Chapter 277

In the deathly silent VIP lounge, the dealer was already in position, displaying the newly unsealed deck of cards.

The rules: Texas Hold'em, ten million base bet, no limit.

"First hand, let's try our luck, shall we?"

Lingzhou smiled and threw a stack of chips into the pot, looking at Ji Jue. Ji Jue, with one hand flipping through the rulebook he had asked the dealer for, threw in ten million chips with indifference.

After the two hole cards were dealt, the three community cards were revealed.

5 of Hearts, Ace of Spades, 2 of Clubs.

In the betting phase, Lingzhou glanced at his hole cards and casually added five million; Ji Jue called. The fourth community card was the 7 of Hearts; Lingzhou added another five million, and Ji Jue called while looking at the manual...

The fifth community card was the 9 of Diamonds.

Without any hesitation or delay, after the first round of order was completed, both sides finally revealed their cards.

Ji Jue had two pairs: 5 of Hearts, 5 of Spades, 2 of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs.

Lingzhou also had two pairs: Ace of Spades and Ace of Hearts, 9 of Diamonds and 9 of Clubs.

"Hmm? Looks like my luck is better today?" Lingzhou laughed. After collecting the fifty million bet, he looked at Ji Jue: "Do you want to change the deck and change your luck?"

"No need, I've just about figured it out."

Ji Jue put down the rulebook, looked up with a slight smile, and said indifferently: "Continue."

Thus, the second round continued.

But for some reason, the temperature in the VIP room seemed to be rising subtly. Even though it had nothing to do with them, the silent onlookers couldn't help but feel a sense of irritability and anxiety. At the same time, they all stared with wide eyes, watching the card table and every trace of movement from the two men.

In the second hand, when Ji Jue's first public card was dealt, he folded directly, losing another ten million.

"Two fingers gone just like that, so quickly."

Ji Jue sighed, looked up, and asked: "Should I chop them off now?"

Lingzhou still smiled: "No rush, let's wait until we have a pair."

In the third hand, Lingzhou folded, and Ji Jue won back ten million; the situation seemed to improve. But in the fourth hand, three-of-a-kind against a full house, he lost another forty million. In the fifth hand, he won back ten million; in the sixth, the seventh...

The small mountain of chips beside him was like being flicked by an invisible hand, decreasing rapidly with a trend visible to the naked eye.

Amidst the faint sound of the dealer dealing cards, even the breathing in the entire VIP room became so clear.

The ninth hand!

The last public card was revealed: Ace of Diamonds.

In the deathly silence, Ji Jue was silent for a long time, then suddenly looked up at Lingzhou. Lingzhou was pinching his chips, glancing at his numb appearance, making no effort to hide his mockery.

But immediately after, he heard Ji Jue's voice: "All-in."

"Are you sure?" Lingzhou was slightly stunned, frowning.

"Yeah, do the rules not allow it?"

Ji Jue glanced at the manual and smiled: "I've watched gambling movies since I was a kid, and everyone shouts that. Since it's my turn, I have to try it once, right?"

The dealer was stunned and looked at Lingzhou.

Not until Lingzhou moved his gaze away from Ji Jue and waved his hand: "I call."

He had thought this kid had some strange technique, but now it seemed he was just a fool who didn't know the height of the sky.

He was determined to have these two hands today!

The pot and the raise, plus all the chips Ji Jue had left. The bet on the table instantly soared to two hundred and ten million!

"Reveal cards—"

Lingzhou stared straight at Ji Jue until the two black hole cards in Ji Jue's hand were slowly revealed.

And then, he froze in place. In the moment of stunned silence, he couldn't help but widen his eyes, and the golden nanmu gambling table under his hand cracked.

Ji Jue's two hole cards, combined with the five community cards on the table.

4 of Spades, 5 of Spades, Jack of Spades, Queen of Spades, Ace of Spades.

A flush!!!

Looking at Lingzhou, his best hand was only a straight!

In an instant, the situation reversed.

"Phew, that was really thrilling."

Ji Jue raised his hand to wipe the sweat, and said to him with heartfelt emotion: "Can you win so much in one hand? Playing cards is really interesting."

Lingzhou was silent and did not speak.

He looked at him for a long time.

Sighing lightly, he nodded: "Yeah."

He glanced at the person beside him and waved at the dealer: "Continue."

Everyone in the monitoring room was stunned. The shift manager picked up the walkie-talkie and asked the other side.

But in the luxury suite, Krange, the Ether Path scribe, also suddenly stood up. Looking at the broadcast on the screen, he turned his head abruptly and looked at the tabletop.

On the crimson scales on the table, the weight remained the same, without any change...

But if there was no change, just from that one hand, Ji Jue should have lost enough to have to chop off his hands!

Krange was silent, holding his breath, and tentatively reached out... but before his palm could touch the scales, the crossbar of the scales, which seemed rusted with age, suddenly flipped.

The weight of the silver-white weight surged in an instant, pressing down!

Fate and luck, suddenly changed?

At this very moment?!

Krange sat stunned on the sofa, unresponsive to the calls and urges of others.

His pale eyes stared fixedly at the two ends of the scales. In the white of his eyes, countless faint, thin lines were entangled together, falling onto the two weights. Suddenly, around the silver weight, the colors of dozens of thin lines gradually changed, as if revealing their true form.

Krange twitched, suddenly lifted his head, and his pair of pale eyes looked at the bearded man:

"Tell Gao Yue, he has to pay more! I want triple!"

The bearded man's expression changed. He walked to the side, dialed a phone, and soon, after receiving a reply, turned back and nodded.

Thus, Krange reached out again and pressed onto the scales. Crimson blood and spiritual quality gushed out, irrigating them. Screams suddenly rang out, and he convulsed.

In an instant, the old man became even more withered, on the verge of death.

But the weight on the scales tilted again!

Soon, in the VIP lounge, the luck Ji Jue had just regained seemed to begin to drain away rapidly. After only a few hands, even with constant folding and being subjected to constant probing, he lost tens of millions.

Until he sighed helplessly.

"All-in!"

Lingzhou's smile stiffened on his face again. For some reason, from that face as calm as water, he felt nothing but a chill.

"Are you sure?" he asked, frowning.

"Of course." Ji Jue laughed, looking at him: "Are you calling or not?"

Lingzhou was silent for a moment, then waved his hand.

The mountain-like chips were pushed forward again, four hundred and seventy million!

"Reveal cards," Ji Jue said.

The cards were revealed, amidst the deathly silence and the sound of breathing.

Lingzhou—9, 9, 9, 5, 5, a full house!

And Ji Jue's cards: 5, 5, 5, 5, 9... four-of-a-kind!!!

"Hmm, 5 is smaller than 9, but, four-of-a-kind should be bigger than a full house, right?"

Ji Jue pinched the rulebook, beaming with joy: "Looks like I won again?"

Lingzhou did not speak.

It seemed that only the sound of heavy breathing remained on the entire Tianbo, and even the shrill screams coming faintly from afar...

Right in the luxury suite, Krange, who was pressing hard on the scales, suddenly screamed out, wailing sharply, struggling, his whole body convulsing and writhing.

A massive amount of blood-red color sprayed out from his body, all of it absorbed by the scales, as if scraping bone and sucking marrow. Right on the scales, cracks appeared one after another, and the pitch-black weight that had originally held the advantage shattered in an instant, vanishing into smoke. And on the silver-white weight, fine cracks rapidly bloomed...

It was as if it had been instantly thrown into an invisible furnace, burning red-hot, hissing and crackling.

And right behind the cracks, viscous blood seeped out drop by drop, yet it did not fear the high temperature, flowing as usual. Under the blood wash, the silver light faded away, and the weight turned bone-white in an instant!

Bang!

The crystal chandelier fell without warning, crashing straight onto Krange's forehead. The old man twitched twice and fell backward.

The dignified Ether Path scribe died suddenly, without warning.

—Fate overturned, heavenly luck backfired!

"Raise!"

In the VIP room, Ji Jue waved his hand and looked at the few chips remaining beside Lingzhou: "Hmm, just raise sixteen million."

So precise, it was exactly the total number of chips Lingzhou had left in front of him.

Lingzhou was expressionless, his fingers pinching the cards in his hand so hard that the veins popped out.

"... Call."

He said.

Reveal cards.

Ji Jue had three-of-a-kind, Lingzhou had two pairs.

The winner had been decided.

The dealer's hands trembled as he swept the last of Lingzhou's chips and placed them in front of Ji Jue.

It was over...

Among the onlookers, who knows how many people let out a sigh of relief.

Bang!

Lingzhou smashed the edge of the table with a punch, no longer able to restrain his anger. After taking one last look at Chen Xingzhou, his gaze fell on the empty Leader's seat before Chen Xingzhou, and his eyelids couldn't help but twitch.

In the end, he squeezed the words out through his teeth: "Fine, I accept the loss."

"From now on, this debt is wiped clean!"

Having said that, he didn't even bother to put on a show of pleasantries, turned around, and left.

But right behind him came Ji Jue's puzzled voice.

"Hmm?"

At the gambling table, the young man still sitting there rested his chin on his hand, glancing at his back: "Is it over already?"

Lingzhou turned around abruptly, his bloodshot eyes crimson, but he saw the smile on Ji Jue's face...

Still warm and gentle, faintly subtle, lingering.

"A casino opens its doors to welcome guests; there's no such thing as kicking guests out halfway through a game."

Ji Jue raised his finger, lightly tapping the crack on the table, and told him: "Besides, I haven't said stop yet."

Lingzhou's face was livid: "You surnamed Ji, don't you fucking—"

"Don't what?"

Ji Jue asked curiously: "I remember, it wasn't me who wanted to talk like this, right?"

For a moment, Lingzhou was stunned in place.

"Isn't this the condition witnessed by the Wild Gathering?"

Ji Jue examined that face, his smile becoming increasingly pleasant: "You made the request, you stated the rules, and now that we've played halfway, you're not playing anymore—"

He said: "Mr. Ling, what do you mean by this?"

Lingzhou was silent.

He did not speak.

He looked up at Chen Xingzhou. Chen Xingzhou was also looking at him, his smile gentle, along with everyone else who had come to witness.

Only, their eyes were so cold.

Without any warmth.

Like cruel gods and Buddhas made of mud and wood.

Quietly waiting for the words about to come out of his mouth...

In the suffocation, a drop of sweat slowly seeped from Lingzhou's forehead. He opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he said nothing, gritted his teeth, and returned to the gambling table.

"Come, let's continue."

Ji Jue nodded with satisfaction, "Sit down!"

Lingzhou sat in the chair expressionlessly. The chair let out a groan. "Let's play bigger this hand, how about ninety million?"

Ji Jue proposed with great interest: "I'm currently missing a spiritual quality operation console, and this is just the thing to fulfill my dream. Thanks, kind person... Dealer, what are you waiting for? Deal the cards."

The dealer didn't dare to move, looking tremblingly at Lingzhou.

Until Lingzhou finally spoke, his voice hoarse:

"Deal—"

It was as if he were raising his hand, letting the shackles coil around him.

A bone-chilling cold surged up from his spine. He gasped violently, watching those public cards flash before his eyes. For some reason, in a daze, his whole body trembled.

After two hands, the chips beside Ji Jue reached a new high.

Ji Jue said: "Continue."

The dealer was sweating profusely, not daring to make any move.

There were no chips left.

Lingzhou's expression changed, and he squeezed the words out through his teeth: "The liquid capital on the Tianbo is only this much. You've won it all, you bastard, what do you want?!"

As he looked on...

"Hmm? Only this much?"

Ji Jue raised his eyebrows in disappointment, then broke into a smile: "It's okay, do you want me to lend you some? But, I think this ship is pretty good. How much is it worth?"

Lingzhou didn't speak, his crimson eyes staring straight at Ji Jue:

"Mr. Ji, don't push things too far..."

"What a coincidence, I love pushing things to the limit, to the end, until others have no way to survive."

Ji Jue's smile didn't change, and he glanced around: "Is there no one here who can give an estimate?"

Chen Xingzhou waved his hand, and immediately someone behind him stood up.

He took out paper and pen, pressed a calculator for a while, wrote the calculation result on the mortgage form, and handed it to Chen Xingzhou. Chen Xingzhou took out the Dragon Head staff and stamped it.

Finally, it was delivered to Lingzhou.

"Ship and cargo included, fuel counted as full, I won't even count the depreciation, just calculate it as brand new—two hundred and forty million. Little Ling, don't blame me for not taking care of you."

Chen Xingzhou's eyes were full of warmth and doting, but it left Lingzhou unable to say another word.

It was as if he were being pressed by a thousand-pound weight; even breathing required all his strength.

His finger, stained with ink, hung in mid-air for a long time, without the courage to press down, until he lost all his strength and it fell, leaving a trace of a death struggle.

The gambling game continued.

"Deal."

Ji Jue said.

This time, the dealer didn't dare to move at all, collapsing onto the floor.

Chen Xingzhou waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to drag him out, and then personally rolled up his sleeves, stood in the dealer's position, opened a new pack of cards, and shuffled them skillfully.

"Ever since I made my fortune in the gambling den, I haven't done this kind of work for a long time."

He dealt the hole cards with light, skillful movements, and said with heartfelt emotion: "Suddenly, it feels like I've returned to my youth. I have to thank you all for giving me this chance to relive the old days."

No one responded.

Deal, public cards, bet, raise, reveal cards.

"Ji Jue, full house; Lingzhou, two pairs."

Chen Xingzhou moved the rake, easily sweeping away a pile of chips. Without Ji Jue asking, he dealt again.

"Ji Jue, three-of-a-kind; Lingzhou, still two pairs."

Chen Xingzhou sighed: "Pity, your luck is just a bit off."

The rake swept again, and the chips were divided.

"Ji Jue, flush; Lingzhou, fold."

Rake, chips.

"Ji Jue, two pairs; Lingzhou, two pairs." Chen Xingzhou shook his head: "The points are a bit off."

Lightly, he took away the last bit of weight in front of Lingzhou.

In the deathly silence, Lingzhou, sweating profusely, seemed to have lost all his strength, collapsing in his chair.

Ji Jue smiled: "Continue."

"I'll continue your mother's—!!!"

Lingzhou couldn't help but roar, like a beast cornered, ready to devour someone: "The person, the money, the goods, the ship, they're all yours, damn it! What else do you want!!!"

"Don't say that, Mr. Ling."

Ji Jue shook his head, raised his hand, pressed it on the revolver beside him, and suddenly broke into a smile:

"Don't you still have your life?"

Just like that, he raised his hand and tapped it. Immediately, five mercury bullets fell from the cylinder, leaving only one. Then, the cylinder flicked, spun, and locked.

Finally, it hit the table like a hammer.

Bang!

It was just a dull thud, but it seemed like a thunderous roar that shook the soul, making everyone's eyebrows twitch for an instant.

In Ji Jue's hand, the pistol was slowly pushed to the center of the table.

"Don't be afraid."

Ji Jue admired his appearance and comforted him softly: "Ten million per trigger pull. If you're lucky, you'll have enough for at least five more rounds."

Lingzhou's expression twisted, as if he were about to roar.

But under the cold gaze of everyone, he ultimately couldn't move.

Only Ji Jue's smile suddenly vanished.

He had no expression at all.

He said, "Deal."

Thus, Chen Xingzhou dealt the cards.

Hole cards, three public cards, no raise, and finally, reveal cards.

"Ji Jue, full house; Lingzhou, two pairs—"

After Chen Xingzhou's rake skillfully gathered the card types for both sides, his other hand lifted, gesturing to Lingzhou: "Please, Mr. Ling."

In the suffocation, there was no blood left on Lingzhou's face, only a deathly pallor. His pupils were unfocused, unable to concentrate.

He looked up, wanting to say something, but couldn't say a word.

Not just him, everyone present fell into a deathly silence.

Holding their breath.

At this moment, right around the gambling table, behind that empty plastic chair, a silhouette appeared like a hallucination.

In the wilderness of blood and death, on invisible giant horns, incomplete wolf corpses swayed in the wind.

The solemn Bai Lu lowered its eyes, looking down.

Witnessed from here!

Lingzhou's fingers convulsed. He couldn't help but reach out, gripped the gun, and the trembling barrel lifted, aiming at his head, but he hesitated... he didn't have the strength to pull the trigger.

Chen Xingzhou roared: "Fire!"

"Fire!"

Behind Chen Xingzhou, all the witnesses stood up at the same time, their expressions fanatical, their faces flushed, their eyes crimson: "Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!"

"—Fire!!!"

Snap!

A crisp sound rang out amidst Lingzhou's roar.

Empty chamber.

"Continue."

Ji Jue said: "Deal."

Thus, continue.

"Ji Jue, straight flush; Lingzhou, high card."

This time, without Chen Xingzhou having to speak, all the onlookers who had stood up shouted in unison, ordering: "Fire!"

The trembling palm lifted again.

Click!

"Continue," Ji Jue said.

"Ji Jue, flush; Lingzhou, two pairs."

"Fire!!!"

The witnesses roared, their voices like thunder, resounding through this wilderness of survival of the fittest!

"Fire! Fire!! Fire!!!"

Until the final loud bang erupted...

Bang!

The pistol suddenly fell from Lingzhou's hand.

A bullet hole streaming with blood appeared on his forehead. It was clearly just an ordinary mercury bullet, but the blessing bestowed by the Bai Lu had no effect at all.

Viscous brain matter slowly slid out.

"Save, save..."

Lingzhou slid off the chair involuntarily, his hands and feet convulsing weakly as he tugged at Chen Xingzhou's pant leg, muttering in confusion: "I... Sixth Uncle... I was wrong... I definitely..."

"Brother Ling!!!"

The subordinates could no longer endure it and rushed up to try to save him, but Chen Xingzhou looked back expressionlessly.

Immediately after, they all stiffened in place.

A bone-chilling killing intent descended from the sky, coming from the far-off sea, like thorns on their backs!

No one dared to step forward again until the last drop of blood and life had drained from Lingzhou on the ground.

There was no more sound.

At this moment, silence rose from the death.

Ji Jue slowly stood up, and from there, looked around.

"Looks like we've reached an agreement today?"

No one responded.

Only the crimson blood permeated, reflecting his indifferent face.

"Where's the wine?" Ji Jue asked.

Amidst the trembling and stagnation, the attendant in the corner holding the champagne, shivering, didn't react. Jin Mao stepped forward on his own and snatched the ice bucket and wine glass from his hands.

This simpleton didn't know how to taste wine at all, filling the goblet to the brim without leaving any space.

Taking small steps, he held the glass with both hands and delivered it to Ji Jue.

Ji Jue tilted his head back, drank half of the champagne in the glass, and sprinkled the rest onto the corpse on the ground.

Wine of the Wild Gathering, finished in blood.

With this, the dust settled.

"Now—"

Ji Jue glanced at Lingzhou's subordinates and told them: "You can get off my ship."

In that instant, crisp applause rang out.

Chen Xingzhou was dazed, looking back in confusion. His hand had just been raised, but who was so ignorant of the situation?

And behind him, everyone else stood still, unresponsive, their faces flushed with shock.

Only the crisp applause rang out from the very front, from that empty Leader's seat.

Filled with appreciation and praise.

Following closely, Chen Xingzhou applauded without hesitation.

Immediately, countless people's applause followed, like thunder and rain, resounding through the boundless night.

(End of chapter)