Chapter 573

After seeing off Priest Ao Gu Si, Xia De first went to the Black Raven Library to inquire about detoxification sorcery and curses. After not finding a target with a suitable price, he went to Old John's Pawnshop and the Seven Brooms Tavern in Coldwater Harbor respectively, and hung up the entrustment of "Acquiring blood of rare creatures."

Although during the first time key, Xia De couldn't even bring magic potion materials to the past. But this time, since it was the god who asked him to bring blood, he believed that those bloods could be brought to the banquet.

Just like this, before the City Player Rhodes Card Tournament ended, Xia De had no other important things to do.

On Wednesday, the second stage of the City Player officially began. This morning, Xia De took Mia to the Prophet Association. He first went to find Luweiya to explain the matter of the "Banquet of God," and then found Vice President Mark.

After this Rhodes Card Tournament, which attracted the attention of players all over the world, began, Vice President Mark was not as busy as in the preparation stage.

Today, the flow of people in the Prophet Association was at least twice as large as usual. People crowded into the first-floor lobby, watching the more detailed rules about the second stage of the competition on the bulletin board together, or talking about interesting things during the first stage of the competition.

The expansion of the card-playing base would lead to the appearance of some rare card games. And people were very happy to talk about these card games. Even the regular newspapers and gossip tabloids in recent days liked to use interesting things during the Rhodes Card Tournament to fill the section at the back of the newspaper.

Xia De found the Vice President on the third floor and explained the problem he wanted to understand.

"The number of people entering the second stage?"

Vice President Mark stood at the entrance of the third-floor stairs with his hands crossed on his chest, looking at Xia De with some surprise:

"No, no, this can't be said. Regarding the competition data, association personnel are strictly prohibited from disclosing it."

He shook his head and emphasized:

"Even if we are friends, I absolutely cannot say it."

In fact, even if this data was said, it would not affect the competition results. But for the sake of fairness and the fun of the competition, letting people win as many copper coins as possible during the semi-finals, all competition data would not be disclosed until the final champion appeared.

"Three digits?"

Xia De asked in a low voice. Vice President Mark carefully looked left and right, and then nodded.

He didn't "say" the answer, so it was not considered a violation of the regulations.

"115?"

The gentleman in formal attire lowered his head a little.

"108?"

He raised his head slightly again.

"Hmm... 112?"

"I didn't say anything."

The Vice President said very uprightly. Xia De couldn't help but praise:

"Your mouth is really tight. It seems I shouldn't think about getting the answer from your mouth."

He came to the Prophet Association, besides inquiring about information, he also wanted to get that special invitation fee, which was the final payment for inviting him, a player holding the founding series Rhodes cards, to participate in the competition.

Of course, the formal term was not invitation fee, but lost-work fee, clothing fee, and transportation fee.

Mr. Mark took Xia De to the accounting room to get the money. Seeing Xia De carrying a cat, he also curiously asked him if carrying a cat was for luck.

"Yes, my friend Baron Lavender also entered the second stage. He invited me to go to the east and south of the city to play cards together today."

Since the second stage was a multi-player card game, Baron Lavender naturally wanted to play cards with the holder of three 【Founding】 series cards.

"People say cats can bring luck."

When receiving the envelope from Vice President Mark, Xia De said with a smile, and then patted the head of the cat on his shoulder that looked very well-behaved:

"I believe that my... cough cough, the cat I raised, should also be able to bring luck."

"Meow!"

That cat rubbed Xia De's hand, its eyes staring at the envelope in Xia De's hand.

The second stage of the City Player lasted from this Wednesday to Sunday, a total of five days, but one had to play a game in each of the six competition venues in the east, west, south, north, and university districts, and finally the number of copper coins could be counted. Since he was invited by Baron Lavender today, Xia De planned to play two games today, and then one game a day. This could make the itinerary easier and also fully enjoy the fun of "City Player."

After leaving the Prophet Association, on Wednesday morning at the mansion of Hou Jue Martinez in the east of the city, Xia De conducted his first card game in the "1853 City Player Rhodes Card Tournament."

In the five-player card game, besides Baron Lavender and his friend, horticultural artist Sir Solar who had done garden management in Cold Spring Palace, there were two other gentlemen who happened to be waiting to form a card game.

Hearing that they could compete with Xia De, who had three founding series cards in his deck, they were also very excited. And besides the contestants, after the card game started, almost all the card players in the entire mansion gathered around.

Even until the end, Xia De only drew 【Founding·Silver Moon】, and even if he didn't use the special effect of adjusting numbers, he won by holding 25 copper coins in his hand, but people were still very excited.

The owner of the competition venue, Hou Jue Martinez, arrived only after Xia De and the others' card game ended. He shook hands with Xia De very enthusiastically and asked about Xia De's competition itinerary for the next few days.

It seemed that the Hou Jue also wanted to play a game with Xia De.

After the morning card game ended, Baron Lavender and Sir Solar invited Xia De to have lunch in the east of the city. The east of Tobesk was originally an area where the rich gathered, and the living conditions and infrastructure here were very excellent.

After lunch, Little Mia, who was forced out by Xia De, immediately began to feel sleepy, but because she was held by Xia De all the time, she didn't make a fuss because she couldn't lie on the windowsill at home to sleep in the sun.

In the afternoon, Xia De, Baron Lavender, and Sir Solar did not immediately go to Hall 3 of the Delarion King Opera House in the south of the city. The six competition venues in the city had different opening hours, and the opening hours of the King Opera House were the same as the opening hours of the opera house itself.

This meant that people playing Rhodes cards here could play cards while listening to opera.

So Xia De was invited to the "Rochester Rhodes Card Club" to which Baron Lavender and Sir Solar belonged. This was a fairly high-end noble club, which included a bar, restaurant, library, and casino for members to entertain and socialize here.

Xia De's arrival was warmly welcomed by people, because it happened to be the "City Player" held in Tobesk city, and people who obtained the semi-final qualification in the club gathered together to discuss the situation of this year's competition.

And besides Xia De, the guest, there were some Rhodes card players from other places invited to the club. Among them were not only Karsenrik people, but also nobles from small principalities attached to Delarion.

"Is that Virgil Cameron?"

Sitting in a soft booth by a round table in the corner, Xia De and Baron Lavender exchanged decks and checked each other's cards. Hearing the conversation not far away, Xia De quietly looked to the side.

Three fashionable men who were a bit "gaudy" were holding wine glasses, exchanging opinions on the artistic style of Tobesk. It could be heard that they highly praised the decoration style of the Cavendish family with gold as the main color, but also thought that the city layout of Tobesk was too square and a bit too monotonous.

Just now Xia De heard the man sitting with his back to him being called "Virgil Cameron." Although the front photo shown by Director Anluosi at the time, Xia De basically confirmed that it was this person.

Virgil Cameron was not only the person Xia De was required to monitor in the final stage of the City Player in the mission of Military Intelligence Section 6, but also the person who was required to ask for a secret letter in the mission given to the Grey-Headed Eagle by Karsenrik.

"Cameron? Yes, I heard he is the lover of Grand Duke Seth."

Baron Lavender said sarcastically, but thinking of the rumors about Xia De, he didn't talk much about the "lover" topic.

"This Mr. Cameron is a genuine Rhodes card master. There are 6 special rule cards in his deck. Although many of them were obtained by Grand Duke Seth for him, his record in the preliminary stage is quite amazing."

"Do you think he can enter the finals?"

Xia De asked curiously. Baron Lavender thought Xia De was evaluating his opponent, so he considered it very carefully:

"According to the odds of the underground casino, the possibility of him entering the finals is very high."

"Underground casino..."

Xia De sat on the chair, leaning back slightly, letting his whole head enter the darkness. But his hand was stroking the cat under the light of the table. Mia was very familiar with his look, which meant Xia De was considering the living expenses at home.

"Baron, do you know my odds?"

"One to one for entering the finals, twenty to one for not entering the finals."

If Xia De gave up his dignity as a Rhodes card player, he could probably get rich all of a sudden.

"Then what about the championship odds?"

"Winning the championship is about 1.7. You are the big favorite this year. However, this is the market condition I learned yesterday. Just now you won the first semi-final card game in the east of the city, the championship odds will definitely be lower. When the championship list is determined, the odds will be lower."

Saying that, Baron Lavender looked left and right and lowered his voice:

"I bought you to win the championship. If you really win, that 【Ancient Fairy Tale·Match Girl】 that you are temporarily entrusted to keep can be given to you as a gift for winning the championship."

It seems Baron Lavender bought a lot.

The Prophet Association itself would not open a gambling game for the City Player, but this did not mean that others would not do so. However, such underground gambling games were risky. Even if Baron Lavender introduced it, Xia De was still worried that his principal would be lost.

He recently needed to prepare a large amount of cash for two kinds of special blood—if he looked further, it was three kinds of blood. But whether he should bet on himself to win the 1853 City Player championship because of preparing funds, Xia De still needed to think carefully (Note).

【Outsider, don't you not gamble?】

"This can't be considered gambling. I'm not betting because of greed, but for a living. And, if I really bet, maybe half of the money won can be donated to the children's welfare home. After all, in a few months, winter is coming."

Xia De thought in his heart.

Because he discussed the odds of the underground casino and the Rhodes card masters participating this year with Baron Lavender, Xia De didn't pay too much attention to Mr. Virgil Cameron.

But when they had dinner at the club together and set off for the opera house in the south of the city, Xia De actually saw that Mr. Cameron again in Hall 3 of the Opera House.

Since they were acquaintances who had met, and heard that Xia De was the player who held three founding series cards in the rumors, Mr. Cameron formed a multi-player card game with them.

To be honest, in the environment of the opera house, which was dignified and elegant, and everyone was wearing formal attire, playing Rhodes cards while listening to opera was indeed a kind of good enjoyment.

The opera performance was also arranged by the Prophet Association. The play was *Tiffany Sadierda*. It told the story of a child who grew up in a casino and dressed as a man, and the grievances and grudges after adulthood, which was quite consistent with the atmosphere of "City Player."