Chapter 162: The Banquet and the Gamble

"Although it's a coincidence, I'm not surprised you'd appear here," Ye Li said. He looked toward the dice Tony had thrown, "Your luck is terrible; you should be a bit careful lately, Tony."

Two dice, two "ones."

"It certainly couldn't be worse."

Tony didn't look at the dice; instead, he thought of his palladium poisoning, but he said indifferently, "But, isn't it good to enjoy some fun at the right time?"

He looked at the large pile of chips in Barbara's arms, "Looks like you've won quite a bit."

Ye Li modestly gestured with his index finger and thumb, "Just a little."

Then, he introduced Strange and Barbara, who were beside him, to Tony—

"Stephen Strange, a genius in the surgical realm. If you want to remove the shrapnel from your chest, perhaps you could seek his opinion."

Strange nodded slightly toward Stark, "You are a friend of Ye's. If there is a need, I will do my best."

"Thanks, pal, I've heard of you."

Tony and Strange exchanged business cards, "Maybe I'll look for you later, maybe..."

He didn't continue.

If the palladium element problem wasn't solved, whether he removed the shrapnel or not... it didn't matter to him anymore.

Because those tiny shrapnel fragments were truly difficult to remove through surgery.

The surgical risk was too high; if he died, everything would be gone.

It was better to rely on the reactor to hold the fragments and be Iron Man for a while longer; that would be dying without regrets.

Tony thought.

Ye Li then introduced Barbara to him—

"Barbara Morse, a former national team gymnast, now working at the Ghost Spider Club... uh... it should be work, right?"

He wasn't sure if Barbara was doing real work at the club; hearing from Skye and the others—she spent most of her time playing...

"It is work!"

Barbara affirmed Ye Li's question, then wore a formulaic smile and nodded toward Stark, "Hello, Mr. Stark."

"She's really not bad~

She's not a bit inferior to Natasha."

Tony leaned close to Ye Li and teased in a low voice, "I thought your stunning beauties were only limited to the high school student range, the kind not over eighteen~"

【Bringing this up again...】

Regarding Tony's teasing.

Ye Li helplessly retorted, "I have to remind you, Gwen and the others are about to graduate; they are already beyond the category you mentioned."

"And then?"

Tony thought this was a weak defense and shrugged, "Your hunting targets changed from high school students to college students?"

"..."

Ye Li couldn't be bothered to talk to him anymore, pointed at the poker on the table, and changed the subject, "Come on, Tony, you're more familiar with this than I am, teach me how to play."

"What?

Aren't you the God of Gamblers? You still need me to teach you?"

Tony taught Ye Li half-believingly, and then discovered... he seemed to really not know how...?

But whenever Ye Li played, he always had the good luck to win until he was loaded...

"Li, if I didn't know you didn't have the need to."

Tony said with a speechless expression, "I would suspect you were cheating."

Ye Li was noncommittal.

He didn't even need his telekinetic ability; he could dominate the field just by relying on his super spider-sense.

It was a passive ability~ so it didn't count as cheating.

Having won a considerable sum from the casino.

Ye Li didn't continue.

Gambling is something you can play occasionally for fun, but relying on it for continuous income is another matter.

After all, money... he was already too lazy to get it himself.

At his current level—

It's money that comes to find him, not him finding money.

Time flew by.

The race was about to start.

Tony took the lead, guiding Ye Li and the others to the pre-race banquet.

Ye Li saw Natasha.

Barbara saw her too.

The two S. H. I. E. L. D. agents exchanged glances.

Natasha stepped forward first and began talking to Barbara, acting as if they were very compatible.

Watching his new assistant go off to chat with Ye Li's companion just like that.

Tony said to Ye Li with amusement, "Compared to us, those two seem more willing to stay together."

At this moment, a photographer came to the two of them with a camera: 【Gentlemen, may I take a photo?】

Tony: 【No problem】

"¨． Maybe they have common topics."

Ye Li said while showing a proper smile to the lens and chatting with Tony, "They went over there, and you still have Ms. Pepper. I don't have a companion anymore."

"If you need a companion, how about me, Ye?"

A confident female voice came.

Christina walked over with a wine glass and also greeted Stark, "Hello, Mr. Stark."

Tony felt this girl looked a bit familiar and asked Ye Li in a low voice, "Who is she...? I can't remember."

"Vanity Fair reporter, the one who did a private exclusive interview with you."

After answering Tony, Ye Li smiled politely at Christina, "Hello, Ms. Christine, we meet again here."

Christina smiled, revealing two rows of neat white teeth, "Very happy to see you again, but I am a reporter for 'Vanity Fair' now."

Ye Li scanned her a few times.

He didn't know if his standards had risen again, but compared to the last time they met, although this female reporter was still in the beauty category, her appearance seemed to have deteriorated by half a point...

It is said that the looks of Westerners decline quite quickly with age...

But fortunately, there's no need to worry about Gwen and the others.

Gwen, Jessica, Skye, Felicia, Cindy... none of them have ordinary constitutions.

And Ye Li also has the enhanced version of the Dog Talisman.

Enhanced Dog Talisman ability—

Immortal and youthful forever!

This life force can be bestowed and shared with others.

That's right, it's "others."

As for how this power is given... it's not easy to go into detail...

For example, Barbara doesn't have it...

Only when she is tricked into leaving S. H. I. E. L. D. and turning over a new leaf will he consider letting her obtain this kind of eternal life power.

And Ye Li is the sole owner of the enhanced Twelve Talismans; all the various powers scattered out can be taken back at any time.

"Tony! Is that you?"

As Ye Li's thoughts flickered.

Another person walked over holding a goblet.

It was Justin Hammer.

He was full of smiles, wanting to build a relationship with Stark.

During the conversation.

Justin Hammer's attitude toward Ye Li was also considered polite, occasionally putting on an act to say a few words.