In the private room where Ma De and his two subordinates were, their resentment and complaints against Ma De ran deep.
"Captain, don't act like you're something you're not, it only makes a joke out of yourself. Just say it's to vent some anger, but right now we don't have the luxury to vent. One wrong move and we'll die without a burial place. You really should think things through, five billion—you haven't considered what that even means. If the auction house holds us accountable and the painting ends up in our hands, wouldn't it be utterly embarrassing? At that point, we won't even know how we died."
One subordinate admonished through gritted teeth, frustrated with his naivety.
The other person also spoke harshly: "Even if we break our bones, we can't take out five million, let alone five billion. Captain, you're gambling with our lives, and it's a pointless gamble."
Ma De's reasoning was simple; in his view, this ancient painting was sure to be highly sought after.
