Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Chapter 93: The Strange Auction Item

Jax released his grip on Julian’s wrist. The moment his hand fell away, a look of venomous resentment flashed through Julian’s eyes.

Jax knew the man wouldn’t let this go, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Their paths weren’t likely to cross much in the future. Jax’s destiny lay beyond the chaotic streets of The Sprawl. As for Redrock Bastion, it was merely a temporary rest stop. If he had to settle down permanently, he doubted he would ever find the opportunity—or the desire—to do so here.

Dismissing Julian, Jax turned his attention to Hazel.

“What are you standing there in a daze for? Go on, get back to hosting the auction.”

Hazel was still reeling from the shock. She hadn’t expected Jax to so brazenly define their relationship as ‘lovers’ in front of a live audience. Seeing her still frozen, Jax reached out and playfully pinched her plump cheek.

“Hurry up, now. Don’t keep the guests waiting.”

The intimacy of the gesture stunned the room into silence.

The effeminate stylist watching from the side looked ready to grab a camera and frame the moment. Everyone knew that while Hazel possessed a sweet, doll-like appearance, her personality was a fortress of ice.

Julian, by contrast, was ostensibly the perfect catch—handsome, tall, and gentlemanly in every word and deed. Yet, despite wasting countless hours courting her, he hadn’t made a single inch of progress. And now, a lowly assistant Jax had just met was casually pinching her face.

The scene left everyone flabbergasted, and Julian was apoplectic with rage.

However, reason forced Julian to plant his feet. He knew that charging at Jax now would result in nothing but a public beating. Heart feeling as though it were shattering in his chest, he took a deep breath, plastered a strained smile onto his face, and stiffly walked around the curtain to the stage.

Hazel, looking as though she had been struck by lightning, remained rooted to the spot.

“You…”

“You what? Go!”

Jax shot her a glance, then leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Don’t thank me too much. You did me a big favor; consider this my Return.”

Hazel finally snapped back to reality. She gnashed her teeth, her voice a fierce hiss in his ear. “Since I was little, no man other than my father has ever touched my face! You actually pinched me! I’m furious! You are dead meat!”

Jax looked at her and chuckled softly. “Ahem. Biting the hand that feeds you? Believe it or not, I can do something much more excessive right now if you keep complaining.”

“What?”

Hazel immediately took a fearful step back. Given Jax’s unruly, reckless nature, she had no trouble believing he was capable of anything.

Defeated, she gritted her teeth and glared at him. “You win! But don’t forget, you still owe me a favor!”

“Understood. Now go.”

Jax waved her off casually and retreated into her private employee lounge.

Hazel felt her confidence for the upcoming segment wavering. Julian, having apparently given up on her entirely, offered no interaction or support once they were back on stage. He simply stood there, cold and distant.

Hazel took a moment to compose herself, forcing her professional mask back into place.

At that moment, a backstage assistant hurried over with the manifest for the auction’s second half.

“Sister Hazel, this is the list for the finale. The items have just been delivered by special courier.”

Hazel nodded and glanced down at the document. Instantly, a chill crawled up her spine, making her scalp tingle.

“This is… these are ‘Test Subjects’? Why are the subjects… human?”

Her brow furrowed in anger. Before agreeing to this gig, she had explicitly stated she would not participate in any illegal trades. The Chief of the club had sworn up and down that there were no contraband items, no illicit goods—everything was supposed to be above board. That assurance was the only reason she was here.

But the list in her hand made her blood run cold.

Behind each lot number was a name, followed by detailed biological data. Many of them were Awakened. To the buyers in this dark underworld, they were nothing more than premium lab rats.

The more she read, the more repulsed she became. She glanced at Julian, who was conducting the proceedings with relish, acting as if selling human lives was the most natural thing in the world. She wanted to interrupt, to stop it, but the words died in her throat.

When Julian shot her a cold, warning glare, she realized it was too late to back out.

“And now,” Julian announced, his voice smooth, “let our chief auctioneer, Miss Hazel, guide us through the second half of tonight’s gala!”

Thunderous applause erupted from the floor. The anticipation was palpable; the audience had clearly been waiting for this.

Watching their hungry expressions, Hazel understood. These people were here specifically for the ‘Test Subjects.’

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Desperately looking for an anchor, her eyes scanned the VIP seating until they landed on a specific spot.

It was empty.

Raven is gone? When did she leave? Or did she skip the second half entirely?

Distracted, Hazel looked back down at the list in her hands. Suddenly, a familiar set of characters leaped out at her.

Elena?

Isn’t that the girl Jax is looking for?

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She needed to leave the stage immediately and tell Jax. But the spotlight was on her, and the first ‘item’ was already being wheeled into the staging area behind the curtain. She was trapped.

Meanwhile, inside the private lounge, Jax was lazily cracking melon seeds.

“Is this stuff really that good? I don’t get the hype.”

Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the door. The distinct, high-pitched complaints of the effeminate stylist caught Jax’s ear.

“What are you doing? This is our backstage! You can’t just kick us out!”

A cold, hard voice cut him off.

“Apologies, but we have taken jurisdiction over the backstage area. Your services are no longer required. Please return to the staff lounge on the eighth floor immediately.”

“Tch! Honestly! I wasn’t planning on serving anymore anyway! Come on, sisters, let’s go!”

Jax set the list down, opened the door a crack, and peered out. He locked eyes with the cold-faced security captain he had encountered earlier.

Upon seeing Jax, the captain marched over.

“We are clearing the ninth floor. All unrelated personnel must descend. Please. The eighth floor has been prepared for you.”

Jax looked over the captain’s shoulder. A dozen men were wheeling large iron cages toward the stage entrance. Each cage was draped in heavy black cloth, obscuring the contents.

“Are those the ‘Test Subjects’ you mentioned?” Jax asked.

The captain’s expression remained stony. “Don’t ask questions. It’s not good for your health.”

He reached out, blocking Jax from stepping into the hallway, and pointed firmly toward the elevator. “Please.”

Jax shrugged, feigning indifference. He decided he would go to the eighth floor first, then find a way to ask around about Elena.

As the elevator doors slid open, a draft of air rushed out from the shaft. Jax was standing with his back to the lift, facing the corridor. The sudden gust caught the edge of the black cloth covering one of the passing cages.

For a split second, the fabric lifted.

Jax saw a leg. Pale, smooth—unmistakably a woman’s leg.

“Hmm?”

Jax squinted, trying to see more, but the wind died down, and the cloth fell back into place. The guard captain stepped into his line of sight, visibly annoyed. “How long do you plan to stare?”

Jax waved his hand dismissively. “Alright, alright! I’m moving. Look how nervous you are—I just saw a leg, what’s the big deal? By the way… are you guys providing some special entertainment for the rich folks inside? You know, high-class women, exotic flavors?”

He plastered a lecherous grin on his face. In his previous life, he had dealt with enough wealthy degenerates to know the script. When standard luxuries became boring, the rich turned to depravity. Blind auctions for women were a classic trope.

The captain, however, had no interest in explaining. He shoved Jax into the elevator and slammed the ‘Close’ button.

The car began its slow descent. The other staff members inside remained silent, terrified by the security team’s aggression. Only the stylist continued to mutter indignantly about the rudeness of “those brutes.”

Ding.

The doors opened on the eighth floor.

The moment they did, Jax heard a dull, heavy thud from the corridor outside.

He leaned his head out just in time to see the hem of a black skirt whipping around the corner at the far end of the hall.

That woman again?

His eyes dropped to the floor. Under the dim, flickering hallway lights, he spotted fresh, dark droplets spattered on the tiles. Blood.

Jax straightened up, clearing his throat as he addressed the stylist and the others exiting the elevator.

“You guys go ahead. I need to take a leak.”

The effeminate man immediately piped up. “I’ll go with you!”

Jax felt the hair on his arms stand up. He stepped back. “Forget it! You’d be better suited for the ladies’ room!”