Chapter 264: [264] Collapsed, it actually collapsed_1

At last, Tang Feng’s high-ice-type material had received a bid of 25 million yuan.

Since this material was all-gamble, it was bought very cheaply, for only 8000 yuan.

In other words, it had appreciated more than three thousand times.

This terrifying return on investment made everyone present exclaim at how magical it was.

“That imperial green material just sold for 10 million yuan, right? This high-ice-type material doesn’t seem to be as good as the imperial green, does it? Why is it selling for so much?”

Xu Xinling became more and more confused as she watched, leaning toward Tang Feng to ask him quietly.

“That piece of imperial green was half-gamble material, containing a lot of uncertainty. It could spike in value, or it could flop. This high-ice-type, however, is already known material, so of course, the price would be higher.”

Tang Feng was in a great mood and didn’t mind clearing up this newbie question for her.

Xu Xinling seemed to understand but not really, “If that piece of imperial green could be cut into the same weight, how much would it sell for?”

Tang Feng patiently explained, “If the same size of jade material could be carved out from that piece, the price could well be over a hundred million.”

“Heavens, over a hundred million? Is this stuff really so valuable?”

Xu Xinling found this incomprehensible.

She had never appreciated the beauty of jade and found it hard to understand why it could fetch such terrifying prices.

As Tang Feng’s all-gamble material soared in value, the pressure was back on Ma Qizhi.

Because he had backtracked earlier and changed the rules of the contest.

It was no longer based on the ratio of the return but on the value of the jade itself to determine the winner.

This meant that his all-gamble material had to be worth more than 25 million yuan to stand a chance of winning the round.

Ma Qizhi’s lips had turned somewhat white.

To surpass 25 million yuan, he needed to cut out a piece of high-ice-type larger than Tang Feng’s or imperial green.

But the odds of that were so slim as to be negligible.

The Stone Dissolving Master approached at this point, about to carry away his material.

“Wait… just a moment, let me think more,” Ma Qizhi suddenly stopped the Stone Dissolving Master.

The Stone Dissolving Master turned to look back at Xu Tianhua.

Xu Tianhua frowned, “Mr. Ma, what do you mean by this?”

Ma Qizhi forced a smile uglier than crying, “I… I’m going to pick again. This isn’t against the rules of the game, is it?”

Without waiting for Xu Tianhua and Tang Feng’s agreement, he rushed off to continue selecting raw stones.

People on the scene looked at each other in confusion.

Who does this?

The contest was nearly over, and this guy was picking materials again?

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Ma Qizhi spent over an hour before he picked out another material and returned.

The Stone Dissolving Master stepped forward again, ready to take the material from his hands.

Ma Qizhi suddenly hesitated again, “Wait… just another moment, I… I’ll choose another…”

Tang Feng couldn’t stand it any longer, “Mr. Ma, do you find this amusing? I think you’re wasting everyone’s time.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Xu Tianhua, too, spoke up with a frown, “Mr. Ma, are you playing with us?”

Ma Qizhi stiffened his neck to argue, “The contest did not specify a time limit. As long as I’m not satisfied, I can keep choosing.”

Xu Tianhua scoffed immediately, “So what you’re saying is, we have to accompany you if you keep choosing till next year? I’ll give you another half an hour at most. If you can’t make a choice within that time, you forfeit by default.”

Ma Qizhi’s face changed colors, and without a word, he turned back to continue selecting raw stones.

Half an hour later, he came back empty-handed and pointed to the raw stone he initially picked, “Forget it, let’s cut this one.”

People on the scene were almost ready to curse.

This guy had wasted an hour and a half, just to end up choosing the same stone he started with?

Wasn’t he just wasting everyone’s time?

Ma Qizhi knew he had aroused public fury and stood aside with his head drooping, silent.

The Stone Dissolving Master, without any further ado, picked up the raw stone and moved towards the Stone Dissolving Machine.

“Kacha kacha kacha…”

Listening to the slicing sounds emanating from within the Stone Dissolving Machine, Ma Qizhi was extremely anxious, peeking towards the machine now and then.

At that moment, he was like a man waiting outside the delivery room for his wife to give birth.

Nervous, afraid, expectant, and full of trepidation.

It had been less than a minute, but it felt like a lifetime to him.

“Crack!”

The Stone Dissolving Master stopped the machine and slowly lifted the cover.

He first looked inside, then glanced at Ma Qizhi in shock.

Ma Qizhi’s heart leapt with hope.

He was familiar with the Stone Dissolving Master’s expression—a kind of incredulous surprise.

Last time he had that look, Tang Feng had carved out a piece of high-ice-type material.

Now that it was appearing again, could it mean his own material had appreciated substantially?

Just as he was brimming with anticipation, the Stone Dissolving Master had already taken out the material, shrugged helplessly, and said, “It’s collapsed.”

Everyone looked and saw that the stone was white throughout, without a hint of green.

They were all too familiar with this kind of scene.

Or rather, such scenes of collapse were the common sight in the jade gambling market.

On the other hand, those where every cut led to an increase in value, like Tang Feng’s, were very rare.

“Impossible! This can’t be…”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ma Qizhi found it hard to accept the truth, and in a frenzy, he rushed forward, snatching the material from the Stone Dissolving Master’s hand. He wiped it with his sleeve frantically, trying to reveal a hint of green.

But he was no magician, and the material was not a magician’s prop.

No matter how much he wiped, there was no change.

“Impossible, absolutely impossible…”

He kept muttering this phrase, as if he were delirious.

He then put the material back on the Stone Dissolving Machine and started operating it himself.

“Kacha kacha kacha…”

After an unpleasantly loud cutting noise, he took out the raw stone—to find that no miracle had occurred.

Still incredulous, he continued cutting.

After seven or eight cuts, the raw stone had been hacked into pieces and was a complete mess.

But, still, there was not a trace of green to be seen.

Ma Qizhi could no longer bear it and collapsed by the Stone Dissolving Machine.

“It’s collapsed, it’s actually collapsed…”