Reborn As Super Heiress

Capítulo 1513: Chapter 1497: Trickery

The so-called challenge is actually quite similar to the gambling format that Huo Sining used to have with Li Jun and Sakai Ichiro.

In this warehouse, there are many stone betting roughs, all of which are full-gamble raw stones, and each raw stone is marked with a price.

The rules of the challenge are simple: participants choose suitable roughs from these, and if the jadeite extracted is worth more than the raw stone’s marked price, they win.

As for the prize, in addition to obtaining the extracted jadeite, the challenger will also receive an equivalent cash reward from the challenge master.

Of course, conversely, if the extracted jadeite value does not meet the raw stone price, it means the bet has failed, also meaning the challenge is lost, and the participant must pay the marked price to buy the failed rough.

This kind of gambling challenge format is quite novel and hasn’t been seen in Magic Capital before, so as soon as these Tengchong people set up the challenge, it quickly attracted many stone betting enthusiasts from the Antique Street, and the news spread rapidly, soon reaching Zhong Zifan and Liao Song, who had just returned to Magic Capital.

Since opening that stone betting store, both Liao Song and Zhong Zifan have developed a strong interest in stone betting. Although the two are not highly skilled, they certainly wouldn’t miss such an exciting event, so they rushed over as soon as they arrived at the Antique Street.

However, these two were also cautious. Upon entering the courtyard filled with stone-betting warehouses, they didn’t squat like others to pick out roughs but stood in the courtyard observing.

But after watching for over an hour, four or five people had had their stones cut, and all failed.

That alone would have been concerning, but when Zhong Zifan inquired nearby, he learned that the challenge had been set for several days, yet only a few had won.

This news immediately made Liao Song and Zhong Zifan wary, so they didn’t rush to act. After a quick discussion, they decided to call Huo Sining to ask for her assistance in making an informed decision.

So, there was the phone call that Liao Song made to Huo Sining earlier.

After listening to the story, Huo Sining nodded lightly, her gaze landing on the two stone cutting machines.

Although there were many people picking roughs in the courtyard, not many were actually cutting stones. These stone betting enthusiasts weren’t fools. The fact that the Tengchong merchants dared to set such a challenge indicated that the likelihood of successfully betting up on these roughs wasn’t high, so people were very careful and meticulous in selecting roughs; they wouldn’t act without absolute confidence.

Huo Sining could also see that these Tengchong folks had set up such a novel challenge mainly to make money. They likely had a pile of roughs they couldn’t sell and came up with this trick to reel people in.

Stone betting enthusiasts love a gamble, especially when this challenge format is more intriguing than the usual stone betting stores and with double rewards that are even more enticing. Ordinary people can’t resist such temptation, let alone stone betting enthusiasts.

During the short time Huo Sining had been there, another dozen or so people had arrived in the courtyard to select roughs continually.

Not directly refusing Liao Song and Zhong Zifan’s request, Huo Sining smiled and said, “Let’s take a look first. Whether or not we gamble, I need to get a sense of the situation before deciding later.”

Hearing this, Liao Song and Zhong Zifan exchanged a glance, with a hint of excitement in their eyes. Huo Sining hadn’t outright refused, suggesting there was hope.

Just at that moment, a middle-aged man in his fifties walked out of the warehouse, holding a basketball-sized rough, and headed straight to a vacant stone cutting machine.

Nearby, Yin Zeyan and Zhou Yan saw someone cutting a stone and quickly stepped out of the warehouse to watch the excitement. As they glanced up, they spotted Huo Sining standing next to Liao Song, momentarily stunned, and then casually moved over towards her.

“Huo Junior, you’re here too?”

Yin Zeyan asked with a smile.

Huo Sining had no special impression of Yin Zeyan, as their acquaintance was merely superficial. However, the Manager Lu with him aroused her suspicion and was a presence she was very wary of.

That old man had no good intentions, plotting who knows what schemes behind the scenes. Although Huo Sining hadn’t deliberately investigated the old man’s matters, she certainly remained vigilant.

Given Yin Zeyan’s close relationship with Manager Lu, Huo Sining naturally wondered if they were in cahoots. So, when Yin Zeyan tried to engage her, she just smiled faintly and didn’t respond warmly.

Yin Zeyan didn’t mind. He and Huo Sining knew each other through Su Qingqing, and now that Su Qingqing wasn’t around, they didn’t have much of a bond. Huo Sining’s reaction was expectedly normal.

Seeing Huo Sining’s focus on the middle-aged man at the stone cutting machine, Yin Zeyan, noticing her unfamiliarity with him, couldn’t help but introduce him:

“This is Zhao Lijun, the Vice Chairman of the Magic Capital Jade Association, a skilled stone bet gambler. It seems these Tengchong merchants have stirred up quite a commotion on Antique Street; otherwise, even Zhao Lijun wouldn’t have been attracted. I heard several Magic Capital Jade Association members came for the challenge yesterday and all lost. It seems true.”

Upon hearing this, Huo Sining frowned: “It’s just a regular challenge event. Is it really necessary to take it so seriously?”

Yin Zeyan chuckled: “I hear you’re now the Vice Chairman of the China Jade Association. It’s no wonder if you don’t know Zhao Lijun. His stone gambling skills weren’t insignificant, but everyone says he is arrogant and vindictive. Since these Tengchong folks embarrassed a few of his favorites, it was a slap in his face. He couldn’t just swallow that without seeking redemption.”

Huo Sining shook her head and instinctively looked at the rough in Zhao Lijun’s hand.

The rough in his hand, freshly selected, had an ordinary iron sand surface with an inconspicuous python band but bearing a small piece of black moss about the size of a palm.

Zhao Lijun, reaching the position of Vice Chairman of the Magic Capital Jade Association, wasn’t all for fame and fortune. At the very least, the rough demonstrated some potential. The black moss wasn’t scattered, with no python pattern around, suggesting the moss’ penetration level isn’t deep. If lucky, betting to find High Jade would bring substantial profit.

Liao Song and Zhong Zifan, sellers of stone betting roughs in Min City, couldn’t help but curse quietly upon noticing Zhao Lijun’s rough was priced at a hundred thousand:

“This type of stone bet would max out at fifty thousand in our shop, but here it doubles. These Tengchong rough dealers are really black-hearted, with such a big appetite. Aren’t they afraid of encountering misfortune?”

Zhou Yan, who had been silent beside them, couldn’t help but sneer: “With a fifty thousand price, betting up is easier, but to exceed a hundred thousand, the difficulty multiplies several times. Isn’t this the trick they’re playing?”