Galactic Exchange: The Merchant Sovereign
Chapter 88 – Bidding Wars and Blood Oaths

Chapter 88: Chapter 88 – Bidding Wars and Blood Oaths

The Phoenix-Crested Chamber—soaring above a lattice of molten golden roots that pulsed like a living heart—was unlike any market Su Chen had ever seen. It wasn’t built. It grew.

Hollowed from the petrified core of a god-tier phoenix that had combusted during the last Epoch War, the auction site floated on a fragment of reality surrounded by wormholes, spiritual tides, and guardian beast spirits.

The Eternal Auction had begun.

A thousand ships—each carrying rulers, tyrants, and trade sovereigns—were docked in orbit around the sacred auction spire. Only those with valid Legacy Credentials could pass through the Guardian’s Gate.

Su Chen approached the glowing vortex at the base of the spire, his ship Ebon Meridian gliding forward like a predator amongst prey.

Inside, his team was assembled.

Wang Yao wore reinforced trade armor, his blade sheathed at his hip. Liara tapped feverishly into the command matrix. And sitting beside Su Chen was a figure cloaked in glimmering purple: Xalvaron, his new bodyguard, purchased from the Arcane Labyrinth during the last raid. A soul-bound executioner who’d signed a ten-year deal of loyalty.

"The gate scans all contracts you’ve ever signed," Liara reminded. "Any forged deal or breach will be exposed."

Su Chen smiled. "Then I’m clean enough."

He stepped forward alone.

As he passed through the Gate, reality twisted. His body disassembled into concepts—ambition, hunger, defiance—and reassembled a heartbeat later on the inner plane.

The Eternal Auction floor spread out like a divine amphitheater before him.

The Sovereign Gallery

Ten seats—each elevated upon thrones of different cosmic elements—oversaw the main auction. These were the current Sovereign Auctioneers, beings who ruled over the ten Grand Trade Sectors of the galaxy.

Among them:

T’valix the Void-Silk Weaver, a skeletal entity whose voice could barter with stars.

Lady Virellia, who once bought a dying planet’s population and sold them as living memories.

Maul Koraxx, an ogre-sized brute who forged trade pacts using blood sigils.

And now... one of them would be challenged.

Because Su Chen had arrived.

A low ripple of whispers followed him as he entered the central pavilion.

"Who is he?"

"That human from the Serpent Nebula?"

"The one who seized the Titan Consortium’s vaults?"

"He holds a Stellar Bonded Trade Token. He’s not just here to bid—he’s here to dethrone someone."

The attention didn’t faze Su Chen. He moved with purpose and took a seat in the Challenger’s Circle, a raised platform surrounded by ethereal auction codes.

A silver-clad attendant floated down beside him. Her eyes were glowing with auction runes.

"Trader Sovereign Su Chen. Welcome. Will you be challenging today?"

"Yes," Su Chen said calmly. "I challenge Lady Virellia of the Obsidian Circuit."

A pause.

Then silence.

Then roaring laughter from the upper seats.

"You dare challenge me?" Lady Virellia hissed, her pale face twisting with delight and rage. "You’re still wet with your first Trade Ascension, child. The Obsidian Circuit has stood for twelve thousand years."

"Time for a change," Su Chen replied.

Opening Ceremony: The First Bidding

Before the challenge could be formally recognized, all challengers had to first participate in the Opening Spiral, a public display of economic might—where each bidder presented one item from their personal vault, valued in Sovereign Credits, to test their trading power.

The Spiral began.

A Traskan Beast Merchant presented a golden egg imbued with planetary rebirth essence. Estimated value: 17 million SC.

A fungal monarch submitted a dream-vial containing the final thought of a galactic messiah. Estimated value: 23 million SC.

Lady Virellia raised the bar with a Timeless Contract: a pact signed before time existed, ensuring the buyer would gain dominion over a star cluster for one million years. Estimated value: 51 million SC.

Whispers spread again.

Even the other Sovereigns nodded.

"Beat that, Challenger," Virellia sneered.

Su Chen merely raised one hand.

The auction ground dimmed as the Vault Portal opened. A swirling cube of light emerged, wrapped in black chains and crimson seals.

Gasps echoed.

"That’s... is that a Philosopher’s Debt?!"

"A trade made with a dead god..."

Su Chen stood. "This item is a partial debt fragment extracted from the ruins of Zoth-Avalon. Its value isn’t in what it grants—but what it can be used to purchase: legacy knowledge from the First Vaults."

The attendants scanned it.

Estimated value: 92 million Sovereign Credits.

Dead silence.

Then, one by one, heads turned toward Su Chen with new weight in their gaze.

Even Lady Virellia’s smile wavered.

The Opening Spiral had a new victor.

The Challenge Ritual

As per ancient protocol, Su Chen now had the right to challenge a Sovereign directly. But to do so meant risking everything. If he lost, he would forfeit 90% of his total holdings across the galactic trading network.

He had three hours to finalize his declaration.

Su Chen spent that time meditating in a quiet crystalline alcove within the auction spire, surrounded by floating contract runes.

Wang Yao entered.

"We’ve received a message. One of our outer systems—Nexus Theta—has just been blockaded. House Vraxen again."

Su Chen’s jaw tensed. "They’re trying to disrupt my challenge."

"They’ve sent terms. If you withdraw from the Sovereign Duel, they’ll lift the siege."

Silence fell.

Then Su Chen opened his eyes.

"Tell them no."

The Duel of Wills

The auction room transformed into a massive amphitheater of fire and code. This wasn’t a physical duel, but a Will Exchange—where both challengers submitted contracts to a cosmic tribunal, wagering power, risk, and reputation.

Virellia’s contract: A Soul-Erosion Barter, attempting to bind Su Chen’s network into hers permanently if she won.

Su Chen’s contract: A Zero-Point Equity Loop, a legendary deal forged with the help of the Titan Consortium’s deep AI—capable of consuming entire sectors if dishonored.

The judge—an ancient AI forged from expired trade pacts—examined the terms.

Then it spoke.

"Challenge accepted. Duel initiated."

Mindscape Trade Clash

Their consciousnesses were transported into the Trade Mindscape, a reality woven from the accumulated contracts of both sides.

Inside this surreal plane, Su Chen walked through shifting cities made of ink and data. Virellia stood at the top of a spire made of screaming promises.

They began trading.

She threw a plague-market concept—turning abandoned worlds into bioweapon production.

Su Chen countered with a Resurrection Auction, offering second chances to galactic criminals in exchange for eternal trade servitude.

Virellia countered with a Memory Lease Protocol, threatening to erase his crew’s minds.

Su Chen released the Cosmic Barter Dragon—a deal-bound construct of debt-flesh and hope.

Reality trembled.

And then the final clause was signed.

Victory and Collapse

The duel ended.

The judge’s voice echoed.

"Victory: Su Chen. Sovereign title transferred. Lady Virellia is stripped of dominion rights for 777 cycles."

A shockwave pulsed through the auction. Virellia collapsed, screaming as her trade codes were forcibly extracted.

Su Chen felt the weight descend on him.

The Obsidian Circuit was now his.

A sprawling network of 44 star systems, 11 war-fleets, and trade dominion over two minor galactic courts.

As he descended back to the physical auction floor, applause echoed.

But Su Chen’s gaze was cold.

He had won—but war was coming.

House Vraxen wouldn’t wait. The other Sovereigns wouldn’t stay idle.

The universe had noticed him.

And the next move... would decide the fate of a quadrant.