"Young master, this—" Ottep's voice echoed behind him. "I think we should go."
"Shhh…" Matthew simply shrugged. He came here to spend money. He didn't care if he lost all the tens million that he had. He cared more about the connections he would gain from being recognized as a VIP member of this place.
"I skipped this place because it was too small, not knowing that this is where one would easily become a VIP client," he mumbled to himself. "Even in his death, he never understood why this store is special."
In his past life, Lenox took this path to have more connections in the underworld. Matthew supported Lenox throughout his plans and watched him become the king of the underworld. This isn't going to happen in this lifetime.
"This is the last one… if you still lose, you will have to pay me a million! Are you ready?" The one who asked was another random customer who thought it would be fun to gamble against Matthew— a newbie.
"Go on," Matthew smiled. In fact, this was not the first million that he had already lost.
Yes. He had been losing millions since he came into this place. The young Matthew would have cared about this amount of money. After all, this was part of his annual allowance that his father sent him. But this was all worth it, he thought inwardly. This place was simply worth it!
The store clerk placed the stone on the cutting table. It was round, almost like a melon, with a faint white line running diagonally across its surface. Someone nearby whistled.
"Looks like a sleeper," the customer beside Matthew said. "Could be something. Could be nothing."
The cutter didn't hesitate. The rotary tool hit the surface with a shrill whir. White dust flew as the outer layer peeled away.
Seconds later, silence wrapped around the area.
Nothing inside. Just gray, useless stone.
"Another dud," the cutter announced, lifting the chunk for everyone to see.
Matthew nodded and handed over the slip. "That's one million."
The man who bet against him grinned. "You sure know how to burn money."
Matthew only sighed inwardly. They let him win once just to keep him and now, he lost another three million.
Still, he smiled and stood casually, brushing stone dust from his jacket. He didn't even look at the rock again.
"Wanna go for another round?" the same man asked, grinning. "We've got a fresh batch coming in."
Before Matthew could answer, a middle-aged man from the side stepped closer. He wore a simple shirt and looked like he'd been around this hall for years.
"Young master," the man said. "Don't take it the wrong way, but this place? It's a quagmire. The more you bet, the deeper you sink. You're young. I'm guessing this is your first time?"
"Mind your own business!" the man who had been gambling with Matthew hissed. "Go somewhere else! If you have no money then this place isn't for you! This young master wanted to have fun. Who are you to judge, huh?"
Ottep glanced over, but Matthew didn't respond right away. He took a moment, then looked at the man and smiled faintly.
"Thank you for your concern," he said, brushing past. "But I like sinking."
He turned to the store owner. "Bring out another batch." He is almost there, Matthew thought. Soon, the store owner would ask him to become a VIP.
The owner's assistant quickly rolled out a cart. This time, the stones were different—slightly shinier, darker in hue, and cleaner around the edges. Five in total, laid in neat rows on black velvet.
"These," the owner said, stepping forward. "Are from our verified tier-three quarry in Myanmar. Real premium stuff. Process this set, and we'll start your membership—VIP, entry-level. You can process it after this game."
"VIP membership!?" one of the onlookers gasped. "No way! I thought they stopped giving those out!"
"Oh! I heard it's random now. Each store gets a chance to pick someone to become a VIP. Looks like it's this store's turn," another added.
"Man… what a lucky punk!"
"If I'd known, I would've gambled all my money here!"
However, Matthew gave a lazy nod as if he didn't just hear these words. "Sure. That's fine, whatever."
He didn't miss the flicker of amusement on the owner's face. His lips twitched slightly before he turned around to handle the paperwork.
Matthew glanced around. The same looks followed him. These people must be thinking he was just another spoiled heir blowing daddy's money.
They really think I don't see it, he thought. They let me win once—to pull me in. Every other batch since? All duds. They have a system here. Some scanners, maybe light refraction tricks. It's not pure luck.
He kept his expression loose, shoulders relaxed. Pulling a chair closer, he sat down and motioned to the cutter.
Lenox had once told him that store owners could personally grant memberships if they believed a customer was young and impressionable.
Their goal was to make guests spend more and keep coming back. So, they did everything they could to entertain and hook younger clients.
"Start with the middle one," Matthew said, pointing before he yawned. "Let's see if it's worth the show."
A voice piped up behind him as the cutter moved. "Look at him. Doesn't even know he's being milked dry."
Matthew turned his head slightly. A tall man in a silver half-mask leaned against one of the stone crates. The voice was unfamiliar, but the attitude wasn't. A few people around them paused, listening.
The man chuckled. "I've seen it before. Fresh kid walks in, spends a few million thinking he's on top of the world. Store gives him a sparkle or two and calls him a 'VIP.' Ten days later, his name's on a blacklist."
One of the bystanders nodded. "Yeah, they do that. Hook you with a win, then bleed you until you're dry."
Ottep took a step forward, but Matthew held out a hand to stop him.
Another masked customer nearby added, "Can't blame him, though. Some people like paying tuition to learn their place."
That got a couple of quiet laughs.
Matthew said nothing. He just looked at the speaker, then slowly turned back toward the cutter.
The machine spun up again, and more people gathered to watch. Matthew leaned back slightly and crossed one leg over the other.
The machine buzzed again, carving into the middle stone just as Matthew instructed. The crowd leaned in.
A sliver of deep green shimmered under the dust.
"Emerald," someone whispered.
The cutter slowed down, brushing away the powder. When he cracked the stone in half, a vibrant core of polished green was revealed. It wasn't massive, but it was clean—almost flawless.
"High-grade," the cutter said. "Estimated value: one point two million."
A few murmurs rose. Someone even clapped softly. The man who'd bet against him just laughed and shook his head. "Guess your luck turned, huh?"
"I won!" Matthew yelled. As expected. They let him win again—after taking about seven million. This was a familiar pattern. Enough loss to bait pride, enough gain to string him along.
The store manager approached quickly. "Congratulations, young master! That puts you officially past the five-million threshold. Shall we continue with the next?"
Matthew stood and stretched his arms. "Actually, let's pause here. I'd like to process my membership first."
The manager blinked. "Now?"
Matthew smiled faintly. "If I stay longer, my father might kill me."
The manager laughed and nodded. "Of course, of course. You're still in school, I understand." He motioned to a nearby staff member. "Let's take care of his registration."
He turned back to Matthew as they started walking. "As a new VIP member, you qualify for several perks. First, you'll receive invitations to our monthly auctions—strictly members only. Second, you'll be eligible to attend private events hosted by high-end clients. We're talking politicians, billionaires, board directors. And third…"
He paused slightly, then lowered his voice. "You can hire the company. For anything."
Matthew raised a brow. "Anything?"
The man nodded. "Anything. Discreetly. Efficiently."
They reached the side hallway, where a scanner stood at the end of a long marble desk. Two staff members waited with a small metal case.
"Now, of course, all members need to meet the baseline requirement: you've already spent over five million, so you qualify there. The second requirement is a twenty-million deposit. We don't take it away but we keep your card like a deposit. The money stays on your card, accessible at any time. Think of it as a financial tether in case you needed more."
Matthew didn't hesitate. He reached into his jacket and handed over another card. "Load it."
Behind him, Ottep stepped forward. "Young master—"
Matthew turned slightly and gestured to zip it. Ottep closed his mouth.
It didn't take long. The staff confirmed the amount and slid a black-and-gold card into a sleek reader. Then they opened a side panel on the desk and scanned Matthew's right index finger.
"This card is now linked to your ID and biometrics," the manager explained. "It works like a keycard. Grants access to restricted areas, including high-level bidding rooms, private vaults, and the members' lounge."
Matthew took the card. It was heavier than it looked.
"One last thing," the manager said. "As a welcome, we allow every new member to select one stone from the private vault. Just one. You can open it here or take it with you. Completely up to you."
Matthew nodded once. His first objective had been completed. Now, he could finally go back home and enjoy some steak. "Lead the way."