At this moment, seeing the auctioneer’s stunned look, many people below were quietly cursing under their breath. After all, they had waited so long for this moment, and everyone wanted a swift resolution to secure the treasure before any unforeseen changes occurred. If the auctioneer didn't act, wasn't he asking for trouble?

At this time, Wang Guan also raised his paddle, squinting as he stared at the painting on the stage, and asked uncertainly, "Brother Pi, what do you think?"

"It's too far away; I can't see it clearly," Pi Qiushi whispered. "But since everyone is fighting over it, the likelihood of it being the genuine article is higher. If all else fails, we’ll just bid high first and authenticate it later. If it’s real, we pay and take it. If there’s an issue, at worst, we just forfeit a deposit."

Wang Guan instantly understood. No wonder everyone was aggressively bidding without confirming the painting's authenticity; they were likely banking on this strategy. After all, for those ultra-wealthy collectors, a mere breach-of-contract fee was insignificant so long as it was a good item—bid first, ask questions later. Otherwise, a moment’s hesitation could mean losing the treasure forever.

"Highest bid, fifty thousand Euros."

At the same time, the auctioneer snapped back to reality. After a brief scan of the room, he reluctantly announced the highest figure. Before he could even ask if there were any higher bids, a large swath of paddles were lowered, only to be instantly raised again.

"Uh, the current highest bid is one hundred and fifty thousand Euros..."

To be honest, when announcing that price, the auctioneer stuttered, once again doubting his own eyesight. After quietly confirming with his assistant, he stated the figure with some uncertainty.

An item priced at one thousand five hundred Euros had, in the blink of an eye, soared to one hundred and fifty thousand Euros. How many times the original price was that? Before the auctioneer could finish calculating, the numbers on the paddles below shifted again, the price climbing rapidly.

"Five hundred thousand Euros!"

The auctioneer was dumbfounded, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor. However, after a moment, he realized he had been shocked too soon. This figure, which he considered an astronomical price, was instantly shattered by another staggering bid.

This cycle repeated itself, the bidders' figures effortlessly breaking the million mark. One million Euros translated to nearly ten million in domestic currency.

Yet, the bidding showed no signs of stopping. Under the auctioneer’s increasingly numb expression, the price easily surpassed the two-million-Euro threshold before finally slowing down marginally.

"Two million three hundred and fifty thousand!"

At this point, the auctioneer cleared himself of his shock and numbness, finally recognizing that the painting was indeed a treasure. Even if it wasn't, with so many people scrambling for it, he could sell even junk at a high price.

With this realization, the auctioneer's professional instinct resurfaced, his passion ignited, as he relentlessly encouraged higher bids. In reality, he didn't need to push much; those determined to buy would continue bidding, while those priced out could only watch.

Wang Guan fell somewhere in between; he could afford it, but he hesitated whether he should commit.

"Brother, aren't you going to bid anymore?"

Pi Qiushi noticed Wang Guan's hesitation and immediately urged him, "If you don't want to bid, forget it. It hasn't shown any sign of stopping even at twenty million, and I suspect it might push past thirty million."

"Let me think about it..."

Wang Guan murmured, then suddenly activated his supernatural vision. He wanted to ascertain the painting's authenticity and then decide, based on the intensity of the radiant 'treasure light,' whether to spend such a massive sum. After all, although his money came quickly, he didn't want it to leave just as fast. Remember, thrift builds a household, and frugality builds a nation...

A flurry of chaotic thoughts flashed through Wang Guan’s mind. Once his unique ability enveloped the Tang Hou Xing Cong Tu painting, he calmed himself and began his careful observation.

At first glance, a faint, lavender glow emerged. Based on the color, it confirmed that the painting was not a fake but, as they had predicted, a Song Dynasty reproduction.

A replica from the Song Dynasty, surviving to this day, was still a relatively rare treasure. However, after scrutinizing it for a while, Wang Guan subtly frowned. The reason was the painting’s poor condition; likely due to improper preservation, the colors were dim and faded, lacking the vibrant luster of its past glory.

Wang Guan felt quite disappointed about this. Having grown accustomed to viewing exquisitely preserved rare treasures, his standards had become much higher; in short, he had become picky. He was no longer the novice who once became excited over a shard of broken porcelain but an expert capable of handling treasures worth tens of millions without batting an eye. This was a shift in status, a spiritual transformation.

If the item’s price had hovered around seven or eight million, Wang Guan would have bought it without hesitation. But now, as it marched toward the thirty-million mark, he needed careful deliberation.

The result of his deliberation was that Wang Guan decided to abstain, choosing instead to watch the excitement unfold as a spectator, withdrawing from the bidding competition.

Having made this decision, Wang Guan intended to retract his ability, but just then, he noticed something quite peculiar. In a corner of the seating area, threads of radiant treasure light intertwined brilliantly, indicating a cluster of valuable items there.

Seeing this, Wang Guan naturally directed his curiosity toward that spot, and his expression instantly changed.

"Brother..."

As Wang Guan stood there in confused astonishment, Pi Qiushi patted his shoulder and whispered a reminder, "Have you made up your mind? The price is already over three million Euros, and it looks like the hammer is about to fall."

Just in time, Wang Guan snapped back to attention. He immediately heard the auctioneer on stage, spouting saliva and passionately repeating the current highest bid, greedily asking again and again if there were any higher offers.

"Forget it, I can't afford it," Wang Guan decided firmly. "I'm out."

"A wise choice," Pi Qiushi immediately laughed. "Look, Old Sha and Old Meng aren't bidding anymore either. Clearly, the major buyers behind them feel the item has exceeded their bottom line and stopped competing."

"Mm," Wang Guan nodded slightly. In that very instant, the auctioneer asked a few more times, confirmed no further bids, and decisively brought down the gavel, ending the auction.

"Three million seven hundred and fifty thousand Euros!" Pi Qiushi clicked his tongue. "Another sky-high price."

"It's acceptable, mainly because the painting's condition isn't great," Wang Guan commented. "Think about the treasured masterpieces by modern masters like Zhang Daqian, Qi Baishi, or Fu Baoshi—none of them go for less than forty to fifty million. This painting is only over thirty million; relatively speaking, it’s not that expensive."

"You’re absolutely right. If the painting's hues were a bit brighter and the colors clearer, the price could probably double," Pi Qiushi strongly agreed. He knew that prices for paintings from the Song and Yuan dynasties had repeatedly set new records at recent market auctions, long since breaking the hundred-million barrier. This Tang Hou Xing Cong Tu, being the work of a Tang Dynasty master and a relatively rare Song reproduction, would have fetched a price of sixty or seventy million if not for its poor physical state.

At this moment, it wasn't just Wang Guan and Pi Qiushi whispering; other auction attendees were also conferring. Some were filled with lament, others with regret, but in any case, no one was paying attention to the final lot on stage anymore. Consequently, from this point until the auction concluded, many items ended up failing to sell.

However, the organizers didn't care. They were already reeling, dazed by the unexpected windfall. Setting aside the other items, the proceeds from this single painting were enough to cover all the expenses incurred in organizing the auction.

Regardless, the auction concluded successfully, resulting in a generally happy outcome—at least for the organizers and those who managed to acquire items they desired. The auction was over, and any lingering regrets were futile.

Just then, Old Meng and Sha Qingfeng walked over.

"I truly never expected it to fetch such a high price," Old Meng shook his head. "I thought one million Euros would be the ceiling, I didn't imagine the difference would be so vast."

"Don't think you're the only one capable; this trade has deep waters, and there are plenty of highly skilled experts around," Sha Qingfeng said with a smile. "We lost, not because we lacked ability, but because the major client we represent didn't support us further. It’s not our fault."

"That’s true..." Old Meng nodded in agreement.

"It’s over; there's no point in dwelling on it. Let’s go too," Wang Guan said, signaling them and walking straight toward the exit.

Pi Qiushi didn't think much of it, assuming Wang Guan was in a bad mood because he hadn't secured the painting. He also called to Old Meng and Sha Qingfeng to follow, and they slowly exited the auction hall with the dispersing crowd, arriving at the parking lot.

Opening the car door, starting the engine—all done in one fluid motion.

Just as Pi Qiushi was preparing to drive out, Wang Guan suddenly called out, "Brother Pi, wait a moment. I think I spotted the person who set us up yesterday."

"What?" Pi Qiushi immediately looked around. "Where?"

"That car, it’s leaving! Hurry up and follow it," Wang Guan directed. Pi Qiushi didn't hesitate and immediately turned the car around to tail it, asking, "Brother, should we call the police?"

"Not yet," Wang Guan shook his head. "It only looks very similar; I can't be certain it’s the one. If we’re wrong, it could backfire instead of helping. We’ll trail them slowly, see where they’re heading, and call the police once we confirm it's the right person."

"Got it."

Pi Qiushi nodded, then reminded him, "Give Old Sha and the others a call so they don't worry."

"Mm."

Wang Guan immediately called over, relaying the situation to Sha Qingfeng. Without a word, Sha Qingfeng summoned Old Meng, and they drove over. Slowly, the three cars regrouped, maintaining a cautious distance behind the leading vehicle while communicating via phone.

Clearly, the driver hadn't expected to be followed, so he drove around casually. Before long, he arrived at a place—a location very familiar to Wang Guan and his companions.

"He's heading near the Liangyicang Museum?" Sha Qingfeng exclaimed with a touch of awe. "Is this the so-called 'the most dangerous place is the safest' concept?"