"Perhaps, but I don't remember."
Logan shrugged calmly, looking at Notland.
But Notland insisted, staring fixedly at Logan's face, stroking his chin and murmuring: "I'm sure we know each other, maybe at some meeting, but neither of us noticed."
"Perhaps."
Logan nodded, showing a distant indifference.
But his coldness did not extinguish Notland's desire to chat. He leaned toward Logan and whispered: "Are you here for that too?"
"What thing?"
Logan asked, tilting his head slightly and frowning.
"You didn't know?"
Notland seemed somewhat surprised. "Mutants? I thought everyone at this auction would know."
"Mutants?"
Logan feigned surprise. "I thought they were extinct."
"No."
Notland shook his head. "They have simply become extremely rare."
Logan thought for a moment, looked at Notland, and asked indirectly: "What kind of mutant is this item being auctioned? If I remember correctly, there are many different types."
"It's an alpha mutant."
Notland immediately perked up upon seeing Logan's interest. "That guy is no different from a normal person. He wouldn't draw attention on the street. He's a level 4 mutant. There aren't many of this type of mutant, not to mention how rare they are now. Even decades ago, when mutants were at their peak, there weren't that many."
"Interesting."
Logan stroked his chin and murmured: "The organizers really managed to get hold of one like that."
"Hehe." Notland chuckled with a glint of cunning in his eyes. "What do you think, tempted? Do you want to make an offer later?"
He was Victor's seller; the more Victor's price went up, the greater his profit. He had already gathered quite a few people for this reason.
"I'm not interested," Logan replied with indifference. "I remember those guys are extremely dangerous. What would I use them for? As bodyguards? They might point at me first."
This response clearly disappointed Notland, who looked at Logan with surprise. "You come here and you don't even know what mutants are used for?"
"No." Logan remained completely indifferent. "I just heard this auction would be very interesting, and lately I've been quite free, so I brought my daughter to relax."
As he spoke, he pointed to Laura sitting next to him.
Notland looked at her. What a strange girl, choosing to relax at an auction.
Although surprised, Notland didn't say much. After all, rich people often have their own peculiarities. Then he continued promoting the mutants: "The organs of those guys are very valuable, like hearts, livers, and kidneys. People on the dark web offer high prices to get them. You can buy them here and resell them, and you could make a good profit."
He had originally considered doing the same with Victor, contacting buyers on the dark web, but after thinking about it, he decided it wasn't a safe bet.
After all, no one knows if the other party will negotiate with money or with bullets. In the end, he opted for the safer auction; although the price would be lower, at least it was safe and stable.
"What do they want mutant organs for?" Logan asked curiously.
"Who knows?" Notland said, shrugging indifferently. "Maybe for experiments? Maybe they want to transplant them to acquire abilities. Anyway, there will always be someone who wants to buy them."
Their conversation ended suddenly as the lights dimmed and the spotlight focused on the auctioneer on the stage.
In the dimness, Logan clenched his fists, eyes full of murderous intent, and his anger raged in the darkness.
The X-Men, mutants, had made terrible sacrifices to protect the world, to protect these ignorant people!
However, in just a few decades, they had gone from revered heroes to wanted fugitives, and their own people had become merchandise to be sold openly!
Those they once protected were now so-called high-ranking successes who coveted the organs of their former heroes!
Logan grit his teeth, muscles bulging under his suit.
Laura, standing next to him, glared at Notland with her dark eyes, like grapes, with palpable anger.
Meanwhile, the auction was in full swing. A waiter brought the fifth item onto the stage; like the previous four, a beautiful antique. The auctioneer, gavel in hand, presented the provenance and the starting price of the antique, encouraging the bidders below to bid.
However, it was evident that no one present was there for the antiques; few raised their paddles, and finally the sword went to a wealthy white businessman for 20% over the starting price.
"Congratulations to Mr. No. 67 for acquiring this exquisite sword! Now, let's move on to one of the highlights of this auction, a very rare and valuable item that I think everyone here will find extremely interesting!"
The auctioneer's lights began to flicker as he spoke with enthusiasm.
At the same time, a waiter leaned down next to Notland and whispered something in his ear. Notland stood up excitedly and left, raising an eyebrow at Logan, who was next to him, before departing, saying: "The time has come!"
Logan frowned as he watched Notland's departing figure.
The auctioneer on the stage shouted enthusiastically: "Let's welcome the sixth item of the night!" As soon as he finished speaking, six assistants brought up a huge cage.
The cage, specially made for this purpose, was built with thick and heavy iron on the top and bottom and reinforced with thick steel bars in the center.
Inside the cage lay a man, his limbs bound by enormous chains.
His unkempt beard was a mess, his hair was disheveled and stained with mud, and his ragged suit looked like it had just been pulled from a landfill. He looked like a wild man straight out of the jungle.
However, even as a prisoner, his gaze remained terrifyingly cold, as if the surrounding temperature had dropped several degrees due to those sinister looks.
"Victor!"
Logan recognized his brother, Victor, in the cage.
He was no longer the fierce Sabretooth of old; he was more like a wild cat that anyone could intimidate.
"Tonight's sixth item comes from an ancient and mysterious race, a mutant: the Sabretooth!"
The auctioneer, brandishing his gavel, explained loudly to the crowd: "This is a ferocious creature. It took six times the normal dose of anesthesia to put him in his current state. Don't be fooled by his dirty and listless appearance; his explosive power is amazing. His claws, which extend at will, can pierce steel with ease. Both his strength and speed far exceed those of ordinary humans. His internal organs are flawless; he is practically a walking treasure..."
He pointed continuously at Victor in the cage, listing detailed data about everything from his height and weight to the length and thickness of his limbs, as if he were an antique. Each parameter was crystal clear, as if the creature in the cage were not a person, but a beautifully crafted inanimate object.
His description aroused immense curiosity among everyone present at the auction, who stared with wide eyes at Victor in the cage, nodding frequently.
As the auction began, everyone raised their paddles, enthusiastically offering their bids.
"One million three hundred thousand, I want this stray cat!"
"One million five hundred thousand, my zoo needs one like this!"
"Two million, my enclosure is perfect for him!"
"..."
The auction exploded instantly. In their eyes, the creature in the cage was of a completely different species than theirs, simply a strange animal.
Each bid made Logan's expression turn increasingly somber. His gaze swept over the crowd, finally fixing on the backstage of the auction.
He leaned over and whispered in Laura's ear: "Go wait for me at the entrance."
Without hesitation, he stood up, clenched his fists, and walked backstage.