Rise Of The Legendary Goldmaster.

9 || A FAKE HERB??!

Several minutes later, the atmosphere in East City’s general hall was once again rife with tension as the auctioneer announced the commencement of the a event.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Lunch with Goldmaster annual Charity Auction!!”

The crowd erupted in an uproar of deafening cheer.

“I hope everyone is armed with their wallets and ready to spend without boundaries tonight…!”

“Asher, we’re here for a reason and I need you to remain focused.

Watch out for the Widow’s Salve before someone else gets their hands on it.

If you’re able to identify the herb on time, I promise to buy you anything you want from this auction.”

Asher chuckled.

It was funny that Victoria thought she could purchase something for him at his own auction.

If he needed anything, he simply had to call Slade’s attention and it would be delivered to his room within seconds.

Asher knew he could not reveal his identity just yet, but he found Victoria’s ignorance very cute. He couldn’t help teasing her;

“Anything, huh? Including the grand prize tonight — a lunch meeting with the Goldmaster himself?”

Victoria gritted her teeth and nodded.

Asher was helping her family and she had no choice but to grant his requests.

“Yes. Including the grand prize. I’ll find a way to get it for you.”

Five minutes later, the auction was in full swing as the guests eagerly called out their bids.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the next item on our list is the Moussaieff Red Diamond!

This precious stone is ranked amongst the rarest in the world. It doesn’t come cheap!”

Anyone who owns this exclusive piece is automatically considered a top gun in East City. Please send in your bids!”

The wheels in Joshua’s brain were turning overtime as the hostess wheeled in the diamond. It was beautiful!

If he grabbed this rare diamond, he’ll smash all his bad luck and make everyone stare in awe.

He’s absolutely certain of it!

Without thinking over it twice, Joshua waved his paddle and yelled;

“Five hundred million dollars!!”

The crowd erupted in a frenzy of shocked murmurs.

Guests craned their necks, desperate to know which billionaire bid such an outrageous sum.

“Hey, it’s Joshua!” Susana whispered to the lady seated next to her.

“I thought he was just exposed for being a liar?” Philip inquired.

“Five hundred million dollars? Wow! He must be some sorta secret billionaire or something. That is not a small amount.” Simon whistled.

“You might be right. I think we were too quick to judge him,” Susana chimed in.

“He might actually be acquainted with Slade Macintosh after all.”

Joshua’s chest swelled with pride when he heard the rumours. Finally, his reputation was gradually getting back on track.

He turned to the guests, feeling the need to rub his accomplishment in their faces.

“Susana, you’re absolutely correct.

Infact, Slade and I are so close that he feeds me information about the Goldmaster sometimes.

Why do you think I’m spending so much money on the Moussaief diamond? Slade told me that the Goldmaster is coming to the city in search of this diamond.

I bought it for him to show my love and respect for his work.”

The guests were stunned.

“You bought a ring worth five hundred million as a goodwill gift for someone else?” Susana gasped. “Joshua, you’re so generous!”

Asher chuckled inwardly when he heard Joshua’s boastful claims. The man truly didn’t know when to shut up.

As the Goldmaster, he was not interested in any flashy gemstone no matter how expensive it was.

His only target was the Widow's Salve.

Joshua was nothing but a clout chaser and chronic liar.

The chatter died down as the auctioneer returned to the stage to announce the next item for auction.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the next item on our list is a powerful herb, tested and trusted by numerous medical experts!”

“Is that really the Widow’s Salve? Such a rare herb appears here—once in a century!”

“I heard even the president of Westmarch offered a fortune for it but never found one!”

“We’re really witnessing something incredible today!”

Victoria scooted closer Asher and grabbed his arm to draw his attention.

“Asher, did you hear that? Isn’t that the herb we’re looking for?”

“Maybe yes, maybe no.” Asher frowned, trying to get a better look at the object under the glass dome.

“What does that even mean?” Victoria asked, confused.

“I mean…” Asher leaned in close, his deep voice brushing against her ear, his masculine scent filling her senses.

“Unless you win the bid, I can’t tell for sure from this distance.”

Victoria’s cheeks flushed—was he seriously flirting with her now?

“Quit the act. You really think you can identify the Widow’s Salve?” Joshua scoffed. “Sounds more like you’re broke and just making excuses.”

Asher narrowed his eyes. If there’s anyone in the world who’s seen the Widow’s Salve before, it’s him.

Master Antonio once called him a walking encyclopedia. He knew every rare herb on Earth.

And this idiot Joshua actually dared to run his mouth in front of him.

Although both herbs had similar names, the Widow’s Balm had a sea-green colour.

Its consistency was thick. And it could dissolve into oil when exposed to fire.

On the other hand, the Widow’s Salve had a deep brown colour. It came in liquid form and turned solid when exposed to air.

The herb announced by the auctioneer had a deep purple colour. It looked nothing like either herb.

“You poor thing! I heard you love chasing after people for their money and I have an offer for you:

If you call me “daddy” I promise to pay for the herb. I’ll even give it to you for free.

Come on, don’t waste our time. Say “daddy!” Joshua sneered.

The guests burst into laughter and joined Joshua in ridiculing Asher.

“We were right all along.” Philip whispered to Susana. “This gold digging bastard doesn’t have a dollar to his name!”

“I agree! Are you sure he’s not here to steal from us? I don’t trust him one bit!”

“Fifty million dollars!” Joshua suddenly raised his paddle, shocking the entire room.

The bid shattered all records—this was beyond anything ever seen for a medicinal herb!

“OMG, did I just go deaf?”

“Five hundred million for that,Fifty million for this ?! Hell, now I actually believe Joshua knows Slade!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. All eyes turned to Joshua—admiring, awestruck.

Joshua smirked, full of swagger.

“I’m not here to run my mouth,” he said coolly. “So what if it costs more? I’ve got money to burn.”

He swept his gaze across the room, sneering.

“Unlike some people—loud, broke, and embarrassing. Lowering the class of this whole auction.”

Then he turned to Asher with a smug grin. “Right, Asher?”

He reached for the vacuum cover on the display case, ready to lift it.

“You absolute idiot,” Asher scoffed, his eyes sharp as a blade.

“You think the Widow’s Salve is just some cheap herbal junk?

“The second you lift that cover, it’ll disintegrate into dust.”

“Bullshit!” Joshua snapped instinctively—but his hand froze mid-air.

Someone like Asher, born at the bottom, should’ve never even heard of the Widow’s Salve, let alone seen it. He had to be bluffing. Just trying to save face.

But what if he wasn’t?

Joshua glanced at him again—still calm. Still confident. Not even blinking.

If he was right, Joshua would be down fifty million. Fifty! Fucking! Million!

His stomach turned with dread.

Then—

“Young man, I strongly disagree.”

A firm, commanding voice rang out from behind, slicing through the tension like a blade.

All eyes fell on a middle aged man in gold-rimmed glasses as he got to his feet to address the audience;

“My name is Dr. Richard Manchester and I’m the President of East City’s Medical Association.

What you just said is utter gibberish! In my fifty years of training, I’ve come across countless powerful herbs, and I’ve learnt that the more powerful the herb, the harsher its environment.

I do not believe that a herb as rare as the Flamegrass would just decay when it comes in contact with air.

Are you sure you know what you’re saying?”

“Of course he doesn’t!” Joshua mocked, not giving Asher a chance to even present his argument.

“He is nothing but a cheap scammer, a liar and a pretender.The guy doesn’t know the first damn thing about medicine!”

"Now I’ll make that bastard face reality!" Joshua ripped off the vacuum seal from the display.

The Flamegrass lay untouched on the velvet tray—vivid, vibrant, even more dazzling under the light.

He let out a heavy breath. Damn it, he’d almost believed Asher’s bullshit. That sneaky bastard—always lurking, always trying to humiliate him.

Fury surged. Joshua’s veins bulged as he grabbed the Flamegrass, snapped it in two, and tossed it to the floor.

"You wanted it so bad? Then crawl over like a dog and take it!"

The room froze. That was a priceless herb!

Victoria’s heart skipped—she hadn’t expected Joshua to snap like this. If that really was the Flamegrass they needed...

She looked at Asher, worried.

"It’s a fake," Asher said coolly.

"Your little tantrum doesn’t scare me in the slightest."He smirked at Joshua.

"You just blew millions on the fakest herb I’ve ever seen.”

“What’s left in your wallet now? Should I say it out loud and give everyone a good laugh?"

"You shameless piece of shit!" Joshua’s eyes turned bloodshot. He lunged, fist raised—

But before it landed, Richard’s voice rang out from behind.

He was crouched on the floor, holding the discarded Flamegrass in his palm.

"He’s right. This isn’t real Flamegrass!"

The room exploded.

"Fake? Are you saying someone just sold counterfeit medicine—at the GOLDMASTER auction?!"