Chapter 151 Making a Fortune

Zhang Can stopped hammering, reached inside, and felt around, pulling out two small stones. When he held them in his palm, they gleamed with a brilliant, crystalline light. Although they were slightly dusted with stone chips, they still looked remarkably extraordinary.

"Diamonds?" Wang Qian exclaimed in astonishment. He took the diamonds from Zhang Can's hand to examine them, though he remained somewhat skeptical. Diamond deposits usually required very specific geological and topographical conditions; they did not simply appear anywhere. Furthermore, these two diamonds were quite large, easily weighing over ten carats each.

Whether a diamond was valuable depended primarily on its color, clarity, and weight. The color and clarity of these two stones were of the highest grade, and their weight went without saying. If they were genuine diamonds, a single one would be worth at least several million.

Zhang Can also held one in his hand to observe it closely. After studying it for a moment, he nodded and said, "That's right, they are diamonds, and the quality is excellent."

Because Zhang Can gave this professional appraisal, Wang Qian immediately concluded that the diamonds were real. When Zhang Can claimed to have studied medical arts, Wang Qian tended to let it go in one ear and out the other, but when it came to identification and appraisal, he trusted Zhang Can completely. Since Zhang Can said they were top-quality diamonds, they undoubtedly were, with no room for doubt.

Su Xue also came over out of curiosity, taking the two diamonds into her hands to examine them. She held them up to the light, then turned them away from the light, testing them from various angles, though she didn't really understand much about them.

Meanwhile, Wang Qian and his three bodyguards were all staring intently at the cracked rock wall where Zhang Can had just struck. The diamonds had been retrieved from there. Since two had appeared, there might very well be more.

Without hesitation, Zhang Can swung the hammer vigorously against the rock on the cave wall. With a few heavy thuds, more stone fragments broke away, and another diamond rolled down from the rubble.

Behind this diamond layer was not solid rock, but a mixture of various mud, sand, and stones. It looked as though the diamond layer behind the cave wall's rock stratum was akin to a sandbar in an underground river.

Growing tired from hammering, Zhang Can handed the mallet to one of Wang Qian's bodyguards and smiled, "Big Brother, why don't you give it a try?"

"Alright..." The bodyguard had been watching in utter amazement. It was truly bizarre that diamonds could be pounded right out of a stone wall. Hearing Zhang Can's suggestion, he readily took the hammer and began striking the rock layer with force.

Being fresh and having much greater physical strength than Zhang Can, he found it far easier to smash the rock wall. Besides, the surface layer had already been breached by Zhang Can, making subsequent strikes much simpler.

Once this bodyguard had shattered a section over three meters wide, all three bodyguards stepped forward together to clear away the rubble. As they shoveled it aside, they carefully checked the debris to see if any diamonds were clinging to the stones.

After clearing the rock chips, they recovered another nine diamonds. Combined with the previous three, there were now twelve in total. Wang Qian noticed that these diamond grains were remarkably uniform in size, and both their quality and clarity were shockingly similar, as if they were twin siblings born of the same mother.

Watching from the side, Su Xue quickly fetched several flashlights to illuminate the area. At that sight, everyone present was utterly startled!

Across the surface of the mud, sand, and dust within, countless diamonds were studded like stars, every single one of them sparkling with gemstone brilliance under the beams of the flashlights.

Of course, Zhang Can was the only one who did not show excessive excitement. He had anticipated it beforehand, and his passion for pursuing treasures and wealth was far less urgent and intense than it used to be. However, since he had discovered these diamonds, it would ultimately be a pity not to take them out. While he did not force such matters, walking away from wealth placed right before his eyes was simply not his style. Although many of the people who came this time were strangers, gathering together like this was a form of fate. Moreover, after surviving such dangerous environments together, they shared a bond of life and death. Allowing them to make a small fortune along the way was not entirely out of the question, so Zhang Can ultimately decided to extract the diamonds.

Several of them then pressed close to the muddy sand wall, picking out the diamonds one by one. After harvesting the surface diamonds, one of the bodyguards dug a few inches deeper into the interior, but found only tightly packed sand with no more diamonds to be found.

Wang Qian looked at the site, pondered for a moment, and said, "This place must have been an underground river channel in the past, and this spot was probably a deep pocket or depression in the riverbed. Diamonds are relatively heavy, so as they were carried along by the underground river, they sank and settled into this pit. Perhaps after thousands or tens of thousands of years, the underground river disappeared, and the diamonds left behind in the pit remained deposited here... I never would have imagined, brother, that not only are your insight and skills exceptional, but your luck is equally extraordinary!"

Su Xue and the three bodyguards cleaned up the diamonds and counted them: there were one hundred and forty-six in total. Such a massive batch of superior diamonds was difficult to obtain even from mines with extremely high yields. This coincidence was truly extraordinary!

Zhang Can chuckled, but Wang Qian sighed, "If only the thing I am searching for could be found with the same wonderful luck as yours, brother. Still, having you along means I might catch some of your good fortune—perhaps we'll find it after all!"

Zhang Can smiled and said, "Big Brother, don't be anxious. When we reach the mountain's edge, there will surely be a way through; perhaps a turning point will appear by then. To be honest, if you hadn't insisted on coming to the Tianshan Mountains, I would have loved to accompany you to check it out. Some of the esoteric methods I've learned for treating difficult and miscellaneous diseases might just turn out to be useful."

Wang Qian gave a bitter smile, waved his hand, and lowered his head to gaze at the diamonds. Zhang Can had no immediate solution either, thinking they could discuss it after descending the mountain, at which point he would need to find other excuses. The main issue was his uncertainty; he still did not know what kind of illness Old Master Wang was suffering from or whether he could cure it. If he discovered it was an ailment he could treat, he would absolutely refuse to let them risk entering the mountains further.

One hundred and forty-six diamonds were enough to make even Wang Qian stroke his chin in deep thought. A single diamond of this caliber was worth at least three million; one hundred and forty-six of them had a total value exceeding four hundred million. Ordinary jewelry merchants wouldn't even have the capital to swallow such a batch. Of course, once brought out of the mountains, these diamonds would undoubtedly cause a sensation in the jewelry market. Good jewelry never lacked a market because high-quality materials were increasingly difficult to find. There were simply too many wealthy people buying luxury goods nowadays, while top-tier materials were exceedingly scarce, becoming harder to track down year by year.

Gazing at the pile of diamonds glittering under the illumination lights, Wang Qian, the bodyguards, and Su Xue were all stunned into a daze. Given Wang Qian's status and wealth, he still found this simply unbelievable. Zhang Can's luck was truly beyond words. From the very first time they met, Zhang Can had spent only a thousand yuan to acquire an ivory miniature carving worth ten million, and afterward, he reportedly made even more money. Today, he had managed to unearth over a hundred diamonds in one stroke, instantly transforming into a multi-millionaire. Anyone else would find it impossible not to feel envious!

Although Wang Qian thought along those lines, Zhang Can understood that keeping this hundred-odd diamonds entirely for himself on this trip would not be appropriate. Putting aside the principle that those who witness a gain should share in it, so many people had traveled here together. Even if they said nothing, Zhang Can would never swallow it all alone. Befriending someone like Zheng Dabao was an exceptionally good thing. Furthermore, looking at people like Adobu and the three individuals who had died in the mountain landslide along the railway, Zhang Can still felt a lingering sorrow in his heart. Wealth no longer meant much to him; life was perhaps far more important.

Su Xue finished counting, played with the stones for a moment, and then retrieved a small cloth bag from her luggage. She placed all one hundred and forty-six diamonds inside, zipped it shut, handed the small pouch to Zhang Can, and smiled, "Zhang Can, you've made a fortune!"

Su Xue's tone was actually teasing, carrying no other hidden meaning, and she had never harbored any intention of claiming a share of these diamonds.

Zhang Can, however, refused to take the bag, waving his hand as he said, "Everyone came here together on this trip, and several people even lost their lives. How can I keep it all for myself? Let's divide it equally among everyone; it doesn't matter to me."

Wang Qian was startled. He tilted his head to look at Zhang Can, then smiled and said, "Brother, I know your discernment is exceptionally sharp, but do you even realize how much these diamonds are worth?"

"Who cares how much they're worth? No matter how much money there is, I imagine it's hard to buy a life. Life is priceless. Besides, it's not like I have no money to spend; what's the use of making so much wealth? When you die, you still only occupy a grave-sized pit!" Zhang Can replied noncommittally, his tone rather indifferent as he didn't even glance at the diamond pouch.

Wang Qian sighed, reached out to pat Zhang Can's shoulder, and said, "Brother, you are a truly good brother. Since you regard me as your big brother and called me that, for the sake of this title, I will make this decision on your behalf!"

Zhang Can smiled, "Alright then, feel free to divide them however you see fit. I have no objections."

Only Su Xue let out a huff, annoyed, "Uncle, why do you always let Zhang Can take advantage of me?"

Wang Qian asked in surprise, "How did I let him take advantage of you?" He thought about it, but truly couldn't figure out where he had allowed Zhang Can to take advantage of his niece. Where was this accusation coming from?

"You... Uncle!" Su Xue bit her lip and said petulantly, "Clearly Zhang Can is around the same age as me, yet you always talk to him as brothers, treating him like a peer. If Zhang Can is your brother, what else is that if not taking advantage of me? Do you expect me to call him uncle?"

"This..." Wang Qian was left truly crying and laughing. Suddenly, a thought stirred in his mind: Su Xue had never reacted with such petty annoyance over matters like this. She had always been more mature and rational than her peers, and he had never seen her speak this way about any man. Could it be that she liked Zhang Can?

Wang Qian paused in bewilderment, then looked again at Su Xue's slightly flushed, pretty face. Her watery eyes were staring fixedly at Zhang Can, and as it turned out, it really was the case!

No matter what, Wang Qian had never imagined that his own niece would fall for Zhang Can. After pondering for a moment and stroking his chin, he actually felt it was a fine match. Aside from social status and background where Zhang Can lagged behind Su Xue, he was a complete match for her in every other aspect. Crucially, Wang Qian was well aware of Zhang Can's capabilities. A young man like this naturally commanded his deep admiration. However, his own approval wasn't enough; the matter would still have to pass muster with the Old Master, as well as his elder sister and brother-in-law—Su Xue's parents.

"Then... bro... un..." Realizing Su Xue's feelings, Wang Qian suddenly found his usual forms of address for Zhang Can feeling a bit awkward. He stammered several times before managing to say: "Zhang Can, let's do it this way. You keep hold of this bag of diamonds. Since you have the heart to share them with everyone, that's fine too. Let me offer a suggestion: first of all, I don't want my share. For the others, give each person two diamonds' worth. However, you don't actually have to hand out the diamonds themselves; once we return to the foot of the mountain and you sell them, give each person the cash equivalent of two diamonds. How does that sound to you?"

Wang Qian's proposal made logical sense. There were seventeen people in total; subtracting Adobu who had perished, there were sixteen left. Excluding himself and Zhang Can, there were fourteen others. Giving each of them two diamonds amounted to twenty-eight stones. Based on his estimated value, two diamonds were worth at least six million or so. For ordinary people, acquiring such a large sum of money was enough to secure their livelihood for a lifetime. Meanwhile, Zhang Can would still retain one hundred and eighteen diamonds, which was a fitting reward for his feat of discovery.

As for the others, Wang Qian estimated they wouldn't have excessive demands or complaints. If not for Zhang Can, who else could have ever obtained these diamonds?