Chapter 330: Gambling

Zhu Mengmeng strolled leisurely around the venue, using the opportunity to both explore and wait for Qiuqiu to come to her aid.

Due to the “trial opening,” the level of confidentiality was relatively high, so there weren’t many people in this casino. Many tables were empty, and even those with players were not as wild and loud as the underground gambling dens she had seen before. Everyone seemed composed, speaking courteously.

Soft music played in the background, and some players at the card tables exuded an air of sophistication, making gambling look like an elegant card game with musical accompaniment in a place that hides dirt and evil.

There were also glamorous and seductive female dealers in traditional cheongsams, with high slits exposing their thighs. However, it was apparent they lacked proper training as they dealt the cards somewhat clumsily, leaving some of the players who wanted a James Bond-like experience unsatisfied.

Most importantly, the overall quality was mediocre, not particularly attractive or youthful, lacking a certain charm. The male attendants were similar; many of them were Europeans, indicating that the opening of this ‘seaside park’ had been somewhat rushed, with many personnel aspects left incomplete.

John saw where Zhu Mengmeng’s attention was drawn, and he roughly understood what she was thinking. He couldn’t help but feel helpless.

If it weren’t for Chu Ge and Lin Wuyang sabotaging his plans earlier, he would have been able to recruit numerous young and beautiful male and female students. Under the hypnosis, they would have been able to provide various services, including entertainment, and could have discreetly helped clients release their pent-up emotions.

Unfortunately, for now, they could only temporarily employ some less attractive hostesses and hosts, and the training was subpar. The quality of the planned paradise had instantly fallen to a fraction of its original status.

From Chu Ge’s perspective, it was a deed of immeasurable virtue, while from John’s viewpoint, he couldn’t help but hate Chu Ge for unnecessarily causing trouble.

“Do you want to try your luck, Miss Piggy?” John encouraged after taking a stroll with her.

“Huh?” Zhu Mengmeng snapped out of her reverie, hesitating. “I don’t have any money…”

John smiled knowingly. “With me around, would I let Miss Piggy spend her own money?”

He made a gesture with his hand, and a waiter brought over a tray of chips, placing it in front of Zhu Mengmeng.

John grinned, “It’s a gift for Miss Piggy. Play as you like.”

Zhu Mengmeng didn’t really want to participate in these games. She was considering how to politely decline when she received a message in her ear from Qiu Wuji, “Mengmeng, I’m here.”

Zhu Mengmeng curled her lips; finally, they’re here!

She didn’t know where these two were hiding, but it was likely they were using some kind of invisibility. She knew this couple had various mysterious skills, and having someone covering her back, she felt at ease. Casually sitting down at a poker table, she said, “Let’s go with this one and experience the charm of Lady Luck.”

Everyone from the banker to the dealer on the opposite side was John’s subordinate, and with a nod from John, they knew what to do.

Zhu Mengmeng’s cards were unusually good for several rounds. She kept getting good hands, either a full house or a flush. After several rounds, her chip stack had increased significantly, and her face was radiantly happy.

John signaled again.

The dealer smiled and said, “Miss… Piggy, is it? Lady Luck is truly on your side tonight. The more you play, the more you win.”

Zhu Mengmeng giggled as she looked at her hand: a pair of Aces and a 10. The opponent had a pair of 3s and a 4. No matter how you looked at it, she seemed to have the upper hand. She decided to skip the cautious one-chip-at-a-time routine she’d used in the previous rounds and pushed half her chips into the center, saying, “One million.”

Based on their previous rounds, her opponent should fold.

Seeing that “Miss Piggy” was obviously overconfident, the banker smiled, then restrained himself and said through clenched teeth, “I don’t believe it. Maybe I have three 3s? I’ll call!”

The chips on the table piled up like small mountains, and the dealer continued to deal the cards.

Zhu Mengmeng drew an Ace, and the opponent got a 4. Now, she had three Aces, and the opponent had two pairs.

Zhu Mengmeng was momentarily stunned.

Even though three Aces seemed to be in her favor, this hand was already quite complex for someone who was completely inexperienced with poker. She didn’t even know it was a powerful hand or what it was called.

Her hole card was just an offsuit deuce, meaning she had, at best, three Aces. However, the opponent’s hole card was unknown, so it could potentially be a full house.

What should she do?

Qiu Wuji sent a message to her ear, “The opponent’s hole card is a 4. Chu Ge said that’s called a full house, and it’s better than your hand. However, we recommend you lose a round to see their subsequent tactics. Who will have the last laugh is still uncertain.”

With this information, Zhu Mengmeng had a better idea. She casually added a small stack of chips to her bet, saying, “One million is enough, and I’ll raise it by another ten thousand for fun.”

The banker smiled and pushed all his chips into the center, “All-in. Miss Piggy, do you dare to follow?”

Zhu Mengmeng said seductively, “Are you trying to scare me?”

The banker replied, “Playing cards is all about finding excitement, Miss Piggy. Are you willing to take a gamble?”

So, it’s called gambling, not playing cards.

Zhu Mengmeng slapped the table and said, “Is it that easy to get a Full House? I don’t believe your hole card is a 3 or 4! I’m in!”

With a dramatic flourish, all the chips piled up in the center, creating a spectacular sight.

The gamblers’ acting was a bit theatrical, but their mindset was spot on. They had let her win earlier to build her confidence, all for this moment.

“Snap!” Zhu Mengmeng revealed her deuce, glaring and saying, “Showdown!”

The banker smiled and revealed his hole card – a 4. The final hand was the dealer’s Three of a Kind, 4s, and a pair of 3s, while Zhu Mengmeng had a Three of a Kind, Aces, with a 10 and a 2.

Zhu Mengmeng slumped in her chair and muttered, “It’s impossible, I don’t believe it.”

After several rounds of victory and doubling her wealth, it all vanished in an instant. If she were a true gambler, this moment would have been heartbreaking.

John, who was standing by, chimed in at the right time, “There’s an old saying in China that goes, ‘Victory and defeat are common in war.’ Miss Piggy’s luck was great, and you can win it back.”

Zhu Mengmeng glanced at him and really wanted to say, “All those chips you gave me earlier were a setup. I’m done playing now; I’m leaving.” She wondered if this man’s face would turn as red as a pig’s liver.

However, Qiu Wuji seemed to want to observe something else. So, Mengmeng had to suppress the urge to see their reddened faces. She gritted her teeth and said, “Give me another million in chips! I don’t believe it!”

John showed a hint of hesitation on his face, “I’m afraid I don’t have the authority to give so many chips…”

Zhu Mengmeng slammed the table, exclaiming, “Do you think I’m broke? Waiter, give me some chips!”

John finally showed a smile on his face. They had encountered so many gamblers who played progressively into their scheme. It had become so routine that it could almost be streamlined.

A new round began.

Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji were secretly discussing, “The perception is clear; the banker’s ability is X-ray vision. It’s quite specialized and can only see through poker cards. It’s not the type that can see through clothing. So, he knows clearly that Mengmeng’s hole card is 2, not 10, and her exaggerated reaction made it even more apparent.”

Qiu Wuji said, “I thought it might involve high-tech cheating, but it’s rather old-fashioned.”

“I’m not familiar with these things either. There may be other forms of cooperation, and it’s possible that the cards dealt to Mengmeng are controlled by the dealer,” Chu Ge replied. “But with us here, they won’t get away with cheating.”

At this point, both sides had poor hands. Zhu Mengmeng had four unrelated single cards, with the highest being a King. The banker had a small pair of 5s, and the rest were random cards.

Zhu Mengmeng stared at the banker, “What, do you have the guts to go all-in?”

The banker’s ability allowed him to clearly see that Zhu Mengmeng’s hole card was also a King, essentially giving her a pair of Kings. However, his own hole card was also a 5, giving him three 5s, three of a kind.

He smiled and pushed all his chips into the center, “Since Miss Piggy says so, let’s go all-in.”

Zhu Mengmeng followed angrily, “I don’t believe it!”

She revealed her hole cards with anger, “I have a pair of Kings, what do you have?”

The banker opened his hole card with a smirk, “I’m sorry, but I have a 5.”

Zhu Mengmeng blinked her eyes and then suddenly laughed, “Hey, you should look more carefully.”

The banker looked at John, who had a grim expression. He lowered his head and saw his own hole card, which was clearly a 2.

“This… This can’t be possible!” The banker was frantic. “How could I confuse a 2 with a 5? She’s cheating! She must be cheating!”

Zhu Mengmeng irritably said, “If I were cheating, I could have changed your cards instead. What are you dreaming about? Hey, this is your establishment, you’re the banker, and the dealers are your people. Who could possibly be cheating? Do you want to call all the guests over as witnesses?”

John shook his head gently, “Mistakes happen; let’s continue.”

The banker sat down angrily, his mind filled with confusion. He was certain that his hole card was a 5, but it had somehow changed to a 2. He hadn’t sensed any signs of unusual abilities at play.

However, the next few rounds made him question his existence.

He saw Zhu Mengmeng’s hole card, which was a 6, but when she revealed it, it had turned into a 9. His predictions became chaotic. How could he win under these circumstances?

As a result, he decided not to look at the hole cards anymore. He could rely on his skills to crush a novice like Zhu Mengmeng.

However, his hole cards, no matter how good they were, would turn into bad hands, and he didn’t know why they kept changing. It became impossible to win!

In just half an hour, Zhu Mengmeng had angrily won 30 million.

John was also questioning life.

He brought this woman here to make her lose miserably and have her at his mercy, not to end up giving her money.

“I had a straight flush! How could this happen? My hole card was a black spade Queen, not an 8 of diamonds…” Facing John’s ashen face, the banker explained in frustration, “I didn’t make a mistake. My eyes are fine… Even if I had an issue, it wouldn’t be this outrageous…”

Zhu Mengmeng looked at him with pity.

The banker was driven to speaking incoherently, “Who swapped the cards? Before, it was only swapped with cards of same colour and inverted number…now you…this…”

Zhu Mengmeng: “…”

Listening to this, I actually agree that the person who switched the cards is despicable.

John coldly said, “Joe, you need to rest.”

“No! I’m not blind!” The banker was frantically pounding the table, his hands and feet in disarray.

Everyone frowned as the banker’s expression appeared abnormal, as if blood were rushing to his head, making his face flush, and his veins bulge.

Was he overstimulated? Why wasn’t he this stimulated when taking others’ money?

Zhu Mengmeng was about to say something when she suddenly saw the lines on the banker’s body fading and becoming increasingly blurred until they disappeared completely.

With a “puh” sound, the banker suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood and fell backward, lifeless and motionless.

The entire casino erupted in chaos!

Is he dead?

Zhu Mengmeng stepped back in shock, never imagining that this little game would lead to someone’s death.

Chu Ge and Qiu Wuji, without prior agreement, instinctively went to look for Mi Xiaolin.

They were surprised to see her look first baffled, then her face flashed with delight.

This whole cruise ship… the music, the gambling, the passion, the emotions… could it be hiding some other sinister meaning?