C4 The Bet

Seeing the two men on the brink of a brawl, the old man cried out in alarm, "Get out! Don't start a fight in here!"

Jiaang Han let out a sly chuckle and retorted, "Old Man Qi, remember, you've still got an outstanding stall fee with the boss!"

Jiaang Han's grin was laced with mockery, silently conveying to Old Man Qi that his attempts to prevent a fight today would be futile.

With Jiaang Han's words, the area instantly became the center of attention, drawing all eyes in their direction.

Jiaang Han, a recent recruit of the Fifth Master, had quickly gained notoriety in the night market as a notorious ruffian.

He was known for his ruthlessness and for settling matters with his fists; anyone who crossed him would be dealt with forcefully.

Many in the night market steered clear of him.

The Fifth Master, even more formidable, had a rare presence but an iron grip on the night market's pulse.

Jiaang Han had earned the Fifth Master's approval with his actions, elevating him to a position of influence within the market.

Old Man Qi, having crossed the Fifth Master because of his granddaughter, found himself in debt.

His stall fee was set higher than the rest.

And today, Jiaang Han was unmistakably intent on giving Old Man Qi a hard time, with no one stepping forward to defuse the situation.

Yuh Wenming, well-versed in the ways of the market, recognized the dynamics at play.

"Fine, Jiaang Han, let's settle this another way. We'll see who has the more valuable finds. As a member of the night market, we'll follow its rules. How does that sound?" Yuh Wenming proposed calmly, his gaze fixed on Jiaang Han. Yet, his true focus was on the ring Jiaang Han held. The ring's yellowish appearance was deceptive; it was coated in wax, which, if removed, might reveal a valuable treasure beneath.

Such preservation methods were uncommon; in ancient times, only the finest rings were safeguarded in this manner, a technique developed during the Republic of China era to protect precious items.

Nowadays, such techniques are seldom used. Without the hand of a master craftsman, it's impossible to produce such deceptive high-quality wax. Moreover, the wax used to wrap the ring must meet exceedingly high standards.

And today, Yuh Wenming recognized the exceptional nature of this ring.

All he wanted now was to play the fool. As long as he feigned ignorance, he could place a bet and stick to it without any alterations.

After hearing his words, Zhang Xiao, Song Lian, and Guo Feifan all approached Yuh Wenming, exclaiming, "Are you out of your mind? You don't have a clue! If you make the wrong choice, you'll be on the hook for ten times the item's value. Do you have any idea how much that could be?"

"Take that jade pendant you're holding—it's obviously a fake, worth no more than twenty yuan. Ten times that is only two hundred yuan. Have you really thought this through?"

Zhang Xiao, who knew the ins and outs of the place, spoke with urgency, trying to dissuade him.

But before Yuh Wenming could respond, Jiaang Han sneered, "Fine, I'll take that bet. We'll each pick an item. Whoever chooses the most expensive one will owe the other twenty thousand yuan. How about it?"

Jiaang Han's proposal made everyone present gasp in shock. He was truly ruthless—not only taking advantage of others but also demanding a hefty sum.

Yuh Wenming's face turned sour. Twenty thousand yuan was at stake, and his entire fortune amounted to a mere eight hundred yuan.

Seeing Yuh Wenming's reaction, Jiaang Han's smugness grew.

This fool was practically throwing his money at him.

Having spent time in the night market, he had seen all sorts of merchandise and had learned from others how to distinguish the real from the fake.

With such experience, appraising an ornament was a matter of minutes. He wasn't intimidated by Yuh Wenming.

He was determined to take Yuh Wenming down today.

"Yuh Wenming, don't tell me you're scared now? Where's that bravado gone?" Jiaang Han taunted relentlessly. At a glance from him, his five henchmen closed in, surrounding the group. Meanwhile, the antique shop owners began packing up their wares, anxious to avoid any damage from the unfolding confrontation.

"Laosan, what do we do now?"

Song was immediately seized by panic. Brawling was their weakest point. Sure, they'd get mad and hurl insults on a regular day, but when it came to a fight, they were laughably outmatched – the underdogs through and through.

Guo Feifan was in even worse shape. Tipping the scales at 180 pounds, his size was almost comical, making running a laborious task for him.

Zhang Xiao was somewhat better off, but still, he couldn't take on so many people alone. And Yuh Wenming, having just survived a car accident, was a question mark in a fight.

Yuh Wenming chuckled, "Why the panic, Jiaang Han? You think I'm about to run off?"

Jiaang Han sneered with satisfaction, "Glad you realize it. Yuh Wenming, I'm here to reclaim every penny with interest today."

"Fine by me. I was only concerned you wouldn't have the 20,000 yuan to cover your bet. But seeing you now, it seems you're good for the money. Just don't try to weasel out of paying up when you lose. It'd be a poor reflection on the Fifth Master – taking in a small fry like you would tarnish his reputation."

Yuh Wenming spoke with a nonchalant air, then turned his gaze to an elderly figure in a Tang suit not too far off.

The old man was well into his sixties, and it wouldn't be an overstatement to call him venerable.

A flicker of astonishment crossed the old man's face. He hadn't expected this young man to recognize him, especially since he himself had no recollection of him.

Clearly, the young man's words were intended for his ears. This kid was intriguing.

"Mm, the young man's got a point. Jiaang Han, do you have the 20,000? If not, you're not allowed to gamble," came the Fifth Master's ethereal voice.

With a commanding presence, the Fifth Master strode toward the gathering crowd, and the stall owners who had been spectating stepped aside to clear a path for him.

"Fifth Master! You've arrived!"

"Greetings, Fifth Master. It's been too long!"

"How's your health, Fifth Master?"

"Fifth Master..."

The Fifth Master acknowledged the greetings with nods as he made his way through.

Jiaang Han, taken aback by the Fifth Master's unexpected appearance, quickly bowed his head and hunched over, greeting the Fifth Master with the subservience of a groveling dog.

"Fifth Master, what brings you here? Rest assured, when Jiaang Han gives his word, it's as good as gold. You have nothing to worry about," Jiaang Han assured with haste.

Indeed, Jiaang Han was flush with cash, having recently collected a hefty sum in protection fees from various stall owners. His pockets were now lined with no less than a tidy sum of a hundred thousand yuan.

"Oh, is that so? Are you content with that, young man?"

Fifth Master squinted at Yuh Wenming, his gaze pointedly questioning the whereabouts of the twenty thousand yuan.

Yuh Wenming bowed deeply, fists cupped in a show of respect to Fifth Master, before turning to address the crowd. "Today, with all the respected elders and fellow villagers here, and with Fifth Master as our witness, I propose a challenge. I, Yuh Wenming, will bet against Jiaang Han. We shall pick from Master Qi's stall, and whoever chooses the item of greatest value will be declared the winner. The loser must fork over twenty thousand yuan, based on the stall owner's pricing. My apologies for the imposition, and I ask you, my uncles and brothers, to bear witness to our wager."