"When I finished speaking, Mr. Wen said, 'What do you need me to do?'"
"I've invited you here precisely because I need your help. We're planning to close the net and lure the people I just mentioned here, intending to apprehend them on the spot."
"Certainly," Mr. Wen replied. "I despise drugs. I appreciate you both thinking of me and choosing my establishment. Please tell me how I can cooperate."
"You just need to operate as usual," I said. "All security and service personnel in the area where we'll be meeting will be replaced by police officers and our own people. You don't need to worry about anything else."
"Understood. I'll instruct the head of security to offer you his full cooperation."
"Excellent! We'll scout the location and report back to you later."
Mr. Wen pressed a button on the table, and the young woman who had initially shown us around entered. He asked her to take us to find a room.
As we followed the woman, she described the room layout and the surrounding environment.
The room itself wasn't as important as the surroundings.
"Let's take a look outside first," I said. "I want to see the situation outside."
The young woman nodded and led us out of the lobby. She looked at me expectantly, asking where I wanted to start.
"Let's go to the very back and work our way forward," I instructed.
"Very well," she replied, leading us along a cobblestone path inwards.
The courtyard was vast. On either side of the path were plants and flowers taller than a person, ideal for ambushing.
I realized how discerning Jing Lei's taste was. She had managed to read my mind; this was precisely the kind of place I had envisioned.
I took a liking to a house situated near a pathway. I asked the young woman if it was vacant. She confirmed it was, and I suggested we go inside.
What caught my eye was its window, which faced a large tree. The SWAT team could use the tree to breach the window.
I spent a long time conceiving this book. In 2010, I stayed in Tengchong for several months, and that's when my understanding of jade began.
Jade is exquisitely beautiful, captivating to the extreme. The Xiangxue Hotel where we stayed had a jade carving of over a ton in its lobby, a truly stunning and spectacular sight.
The jade ornaments in the exhibition hall were equally mesmerizing, drawing visitors into a world of unparalleled beauty.
It was then that I suddenly developed a fondness for jade. Whenever I had free time, I would visit the jade market, though most of the time I merely browsed and admired.
Occasionally, I would purchase a small item, just to get a feel for it.
Jade can be addictive, especially stone gambling. It truly is a path to poverty or riches, a gamble played out daily in the stone gambling city.
As described in the book, most stones don't yield great surprises. Even a hint of color is considered fortunate. Yet, people, driven by dreams of instant wealth, constantly seek the next opportunity.
I've written about the journey of a person striving in this industry. I hope readers will treat it simply as a story; if it offers any insight or help, I will be content.
The book has now been released. I began uploading chapters sequentially from the end of last month. Having met the requirements for release, I can now lock chapters. If you feel this book is still worth reading, I hope you'll spend a few thousand coins to support the author. I didn't realize how arduous writing a book could be; it requires immense effort and constant updates, creating considerable pressure.
At one point, I missed the last high-speed train of the day because I was writing. I had no choice but to forfeit my ticket and reschedule for the next day, which led to much criticism, with people saying I had become a bookworm.
While sitting in the waiting room, I somehow didn't hear the boarding announcement. By the time I realized it, the train was long gone.
There are many other interesting anecdotes from the writing process, which I will share gradually. In short, I sincerely hope for your support. Please leave more reviews; your encouragement is the sole motivation for me to continue writing.