Chapter 156: Take a look at this material!

The middle-aged man froze for a moment, frowning in deep thought, evidently stunned by my proposal.

A flash of confusion crossed his eyes as he seemed to struggle to comprehend the meaning behind my words.

"What did you say? Sell the real deal?" he repeated in a low voice, his tone laced with incomprehension and vigilance.

"Mister, are you joking with us? Don't forget the reason you found us in the first place!"

I smiled faintly and continued, "Yes, sell the real deal. You have been rolling around in this industry for many years, so you must have accumulated quite a bit of counterfeiting technology."

"If you can convert these resources into genuine value, why not give it a try?"

I noticed his expression gradually becoming complex, as if he were pondering something.

Ultimately, however, his consideration turned into a scornful smile, and he burst into laughter. "This is really amusing. We originally thought some big boss was coming to us with raw materials to make a dramatic comeback, but today, of all days, we run into a living Buddha telling us to put down the butcher's knife?"

"No, boss, I thought you looked rather kindly when I first met you, but now I'm wondering if you're just playing with us?"

The middle-aged man's laughter echoed in the dim room, seemingly mocking my naive idea.

Yet, I was not shaken by his attitude; instead, my determination only grew firmer.

"I am not joking," I said in a serious tone, locking my gaze straight into his eyes. "What I want is an opportunity—an opportunity that can change your destiny."

He was slightly taken aback, his smile gradually fading as a mixture of curiosity and caution flickered in his eyes.

"To do good deeds—why have you set your sights on us?"

I stated my thoughts directly.

"In truth, there are a large number of industry newcomers in my market right now, but very few of them actually possess any discernment. To put it bluntly, recruiting you is also meant to serve as a talent reserve!"

Upon hearing my words, the expression in his eyes shifted once more, and suddenly, his brow furrowed.

"No, brother, you surely don't mean to take us in as your underlings to follow you into the jade business, do you?"

"You could say that is what I mean."

The middle-aged man's laughter rang out once more, carrying a hint of mockery and disdain. "Brother, don't you really think you are insulting us? We are veterans with years of experience, and the little tricks you mentioned are simply not worth mentioning. Do you think we are willing to follow you and mix in some third-rate market in a third-tier city? That so-called Peak Market of yours wouldn't even count as a single alley's industry if placed in a major metropolis."

His tone was brimming with contempt, as if he were looking at a child ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth.

His companions around him chimed in as well, their eyes revealing a trace of banter.

Yet the more such an attitude was displayed on their faces, the happier I felt.

After all, in this line of work, having seen the world is truly important.

Naturally, talented people always possess a bit of character.

"I know your capabilities," I said, remaining utterly calm in the face of their disdainful posture. "But I believe that true opportunities always favor those who are prepared. We can jointly open up the market, utilizing your experience and my resources; perhaps we can create even greater value."

"Value?" The middle-aged man's smile gradually vanished, replaced by a trace of confusion. "What resources do you have? What could a tiny third-tier city possibly have that is worth our attention?"

"How about I give you a 30 percent share of the Peak Market?"

"I can provide you with a brand-new platform—a stage where you can truly showcase your talents, rather than carrying the notorious reputation of counterfeiters that everyone knows about once word gets out."

He paused slightly, seeming somewhat interested in my words.

Yet immediately afterward, he shook his head, his eyes filled with scorn. "No matter how well you phrase it, ultimately everything depends on strength. To be honest, brother, your idea is nothing more than a castle in the air—completely impractical."

"We've looked into the Peak Market; it can't even crack the top ten markets in this city. Rather than cooperating with you just to earn that 30 percent, I might as well do nothing at all and save myself the exhaustion."

I knew the man before me was not someone easily swayed, but I could not let go of this opportunity.

Therefore, I decided to pivot my angle: "How about this? I will show you some things that are hard to come by on the market. You can tell me whether you're interested after you've seen them!"

"Suggestions?" He sneered. "Do you think we would waste time giving suggestions to some unknown nobody?"

"Not a nobody, but someone with infinite potential." I deepened my tone, my gaze resolute. "I hope to find like-minded individuals to forge ahead hand in hand, rather than maintaining a purely hierarchical superior-subordinate relationship."

At this point, a silence fell over the room, as if everyone were pondering my words.

The middle-aged man furrowed his brow slightly; clearly, my words had not completely won him over, but he looked at me and said, "Fine, then take out whatever it is you want to show me. I want to see what you actually intend to give me!"

I smiled, nodded, and then fished a square box from inside my jacket.

Raising my head to look at him, I said, "Take a look at this raw material!"

The middle-aged man's gaze instantly turned alert. He leaned forward slightly, seeming to develop a keen interest in the square box in my hands.

His companions also crowded around, the playful expressions on their faces gradually replaced by curiosity.

"What is this?" he asked in a low voice.

I slowly opened the box. Inside lay a piece of raw jadeite emitting a warm, gentle luster, its internal veins faintly visible through the dim lighting.

When the middle-aged man's eyes caught that piece of raw jadeite, they instantly lit up with sharp focus. He leaned forward slightly, scrutinizing the jadeite in the box, a trace of appreciative a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"This piece of material..." he said in a low voice, a hint of surprise in his tone. "Looks quite decent; it can be considered upper-middle quality." He reached out and gently stroked the surface of the jadeite, as if feeling its warm texture.

Hearing his words, I smiled faintly and then slowly said, "Well, what if I told you that this piece of material was manufactured by me?"

The middle-aged man froze, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and the piece of jadeite, the expression on his face turning from astonishment to skepticism. He frowned slightly, seemingly pondering my words. "You're saying this material was made by you? Are you certain you're not joking?" A trace of disdain leaked into his tone, yet his eyes were involuntarily drawn back to the jadeite.

"Of course I am not joking about such a thing, mister."

I smiled faintly, feeling a secret sense of triumph, and handed the piece of raw jadeite over to him. "You can take a closer look and see precisely how I managed to manufacture this material."

He hesitated for a moment, took the jadeite, and a flash of tension crossed his eyes.

As a veteran who had spent years struggling in the counterfeiting industry, he naturally understood the subtle differences between the quality of fake goods and real ones.