Chapter 84: They Must Not Take Her Away

She reached out to touch the surface of the stone, feeling its rough texture as if trying to sense something hidden within. The audience held their breath, eyes fixed intently on her every move.

Then, she looked up at the staff.
“Cut it!”
Thirty seconds later.
A sharp, grating sound echoed as the blade sliced through, stone chips flying, and a tense atmosphere thickened in the air. The stone slowly split open, all eyes riveted to that fleeting instant. Dust swirled, momentarily blinding everyone.

“My God!” someone exclaimed.

From the crack in the stone, a streak of blood-red light shone through. In that instant, the red glow illuminated the entire venue, as if the dazzling veil of a precious gem had finally been lifted.

“What… what is that?”
The spectators broke into excited whispers, their eyes brimming with shock and anticipation.

“It’s red!”
“Could it be blood jade? Incredible—did blood jade really appear from a piece everyone thought was worthless?”

The tense air was instantly replaced with a wave of surprise and excitement. The crowd murmured in low voices, curiosity and expectation written all over their faces as they regarded the mysterious stone.

Yet Old Leopard Chen’s expression did not change. He stared at the red glow, a glint flashing in his eyes.

Su Li noticed, the corners of her lips lifting in a confident smile. She stepped forward, facing everyone, her voice clear and resolute.

“All of you are old hands at stone gambling—experts among you! If this is blood jade,” she swept her piercing gaze over the entire room, “how much have I won?”

For a moment, the audience fell silent, then turned to the host.

Lu Yier was momentarily stunned but quickly composed himself, clearing his throat.
“Blood jade is exceedingly rare,” he announced loudly. “If Miss Su Li’s stone truly contains blood jade, the minimum value is four million, but the exact price depends on the grade!”

A fresh wave of exclamations and excited chatter erupted among the crowd.

Su Li’s poise and self-assurance made her appear even more radiant in that moment. She turned to look at Old Leopard Chen, her gaze tinged with provocation.

“Old Leopard Chen, you never expected to lose your nerve at such a crucial moment, did you?”

Old Leopard Chen regarded Su Li’s lofty demeanor without any visible reaction. Instead, he looked at her calmly and said, “You’ve only just made the first cut. Aren’t you going to take a closer look at what this really is?”

Su Li sneered, then turned to me. “Wang Hu, even if you and others set me up, I still have to tell you—I’ve won this round!”

“Open the stone completely!” Su Li ordered. The staff moved quickly to carefully split it further.

With a crisp crack, the stone came apart. Yet as it did, something strange happened.

A bizarre smell wafted out, thick with the stench of blood, making many gag. The crowd instinctively covered their noses, fear flashing across their faces. Suddenly, someone in the audience pointed at the so-called blood jade and shouted, “No, something’s wrong with that piece! Look!”

Following the direction of his finger, all eyes turned to the red glow. Within it, faint lines could be seen, like the presence of veins.

Su Li’s face turned as pale as paper. She stumbled back, panic flickering in her eyes.

Old Leopard Chen let out a cold laugh, slowly stepped forward, and bent down to examine the “blood jade” more closely. He reached out and gently touched it. In an instant, the red glow dimmed, as if its life force had been snuffed out.

A moment later, it was as though a translucent membrane burst.

With a sickening splash, thick blood began to ooze from the heart of the stone!

Old Leopard Chen looked up, slowly shook his head, and fixed Su Li with a frosty stare. “If my earlier stone was the worst possible quality, then this one has none at all—it’s completely fake. You’ve been deceived.”

Su Li’s face grew even more ashen. She turned to glare at me, her eyes burning with fury and frustration.

But I met her hostile gaze with calm indifference, though I felt a prickling sense of unease at my back. Glancing behind, I caught sight of Sister Hong in the crowd, her eyes filled with venom as she stared at me.

I returned her gaze with cool composure. I knew that from this moment on, there could be no more camaraderie between us.

At that point, Lu Yier announced, “The stone-gambling competition is over!”

“The final winner—Old Leopard Chen!”

Su Li’s face was livid, her rage threatening to consume her.

She spun around, pointing at me, her voice shrill. “Wang Hu, did you throw the match for his sake?”

I met her accusation, my expression calm. “Su Li, you need to understand—watching anyone else win feels better than seeing you win,” I replied quietly.

Su Li trembled with fury, her eyes sharp enough to cut me to pieces.

At that moment, a voice rose from the crowd, “Don’t let Su Li get away!”

Su Li froze at the words, instantly realizing the danger. She turned to flee.

But before she could move, several men in black swept forward, surrounding her.

“Miss Su Li, please come with us,” one of them said icily, his tone brooking no argument.

Just then, Hu San, who’d gone to search for Xiao Mi, returned, pushing his way through the audience. He called out to me, “Brother Hu, there’s no sign of Xiao Mi at that place—it’s just abandoned ruins!”

“But I did find this…”

He handed me a hairpin.

I recognized it instantly—it belonged to Xiao Mi!

Meanwhile, the men in black were preparing to take Su Li away.

I signaled to Hu San, who stepped forward to block their path.
“In broad daylight, you dare to snatch someone? Who gave you the nerve?”

The leader of the black-clad men sneered, his gaze as sharp as a blade. “Miss Su Li owes a massive debt. Now that she’s lost, she has to pay it back. As for you, you’re nothing—this is none of your business!”

Su Li, firmly restrained, turned even paler. She struggled and cried out, “Wang Hu, you can’t just watch them take me!”

I watched with outward calm, though my thoughts churned beneath the surface. Xiao Mi’s hairpin in my hand was a stark reminder of her disappearance and the danger she faced.

“Hu San, stop them,” I said quietly, then turned to the black-clad men. “Who sent you? Who does Su Li owe money to?”

They laughed coldly. “Who we are is none of your concern. Miss Su Li owes our boss. Today, she comes with us.”

At that moment, Old Leopard Chen strode forward, his gaze icy as he confronted them. “Who is your boss? On my turf, you answer to me before you lay a hand on anyone.”

Lu Yier gave a wave and all the venue’s security staff closed in.