step drew him deeper in . He looked bewitched, and for a moment forgot what they’d come here to do . Then something caught his attention . Four eyes met and all at once his pleasant stroll came to an end .

It was him .

Any appreciation in Chu Dong’s eyes fled, chased away by inner conflict . But of course he’d react like this . How many years had it been? How long since he’d seen him, face to face? He’d lost the fiery attractiveness of youth, but had gained a more stately and wizened demeanor instead . He was a Paragon now, but the years had still left their mark .

The Gourmet stopped three meters away from Chu Dong .

“Older brother…” Simple words, but in this moment the Gourmet had to struggle mightily to find them . His voice sounded strained, there may even have been a shake in his tone . His eye were red and moist already .

When they were small, Chu Dong and Chu Xi had been inseparable . Chu Dong was eight years his senior and diligently looked after his little brother . But though he was younger, Chu Xi was always more talented . Cho Dong had to work harder for less, but he was never jealous . They were family, and together they would recover their former glory .

Even during his darkest period Chu Xi never hated his brother .  The one pulling the strings was their father, the cold-blood Chu Yun . Chu Xi couldn’t remember how many times his brother helped him bear the cruel punishments of their patriarch .

All of that happened more than twenty years ago . Old words written on yellowed ages .

Pow! Chu Dong punched his little brother square in the forehead .  1 The Gourmet staggered backward a good eight meters before regaining his footing .

Chu Dong appeared before the Gourmet in a flash, snatching up fistfuls of his shirt . “You bastard!” Chu Dong spat, inches from his face .

The mighty Infernal Vanguard looked like a sullen child who’d just been spanked . His hands hung limp at his side, offering no resistance, eyes plastered to the ground .

“Do you have any idea… -“ Chu Dong’s eyes were red .

The Gourmet’s body shook . The punch hadn’t had any power behind it, just muscle and indignation .

“Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you!” Chu Dong relaxed his hands and hugged tight to the brother he hadn’t seen for twenty years .

For a moment the Gourmet didn’t know how to respond, but quickly embraced his greying older brother with as much zeal .

“Brother, I’m sorry . ” Those two words felt like a thousand pounds . He’d carried that weight in his heart for so long . Since becoming a Paragon, he had come to understand so much . He studied the old, painful memories for truth and learned a lot, like the fact that the Chu family could not have had anything to do with it . How could they frame someone and leave no trace?

When they released their grip, Chu Dong pinched his eyes . His tears steamed away as his fiery Discipline fluttered . “Why didn’t you come back? You must understand what happened by now . You know father’s temper, and if you continue to act like this you’re just like him – more than I am . Would it really be so difficult to go back, once? He’s old…”

He had to stop with the final words . Tears welled up in his eyes again .

The Gourmet’s voice was pained . “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to . I couldn’t face everyone . I didn’t know how I could stand in front of all of you again with everything I know now . Even today, I hesitated… I thought for a long time whether I could come out and see you . Brother, I must ask you to tell him I’m sorry . I know I was wrong, but what’s done is done . I…”