If the jade industry in Jiangzhou City were a martial arts world, Wang Zhuo's Shengshi Dynasty would be the rising Ming Cult, while the established veterans would be Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, and the Five Mountains Sects.

In The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, there is a pivotal scene where the Six Major Sects besiege Guangming Ding, which indirectly proves that the Ming Cult's strength had reached a level requiring a united front of established sects to oppose it.

And Shengshi Dynasty, established for less than a year, already possessed the clout to challenge the entire industry. A few jewelry companies trying to compete directly with Shengshi Dynasty would hardly merit a second glance from them.

That is why Liu Zhen of Huatai Jewelry, Luo Lan of Shunfeng Jewelry, and Zong Xuefeng of Moke Ju, along with Jing Yunquan, all came together to keep Wang Zhuo in check, aiming to suppress Wang Zhuo's burgeoning arrogance through sheer numbers.

Yet, Wang Zhuo merely offered them a simple handshake, then turned to discuss fruit juices with the young companion beside him, neither offering an introduction nor making any other overture.

He simply left them hanging!

Zong Xuefeng immediately grew furious. Liu Zhen, whose composure was deeper, managed to suppress the rising displeasure, but Jing Yunquan maintained his nonchalant demeanor. He had known before arriving that Wang Zhuo was not easy to deal with, and furthermore, Wang Zhuo’s standing was equal to that of his own father; it was entirely normal for Wang Zhuo not to hold these people in high regard.

As for Luo Lan, the only woman among the four, her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. When Wang Zhuo shook her hand just now, he seemed to linger an extra moment looking at her 'Haimimi.'

It must be remembered that Luo Lan was the legendary G-cup; although slightly plump overall, those massive 'Haimimi' were enough to compensate for any deficiency elsewhere. Just the deep cleavage, like a cross-harbor tunnel, had already driven countless male creatures to distraction. Seeing Wang Zhuo gaze upon her proudest assets, she immediately began to speculate whether he intended to pursue something intimate with her.

In truth, Luo Lan was not a simple flirt; it was just that Wang Zhuo’s name had recently been repeated so often her ears were raw. Seeing this legendary, almost mythical figure seemingly show a hint of romantic interest in her, she inevitably began to entertain some fantasies...

"Oh, right!"

It was Liu Zhen who finally broke the awkward silence. He smiled and said, "Boss Wang, I heard your stone gambling skills in Jiangzhou are second to none. This evening's banquet includes a casual stone gambling competition; I wonder if you'd be interested in participating?" As he spoke, he inwardly sneered, President Jing has already made arrangements; even if you don't want to join, there are plenty of ways to make you.

"Second to none?" Wang Zhuo scoffed, shaking his head. "Jiangzhou is a place where tigers hide and dragons lurk. Who dares claim to have no rivals in an entire industry? Who is so bored as to spread rumors about me? Siyuan, what do you call this?"

"Brother Wang Zhuo, this is called 'killing with praise,'" Siyuan immediately retorted, "The higher you're lifted, the harder you fall. I think the rumor-monger has malicious intent!"

With Siyuan's emotional quotient, she couldn't analyze such a complex issue, but Wang Zhuo had considered many things carefully before coming, and 'killing with praise' was one of them. He had specifically explained it to Siyuan in detail, never expecting it to be useful so soon.

Being called 'malicious' by an underage girl, Liu Zhen looked rather chagrined, unsure how to respond.

"Boss Wang, then are you interested in joining the stone gambling competition?" Luo Lan asked with a gentle smile. "The first prize is a seven-day trip for two to the Maldives—while not extremely valuable, it holds significant meaning."

Siyuan tugged at Wang Zhuo’s sleeve. When he bent down, she whispered close to his ear, "Brother Wang Zhuo, show them what you've got, and take me to that Maldives place."

The warm breath exhaled by the girl tickled Wang Zhuo's ear, reminding him of the intoxicating feeling such warmth had once given him. He smiled and nodded.

Straightening up, he smiled back at Luo Lan and replied, "Siyuan says she wants to go to the Maldives, so I will enter the competition."

What an arrogant reply! Jing Yunquan, Zong Xuefeng, Liu Zhen, and Luo Lan were all inexplicably stunned. They had expected Wang Zhuo, even if he agreed, to offer a humble remark like, 'It's about participation,' but instead, his tone was boundless, aiming straight for first place!

"You all carry on chatting; Siyuan and I will wander over there," Wang Zhuo said with a faint smile, raising his glass in salute, and then turned to leave.

A moment later, Zong Xuefeng quietly cursed, "Damn it, this guy is too arrogant!" "He got lucky with a jade watermelon and now doesn't know his own name." Liu Zhen's expression quickly shifted to one of cold disdain: "He just has better publicity skills. In reality, those were just two ordinary high-quality pieces."

Zong Xuefeng immediately chimed in, "Exactly! At most, they're worth twenty million. They dare to hype it up to two billion? Bah!" "Being good at promotion is also a skill," Jing Yunquan looked at them and stated calmly. "This entire industry is built on hype. If you rely on it to make money, so can he."

"That’s true..." Liu Zhen nodded with a wry smile. "We just can't stand him disrupting the market while acting so arrogantly."

"But he has the capital to be arrogant," Luo Lan, who hadn't spoken, suddenly let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "To be able to turn two jade watermelons into a listed company, and now to control the country's most promising mining enterprise—that speed of snowballing is faster than printing money. Who can compare?"

When she finished speaking, no one else said anything. It was obvious that the game Wang Zhuo was playing was on an entirely different level from theirs. Even if Wang Zhuo was just the visible representative for some interest group, so what? They still couldn't compete with him.

After Jia Weimin gave his opening speech, the cold buffet officially began. Wang Zhuo and Siyuan’s juice was replaced with red wine—the only alcoholic beverage Wang Zhuo was currently permitted to drink, and even that was rationed, no more than 250 milliliters at a time.

Siyuan was very interested in the desserts and preserved meats, quickly filling her plate. Wang Zhuo, however, heaped his plate with seafood and ordered two bowls of bird's nest soup.

"This is abalone? Why does it taste like Spam to me."

As Siyuan was merrily commenting on Wang Zhuo's seafood, calling it "Spam," Wang Zhuo winked suggestively at her. Coincidentally, several bothersome people carrying plates walked over at that moment.

A round table could seat eight to ten people. Besides Wang Zhuo and Siyuan, there was a middle-aged couple already seated at their table. These people Siyuan considered nuisances sat down, and the table was nearly full.

After sitting down, an elderly man, about sixty years old, sitting diagonally opposite Wang Zhuo, smiled at him and said, "Mr. Wang, let me introduce you to some friends."

Wang Zhuo smiled and nodded at him, putting down his knife and fork and wiping his mouth with a napkin.

They were clearly plotting against each other, yet still smiling so sincerely... Siyuan muttered to herself, finding the world of men incomprehensible.

The speaker was Jing Tianhui, the Vice President of the Collectors Association. His status within the association was nearly equal to Jia Weimin's, though his prestige was slightly lower; however, his capabilities and connections were somewhat superior.

"This is Deputy Director Li Jinjiang of the Municipal State Taxation Bureau," Jing Tianhui first introduced a middle-aged man, around forty, standing next to him, to Wang Zhuo.

Someone from the Tax Bureau, attending this kind of gathering? Wang Zhuo's mind shifted. He subtly lifted his posterior slightly, leaned in, and shook Li Jinjiang's hand.

He couldn't help but harbor suspicion: was Elder Jing using the power of the Taxation Bureau to put pressure on his Shengshi Dynasty?

As expected, Deputy Director Li opened with a cheerful smile, "I hear Mr. Wang's Shengshi Dynasty has been doing very well recently. It seems this year's financial reports will show excellent performance."

In business, there's no one who doesn't evade taxes! Especially among collectors, private transactions were practically routine. Imagine having to pay millions in tax for selling one treasure—who would be willing? Thus, the Tax Bureau was the most despised department in this field, no exceptions!

Even the Tax Bureau was invited; it seemed Jing Tianhui had put in considerable effort... Wang Zhuo, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, replied to Deputy Director Li, "I don't understand financial reports. However, Director He Wei of your bureau shows quite a lot of care for our group and frequently inquires about our operations."

The others present heard this and realized the man wasn't taking Li Jinjiang seriously at all; he immediately brought out the name of the bureau director to exert pressure!

Li Jinjiang immediately looked embarrassed. He knew the relationship between Shengshi Dynasty and his boss, He Wei, very well. His purpose in coming here was actually just to assist Jing Tianhui and speak favorably to Wang Zhuo, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he had caused a misunderstanding with Wang Zhuo and was immediately met with a hard block!

In truth, it wasn't entirely Li Jinjiang's fault. How many businessmen dared to be disrespectful to someone from the Tax Bureau? Having been in that position for a long time, he naturally developed a sense of superiority, making him less reverent towards those he governed, sometimes even bossy—a common occupational hazard for many civil servants. That’s why, as soon as he spoke, he unconsciously said the wrong thing and angered Wang Zhuo.

Of the people present, only Siyuan couldn't follow the subtle jabs in their conversation. The couple who were already seated, seeing the atmosphere beginning to turn sour, picked up their plates and left.

"By the way, President Jing," Wang Zhuo stopped paying attention to Li Jinjiang and smiled at Jing Tianhui, "From now on, just call me Wang Zhuo. Being called Mr. Wang, Chairman Wang, Boss Wang by everyone today is making my head spin."

"Alright," Jing Tianhui gave a slightly strained smile. Wang Zhuo's display of dominance exceeded his expectations, and he was already beginning to regret inviting Li Jinjiang for backup.

It seemed this Wang Zhuo only responded to soft tactics, not hard ones... Jing Tianhui thought rapidly, adjusting his strategy.

The other leaders at the table were the key figures in Jiangzhou City's jewelry industry. They had initially intended to unite to apply pressure on Wang Zhuo and conduct a "friendly negotiation" to force Shengshi Dynasty to lower its prices. But seeing Wang Zhuo's forceful demeanor, Jing Tianhui felt this negotiation tactic might backfire, forcing him to change his plan at the last minute.