Chapter 264: Aventurine's Cunning Scheme Exposed! The Ten Stonehearts Are Way Too United!
Cornerstone… Cornerstone…
As Aventurine ventured deeper into the Clock Studios Theme Park.
Beneath a constructed castle set.
He actually discovered a yellow Cornerstone!
The phantom of the future emerged to mock him: "The luster of this Cornerstone is identical to the radiance of Qlipoth's body… It's impressive that you could concoct such an absurd excuse. If he had been even slightly more suspicious, your lies would have crumbled instantly."
"It's just bait," Aventurine said calmly.
"Of course! That's why you included Ratio's betrayal as a key part of the plan. I must say, that professor's acting was incredibly convincing."
"Perhaps he wasn't acting at all?"
"Ha, wouldn't that just play right into your hands?"
The phantom of the future stated Aventurine's ruse like a detective.
"That meticulous Oak Family Head, Sunday, possesses a nearly paranoid desire for control. You had to provide him with enough information to satisfy him, without letting him detect any flaws…"
"So you had Ratio find him and deliberately leak the plan. To keep the other party from suspecting anything, everything you told Ratio was true, and he relayed it to Sunday just as truthfully."
"In the end, this Family Head, through the bait you laid out [ Topaz ], successfully found another Cornerstone, and thus—"
"—you were able to smuggle in the third stone [ Aventurine ] right under his nose."
…
"Huh?"
"!!!"
"Wait, wait!"
"Quiet, I'm grilling!"
"Sunday already has eight hundred schemes in his head, and he's still growing more?"
"So everything that happened before was part of the [ Plan ]?"
"Aventurine didn't tell the professor the whole plan, but the professor said, 'I have faithfully fulfilled my duty'…"
"You can tell they didn't plan this beforehand, it was all pure tacit understanding!"
"I like them even more now [ joy ]"
"Oh my god, the professor has Aventurine in his heart, I'm shipping it! [ doge ]"
…
At the hotel scene.
Aventurine's gaze sharpened!
What a pity!
This plot.
It had exposed his scheme after all!
Not far away.
Sunday looked cold and indifferent.
He stared at the plot unfolding with a pensive expression.
And the plot continued!
That damned phantom of the future seemed afraid the audience wouldn't understand.
It continued to explain!
"This is the other Cornerstone in Sunday's possession. A beautiful green, just like you—smooth and cunning…"
"…Aventurine is the stone of luck and trickery… That's what she said when you got this stone, right?"
"This type of stone isn't rare, but its color is very close to a certain gem, so it's often used as a substitute [ camouflage ] for the latter. And that more expensive gem…"
"Is called Jade," Aventurine said, replacing the phantom.
"Even that Sunday couldn't tell the difference. It seems Jade is not entirely irreplaceable for Aventurine."
Everyone finally realized!
The two cornerstones Sunday had confiscated—one was Topaz, and the other was Jade!
Aventurine had actually chosen to use the expensive Jade to stand in for Aventurine!
"Aventurine, Topaz, Jade… three elites [ the Ten Stonehearts ], three cornerstones. For the sake of little Penacony, you didn't hesitate to stake everything. You are more united than the Family," the phantom of the future sighed.
"I said it before: three chips are enough—all or nothing."
…
"So the three chips were these three!"
"A classic bait-and-switch!"
"Hint: Although the Ten Stonehearts' cornerstones are of different varieties, they are all holy stones sealing the power of an Emanator of Preservation, which is different from how the secular world defines the quality of gemstones."
"Ahhhhh! How could the professor be so knowledgeable and not recognize Jade and Aventurine? The professor really trusts you, Kakavasha!"
"Old Aventurine, you even fooled me!"
"Holy crap, the IPC is really going all out, aren't they!?"
"Brother Sunday needs someone to appraise treasures every day…"
"Topaz is one thing! But Lady Jade is actually willing to bet her own Cornerstone too?"
"Does this make Jade feel like Aventurine's godmother now?"
"Godmother is too much! I think she's more like an older sister…"
…
Just as the livestream chat was exclaiming in wonder.
Suddenly!
A line of colorful text floated to the top of Guinaifen's stream.
Accompanied by gorgeous special effects!
[ [Qinwen the Second] gifted [Heart of the Universe] to streamer Guinaifen, and left a message: "The IPC is so united, you guys are the true Harmony!" ]
Previously,
The highest tier of gifts in Guinaifen's stream were [ Diting Storm ] and [ Super Star Skiff ].
Later, some users gave feedback to the streaming platform.
They felt these gifts were too low-tier!
They had to send dozens at a time!
It was inconvenient to select!
The experience was very poor.
After some research, the streaming platform added two high-level gifts specifically to Guinaifen's stream!
They came with exclusive effects and subtitles!
This was to make it easier for these big spenders to tip in one go!
Sure enough.
This move immediately flushed out quite a few whales who had been lurking in the chat!
[ [Covering the Sky with One Hand] gifted [Light of the Galaxy] to streamer Guinaifen, and left a message: "It's not the IPC that's united; the inside of the IPC is a mess. The ones who are truly united are Aventurine, Topaz, and Jade!" ]
[ [If I Don't Work Hard I'll Have to Inherit the Family Business] gifted [Heart of the Universe] to streamer Guinaifen, and left a message: "Fake Harmony: The Family… Real Harmony: The Ten Stonehearts!" ]
[ [Acquiring the Astral Express] gifted [Light of the Galaxy] to streamer Guinaifen, and left a message: "Are the Ten Stonehearts all this united? The Strategic Investment Department is going to become the IPC's top department." ]
The numerous viewers were stunned.
This was a battle between gods!
For a moment,
The chat was flooded with " lol" and "Awesome" comments.
And at the scene.
Including Sunday.
The expressions of all the Family members were extremely ugly!
This plot… was practically a slap in their faces!
If this continued.
The Path of Harmony might even change owners!
Aventurine felt complex emotions.
Although his scheme was exposed…
He was gaining support from more and more people!?
This situation…
Was indeed something he hadn't anticipated!
Even for Aventurine, he didn't know if this was good or bad for the moment.
And within the plot.
He already had the answer to where the real Aventurine stone was.
He heard his own voice saying, word by word: "They were always in the most suitable place, never having left…"
"Right here in this pile of cheap jewelry."
The phantom of the future: "Before you left, you smashed the Aventurine stone…"
"Look at it, tsk tsk, how much it resembles your shattered life. No matter how you dress it up with a glamorous exterior, inside it remains a humble little pebble… This thing is worth far more than your life."
"You know full well the consequences of doing this. For someone who desecrates Qlipoth's body [ the Cornerstone ], do you think the IPC will let you off?"
Aventurine didn't care: "Diamond has always valued results. As long as the value I can create is far higher than the cost… the process and means are not an issue."
"Without paying a price, how could I deceive the Family? It doesn't matter. A Preservation Cornerstone can still function even if it's cracked into pieces. Although its utility will be greatly reduced, for me… it's enough."
In the livestream.
Everyone was dumbfounded!
Including the big spenders who had just tipped.
For a moment, they all fell silent.
One could imagine that in front of their screens,
Countless faces were wearing the same look of shock!
…
"Holy crap!"
"Huh?"
"My god…"
"A little price? You call this a little price!?"
"My god! Brother, you are truly ruthless!"
"Brother, this is too brutal!"
"Aventurine is really risking his life here!"
"Good guy, he's really willing to sacrifice it!"
"Actually, I had guessed that the real Aventurine stone wasn't those two, but I really didn't expect this guy to smash it?"
"Good, good, good, what a gambler!"
"My heart aches for the Aventurine stone…"