"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests. Welcome to our special auction tonight. The items on display today are truly top-tier. Please, enjoy yourselves until the very end."

A masked master of ceremonies gave an elegant bow on the dimly lit stage. Luxurious chandeliers hung in the hall, but their light was somehow poisonous, illuminating the faces of the gathered guests through their masks.

The audience was filled with a low buzz. Guests dressed in expensive suits and dresses—but one breath of the air in this room made it clear this was no gathering of ordinary people. Instead of numbered paddles, small devices had been distributed to them, displaying the starting bid prices in real-time.

Several guards in black suits stood at the side of the stage.