Before she could speak, Liu Xu laughed, "I'm only teasing you. What kind of danger could there be in broad daylight? I know a place where there are tons of raw gemstones, and people go there every day to gamble on stones."
Her tone grew slightly mysterious. "That place... is known as the Ghost Market. But it’s a bit of a drive, so hold on tight!"
The location was in the western suburbs, converted from an abandoned old marketplace. The raw stone trading took place in the second basement level. When they arrived, the place was already bustling.
Dozens of stalls were arranged in a circle, each illuminated by a miner's lamp wrapped in red silk.
The sounds of cutting and shouting were constant, dust filled the air, and the mixture of foul odors created an intense, oppressive atmosphere.
It was no wonder it was called the Ghost Market; this was no place for ordinary people!
Su Rong and Liu Xu put on their masks and circled the stalls several times.
Liu Xu felt dizzy and stifled. "Well? Did you see anything you liked?"
Su Rong shook her head. She circled the stalls once more, her gaze resting on a rough, unpolished stone in the far corner of stall number two. "That’s the one."
Liu Xu covered her nose, the pungent smell making her feel a bit nauseous. "You want this piece of junk?"
"I have to take a gamble." Su Rong called over the stall owner. "I want this one. How much?"
This type of raw stone was covered in a crusty rind; its interior was a complete mystery, making it a high-risk but low-cost investment.
Although she was wearing a mask, the stall owner, who had a green dragon tattooed on his arm, saw at a glance that she was just a young girl.
"Are you sure you want this one? Little girl, we have a rule here: once the money is paid and the goods are delivered, there are no refunds or exchanges."
Su Rong nodded. "I understand. Tell me, how much?"
The stall owner, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, said, "How about this: one flat price, 100,000. Consider it us making friends."
Liu Xu’s eyes widened suddenly. "100,000 for this piece of junk? Is this a rip-off joint?"
The stall owner chuckled. "This is called a black market—didn't you know?"
Su Rong thought for a moment. "50,000."
The stall owner said, "If you find jade inside, you pay me an extra 100,000. How about that?"
Su Rong’s tone was firm. "One flat price: 50,000. Are you selling or not?"
The stall owner wore an inscrutable smile. "Seeing as you're a young girl, I'll take a loss and sell it to you. Come back and play again next time. Pay first, then we’ll cut it."
Su Rong scanned the QR code and transferred the 50,000 via WeChat.
Hearing that a young girl had bought a raw stone, quite a few people gathered around to watch the spectacle. They were laughing at what could possibly come out of such a rock, and some even whispered that the owner was being dishonest, charging a girl 50,000 for a piece of trash.
The stall owner let out a few cold laughs—didn't they know what a black market was? He grabbed the stone and handed it to the master craftsman nearby.
The moment the saw of the stone-cutting machine bit into the rind, Su Rong’s heart began to race. Facing the crowd of onlookers, she suddenly shouted, "Wait!"
The master craftsman was stunned. "What’s wrong?"
Su Rong quickly said, "Master, please turn off the machine. I’ll take it back and have someone else cut it."
This place was filled with all sorts of people. If she truly found a treasure, she would definitely become a target. It was better to keep a low profile.
The stall owner put the raw stone in a bag and handed it to her. "Do you want to see anything else? My stall has produced sky-high-priced gemstones before."
Su Rong shook her head and continued to wander. She wasn't one hundred percent certain this stone would yield a gem; buying a few more would give her better odds.
She bought two more. Including the first one, she had spent a total of 200,000. She was determined to use this money to place her bet.
Liu Xu needed to use the restroom. Su Rong, clutching the three stones, accompanied her for quite a while before they found the facilities. "You go ahead, I'll wait outside for you."
"It reeks! If I weren't absolutely desperate, I wouldn't be using this. I might be a while, so be patient, okay?" Liu Xu chattered as she went into the restroom.
The lighting here was dim, and there were several small, partitioned rooms nearby. It was gloomy and chilly.
Su Rong stood there for a while before suddenly sensing someone approaching from behind. She whipped around, but before she could react, a heavy blow struck her shoulder...
When Liu Xu stepped out of the restroom, the area outside was empty. Su Rong had vanished. She walked along, calling out, "Su Rong... Rongrong..."
But there was no response.
Liu Xu hurriedly pulled out her phone, but since they were in the basement, there was almost no signal. Panicked, she ran back to the stalls, asking anyone she saw, "Have you seen my friend? The one who came with me?"
Everyone else was busy picking out stones; no one had noticed anyone missing. Besides, with so many people, who would know who her friend was?
Liu Xu thought, *Did Su Rong leave first? Maybe she found the place too damp and foul-smelling?*
She ran back up to street level and took a few breaths. Her phone caught a signal, but she dialed Su Rong’s number several times, and it wouldn't go through.
Liu Xu was frantic. She knew Su Rong; Su Rong would never leave her behind. Unless something unforeseen had happened, Su Rong must have met with trouble. She ran back into the market area, circling several times and even searching the rooms near the restroom.
Some of these rooms were unlocked, others were bolted shut. She hammered on the doors, but there was no reply.
Liu Xu, gasping for breath, returned to street level. Her first thought was to contact Su Heng, but she reconsidered; the Su family didn't think much of Su Rong lately.
She looked up the front desk number for the Shengshi Group online and asked them to transfer her to Leng Xiao. Sometimes, outsiders were more reliable.
Fortunately, Leng Xiao was at the office and took her call. Liu Xu hurriedly explained the situation and requested support. After all, Su Rong had come to the black market specifically to find a gift for Sheng Qiye.
Leng Xiao told her not to worry and that he would get back to her. After hanging up, he reported to Sheng Qiye.
"Sir, Su Rong is missing. Based on what Liu Xu said, she seems to think you might know the Divine Doctor Hua, and she went to the black market to buy stones so she could have a decent gift to ask for your help..."
Sheng Qiye’s brow furrowed. How did Su Rong know he knew the Divine Doctor Hua? He didn't like being emotionally blackmailed. "If she’s missing, call the police. We aren't the police station; we aren't responsible for finding people."
Leng Xiao took out his phone. "Understood. I’ll call Liu Xu back."
"Forget it. Tell Liu Xu we’re on our way." Sheng Qiye stood up, muttering, "What is a young girl doing running around a black market?"
Once in the car, Sheng Qiye added, "Arrange for more people to go look for her. Pull the surrounding surveillance footage. If necessary, report it to the police."
Su Rong woke up feeling groggy. It was pitch black all around her. She took off her mask to catch her breath, then stood up in terror, reaching out to feel her surroundings.
The space was tiny. There were some dilapidated tables and chairs nearby, coated in a thick layer of dust; it seemed no one had been here for a long time.
*Wait, where is this? Am I still in the black market? Or somewhere else?*
*Who did this? Why lock me up?*
She stepped on some stones on the floor—three of them, the ones she had just bought. This meant the perpetrator didn't do it to steal her gemstones. So, why?
Su Rong had always suffered from severe claustrophobia. She was overcome with deep dread; her chest felt tight, and she felt as if she were suffocating. In a panic, she found the door and pounded on it hard.
"Open the door! Let me out! Let me out! Liu Xu, Liu Xu, where are you?"
After calling for a long time without any reply, she felt she couldn't hold on any longer. Cold sweat drenched her body, and her hands and feet trembled uncontrollably.