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

Chen Xi glared at me, his eyes fierce and resolute. Since arriving in Ruili, the people I've met are nothing like I imagined. All that talk of chivalrous loyalty—utter nonsense! Only money truly matters. These people, for the sake of wealth, abandon all principles, yet ultimately meet a short end.

I said, "Boss Chen, no one spurns fortune. I'll help you recover the thirty million, and you'll return the favor."

Chen Xi exhaled a plume of smoke. "You're a shrewd one, sharper than a rat. You know that thirty million is my loss; its recovery is only right. Your request will be a separate transaction."

My brow furrowed. Chen Xi's avarice was palpable; he knew how to press his advantage. The moment I conceded, he immediately made his demands. Truly a formidable opponent.

Chen Xi chuckled at my expression. "Don't begrudge it," he said. "The sheep provides the wool; naturally, one eats the mutton."

His words sparked an idea. I didn't need to give him the money directly; I could pluck it from the sheep myself. I smiled. "Boss Chen, you know I make my living from jade gambling. If I die, it will be at the gambling table. But I've been lucky, winning several times. I also want to do something for Old Man Qi. He works so hard, caring for the entire village. I want to gamble jade with him, earn him some money, and ease his burden."

Chen Xi's brow creased, his face darkening. He stared at me. "Zhao Fei, you're truly extraordinary—you dare even manipulate Old Man Qi! I'm impressed."

I smiled. "Easing Old Man Qi's burden is the duty of his juniors. Your words are somewhat excessive, Boss Chen."

Chen Xi smiled, rising to his feet. "Leave this to me. Notify us of the gambling date; we'll be there. But don't mess it up. Otherwise, you'll find no place to stand in Ruili."

He departed the private room. Our conversation had been simple and straightforward; in Chen Xi's establishment, he had no need for pretense.

Malán took a drag of her cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke towards me. "Zhao Fei, everyone knows that bastard's a slippery eel—wicked and elusive. Do you trust him?"

"I don't," I replied, "but I haven't found the right opportunity yet. I can't wait any longer. If I do, if Shouhou discovers anything amiss, our entire plan will crumble. Chen Xi is untrustworthy, but he's motivated by greed. I haven't laid my cards on the table, only having him do what he should. We can gamble—gamble on whether he truly wants Shouhou dead. I suspect he's furious; thirty million is no small sum."

Malán frowned. "You want my father involved? Have you thought this through? My father isn't easily fooled. You might lose your life."

I smiled. "Old Man Qi is also greedy, but to win his heart requires a substantial and secure fortune. If Chen Xi hasn't found a way to sway Old Man Qi after all these years, he's wasted his time. We need to devise a strategy to lure Old Man Qi into the game."

"Fake goods again? My father's been tricked once; he won't fall for it again," Malán said.

"Then use real ones…" I murmured.

My mind raced. Why not employ a strategy like Diaochan's manipulation of Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu?

An idea struck me. "After dinner, let's go to the jade gambling area on the border trade street. I want to gamble on a priceless stone…"

We agreed and said no more, awaiting our meal. Mengmao Banquet was a folk restaurant serving Yunnan specialties. The usual fare included delicious glutinous rice cakes; the unusual, fried insects, crickets, and silkworm pupae—each dish a visual shock.

I wouldn't touch those things; the mere sight made me queasy. But Zhao Kui devoured them, clearing nearly every plate. He claimed they were packed with protein, incredibly beneficial.

Malán and I watched him finish, then, without paying, Chen Xi announced he was treating us. The fifty-year-old Moutai remained unopened; Malán intended to present it to Old Man Qi. I agreed; it was a perfect opportunity to subtly influence him.

After dinner, we drove to the jade gambling area. With Chen Xi's assistance, Old Man Qi's involvement shouldn't be difficult. The challenge now was finding my "Diaochan"—a raw stone that would captivate Old Man Qi.

We arrived at the gambling area and headed straight for Zone Six. The stones had been replaced, indicating brisk business. Malán lit a cigarette, tapping it twice on her thumb. "Damn, if all these stones were mine…so much material, worth hundreds of millions…"

I ignored her. Shouhou had gotten lucky once; I'd let him revel again. My priority was finding an exceptional raw stone.

I surveyed the area, targeting large pieces—at least one hundred kilograms, worth tens of millions. Only such stones could inspire desire. Old Man Qi was avaricious, but ten or twenty million wouldn't move him. He was cautious and shrewd; only substantial profit would sway him.

The stones were all windowed, each tempting. Suddenly, I spotted a grey-green Huika stone. Its rind was thin, the opening small, yet the quality was evident. Using my strong light, I saw it was translucent—ice-grade.

My heart leaped. The base alone was captivating. I glanced at the price and gasped. Two million…

The stone weighed one hundred and twenty-five kilograms, with a palm-sized opening. Huika rind, excellent quality, but no visible color. A Huika Supreme stone, containing potential bracelets. If a good color emerged, a pair of bracelets would fetch at least fifty thousand. Such a large piece—how many bracelets could it yield? If this gamble succeeded, the profit margin would be in the nine-digit range.

I felt a pang of anxiety. It was incredibly expensive. Two million—I had the money, but it was earmarked for the public auction. If I lost, I'd be powerless at the auction.

Huika stones often contain water bubbles. I'd seen two cut, not my money, but I'd witnessed the losses firsthand. This stone made me hesitate.

Malán touched the stone, taking a drag of her cigarette. "Zhao Fei, this stone is beautiful, incredibly translucent, but two million is steep…"

I gritted my teeth. "It has to be bought. Without this, the money is useless. This stone lacks prominent features; the rind reveals nothing. Whether it yields a profit depends entirely on this window. The base is ice-grade, highly translucent. If it's a full stone, even without color, it will triple in value. If color emerges, it'll be worth tens of millions. Damn it, two million for a tenfold return—worth the gamble."

Malán patted my shoulder. "Zhao Fei, you've got guts…"

I ignored her. She didn't even offer to chip in—a truly pragmatic woman.

I examined the stone, still unsure. It was unremarkable, but the cut showed ice-grade texture, fine crystals, excellent water clarity, superb luster, and inconspicuous cotton. It lacked color, but the light revealed a hint of light-blue.

This stone was a sure win, but the two-million price was prohibitive. It was a stone for the owner to gamble on.

Two million…my first two-million gamble. A huge risk…

But I finally steeled myself. "Let's do it…"

I placed the order and paid, my heart bleeding. When gambling with others, the cost didn't sting as much; the losses were shared. But this was different—two million of my own money, two-thirds of my fortune, gone.

Everything on one stone. The saying is true: one cut brings riches, one cut brings ruin…

After paying, I loaded the stone into the car. Malán asked excitedly, "Why not cut it now? I want to see the color, some excitement…"

"Same trick," I said. "Cut it in front of Old Man Qi. Last time, it was my life; this time, it's Shouhou's."

Malán smiled, understanding. We drove to Old Man Qi's restaurant. The restaurant was full of tourists.

Seeing us carry in the stone, they watched curiously, whispering amongst themselves. We carried the stone upstairs, where there were fewer people, found a seat, and Malán asked, "Damn, Wang Gui's not here. Who'll cut this?"

I shook my head. "This stone can't be cut. Huika stones increase in value the more they're polished. This stone has an ice-grade window. I'm betting it won't change grade, and that color will appear. Only polishing is needed. If the grade doesn't change after half the rind is polished, we win. The color will then be evident, due to the ice-grade translucence."

Malán said, "Then hurry up, don't dawdle."

I smiled and had Zhao Kui buy polishing tools—a drill and a set of blades. I'd never cut jade, but polishing was simple, something any jade gambler could do.

"Malán, invite Old Man Qi…"