Chapter Ten: The Precious Pearl Within the Oyster

The sky outside had already darkened. Garuru pressed forward rapidly, clutching the ever-growing Glazed Treasure Clam, while Wu You chased fiercely from behind.

A few seconds later—

With a splash, Garuru hurled the Glazed Treasure Clam into the river.

Thanks to his system, Wu You could see precisely where the treasure clam lay—it hadn’t swum away, but simply sank to the bottom at the spot where it was thrown.

Another twenty seconds passed, and the evolution and cultivation of the Glazed Treasure Clam finally came to an end.

System prompt: Glazed Treasure Clam cultivation complete.
Innate abilities: Absorb water essence, produce pearls.
Skills: Clamp shell.
Basic rating: Bronze, primary (cultivation potential exhausted).
System description: In the boundless sea, moonlit pearls shed silent tears. This is a unique pearl clam, capable of producing exquisite treasures.

“Come to the surface,” Wu You called out excitedly to the river. He could have commanded it silently through the system, but anticipation and exhilaration filled his heart.

The river’s surface began to churn, and from the depths rose a massive, copper-hued fan-shaped clam, the size of three bathtubs joined together.

Just by its sheer size, Wu You could tell the pearls it would produce would be anything but small.

“Open your shell,” he instructed.

By now, night had fully fallen; it was nearly nine o’clock, and only the starlight and distant city lights provided any visibility. Yet as soon as the shell cracked open, a burst of bright yellow light streamed out from the gap, like a fan-shaped flashlight.

The Glazed Treasure Clam floated on the river's surface, half its shell submerged. When the shell fully opened, the clam’s flesh was washed by a thin layer of water.

At the center of the meat, two radiant pearls, each the size of a dragon’s eye fruit, glowed with translucent brilliance, their light shimmering through the flowing water.

Wu You stared, utterly awed by the Night Pearls inside the Glazed Treasure Clam, so much so that he forgot his next step. The brilliance from the two pearls was so intense he couldn’t distinguish their true color—at least as bright as a European cylindrical table lamp.

For a moment, Wu You felt tempted to keep the Night Pearls forever, never to sell them.

But he quickly regained his composure. With the Biological Alchemy System at his disposal, what treasures couldn’t he create in the future?

“Bring me the pearls,” he ordered.

The Glazed Treasure Clam moved through the water to the riverbank as if walking on water. Wu You bent down and scooped up the two Night Pearls, unable to resist turning them over and over in his hands.

...

Wanli Auction Company was among the top auction houses in the country. After graduating from university, Zhou Peng had taken over as the general manager of the Qiantang branch—a position that should have brought him nothing but success, yet for the past two years, he’d been plagued with endless troubles.

Zhou Peng was the beloved nephew of Chairman Zhou Wannian, who had no children of his own and treated Zhou Peng as a son. This made many within the company jealous, especially the old hands in various departments, who saw Zhou Peng’s sudden appointment as a thorn in their side. But faced with Zhou Wannian’s authority, none dared make any overt moves.

Still, minor schemes were fair game. If Zhou Peng was to be the heir, he'd need to prove his worth, something even Zhou Wannian wouldn’t deny.

Entrusted with the prime Qiantang branch, the expectation was clear: Zhou Peng must distinguish himself.

In the auction business, seniority and performance mattered most—whoever sold the most valuable items at the highest prices wielded the greatest influence.

Given Zhou Wannian’s intent to groom Zhou Peng as his successor, he wouldn’t pave the way for him in everything; otherwise, he might as well hire a management team instead.

Wanli Auction was a renowned company, with clients across the country and even worldwide seeking to auction antiques and jewelry. Yet, truly significant treasures were rare.

The headquarters never allocated resources to the Qiantang branch; everything went to the Shanghai or Beijing branches. Zhou Peng resented this deeply, though he couldn’t fault the logic—those cities were indeed the economic centers of the nation.

But in over two years at the Qiantang branch, the most valuable auction he’d overseen was a painting worth seven million, barely a noteworthy sum within Wanli.

As a young man only two years out of university, Zhou Peng’s network amounted to little more than his uncle. Where could he find someone willing to entrust a high-value treasure to the Qiantang branch? Plenty of treasures came to Wanli Auction, but all went to headquarters—who even knew Zhou Peng?

Of course, the chance for the Qiantang branch to auction a significant item wasn’t zero. It would require a local, or someone nearby, to happen to have a treasure to sell, happen to prefer not going to Shanghai or Beijing, happen to choose Wanli Auction, and happen to...

As Zhou Peng pondered all these “happens,” he pressed a hand to his forehead. The probability of all these coincidences multiplied together was enough to make one believe in ghosts.

Rising from his branch office’s executive chair, Zhou Peng decided to go out for some air.

...

Early next morning, Wu You set out with one of the Night Pearls in hand.

Qiantang’s X District was the most bustling commercial area in the city—a paradise for shoppers and food lovers alike, and, crucially, home to Wu You’s target: various pawn shops and auction houses.

Yet with so many options, he didn’t know where to begin.

He glanced at several pawn shops bearing the traditional character for “pawn,” but they seemed no larger than a couple of street food stalls—hardly inspiring confidence.

However, Wu You underestimated pawn shops; their business model meant they didn’t require large premises, unlike banks. He simply couldn’t see the appeal.

Zhou Peng stood at the entrance of Hengtong Antique Commercial Building, his gaze unfocused as he swept over the bustling crowd. He stretched his limbs and neck, pulled a pack of premium cigarettes from his pocket, and prepared to light one.

With the cigarette between his lips, he searched his pockets for a lighter but found none, muttering a curse under his breath.

Just as he was about to return the cigarette to its case, a nearby hand offered him an ordinary two-yuan lighter.

Zhou Peng blinked, then accepted it, glancing at its owner—a sunny-faced young man, likely his peer.

“Thank you.”

He lit his cigarette and, not forgetting common courtesy, offered one to Wu You.

“No need, I don’t smoke,” Wu You replied with a smile.

After entering society, many people like Wu You, though non-smokers themselves, kept cigarettes and lighters handy—not necessarily to curry favor, but to ease social interactions.

“Excuse me, sir—is there an auction house in this antique market?” Wu You meant to use the trendy “handsome guy” salutation, but seeing Zhou Peng’s business attire, settled for a more formal address.

Zhou Peng sized him up again: plain white T-shirt and khaki pants—he didn’t judge by appearances, just a reflex.

“Yes, there are several auction houses inside—Hengyuan, Guangda, and the country’s top Wanli Auction, all within.”

Wu You nodded, accepted the lighter Zhou Peng returned, then took out his phone and began searching online.

He compared the scale and reputation of Hengyuan, Guangda, and Wanli Auction.

Unconcerned about Zhou Peng’s presence, Wu You let him see his actions.

After his research, Wu You had made up his mind: he’d choose Wanli. He didn’t know the exact value of the Night Pearl, so naturally, he’d opt for the largest and most reputable auction house for safety.

He greeted Zhou Peng and headed inside the Hengtong Antique Commercial Building.

...

After consulting the building’s floor map and asking a security guard, Wu You spent five minutes finding the Wanli Auction Qiantang branch reception.

The receptionist was a graceful woman in a cheongsam, flashing a smile that revealed six pearly teeth as Wu You approached.

“Good morning, sir. How may I assist you?”

Although Wu You hadn’t fared well in Shanghai over the past two years, he’d seen his share of big occasions. With confidence in his heart, he wasn’t nervous.

“I’d like to entrust your company with the auction of an item. What’s the procedure?”

The receptionist didn’t judge or neglect him for his attire, patiently explaining the process.

“Sir, Wanli Auction generally does not accept items of low value. Our appraisers must conduct a thorough evaluation, and only items valued above 500,000 yuan will be scheduled for auction.”

“How long does the appraisal take? Do you accept jewelry?”

“Assessment usually takes five to twenty minutes. Antiques, paintings, jade, gemstones—anything with economic or artistic value is eligible.”

Just then, the former general manager of the Qiantang branch—now vice-general manager after Zhou Peng’s appointment—Zhao Xing, happened to walk in from outside.