"Look who's talking!"Bathed in moonlight, the lovers savored the magical moment. Justin wished time would freeze to preserve the bliss.That night they formalized their relationship, both too elated about the future to sleep. Justin finally released his past to embark on new love.They had planned to return to campus tomorrow as students. But at dawn, Viper appeared grinning at their doorstep with Ava's mother.Seeing them emerge, he heartily embraced Justin, nearly smacking the life out of him. Luckily, Justin's martial skills allowed him to withstand the enthusiasm. Others would have crumpled from those hearty whacks.After Viper finally finished pummeling his back, Justin asked quizzically, "You're here so early, must be something urgent?"Viper slapped his forehead. "Forgot myself in excitement! There's a jade auction at the Manor of Wealth southside. A legendary expert, the Jade King, is appraising stones. His picks are guaranteed quality jade, never wrong. I love jade and want
"Ha, my friend, you better splash some water on your face and snap out of it. Take a look around. Stones here cost millions a piece. This game is only for the real rich folks. The likes of us can only watch and envy."The outbursts caught Justin's attention. He approached the vocal pair and asked what had happened. Sizing Justin up in his expensive outfit, they assumed he was a successful entrepreneur, or at least a rich heir.With a smile, one explained: "Young man, you probably don't know this, but the uncut stones here are hand-picked by the manor owner himself. Every piece produces jadeite, but they are extraordinarily expensive - ten times the price elsewhere, or even higher. Us regular folks can only look, not buy. Don't try your luck, just look around for fun."Despite the warning, Justin grew interested. Stones of such exorbitant cost, where each one guaranteed jadeite... the selection process must be rigorous.Heh heh, might as well try his luck and see if he could uncover th
"My word, a rare alexandrite! So transparent too - this must be a premium gem. Damn it, no matter the cost, I must have it!" The stout, greasy man was clearly affluent."As you can see, this is a premium quality alexandrite. I guarantee it. With a starting bid of 500 million and minimum increments of 200 million, let the bidding commence!"Hearing this, the crowd grew restless. A massive high-grade alexandrite was a rare find. Obtaining it could earn a fortune. Bids poured in fiercely, even from Viper. This time, Justin did not stop him. The stone was exquisite - Viper could profit handsomely if he won it.But the astronomical price gave Justin pause. Could Viper really afford this?To everyone's shock, Viper succeeded at 2 billion dollars! Seeing his gleeful, satisfied expression, Justin smiled wryly.He had underestimated this hidden tycoon!"Haha, thanks brother! If not for you stopping me earlier, I would've missed out on this alexandrite. See anything you fancy? Just buy it if
"Don't worry, boss. Stephen's clever—even if something came up, he'd find a way back safe and sound. Just be patient.""How can I be patient? We're already half an hour behind schedule. The police will be mobilizing as we speak. If we don't leave soon, escape will be difficult."As they spoke, Justin and the police had surrounded the warehouse, quickly cutting off any exit.Sensing the precariousness of their situation, the mercenaries brandished their weapons, ready to fight to the death. After all, they were hardened killers who thought nothing of human life. No amount of negotiation would make them surrender their prize.Left with no other option, the police prepared to use force. But before they could act, Justin stepped forward and said to Captain Sean with a smile:"Captain, why don't I go in and talk to them? I'm not with the police, so they won't see me as a threat. And I'm just one unarmed young man—I think I have a better chance of success.""Absolutely not, Mr. Wilson! With
Justin had no intention of leaving yet anyway, so he smiled and said, "Fine, I'll stay. I'll get them to withdraw too. But the jade's mine now, so can I at least have someone remove it? It's precious cargo—I'd hate to see it damaged.""Alright, one person only."Justin called over Jade Stone King, who had been observing anxiously. An elderly man posed no threat and wouldn't provoke them.After a thorough search confirmed he was unarmed, the old man was allowed to enter. Justin handed him the jade himself."Take this and don't let it out of your sight again. And tell those cops to back off. I'm getting along splendidly with my new friends here—wouldn't want them disturbed." "But..." The old man was deeply grateful to Justin for braving danger and spending a fortune to recover his jade. To see him now at the mercy of these brutes set him on edge."No buts. I told you to go, so go. And check on that helicopter—these guys' pilot sure is slow. It's been almost an hour already."Baffled by
Captain Sean and his men gawked at the scene, stunned. What just happened? These were ruthless mercenaries, not easy to subdue. Yet the legendary Mr. Wilson took them all down without a scratch. Now that was real strength!The mercs were hauled off to the police station while Justin accompanied Jade Stone King back to the Manor of Wealth.As for the merc sent to ready their helicopter, he arrived at the landing site only to find hundreds of Viper's men lying in wait. Terrified, he turned and fled. Against those odds, he was smart enough not to stick around. If an ordinary man didn't die of fright, he'd be driven insane.When they parted ways, Captain Sean said he would submit a report about the incident to his superiors, recommending Justin for a commendation. Justin didn't refuse—he cared more about fame than petty rewards. His popularity quest was ongoing, so the more people who knew his name and admired him, the more points he earned. This was free publicity; why reject it?Now Ju
Now it was a battle of wills, with neither side yielding. The price skyrocketed until it hit 250 billion.The old man could no longer restrain himself. Gloomily he said, "Friend, I truly desire these gems. They would be of great use to me. Could you let me have them? I would be eternally grateful. From now on, you would be my friend. No matter what trouble you encounter, as long as I can help, just ask. I will do all I can.""Sorry, sir, but I also desperately need these gems. They are equally useful to me. I'm afraid I must ask you, the elder, to graciously concede to me, the junior.""Young man, I urge you not to contend with me over these gems. Otherwise, I will be very displeased."The old man's words carried a killing intent that chilled the air of the underground plaza. Justin became alert, sensing a ripple of Force from this man. So the old guy was also a warrior, cultivating some yin style techniques it seemed. Such arts often led practitioners down crooked paths. This old man
Upon entering the private room, Mason Hicks and a beautiful woman also stood up, though Justin could sense their smiles were somewhat strained."Mr. Wilson, you're finally here. Please take a seat. Let me introduce you - this is my wife Adeline, also the vice president of my company. She's usually in charge of business operations.""Oh I see, so Mrs. Hicks is a power businesswoman as well! Impressive." Justin made a perfunctory remark and got right to the point."I heard you're ready with the documents and invited me today to sign the contract, correct?"The Hicks couple exchanged a look before nodding dejectedly. These days had been excruciating for them. Though they tried many ways and asked many people for help, those all avoided them like the plague after hearing they offended Justin, let alone offer assistance.They also considered many options, all to no avail. None of the former clients would return now, and the company was essentially running on empty. If things carried on thi