Chapter 28: What Did I Do Wrong to Deserve This?!

And just like that, the classic scene began to unfold once more.

"I'll pay 3 million for it!" someone shouted.

"You want to steal it for just 3 million? I'll go 4 million!"

"I'm bidding 5 million!"

The bidding war erupted almost instantly.

Adam stood at the edge of the crowd, fists clenched, eyes twitching. His face turned a terrible shade of green as he watched the price shoot upward.

Damn it! he cursed inwardly. Why? Why did he hit the jackpot again?

This was supposed to be a dud!

Every expert had dismissed the stone. He had dismissed the stone! The whole reason he chose it was to make Rayden Wolfe suffer a major financial loss. And now?

Now people were throwing millions around like confetti.

Where's the science in this? Where's the logic?!

Adam tried to calm himself. "It's okay, it's just a fluke," he muttered, biting his tongue. "The next cut… the next cut will break the streak. The current highest bid is only five million—he still stands to lose nearly five million! There's no way his luck continues forever."

But under Rayden Wolfe's instruction, the stone cutter made another slice along the stone's edge.

The crowd leaned in.

And there it was.

A streak of vivid, translucent green.

Another section of glass-grade jadeite, flawless and pure.

"Still glass jade!" someone gasped. "It's stunning!"

"I bid 6 million!"

"7 million!"

"Back off! I'm going with 8 million!"

The crowd's energy exploded once again as the bids escalated.

Adam nearly stumbled.

Why?! he screamed inside. This was supposed to be worthless! Rotten jade! Garbage! Why are you all throwing money at it?!

Clutching his chest, Adam muttered, "It's… it's fine. He's still down one million. Let them get excited. The next slice will end it. I swear it!"

Once more, Rayden nodded to the cutter. "Go ahead, keep going."

The blade sank into the stone, slowly revealing the interior.

Another sharp glow of green pierced the dust.

The crowd erupted again.

"More glass jade!"

"This is incredible!"

"I'll give 10 million!"

"I'll go 12!"

"15 million! Don't even think about topping it!"

The bidding war was now completely out of control.

The stone's price shot up, all the way to 20 million.

Rachel clutched Rayden's arm in sheer excitement. "It's up to 20 million! That's double what we paid! A 100% return! Let's sell now and lock in the profit!"

But Rayden was cool as ever.

"No rush. I have a feeling there's still more. Let's keep cutting."

The cutter followed his command without hesitation.

Another slice. Another vivid green shimmer.

The bidding resumed in full force.

"25 million!"

"30 million!"

Each number came faster than the last.

Adam stood frozen, face pale, soul crushed. He looked like someone had just smacked him across the face with a shovel.

He could only clasp his hands in prayer, eyes wide and desperate.

"Please! God, Buddha, Jade Emperor, anyone! I beg you—don't let him get lucky again! He's a villain! How can a bad man keep being rewarded? Let him fall now! I swear, I'll burn incense, offer roast chickens, and bow every day! Just stop this madness!"

But no god heard his prayers.

Reality did not care for justice or fairness.

The cutter made another stroke.

The crowd gasped again.

More green.

The light from the jadeite was so intense, it gleamed like a shard of heaven itself. Every layer pulled away revealed more of the same pure, flawless stone.

The price soared higher and higher.

60 million. 70 million. 80 million. 90 million.

And then, it finally happened—the bids exceeded 100 million.

More than the last jade stone.

Adam staggered.

His lips trembled.

Why?!

Why again?!

All he wanted was for Rayden to lose money. Just a little! Was that too much to ask?

And yet here they were—on the verge of a new record.

What did I do to deserve this? he cried internally. I just wanted him to lose 9 million… why does the universe want me to suffer instead?!

Finally, the last slice was made.

The stone split cleanly down the center.

And out came the final treasure.

A massive chunk of imperial-grade glass jadeite, nearly flawless.

People gasped in wonder. It was a masterpiece from nature itself—so clear that one could look through it as if peering through colored glass. The entire surface shimmered with soft green light. When lit by a flashlight, it radiated a vivid, glowing fluorescence.

It was breathtaking.

A local appraiser, hands trembling, stepped forward.

"This… this is the finest quality of imperial jade I've ever seen. Pure glass grade. Massive size. Flawless transparency. It's a treasure… a true one-of-a-kind treasure."

The crowd surged forward, nodding, murmuring, whispering in awe.

Adam stood amidst the sea of admirers like a ghost.

He forced himself to ask, "H-How much is it… worth?"

The appraiser's voice was shaky with excitement. "A stone like this? It's a priceless treasure."

Adam's eye twitched. "A treasure's still got to have a price."

The appraiser nodded. "If I had to estimate… no less than—" he held up two fingers, "—200 million!"

Adam: "Pfft!"

He nearly spat blood.

Another appraiser stepped forward, scoffing. "Only 200 million? You must be blind. Look at it! This isn't just imperial jade—it's peak imperial jade. The best of the best! I'd say it's worth at least 250 million!"

Adam: "Pfft!"

A third expert jumped in. "You're all underestimating! Do you know how rare this is? Glass imperial jade weighing over 200 kilograms? That's unheard of! This is not just a gem—it's an artifact, a collector's dream. I say 300 million minimum!"

Adam: "Pfft!"

Then a fourth chimed in with glee, "If a top carving master got their hands on it? It could be turned into a once-in-a-lifetime sculpture! Easily 360 million!"

Adam: "Pfft!"

The crowd was abuzz with energy, each person hurling a higher number into the air like they were trying to outdo each other.

"400 million!"

"Maybe 450!"

"Let's just round it to 500 million!"

Rayden remained quiet, his arms crossed, the corners of his lips twitching with amusement.

Rachel looked at him with awe and said, "You really are a god of luck."

Adam, meanwhile, could only stare blankly at the glowing emerald, his legs wobbling beneath him.

What did I do to deserve this?!

He had tried to play smart, to claw back some dignity.

And in doing so… he had handed Rayden Wolfe his greatest victory yet.