Chapter 5: You Two Take Your Time, I'll Go Ahead

Chapter 5

A loud clatter echoed as a heavy jadeite rough stone was loaded into the back of the pickup truck. The short-haired bodyguard handed Zhao Chen a cigarette, said thank you, and climbed into the vehicle to wait for his boss. Mistaking Zhao Chen for a laborer at the mine, he paid him no further mind.

Zhao Chen took a couple of drags from the cigarette, then quietly crouched and slipped beneath the red SUV he had scoped out earlier, doing so unnoticed. Using two bedsheets as makeshift ropes, he tied his waist and thighs to the vehicle’s suspension, conserving his strength.

Closing his eyes, he silently prayed to Amitabha, God, and Jesus for protection. His fate hinged on this moment—whether he could escape with his life depended on the guards not inspecting underneath the car. If caught, even if he avoided execution, imprisonment was certain, and hope of escape would vanish.

Minutes passed quietly until Zhao Chen overheard a man and woman speaking, followed by the sound of a car door closing and the engine roaring to life. As the scenery beneath him began to shift in reverse, his heart leapt into his throat.

Soon, the red SUV was halted by checkpoint guards. The woman inside rolled down the window with a smile and handed over fifty thousand kyats. “Here you go, brothers. Buy yourselves some water,” she said.

Money indeed makes the world go round. The guards took the bribe without a word, swiftly inspected the vehicle, and then lifted the barriers. Unbeknownst to them, Zhao Chen’s heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it would burst, his nerves frayed to the breaking point.

When the vehicle started moving again, he finally exhaled deeply, overwhelmed by the joy of survival. “Damn it, I’m free at last!” he muttered, adjusting his position and letting out a silent, wild laugh. To avoid arousing suspicion, he forced himself to remain still.

The journey back from Longtang Mine to China was fraught with uncertainty. Zhao Chen knew that if Wen Min or Bo Gang discovered his escape, they would dispatch men to hunt him down, possibly alerting every wealthy bidder attending the auction to inspect the vehicles.

He faced an even greater dilemma: unfamiliar with northern Myanmar’s roads and without a phone or GPS, he had no idea which direction led home.

Two options lay before him. One was to untie himself at a relatively safe spot, abandon the red SUV, and find his way home on foot, thereby reducing the risk of pursuit. The other was to trust that the vehicle was indeed headed back to China and remain concealed until crossing the border.

But he only knew the car carried a man and a woman; he could not confirm whether they were Chinese or locals, nor where the vehicle was bound. Each choice held risks and benefits, leaving him torn.

Suddenly, as the SUV passed a small roadside convenience store, it came to an abrupt halt. The woman stepped out, bought a pack of cigarettes, and lit one by the roadside. After a few puffs, she suddenly drew a gun and bent down to peer under the vehicle.

Their eyes met. Zhao Chen caught the cold muzzle of the gun, his heart again leaping into his throat.

The woman wore a striking red dress, her complexion fair and flushed, appearing no more than in her twenties with stunning looks. Yet, the words she spoke chilled Zhao Chen to the bone.

“Haha, so you really were hiding under my car. Wen Min just called me—I was wondering what was going on.”

“You... are from Myanmar?” Zhao Chen asked, prepared to fight to the death. He had barely escaped and would rather die outside than be recaptured.

“No, I’m Chinese. You are too, right?” The woman aimed the gun at him. “Get out now!”

With no choice, Zhao Chen untied the sheets and climbed out from beneath the vehicle.

No sooner had he stood than the man beside her twisted his arms behind his back and slammed him against the car window.

“Who the hell are you? When did you crawl under our car? Speak!”

The man’s strength was immense, leaving Zhao Chen no chance to resist. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he said, “Don’t get angry. I’m Chinese too. I was tricked here by a friend. Please, for our shared homeland’s sake, help me get back to China. I promise to repay you.”

“What will you give me in return?” The woman, named Tang Yan, smiled slyly, as if bargaining.

Tang Yan was the heiress of Tang Jewelry Group, which had a branch in Myanmar and long-standing ties with Wen Min. She had come to the private auction hoping to find treasures. Unexpectedly, Wen Min’s offerings were all top-quality jadeite, sparking a fierce bidding war among major companies. After some interference from outsiders, she ended up with just a small piece the size of a palm, leaving her frustrated.

Desperate for a chance to return home, Zhao Chen hurriedly said, “I have high-grade jadeite. If you take me back, I’ll give it to you.”

Tang Yan signaled her bodyguard, who patted Zhao Chen down but found nothing, then punched him hard in the side, cursing, “Damn it, you dare to trick us!”

But in the next instant, Zhao Chen held up a fist-sized jadeite rough stone and exclaimed, “Here it is!”

“Let me see.” Tang Yan stepped forward and took the stone, pulling out a strong flashlight to inspect it closely.

The rough was dull yellow and coarse, revealing nothing under the light, which angered her. “What junk stone do you call high-grade jadeite? Do you want me to call Wen Min and have you arrested?”

Zhao Chen’s eyes darted as he quickly explained, “No, this is truly high-grade jadeite, a sky-blue high-ice type. You can cut windows to check—if it’s not as I say, do whatever you want with me!”

“Fine. We have a carving machine in the car. You better be telling the truth.”

The male bodyguard snorted and opened the door to fetch a compact lithium battery carving tool from the toolbox. He began carving in front of Zhao Chen.

Soon, surprise flickered across the bodyguard’s face as he turned to Tang Yan excitedly. “Miss, it looks like he’s right…”

“Really?!” Tang Yan’s eyes lit up as she grabbed the jadeite and shone the light on it.

Seconds later, she exclaimed, “Wow! Such a beautiful sky-blue jadeite block. Looks like it can yield three bracelets. This is a jackpot!”

Just then, the roar of an engine thundered near.

Seizing the moment while they were distracted, Zhao Chen swiftly slipped into the driver’s seat, started the vehicle, and floored the accelerator.

“Goodbye, ladies! Take your time looking—I’m outta here!” he shouted excitedly, laughing as he sped away.