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Within the dead-silent VIP salon, the dealer had taken his place, fanning out a freshly unsealed deck of cards in demonstration. Texas Hold'em rules. Ten-million ante, no limit. "First hand, why don't we test our luck?" Ling Zhou smiled and tossed a stack of chips into the pot, looking over at Ji Jue. Flipping through a rule booklet he had asked from the dealer with one hand, Ji Jue nonchalantly tossed ten million in chips onto the felt. After two hole cards were dealt to each player, the three community cards of the flop were revealed. Five of Hearts, Ace of Spades, Two of Clubs. In the betting round, Ling Zhou glanced at his hole cards and casually raised by five million. Ji Jue called. The fourth community card, the turn, was the Seven of Hearts. Ling Zhou raised another five million, and Ji Jue, eyes glued to the rulebook, matched it. The fifth community card on the river was the Nine of Diamonds. Without hesitation or delay, once the action of the first hand concluded, both players showed their cards. Ji Jue had two pair: Fives and Twos. Ling Zhou had two pair as well: Aces and Nines. "Oh? Looks like my luck's a bit better today." Ling Zhou chuckled. Raking in the fifty-million pot, he looked at Ji Jue. "Want to swap decks to change your luck?" "No need. I pretty much understand it now." Ji Jue set down the rulebook, looked up with a faint, carefree smile, and said, "Let's keep going." And so, the second hand began. Yet for some reason, the temperature in the VIP salon seemed to creep upward. Even though it had nothing to do with them, the silent onlookers could not help feeling a wave of restlessness and anxiety. At the same time, their eyes remained wide, fixed intently on the table and every subtle move of the two players. In the second hand, Ji Jue folded immediately upon the first community card, losing another ten million. "Just like that, two fingers gone so fast." Ji Jue sighed, glancing across. "Should we chop them off now?" Ling Zhou maintained his smile. "No rush. Let's wait until we've gathered a full pair." In the third hand, Ling Zhou folded, and Ji Jue recovered ten million. The momentum seemed to turn, but in the fourth hand, three of a kind lost to a full house, forfeiting another forty million. In the fifth hand, he won back ten million. Then the sixth hand, the seventh... The mountain of chips beside Ji Jue shrank visibly, as if manipulated by an invisible hand. Amid the crisp rustle of cards dealt by the dealer, even the sound of breathing grew painfully clear throughout the salon. The ninth hand! The final card was turned over: the Ace of Diamonds. Amid the dead silence, Ji Jue sat quiet for a long while. Suddenly, he raised his head and looked at Ling Zhou. Ling Zhou pinched a chip, glancing at Ji Jue's numb expression with undisguised mockery. Yet an instant later, Ji Jue spoke: "All in." "Are you sure?" Ling Zhou froze slightly, frowning. "Yeah. Do the rules forbid it?" Ji Jue glanced at the booklet and smiled. "Growing up watching gambling movies, everyone shouted that. Now that it's my turn, I've got to try it at least once, right?" The dealer stood frozen, looking toward Ling Zhou. Only when Ling Zhou pulled his gaze away from Ji Jue did he wave his hand. "I call." He had thought the kid might possess some sinister trick, but now it seemed Ji Jue was nothing more than an ignorant fool who didn't know his place. Today, he was taking those hands for sure! The pot, the raises, and all of Ji Jue's remaining chips combined instantly drove the stakes on the table soaring to two hundred and ten million! "Showdown—" Ling Zhou stared straight at Ji Jue until two black hole cards were slowly turned faceup. Then he froze. In that split second of utter shock, his eyes bulged. Beneath his palms, the golden Phoebe gambling table cracked open with a fracture. Ji Jue's two hole cards combined with the five community cards on the board: Four of Spades, Five of Spades, Jack of Spades, Queen of Spades, Ace of Spades. A flush! Looking back at Ling Zhou, his best possible combination was merely a straight! In the blink of an eye, the tides had turned. "Whew, that was close." Ji Jue raised a hand to wipe his sweat, offering a heartfelt exclamation toward him. "You can make this much in a single hand? Playing cards really is fun." Ling Zhou remained silent, saying nothing. He stared at Ji Jue for a long time. Letting out a soft sigh, he nodded. "Indeed." He cast a glance at the man beside him and waved to the dealer. "Continue." Everyone in the monitoring room was stunned. The floor manager picked up the walkie-talkie to radio the other end. Meanwhile, in the luxury suite, Cranje, the Scribe of the Path of Aether, suddenly rose to his feet. Staring at the broadcast feed on the screen, he whipped his head around toward the tabletop. Upon the scarlet balance scale on the table, the weights remained unchanged, without the slightest shift— Yet if nothing had changed, then in that hand alone, Ji Jue should have lost enough to surrender his hands! Cranje remained silent, holding his breath as he tentatively reached out a hand. Yet before his palm could even touch the scale, the crossbeam, seemingly rusted with age, suddenly flipped. The weight of the silver-white counterweight surged in an instant, crashing down! Fate and fortune had abruptly inverted? At this very moment?! Cranje collapsed back onto the sofa in a daze, entirely unresponsive to the calls and urgings of the others around him. His pale eyes stared fixedly at the two ends of the balance. In the whites of his eyes, countless faint, spectral threads intertwined, resting upon the two weights. Suddenly, around the silver counterweight, the hues of dozens of threads shifted, as if revealing their true forms. Cranje twitched, his head snapping up as his ghastly pale gaze landed on the bearded man. "Tell Gao Yue that the price went up! I want triple!" The bearded man's expression changed. Stepping aside, he dialed a phone number. Soon after receiving a reply, he turned back and nodded. With that, Cranje reached out once more and pressed his hand onto the scale. Crimson blood and spiritus erupted forth, bathing it. A sudden, shrill shriek rang out, accompanied by violent convulsions. In an instant, the old man shriveled further, left hanging on by a thread. Yet the weight upon the scale tipped once more! Before long, in the VIP salon, the luck Ji Jue had just regained seemed to bleed away rapidly. Within just a few hands, despite repeated folds and cautious testing, he lost tens of millions. Until he sighed helplessly. "All in!" Ling Zhou's smile froze on his face once again. For some reason, looking at that calm, placid expression sent wave after wave of cold dread through him. "Are you sure?" he asked, frowning. "Of course." Ji Jue chuckled, meeting his eyes. "Are you calling or not?" Ling Zhou fell silent for a moment, then waved his hand. The mountainous stack of chips was pushed forward once more: four hundred and seventy million! "Showdown," Ji Jue said. Amid dead silence and ragged breathing, the hands were revealed. Ling Zhou—9, 9, 9, 5, 5. Full house! And Ji Jue's hand: 5, 5, 5, 5, 9. Four of a kind! "Hmm, a five is smaller than a nine, but four of a kind beats a full house, right?" Clutching the rulebook, Ji Jue beamed with joy. "Looks like I won again?" Ling Zhou said nothing. Across the entire Tianbo, only heavy, ragged breathing seemed to echo, accompanied even by a faint, wretched scream from afar... In the luxury suite, Cranje, who had been pressing down hard on the balance, suddenly screamed. He wailed shrilly, thrashing and convulsing as massive torrents of blood erupted from his body, swallowed whole by the scale as if his marrow were being scraped clean. Across the scale, crack after crack appeared. The pitch-black counterweight that had held the advantage shattered in an instant, dissolving into smoke. Meanwhile, fine fissures spread rapidly across the silver-white weight... As if hurled into an invisible crucible, it burned glowing red, hissing. From behind the cracks, thick blood seeped out drop by drop, yet it defied the scorching heat and flowed as usual. Beneath the wash of blood, the silver sheen faded away, and in an instant, the counterweight turned bone-white! Crash! The crystal chandelier fell without warning, smashing directly into Cranje's forehead. The old man convulsed twice, then collapsed backward. A distinguished Scribe of the Path of Aether had dropped dead without a hint of warning. Destiny overturned; the heavens' fortune rebounded in backlash! "Raise!" Inside the VIP salon, Ji Jue gestured toward the sparse chips left beside Ling Zhou. "Let's make it sixteen million." It was exact—precisely the total amount Ling Zhou had left before him. Expressionless, Ling Zhou gripped his cards tightly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. "...Call," he uttered. Showdown. Ji Jue had three of a kind; Ling Zhou had two pair. The outcome was decided. With trembling hands, the dealer swept away the last of Ling Zhou's chips, sliding them in front of Ji Jue. It was over... Among the onlookers, countless people let out sighs of relief. Bang! Ling Zhou's fist smashed into the edge of the table, his fury no longer restrainable. Casting a final glance at Chen Xingzhou, his eyes landed on the vacant Chief's seat of honor before Chen Xingzhou, and his eyelids twitched. In the end, he squeezed the words through clenched teeth: "Fine. Gamblers accept their losses. I concede." "From this moment on, this debt is wiped clean!" With that, he didn't even bother keeping up appearances, turning to leave. Yet from behind him came Ji Jue's puzzled voice. "Hmm?" Still seated at the table, the young man rested his chin on his hand, glancing at his retreating back. "Is it over just like that?" Ling Zhou spun around, his eyes bloodshot, only to see the smile on Ji Jue's face. It was as gentle and mild as ever, faint and reserved, hovering between presence and absence. "A casino opens its doors to welcome guests; there's no rule about kicking them out halfway through the game." Ji Jue tapped a finger lightly on the crack in the table, telling him, "Besides, I haven't said stop yet." Ling Zhou's face turned livid. "Ji, don't you fucking—" "Don't I what?" Ji Jue asked curiously. "If I recall correctly, I wasn't the one who wanted to settle things this way, was I?" Ling Zhou froze on the spot. "Aren't these the terms witnessed by the Wild Gathering?" Studying that face, Ji Jue's smile grew increasingly cheerful. "You made the demands. You set the rules. And now, halfway through, you want to back out?" He said, "Mr. Ling, what do you mean by this?" Ling Zhou stayed silent. He did not speak. He looked up toward Chen Xingzhou. Chen Xingzhou was looking back at him with a gentle smile, as were all the witnesses who had gathered behind him. Yet their eyes were chillingly cold. Completely devoid of warmth. Like cruel deities carved from clay and wood, they quietly awaited the words that would come out of his mouth. In the suffocating silence, a bead of sweat slowly trickled down Ling Zhou's forehead. He parted his lips to speak, but in the end, said nothing. Gritting his teeth, he returned to the table. "Come, let's continue." Ji Jue nodded with satisfaction. "Sit down!" Ling Zhou sat down without an expression, the chair groaning under his weight. "Let's play bigger this round. How about ninety million?" Ji Jue suggested with great enthusiasm. "I happen to be short of a spiritus workstation lately. This will make my dream come true. Thank you, kind benefactor. Dealer, what are you waiting for? Deal." The dealer didn't dare move, looking toward Ling Zhou with trembling eyes. Until Ling Zhou finally spoke, his voice hoarse: "Deal—" It was as though he had raised his own arms, letting the chains wrap around them. A piercing chill shot up his spine. He panted heavily, watching the community cards flash past before his eyes, his entire body shuddering in a daze. Two hands later, the chips beside Ji Jue reached a new high. Ji Jue said, "Continue." Sweat poured down the dealer's back, and he didn't dare make another move. There were no chips left. Ling Zhou's expression shifted continuously as he hissed through his teeth, "That's all the liquid capital on the Tianbo. You've won every fucking cent! What more do you want?!" "Oh? Just that much?" Ji Jue raised an eyebrow in disappointment, then broke into a smile. "No matter. Want me to lend you some? On second thought, this ship looks pretty nice. How much is it worth?" Ling Zhou didn't answer, his bloodshot eyes glaring straight at Ji Jue. "Mr. Ji, don't push things to the absolute limit—" "What a coincidence. I love pushing things to the limit, burning every bridge until others have nowhere left to turn." Ji Jue's smile remained unchanged as he looked around. "Is there really no one here who can give an appraisal?" Chen Xingzhou waved a hand, and someone behind him stood up immediately. Pulling out pen and paper, the man punched away on a calculator, wrote the result on a mortgage form, and handed it to Chen Xingzhou. Chen Xingzhou took out the Dragon Head staff and stamped it with the official seal. Finally, it was slid before Ling Zhou. "The ship and cargo combined, fuel counted as completely full, and without calculating any depreciation—we'll value it as brand new from the factory. Two hundred and forty million. Little Ling, don't say I didn't look out for you." Chen Xingzhou's gaze was warm and doting, yet it rendered Ling Zhou entirely speechless. As if bearing an immense, crushing weight, even drawing a breath took everything he had. His finger, stained with red ink, hovered in midair. For a long time, he couldn't summon the courage to press it down. Only when all his strength gave out did it fall, leaving behind a mark of dying struggle. The game continued. "Deal," Ji Jue said. This time, the dealer didn't dare move at all, slumping onto the floor. Chen Xingzhou waved a hand, gesturing for his subordinates to drag the dealer away. Then, rolling up his own sleeves, he took the dealer's place, opened a fresh deck of cards, and shuffled them with seasoned skill. "Ever since making my fortune in gambling dens, it's been ages since I did this kind of work." He dealt the hole cards with smooth, practiced motions, sighing with genuine nostalgia. "Suddenly, it feels like I've returned to my youth. I really must thank you two for giving me this chance to relive old times." No one answered. Deal, community cards, bet, raise, showdown. "Ji Jue, full house. Ling Zhou, two pair." Chen Xingzhou swept the chip rake, easily pulling over a stack of chips. Without waiting for Ji Jue to ask, he dealt again. "Ji Jue, three of a kind. Ling Zhou, two pair again." Chen Xingzhou sighed. "A pity. Your luck fell just a bit short." The rake swept again, gathering chips. "Ji Jue, flush. Ling Zhou, folded." The rake, the chips. "Ji Jue, two pair. Ling Zhou, two pair." Chen Xingzhou shook his head. "Slightly lower rank." With effortless ease, the last ounce of leverage before Ling Zhou was stripped away. In the dead silence, drenched in sweat, Ling Zhou seemed to have lost all strength, slumping limp in his chair. Ji Jue smiled. "Continue." "Continue my fucking ass!" Ling Zhou could no longer hold back his roar. Like a beast cornered and ready to devour anyone, he snarled, "The men, the money, the cargo, the ship—they're all fucking yours! What else do you want?!" "Don't say that, Mr. Ling." Ji Jue shook his head. Raising a hand, he rested it on the revolver beside him, then suddenly flashed a brilliant smile. "Don't you still have your life?" With that, he raised the gun, gave it a tap, and five quicksilver bullets dropped from the cylinder, leaving only one inside. Immediately after, the cylinder was snapped shut, spun, and locked into place. Finally, it slammed onto the table like a hammer. Thud! It was merely a dull thud, yet it struck like a soul-shaking thunderclap, making everyone's brows twitch. From beneath Ji Jue's palm, the revolver was slowly pushed toward the center of the table. "Don't be afraid." Appreciating his look, Ji Jue consoled him softly, "Ten-million ante. Pull the trigger once. If luck is on your side, you'll have enough to play at least five more times." Ling Zhou's expression twisted as if he were about to bellow. Yet under the chilling gazes of everyone present, he ultimately failed to move. Ji Jue's smile vanished completely. His face became devoid of emotion. He said, "Deal." And so, Chen Xingzhou dealt. Hole cards, three community cards, no raises. Finally, the showdown. "Ji Jue, full house. Ling Zhou, two pair—" After Chen Xingzhou's rake skillfully arranged both hands, his other hand rose, gesturing toward Ling Zhou. "Please, Mr. Ling." In the suffocating air, every trace of color vanished from Ling Zhou's face, leaving only a ghostly pale. His pupils dilated, unable to focus. He lifted his head, wanting to say something, but nothing came out. Not just him—everyone present was frozen in dead silence. Holding their breath. At that moment, around the gambling table, behind that empty white plastic chair, an illusion-like outline materialized. Amid a wilderness of blood and death, incomplete wolf carcasses swayed in the wind atop invisible, towering antlers. The solemn White Stag lowered its gaze, looking down upon them. Witnessing from this moment forth! Ling Zhou's fingers spasmed. Involuntarily reaching out, he gripped the gun. The trembling barrel rose and pressed against his temple, yet he hesitated... lacking the strength to pull the trigger. Chen Xingzhou barked, "Fire!" "Fire!" Behind Chen Xingzhou, every witness stood up at once, their expressions frenzied, faces flushed, eyes bloodshot. "Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!" Fire! Click! A sharp snap sounded amid Ling Zhou's desperate shriek. An empty chamber. "Continue," Ji Jue said. "Deal." And so, it continued. "Ji Jue, straight flush. Ling Zhou, high card." This time, without waiting for Chen Xingzhou to speak, all the standing onlookers roared in unison once more, ordering: "Fire!" The trembling hand rose again. Click! "Continue," Ji Jue said. "Ji Jue, flush. Ling Zhou, two pair." "Fire!" The witnesses roared like rolling thunder, resounding through this ruthless wilderness where the strong preyed upon the weak! "Fire! Fire! Fire!" Until the final, deafening blast erupted— Bang! The revolver slipped from Ling Zhou's hand, clattering to the floor. A bleeding bullet hole appeared on his forehead. Even though it was just an ordinary quicksilver bullet, the blessing bestowed by the White Stag failed to take effect entirely. Thick brain matter slowly oozed out. "Save... save..." Ling Zhou slipped uncontrollably from his chair, his limbs spasming weakly as he tugged at Chen Xingzhou's trouser leg, babbling incoherently, "I... Sixth Master... was wrong... I'm..." "Brother Ling!" His subordinates could bear it no longer and surged forward to help, but Chen Xingzhou looked back without an expression. Immediately after, every single one of them froze in place. A bone-chilling killing intent descended from above, rolling in from the far reaches of the sea, prickling against their backs like needles! No one dared step forward again until the last drop of blood and life drained from Ling Zhou on the floor. Not a sound remained. Only then did silence rise from death. Ji Jue slowly rose to his feet, casting his gaze across the room. "Seems our deal is settled for today?" No one answered. Only crimson blood spread across the floor, reflecting his indifferent countenance. "Where's the wine?" Ji Jue asked. Paralyzed by trembling and shock, the attendant clutching champagne in the farthest corner didn't react in time. Blondie stepped forward on his own, snatching the ice bucket and glasses from the server's hands. The clod knew nothing about tasting wine, filling the flute to the absolute brim without leaving a sliver of space. Taking quick, small steps, he held the glass in both hands and presented it to Ji Jue. Ji Jue tilted his head back, drank half of the champagne, and splashed the rest over the corpse on the floor. The wine of the Wild Gathering, finished in blood. With this, the dust settled. "Now—" Ji Jue cast a glance at Ling Zhou's subordinates and told them, "You can get the fuck off my ship." At that instant, a crisp round of applause sounded. Chen Xingzhou looked around in confusion, wondering who could be so tactless just as he was about to raise his own hands. Behind him, everyone stood frozen without reacting, their faces flushed in shock. The crisp clapping came solely from the very front, echoing from that empty Chief's seat. Filled with appreciation and praise. Immediately after, Chen Xingzhou began to applaud without hesitation. All at once, countless people joined in, their applause crashing like thunder and torrential rain, echoing into the boundless night.