NOVEL WEB Chapter 754: Invitation
A few moments after the last line of the System notification faded from view, Shane observed the surroundings…
This place was certainly a lot different compared to the previous Auction Event.
Then, as he started walking, another message appeared before him.
[ Congratulations, Survivor Shane! Your accumulated System Points have exceeded 300,000. ]
[ You are hereby granted access to the Apex Auction. ]
[ Location: The Apex Chamber. An assistant will be sent to guide you once it's opened. ]
[ Reminder: Combat within the chamber could lead to the removal of the Apex Chamber's access. ]
[ Additional Perks:
Priority Acquisition Rights: Winners will have a 5-minute private inspection of the item before confirming payment.
Apex Chamber Benefits: Five Golden Treasure Chests will be given to all qualified Survivors. Anyone who used more than 200,000 points and the one who spent the most points in the Chamber will receive a separate gift from the Administrator.
Security Protocol: All Apex Chamber attendees will be automatically scanned for disguised companions or unauthorized presence. Violations will result in instant disqualification from all auction events and confiscation of active bids. ]
Shane's eyes narrowed beneath his Bio-Armor helmet.
'A separate gift from the Administrator? Alright… This is actually good. They're stacking extra advantages for those who can play in the Apex Auction.'
If the System went this far to emphasize secrecy and exclusivity, it only meant one thing—their stock this time would be beyond rare. As expected, it seemed that mythic-grade gear was possible, or perhaps, something equal to that.
He felt a faint thrill at the thought.
When the notification faded, Shane's gaze shifted to his surroundings.
Through the smooth, tinted visor of his Bio-Armor, he scanned the vast plaza they had been transported to.
The place was huge—like the central square of a futuristic city, with wide marble-like flooring underfoot and rows of glowing pathways leading in different directions, each toward one of the four events.
Clusters of Survivors moved around as their voices overlapped, and it felt like he was in a market.
Yet among the crowd, more than a few sets of eyes turned toward him.
A group of three Survivors stopped mid-conversation to glance his way.
One of them, a tall man in a reinforced leather armor set, nudged his companion.
"It doesn't look like it's made of steel or leather… Is it some kind of Bio-Armor…" he muttered while eyes fixed on Shane.
"That's not something you see every day. I've only heard of a handful of those dropping, and they're all ridiculously hard to upgrade. Furthermore, they don't cover their whole body… It could only cover a limb or two at most."
Another Survivor, a woman with a white Ranger's Set and a longbow slung across her back agreed.
"That's what I heard as well. Look at the plating… it's not standard. That's been enhanced, maybe even customized. No wonder he's hiding his face—someone like that would be hunted the moment they leave this place."
A third leaned closer and whispered…
"You think it's him? The Butcher? The one who killed Survivors and even Scavengers for fun?"
"Could be… but if it is, we'd better not stare too long," the woman replied, lowering her gaze.
'What?' Shane wryly smiled as he heard this.
He certainly knew that if he hid his face, the others would make some random guesses about his true identity; however, he didn't expect that he would be linked to some kind of a serial killer.
He could only shake his head as he ignored them.
Though he caught some admiration because of his Bio-Armor, he didn't mind that they also became wary of him.
At this time, the Bio-Armor was doing exactly what he wanted, masking his identity while projecting strength.
Still, not everyone here was dressed for intimidation.
He noticed several Survivors wearing the Outdoor Survival Set—a practical, weatherproof gear that looked like heavy-duty hiking clothes reinforced with light armor plating.
'Whoa… Someone still wearing that gear? I thought it's phased out already…' Shane thought to himself as he couldn't believe that one of the top 10,000 Survivors was still using that set.
Though it might be a Tier 4 or Tier 5 Equipment, it could still not equal a Tier 2 or maybe Tier 3 Equipment from a Zombie Lord set!
Indeed! A Tier 5 beginner set and a Tier 5 advanced set don't have the same stats or abilities. The difference in their base stats was simply too big…
'Or maybe he's hiding his wealth… If that's the case, that might be a smart move…' Shane mused.
The Outdoor Survival Set wasn't particularly impressive in battle, but it was common among those who valued endurance and mobility in the field.
Some even had modifications—extra pouches, thermal linings, or camo patterns for forest, desert, or snow environments.
Another large group wore the Army Clothes Set, Shane could still remember that set since it was a free item given to all Survivors after a certain event…
Of course, this set was probably not the same as it had a deeper green color, but it was the first thing that Shane remembered whenever seeing one.
Anyway, it was a straightforward military-style outfit with basic ballistic protection. Furthermore, a lot of these items could be seen in the System's Marketplace and the Random Item Store.
While cheap and easy to obtain, it was still favored by organized squads and mercenary groups because it offered reliable defense without restricting movement.
But the crowd's variety didn't stop there. Shane's eyes passed over a man in an Iron Trapper Set…
It looked really weird and obviously, he didn't want anyone getting too close to him…
The set had spiked gauntlets, thorny chest plates, and a net launcher on his back, clearly built for hunting beasts… or to be exact, Zombies…
A few steps away, someone in a Magician's Robe stood perfectly still. Without a doubt, he was a magic-user type Survivor.
'I should start moving…' Shane thought to himself as he started moving to the Market Bazaar…
During this time, he observed several figures around…
They were cloaked figures or had their faces hidden beneath deep hoods or smooth masks.
A handful even layered their disguises like hoods over masks, long scarves hiding the jawline, making it nearly impossible to guess who they were or what they were capable of.
Furthermore, these people weren't part of his Clan.
'I guess I'm not the only one with the idea to hide identity.' Shane smiled at this thought.