The Unveiling of Secret Queen-Chapter 1085: It’s a pity that Nathalie didn’t come along to see the world

Audrick Zachmann internally lamented his miserable fate, stuck with such a friend, unable to intervene in Nathalie Quinlan and Amadeus Yancey’s matters.

He could only hail another taxi, pull open the car door, and say to the girl, "Let’s go, I’ll send you back first."

"No..."

He didn’t give Nathalie the chance to refuse him, grinned slightly, shrugged, and said, "Let’s go! I’ve already told your dad I’d take you home; you wouldn’t want me to break my word."

Nathalie: "..."

The girl pressed down the brim of her hat, with an unmistakable swagger, said nothing more, and lazily shuffled her way over, agilely getting in the car.

*

Beijing was still in daylight, but due to the time difference, Illegal Zone was already at 8 p.m.

The auction in the Illegal Zone was always meticulous about the venue, with extremely tight confidentiality, allowing no margin for error.

Golden Pavilion Hotel, basement level one.

Compared to the grandiose décor of the hotel lobby, the auction venue was even more luxurious—the marble floors shined brightly, almost reflective under the light. The pillars were made of White Jade, reaching an impressively high ceiling. Crystal chandeliers cascaded downwards, illuminating the entire scene.

At the entrance of the venue, bodyguards meticulously checked guests one by one.

After verifying identity, attendees still needed to pass through an infrared detection gate, carefully scanning for any weapons on their person.

It was an unforgiving, full-circle, 365° style of security.

Amadeus Yancey’s group arrived at the venue early. As VIP guests, waiters guided them into a private box. The box had a large balcony, positioned perfectly for a panoramic view of the auction below.

Inside, circular sofas, a bar, drinks, and an assortment of fruits and snacks were thoughtfully arranged.

If someone didn’t mention it was the Illegal Zone auction, walking into this space might even evoke the feeling of being in a high-end lounge or relaxation suite.

Maximum comfort achieved!

Sadam Vinson was attending the Illegal Zone auction for the first time. Along the way, he held his breath, dazzled by what he saw. When the waiter exited and closed the door behind them, he finally relaxed, his back drenched in cold sweat. He exhaled deeply and said, "Damn, what kind of auction is this? The checks are insane!"

He walked over, grabbed the teapot, poured himself a cup of tea, knocked it back in one gulp, placed the teacup down, and said with lingering fear, "Did you see those people handling the checks at the entrance?"

He raised his eyebrows, looking carefree, but his keen eye revealed otherwise. "Those folks must be mercenaries, right?"

An auction, of all things, and they even hired mercenaries.

The scale was ridiculous!

Alfred Garland, who had followed Amadeus here countless times before, was used to it by now. He was utterly unfazed, unlike Wallace Radcliff and Mario Cagwin, whose faces had turned pale and tense, their reactions similar to Sadam’s. Alfred, having seen it plenty of times, remained relaxed and unconcerned. He quipped, "This is the Illegal Zone, after all. The items being sold here are either exceedingly rare antiques or international contraband like weapons and rare metals. Having mercenaries around is perfectly normal. Don’t worry, Mr. Vinson; they won’t do anything. The checks are just to make sure no random riffraff gets in."

Amadeus has an identity card, so what’s the big deal?

Sadam felt a bit reassured hearing this, knowing he’d simply overreacted earlier out of nervousness. Still, considering this was his first exposure to such an operation, a bit of tension was understandable and not embarrassing.

Looking toward the brightly lit auction floor outside, he murmured wistfully, "It’s a pity Nathalie didn’t come since she left in a hurry. Otherwise, she could’ve joined us, taken a look around, and gotten a taste of this spectacle..."

This was truly some eye-opening stuff, and for him personally, it had been a real education!

Sadam genuinely regretted Nathalie hadn’t come along to share the experience.