Novel

Chapter 8: The Hidden Kingmaker

At the resumed jade auction, Li Zhen unveils the full sealed valuation files and the Dragon King jade pendant, forcing the auctioneer to verify the evidence live. The digital status board glitches, reversing bids and collapsing Madam Xue’s forged offers, visibly undermining her authority. Powerful figures begin to kneel in acknowledgment of Li Zhen’s royal lineage. Despite Madam Xue’s attempts to dismiss the reveal, the public recognition of Li Zhen’s buried identity fractures her control. The auction hall falls silent, the final hammer momentarily forgotten as a message from the clan’s shadow backers arrives, signaling that the fight for the city’s power has only just begun.