Chapter 104: The Heavenly Jade Solution—Debt Fully Settled!

“How deep must their grudge be for you to want to kill this man?” Pan Ximi asked.

Before I could reply, a loud voice from the crowd shouted, “Old Chen, if you don’t hand over Wang Hu’s lantern, we’ll disconnect Grandma Hu’s oxygen tube!”

Then, several men appeared behind them, pushing a hospital bed.

Lying on the bed was Hu San’s elderly mother.

I watched the scene unfold, my expression darkening.

Pan Ximi clearly noticed my reaction; his face changed abruptly, evidently unprepared for such ruthless tactics.

He quickly glanced at me and said, “Damn, these bastards actually dare to use an old lady as a threat!”

I clenched my teeth, fury burning in my chest.

It seemed Chen Laobao’s desperation had driven him to extremes.

Grandma Hu’s life hung by a thread.

Taking a deep breath to steady my voice, I said, “Pan Ximi, wait here. I’ll go down and deal with them.”

Pan Ximi looked at me thoughtfully before nodding, “Alright.”

One of the leaders, a burly man with a face marked by scars, sneered loudly, “Wang Hu, we know you’re here. If you want this old lady to live, it’s simple: pay back what you owe our boss, and we’ll release Grandma Hu.”

I hurried downstairs and stood before them.

The leader’s face lit up with a smug smile. “Wang Hu, finally decided to show yourself? Our boss is getting impatient.”

I stared at him coldly, my voice icy, “If Gao Youde wants his money, why doesn’t he come himself?”

The man laughed heartily, his scarred face shaking with mirth. “Wang Hu, stop wasting words. Debts must be repaid—that’s only fair. If you don’t pay, Grandma Hu will take the fall for you.”

My fists clenched tighter, anger flaring inside me.

Suddenly, a plan sparked in my mind. Since Chen Laobao was so merciless, I couldn’t just sit and wait to die.

“All right!” I said loudly. “I can pay the money, but you must release Grandma Hu first.”

A flicker of doubt crossed the man’s eyes, but he quickly sneered again. “You think I’d trust you? Show me the money, and maybe I’ll let her go. Our boss said he doesn’t want to deal with you; once he gets the cash, we’ll leave naturally.”

I snorted coldly. “You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. How about this: we each take a step back. I give you half the money first, you release Grandma Hu, then I pay the rest.”

The man stopped laughing abruptly. “Impossible. It’s all or nothing. Boss Gao said if we don’t get the full amount, this old lady dies here today!”

I watched him grasping one of the machines beside the bed.

Clearly, he was preparing to pull the tube.

In that instant, I decided no more delays.

This situation couldn’t be resolved by negotiation; action was necessary.

I addressed them firmly, “Fine. I’m going to get the money now, but you’re not allowed to touch this old lady, understand?”

The man’s gaze flickered before he nodded slowly. “Fine. Go get the money, but don’t try any tricks.”

I turned and ascended the stairs, already forming a plan in my mind.

I approached Pan Ximi and whispered, “Have those pieces of Heavenly Jade material arrived yet?”

Pan Ximi looked startled, then said, “No, Boss, you never said to bring the material over! What are you planning? Giving the Heavenly Jade to them? That’s our ancestral treasure!”

I nodded, my gaze steady. “Yes, Pan Ximi. This time, we must use extraordinary means. Grandma Hu’s life is worth more than anything else.”

Pan Ximi’s expression grew complicated. After hesitating, he finally nodded, “Alright, I’ll arrange it immediately. But those pieces of Heavenly Jade aren’t ordinary; we must proceed carefully.”

I patted his shoulder reassuringly. “You don’t need to bring them all. I only need the one with the sky-blue outer shell. Make sure you don’t mix them up. If your men can’t tell, bring all the blue ones.”

Pan Ximi nodded and left.

I stood upstairs, eyes fixed on the group below.

After a few minutes, the men downstairs grew restless. The leader shouted up, “Hey, Wang Hu, are you fucking messing with us?”

Chen Laobao steadied the situation. “Relax, how can anyone keep so much cash at home?”

The man thought it over and said nothing, checking the time on his gold watch slowly. “Fine. We’ll give you one hour.”

Then, he motioned for his men to buy a deck of cards, and they began playing poker.

Half an hour later, Pan Ximi returned, holding a heavy nylon travel bag.

He carefully handed it to me. “Boss, the material’s inside.”

I took the bag and rummaged through it. Pan Ximi had brought five pieces to avoid mistakes.

Finally, I found the concealed piece, its surface emitting a faint, mysterious blue glow.

I extracted the raw material, ready to go downstairs.

Pan Ximi grabbed my arm. “Boss Wang, are you really going to use this to settle the debt? Didn’t you say Heavenly Jade is priceless?”

I sneered. “The truly priceless treasure is life.”

With that, I freed myself and carried the raw stone down.

Meanwhile, the gang had grown anxious playing poker, their nerves frayed.

When I appeared, the leader quickly threw the cards aside.

“Brother, you sure made us wait!”

“Wang Hu, don’t try any tricks,” he warned, his eyes wary.

I stood before him, placing the blue raw jade on the table. “This piece of Heavenly Jade material is enough to settle your boss’s debt. Now, release Grandma Hu.”

The man eyed me suspiciously, then stared at the stone.

He nearly exploded.

“Wang, when you left before, I told you! We want cash. Now you show up with this rock? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“I want money. Boss Gao wants money. Money, got it?”

I smirked coldly. “Why don’t you find out how much this jade is actually worth?”

The man’s anger flared. “No way. I’m not one of your gambling stone dealers. Don’t try to fool me. Without cash today, neither of us leaves well!”

“And that old lady? Forget about taking her with you!”