King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

I avoided choosing from the veiled raw materials; such selections demand extensive deliberation, and time was pressing. I needed Boss Zeng to decide quickly—whether to wager on that particular stone.

Malang and I strolled toward the semi-exposed material section. The raw materials in Boss Wei's shop weren't impressive; it had been a long time since he refreshed his stock. Perhaps his frequent bets against me in stone gambling had distracted him from sourcing new goods.

Boss Wei had committed a cardinal sin in the stone gambling world: "Those who sell stones shouldn't gamble; those who gamble shouldn't sell." His attempt to straddle both ultimately jeopardized his livelihood. Although gambling brought him profits, a single catastrophic loss could leave him destitute, with no way to recover.

"That bastard is so arrogant. I really want to punch him in the face!" Malang spat.

I chuckled. "Let's make her bleed today. By the way, how's the contact with Skinny Monkey?"

Malang replied, "I spoke to him yesterday. Told him Old Bull wanted to collaborate with us, offering a one-third cut of the profits. He jumped at the chance."

"Did he suspect anything? Surely he didn't agree so easily?"

"He can't trace Old Bull, so what's there to fear? But of course, it wasn't that simple. He grilled me about our target, and I told him it's a boss from Kunming, clean background, no significant connections. He said some nonsensical stuff, but he eventually agreed. To ensure he doesn't ruin your plan, I've arranged for him to prepare some men. If Boss Zeng acts out of line, they'll step in to intimidate him."

I nodded. Malang wasn't foolish; she understood there's no such thing as a free lunch. Involving Skinny Monkey ensures he sees the venture as her orchestrated scheme rather than a trap.

Suddenly, I noticed a semi-exposed stone, striking in appearance. The surface bore countless fine abrasions, evidence of extensive inspection with probes.

Judging by the windows, this stone had undergone hundreds of tests—a sign of its rarity and value. Yet no one dared cut it open, preferring cautious examination.

Perhaps Boss Wei himself gambled on it but lacked the nerve to proceed, eventually putting it up for sale.

The stone's outer shell was white sand, an ordinary skin type, yet its texture was exquisite with a pronounced granularity. Weighing it in my hand, I found it surprisingly heavy—at least five kilograms.

Examining the windows revealed it to be a Mo Xi Sha stone, a high-quality sand type. I shone a flashlight on its skin, noting its translucence, then on the window to study its hue and clarity.

Delight filled my heart. This was a superior Mo Xi Sha semi-gambling stone, with a fine crystalline structure, excellent water head, and vibrant luster. Its purple-toned hue exhibited gradual color transitions, with subtle cottony inclusions. It had the potential to yield premium-sized bangles, unblemished by cracks or impurities, with a market value easily reaching several hundred thousand yuan per piece.

If carved into pendants, flawless pieces with skilled craftsmanship could fetch tens of thousands each. From just this window, the stone's value could exceed a million yuan.

Should the gamble reveal top-tier quality inside—finer texture, more vivid colors—the value could skyrocket into tens of millions. But that depends on a perfect yield.

Just as I contemplated this, Boss Wei appeared, flanked by his assistants carrying a black sand-skinned stone. Noticing me with the Mo Xi Sha piece, he chuckled. "Brother Zhao Fei, you've got sharp eyes! I've polished that one a hundred times. The windows look fantastic, but I dare not cut it open. So here it is for sale."

I smiled and asked, "What's the price?"

"For you, Brother Zhao Fei, I'd gift it for fun," Boss Wei said generously.

I waved it off. "Let's keep business and friendship separate. Name your price."

Boss Wei grinned. "Alright, three million then."

Three million. Slightly more than I expected, but still worth considering—successful bets could triple the investment.

Turning to Boss Zeng, I asked loudly, "Boss Zeng, would you like a share in this stone? Three million for a chance at greatness!"

Feigning indifference, Boss Zeng replied curtly, "I'm not feeling well. Count me out for now."

Smiling, I directed Wang Gui, "Grind off the skin along the texture. Let's reveal the full quality of this stone."

As Wang Gui began, I accompanied Boss Wei to settle the payment. Back in his office, I handed over my card and signed the receipt.

"Brother Zhao Fei," Boss Wei said slyly, "if Boss Zeng isn't interested, perhaps you'd sell it back to me?"

Laughing, I replied, "Let's wait and see. Chen Xi and Four Eyes are interested too; it wouldn't be fair to exclude them."

Boss Wei, slightly embarrassed, nodded in reluctant agreement.

Outside, I saw Guang-ge, Chen Xi, and Four Eyes arrive, their faces tense. Sensing unease, I asked Guang-ge what was wrong, but he deflected with a vague response.

Just then, Wang Gui called out, "Brother Fei! It's a full-yield! A blue-violet floating flower, ice-quality bangle-grade material!"

Excitement surged as I held the stone. Its flawless translucence exceeded expectations—ice-grade, two levels above icy-glutinous, with vibrant blue-violet hues. Perfect for crafting bangles, it could yield five pairs, each worth at least two million yuan, totaling upwards of twenty million.

Feigning casual delight, I remarked loudly, "Wow, three million has turned into twenty million!"

Boss Wei's eyes gleamed. "Brother Zhao Fei, I'll offer a base price of twenty million for it. Or we could consign it—if a higher bid comes, I'll just take a ten percent fee."

Before he could finish, I cut him off. "Boss Wei, Miss Ma runs a boutique for finished products. She's already claimed all my stones for her store."

Startled, Malang quickly caught on and chimed in, "That's right, Boss Wei. Leave us some room to earn too!"

Boss Wei's expression stiffened but quickly shifted to a forced smile. "Miss Ma, you're too noble for this. Surely you don't need to compete with us."

Laughing, Malang replied, "Oh, but I do. Self-reliance, after all! Zhao Fei, keep this stone for me."

Boss Wei sighed inwardly but couldn't argue. Instead, he shifted attention to a new stone. "Here it is—a rare gem, worth billions if it pays off!"

The crowd, including Boss Zeng, eagerly gathered, the allure of wealth igniting their ambitions.