---
Now that he had the system, Lin Fan naturally wasn't afraid of falling into their traps anymore.
He walked straight to the stall run by the vendor and the guide.
Putting on a visibly frustrated expression, Lin Fan said angrily,
"Boss, I want to buy more raw stones."
The fat, shifty-eyed stall owner looked at him and sneered,
"Sure, we have plenty of stones. But do you still have money to buy them? You know, the stones I sell aren't exactly cheap."
Looking at this shady man made Lin Fan want to punch him.
Without a word, Lin Fan pulled out a bank card and waved it in front of the man's face.
"Who are you looking down on? If you don't want to do business, I'll just go somewhere else."
He turned as if to leave.
At that moment, the nearby tour guide, who had overheard Lin Fan's words, perked up and glanced at the bank card in his hand. He quickly stepped forward with a "kind" smile.
"Mr. Lin, you've already lost money earlier. Gambling on raw stones is all about luck. You really shouldn't keep going."
Reverse psychology, huh? Trying to imply my luck's bad to push me into buying more? Fine. I'll play along.
"I don't believe I'll fail every time. If this guy doesn't want to sell, I'll just go elsewhere."
Seeing Lin Fan about to walk away, the guide started to panic.
"Sir, this boss is a friend of mine. He's just not great with words, don't take it personally. He's not refusing to sell, he's just concerned about you."
"If you really want to earn your money back, I suggest you buy here. Other places charge more, and the quality isn't even as good."
Hooked already? Lin Fan had no intention of leaving. He hadn't even begun teaching them a lesson yet.
"Alright then, since the guide says so, I'll buy here."
"But—I want cheaper raw stones."
The guide frowned slightly.
"Sir, the cheaper the stone, the lower the chance of finding jade. If you want to win your money back, I suggest choosing the higher-end ones."
Lin Fan shook his head, clearly uninterested.
He began to casually browse the raw stones.
"System, analyze the value of these stones!"
With a single thought, data instantly appeared above the raw stones.
---
[Name: New Pit Stone]
[Selling Price: 20,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 0 yuan]
---
[Name: Mountain Stone]
[Selling Price: 10,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 0 yuan]
---
Lin Fan looked over most of the stones at the stall. Nearly all of them were worthless junk—completely hollow.
Clearly, this was a scam stall.
But Lin Fan didn't worry. If he didn't find anything worthwhile, he'd just move on.
Just as he was about to shift his gaze elsewhere, a data line popped up over a stone tucked away in a dusty corner.
---
[Name: Black Stone]
[Selling Price: 10,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 100,000 yuan]
---
Lin Fan's expression didn't change, but his heart stirred.
The stall owner had been watching Lin Fan hesitate and feared he'd choose another dud.
If the customer got scammed again, he likely wouldn't return.
Trying to preempt this, the boss quickly brought over three raw stones he had previously prepared and laid them out in front of Lin Fan.
"Sir, these ones are just a few thousand yuan each—just like you wanted."
"Don't underestimate them because they're cheap. Sometimes the best jade is hidden in the plainest stones. Give them a try!"
As the man spoke, new data appeared before Lin Fan.
---
[Name: Water Half-Mountain Stone]
[Selling Price: 2,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 3,000 yuan]
Not bad. A profit of 1,000 yuan.
---
[Name: Frosted Stone]
[Selling Price: 3,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 3,500 yuan]
Decent. Another small profit.
---
[Name: Pit Stone]
[Selling Price: 5,000 yuan]
[Actual Value: 10,000 yuan]
A 5,000 yuan profit—clearly bait.
---
Lin Fan chuckled coldly inside. So that's the trick.
A classic scam—give a taste of success, then bait the real trap.
So many people fall for this—thinking they're lucky, only to be swindled even harder later.
Pretending to still be the dazed and naive original Lin Fan, he picked up the black stone and said casually,
"No, I think this one looks pretty good. I'll take this one."
The stall owner panicked.
I'm handing him free profit, and he doesn't want it? Instead, he chooses that worthless black lump?
He quickly tried to dissuade him.
"Young man, that stone is... a good one, sure, but it's quite pricey."
"It's 10,000 yuan. Why not take a closer look at these others?"
Lin Fan snorted, tossed the black stone aside carelessly, and turned to leave.
"10,000 yuan for a stone like that? Forget it. I'll check out the other stalls—maybe I'll find something better to win back my losses."
Now the boss was sweating.
He'd kept an eye on that black stone too. He couldn't see through it, which made it risky. If it actually held something valuable and he lost a willing customer, it'd be a big blow.
Desperate, he came up with an idea.
"Wait! Young man, the price is negotiable!"
He rushed out from behind the stall and grabbed Lin Fan's arm.
Lin Fan asked gruffly,
"Negotiate how?"
"Here's the deal. I'll sell you that black stone for 5,000 yuan—half price—but you also have to buy this one along with it."
Lin Fan glanced at the raw stone he was pointing to.
It was the same one listed at 5,000 yuan, worth 10,000 yuan.
Trying hard, aren't you? Lin Fan almost laughed.
Frowning, he asked,
"How much is that one then?"
"Not expensive, not expensive—just 5,000 yuan."
Lin Fan looked at the boss with mild irritation.
"So I'm still paying 10,000 yuan total? Forget it. That's too expensive."
The boss gritted his teeth.
"Alright, how about this—the black stone for 2,000 yuan, and the other one for 3,000 yuan. Deal?"
Lin Fan's voice was firm.
"5,000 yuan total. Not a cent more."
The stall owner gritted his teeth again.
"Fine. 5,000 yuan it is."
Though he felt a bit bitter inside, at least he managed to get Lin Fan to buy the stone he wanted to push.
---