Many people remained still, but quite a few stood and moved through the small door to the adjoining room.

Chen Ming and Old Wu were among them.

Both were drawn to the massive force point of the Armor-Piercing Level, its absolute violence captivating them.

It was just as Chen Ming approached the Armor-Piercing Level that he suddenly sensed a hint of danger nearby.

Chen Ming immediately became vigilant, scanning the crowd around him.

And among those surging toward the Armor-Piercing Level, Chen Ming suddenly saw that person.

The middle-aged man from the illusion brought on by the Delusion Stone, the one shot in the head.

At this moment, the man's hand was in the pocket of his plush formal attire, as if holding something.

And just as Chen Ming saw him, that vague sense of danger suddenly became clear.

Chen Ming instinctively reached for his waist, trying to touch the gun holster attached to his Protective Suit.

But before Chen Ming could actually act, he paused.

Because the moment he drew his gun, he'd be riddled by the armed guards surrounding him before he could fire.

Modern weapons made for soldiers are far more precise than those civilian spacecraft weapons Chen Ming had seen before; hitting the target in a crowd wouldn't be difficult.

The middle-aged man would also be attacked by the guards if he displayed any strange behavior.

However, Chen Ming trusted his instincts about danger and quickly pulled Old Wu away, positioning themselves at the back of those observing the Armor-Piercing Level up close.

Just as Chen Ming saw him and slowed down with Old Wu.

The middle-aged man seemed to notice Chen Ming's presence, but he looked at Old Wu instead.

A fleeting hesitation crossed his face, but it vanished instantly.

He promptly appeared determined, firmly grasping something hidden in his pocket.

Then, unexpectedly for Chen Ming, something happened.

A Mind Pulse wave Chen Ming had experienced many times suddenly emanated from the middle-aged man, spreading outward.

It swept over the auction attendees, over him, over the guards patrolling outside, penetrating the exhibition hall walls, reaching others outside.

Chen Ming felt the Mind Pulse's high intensity. While it couldn't affect someone accustomed to low whispers and Mind Pulses like him, it was utterly unbearable for ordinary folks.

As expected, chaos and screams erupted in the exhibition hall, people falling in droves.

The surrounding guards also succumbed to the Mind Pulse, collapsing and losing combat capability.

Only a few guards struggled, but even they couldn't hold on for long under the Pulse's influence, shortly succumbing to unconsciousness.

Old Wu fell to the ground with a pained expression.

Chen Ming, seeing Old Wu, hesitated for a moment before feigning unconsciousness.

Before Old Wu fell, he tugged on Chen Ming's pant leg, signaling him to lie down and play dead, clearly unaffected by the Mind Pulse.

Although Chen Ming wondered how Old Wu, an ordinary person without spiritual energy, managed to resist its impact.

He nevertheless lay down in the fallen crowd, guided by Old Wu.

Within moments, nearly everyone in the exhibition hall had collapsed.

After a brief burst of noise, silence enveloped the room.

Most inside and near the exhibition hall fell under the Mind Pulse; even if guards managed to signal for help, reinforcements wouldn't arrive for minutes.

During those minutes, the exhibition hall was under the control of the few people still standing.

These few did not include the middle-aged man who triggered it all.

He, too, had fallen to the ground.

But Chen Ming suspected the middle-aged man, like him, was feigning unconsciousness.

Among the few still standing, they scanned the surroundings, their faces suddenly lighting up with excitement.

They rushed, bypassing the fallen, toward the Armor-Piercing Level nearby.

Lying on the ground, Chen Ming whispered to Old Wu, who was also closely observing the situation, "What are they trying to do?"

"You'll soon find out."

Old Wu said, cautiously starting to crawl on the ground, pulling Chen Ming toward a support pillar.

Those few still standing focused entirely on the Armor-Piercing Level, none noticing the two nearby.

Just as Old Wu led Chen Ming to hide behind the support pillar.

The person rushing at the forefront suddenly stiffened, a bloody hole appearing on the back of his head, and he fell.

Chen Ming slowly turned his head, seeing a guard leaning against the exhibition hall wall, aiming a gun forward.

His hand trembled, clearly enduring extreme pain.

As he attempted to fire again, the corpse exploded violently.

The intense vibration caused him to collapse entirely, unable to rise.

With the explosion, surging air waves, dust, and debris from the blast struck the support pillar where Chen Ming hid.

More miscellaneous items flew past Chen Ming.

"Oh shit."

Chen Ming's heart almost skipped a beat.

Luckily, he had noticed the danger earlier, staying at the back of the crowd, and Old Wu had led him to hide behind the support pillar.

Otherwise, he'd undoubtedly have been caught in the explosion.

Wait, Old Wu led him beforehand?

Chen Ming pinched the supposedly unconscious Old Wu beside him, saying, "Is this Luder's Zuo Jing? You better explain to me what the hell is going on."

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