Chapter 366: Raise the Stakes

Qiu Xi said at this time: "Quickly separate them. Mr. Qiao, you lost this round."

Qiao San said nothing.

Hongguo Li quickly used a splint to separate the two crickets.

I was overjoyed, and I lifted Dongfang Bubai out of the basin,

Then I said, "Damn, you're really strong. You live up to that name. Truly Undefeated in the East."

He Zuming also came over happily to look at Dongfang Bubai,

"This should be Undefeated in the Universe."

Qiao San's Iron Spear King cricket still hadn't turned over in the basin.

Hongguo Li put the cricket away for him.

"Mr. Qiao, your cricket."

Qiao San took it expressionlessly.

Suddenly 5 million was gone. Nobody could bear that.

The boss came over,

"Mr. Zhao, I'll hold onto the 100 packs of tea leaf cards you won. When the time comes, you can come to my shop and exchange them directly for money."

I glanced at the 100 cards,

"Okay, thank you, boss."

Qiu Xi said: "Congratulations, Brother Zhao, on winning the match. We must celebrate today."

I said: "Brother Qiu, this is trivial. Everyone present gets a red envelope. The boss will hand them out, on my account."

"All right, Mr. Zhao, straightforward person." The boss said happily.

As soon as word got out that someone inside had won a lot of money and was going to hand out red envelopes, the loafers outside immediately gathered.

The boss was distributing the red envelopes per head.

This thing is really impressive,

The wins and losses are in the tens of millions.

This isn't small-time play, it's big-time. I used to do real estate, selling houses hard all year—how much could I earn?

That's value created by many people, the hard work of many.

Now just fighting a cricket can win this much. That's why gambling is addictive.

Qiao San remained silent,

He went outside to smoke a cigarette. I thought he would leave.

Unexpectedly, after finishing his smoke, he came back in.

At this moment he looked at me expressionlessly,

"Mr. Zhao, I still want to play with you. Will you take it?"

Qiu Xi said: "Mr. Qiao, we've pretty much finished playing for today. Let's wait until the next match and invite Mr. Zhao to play again."

He was afraid Qiao San would cause trouble again.

At this point Qiao San shouted: "Qiu Xi, this has nothing to do with you. I want to gamble alone with Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhao, dare you take the bet?"

I laughed and said: "Mr. Qiao, however much you have, I'll match it. Why wouldn't I dare?"

"Your Iron Spear King has already lost. You have no cricket left—how can you gamble?"

"I'll have someone bring one over soon. We'll play a big round. Okay?"

"How big? Twenty million per round. Dare you take it?" Qiao San looked at me and asked.

"I'll take it." I said indifferently.

In my mind I thought, "Today I'm going to play you to death."

"Fine, then we'll play alone, nobody else involved." Qiao San said.

This Qiao San is a typical gambler; he's already lost so much his eyes are red.

Not long after, someone brought Qiao San a cricket—I don't know what kind—and placed it in a cricket jar.

Qiao San took it and slipped it into his pocket.

At the same time, they brought a red booklet—a property deed.

This guy brought the property deed, apparently intending to fight me to the bitter end.

He took the deed and went straight to find the boss,

to discuss exchanging the deed for tea leaf cards.

The boss looked at the deed and said: "Mr. Qiao, please think it over. We agreed that exchanging this house here for tea leaf cards requires a discount.

If you're willing, I'll make the exchange; if not, forget it."

"How much of a discount?" Qiao San asked.

"Half off. Your house can only be exchanged for 100 tea leaf cards." The boss said.

"What? My house is worth 180 million, and you're giving me only 100 tea leaf cards?" Qiao San exclaimed.

"Mr. Qiao, I'm a businessman; that's just how this trade works—no matter how much you paid for it, it depends on how much I'm willing to pay.

"I can only exchange for 100 cards. I advise you to stop playing; wait until you have money again." The boss advised.

"Fine. In that case, I'll write an IOU. Based on this face of mine, how many cards could I get?" Qiao San looked at the boss and asked.

"Mr. Qiao, saying that, your face is worth more than ours. I'll give you 50 tea leaf cards straight away. How about that?" The boss said.

"That's generous. I'll give you an IOU for 10 million, to be paid off within three months." Qiao San said.

The boss was helpless, just pulling out a slip of paper for Qiao San to write an IOU.

Qiao San now had 200 cards in hand, and he planned to engage in a high-stakes gamble with me.

I had over a hundred cards in my hand. I was still short of 200 cards.

I said at this point, "That boss, I won't make things difficult for you; wait a moment, I'll have someone bring 8 million in cash."

"Gambling is just refreshing."

"Thank you so much, Boss Zhao."

I took out my phone to contact Ding Li, asking him to drive Shi Yong to Yangquan Hutong to deliver the money.

Why would I let them? I'm afraid that if Qiao San loses again, he'll get angry.

By then, if I have people on my side, I won't be afraid of him.

About half an hour later, Ding Li and Shi Yong came in from outside. Both of them were carrying packs. Upon reaching the inner courtyard,

I told them to put the packs down.

"Boss, look at the money first, then give the cards."

After saying that, I gestured with my eyes for Ding Li and Shi Yong to slowly approach Qiao San in the courtyard.

Ding Li knew Qiao San,

he immediately understood what it meant.

He and Shi Yong, coming from behind me, walked over quietly and stood on Qiao San's left and right.

After the boss finished checking the money,

he took out 80 cards from his pocket and gave them to me.

I smiled and took them.

At that moment, Shi Yong stood beside me,

and whispered, "Brother, I brought the stuff."

I just nodded.

Then I said to Qiao San, "Let's go, Mr. Qiao, we're heading inside."

I hadn't expected Qiao San to say, "Let's just fight right here in the courtyard; it's warm enough, and we're not afraid of the crickets. With more people, everyone can watch."

"Fine, let's play in the courtyard. Brother Qiu, have someone set up the tables." I said.

Qiu Xi said, "We two have agreed: winner takes all, loser accepts defeat, and we won't cause any more trouble."

"Don't worry," Qiao San said.

"I won't cause trouble either; fighting crickets is just a game," I said indifferently.

At this moment, Qiu Xi clasped his fists toward the people in the shed,

"Friends, I, Qiu Xi, bow to everyone here first.

That is, while we play here, no matter who wins or loses, we must not speak of it outside.

For there are people outside looking into this closely,

if the higher-ups find out, they'll shut down this cricket fighting hall, and we'll have nowhere left to play.

When the time comes, whoever loses will give everyone a big red envelope—how about that?"

After Qiu Xi finished speaking and distributing, he bowed to everyone.

Upon hearing that, everyone quickly clapped—who wouldn't be happy to get a red envelope?

I quickly pulled Ma Lie Ren over,

and whispered, "Brother Ma, this round the stakes have been raised to 200 million; do we have confidence on our side?"

Ma Lie Ren said confidently, "Don't worry, Boss Zhao.

as long as it's a bug caught in Sijiucheng, I have confidence."

Hearing Ma Lie Ren say that, I stopped saying anything.

Then let's play.

At this moment, Hongguo Li loudly said to me, "Mr. Zhao, you won the last round; please show your bug first."

I thought Qiao San would show his bug first.

Ma Lie Ren pulled out a black cricket jar from his bosom,

placed it in my hand,

"Boss Zhao, use this iron-headed one."

I took the cricket jar, still warm from Ma Tie Ren's hand,

then opened the lid and saw a dark, glossy cricket lying inside the jar.

I then put the cricket into the fighting bowl.

Upon seeing my cricket, Qiao San snorted.

Then he produced his own cricket.