With Kakin officially integrated into the global framework, the once-volatile political landscape stabilized instantly. Public attention shifted entirely toward the harbor, where the massive B·W1, a vessel shaped like a whale, capable of carrying 200,000 migrants to the New Continent, lay anchored. Everyone waited with bated breath to witness the spectacle of its maiden voyage.
Of course, a migration of this scale could not happen overnight. The logistics alone required a massive window of preparation. During this period, Kakin experienced its largest-ever influx of visitors. Politicians, wealthy merchants, ordinary citizens, and spies from various nations converged there, waiting for the page of human history to turn.
For now, none of this concerned Allen much. He remained at the Hunter Association headquarters, waiting for the microbiology expert Cheadle had promised to introduce. In the meantime, he began categorizing his vast collection of Cocoons and experimenting with fusion.
Aside from that, he spent his days immersed in the Auction House, studying the mechanics of this system to see if it was connected to his original server. Through his research, he discovered several intriguing patterns:
1. Price Gouging: If he used the "Buy It Now" option to purchase an item, the price of all identical items would instantly rise by 5%. Buying a second would double the increase to 10%, and so on. These inflated prices would slowly decay over time until they returned to normal levels.
2. Artificial Bidding: If he used the bidding system, an unknown entity would inevitably raise the price roughly every hour of real-world time. Each bid increase was approximately 10% of the starting price. Therefore, the best way to save money was to wait until the very last minute to place a bid.
3. Market Supply and Demand: If he wanted to sell items, the price could not exceed the average market value for similar goods; otherwise, there was a high probability the item would expire, causing him to lose the deposit fee. Furthermore, flooding the market with a single item caused its average price to plummet.
4. Nen Restrictions: Any items duplicated using Nen abilities could not be listed on the Auction House.
5. Dynamic Inventory: The items available were not static but shifted constantly as time passed.
"Interesting. The Auction House system doesn't feel like it's being run by players, but rather by a pre-designed program. Well, it doesn't matter, as long as I can buy what I need..." Allen analyzed, stroking his chin.
With the gold earned from selling materials and gear dropped in Raid Dungeons, he went into a full-blown shopping spree. He bought a massive stock of consumables that could prove life-saving in a pinch: Restorative Potion, Jungle Remedy, Flask of the Titans, Limited Invulnerability Potion, Elixir of the Mongoose, Elixir of Giants, Swiftness Potion, Potion of Water Breathing, and Free Action Potion.
As for items like the Sulfuron Hammer, which were prohibitively expensive and offered little immediate utility, he decided to pass for now. Of course, as a chronic collector, what he truly coveted more than a legendary hammer was the one-handed sword listed in the Auction House: Teebu's Blazing Longsword.
Stats are temporary, but looking cool is forever! Unfortunately, the price was astronomical. He'd likely have to save for quite a while to afford it...
While Allen was lost in the vast array of goods and trying to sell his own items at a premium, Cheadle finally arrived with the expert. Looking at the young woman in a full-body white protective suit, who appeared shy and delicate, Allen couldn't help but ask, "This is the expert you found for me?"
"Yes! Her name is Sanbica Norton. She's a Single-Star Virus Hunter and one of the most brilliant doctors in the Association. It took a lot of effort to convince her to join your team," Cheadle introduced, patting the girl's shoulder.
"Oh, I remember now."
Allen realized who she was and nodded thoughtfully. She was none other than the candidate who made a brief appearance during the Chairman Election arc, once ranking eleventh in the polls.
"H-Hello. Pl-Please take care of me," Sanbica Norton bowed nervously.
"Welcome to the team. There's no need to be so formal; we don't have many rules here, and the team is small. If you need anything, just let me know," Allen reassured her with a smile.
"Exactly! Don't let his age fool you; he never fails in a crisis. He's a reliable captain," Baise added, slinging an arm around Sanbica's neck and pressing their cheeks together playfully.
This bold move made Sanbica flush a deep red, and she stammered for a long time without managing to speak. Cheadle sighed at the sight and held out her hand to Allen. "Hand over the payment you promised."
"No problem! It's all here," Allen handed over a prepared backpack.
Cheadle peeked inside, her dog-like features showing immediate satisfaction. "Excellent! Doing business with you is always a pleasure."
"Thanks for the compliment. If there's nothing else, I'm heading to the V5 tomorrow to collect the data on the Dark Continent. I expect we'll meet again on the ship."
Allen didn't hide his intentions. Two weeks ago, he had received a call from Slean informing him that King Nasubi of Kakin had officially extended an invitation. While he wasn't sure what the King's ulterior motives were, Allen decided to accept. He was curious about the man who had won the previous Succession Contest, and even more curious to see how a father felt watching his children slaughter each other.
"So soon? I thought you'd wait for the Hunter Exam to end," Cheadle said, surprised.
"Sorry, I have zero interest in this year's exam. In fact, it's less of a talent search and more of a multi-faction spy war. If the Association gets infiltrated, your life as Chairman is going to be very difficult," Allen warned meaningfully.
"Don't worry, I've already found someone to fill the gaps in the Zodiacs and handle the screening. There's still one seat left, want it?" Cheadle offered.
"Join the Zodiacs?" Allen shook his head without hesitation. "No thanks. I have no interest in endless paperwork and trivialities. Besides, what I'm about to do next might not be entirely 'legal.' Joining would only end up implicating the Association."
"What exactly do you plan to do on that ship?" Cheadle frowned.
"I don't know yet. It depends on my talk with the V5 and what kind of 'authorization' they're willing to give me."
With that, Allen pulled out his phone, booked luxury airship cabins for his team, and left the Hunter Association headquarters.