The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 405

Chapter 405: Chapter 405 Her Winnings
The moment the third-floor assistant caught a glimpse of the imperial jade, he paused, blinking several times in disbelief. But no matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, his well-trained eye—sharpened from years of working in the pagoda—immediately recognized the unmistakable quality of the jade. He knew exactly what he was looking at.

He was stunned by the sight of not one, but two pieces of imperial jade. One of them had exceptional purity and was large enough to craft multiple accessories. If the people upstairs caught wind of this, there would undoubtedly be a scramble to acquire it for no less than $100 million—especially the piece with the highest purity and its mesmerizing cold luster.

Seeing her investment pay off, Hera smiled proudly, her eyes curving into crescents. Zhane, noticing her happiness, gently ruffled her hair. “You did a great job,” he said, his voice warm and full of pride. Hera returned his smile, sweet but with a subtle gleam of satisfaction.

“Ahem!” Liz cleared her throat, breaking the moment before it turned into a full-blown K-drama scene in front of her. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were an undercover expert blessing us with your presence,” she teased with a playful smile, shifting her attention back to the stone master at work.

“How do you know I’m not?” Hera teased with a sly smile.

Liz rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, please! I saw you casually picking stones like you were browsing for vegetables at a market!” she retorted. ‘As if anyone else could pull off what you just did,’ she thought, a mix of amusement and disbelief crossing her mind.

“Well, isn’t that the essence of stone betting? It’s just another form of gambling,” Hera chuckled. Deep down, she knew she couldn’t explain how she was so certain those stones had value. No one would believe her anyway, no matter how truthful she was.

The third-floor assistant gaped like a fish out of water, staring at the opened stones in disbelief. Meanwhile, the second-floor assistant, who had been helping Hera, was equally speechless. He turned to his colleague, eyes wide, and she simply nodded in silent confirmation, sharing his astonishment.

Even she could hardly believe it, even though she had witnessed the entire process firsthand. After all, she had been just a step behind Hera and Zhane while they were making their selections.

After confirming they would need to wait a bit longer for the stone master to finish with her purchases, Hera, Zhane, and the third-floor assistant headed to the back of the pagoda. There, her massive boulder awaited, along with her other acquisitions neatly stacked together.

As she approached, the group from the third floor descended, chatting excitedly about the highlight of the auction. It seemed they were also heading down to reveal their stone in front of everyone.

These individuals had their own machinery and studios, yet they chose to open the stones publicly. This was more about flaunting their success and sparking envy among their rivals, a subtle way to show off their impressive finds.

Hera had no interest in joining their display of grandeur. Instead, she quickened her pace, hoping to find a less conspicuous spot to open her purchases. Upon reaching the shed with the machinery, she found three large machines and four smaller ones.

The third-floor assistant urged her to select a machine for her stones. Hera chose one on the left side, where she could work privately. She first requested to open the smaller stone—though she referred to it as such, it was still as large as a basketball or perhaps even bigger, especially compared to the stones she had purchased on the second floor.

When the other people arrived, Hera was already preparing to open her purchases. They barely glanced her way, dismissing her as just another wealthy novice hoping to strike it rich with the stones. Unconcerned with her, they moved on to the remaining available machines to unveil their own finds.

Hera was pleased to be left undisturbed, but Zhane’s brows furrowed in annoyance at the way people were dismissing her. Seeing Hera’s calm response, he chose to stay silent as well. Both of them watched as the stone master meticulously marked the stone before beginning the process of opening it.

Hera didn’t have to wait long. The stone master first opened the smaller stone, revealing a vibrant green jadeite. He then moved on to the second stone, which unveiled a stunning blue jade. Despite its name, the blue jade was actually a soft pastel blend of opaque and translucent shades of light green and blue.

The stone master’s amazement grew as he examined the stones. Both were substantial blocks of jade with exceptional purity, sure to fetch a high price. His gaze shifted to Hera, whose childlike joy was palpable. This made him regard her with newfound respect and curiosity.

The stone master then called for a forklift driver to help lift the massive boulder onto the machine for opening. Meanwhile, the other side of the shed buzzed with excitement and admiration for the stones being revealed. As the commotion around Hera’s side grew, curious glances began to shift in her direction, drawn by the unexpected spectacle unfolding there.

However, the crowd’s attention to Hera’s side was brief. Liz took the opportunity to slip over to her father. “Dad, did you get a chance to open your stone yet? If not, come with me. Sister Hera’s jade pieces turned out exceptionally well—they’re perfect for our upcoming collection!” Liz urged, her voice betraying her excitement despite her attempt to keep it composed.

“How impressive could her finds really be?” her father said dismissively, his attention still focused on the highlight of the auction. He hadn’t secured the stone himself; his rival had won it with a bid of $22 million, $2 million more than his own.

Seeing her father remain unmoved, Liz grew flustered and uneasy. She was convinced that Hera’s finds might surpass even the highlight of the auction. Having seen the quality of the stones herself, she believed the boulder would reveal something impressive as well. Reluctantly leaving her stubborn father, Liz returned to Hera’s side, just in time to see the stone master begin opening the massive boulder.

Liz and the third-floor assistant watched with a mix of anticipation and anxiety as the stone master revealed the contents of the boulder. The suspense quickly faded when a vivid green imperial jade emerged.

Despite the thick five-inch layer of stone obscuring it, the bright green jade inside was strikingly beautiful and certain to command the highest price of the auction.

Liz recalled that such exceptional quality of imperial jade had been last seen a century ago, with similar pieces fetching around $100 million for a single bracelet or even higher.

Liz gasped, but her reaction was quickly drowned out by the collective shock from the other side of the shed.

Amidst the murmurs, a desperate cry rang out: “No! It can’t be!” Hera and the stone master, absorbed in their own world and thrilled by the jade they were uncovering, remained unaware of the uproar.

The stonemaster focused on meticulously opening and cleaning the boulder, preparing it for the buyer’s assessment and eventual use.