Volume One: Northern Sea, Qin Yang Chapter 18: Raising the Stakes

Zhang Yiming stared at Qin Yang, astonishment written all over his face. He had just searched everywhere for him but hadn’t expected to find him here. “Qin Yang, where were you off to just now?”

Gao Chao was dumbfounded when he heard this. He never imagined that the renowned Zhang Yiming of Bincheng would know Qin Yang, and from the looks of it, the two seemed quite familiar with each other.

The owner of the Grand International Hotel smiled faintly. He and Zhang Yiming were classmates, and just a moment ago, they had been discussing Qin Yang, not expecting to run into him so soon.

Scratching his head, he said with a laugh, “Brother Zhang, I’m really sorry, I just ran into an old classmate and we got to chatting.”

Gao Chao’s face showed his gratitude. When these words came from Qin Yang, they carried a different weight than if they had been spoken by him.

“By the way, I heard you made a wager with Feng Bo—ten million at stake. Is it true?” Zhang Yiming’s expression turned serious as he asked.

Qin Yang thought it might be about something else, but it turned out to be this matter. “It’s true. We had a game this morning and he lost to me. Now he wants to regain his dignity, so he’s put up ten million for another round. If it weren’t for the fact that he’s practically handing me money, I wouldn’t bother with him.”

Listening to their conversation, Gao Chao felt a wave of shock. If he hadn’t been toughened by experience over the years, just hearing these remarks would have taken him a long time to process.

At this moment, Qin Yang glanced at the middle-aged man beside him, his brows furrowing.

He could clearly sense the flow of true energy within the man’s body. Evidently, this was a legendary ancient martial artist. The energy was sparse, yet even so, it surprised him greatly.

Since inheriting his legacy, this was the first cultivator he had encountered.

Wang Hao noticed Qin Yang’s odd gaze and frowned. He had never seen Qin Yang before and didn’t understand what that look meant.

Gao Chao took his leave—he needed time to digest the news he had just received.

To know someone like Zhang Yiming of Bincheng, to make a wager of ten million with another, was this really the Qin Yang he knew?

The three of them found an empty table and sat down. Zhang Yiming didn’t smoke, but Wang Hao, being a seasoned smoker, took out a good pack of cigarettes and tossed it on the table. As the host, Wang Hao was generous, and Qin Yang did not stand on ceremony.

“Brother Wang, Brother Zhang, how did you two hear about this?” Qin Yang was puzzled. He had only gone out for a meal, yet both Wang Hao and Zhang Yiming already knew.

“Qin Yang, my foolish brother, it’s not just us—everyone participating in this Jadeite Raw Stone Convention knows. You’ve made quite a name for yourself this time,” Wang Hao replied with a grin.

“Famous?” Qin Yang shook his head. “I’m not a celebrity; I don’t need fame.”

The two exchanged glances and then burst into laughter at Qin Yang’s words.

Wang Hao’s smile faded. He and Zhang Yiming were classmates and old friends. Since they were all sitting together and Zhang Yiming shared a deep bond with Qin Yang, there were things he needed to warn him about.

“Qin Yang, at noon Feng Bo left here to pick up someone important. From what I gather, it’s likely Master Sun Tianmu, the teacher of Ma San’s Hand,” Wang Hao said. At this, Zhang Yiming immediately leapt to his feet.

“Qin Yang, you must not take this wager. Otherwise, you’ll lose badly,” Zhang Yiming warned, glancing around. “Ma San’s Hand’s master is Sun Tianmu, the Northern Sage. In this country, there are the Southern King and the Northern Sage. They are veterans in jade gambling, with countless experiences. Their accuracy rate exceeds ninety percent. Even when they lose, they manage to break even. As for how much they can win, that’s anyone’s guess.”

“While Feng Bo isn’t back yet, you should leave. You’re not a businessman, and they know nothing about your background,” Zhang Yiming whispered, afraid of being overheard.

Qin Yang was deeply moved. He and Zhang Yiming had only met twice, but the man was genuinely looking out for him.

But Qin Yang couldn’t simply leave. He had come with Zhang Yiming; if he walked away now, it would not only look bad but might even implicate Zhang Yiming.

He shook his head and smiled. “Brother Zhang, don’t worry. I have confidence in myself. It’s just ten million—I can afford to lose it.”

Seeing how resolute Qin Yang was, the two men fell silent. Still, they decided to do everything in their power to help him with this matter.

As they chatted, he was surprised to learn from Wang Hao that in the afternoon, the Raw Stone Plaza would open, allowing everyone to choose their preferred raw stones.

His eyes lit up at this news. He had already explored all the vendor stalls in the morning and hadn’t found any good raw stones. The fenced-off Raw Stone Plaza was a treasure trove he had been eagerly awaiting.

Wang Hao looked at his newly acquainted Brother Qin and sighed inwardly. “Qin Yang, the raw stones in the plaza have all been inspected by certified appraisers. Every one of them has the potential to yield jade, so the prices will be high.”

“Of course, it’s bound to be lively. The afternoon is the highlight of the event, and trading volume will be huge.” In previous years, they would place bets for fun when they had free time, but today, seeing Qin Yang, both men decided to skip gambling themselves and accompany him instead, ready to help if anything happened.

At 2:00 p.m.,

What was once a cool and empty road was now packed with people. Laughter and excitement filled the air around the cutting machines.

Every so often, cries of surprise and wails of disappointment erupted, occasionally punctuated by the sound of firecrackers.

The firecrackers signaled the discovery of exceptionally fine jadeite.

The three men made their way toward the Raw Stone Plaza. All around, people watched them with amazement, whispering among themselves.

Two company presidents accompanying an ordinary-looking young man—this alone was enough to spark endless speculation.

Upon entering, they saw Ye Meier busy acquiring jadeite, her actions swift and decisive, leaving no chance for the smaller jewelry companies.

Everyone could only accept their fate—after all, the Meili Group was wealthy and powerful.

Qin Yang looked around and found that Feng Bo had not yet arrived. He was feeling a bit impatient. This Raw Stone Plaza was a hidden gold mine, just waiting for him to unearth its treasures.

The thought brought him joy.

Activating his aura-sight technique, the scene before him changed.

Suddenly, he noticed a small piece of raw jade and smiled. “Boss, how much for this piece?” he asked.

“Twelve thousand. No bargaining,” replied the shopkeeper, a young girl of about fifteen or sixteen, her face still carrying the traces of youth and a hint of shyness.

“That’s a bit expensive, but I’ll take it. I’ll transfer the money to you,” Qin Yang said, feeling the pinch.

Wang Hao had warned him that the prices here would be high, but he hadn't expected them to be this steep.

“Sorry, sir, but we only accept cash,” the girl replied.

Judging by her accent and manner, he realized she wasn’t from Bincheng. Especially for Qin Yang, who had only brought a few thousand yuan with him when he left home.

He simply didn’t have twelve thousand in cash on him. Frowning, he felt helpless at the requirement.

Wang Hao, noticing Qin Yang’s hesitation and genuine desire for the stone, grew curious about whether this piece really contained jade.

After all, Qin Yang had only been here a few minutes before deciding to buy it.

“Qin Yang, let me handle this for you,” Wang Hao said generously, lowering his voice. “Brother Qin, look carefully—don’t get burned.”

“No one in the jade gambling business can guarantee a win every time, Brother Wang. Exchange a hundred thousand for me, and I’ll transfer the money to you later,” Qin Yang replied.

Wang Hao hurried off to help Qin Yang get the cash together.

With nothing else to do, Qin Yang struck up a conversation with the young girl. She was talkative and knowledgeable, making for easy conversation with no awkward pauses.

“This piece of raw stone is mine,” a young master’s voice suddenly declared.