Returning to Ruili, the place where it all began.
Had it not been for the whim eight years ago that my friend Lao Tie and I had to come here, I might now be working in a factory, married with a wife, who would complain about me playing games all day. Our relationship wouldn't be great, nor would it be terrible. I'm not someone who can't live a normal life; I'd probably have children by now, either taking care of them or, disregarding everything, playing games.
However, fate works in mysterious ways. I've reached a position I never dared to imagine. It's too high, not only is it lonely at the top, but it's also precarious. I could fall at any moment, and my bones would be scattered.
Yet, at this very moment, I cannot think of myself. Lin Han was tricked because of me, and for my beloved wife, I would dare to leap from this cloud-high place.
Ruili's jade market is still the same. Raw jade stones are laid out everywhere, some vendors shouting, others quietly smoking. The shop owners are mostly shrewd and capable. At this moment, I saw a faltering, down-on-his-luck man being pushed out of a shop. The owner pointed at the man and shouted, "If you dare to bring this fake stone to swindle again, I'll break your other leg."
What a coincidence. Years later, on my first return to Ruili, I encountered an old acquaintance.
Boss Xie!
Has this guy been released from prison?
Back then, he was involved in multiple fraud cases and had a homicide on his record. If he wasn't executed, he would likely have spent his life in jail. But to my surprise, I saw Boss Xie on the street less than eight years later.
Boss Xie looked to be in his early fifties, but he had aged considerably and was limping. I watched as he, after being kicked out, tightly clutched a tattered cloth sack and, sighing, approached the next shop. Before he could even enter, he was stopped: "Beggar, you're not welcome here."
"I'm selling stones."
"Xie, let's be blunt. Everyone in Ruili knows you're a big swindler. Get lost."
Boss Xie gritted his teeth, clutched the cloth sack, and turned to leave with a faltering gait. His receding figure was bleak.
"Hey, Boss Xie."
Boss Xie turned back, saw me, his lips trembled a few times, and he lunged at me like a wild animal: "Tang, I'll fight you to the death."
After all, I've practiced fighting and martial arts for years. I may not be comparable to true masters, but dealing with someone like Boss Xie was well within my capabilities. I easily threw him off. I saw him stumble, and I even offered him a hand, saying with a smile, "Don't break these old arms and legs."
Hearing me say that, Boss Xie actually fell, groaning "Ouch, ouch."
Trying to scam me?
I squatted beside him, watching him, and said with a smile, "Boss Xie, I'm not Tang Nan from back then anymore. How about I break your arms and legs, and then hire a lawyer to sue me? Don't worry, you'll definitely win, and I'll be responsible for your funeral arrangements." Upon hearing this, Boss Xie sprang to his feet and looked at me in terror. He didn't dare to mess with me and turned to run. I quietly said, "Stop." Boss Xie froze as if struck by a paralyzing spell, standing motionless.
Ning Caichen came with me to Ruili. He whispered to me, "Who is this person?"
"This person has some history with me. He's the one who pushed me onto this ship of fate, The Schemer. Back then, my very first scheme landed him in prison."
Ning Caichen understood my words and said earnestly, "If that's the case, isn't it too much of a coincidence? You said you've returned to Ruili after so many years, and he just happens to appear before you at this very moment. Isn't this a scheme?"
"No worries. This Boss Xie reminds me of many past events. Let's chat first."
I called out to Boss Xie and took him to get a bath, a haircut, and bought him fashionable new clothes. Just as Buddha needs gold, man needs clothes. After this makeover, Boss Xie regained the image of the honest and trustworthy shop owner he once was.
That evening, we found a place to eat. Boss Xie still clutched his tattered cloth bundle tightly, not letting go even when he showered. I asked with a smile, "What's this?"
"A raw stone I hid in the old house back then."
"Did you open a window?"
"I did."
"Is it violet or dragon's green?"
Boss Xie's face contorted with embarrassment. "It's not one of those legendary things. The texture and clarity are good. It's excellent material for a bracelet. Its current market price should be around two hundred thousand."
"Three hundred thousand, I'll buy it."
Hearing me say this, Boss Xie's face twitched. He struggled for a long time before saying, "I won't sell."
"You don't trust me?"
"I dare not."
"Money for goods."
"Still not possible."
"Cash."
"Tang Nan, you're a big boss now, with money and influence. Please leave me a way to live, okay?"
"Why don't you trust me?"
Boss Xie sighed deeply and finally explained his circumstances. The homicide on his record back then was accidental, not intentional. Along with the fraud cases, he was sentenced to fifteen years. His good behavior in prison and a general amnesty led to his release in late last year. After his release, his wife had already remarried, and his children didn't acknowledge him.
His old house in the village was dilapidated, and he couldn't sell it. He didn't have money for renovations either. He could only find work on a construction site, but he was old. Carelessly, he fell from the scaffolding, breaking his leg. The construction site gave him a symbolic few thousand for medical expenses, but his wages for more than half a year remained elusive.
Living in destitution, Boss Xie also thought of starting a business again. He dug out the raw stone he had hidden in his old house for years and took it to the jade street to sell. Based on his past experience, he opened a window on the raw stone. The texture and clarity were good, and based on current market estimates, it was worth at least two hundred thousand. However, those unscrupulous merchants wanted to buy it at the price of raw stone, meaning by weight. This raw stone would fetch at most twenty thousand.
Boss Xie didn't sell. The owner of that shop was a long-time resident of Ruili. Not getting a bargain, he felt resentful and exposed Boss Xie as a swindler. He irresponsibly claimed that Boss Xie was a master forger, and this opened-window material might even be a fake piece with a veneer.
With such a terrible reputation, and still looking like a destitute pauper, who would dare to buy his stones?
The more destitute Boss Xie became, the more he thought of me, who had schemed against him. He hated me, gnashing his teeth, and inquired extensively, seeking revenge. But he heard that I had appeared in the "Empty Room Celebrity Game" and that the "Empty Room" that later prospered in Ruili had also vanished into thin air in the long river of the history of raw jade stones.
To be honest, Boss Xie was quite clever. Back then, in that era, he schemed against people online and was considered a pioneer among online swindlers. He vaguely suspected that the downfall of "Empty Room" was related to me.
Therefore, Boss Xie realized he had kicked a rock and hit an iron plate, and gave up on revenge.
Now that I wanted to buy his raw stone, how could he dare to sell it to me? He feared losing his life savings.
"It's okay if you don't sell, let's eat first?"
As I stabilized Boss Xie, Ning Caichen pulled me aside and whispered, "I haven't found a reason to betray you yet. Perhaps this Boss Xie can be used in a scheme."
"Ning Caichen, are you suggesting this Boss Xie is one of Tu Ke La's people?"
"Yes, such coincidences are inherently mysterious. His appearance at this precise moment must have a hidden reason." Ning Caichen was convinced that Boss Xie was part of Tu Ke La's scheme, but I didn't think so. After all, I am the fifty-sixth generation successor of The Schemer, a title that even Li Jiu did not possess. Tu Ke La would not underestimate me. Using old acquaintances to scheme is a flaw in any scheme. Even if used, it has pros and cons. I believe Tu Ke La has advanced the scheme to this point, and the remaining task is to play it safe. If his scheme encounters no unexpected changes, then his chances of winning in the end will significantly increase.
Thinking this, I returned to the table and said with a smile, "Boss Xie, after dinner, let's go to the bank."
Boss Xie looked puzzled. "What are we going to the bank for?"
"The cash withdrawn from the bank ATM, it can't be fake, right? Three hundred thousand, I'll buy that raw stone you have."
"This~"
Boss Xie followed me to the bank. He believed that money withdrawn from a bank wasn't fake. After receiving the three hundred thousand in cash, he gave me the raw stone. Then he immediately fled the bank.
I chased him a few steps. "Boss Xie, why the rush? Where are you going?"
"To the police station. Don't think you can harm me."
Hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh. This old fellow still didn't trust me in the end and feared I would kill him for money after the transaction. Watching him disappear into the night, I turned to Ning Caichen and asked, "Have you found a reason for betrayal yet?"
"Disregarding advice and acting stubbornly."
Ning Caichen probably intends to use this reason as a prelude to usurping my position as the God of Wealth in the future. I pondered for a moment and said earnestly, "Let's use it later."
"Wait for what?"
"This is Tu Ke La's territory. When he discovers Boss Xie's usefulness, it won't be too late to use this reason."
Ning Caichen looked at me. "I thought of this while buying the raw stone."
"Not entirely. Li Jiu has been continuously strengthening his foundational logic abilities. Old Ghost always spoke of the realm of 'all things under heaven are not possessed by anyone, but all things under heaven can be used by me.' Compared to them, I have my own realm."
"And what is that?"
"'Do good deeds and ask not about consequences.' I genuinely felt sorry for Boss Xie and wanted to help him. But everything has a logical connection. For example, by helping him, he will undoubtedly become a target for the enemy."
"And then?"
"There is no 'then.' What is seen is called cause and effect, the foundational logic. What is unseen is called karma. I don't know what the future holds."