Unconventional [Rebirth] - Chapter 26

Jiang Rui had never told Rong Jingtang that he had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds, so when Rong Jingtang woke up and found Jiang Rui sitting in the lounge area, he simply thought the young man was an early riser.

Jiang Rui was admiring a piece of Glass-type green jade that had been cut open during the competition. Next to it was a stack of paper covered with drawings of designs for bracelets, rings, and pendants.

The rough jade used in the competition was purchased by Rong Jingtang beforehand, so the resulting jade naturally belonged to him.

Jiang Rui sensed the moment Rong Jingtang woke up. This was not Qing City, nor was it the Rong family mansion or the mountain villa. On someone else’s territory, Jiang Rui remained in a state of alert.

From the moment he entered this underground venue, the entire site was covered by his spiritual sense.

He was clearly aware of everyone’s every move.

“Did you draw these?” Rong Jingtang sat down beside him.

Sensing the familiar cold fragrance, Jiang Rui shifted uncomfortably to the side.

“Yes.” These designs were drawn by Jiang Rui during his leisure time in his previous life. A jade carver would usually know a little about design. Jiang Rui had his own unique ideas in design and had even won some awards under an alias.

“Have you considered making them?” Rong Jingtang asked.

Jiang Rui had naturally considered it, but these designs were not yet suited for the current market. He needed to wait a bit longer. Most importantly, he lacked raw materials.

“Not for the time being.”

Rong Jingtang glanced at him, as if knowing his thoughts, and said, “I’ll have someone transport the jade from the competition to the villa later. When we return to Qing City, I’ll arrange for them to be shipped back for you.”

Jiang Rui was stunned. He suddenly recalled that Rong Jingtang had said to him earlier: If you win, the winnings are yours.

He had thought Rong Jingtang was going to give him a separate reward. After all, this was a hundred pieces of fine jade! How could he just give them away for nothing?

He knew the stones he picked best. Among them were a number of priceless, top-grade pieces. Their total value would likely exceed one hundred million yuan in the current market, and jade was an appreciating collectible. In a few years, the value might even double!

Rong Jingtang was just giving them to him with such a casual sentence?

Jiang Rui felt as if he had latched onto an exceptionally thick, gleaming golden thigh!

“I say, Rong Jingtang, Lord Rong! Do you know how much that jade is worth? Are you sure you want to give it to me?” Although Jiang Rui knew this esteemed man’s word was gold, he asked again, just in case he had misunderstood.

Rong Jingtang said, “They are merely stones, useless to me. If you like them, it’s no matter if I give you more.”

Jiang Rui: “…”

This humble citizen must bow down to His Majesty.

The second match was crucial for determining the final winner. If Jiang Rui could win this one, there would be no need for a third match.

By all accounts, this match was simple, yet Jiang Rui directly forfeited, which greatly disappointed everyone who had come to watch another exciting competition today.

This match tested the skill of antique appraisal. Jiang Rui could verify the authenticity of jade, but he could not determine the age, origin, or value of antique jade artifacts. This was an area where Master Mu Yan excelled.

When the judge asked Jiang Rui for his reason, he didn’t try to hide anything, telling them directly that he was completely clueless in this field. Specialization exists in every trade; not every master stone gambler is proficient in antique appraisal. However, this second match was not arranged by the association itself but was agreed upon in advance by Rong Jingtang and Xie Yuqian, so Mu Yan’s victory was not considered unfair.

Since Jiang Rui forfeited the second match, the third match was scheduled for today.

This third match was quite interesting.

Starting from nine o’clock tonight until nine o’clock tomorrow night, the competition time would be twenty-four hours.

The requirement was for Jiang Rui and Mu Yan to find a piece of rough jade that could yield top-grade jade within this day across the entire venue. They would be betting on the type and color.

The one who found the best type and truest color would win.

If that were the only requirement, it wouldn’t sound too difficult. The key was the additional rule: each person was given an initial capital of only one hundred yuan.

In other words, they had to turn that one hundred yuan into a piece of rough jade containing top-grade jade within one day.

Stone gambling has always involved coexisting wealth and risk; people cry and people laugh with a single cut. Who can guarantee they won’t lose money? The more likely a rough stone is to contain top-grade jade, the higher its price and the greater the risk. Once all the initial capital is lost, it means elimination from the game.

Conversely, if one is too afraid of risk and only buys low-priced rough stones, unless they get an unexpected stroke of luck, they will definitely fail to complete the task within a day, resulting in a loss.

To prevent private arrangements from disrupting the competition assessment, both participants could only buy rough jade sold by the association’s merchants; stones held by other customers would not count. At the same time, the cut jade would be appraised by designated personnel from the association, who would then grant the competitor equivalent funds to continue buying rough stones until the competitor felt the jade in their possession was good enough and called a halt to the match.

With Mu Yan winning the second round, Xie Yuqian breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that his luck was as good as ever.

He asked Mu Yan, “Do you feel confident about this third match?”

Mu Yan replied with a wry smile, “Mr. Xie, to be honest with you, I’ve met quite a few master stone gamblers, and even those stronger than me, I could generally figure out their skills. But this Young Master Jiang… Since yesterday, he has been consistently unconventional. To say he’s not proficient in stone gambling, yet the hundred rough stones he picked all produced green jade—a one hundred percent probability that is unheard of in history. To say he is proficient in stone gambling, he doesn’t seem to know that much about jade. And in the second match, which tested appraisal skills, he forfeited. So, I still can’t gauge his true depth. I truly have no confidence in this third match.”

This statement caused Xie Yuqian’s face to darken, but what Mu Yan said was the truth.

Thinking of the value of the goods in Rong Jingtang’s hands, and the consequences awaiting him if he lost this third match, Xie Yuqian instantly felt an overwhelming headache.

The reason he dared to make such a big gamble with Rong Jingtang was that it was stipulated beforehand that Rong Jingtang could not invite members of the Mu family to participate in the selection, while he could. Furthermore, if he could persuade the Mu family members to help, they would go all out for him.

Who knew that Rong Jingtang would somehow dig up a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy, and that boy would happen to possess such an unnerving skill in stone gambling?

This greatly foiled Xie Yuqian, who had been convinced he would win.

He had considered cheating during the competition, but the moment he thought of the power standing behind this association, that tiny thought was instantly quashed. Xie Yuqian would rather slink away from Yi Dian in disgrace than lose his life.

Although Rong Jingtang did not say anything, Jiang Rui noticed that his physical condition had not been good these two days. He looked extremely fatigued, and the medicine Uncle Cheng had prepared beforehand seemed to have little effect.

Especially after the third match began, Rong Jingtang stayed in his room at the lodging. Jiang Rui went to check on him a few times and found that his breathing was very faint when he was asleep.

Jiang Rui contacted Uncle Cheng. Since Uncle Cheng had not seen the person, he dared not make a judgment and could not enter the association, so he could only worry helplessly.

In the secret realm, there was spirit honey, spirit medicine, and the spirit pool. Failing that, there was still Miao Xuan, the ten-thousand-year-old realm spirit. It would definitely know how to cure Rong Jingtang.

However, Jiang Rui knew there were surveillance cameras everywhere in the association. Only the rooms where a few important figures stayed lacked monitors, but he dared not enter the secret realm while near Rong Jingtang.

Not even when Rong Jingtang was asleep.

He dared not take that risk.