Urban Powerhouse: Chaos Supreme

”Mr. Lin?”

Before everyone’s eyes, Bai Rui walked up to Lin Mo with great respect and called out to him.

Upon seeing this scene.

The whole room went silent!

Liao Zhiping’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

Liao Changjing and Liao Changwei were stunned like wooden chickens.

Liao Jun, Liao Ke, and Li Yunfei were also expressionless, their minds a complete blank.

Liao Ke’s face fluctuated between green and red.

Now she realized that Lin Mo was not someone with questionable sexual orientation; she also understood why Lin Mo had always been so indifferent towards her.

It turned out that he actually knew beauties like Miss Bai of the Bai Family; how could he take notice of her, who was nothing but ’common rouge’?

Liao Jun and the others were even more jealous, envious, and resentful. Why could Lin Mo have a connection with Miss Bai?

On the other side, the Shan Family, the merchants’ association, Hei Xiong, and others changed their expressions instantly.

With Miss Bai supporting the Liao Family, their three families combined were not opponents.

Dan Wen, Tian Zi, Huang Yongfei, and those with them were even more shocked, their mouths agape enough to fit a duck egg.

”Mr. Lin,” called out Bai Zhan Hall from behind Bai Rui, bowing respectfully.

Lin Mo glanced at the two of them and nodded indifferently. With his fame, Miss Bai of the Bai Family might have seen him somewhere before, but he simply couldn’t recall her.

After a brief chat, Bai Rui turned out to be two years younger than Lin Mo, and she treated him with great respect. Lin Mo thought she was not too bad and allowed her to call him Brother Xiao Mo.

”Brother Xiao Mo, are you interested in that mine?” asked Bai Rui after a while, frowning lightly.

”I still don’t know if it contains what I’m looking for,” Lin Mo said, shaking his head gently.

”Unexpectedly, Miss Bai of the Bai Family has graced the Gambling Stone event in person; this truly is an honor for me, Mr. Xiong, and the merchants’ association. However, I suppose Miss Bai will not intervene in our gambling stone affairs, right?” suddenly stood up Hei Xiong, speaking out loud.

”I’m just here to take a casual look; I won’t meddle in your affairs,” Bai Rui said, regaining her cool demeanor.

Lin Mo glanced at Bai Rui and saw some of Xia Mengdie in her.

Both had hearts that were very kind and gentle.

”That’s good. Mr. Liao, I’m making a bet with you. Not only do we have the Shan Family and the merchants’ association as witnesses now, but Miss Bai has also arrived. Let’s not play dirty,” Hei Xiong said, clapping his hands: ”Mr. Hu, please.”

Liao Zhiping and the others were stupefied to see a white-haired, white-bearded old man emerge from behind Hei Xiong.

”Who would have thought, Mr. Hu, having retired from the gambling stone world for so many years, that Mr. Xiong could bring you out,” Liao Zhiping said, bowing, his face betraying a serious look.

”Brother Xiao Mo, this Mr. Hu is also a well-known figure in Yun Province. Forty years ago, he was known as the ’King of Gambling Stones.’ Though he has been out of the scene for a long time, it’s unexpected that he has been invited out this time,” said Bai Rui softly beside Lin Mo.

Mr. Hu, wearing a white robe and exuding an immortal and dignified aura, said with a smile and a bow, ”Actually, it’s not only Mr. Xiong’s invitation. I, too, am eager to have a match with Mr. Liao.”

Liao Zhiping slowly walked into the center of the yard and sighed, ”Mr. Hu, please!”

The yard was filled with raw stones of various sizes – from new mines, old pits, large ones weighing thousands of pounds, to small ones the size of a baby’s fist. If not cut open, no one could determine whether the stone held a treasure or was worthless. The bet was three rounds, two out of three wins, and whoever chose a raw stone that revealed jade of higher value than the opponent’s would win; otherwise, they would lose.

All the stones in Fengming Pavilion were collected from the mines controlled by the Liao Family and were stacked in the courtyard, big and small.

Mr. Hu and Liao Zhiping were picking raw stones they liked around the yard, then asked the master cutter to slice them open for everyone to appreciate. Those who came here were people knowledgeable about jade, not laymen, and naturally understood the value of jade, so there was nothing unfair.

”Wait a second.”

However, Hei Xiong suddenly stood up, a hint of cunning showing on his face.

”Hei Xiong, what’s the matter with you now? Are you thinking of admitting defeat?” Liao Changjing snorted coldly.

Hei Xiong looked at Liao Zhiping and said, ”This gambling stone venue belongs to the Liao family’s territory. I feel it’s somewhat unfair. Mr. Liao probably examines these stones daily and knows them like the back of his hand.”

”Hmph, by your logic, would going to your gambling stone venue be fair?” Liao Changjing said dismissively.

The rest of the crowd nodded in agreement, Chairman Fang looked at Hei Xiong and asked, ”So, what do you suggest, Mr. Xiong?”

”I think going to any gambling stone venue for the competition would be unfair. I have a suggestion. Why not bring in the raw stones from the newly discovered mine, and let the two masters appraise them?”

”I think Mr. Xiong’s suggestion isn’t bad. Nobody has seen the ore from the new pit, so it’s fair.” Chairman Fang nodded, then looked at Liao Zhiping, ”Mr. Liao, what do you think?”

”Okay,” Liao Zhiping said calmly, nodding his head.

Lin Mo’s eyes sparkled with a flash of light when he heard their conversation.

His stay at the Liao family was precisely for the newly discovered mine. If the jade that came from the mine contained Spiritual Energy, it would mean that there may well be a recovering Spirit Vein beneath the mine.

Hei Xiong and Liao Zhiping sent people to the New Mine. In less than an hour, they transported many raw stones by truck. Although their sizes weren’t all that large, it was sufficient to continue the contest.

”Brother Mo, are you in Tengchong for this new mine?” Bai Rui glanced at Lin Mo out of the corner of her eye, her voice low and soft.

Lin Mo smiled and said, ”Those who know me say I worry too much; those who don’t wonder what I’m after!”

Bai Rui laughed softly, ”Brother Mo, with your abilities and reputation, you wouldn’t bother with such matters now. Anything that concerns you must indeed be ’big business.’ Actually, some people have recently come to Yun Province, and they seem to be here for the mine as well.”

”So, other people are eyeing this place too?” Lin Mo frowned slightly.

”Okay, let the contest begin. Please choose the raw stones,” a voice disrupted Lin Mo’s pondering.

After roughly fifteen minutes of observation, Liao Zhiping and Mr. Hu each chose a raw stone.

Liao Zhiping picked a raw stone the size of a watermelon, while Mr. Hu chose a large stone weighing about a hundred pounds.

Gambling on stones isn’t about the stone’s size. Some small raw stones can yield jade of great value, while others as large as vehicles contain no jade at all. Hence, judging whether a raw stone has ”goods” within cannot be based on the size of the stone.

Their stones were handed to the stone cutting master, who polished them slowly with a machine while workers washed them with clean water.

Everyone watched the two raw stones with rapt attention; a showdown between two masters was a rare sight in Tengchong.

”Mr. Liao’s going to lose,” Lin Mo shook his head and sighed softly.

”Holy cow, you’re good at treating illnesses, and you can gamble on stones too?” Liao Jun, who was standing behind Lin Mo, couldn’t help but blurt out upon hearing his words.

However, no sooner had he spoken than his expression changed drastically. Lin Mo was not only the Liao family’s benefactor but also had a close relationship with Miss Bai of the Bai Family; he wasn’t someone Liao Jun could disparage.

Lin Mo didn’t pay him any mind and continued to watch the stone cutting.

Although Liao Changwei and Liao Changjing dared not speak, they frowned with dissatisfaction.

Liao Zhiping was the King of Gambling Stones in Tengchong; even a rare misstep could be forgiven. But to claim Liao Zhiping had lost before the raw stone was even cut open was too childishly presumptuous.