Unrivaled Soldier in the City

Chapter 616: Picking Up a Jade Pendant

"Hey, young man, haven’t you found anything you like? I’ve got some great items over here. Care to take a look?" A man in his thirties with a shrewd look that marked him as an experienced merchant suddenly appeared beside Lin Kuang.

Lin Kuang paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "If you really have good items, of course I’ll take a look."

"Great! Please follow me. We definitely have good stuff here," the man said, leaning in mysteriously. "Young man, it seems you don’t know that the main Antique Street is just for show. The real treasures are hidden in the inner alleys."

"Oh? There are inner alleys?" Lin Kuang asked with some surprise. This was news to him.

"Of course. Please, come with me," the man said with a wide smile as he led the way.

His curiosity piqued, Lin Kuang followed. They skirted the main Antique Street and, sure enough, found a more secluded alleyway behind it. The lane was lined with small, old-fashioned shops. There weren’t many pedestrians, and it was much quieter, lacking the noisy bustle of the main street.

"Young man, not just anyone can enter this inner alley. You need a certain status to get in," the man explained with a knowing smile.

"Oh? Then why did you bring me in? Do you think I’m someone with status?" Lin Kuang asked, giving the man a half-smile.

"Of course. Though I’m just an employee, I’m very confident in my eye for people," the man said proudly.

Lin Kuang nodded. The man’s shrewdness did suggest he had a sharp eye. With that thought, he continued to follow him deeper into the alley until the man stopped in front of a rather old-looking antique shop.

"Please, come in, young man. This is our boss’s shop. Take a look inside," the man said with a smile, gesturing from the entrance.

Lin Kuang nodded and stepped into the old antique shop. It wasn’t large, only about ten square meters. To his left and right were display cases filled with all sorts of items. Behind the counters stood two rows of wooden shelves, also displaying various objects that appeared to be of good quality.

He looked around carefully and nodded in satisfaction. The items here were indeed a notch above those outside. Of course, the prices were much higher, and most pieces were of fine quality. As he browsed, his gaze suddenly fell upon a Buddha pendant only the size of a coin. It had a very mottled, impure look and was tossed in a corner, looking utterly unremarkable. Ordinarily, Lin Kuang wouldn’t have given such a pendant a second glance, but this one seemed to be emanating a faint aura. He couldn’t identify the aura, but he had a feeling the pendant was no ordinary item.

The shop’s owner was quietly observing Lin Kuang. When he saw Lin Kuang’s gaze settle on the corner, the owner followed his line of sight. However, he didn’t see the pendant. Instead, his eyes landed on a jade thumb ring next to it, which was glittering and translucent—a fine piece in its own right.

"Good eye, sir. This jade thumb ring is one of the best items in our shop," the owner said, readily taking it out.

Seeing this, something stirred in Lin Kuang, but he maintained a calm façade and reached out for the item. The jade thumb ring was cool to the touch. Although it was crystal clear, its interior had some impurities, so it wasn’t considered High Grade—just decent.

"Not bad. How much for this thumb ring?" Lin Kuang asked with a smile.

"Not much, not much. One hundred and eighty thousand," the shop owner replied with a smile, his honest expression quite beguiling.

Lin Kuang shook his head and chuckled. "Boss, that price is too high. This thumb ring is worth 60,000 at most."

"No, no, sir, your offer is too low! The quality and craftsmanship of this thumb ring are perfect. It’s worth at least 150,000," the owner said quickly.

"Boss, let’s not play games. Sixty thousand is already a generous price for this thumb ring. If you’re looking to get rich in one go, I’m afraid you’ve found the wrong person," Lin Kuang said, his smile unwavering.

Upon hearing this, the shop owner sighed to himself. It seems I’ve run into an expert. Indeed, 60,000 was a very good price for him, as he would still make a decent profit. "Alright then. Sir, you truly have a keen eye. Sixty thousand it is. Deal," the owner said readily.

"Alright," Lin Kuang said, then feigned curiosity. "Hmm? What’s that?" He glanced at the mottled Buddha pendant.

The owner retrieved it from inside the display case and tossed it onto the counter. "If you like it, sir, consider it a gift."

I thought I’d have to work for it, but I didn’t expect the owner to be so generous, Lin Kuang mused.

"Well then, I’ll take you up on that offer," he said with a laugh. "Please wrap up both of these for me. I’ll take them."

The owner nodded in satisfaction and packaged the items. In turn, Lin Kuang paid him the 60,000 yuan.

"Young man, would you like to pick out anything else?" the owner asked with a smile.

"No, thank you. I don’t see anything else that interests me here. I think I’ll look around at other shops," Lin Kuang replied with a smile.

"That works too. Go have a look around. You’re welcome back anytime," the owner said cheerfully.

Lin Kuang nodded, then left the shop and continued to browse the alley. Sure enough, he found another great item: a second Buddha pendant. This one was emerald green and seemingly flawless, on par with the one he had just acquired. Of course, this pendant was expensive, priced at three million yuan, non-negotiable. With no other choice, Lin Kuang bought it with a pained expression. Inwardly, though, he was ecstatic. Outside, you couldn’t buy this pendant for less than tens of millions!

This wasn’t to say the shopkeeper was oblivious to its worth. After all, everyone misjudges an item now and then. This is how bargain hunters find treasures, and it was exactly what Lin Kuang was doing at that moment.

Looking at the three items in his hands, Lin Kuang felt very pleased. One for Lin Guo’er, one for the little Witch... As for the thumb ring, I’ll just keep it as a collector’s item. That should be enough. Time to go. With that thought, he turned to leave.

As he was walking, Lin Kuang suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at a shop. Of course, it wasn’t the shop that had caught his attention, but the Western beauty inside. Coincidentally, he knew her. It was Britney, the same woman who had raced him on the highway.