Chapter Forty-Four: We'll Split the Profits Seventy-Thirty Afterwards!

When Sister Hong heard me mention Old Leopard Chen, she sneered, a trace of disdain flickering in her eyes. "Do you really see yourself as Gao Youde’s pawn? Do you truly believe you can make Old Leopard Chen lose?"

Her words stunned me, and an uneasy feeling welled up inside.

Sister Hong continued, "Old Leopard Chen is not someone who’s easily dealt with. He has a whole group of people backing him. Let me tell you, the jade market in Ruijing isn’t that big, but it’s not that small either. But if you want to kill someone, you still have to consider their status. Greed knows no bounds, and the Burmese python can swallow a man whole! We have to focus on bringing Gao Youde down completely, making sure he never rises again!"

My brows furrowed. Things were far more complicated than I had imagined.

Seeing my silence, Sister Hong’s tone softened, “Wang Hu, I know you have doubts. But now we have no way out. At tomorrow’s stone gambling event, we must give it our all.”

I took a deep breath and replied calmly, “Alright, I understand.”

Satisfied, Sister Hong nodded and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll win. As long as we work together, we can defeat them.”

Though unease still gnawed at me, I nodded at her determined gaze.

Just as Sister Hong was about to leave, closing the door behind her, I caught up and asked, “Tell me, is Su Li one of your people?”

Before I finished, Sister Hong shook her head coldly, “I suspect she’s with Old Leopard Chen!”

Her analysis left me even more confused.

What was going on? Su Li is with Old Leopard Chen? This completely overturned everything I thought I knew about her.

“How could Su Li be one of Old Leopard Chen’s people?” I blurted out, my voice trembling.

Sister Hong fixed me with a cold, complex gaze. “Why do you think she got close to you? She’s been so attentive—haven’t you ever suspected anything?”

“Of course I’ve had doubts… She’s not the Su Li I once knew!”

Sister Hong sneered, “Enough talk. Think it over yourself! Remember, tomorrow, we must bring down Old Gao, make sure he never gets back up again!”

She paused, looking at me, “Don’t worry, you won’t lose out. Afterwards, we split seventy-thirty!”

I nodded. Sister Hong walked out, but just as she’d gone a few steps, a shriek came from one of the rooms.

I recognized Su Li’s voice.

But I ignored it.

The situation before me was already chaotic enough; there was no need to involve myself in further entanglements.

I sat in my room, Sister Hong’s words echoing in my mind.

Half an hour later, my door was flung open. Su Li burst in, clothes disheveled, tear stains on her cheeks, pointing at me and cursing furiously, “Wang Hu, you’re ruthless. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life!”

I stood up, regarding her coldly. “What do you mean by that, Su Li?”

Her eyes brimmed with rage and disappointment, “You heard me screaming for help, yet you did nothing! Do you know I almost died at Gao Youde’s hands?”

I was shaken inside, but kept a calm face. “But you’re still alive, aren’t you?”

Su Li froze, her face draining of color. “Fine, Wang Hu. Today I see you for who you really are!”

She slammed the door and left. The room was empty but for the anger and disappointment she left behind.

As for Su Li, I felt nothing at all.

Instead, my mind kept running through the participants for tomorrow’s stone gambling.

Old Leopard Chen, Gao Youde, Sister Hong, Su Li, myself…

My aim was to take down Gao Youde…

But Sister Hong tried to pull me in, I tacitly agreed, and Su Li tried to pull me in as well!

If the two of them were on the same side, why would they each try to recruit me separately?

Could it be that, as Sister Hong said, Su Li really is with Old Leopard Chen?

If so, when did Old Leopard Chen start grooming Su Li?

Does he really have such foresight?

Suddenly, a new thought struck me.

Could Su Li actually be with Gao Youde?

But… Gao Youde just tried to assault her…

So then…

Honestly, my head was spinning.

The relationships among this group were becoming more and more tangled.

“Blood-Eye for Jade” once said that when choosing jade among a pile of mixed stones, the best method is to wash them with a big flood of water.

Because different jade stones make different sounds when struck by the water.

Recalling the advice from that book, I forced myself to sort out my thoughts and return to a logical approach.

If everything is in such chaos, why not start by targeting the weakest?

Tomorrow, everyone will have to show their funds before the stone gambling, and those funds must be displayed openly. All I need to do is see who has invested the least and eliminate them first. After all, the key figures are Old Leopard Chen and Gao Youde. If Su Li manages to survive several rounds, I can analyze the methods used to support her and figure out who’s backing her.

I got up and walked to the window, gazing out into the night.

The lights of little Ruili city were sparse, but in these mountains on the edge of town, who knew how many schemes and plots were unfolding?

I had to keep calm, and clearly untangle everyone’s motives and allegiances.

Early the next morning.

The few of us were driven in a business car to the newly designated market.

It was the market run by Lu Yier.

The new venue for the stone gambling was much smaller than Old Leopard Chen's VIP room.

But for a roller-coaster stone gamble, it was more than enough.

We each had some breakfast and arrived at the room.

No sooner had we sat down than Su Li shot me a venomous glare.

I noticed bruises on her frail arms, as if someone had gripped them hard.

But that was all.

Lu Yier glanced at each of us.

He showed no unusual reaction when our gazes met.

“I’d like to thank Boss Chen for arranging this roller-coaster stone gambling event at our market. It’s a great chance for a junior like me to learn from my seniors.”

“I, Lu Yier, will make sure this event runs smoothly!”

After this brief speech, he checked his watch and said, “Now, let’s begin with the first stage—everyone, please display your stone gambling funds for verification!”

The verification began, and one by one, everyone placed their funds on the table.

Su Li went first. Her face was pale, her fingers trembling as she laid out her cash.

Three million—not more, not less.

A trace of helplessness and anxiety flashed in her eyes. I didn’t know what she was thinking, but I guessed it had to do with last night.

Then it was my turn. I took a deep breath and placed five million in cash neatly on the table.

Though it was a substantial sum, I knew it was nothing in this company.

Sister Hong followed, calmly laying out seven million, exuding the confidence of someone who believed victory was in her grasp.