Systemless Villain

Chapter 197 The Price of Pride and Shattered Trust

After some time elapsed, Su Dongzhu returned to the stage. All eyes immediately focused on him.

Lin Fan, sporting a wide smile, eagerly anticipated Su Dongzhu's response.

Su Dongzhu, meanwhile, took his position at the center of the stage.

"Mr. Su Dongzhu, let's conclude this auction since I emerged as the winner of the last item," Lin Fan confidently asserted, his smile unfaltering.

However, Su Dongzhu's expression turned sour. "Oh, you're not leaving just yet," he stated firmly.

The declaration left everyone perplexed, Lin Fan included. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"Because this token is fake!" Su Dongzhu announced, presenting the Jade pendant.

At this revelation, shock rippled through the crowd, giving rise to various murmurs and discussions among the participants.

Lin Fan, however, wore an expression of utter disbelief. "How can it be fake? It's authentic!" he exclaimed.

Su Dongzhu's anger escalated. "Do you think we're deceiving you? If the token were genuine, we would confirm it. However, in reality, this token is counterfeit!" he asserted.

"You can't simply claim it's fake! Where's the evidence?" Lin Fan demanded.

"Oh, you want proof? Very well... Every special token from the Jun family possesses extraordinary resilience and is impervious to destruction," Su Dongzhu stated.

With that, he tightly gripped the Jade, and a resounding "CRACK!" reverberated.

Su Dongzhu opened his hand, revealing the shattered remnants of the Jade.

The shock among everyone intensified, as they had not anticipated such a twist in the situation.

Lin Fan's expression betrayed profound disbelief. He was certain that Jun Li had personally bestowed upon him that Jade, confirming his status as a genuine member of the Jun family!

Su Dongzhu, however, wasted no time in addressing the situation. "Engaging in antics during the auction, making threats, and presenting a fake token... You've stirred up quite a mess, young man," he remarked, his tone a blend of frigidity and unwavering resolve.

"As per the auction regulations, you will face penalties! And due to your association with the Xiao family, the Xiao family will incur fines and a lifetime ban from Juntian auctions!" he declared, his tone growing even more severe and unforgiving.

Both Lin Fan and Xiao Jun wore expressions of utter disbelief. Lin Fan, in particular, vehemently rejected the accusation.

"How could this be? I'm certain it's authentic. I received it directly from Jun Li. Yesterday, I healed him when he was sprawled on the ground. I'm sure some people here witnessed it," he declared, standing and scanning the other participants.

However, the air remained silent, with not a single person uttering a word.

Lin Fan's expression plummeted when he grasped the gravity of the situation. His thoughts were immediately clouded by the possibility that Jun Li might have deceived him by providing a counterfeit token. His shoulders sagged, especially as he observed the scornful and demeaning stares from everyone, and most notably, the disdainful gaze from Long Tian.

On the other hand, Xiao Jun wore an expression of disbelief. "Mr. Su Dongzhu, are you certain the token is fake?" he inquired earnestly.

"Indeed, I've presented the evidence. Xiao Jun, I'm familiar with your father, yet you've brought about chaos by involving that young man. Your father will be greatly disappointed in you," Su Dongzhu responded, his tone laden with disappointment.

Xiao Jun's expression immediately crumbled, rendered speechless.

Meanwhile, on the VIP floor, Long Tian's satisfaction was palpable, evident in his wide grin.

He rose and addressed Su Dongzhu, "Mr. Su, the actions of that individual have truly harmed me. The bidding for that book has now reached 5 billion. What's your solution as the representative of the Jun family?" he inquired.

Hearing this, Su Dongzhu adopted a serious expression. If Long Tian, the young master of the Long family, was dissatisfied with this auction, it could tarnish the reputation of Juntian Auction.

At that moment, a voice reached Su Dongzhu through his earpiece.

After listening to the message, Su Dongzhu nodded. Then, he shifted his gaze to Long Tian.

"I've received a message from the official Jun family, stating that you can obtain that book with the winning bid of 1.5 billion Yuan," he conveyed earnestly.

A smile graced Long Tian's face. "Very well, that's acceptable. And as for that guy, what punishment will he face?" he inquired disdainfully, pointing at Lin Fan.

Lin Fan seethed with anger at Long Tian's words, his voice sounding like that of a demon eager to witness his downfall.

Su Dongzhu promptly responded, "According to auction rules, he will face the appropriate consequences," his tone firm and resolute.

He then turned to Lin Fan, "And you, Lin Fan, an orphan born into a middle-class family with no background or wealth... To be in a place like this, I should have expected you to be nothing more than a country bumpkin," he remarked with disdain.

Without delay, Su Dongzhu continued, "Both of you, get out of here!" he ordered angrily.

With that, two robust men in formal attire approached Lin Fan and Xiao Jun, escorting them out of the venue.

Lin Fan and Xiao Jun acquiesced, unable to resist the security personnel guiding them out.

While the onlookers were still taken aback, Long Tian reveled in satisfaction.

He delighted in witnessing Lin Fan's once-confident demeanor crumble into embarrassment. Now, Long Tian was aware that the Jade he surreptitiously exchanged with Lin Fan in the market was, indeed, the special token from the Jun family.

Although he thought it contained a soul like Shen Yulan, for a special token of the Jun family, it's not bad.

'It seems I'll keep it. Perhaps there will be a similar situation in the future,' he grinned inwardly.

Meanwhile, observing Lin Fan and Xiao Jun's departure, Su Dongzhu promptly apologized, "I sincerely apologize for the earlier situation, especially to you, young master Long Tian. Now, it appears that due to today's incident, Juntian Auction will be more stringent than ever before," he stated.

Many individuals nodded, comprehending the situation. In fact, they found the incident rather entertaining.

-----

Even though the auction had concluded, there were still some entertainments for the closing moments. Hence, many people remained inside the Auction house.

Outside the venue, however...

Xiao Jun seized Lin Fan's collar, his face filled with anger. "What's wrong with you?! You've caused a big problem in there! I thought tonight would be a good night, but you just made trouble!" he exclaimed, drawing the attention of some passersby.

Lin Fan, on the other hand, displayed a mix of anger, disappointment, and helplessness. "I don't know anything, Brother Xiao. But I'm sure Jun Li gave me that special token. I don't know why it turned out to be fake," he explained sincerely.

"That's the point of going to school! If you were a bit smarter, you should have researched and asked Jun family members or even me if the token is genuine or not!" Xiao Jun retorted, his anger unabated.

Lin Fan found himself at a loss for words upon hearing this. Throughout this time, he neglected to verify the authenticity of the special token, assuming it was genuine.

"Now my family and I have been banned from the Jun family auction. All because of you!" scolded Xiao Jun, his face still brimming with anger.

Lin Fan attempted to say something, but Xiao Jun's phone suddenly rang.

Releasing his grip on Lin Fan, Xiao Jun checked the caller ID, revealing it was his father. Without hesitation, he answered the call.

Once connected, an angry voice echoed from the phone. "Bastard! What have you done?! The Jun family is demanding me to pay 2.5 billion Yuan! What did you do at the auction? Haven't I warned you repeatedly not to cause trouble?!" the voice, seething with anger, belonged to none other than his father.

Xiao Jun's expression darkened. "It's not my fault, Dad. It's my friend who caused the problem!" he explained.

"Yeah, of course, you always blame others, you useless child!" the furious voice sounded again.

Without uttering another word, the call abruptly ended.

Xiao Jun's expression immediately turned blank, and his phone slipped from his grasp. Unconsciously, tears welled up as he recalled his father's words.

On the other hand, Lin Fan felt an overwhelming sense of guilt for Xiao Jun. "Brother Xiao, forgive me. I truly didn't expect the situation to turn out like this," he apologized sincerely.

Xiao Jun's expression was immediately filled with anger. His fists clenched, and he struck Lin Fan's face hard, making Lin Fan stagger.

Lin Fan didn't retaliate, and his expression showed no sign of anger.

But unlike Lin Fan, Xiao Jun was still consumed by rage. "My father never called me useless, but now... It's all because of you!" he yelled with anger. "I regret befriending you! From now on, don't ever call me brother!" he declared.

Without waiting for Lin Fan's reaction, he immediately left. From the stomping of his footsteps, his anger still lingered.

Lin Fan, meanwhile, knelt on the ground with wide eyes, an empty expression, contemplating what he had done.

However, an incredible fury ignited within him. He gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead, indicating the intensity of his anger. And all that anger was directed towards Long Tian.

"Long Tian, you bastard! I don't even know you, yet you've ruined various opportunities for me!" he exclaimed with full fury.

Then, he stood up with an ice-cold expression, a strong intent to kill.

"If I can't get revenge, Long Tian, then I'm not a man!" he declared.