Chapter 196

Chapter 196

And so, the two took a taxi to their destination. It was an enclave of villas where many of Huicheng’s wealthy residents lived. Rumor had it that the development belonged to the Guangming Group, so its security was guaranteed.

The Driver led Liu Ye through the entrance. When the security guards saw him, they bowed and scraped as they greeted him.

They couldn’t help it. The Driver visited every few days, and each of his friends was more influential than the last.

The guards were terrified of offending this important gentleman.

“Big Brother, you command so much respect,” Liu Ye said admiringly.

“Little Brother, listen to me. When you’re out in the world, you rely on friends. The more friends you have, the more people you can screw… the more problems you can solve. So don’t give up because of one temporary failure. With me around, you have connections everywhere. A single word from me can solve anything.”

Amazing!

Stars filled Liu Ye’s eyes as he looked at the Driver. His big brother truly was incredible. Liu Ye made up his mind: one day, he would become a man just like him!

“One more thing. When we go inside, don’t lose your nerve. Make your claims as grand as you can. If you notice a problem, say it outright. It doesn’t matter even if you’re wrong. Remember, your big brother will always be beside you to cover for you.”

Liu Ye nodded firmly. The two soon reached the client’s villa.

The villa’s owner was already waiting. He was a middle-aged man with gray at both temples and gold-rimmed glasses. He wore a wool sweater and fleece-lined trousers, an extremely heavy outfit.

Liu Ye glanced at the sky. It was already autumn, but the late-season heat was still fierce. There was clearly something wrong with a man dressed like this.

His kidneys are weak.

Liu Ye reached his diagnosis inwardly.

“Lü Mao, you’re finally here.”

The man immediately greeted the Driver. In truth, they barely knew one another. They had met by chance at a banquet and exchanged phone numbers. This was only their first meeting since then.

But when Liu Ye heard the Driver’s name, he gave him an odd look.

“What are you looking at? My mother gave me this name, and it has a special meaning! She hoped my life would flourish like lush green leaves. I like it very much. Is there a problem?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

The old lady had been remarkably prophetic, Liu Ye thought.

The Driver snorted, then said to the man, “This is the master I told you about-Master Liu Ye.”

“Ah, Master Liu. I’ve heard so much about you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Zhao Hui, currently serving as chairman of Zhao Jewelry. If you ever wish to buy jewelry, please come to me.”

Zhao Hui handed Liu Ye a business card.

Liu Ye thought of the price of jewelry, then of the contents of his wallet. He wept inwardly. He probably wouldn’t get such an opportunity in this lifetime.

Zhao Hui led them inside. The villa’s interior was the height of gilded splendor, with golden decorations everywhere. Even the cups used for tea were made of gold.

The Driver looked at the golden cup on the table with disgust. He had come here hoping to swindle… solicit a charitable donation, but he hadn’t expected this unpleasant surprise.

Of all things, Fiends hated gold the most.

It wasn’t that they feared it. To them, gold was like dog excrement. A little didn’t matter, but too much produced instinctive revulsion. To a certain extent, therefore, gold could ward off evil.
Seeing the two of them study the decorations, Zhao Hui wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief.

“Heh, my apologies. This is my only indulgence. I hope Master Liu will forgive me.”

“It’s nothing. Everyone has their own preferences. Let’s get straight to the point. Tell us what has happened to you lately,” the Driver said.

Zhao Hui nodded and took a sip from his cup.

“Here is the situation. Brother Lü, you know I am in the jewelry business. This line of work requires frequent travel. We visit different places in search of good rough stones, purchase them, and process them further…”

At this point, Zhao Hui sank into his memories.

It had happened a few days earlier. Zhao Hui and his secretary had flown to the south of the Xia Kingdom after hearing that a peerless treasure had been discovered there. As the head of the company, he naturally intended to obtain it.

He had no idea when a diamond mine had appeared in the south, but once he learned the news, there was no chance he would let the opportunity pass.

He soon brought his people to the site, a small village whose residents survived by traveling elsewhere for work. After the diamond mine was discovered, however, they had all returned.

At first, Zhao Hui was disappointed. What treasure could possibly come from a place like this? Then the locals brought out the object, and he realized how profoundly wrong he had been.

“It was a bloodred diamond, beautiful beyond description. I swear I had never seen such a magnificent jewel. I had only one thought at the time: I had to possess it!”

Abandoning all decorum, Zhao Hui raised his cup and drank deeply.

“I bought the diamond and brought it home. To keep anyone from leaking the secret, I spent a fortune buying their silence. Somehow, the news still got out. We were attacked on the journey back. I was the only survivor, and the gem disappeared.”

Zhao Hui looked dejected. He clutched his head, terror filling his face.

“Ever since then, I have heard people speaking beside my ear. Even when I sleep, even in my dreams, someone is always whispering to me. Eventually, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I listened closely and tried to understand what they were saying. Then I heard…”

Zhao Hui stared fixedly at Liu Ye.

“Boss, why are you the only one still alive?”

“Those were the voices of my secretary and bodyguards! They came back for me! They blame me for not saving them. They came back for me!”

“Mr. Zhao, calm down!”

Smack!

Liu Ye slapped him across the face. Zhao Hui’s cheek swelled before their eyes. He covered it and stared at Liu Ye in disbelief.

“What… What are you doing?”

“Helping you calm down.”

“So you hit me? Couldn’t you use a Talisman or something to calm me down?”

“Talismans cost money.”

“Do I look like I’m short of money?” Zhao Hui roared, beside himself with anger.

“Look at this enormous villa! Look at my net worth! Do you think I can’t afford one of your Talismans? Do you think I care about that little bit of money?”

Liu Ye considered this and realized the man was right. He held out his hand.

“Pay me.”