Chapter 27: Fake Jade, Fake Material, Fake Antiques!

Hu San stared at the red gemstone in my hand, his brows tightly furrowed, clearly uncertain about my plan.

He spoke cautiously, “Tiger, are you sure this red jade stone will have the effect you claim? Shouldn’t we consider this more carefully?”

I patted his shoulder and smiled. “Hu San, I know what you’re worried about. Yes, we’re taking a risk this time—but that’s exactly why we have a shot at turning things around. Red jade is already rare in the market, and with our ‘Blood-Eye Jade Appraisal’ secret technique, it can become a top-tier treasure.”

Hu San was still hesitant. “But… what if we fail? Then we’re done for, aren’t we?”

I looked him in the eye and said firmly, “Hu San, opportunity always favors the prepared. If our plan is thorough and we execute it well, we’ll succeed this time. Besides, we have no way out now, do we?”

Hu San took a deep breath and finally nodded. “Alright, Tiger, I trust you. This time, we bet it all!”

I smiled, quietly resolving in my heart that this red jade would be the key to our comeback.

Hu San reminded me, “Tiger, we only have two days left. If there’s anything else you need me to do, tell me now!”

I asked if he knew about the Buddhist kingdom south of Ruijing.

He said he did—that many parts of our border were adjacent to the Buddhist kingdom.

I pressed further, “What about that famous lost kingdom, the one with the most renowned ruins?”

His expression changed. “You mean the Southern Buddha Caves?” I nodded.

Hu San’s demeanor grew serious. “Tiger, the Southern Buddha Caves? Even though they’re on the border, they’re far away. Besides, with the current situation, there’s no time for a cross-border trip! That’s a mysterious place, shrouded in legend—countless treasures are said to be hidden there, but just as many explorers have vanished forever. What do you want from there?”

I smiled. “Hu San, it’s true the Southern Buddha Caves are the largest in the south, but in a land where everyone worships Buddha, every household preserves ancient statues. I have a special task for you—go to the Rui’an antique market in the south and find me an old Buddha statue! Preferably made of jade—it doesn’t matter if the quality is poor, as long as it’s jade.”

“I have business to handle here. Can you go alone?”

Hu San nodded without hesitation. “I can’t rely on you for everything. All of this started because of me—whatever you need, I’m ready!” As he finished, he even gave me a salute.

I saw the determination in his eyes and felt a touch of comfort. I patted his shoulder. “Good. I’m counting on you. Remember—keep a low profile. Don’t draw unnecessary attention.”

Hu San nodded and left.

Watching him walk away, my heart was a tangle of emotions.

Some matters simply couldn’t involve Hu San.

After he left, I hailed a taxi to the Lu Yier market.

When Lu Yier saw me, his attitude was far better than the last time. He finished his work quickly and invited me to the market management office, closing the door behind us with caution. “Brother, did you find the dogs?”

I nodded, sipping my tea.

Slowly, I said, “Usually you want me to check out one candidate, but this time you asked for two.”

I placed two business cards before him and said quietly, “I’ve found three candidates… but I can’t decide. Which one would you choose?”

Lu Yier looked at the three business cards, his expression immediately growing wary.

The cards bore three names: first, Bai Daocheng, head of the Bai family, who currently dominated the local jade market; second, Red Sister; third, Gao Youde.

Lu Yier glanced at the names, immediately dismissing Bai—his family was too powerful to consider. Then he studied Red Sister and Gao Youde’s cards, sinking into thought.

“Red Sister and Gao Youde…” he muttered, brows knit. After a moment, he looked up, a flash of resolve in his eyes. “Brother, Red Sister is ruthless and experienced, but her background is complicated and tangled in too many interests. Working with her means we’d have to tread carefully—one misstep and she’d turn on us.”

“Besides, from what I know, her business is thriving now—fortune is on her side, and that worries me.”

I nodded, having expected as much.

Red Sister was known as the ‘Red Fox’ in the circle—masterful at manipulating people, she was certainly not easy to deal with.

“As for Gao Youde…” Lu Yier continued, “He’s powerful, but sly and cruel, with little vision. He has no scruples, but more importantly, his business is in decline—fortune isn’t with him now. Picking him is less risky.”

I nodded.

In truth, I’d already settled on Gao Youde.

I had only asked to see which side Lu Yier stood on.

If he’d chosen Red Sister, I’d have been suspicious. But since he immediately went with Gao Youde, I could be certain he wasn’t aligned with him.

“Then it’s settled,” I said with a smile. “The plan is in place. We know Gao Youde’s weakness—greed. This operation must be swift and ruthless, leaving him no chance to strike back.”

A hint of approval flickered across Lu Yier’s face. “Good, brother. Since you have a detailed plan, I’ll support you fully. What do you need from me?”

I lowered my voice. “We need to create a diversion—let Gao Youde believe we’ve struck a rich vein. That will make him drop his guard and perhaps even approach us for partnership. You spread the rumor—be sure he believes it.”

Lu Yier nodded. “Understood. I’ll assign people to the task.”

I continued, “Once Gao Youde takes the bait, we move to the next step. Remember, everything must happen in the shadows—no one can guess our true intentions.”

Lu Yier thought it over, then gave a resolute nod. “Alright. Brother, this time, we must succeed.”

I patted his shoulder, smiling. “Don’t worry. This time, I’m staking my life on it.”

As Lu Yier walked away, something suddenly occurred to me.

I called after him.

He turned back.

I spoke slowly, “Gao Youde’s ‘dogs’ aren’t just two—I want to take down at least five. You get three, I take two.”

Each ‘dog’ was worth a million.

I was willing to give Lu Yier three million, for one reason only—

To make sure he gave it his all.