Matthew didn't respond and simply let the cutter continue. He too, wanted to see if he was right. If he is then it means, he could now identify the quality of the gems just by looking at what that Ghost girl called essence. If he is not then, he would be forced to use that other method to get close to the Tian Family.
It would take more effort than he liked, but there was no alternative. According to his timeline, this was the ideal window to start aligning with a few families poised to rise within the next year.
On the fourth pass, the blade hit resistance. The interior began to shimmer faintly. The technician leaned in and wiped away the debris with a soft cloth. What emerged was a deep green hue, almost glassy in clarity.
"Hold on," the technician muttered, checking the calibration. "We've got something here."
Another layer was shaved off. The green grew more vivid.
"It's jade," the technician said. "But not just any jade… this is a high-grade imperial type. Very rare. Almost no impurities."
Rick's expression stiffened. Even Alen leaned forward slightly, a rare flicker of surprise crossing his posture.
The technician nodded and looked at Alen. "Congratulations, Mr. Tian. This one's worth keeping. I'd estimate it at least eight figures, depending on market."
Rick straightened, jaw tight. "That must've been luck. There's no way you actually knew what was inside."
Behind the mask, Matthew's lips curved slightly. "You really want to call it luck?"
Rick's eyes narrowed. "Then you're cheating."
"Rick—" Alen's voice cut in sharply, a warning in his tone. But Rick didn't hear it. Or rather, he didn't care.
He had just lost a gem worth millions, and worse, he lost it in front of his uncle. In front of a stranger.
"I'm serious, Uncle. He's cheating. There's no other way."
Matthew leaned back slightly, his voice calm and even. "Cheating? That's a strong accusation. Let's think about this."
"I never touched the item. I was invited here. I haven't spoken to anyone except you and your uncle since I arrived. This is the first auction I've ever attended. I'm a new member, practically a stranger here."
His gaze sharpened beneath the mask. "So, Rick Tian… enlighten me. How exactly did I cheat?"
Rick faltered, his mouth working uselessly for a moment. Then, almost in desperation, he stormed to the box beside the glass wall and yanked out another rock. Something larger, duller, with pale streaks running across the surface.
He slapped it onto the table.
"Fine," he snapped. "Let's test this 'talent' of yours again. Tell me what's inside."
Matthew barely glanced at it. "Low quality. Maybe quartz or milky agate. Definitely not jade." This was based on its essence, that wasn't as strong as that previous one.
Rick frowned. "You're sure?"
"Very."
Rick didn't say anything more. He gestured toward the technician. "Open it."
The machine was prepped again. This time, the cutting process went faster. The layers peeled away quickly, and within seconds, a white cloudy stone was revealed. Veins of dull gray ran through it, no shimmer, no clarity.
"Calcite mix. Mid-tier at best. Commercial value, maybe a couple thousand," the technician said.
Matthew leaned back.
Rick didn't speak. His eyes narrowed, but he didn't look angry, just intrigued.
"Want to go again?" Matthew asked.
"Of course. There's always someone like you in places like this… smooth talkers with good timing. Claim it's instinct, pretend its talent, all just to get close to us."
He grabbed another stone. This one was paler and rough around the edges. He quickly dropped it onto the table with a loud thud.
"Go on, guess again. If you're right this time, I'll give you five hundred thousand credits. Consider it charity."
"There's no need to waste that kind of money, Young Master Tian."
"Or is that your way of backing out now that your luck's run dry? What's wrong? You can't keep bluffing forever."
Matthew smiled. Then Matthew finally turned his gaze toward the rock. "Low quality. Not jade. Barely worth a glance."
Matthew didn't need to see Rick's reaction. He could already imagine that little twitch on the man's smirk. That familiar flicker of disbelief. He was getting under his skin.
And that was exactly what he wanted.
Rick narrowed his eyes at the rock. This one seemed heavy and as large as his hand. He was certain that the one inside was of high quality. "Open it," he said as he handed it to the attendant.
And just as Matthew said, the one inside was indeed not of any value.
"How is that—" Rick muttered, grabbing another stone with twitching fingers. "No… that's impossible. You must be—"
"Rick," Alen's voice cut in, firm. "You lost. That's enough."
But Rick shook his head, disbelief warping into defiance. "No. No, I've been in places like this since I was eighteen. I've seen scammers, gamblers, and smooth-talking frauds who swear they have 'instinct.' They all fold eventually. But you…"
He turned toward the opened stone, eyes flicking between the exposed jade and Matthew's unreadable mask.
"You haven't missed once. That's not instinct. No one's that lucky."
Alen exhaled slowly, but Rick didn't care.
"Just one more," he said, jaw tight. "I can't walk away without knowing. Without proving that this isn't real."
"Rick—" Alen tried again, but his nephew spun toward him.
"Uncle, I know what I'm doing."
Then, eyes narrowing, Rick turned back to Matthew and placed the next stone down like a gauntlet.
"One more," he said. "If you're so confident… prove it."
Matthew exhaled quietly. He really couldn't remember how this man ever became his friend in his past life. Rick had always been this way, loud, impulsive, and stubborn to the point of exhaustion. If this was in the past, he would have already smacked this man's head and told him to let it go.
"Another a million if you are right, but if you are wrong, then you must give me the stone that you acquired earlier."
Matthew shook his head. "No need to push more money my way. That's a high-quality piece. Not comparable to the one that I acquired, but still considered a high quality one."
His tone was effortless, almost bored, as if he were commenting on the weather, not predicting the value of a stone worth millions.
The technician moved swiftly, placing the rock into the cutter without a word. The blade whirred to life, descending in smooth precision. Slivers of stone peeled away, dust swirling into the air.
Then—green.
Rich, vibrant, unmistakable.
The inner layer gleamed with a lustrous depth. The technician paused, brushing away the debris.
"Top-grade jade," he confirmed, awe creeping into his voice. "Nearly flawless."
Rick's expression shifted as Alen leaned forward, examining the revealed gem.
Matthew observed their reactions. He then gestured toward the remaining rocks.
"Would you like me to assess the rest?" Matthew asked with a smirk beneath his mask. "Unfortunately, that won't be free this time."