C33 The Mysterious Girl!

After stepping out of the conference room, Lin Chen tasked Qian Duoduo with scoping out the location for stone gambling. Soon after, they hit the road, heading for the antique market in A City.

"Boss, are we seriously going to try our luck with stone gambling?" Qian Duoduo asked, concern lacing his voice.

"It's no laughing matter. One wrong move and we could be wiped out," he cautioned from the passenger seat, after mulling it over for a while.

Lin Chen understood the urgency behind Lin Chen's need to rake in two hundred million, but if stone gambling were such an easy cash cow, wouldn't everyone be doing it?

"If your dad hadn't set this two hundred million challenge for me," Lin Chen grumbled, rolling his eyes, "I'd still be comfortably snoozing in the security department right now."

With several million already to his name, Lin Chen saw no reason to bust his back earning that money for some madwoman unless absolutely necessary.

"Relax, you worry too much," Lin Chen reassured him. "When it comes to stone gambling, I've got a surefire way to detect jade!"

Despite Lin Chen's confidence, Qian Duoduo remained skeptical.

"Boss, even if you can spot jade with perfect accuracy, there's another issue to consider," he pressed on. "What if, after we strike it rich, we attract unwanted attention?"

"I know you can handle yourself, Boss, but there's wisdom in the old saying: 'It's easy to dodge an open attack, but hard to guard against a hidden one.' What if some lowlifes decide to play dirty?"

Qian Duoduo was persistent, trying to sway Lin Chen with his concerns.

"You've got a point," Lin Chen conceded, his brow furrowing as he pondered the situation. "Let's just check out the antique market and see how things go. My dad gave me a week; there's no need to rush."

He knew that making a fortune at the antique market would certainly raise eyebrows. If he had a more formidable reputation, it might not be an issue, but he was, at best, a lowly security guard. And if his Magical Third Eye were to be discovered, who's to say he wouldn't end up on some lab table for dissection?

Lin Chen considered himself quite formidable, but he knew he wasn't at the level where he could take on the whole world.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a quaint street on the outskirts of A City. The street was known for its antique paintings and stone gambling.

Since it was Friday, the crowd was sparse. The antique street was typically a playground for the wealthy, after all. Ordinary folks, if not for the stone gambling, rarely ventured here.

"Boss, check it out, a stunner!"

While Lin Chen was pondering how to gamble on stones without drawing unwanted attention, Qian Duoduo's sudden outburst caught him off guard. Following Qian's gaze, he noticed a girl at an antique shop, engrossed in a painting.

She was clad in a flowing green dress, her exposed calves smooth as porcelain. Her well-proportioned figure and stunning visage seemed to radiate an ethereal charm.

"This woman is the epitome of beauty, both in looks and figure," Qian Duoduo remarked, unable to take his eyes off her. "In A City, probably only Goddess Ann and Zhao Xue'er could hold a candle to her."

Lin Chen found himself in agreement with Qian Duoduo. Ann Lan was a business titan with a frosty demeanor. Zhao Xue'er, beyond her beauty and physique, had a bold and spirited presence that made people yearn to win her over. But the girl before them, in her green dress, seemed untouched by worldly concerns.

"Why does she feel so familiar to me?" Lin Chen mused, a trace of confusion in his gaze.

"Boss, I get it if you're looking to flirt while Goddess Ann's back is turned," Qian Duoduo teased, barely containing his laughter. "The ancients did say that desire is only natural. But isn't your excuse a bit weak?"

"That madwoman Ann Lan is carrying my child," Lin Chen retorted, giving Qian Duoduo a dismissive kick. "I may be a man of appetites, but I'm not about to hit on every beauty I see."

He was a young man of principle and integrity.

For a beauty like her, simply feasting his eyes with the Magical Third Eye was enough. Otherwise, if a madwoman found out, wouldn't she kill him?

Lin Chen was a man of action. With this thought, he didn't hesitate. He activated the Magical Third Eye and scanned the girl.

Typically, when Lin Chen used the Magical Third Eye, it was like having x-ray vision.

The girl's clothing would vanish piece by piece, revealing her flawless figure.

But this time, as soon as the Magical Third Eye touched the hem of the girl's dress, a powerful force struck.

It jolted his gaze away with force!

"Pop!"

At the sound of a soft noise, Lin Chen's face turned pale.

Anyone who could thwart his Magical Third Eye either possessed immense power or had a treasure of unimaginable value.

Either possibility indicated that the girl's identity was formidable!

"Hmm?"

The girl in the green dress seemed to sense something, glancing at the bracelet on her wrist that shimmered with a soft glow.

Then, her gaze instinctively swept over Lin Chen and Qian Duoduo.

"Qingyin, what's the matter?"

"Did something happen?"

The young man beside her, noticing Su Qingyin's odd reaction, quickly expressed his concern.

"Just now, I felt as if I was being watched."

"It must be my imagination."

Su Qingyin shook her head, offering a casual explanation to Lee Chen.

Being watched?

Lee Chen's gaze followed hers, landing on Lin Chen and Qian Duoduo. A flash of murderous intent passed through his eyes.

Regardless of whether they had spied on Qingyin, in his view, ogling his future wife so openly was tantamount to a death wish!

"Lee Chen, I don't want my identity revealed in A City this time!"

Su Qingyin, with her keen senses, caught the hint of malice in Lee Chen's eyes.

Her brows knitted slightly, and a wave of distaste filled her eyes.

Had her grandfather not been concerned about her safety traveling to A City alone, Su Qingyin would never have agreed to bring along someone as dark and calculating as Lee Chen.

"Beauty, are you interested in purchasing this painting?"

Yet, as Lee Chen pondered whether to have someone deal with the two men later...

Lin Chen approached with confident strides and greeted Su Qingyin with a warm smile.

Lee Chen's gaze lingered on Su Qingyin, unbridled and intense, the murderous intent in his eyes growing by the second.

"Whether we decide to purchase the painting is really none of your concern, is it?" Lee Chen said coolly, his voice betraying the effort to keep his anger at bay.

He paused briefly, not giving Lin Chen a chance to respond, and turned to address the shop owner, "Could you please wrap up this painting for us?"

"Here's my bank card. Just swipe it for whatever amount is due."

Upon hearing this, Su Qingyin paid no attention to Lin Chen's comment.

She spoke softly to Lee Chen, "This painting is a birthday gift for my grandfather. I'd like to take care of the payment myself."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried a firmness that brooked no argument.

Lee Chen's hand, holding the bank card aloft, hesitated, a flush of embarrassment crossing his face.

"Tsk tsk, seems like someone's attempt at flattery isn't quite sophisticated enough."

"It's like they've hit the horse's hoof instead of its back."

Lin Chen couldn't resist a jibe at the sight before him.

He was acutely aware of the murderous glint in Lee Chen's eyes. They had only just met, and already this man was contemplating violence. Lin Chen saw no reason to hold back his scorn.

"Kid, do you have any idea who I am?"

Despite his education and cunning, Lee Chen was not one to tolerate being mocked by an unknown upstart, especially in front of Su Qingyin.

"Who you are is irrelevant to me," Lin Chen replied with a nonchalant shrug, his attention already back on the painting Su Qingyin was holding.

Turning to the shop owner, he inquired, "How much are you asking for this painting?"

The owner's mind raced at the thought of another wealthy young man trying to impress a lady.

Seizing the opportunity, he blurted out, "This piece is a masterpiece by Master Kunlun, with a price tag of one hundred million!"

In the eyes of the art shop owner, these two were nothing but deep-pocketed fools ready to part with their money. Not inflating the price would be a disservice to his own conscience.

"Are you out of your mind with greed?"

"Selling a counterfeit for a hundred million?"

Lin Chen couldn't help but express his anger at the outrageous price the shop owner had quoted.