Chapter 157: Why Did You Choose Us?

Yet at this moment, he found himself utterly unable to distinguish the authenticity of this piece of jade at a single glance.

"You... this is somewhat interesting."

He muttered under his breath, fixing his gaze intently on the jade in his hand, clearly beginning to waver.

Gently turning the jade to observe it from different angles, the expression on his face gradually shifted from skepticism to serious concentration.

"This material is of a very high standard, whether in color, luster, or texture."

He finally spoke, a trace of surprise lacing his tone. "However sophisticated the forgery techniques might be, it shouldn't be possible to achieve this level of meticulous detail."

I smiled faintly, secretly relishing his reaction.

Just as I had anticipated, the man before me was beginning to be drawn in, even though his lips remained unwilling to admit it.

"I can tell you that this piece of jade was indeed created by me using a unique method," I continued, determination ringing in my voice. "I hope you can see that this is not merely a piece of raw material, but an entirely new market opportunity."

He froze slightly, seeming to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"You mean this technology can be mass-produced? You intend to use this method to transform the entire industry?"

"Precisely," I nodded, my eyes brimming with confidence. "If we can promote this technology, it will undoubtedly cause a sensation in the market. Your experience combined with my technology will certainly create unprecedented value."

He fell into deep thought, the expression on his face growing increasingly complex.

The companions around him also began to whisper among themselves.

"However, I still suspect that you are using a genuine piece of material to trick me!"

He said slowly.

"Naturally, any average master forger encountering this situation would think so."

I smiled slightly. "Your suspicion is entirely normal; after all, in this industry, the genuine and the fake are inextricably mixed everywhere."

"I can prove my technique," I said. "If you are willing, I can give a live demonstration right now."

He paused, a flicker of curiosity crossing his eyes. "A demonstration? What do you plan to do?"

"It is very simple."

I smiled faintly, reached out, and produced another square box from my person, handing it over to him.

Then I said, "Open it and take a look!"

Hesitantly, he accepted the square box, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and the container, as if searching for some answer.

As he slowly lifted the lid, the jade piece inside gleamed under the light with a mesmerizing luster, turning out to be an exact twin of the one he held in his hand.

His breath hitched for a fraction of a second, and the shock on his face became palpable, as though a massive boulder had crashed down heavily into the depths of his heart.

"It is identical to the one just now... This... how is this possible?"

He stammered the question, disbelief ringing in his voice. "You mean to say that this was also manufactured by you?"

I smiled faintly, a secret sense of pride swelling within me. Just as I expected, this very moment finally forced him to realize the truth.

"That is correct," I said. "Given enough time, I can replicate various high-quality jades, to the point where even the most meticulous connoisseurs would find them hard to tell apart."

He stood frozen, his complexion complex as he struggled to digest this astonishing reality.

The surrounding companions also crowded around one another, their gazes revealing a mixture of shock and curiosity.

"This... what does this mean for us?"

He finally asked slowly, his tone a tangled mix of anticipation and unease.

"It means we can subvert the entire market," I replied firmly. "The ultimate pinnacle of forgery is reality... What do you think?"

"Yet, will the market accept such genuine-looking fakes?" He remained somewhat hesitant, clearly unsettled by the notion.

Moreover, at this very moment, his ability to judge between real and fake had completely deserted him.

"Genuine or fake?" I let out a cold laugh. "In this industry, the real and the false have always been difficult to tell apart. True value lies in consumer recognition and demand. If we can create products compelling enough, who would even care about their authenticity?"

"Do not forget, the famous pork-shaped meat sculpture in the palace is also pieced together from several fragments!"

He fell silent, a light of deep contemplation flickering in his eyes.

Clearly, he was beginning to recognize the potential of this project, yet his deeply ingrained principles still made it difficult for him to make a decision.

To think that I was the one who had come to ask him for a favor, and yet it had somehow turned into me tricking them here to pitch a sales presentation!

How could they not be suspicious?

"We can start with a small-scale trial," I continued to guide him. "If the results are favorable, we will gradually expand the scale. In this way, we can both gauge market response and control our risks."

"But my one condition is this: you may forge goods, but you are forbidden from selling them locally!"

I paused and looked straight at him. "Because I am going to forge this city into the sole market for genuine goods!"

As soon as those words left my mouth, they broke into animated discussion once again.

The man looked at me with an expression of utter shock and said, "You... dumping counterfeit goods across the entire country to disrupt the market, your ultimate purpose is to establish the genuine brand image of this city!"

"And then, you intend to use your own starting market as a springboard, breaking through to become the largest marketplace in the city!"

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Brother, I originally thought this was just an ordinary cooperation, but I never expected you intended to use us as your pawns!"

"And brother, I truly underestimated your ambition!"

"Once the external markets are thrown into chaos and the whole world knows that only this city has genuine goods, wouldn't everyone with half a brain flock to this city to consume jade?"

"Your methods are both underhanded and terrifyingly effective!"

I smiled and said, "Do you dare to play this game with me?"

He was momentarily stunned, his gaze scanning my face closely as if searching for the true intent behind my words.

The surrounding companions also fell silent, and the air grew thick with a tense, expectant atmosphere.

"Play?" He arched a brow slightly, a sneer curling the corner of his mouth. "This is no child's play, my friend. If we play this poorly, what we lose is not merely money, but our reputations. Even our lives!"

"I am aware of that," I nodded, determination shining in my tone. "But therein lies the opportunity. The market is always fraught with variables; whoever can find their footing amidst the chaos will stand out in the future competition."

He remained silent for a moment. "Why did you come to us for this?"

I looked at him and said, "Speaking of which, it can only be called fate."

He looked slightly incredulous, then asked, "Do you know Master Jia?"

I understood what he meant; the person he referred to was likely the intermediary we shared.

However, I had genuinely never heard of this Master Jia; I had reached him through Li Qiang.

I pondered for a moment and said slowly, "Master Jia... I am not familiar with him. But having tested your discernment with the jade just now, I saw that you truly possess genuine skill, which is why I considered cooperation!"