?Chapter 1706:


    “Shirie. Do you have more at home? Bring them all out; I’ll take a look,” Dustin replied, grinning.


    The stone wasn’t very big, about the size of a basketball, but it had potential. Its coarse surface was partially polished, revealing a faint, lustrous green beneath.


    Dustin sat down on a wooden bench by the roadside, turning the stone over in his hands. He tilted it toward the sunlight, then switched on a shlight to peer deeper into the texture. His pulse quickened; it looked like a very good piece of jade.


    He then passed it to Sergio for a second opinion, keeping his expression carefully neutral.


    After all, thest thing he wanted was for the man to realize the stone’s true worth and consider his offer low.


    Unlike Ethan, he was here to make money.


    “I’ll give you twelve thousand for this one. How does that sound?” he asked.


    The man’s eyes went wide, stunned by the number. “How much? Can you repeat that?” he asked in disbelief.


    Dustin mistook the reaction for dissatisfaction, thinking the man might be holding out for more, so he firmly repeated, “Twelve thousand. That’s my final offer—it’s already a good price.”


    One of the nearby vigers with three stones nudged the man, Adair Ortega, with a smile. “Take it, Adair! That’s a great deal—he’s not trying to trick you or anything!”


    Encouraged, Adair nodded. “Alright, deal.”


    The others didn’t voice it, but everyone remembered how Baylor had once examined the same stone and dismissed it as junk, refusing to pay more than ten dors.


    Back then, Adair had walked away with the stone in fury.


    He was poor, but he wasn’t stupid—Brindleton’s soil was full of stones, and he had learned enough to tell that some had real value. This stone might not make him rich, but it was definitely worth far more than ten dors, so he had refused to sell it to Baylor.


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    Baylor hade to him again several times, asking him to sell it, but he had driven him off.


    Now, he eagerly held out another stone. “Sir, take a look at this one, too! I’m willing to sell this one as well.”


    Dustin examined it closely, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Coming here had been the right move—he could already see the potential for profit in every find. “This one is jadeite,” he said after a pause. “The quality is good. I’ll pay thirteen thousand for it. Do you have more?”


    Adair’s excitement burst through. Finally, someone honest! Other buyers had treated the vigers here like fools, tossing out offers of eight or ten bucks for stones worth far more. “Wait right here—I’ve got a big one at home!” he said, rushing off.


    Seeing that, the other vigers eagerly stepped forward, thrusting their stones toward Dustin for appraisal.


    Adair soon came trundling over with a cart brimming with stones, ranging from pebbles to boulders, thergest of which rose to knee height.


    Years ago, Baylor had dangled fifty bucks in front of him for that very stone, but he wouldn’t budge. Baylor had kept circling back, sweetening the pot by twenty each time, yet he remained firm.


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