Opening the window, I saw a flash of red jade. Normally, a gem dealer would treasure such a rare find, but after examining the raw stone with a high-intensity flashlight and feeling its surface, the shopkeeper shook his head. "We can't cut this stone open."
His familiar tone felt comforting. "Boss, we saw the window opened ourselves. It's a raw stone."
"Your seeing it is irrelevant to us. We can't cut this stone."
"Does cutting a stone require an auspicious date? Boss, please, we're in a hurry."
With that, I slipped the boss two thousand yuan in cash. He looked conflicted. I added, "Whatever comes out of it has nothing to do with you."
"This..."
The boss still didn't cut it. He pocketed the money and, after a moment's hesitation, confessed the truth. "Your stone has a fake skin. It's a trick 'Empty House' used back then. They made a fake skin, weathered it to look real. The color inside isn't true cockscomb red; it's acid-washed. I've told you the truth, do you still want to cut it?"
"Cut it in half."
The boss nodded, turned on the saw, and split the stone. Even Ning Caishen, an amateur, could tell it was a fake, pieced together.
Ning Caishen looked surprised. "This dirt clod actually uses such methods?"
"This is old hat from Qin Sisi. Nothing surprising. My problem is, why would this dirt clod do this? To test me? Against the Four-Color Old K, I could understand the tests, but what is this dirt clod trying to do? I'm already in Ruili. Even if he hasn't said it outright, he must know I suspect him. Why is he still playing these games? Is it necessary?"
"Perhaps, the conditions for dealing with you haven't been met yet. The dirt clod is deliberately playing the role of Four-Color Old K to engage with you."
"Then hurry up."
Ning Caishen's face fell. "My conditions aren't ripe yet either. I can use your money for good deeds, deducting it from your account. With Tu Kela's current cultivation, he'll definitely notice."
"What's his cultivation level?"
"Since he could deceive me with the red jade and put on such an act, it means he has already fused all four elements."
"How can the timing be right?" I asked Ning Caishen.
Ning Caishen's expression turned solemn. "Wait a little longer."
"Have Ye Qingcheng and the others arrived?"
"Ye Qingcheng and Xiao Zian have arrived. They're hidden, ready to set a trap for Tu Kela."
The progress was not satisfactory. Not only had I not seen Lin Han, but Ning Caishen also lacked confidence in dealing with Tu Kela. Holding the cut, fake-skinned raw stone, I returned to the hotel and slept. While eating breakfast the next morning, Lu Yao, with a beaming smile, appeared at the entrance of the dining hall. He greeted the staff cheerfully, bowed, and was incredibly humble and amiable.
"This guy has really improved, becoming quite hypocritical," Ning Caishen remarked to me. I smiled wryly.
After finishing his greetings with the staff, Lu Yao jogged over to me, smiling. "Sect Master, did you sleep well last night?"
Sipping my coffee, I returned his smile. "Tu Kela, your methods are quite crude. Fake skin is one skill, but using acid to simulate the color? That's a bit too much, isn't it?"
"You saw through it?"
"How could I not? Why set up this charade for me?"
"The return of Four-Color Old K to the true lineage of the Schemers is a gift from heaven. I've always told Old Ke that we should wholeheartedly pledge our allegiance, but our Mr. Ke disagreed. He insisted that everyone test the Sect Master. They all did it, and I couldn't be the odd one out."
I chuckled softly. "Tu Kela, you are truly silver-tongued."
"I dare not, I dare not!"
As Tu Kela spoke, he subtly handed me a room card. Puzzled, I looked at him. "What's this?"
"Your wife's room card. You two are a couple, aren't you? A little spat before bed, a reconciliation..."
"You did this on purpose," Ning Caishen interjected coldly.
"Ning Caishen, what do you mean?"
"Lin Han didn't come back last night."
Tu Kela's expression was one of shock, not feigned. "Didn't come back? Where did she go?"
"We were hoping you could tell us?" Ning Caishen pressed.
"How would I know? Madam is free to come and go as she pleases under my roof. How would I know?"
I waved my hand, interrupting their exchange, and spoke to Lu Yao seriously. "Tu Kela, regardless of where my wife is, find her immediately. I need to see her as soon as possible."
"Alright, I'll start looking for her now."
For three consecutive days, Lin Han was nowhere to be found. Even the police were involved. They confirmed Lin Han had been staying at the hotel and left the day I departed Ruili.
"Haven't those two pawns been found yet?"
My expression grew increasingly agitated over the past few days.
"No."
"What about Ye Qingcheng and Xiao Zian?"
"We've made inquiries through various channels, but there's no lead."
Pacing back and forth in the hotel's business lounge, I said to Ning Caishen, "Do good deeds and ask no questions about the consequences. This 'consequences' should be usable now, right? Contact Boss Xie. He's familiar with some of the tricks we don't know. Have him come find us."
Hearing this, Ning Caishen's face fell. "I've already contacted him. Boss Xie said our relationship is purely transactional, and he has no reason to help me. Moreover, he's renovating his new house in the countryside and doesn't want to get involved in our affairs."
I could only nod in resignation.
Just then, two police officers arrived. They informed me that a fire had recently occurred. During the firefighting efforts, they discovered a charred female corpse. In an adjacent, undamaged room, they also found identification. The deceased was Lin Han.
After the police finished speaking, I couldn't help but laugh. "A charred body is Lin Han, and they won't even be able to perform DNA testing? They're just using identification to prove the deceased is my wife? Don't be ridiculous. I've even seen Lin Han's ashes. It's fake, it must be fake."
"Since you say so, we will continue our investigation and evidence collection. We will notify you if there is any news."
After the police left, Ning Caishen asked me sternly, "You're scared, aren't you?"
"No," I replied, a signature fake smile gracing my lips. I reached for my tea, forgetting it was hot. I spat out a mouthful and threw the teacup away.
"Tang Nan, you yourself said you've seen Lin Han's ashes. It's just a charred body; what are you afraid of?"
I frowned. "I don't know why, but I feel a bit uneasy. What about Ye Qingcheng and Xiao Zian?"
"Ye Qingcheng said she found a clue and will be here shortly."
Ye Qingcheng and Xiao Zian arrived in Ruili around the same time as me. However, to deal with Lu Yao, also known as Tu Kela, they were hiding in the shadows. The plan we, Ye Qingcheng, Xiao Zian, and Ning Caishen, devised was for us to operate openly in Ruili while they remained hidden. We would engage with Lu Yao, while Ye Qingcheng and Xiao Zian would find a way to rescue Lin Han. Ning Caishen would take action to preserve the Lin family's wealth using the strategy of the big fish eating the small fish. But now, things seemed to have veered off course.
Ye Qingcheng arrived, her expression grave. "I found a tour group. One of the tourists recorded a video, and we saw Lin Han in it."
Saying this, Ye Qingcheng handed me a laptop containing the video. I watched as a tour group visiting Ruili was led to the entrance of a jade shop. Someone was filming with a DV camera and happened to capture Lin Han walking past with Boss Zhu.
I looked at Ye Qingcheng, a hint of joy on my face. "I guessed correctly about this Boss Zhu, didn't I? He's Plum Blossom A. Where did he take Lin Han?"
Ye Qingcheng's face became troubled, and she remained silent.
"Why aren't you speaking?"
"It's near the scene of that charred female corpse."
"What do you mean?"
"Although the video didn't record everything, based on the direction, Boss Zhu did indeed take Lin Han towards that burning house."
"Stop talking! That's impossible!"
I loudly dismissed Ye Qingcheng's statement. Ye Qingcheng shook her head helplessly and looked pleadingly at Ning Caishen. Ning Caishen frowned. "We can't keep this to ourselves anymore. Let's just ask Tu Kela directly."
Without waiting for my response, Ning Caishen called Tu Kela.
Tu Kela arrived soon after, looking dejected. "The police also notified me, saying there was a charred female corpse. That's all nonsense. How could that be Madam?"
I didn't have time to waste words with Tu Kela. I grabbed him by the collar. "Where are Boss Zhu and Boss Gu, the ones you were working with?"
"They should be in Ruili. What's wrong?"
"I want to see them."
"Alright, alright, no problem. We'll go right now."
Ye Qingcheng didn't reveal herself. Ning Caishen and I got into a car to find Boss Zhu and Boss Gu. Along the way, Lu Yao explained that Boss Zhu and Boss Gu were about to introduce themselves to me. He mentioned they weren't just ordinary pawns but old friends with whom he had collaborated several times. He directly revealed that Old Zhu was Plum Blossom A and Old Gu was Spade 2.
We arrived at Old Gu's place first. It was a jade shop, and Old Gu, a carving master, was diligently working on a high-quality piece of jade. Seeing us arrive, he put down his tools and greeted us with a smile, his face devoid of any guilt.
"Sect Master, you've arrived," Old Gu said warmly.