Rayden Wolfe sat in his office chair, lightly drumming his fingers on the polished desk, his tone reflective. "Even though the industries we've discussed so far all seem promising, the returns are just too slow."
He glanced between Rachel and Adam and added with growing impatience, "Even in the fastest-growing sectors, it'll take over a year to see meaningful profits. I don't have that kind of time. I need results—now. I want something explosive, something that'll make a real impact in the short term."
Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically. "At this rate, you might as well just go buy a lottery ticket."
What she meant as a sarcastic jab, Rayden took with unsettling seriousness.
"Lottery tickets? Not worth the trouble," he replied, shaking his head. "Even if you win, the payout is only five million. And if you don't, you lose everything. It's a terrible investment strategy."
In this world, the lottery worked differently. No matter how many winners there were, the total prize pool for each draw was fixed at five million. The more winners, the less each person received. It was hardly lucrative.
Rayden turned to them both and asked, "So, do either of you have something bold in mind? Anything with the potential for short-term, high-yield returns?"
Adam, ever the eager saboteur, saw another opportunity to derail Rayden's ambitions.
He raised a hand slightly. "How about... gambling stones?"
Rayden blinked. "Gambling stones?"
Adam explained sheepishly, "It's actually the jadeite business. When jadeite is mined, the surface is covered in a weathered layer of rock, so you can't see what's inside. You don't know if it's worthless or priceless until you cut it open. That's why it's called gambling stones. It's pure chance. But I've heard stories—people becoming millionaires overnight."
Rayden's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Hmm… now that sounds interesting. Let's go check it out."
Less than half an hour later, the three of them stood at the entrance to one of Mohai City's largest jadeite stone markets.
Rachel looked at Rayden as if he'd lost his mind. "You're seriously going through with this?"
Rayden looked back with a confident smile. "Of course. Why else would we be here?"
She crossed her arms, her tone cooling quickly. "Rayden, this is a reckless move. Gambling on jadeite is pure speculation. You could double your money or lose it all in an instant. You don't have any experience in this field. Neither of us does. I'm officially against this."
Rayden shrugged. "What investment doesn't carry risk? You buy stocks—they crash. You buy real estate—it tanks. At least here, the risk is fast and clear."
Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Let me remind you—I was personally entrusted by your parents to monitor and approve every financial decision you make. I have the right to veto any high-risk choices."
She pointed her finger at him. "If you're going to do this, fine. But I'm setting a cap. Maximum: five million. If you lose that, you march back to the office and focus on sane investments."
Rayden grinned. "Only five million? That's barely warming up. How about we raise it to ten million?"
"In your dreams," Rachel snapped. "Five million. Lose it, and we go home."
With the terms set, the trio entered the stone market.
It was a sprawling indoor venue packed with vendors, buyers, and countless rows of uncut jadeite stones. Most of the crowd hovered around the larger stones on display, whispering and speculating on which ones might hide fortune inside.
After some inquiries, they found a reliable veteran known as Master Wang, an experienced stone gambler who'd made a name for himself with decades of experience.
"I can't guarantee you'll make a profit," Master Wang said in a gravelly voice, "but I can help you pick stones that at least have a decent shot at yielding green."
He led them to a display with several large stones of various sizes and colors. Pointing at a few, he added, "These here have potential. From the texture and color of the outer skin, there's a chance they contain high-quality jade. But at the end of the day… it's still gambling."
Rayden thanked him politely and handed him a red envelope of cash for his consultation.
Meanwhile, Adam stood quietly in the background, keeping his expression neutral. But inside, he was buzzing with excitement.
Finally! Finally, the Demon King was going to fall flat on his face!
In his past life, Rayden Wolfe had never touched the jadeite trade. It had been too risky, too reliant on luck. But now, here he was, standing in the middle of a stone market like a wide-eyed amateur, relying on an old man's gut feeling.
Even if Rayden had developed expertise, it wouldn't have mattered. No amount of experience could guarantee a win in this game. If it were that easy, stone gamblers would've all been billionaires by now.
He's going to crash. He's going to crash hard.
Adam clenched his fists in silent glee. "This is just the beginning," he thought. "And I'm going to make sure you pay back everything—with interest."
Just then, Master Wang finalized his picks. "These three stones offer the best potential. Beyond this, it's up to you."
Rayden examined them, taking his time. Internally, though, he had another strategy.
"I make a wish," he said silently, "that the stone I choose increases in value by 100 times."
Ding! Wish failed. Unreasonable parameters.
He grinned slightly. "Okay, 90 times?"
Ding! Wish failed. Still too high.
He adjusted again.
"Fifty?"
Ding! Wish failed.
"Thirty?"
Ding!
It wasn't until he reached twenty times that the response came:
Ding! Wish granted.
Rayden's eyes sparkled with confidence as he pointed toward the largest of the three stones.
"I'll take this one."
The vendor walked over and tapped the tag. "You've got good taste. This one's four million. You sure you want it?"
Rachel stepped forward in alarm. "Rayden, are you sure about this? That's almost your entire allowance. Maybe go for something smaller."
Rayden waved her off. "No second thoughts. This is the one."
The vendor grinned. "Great choice! Once the transfer is complete, we'll help you cut it right here. No extra charge."
"Perfect," Rayden said, transferring the funds without hesitation.
Everyone was happy.
The vendor was thrilled.
Rachel was apprehensive.
Rayden was calm.
And Adam?
Adam was ecstatic.
"Cut it," he muttered under his breath. "Just cut it. Let it all come crashing down!"
He could barely contain the grin on his face as he watched the vendor prepare the equipment.
This was it. The beginning of the end for Rayden Wolfe.
He was so giddy he nearly burst into laughter.
"Let the storm come more violently," he thought. "This is only the beginning."
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