Reborn One Week Before the Apocalypse

Chapter 172: Chapter 162: Seeing Familiar Faces Again

"This batch of Crystal Stones was too large, so the Boss circulated a portion of it in exchange for various precious resources. The Crystal Stones are ground down to the size of coins and circulate among the upper class. Ordinary people are still using Crystal Cores."

Hu Laosan explained in detail to Tang Mo that Qin Ling had exchanged about a third of the Crystal Stones this time.

The resources they got in return were enough for their entire team to get the latest and best equipment, raising their overall strength to a new level.

Tang Mo nodded after hearing this. They really couldn’t use that many Crystal Stones, so there was no way to make the most of them.

Exchanging them for resources was the best approach for now, and it would also ensure the resources were utilized to their fullest extent.

On the second floor, Tang Mo selected a vest that boosted Life Force, a Wrist Guard, and a ring that could increase her agility attribute.

These were all for Xiao Tao. Tang Mo wasn’t short on money right now; to her, these items were a drop in the bucket.

However, she didn’t buy anything for herself, because even on the second floor, there were no abnormal treasures that she found suitable.

Life Force was what she relied on to stay alive, and Tang Mo had very high standards.

She possessed so many things now. She was long past the point of treating a Life Energy Short Sleeve as a treasure.

She planned to check out the auction later. She’d heard from Hu Laosan that there would be a lot of good items at this auction, so there would surely be an abnormal treasure with a Life Attribute boost.

Even if there wasn’t one, she could still come back and settle for an abnormal treasure from the second floor.

After picking up these few items, Tang Mo asked Hu Yong where to pay.

"You must be joking, Ma’am. If it weren’t for the Crystal Stones you found, this auction house couldn’t even operate. How could we possibly take your money? Please, just take them. Take whatever you want!"

Hu Laosan said this with open generosity.

But it was true. The fortune Tang Mo had found for them previously accounted for almost a third of S Base’s current wealth. How could he dare to take money from her?

’If the Boss finds out, he’ll skin me alive.’

The items on the first and second floors of the auction house were all things the base had collected itself or items that other owners had priced for consignment sale, so the auction house naturally had the final say.

However, the items at the auction on the third floor belonged to the owners themselves, and the auction prices were variable, so it was beyond the auction house’s control.

Tang Mo saw that Hu Laosan’s expression wasn’t feigned. Thinking about how extremely valuable those Crystal Stones truly were, she didn’t argue and accepted the items with a clear conscience. Then, the group went up to the third floor.

"What?! That Hu Yong didn’t even take that bitch’s money??"

After all, Rong Rong had been the one in charge since the auction house opened, so she had a few of her own spies and confidants inside.

She was monitoring every move Hu Yong and Tang Mo made from the outside in real time, just waiting for Qin Ling to return so he could deal with them.

"Hmph, he didn’t even take her money! So much for Hu Laosan being impartial and keeping business and personal matters separate. It’s just some woman. I don’t know what kind of spell she’s cast on you all. Just wait until the Lord gets back. You’ll all get what’s coming to you!"

Rong Rong glared viciously in the direction of the auction house from a distance.

Thinking about what would happen to them after Qin Ling returned, a smile of assured victory appeared on Rong Rong’s lips.

Meanwhile, Tang Mo, led by Hu Yong, smoothly entered the third floor of the auction house. After going through a door, she climbed a small spiral staircase and entered a private room.

The third floor of the auction house was arranged in a trapezoid shape, with eight small private rooms on the top level.

The auction was about to begin, so naturally, every private room was occupied.

But the room Tang Mo was entering was Qin Ling’s exclusive room. Even though Qin Ling wasn’t here, it was kept empty for him.

The people on the bottom floor naturally couldn’t see what was happening up above, but the other private rooms on the upper level had a crystal-clear view of everything.

"Is that... Wen Jianshu’s stepdaughter?"

Mr. Li happened to be at the auction today. When he saw Qin Ling’s man, Lao San, lead Tang Mo upstairs, he smiled faintly.

’Looks like that Tang Mo really has some skills,’ he thought. ’Last time, I was wondering if the two of them would last.’

’Now it seems Tang Mo has latched onto Qin Ling for good.’

In Li Xian’s eyes, Tang Mo was no different from the women in his own family who wanted to marry into wealth and live a life of ease.

The only difference was that one had succeeded and the others had failed.

"She’s back?"

In another private room, Qin Fen watched Tang Mo’s figure with great interest.

"Isn’t that my ’outstanding’ brother’s little pet? To think she could come back after falling out of favor for so long. She must have some tricks up her sleeve."

Neither Li Xian nor Qin Fen had ever seen Tang Mo as an equal.

Perhaps in their eyes, women were born weak and were meant to depend on men to exist.

Tang Mo sat in the private room, sipping the tea Hu Laosan had brought her, feeling utterly content as she leisurely gazed down below.

But as she looked, she spotted quite a few familiar faces.

The siblings Song Qing and Song Feng were sitting in the front rows below, talking and laughing.

Tang Mo had recently spoken to Song Qing on the phone and heard that her family had arranged her marriage to Wen Ze. The two of them were already engaged.

And...

Song Qing had also told her, a bit shyly, that her relationship with Wen Ze wasn’t purely a family alliance; they were genuinely in love.

Tang Mo understood what Song Qing meant. The first time she saw Wen Ze, she thought he and Song Qing were a perfect match. Now that they were really together, Tang Mo was quite happy for them.

And not far from Song Qing, Tang Mo saw another old acquaintance.

An Yang.

An Yang was dressed neatly and sharply. His eyes were no longer on Song Qing but were fixed on the stage, as if he had come prepared this time.

"Do you know that man?" Tang Mo asked Hu Laosan, pointing casually.

She had heard that Hu Laosan was in charge of security for the entire base and was one of the Qinling Team members who had been stationed at the base the longest, so she asked offhandedly.

Hearing Ma’am ask about a man, alarm bells instantly went off in Hu Laosan’s head.

’Although he was certain that no man in the world was more outstanding than their Boss, Ma’am is so wonderful. What if she’s deceived by someone’s sweet talk and empty promises!’

’Our Ma’am can only belong to one person! I have to help the Boss keep a close eye on her.’

"I know him. He’s decent enough, but he’s nothing compared to our Boss. They’re worlds apart!"

In his excitement, Hu Laosan even started using idioms.

PFFT—

Hu Laosan’s on-high-alert attitude made even Xiao Tao laugh. ’This big guy is actually kind of cute.’

"Don’t be so tense. He’s a university classmate of mine. We haven’t been in touch for a long time, so I was just asking."

How could Tang Mo not see what was on Hu Laosan’s mind? She spoke with amusement.

"Oh, I see." Hearing Ma’am say that, Hu Laosan’s heart instantly settled back into his chest.

’As long as he’s not here to steal Ma’am away, then everything’s fine.’