"Are all the people in this auction like this? And what does 'web spider' mean?" Jiang Hai asked, confused, as he looked at the naked woman on the raised platform, slowly performing yoga-like poses to showcase her figure.
To be honest, the thought that his potential future woman was being displayed nude like this made him deeply uncomfortable.
"I'm not sure. I've never participated in an auction like this before," Azarina replied. "But it's likely. After all, once these people are purchased, they become not just weapons of assassination but also tools for personal service. That's why you'll notice most of their profiles include proficiency in sexual arts." Her tone grew slightly embarrassed at the end, but she knew she was simply stating the truth.
"As for the term 'web spider,' that's part of our internal rank system. 'Spider' is the lowest classification. Those trained in espionage or infiltration under the guise of certain professions are labeled 'web spiders' because they're responsible for weaving intelligence networks. Assassins are called 'poison spiders'—they use any means necessary, even poisoning their own bodies if needed. Frontline combat operatives are 'wolf spiders.' When one gains enough experience, their codename evolves from 'spider' to 'wolf.' Wolves work in groups and are divided into Alpha Wolves, Combat Wolves, Support Wolves, and so on. Once they've completed enough missions and reached a certain strength, they're promoted to the highest rank—'Double-Headed Eagle.'"
That explanation was much easier for her to share than the previous one.
"What level were you before you left?" Jiang Hai asked curiously.
"I was a Double-Headed Eagle," she replied, a touch of pride in her voice. "There are only twelve Double-Headed Eagles in the organization at any given time. If one dies or defects, only then is a replacement appointed."
Seeing Jiang Hai still a bit puzzled, she added, "When I defected, nine of the twelve Double-Headed Eagles had already left. That's why the organization had no capacity to pursue us. The remaining three became personal bodyguards to high-ranking officials in Wulan. People of our level wouldn't accept being sold like this. Most of those being auctioned now are probably just Wolf-level operatives."
Jiang Hai nodded in understanding. As they spoke, the auction for the first girl concluded. She was sold for $172,000. Once the sale was confirmed, the voice congratulated the buyer in Box 17, and the girl disappeared from the platform.
After a brief pause, the platform rose again, revealing a new woman. But this one was visibly different from the previous.
"Is she Asian?" Jiang Hai wondered. Her complexion was darker—not quite Black, with long black hair, and facial features that vaguely resembled a Chinese woman. But he was sure she wasn't Chinese. Maybe Indian? No, not quite that either. He couldn't place her origin.
She was about 160 cm tall, much shorter than the previous woman, but her presence was sharp and dangerous, like a sword unsheathed.
"The second lot, codename: Wolf Spider 374. Age: 18. Blood type: Unknown. Height: 158 cm. Weight: 92 lbs. Measurements: 88–57–84. Began training at age 4. Graduated at 17. Mission record: 1 Level 1, 15 Level 2, 33 Level 3, and 7 Level 4 missions. Confirmed kills: 87. Skills: Master of close combat, expert in camouflage and guarding, proficient with firearms. Starting price: $380,000. Minimum bid increment: $10,000."
Jiang Hai was visibly impressed by the stats.
"I've heard of her," Azarina said. "She's Samoan. Samoans are known as the strongest people in the world. Her close combat skills might be on par with mine—or even Bell's."
"The strongest people in the world?" Jiang Hai raised a brow, puzzled.
He picked up the tablet to check her detailed profile, including the background of her ethnicity. As it turned out, Samoa was indeed a small nation of 220,000 people, a blend of southern Mongolian and Australoid ancestry—part of the Polynesian family. Yet this tiny nation had earned worldwide fame for producing powerful fighters.
Legends like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson hailed from there, and even current champions like Roman Reigns. The men were warriors; the women, formidable fighters in their own right.
More interestingly, the Samoan culture had a strict view of virginity. Because of that, Samoans could not be classified as Poison or Web Spiders. They could only be Wolf Spiders—combatants who hadn't sacrificed their bodies for intelligence work.
Unlike the previous girl, who was fully naked, this one had kept on two essential pieces of clothing. At least she wasn't completely exposed, and Jiang Hai felt slightly more at ease.
"Can I buy her?" Jiang Hai asked, clearly interested.
"Of course," Azarina replied without hesitation. Though her main mission was to rescue her sisters, she wouldn't question Jiang Hai's personal choices.
"Good. Then I'll take her." Smiling, Jiang Hai ignored the small $10,000 increments flashing on the screen and directly entered a bid of $500,000.
All the tablets across the auction room immediately updated with the new high bid.
The other bidders hesitated. Spending half a million dollars on one girl? It wasn't worth it to them.
"Congratulations to the guest in Box 8 for winning the second lot," the voice echoed. The girl on the platform bowed to Jiang Hai before being lowered from view.
The third item came up shortly after—a Slavic web spider. Jiang Hai wasn't very interested, and she was sold for $168,000.
Then came the fourth.
"A Poison Spider, huh..." Jiang Hai leaned forward.
"The fourth lot, codename: Poison Spider 436. Age: 20. Blood type: Unknown. Height: 172 cm. Weight: 105 lbs. Measurements: 108–62–94. Began training at age 8. Graduated at 18. Missions: 19 Level 1, 7 Level 2. Confirmed kills: 46. Skills: Close combat, disguise, intelligence gathering, assassination, proficient with firearms. Starting price: $210,000. Minimum increment: $5,000."
As the announcement came, the girl undressed. Unlike the web spider, she didn't go fully nude, nor did she keep it modest like the wolf spider. She was nearly bare, with only two stickers on her chest and a thin thong below. When the top came off—her 108 cm bust immediately stood out, stunning Jiang Hai.
She was quite pretty—objectively better looking than the first web spider. Jiang Hai would rate her around 80 points, but with a bust like that, she easily jumped up another 15 points.
Was she naturally like this, or was it the result of some kind of training or augmentation?
The bidding began quickly, and prices climbed fast. Jiang Hai didn't hesitate and punched in another $500,000 bid. But this time, someone else countered.
Clearly, he wasn't the only one who found this Poison Spider tempting.
But compete with Jiang Hai on spending?
Laughable.
He wasn't here to fight over territory or command assassins—he was here to buy. And he was rich. Incredibly so.
Seeing the price creep up again, he directly entered $1 million.
The moment that number hit the screen, the entire auction went silent.
"Congratulations to the guest in Box 8 for purchasing the fourth lot for $1 million," the voice finally rang out, now with a hint of excitement. The girl bowed, then disappeared beneath the platform.
After that, Jiang Hai didn't find much else interesting. Most of the subsequent lots were web spiders, with occasional wolf or poison spiders. But the wolf spiders were too bulky—good as bodyguards, but not what Jiang Hai was looking for. The most attractive among them barely reached 60 points by his standards.
Poison spiders looked better, averaging around 80 points, but none stood out as exceptional. Jiang Hai decided to stop buying. Box 8 fell silent while bidding wars continued in the others.
Three hours later, the first phase ended. A total of 181 lots had been presented, and Jiang Hai had purchased two—spending $1.5 million in total. That placed him comfortably in the top ten among all buyers.
"The first phase of our auction has concluded. We will now take a one-hour break before beginning the second phase. During this time, successful bidders will receive their purchases," the voice announced.
Jiang Hai leaned back on the sofa and continued eating fruit.
But not long after, there was a knock at the door. Azarina opened it, revealing a man and two women.
The man gestured for the women to enter, then left. Azarina closed the door behind them.
"Boss, the two you just bought are here," she said.
Jiang Hai had already heard the knock and turned around to see the two girls he had purchased standing respectfully at the door. The moment they saw him, they bowed. Whatever happened from now on, for the time being—they were his.
"Welcome," Jiang Hai said, standing up. He went to the bathroom to wash his hands, then returned to face them.
From up close, he realized the wolf spider looked even better than she had on the stage. Her complexion was dark, but not dull—in fact, it had a glowing sheen. And when viewed in person, her facial features were far more refined than he had initially thought. She was... beautiful.
At the same time, she was studying him too—her new owner.
To be continued…