Chapter 206: Chapter Nine: The Secret Chamber on the Top Floor

People usually think casino dealers use some trickery, but in fact a genuine casino scorns cheating; profit depends on its operating model and unique commission style. Even dice games like big/small or the zodiac have no cheating.

In any casino, patrons have the right to inspect the dice in the cup, so nobody would be foolish enough to use mercury injection to sabotage themselves.

However, the profit from this old game is extremely high, and no casino would give up such lucrative earnings. Unlike Texas Hold'em, as long as the dice can be controlled for big/small, they will surely bring the casino immeasurable benefits.

Naturally, nobody would do the foolish act of injecting mercury into dice. Therefore casinos often choose hidden methods to control their finances.

For example, the ways of feng shui and qi control. Not to mention outside patrons, even casino staff might not realize they are inside a feng shui arrangement.

This casino, this dice table, is cleverly set up as a feng shui arrangement; even insiders may not be able to see through it.

The reason it caught my attention is that I saw something.

When I stood near Meibin Gong, I vaguely saw through the smooth wall the lively green carving on the rear wall, and only then did I begin to notice the arrangement around the gambling table.

Located behind all the gamblers, on the top of the opposite wall are carved three lively green dragons; at first glance they seem mere decoration. But if you associate them with the three transparent crystal balls on the table, you'll realize the significance is actually great.

According to the Three Elements Nine Fortunes, this year's cycle is the Four Green Wood phase, and the azure dragon also belongs to wood; the window is the Tanlang gate, the dragon sits in the Tanlang position. Normally, ordinary or official households with dragon paintings or wood carvings display double dragons playing with a pearl, or dragon and phoenix bringing auspiciousness. But the casino's azure dragons are different: three dragons raise their heads, horns prominent, yet their eyes and the direction their heads face are aimed at the three crystal balls on the table.

One cannot help but mention the marvelous transformations of yin-yang and the five elements in feng shui: the three crystal balls belong to water, the azure dragon to wood; water generates wood, so the dragon needs water's momentum to summon clouds and rain. Ancient lore says the dragon pearl is the dragon's essence and inner elixir; if a dragon loses its inner elixir, it is like a slaughtered snake. Thus, in terms of momentum, the three azure dragons on the opposite wall's top are moving toward the table as vital energy, and the direction of their heads and bodies is certainly aimed at the table.

This arrangement is not called 'dragon entering water' but 'dragon playing with the pearl.' Once the dragon grips the pearl, water generates wood, and the outcome is unstoppable. As the feng shui cycle shifts, at least until the Four Wood phase passes, this gambling table will never decline.

On the table, every arrangement actually understands the subtleties: three belong to wood, the crystal azure dragons are three in number, including the table, which has three corners. With the dragon howling from the Tanlang position, the table profits from Tanlang wealth.

Tanlang is the first star of the Seven Stars, belonging to water-wood, yet it governs peach blossom. Hence Tanlang without peach blossom yields no wealth. The dice‑shaking dealer is a 1.7‑meter‑tall great beauty. Although her skill at shaking the cup is average, she is more than enough as a model.

This matches Tanlang's nature; the lust of dragons and snakes is especially vigorous. Tanlang is also the peach‑blossom wealth star; wherever there is peach blossom, the azure dragon will surely go, and after seizing the pearl, wealth and beauty naturally unite as a pattern.

After noticing this arrangement, I immediately stood before the dealer, blocked the dragon, and lit two cigarettes. Smoke belongs to fire, and two is also a fire number; its application follows the five‑element mutual generation and overcoming principle, using fire to break the wood pattern. Of course, breaking the pattern is not that simple—including my earlier incantation to boost my own fire qi, and the dealer's hesitation after being provoked, all were meant to break the pattern.

The beautiful female dealer plays the role of peach blossom and also corresponds to the person who responds to the fate in the pattern. One life, two fortunes, three feng shui—if even the central figure is unsettled and irritable, starting to flare up, how could the wooden dragon dare approach?

So I first used the two cigarettes as fire, offering them to the crystal balls while chanting the incantation to raise my own fire qi, simultaneously provoking the beautiful dealer. The crystal balls absorbed the fire qi, and the central figure in the pattern became mentally unsteady. The lurking dragon, fearing fire, naturally dared not come to seize the pearl.

As for why Meibin Gong won, this is the drawback of the dragon‑playing‑with‑the‑pearl pattern. The pattern, born from the Three Elements Nine Fortunes, has the dragon seize the pearl, with fortune on the table. The dealer is the vessel, Tanlang the wealth‑swallower. When the pattern thrives, wealth is swallowed endlessly; but if it is accidentally broken, he will violently vomit blood.

Overall, Meibin Gong has the highest odds and places the largest bets. Therefore, when the dragon vomits blood, it will surely land on the leopard he has wagered on.

It seems also heavenly design: besides Meibin Gong betting on the leopard with the highest odds, the moment I lit the cigarettes happened to be the peak of fire qi in the twelve‑hour cycle, aligning with heavenly timing and human harmony, perfectly breaking this earthly advantage pattern.

"All right, brother, I didn't expect you to really have two brushes." Meibin Gong laughed, slapped my shoulder, extended a hand, and introduced himself: "My surname is Guan, given name Yu. Brother, you may call me Yu Ge or Da Guan."

Me: "……"

After wiping cold sweat and staring for a long while, I finally realized that Meibin Gong is called Guan Yu, the 'Yu' of the universe.

"Speaking of which, brother, I've been playing here for half a year—how come I haven't seen you? You're from out of town?" Guan Yu lit a cigarette and passed it to me.

"Brother Guan Yu, I actually came to this casino not to gamble money! Of course, I'm not some jinx either. A friend of mine died, and I suspect his death is related to this casino; I came here to look for clues!" After taking the cigarette, I straightforwardly told Guan Yu my purpose.

If it were someone else, I would pretend to be friendly and keep playing, but Guan Yu, this genuine man with his appearance, tolerates no falseness; if you sincerely befriend him, he will reciprocate sincerely and help you as much as he can.

My words seemed not to surprise Guan Yu; he gave an incredulous smile and said, "Actually I already knew you were talking nonsense—what era is this? Do you really think you're filming 'Gambler King' or some hellish unlucky ghost?"

"However, I can tell you're a capable person. Willing to speak the truth also shows you trust me. I, Guan Yu, have no special virtues, but when others treat me sincerely, I will surely respond in kind." Guan Yu patted my shoulder and said, "Go on, tell me what I can help you with."

People like him are strange: even knowing they've been deceived, they won't get overly angry, because in their minds human sentiment outweighs deceit. Since I helped Guan Yu win back money, this is what he considers a debt of gratitude toward me.

I stepped forward, leaned in, and whispered: "I don't know, Brother Guan, do you know if there's any place in this casino where they gamble gold, silver, and jewels?"

Guan Yu frowned, narrowed his eyes at me: "You want to go?"

I answered without hesitation: "Yes, I must go."

Guan Yu then fell silent for a long while, propping his chin, and after much thought exhaled: "All right, I'll take you. But I'll warn you: just look, don't cause trouble in this casino, especially in the secret chamber; otherwise no one can guarantee your safety."

"Fine, I promise you, no matter what I see or what happens, I will certainly not act rashly, nor cause trouble." Guan Yu's words made me overjoyed; I hurriedly patted my chest to assure him.

"Then follow me; come, hand over your chips." Guan Yu took the chips back from my hand. He wouldn't be petty about reclaiming them from me—doing so certainly serves a purpose.

After taking the chips, Guan Yu led me through a winding corridor inside the casino. At the corridor's end was an elevator door; Guan Yu threw all the chips to an old man guarding the computer desk, saying to him: "This is my friend, just arrived here not long ago; I'm bringing him up to see things."

The old man, apparently well acquainted with Guan Yu, took the chips without hesitation, handed Guan Yu a card, and stood up to press the elevator open.

After entering the elevator, I could not contain my curiosity and asked Guan Yu: "Brother Guan, where are we going now?"

This casino is in the basement, yet the elevator goes straight up to the top floor, which seems contradictory to its layout.

"To the place where real big money is gambled?" Guan Yu explained: "Don't think the bets here are big—actually the big action is upstairs. Upstairs there are only two games: stud and Texas hold'em. As long as both sides agree, anything can be wagered—fund deeds, gold silver jewels, even one's life. But there is a precondition: regardless of win or loss, the casino takes a ten percent cut."

Guan Yu's words startled me; I exclaimed in disbelief: "Isn't that illegal? Won't anyone investigate him?" By 'him' I naturally meant the casino's boss.

Guan Yu gave an incredulous smile: "As long as money is made, there are always people willing to reap illicit gains. The boss here has a fearsome background; the so‑called Bao Ye is merely a front. The real boss is someone else—no one knows his identity, and of course he is also very cautious."

Guan Yu waved the card in his hand: "This card is actually a smart key. After exiting the elevator, there is a U. S. –imported tech door that requires this card to open. Once opened, the card can be redeemed for chips? However, to exchange this card from the guard old man, you need at least five hundred thousand chips—in other words, to reach the top floor, five hundred thousand is the minimum entry qualification."

"And here?" Guan Yu paused, pointing at the elevator button: "The elevator indicates the top floor as the eighth floor, but in reality nobody knows which floor they've actually reached. The only exit/entrance at the roof is this elevator, of course there is also a specially made escape passage. However, since the casino opened it has never faced an emergency, so nobody knows where that passage is."

His explanation left me secretly astonished; the casino's behind‑the‑scenes boss is not only more formidable than I imagined, but it's frightening that such a person also possesses such meticulous caution.

Thus I see that I must be more careful. Behind such a formidable figure there are always talented and extraordinary people.