Chapter Seventy-Eight: Only This Can Quench the Hatred in My Heart!

He gestured for the workers to continue cutting the remaining two stones.

As the fourth stone was split open, a vivid emerald green radiance burst forth, drawing a gasp of astonishment from the crowd.

Su Li’s expression shifted slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

“There’s still one more stone,” Chen Old Leopard remarked coolly, a trace of confidence flickering in his eyes.

The workers proceeded to cut the final stone. The sound of the blade grinding against rock echoed in the air.

The onlookers held their breath, their eyes fixed on the process.

When the last stone was opened, a glimmer of icy jadeite appeared, pure and crystalline.

A thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd, while Su Li’s face darkened.

Everything was unfolding precisely as Chen Old Leopard had predicted.

Though his performance with the first three stones had been poor, these last two—one of them matched the quality of the jade Su Li had previously revealed!

“It seems my guess wasn’t wrong, Miss Su. Now it’s your turn,” Chen Old Leopard said evenly.

Su Li drew a deep breath, unwillingness flickering in her gaze, but she had no intention of conceding.

She shot Chen Old Leopard a frosty look, then signaled for the workers to cut her last two stones.

“Interesting… She refuses to lose, but won’t let her opponent win either. Does she really have that kind of skill?” someone in the crowd murmured, anticipation coloring his tone.

“Indeed, it’s rare to see a situation like this in the gambling stone arena,” another agreed.

Once again, the workers began the cutting. The rasp of the blade against rock filled the tense silence, as every eye watched, breath held.

The first stone was split—ordinary rock.

Su Li’s face changed instantly.

The second stone was opened, revealing a faint trace of green, but it was far from exceptional.

Su Li’s brow furrowed, her countenance growing even gloomier.

After these two stones, it was clear: the quality matched Chen Old Leopard’s five stones—perhaps a slight difference, but nothing significant.

It was only now that Su Li realized the extent to which Chen Old Leopard could control his assessment of raw jade stones.

Waves roiled within Su Li’s heart. Outwardly, she maintained her composure, but within, she was gripped by an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She had once believed, with utmost confidence, that her study of "Blood-Eye Jade Appraisal" would give her the upper hand in this contest.

Yet the reality before her mercilessly shattered that belief.

“Chen Old Leopard, your eye for jade is truly extraordinary,” Su Li said, her tone seemingly complimentary, yet laced with sarcasm.

Chen Old Leopard smiled faintly, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “Miss Su flatters me. In jade gambling, it all comes down to one’s eye. That’s something that comes only from years of experience.”

“I know that for you to gamble at such a young age, you must have your own backing,” he continued. “But intuition and insight aren’t gifts granted to everyone. If Wang Hu weren’t here, I doubt your little tricks would have lasted this long.”

Su Li’s expression grew colder as she heard this.

She fixed her gaze on Chen Old Leopard. “So all this roundabout maneuvering was just to humiliate me?”

Chen Old Leopard sneered, lips curling with disdain, but he did not rise to her provocation, instead waiting silently for her next move.

Su Li’s anger flared, her eyes sharp as blades, as if to pierce right through him. She inhaled deeply, steadying her emotions, then said icily, “Since you look down on me so much, let’s play for the highest stakes!”

Chen Old Leopard raised an eyebrow, surprised by her proposal, but quickly regained his calm. “Oh? And what exactly does Miss Su mean by ‘highest stakes’?”

Su Li’s lips curled in a cold smile. “Each of us will pick one stone from the remaining eighty—the one we’re most confident in. We’ll cut them here, on the spot. Whoever’s jade is worth more wins. The loser must not only compensate the winner for the jade’s value, but also publicly admit defeat and announce their withdrawal from the world of jade gambling.”

A ripple of excited whispers swept through the crowd. Clearly, Su Li’s proposal shocked and thrilled them.

Jade gambling was already a game of high risk, and this would push the stakes to their absolute limit.

“Do it, Old Chen! Show her what a veteran can do!” the spectators urged, fanning the flames.

Many began betting privately, wagering on Chen Old Leopard’s victory.

Chen Old Leopard’s expression shifted, but he did not immediately respond.

At that moment, I stepped forward and spoke slowly, “I’m sorry, Miss Su… the two of us are in this together. I can’t agree to those terms.”

My words drew a chorus of jeers from the crowd.

Everyone had come hoping for a grand spectacle, and now, my intervention was dousing the excitement at its climax.

Some even began cursing me outright.

Amid the commotion, I could hear Hu San shouting and making threats, but it did nothing to quell the crowd’s dissatisfaction.

Su Li looked at me and asked, “Wang Hu, what exactly do you mean? When I wanted to withdraw, you wouldn’t let me. Now that I want to go all in, you won’t let me gamble. What’s your game?”

I sneered back at her. “You’re a newcomer, and yes, you have some skill at cutting jade. But you’re only proposing this big gamble because you’re hoping for that fifty percent chance.”

“Many things in this world have low odds—especially for those who take risks. But a fifty percent chance? That’s actually quite high. Whether you live or die by this bet, you still have a fifty percent chance.”

Su Li listened to my analysis and spat back, “So what if that’s the case? If I win, wouldn’t that upset you?”

I looked at her and laughed coldly. “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

She snapped, icy as frost, “Say whatever you want. It’s none of my business!”

I smiled, then turned to Chen Old Leopard. “Sir, I do not agree to Su Li’s high-stakes bet. Therefore, her proposal is invalid.”

“She can only finish the remaining stones with you the old-fashioned way.”

As I spoke each word, Su Li’s gaze grew darker and colder.

“Wang Hu, are you playing games with me?”

I chuckled, meeting her eyes. “Su Li, isn’t jade gambling a game to begin with? Who’s playing whom?”

“Then what do you really want?” she demanded, her eyes venomous, as if she would tear me apart.

I sneered, then leaned in close, my lips by her ear. I whispered, “I just want to watch you step by step descend into the abyss, sink into the mire… struggle, and die slowly.”

“That alone can quench the hatred in my heart.”