Chapter 446: Checking the Venue

"What's wrong? With your technique, even though we all stare, we didn't see it," I said.

"Mr. Zhao, there are things you don't know. You can't see it, but some can. Modern casinos use high‑magnification cameras that can slow the footage down by thousands of times,

no matter how good the technique is, it can't keep up with technological progress.

Mr. Zhao, to be frank, I've been traveling north and south all these years, always thinking I'm great, but I took a huge tumble in the south.

Why the four of us ended up drifting to Shanghu, hanging out with Brother Wu,

it was because back then at a venue in the south we got into trouble and caused a homicide.

We could only wander everywhere; fortunately Wu Ge took us in, and that's why we're still alive today.

Mr. Zhao, this fringe trade doesn't have lasting business. Legitimate business lasts longer," Lao Lu sighed.

When he said that, I understood; no need to mention that modern casinos use high‑magnification cameras specifically to catch cheaters.

No matter how fast a person's technique, it can't oppose law and technology.

I smiled, "Lao Lu, this time I have you and Kong Xiangju come to Sijiucheng to handle some matters for us.

You all go into the casino and have a look.

I don't expect you to make money by cheating.

I just want to attract someone's attention, then face him in a duel,

when the time comes, I'll explain the details to you."

"Mr. Zhao, whatever you say, I'll listen.

Your meaning I understand; you definitely want us to draw others' attention, then find a way to take him down, right?" Lao Lu asked.

"Almost. Xiao Wu, the room is ready; in a moment you take Lao Lu and Kong Xiangju back to the room to rest. Tonight I'll arrange a welcome banquet for you," I said.

"Alright, let's go, Lao Lu, we'll go back to the room to rest, then have a proper drink—damn, the hotels in Sijiucheng are really fucking great," Xiao Wu said, then left with Kong Xiangju, carrying the money.

Shi Yong kept practicing shuffling cards at the table.

"Brother, why don't I have that kind of talent?"

"Shi Yong, your talent is drinking and sleeping. You know, everyone has their own strengths. You're not a genius who knows everything," I said.

"Brother, hearing you say that puts my mind at ease," Shi Yong said, tossed the cards, picked up his phone, and started looking at it again.

"Ding Li, come over. Tonight, take this money to the sixteenth floor to exchange for chips; we'll go to the entertainment city to have some fun," I said.

"I'll go too," Shi Yong said from beside me.

"Everyone go, but the alcohol tonight must be limited. Shi Yong, you understand, right?"

"Don't worry, brother, I'll just have one drink. Compared to drinking, I prefer gambling more," Shi Yong said.

I then turned to Ding Li, "Ding Li, tell me what you observed last night; let's compare notes and see if there are any gaps."

"Alright, Zhao Ge," Ding Li pulled a small notebook from his pocket.

Then he listed the situations he saw line by line to me.

The two of us calculated the best time window to ambush Zhou Jie and which route would be most convenient.

Soon, night fell,

Our group had a simple meal in a private room of the hotel.

Since we still planned to go to the casino later, everyone drank only a little. After drinking, we went to the spa, took a bath, got a back scrub, and sang songs.

Everyone had a great time.

After 11 p. m.,

the entertainment city began to fill with people.

We didn't go straight to the seventeenth floor, the ten‑million‑yuan VIP suite.

We first went to the sixteenth floor, a one‑million‑yuan room, to test the venue.

Ding Li carried the money box; under the server's guidance, we exchanged for five million worth of chips.

I let them each take a share.

Letting the big guys play their own games.

I followed behind Lao Lu,

Lao Lu held chips in his hand,

He didn't place any bets; he just glanced at this table, gave a look to that one, and walked away.

He toured the entire room,

then said to me, "Mr. Zhao, there are nineteen cameras in this room."

It turned out he was watching the camera lenses.

Some are visible; I saw them too.

Among them there are some hidden ones, and Lao Lu quietly pointed them out to me,

"Mr. Zhao, the northern casinos are basically the same. They're all designed by southerners, and the camera disguises are similar," Lao Lu whispered.

"Then where is the control room for these cameras?" I asked.

"It's in the hotel's central control room. This way you can tell whether the casino is run by the hotel itself or outsourced; if outsourced, they build a separate control room with dedicated staff monitoring the cameras," Lao Lu said.

I glanced; the staff here dress the same as those at the front desk below, so I could deduce that this casino was likely built by the hotel itself.

I nodded and said nothing further. I know where the hotel's central control room is.

We kept walking,

"Mr. Zhao, look at that person; he's the casino's hidden operator."

Lao Lu quietly mentioned a middle-aged man to me.

The middle-aged man was dressed very sloppily.

"What is a 'dark light'?" I asked softly.

The so‑called dark lamp is the person hired by the gambling house specifically to catch cheats; they stay at the gaming table, play, watch for cheating, then arrest those who specialize in cheating, getting both the culprit and the evidence.

"That way there will be a sensational effect," Old Lu and I said.

I understood; it turns out there are many tricks in this gambling house.

I said, Old Lu kept still; he first wanted to observe the situation, get familiar with the environment, then decide whether to act.

I am not very interested in these.

From childhood I have never liked any gambling games.

Actually, in life it's impossible to get rich by gambling.

Especially when Old Lu gives a performance, he points out one problem: that nine out of ten gambles are frauds,

Without cheating you can't win money at all; it's just that some people have highly skilled techniques that others can't see.

I urge everyone here: absolutely do not gamble; once you get involved, your life is ruined.

Because gambling relies on taking chances, seeking small gains for big returns.

How could good luck possibly follow you every day?

Even an expert like Old Lu, at this age, can only flee around just to get by, without even a proper family.

It's obvious that ordinary people who hope to get rich through gambling are merely day‑dreaming.

Yet many people are willing to indulge in that day‑dream.

In the gambling house, the only ones who make money are the house owners; they never lose, because they take a commission on the chips exchanged for money.

It is of the same nature as Wen Han's Fun Contest Hall.

I watched; everyone in the gambling house had their eyes wide open, staring at the cards in their hands, hoping luck would fall upon them.

At the moment the cards are revealed, some people cry, some laugh.

Since this novel is not mainly about gambling‑house cheating techniques, I merely record a few scenes here for everyone's entertainment.

Especially now, with many New Year festivities, the hard‑earned money we bring home should not be wasted on gambling.

Mahjong cheating methods are even more numerous.

Stealing and swapping cards, making marks—now there are even remotely controlled mahjong machines, which are even more formidable: whatever card you want, you get.

Once again I urge everyone not to gamble.

I didn't play a single round, but Old Lu finally couldn't resist; he found a quiet table, sat down, and began to gamble.

I gave all my chips to Old Lu, patted Old Lu's shoulder,

"Old Lu, play boldly; any losses count as mine."