Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Fragile Shell, Raw Wool, Hollow Jade Heart

I took a deep breath and stated firmly, "Mr. Gao Qiqiang, that jade is a rare treasure in this world, and its market value is definitely far more than fifty million. If you don't believe me, you are welcome to invite a professional appraiser to evaluate it."

A flicker of interest crossed Gao Qiqiang’s eyes, though his expression remained cold and stern. "Fine, then we shall have an appraiser take a look."

"You must have photos of that jade, right? Give them to me, and I will arrange for someone to retrieve it."

I nodded, pulled my phone from my pocket, quickly located the photo of the jade, and handed it to Gao Qiqiang.

He took the phone, studied it carefully for a moment, and then sent it to the person beside him. "Go to my brother's vault and find this piece of jade."

He waved his hand, and a man in a black suit immediately stepped forward. Gao Qiqiang sent the photo to him and whispered a few instructions. The man nodded and quickly departed from the hall.

"The appraiser will be here soon," Gao Qiqiang said, his tone carrying an unquestionable sense of finality. "Before then, you may rest here for a while."

At his gesture, I sat on a sofa in the corner of the hall, a whirlwind of emotions churning inside me. Gao Youde’s funeral portrait hung in the center of the hall, those fox-like eyes now appearing to have lost all the arrogance they once held.

A short while later, footsteps echoed from outside, and a middle-aged man wearing a traditional Zhongshan tunic walked in, carrying an exquisite tool case.

Gao Qiqiang turned around, his gaze piercing as he looked at me. "This is Appraiser Li, a renowned expert in the jade industry."

Upon seeing this appraiser, my heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this Li Tiancheng, the owner of Tiancheng Auction House? My heart tightened, but I remained composed, offering a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Li Tiancheng clearly recognized me as well, but he merely smiled faintly before turning to Gao Qiqiang and saying respectfully, "Mr. Gao, please rest assured, I will examine this jade with the utmost care."

Gao Qiqiang nodded, signaling him to wait. He then stood on the dais and began calling names from a list. Those called stepped forward to settle their debts. However, several people did not show up at all.

Gao Qiqiang sneered and remarked, "Those who haven't come won't need to come in the future, either!"

His words were heavy with subtext, and the crowd began to murmur. It was clear that Gao Qiqiang intended to purge these individuals—the warning was unmistakable.

Amidst Gao Qiqiang's cold laughter, the atmosphere in the hall grew tense. Fear and unease were etched onto many faces. I remained on the sofa, seemingly unfazed.

About fifteen minutes later, some of Gao Youde's former subordinates walked toward me. They were carrying a large box; clearly, the raw jade must be inside. I stared at the box, a faint sense of unease creeping over me. Gao Qiqiang’s gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s, locked onto the box as if trying to see through its secrets.

Li Tiancheng stepped forward, opened his case, and retrieved a set of professional tools. He looked at Gao Qiqiang, signaling for permission to begin. Gao Qiqiang nodded.

Li Tiancheng approached and opened the box. The raw jade sat inside. Gao Qiqiang addressed the local dignitaries gathered behind him: "To ensure fairness and transparency, you are all welcome to watch as we cut the stone and inspect the goods on the spot."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the hall grew even heavier. Every eye was fixed on the raw jade, as if it held infinite mysteries. Li Tiancheng picked up a magnifying glass and examined the surface of the stone. His fingers brushed against the jade, testing its texture and temperature. Every movement was professional and cautious.

"This raw stone is indeed rare," Li Tiancheng said, looking up with a glimmer of surprise. "Its texture and color are exceptional; it may contain jade of the highest quality inside."

Gao Qiqiang smiled slightly and motioned for him to continue. His gaze shifted to me, filled with scrutiny and suspicion.

"Ready to cut!" Li Tiancheng alerted Gao Qiqiang.

With a wave of Gao Qiqiang’s hand, a group of men brought over a stone-cutting machine to process the material on-site. Li Tiancheng used his tools to carefully carve into the stone. As the blade sank deeper, a hint of emerald green gradually emerged. The people in the hall held their breath, waiting nervously for the final result.

Then, as the blade continued to cut—a sudden, sharp "crack" echoed. The outer shell of the raw stone shattered into two halves like an eggshell. It crunched, and several shards of jade flew off.

The sight made everyone present widen their eyes in shock. The hall fell into a deathly silence, with everyone staring at the fragments. Gao Qiqiang’s face turned livid, his eyes fixed on Li Tiancheng with a dangerous glint.

Li Tiancheng was stunned. He quickly composed himself and began to inspect the fragments, trying to find the source of the problem. His fingers sifted through the shards until, suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he had discovered something.

"Mr. Gao," Li Tiancheng said, looking up with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, "the outer shell has shattered, and it appears the interior is empty."

Gao Qiqiang’s expression darkened further. He stepped closer to the stone, his eyes filled with confusion and rage. The tension in the hall reached a breaking point.

"Empty?" Gao Qiqiang repeated in a low, disbelieving tone. "How is that possible?"

Li Tiancheng took a deep breath and explained, "Mr. Gao, it really is empty. Please, take a look for yourself." He carefully turned over the pieces, pointing to the hollow cavity within the stone.

The crowd leaned in to look. The interior of the fragment was truly empty. There was no jade inside at all!

Gao Qiqiang’s face was thunderous. His gaze swept over everyone like a blade before finally settling on me. I remained calm.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gao Qiqiang asked coldly, his voice thick with a dangerous, low vibration.

Li Tiancheng, looking uneasy, checked the fragments again, searching for clues. "Mr. Gao, such a case is extremely rare. It is possible that someone has tampered with it."

The atmosphere in the hall grew even more volatile as people began to whisper. Gao Qiqiang turned to me: "Did you tamper with this?"

I laughed upon hearing this. "Please, Mr. Gao Qiqiang, this stone has been in the hands of Mr. Gao Youde the entire time. When would I have had the chance to tamper with it?"

As soon as I finished, Gao Qiqiang’s gaze snapped toward Gao Youde’s subordinates.

"Tell me, who took the heart of the jade?"