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

I stood by, observing the unfolding drama reach its climax. Chen Xi, Ma Qing, and Qian Guang were locked in a stalemate, while Boss Zeng stood aside, relieved to have secured his shares beforehand; otherwise, the spoils wouldn't have been enough to go around.

Chen Xi loosened his tie, his demeanor suggesting an intent to win, while Qian Guang and Ma Lan showed no inclination to yield. At this juncture, Boss Wei intervened, declaring, "Let's cease this bickering. Since you remain at an impasse, I shall retain my shares. Boss Zeng and I shall handle this material ourselves."

Ma Lan, displeased, retorted, "Boss Wei, you should be more honorable. Zhao Fei offered this material so we could all profit. How can you be so unscrupulous?"

I smiled and remarked, "Jade gambling is inherently risky. I merely found this material promising; its profitability remains uncertain until it's cut. Therefore, before engaging in such ventures, one must acknowledge the inherent risks. Let me state unequivocally: once this material changes hands, it's no longer my concern. I'm merely assisting Boss Wei in its cutting. If we profit, my congratulations to him; if not, it's simply a matter of bad luck."

Having spoken, I turned my gaze to Boss Wei, whose expression wavered slightly, yet he responded with a smile, "Miss Ma, Zhao Fei won a previous gamble and has already agreed to share the profits with you. You've already profited, so let's not complicate matters further."

"Precisely, Miss Ma, one cannot be insatiable…" Chen Xi chimed in with a smile.

Ma Lan feigned anger, glared at Boss Wei, remained silent, and then retreated to her seat in a huff.

Boss Wei addressed Qian Guang and Chen Xi, "Gentlemen?"

Chen Xi stepped forward, "There's a proper order to things. Siyan and I expressed interest first; you merely jumped in afterward. Qian Guang, I've long heard whispers of your penchant for stirring trouble. I was skeptical, but now I've witnessed it firsthand. Indeed, the rumors are true."

"You…" Qian Guang, enraged, clenched his fists and stormed off. Chen Xi watched, a subtle smile playing on his lips, exchanging a knowing glance with Siyan, revealing a brief moment of triumph before regaining his composure.

"Since both of you have withdrawn, I'll offer you thirty million in shares. This material is currently valued at one hundred and twenty million; I'll take half, and you two will split the remainder equally. Agreed?" proposed Boss Wei.

Boss Zeng, hands clasped behind his back, responded, "I concur; I only need to sell my share."

Chen Xi nodded, producing a card, "Boss Wei, I'll trouble you."

Boss Wei smiled, proceeded to swipe the card, and after a brief moment, presented Chen Xi with the receipt. "The accounts are settled. If this material yields even half high-grade jade, its market value will easily reach three hundred million, a substantial profit for all of us."

"Boss Wei, I hope your words prove true," Chen Xi replied with a smile.

I chuckled softly, "In that case, since everyone's committed, let's proceed. Do you wish to continue the meticulous examination or proceed directly to the reveal?"

The three exchanged glances, and Boss Wei declared, "It's already the third cut; further examination is unnecessary. Let's make one decisive cut. What do you think?"

Boss Zeng wiped his brow, "I agree!"

Chen Xi smiled, "With both of you in agreement, I hardly have grounds for dissent. Let's do it. I'm eager to see if we can indeed uncover three hundred million worth of jade."

Boss Wei smiled, "Zhao Fei, commence."

Wang Gui and I exchanged a look, and I instructed, "A vertical cut; I need to see the cross-section."

Wang Gui, understanding my intention, repositioned the material, aligning the smaller end with the blade, and proceeded with a vertical cut from top to bottom. Sparks flew, I retreated several steps, the sound of the cutting echoing through the hall. I watched the three anxiously observing from the sidelines, then returned to my seat. This cut would likely take over an hour; patience was required.

I took a sip of water, and Qian Guang leaned in, whispering, "Successful?"

I nodded, "Indeed. We've successfully drawn Chen Xi into the game. His thirty million, along with Boss Zeng's, will soon vanish. I have absolutely no qualms about this; whether it's revenge or manipulation, I feel no guilt."

Watching their rapt attention, I found it amusing. Jade gambling truly possesses an irresistible allure, captivating countless individuals, ensnaring them in the fantasy of overnight riches. Everyone witnesses the glittering spectacle of sudden wealth, yet conveniently overlooks the tragic consequences of ruin.

I instructed, "Ma Lan, if Chen Xi becomes disgruntled, create a disturbance. Send Shouhou, claiming a 'fat sheep' is about to skip town near Boss Wei's establishment, and have him teach Chen Xi a lesson."

Ma Lan smiled, "Understood…"

She rose and left to make a call. Qian Guang chuckled, "Zhao Fei, your strategic thinking is unmatched. If Shouhou and Chen Xi clash, we've achieved half our goal."

I frowned, "Chen Xi's importance is only one-third. The real power lies with Qiye and the people from the island. I'll handle Qiye, turning him against Shouhou, but I know no one from the island, which presents a challenge. My greatest fear is driving Shouhou into a corner, only for the island people to offer him a lifeline, allowing him to escape. We'd be releasing a tiger back into the wild, empowering him to do whatever he pleases."

Qian Guang nodded, stroking his chin, "The island… leave it to me…"

I stared at Qian Guang in surprise. I had long suspected his collaboration with the islanders, but this confirmed it. He and the islanders were definitely connected, and deeply so. I refrained from further inquiry; excessive knowledge would be detrimental. Focus on the immediate task at hand.

Ma Lan returned, lit a cigarette, her nervousness evident as she raised an eyebrow, signaling success. My own tension mounted; I eagerly awaited Shouhou's assault on Chen Xi's men.

I was impatient to witness their bitter conflict, these two inseparable allies now locked in a brutal showdown.

The cutting machine whirred incessantly. I watched the three men, tense and silent, standing before the machine for over thirty minutes, their focused attention and palpable tension creating a charged atmosphere, hearts pounding, sweat soaking their clothes.

We waited, anticipating the moment the material would be severed. Even now, I couldn't comprehend the flaw in this material. From every perspective, it appeared genuine, yet one certainty remained: it contained no jade. Its various characteristics suggested high-quality jade, yet that small hole…

Incomprehensible. I ceased pondering; all would soon be revealed. I couldn't help but admire Lao Niu; a true master of deception.

Suddenly, the material split. I saw the two halves on the cutting table, and nervously approached, the three men even more tense, neglecting Wang Gui as they rushed to examine the material.

"This… impossible?"

I heard Boss Wei's anguished cry. Yes, a cry. I smiled, for I knew the outcome, but quickly composed myself; the charade must continue.

I approached them, their faces clouded with disbelief, likely stunned by Boss Wei's exclamation.

I examined the material, my eyes widening. The same thought echoed in my mind: Impossible?

The material yielded no jade. Boss Wei urgently pulled me closer, pointing at the material, "Zhao Fei, look, how could this be?"

I examined the vertically cut material; the base was exceptionally clean, at least ice-糯 (nòu) jade, but alas, densely packed cracks riddled the center. These hairline cracks, resembling cactus spines, extended from the center to the edge of the outer layer. The most striking feature, however, was the dark mist, appearing grayish-blue against the base. The previously revealed scattered color was absorbed by the dark mist ten centimeters in.

The interior was entirely grayish-white, not the hue of jade, but of limestone. The material lacked jade substance, and the grayish-black resembled cat urine, spreading like a stain from the interior to the edge.

Cat urine…

A sudden realization struck me, a profound shock. Damn it, this wasn't dark mist; it was "卯水" (mǎo shuǐ)!

I slapped my forehead. The dark mist had deceived me! This wasn't dark mist, but another type of mist, a unique phenomenon in the jade weathering and lithification process, specifically during lithification. In the jade gambling world, it's called the epigenic reductive water-rock reaction. This is the geological term for the Maoshuǐ effect.

Maoshuǐ is a fascinating phenomenon in jade, found only in the surface layers and along the fissures of some jade gravels, appearing gray, grayish-green, or grayish-blue. Its thickness usually ranges from only about five centimeters, rarely exceeding ten centimeters. If early fissures exist, Maoshuǐ develops deeper, penetrating the jade's interior.

The Maoshuǐ phenomenon creates an incongruity between the jade's interior and surface, with a clear, jagged, irregular boundary. People once believed it was caused by cat urine, hence the term "cat urine," later changed to "Maoshuǐ." The grayish-black substance in this material wasn't dark mist, but Maoshuǐ.

I beat my chest in frustration. I finally understood why this material was fake, and I was thankful for my foreknowledge, otherwise, I would have fallen prey as well…