Chapter 36: Five Steps Ahead
"What is this place?" Rick asked the moment they stepped inside the shop. His eyes swept the room quickly, noting the low lighting, faint smell of polished stone, and a few people gathered near trays of uncut gems. The air was quiet but tense, too quiet for a place meant for casual trade. His eyes immediately narrowed.
Matthew glanced over his shoulder. "Oh? I didn’t realize Mr. Tian was still tagging along." He gave a brief smile, his tone light, but his pace never slowed as they moved deeper into the shop.
Rick didn’t bother responding. He took in the rows of carts lined along the far wall. Most were sealed or covered with linen sheets, but a few had been pulled open, revealing stones that still held traces of dust and soil.
They looked untouched, raw and fresh as if just unloaded from a truck straight from the mines. Suspicious. Too perfect. Rick’s thoughts immediately turned to what sort of trick these people were trying to pull.
Just then, Cosim stepped forward, arms wide in his usual cheerful welcome. "Argent... you’re back," he said brightly, then glanced between the group. His gaze lingered a moment longer on Rick, clearly sizing him up. "Looks like you’ve brought company. Shall we get started with the carts?"
He stepped aside with a flourish, motioning toward the lineup.
Argent walked straight to the middle cart, leaned over the edge, and gave the contents a quick scan. "This one looks fresh," he said, tapping one of the stones with his knuckle. "Should be enough here for a few rounds."
Rick walked past the first cart and eyed the stones with a frown. "What are you doing exactly?"
Matthew picked up a stone and gave it a casual glance before setting it back. "Argent suggested a simple game. Each of us takes turns picking stones. We cut them open one at a time. The person with the most valuable gems at the end wins."
"That’s it?" Rick asked, skeptical.
"Well, we can of course make some changes to the rules. How about this, Ghost..." Argent said, holding up a finger. "We don’t bet per round. We pick five stones each round, one at a time. Whoever gets more gems, or the higher total value, wins the pot."