I Am A Prodigy - Chapter 236
Chapter 236: Let the Gambling Begin
The entire hall was already full of people. The reception ladies were dressed in uniform and were in charge of attending to the guests. Many had already taken notice of people at the gambling table as well as those coming and going. They were on the prowl for their targets.
Although there were only 58 players, each one had assistants and bodyguards. There were also gambling masters joining in some of the games, which was why there were so many people.
Despite being a competition for 58 players, it was not only those 58 players who would participate in the gambling. The casino itself also arranged for some of its personnel to join in the games, otherwise, it would not be possible for the gambling to go on.
In the end, however, the 58 players were the only ones who would need to compare their remaining chips to find out who had the highest amount left.
In other words, the total number of chips in the 58 players’ hands amounted to 580 million, but ultimately, the final tally of all 58 players’ chips might add up to more than that. Of course, there remained a possibility that it might be less than that. More chips would mean that the casino lost to them, and vice-versa.
Lu Hao went to the chip counter to exchange 10 million chips. He followed behind Ye Lingchen with beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
He did not care much for that 10 million of course, but rather, the wins and losses at the casino itself.
The figures invited by each party were all very skilled. If the Lu Group failed to snag a decent piece of land, their status would fall.
“Big Boss Lu, would you like to try?” Wei Hong, whom they had met yesterday, was sitting at a gambling table. Beside him was Meng Jiu, whose expression was as calm as the water’s surface.
Lu Tianxiong smiled and said nothing.
He followed Ye Lingchen and whispered, “Master Ye, it’s disadvantageous to start by going in too recklessly.”
Tactical skills would be utilized at the start of a match unless one was very confident in one’s gambling skills. Under normal circumstances, one would hope to crush a pushover, expand one’s capital as much as possible, eliminate other players, and advance in the rankings.
“Have you ever lost before?” Ye Lingchen shot Lu Tianxiong a playful glance.
Lu Tianxiong looked a little embarrassed. “I got last in the previous rankings because the first thing I did was sit on the same table as Wei Hong.”
After a pause, he continued, “But he was not much better himself. It didn’t take long for Jin Heng to eliminate him.”
Ye Lingchen nodded. Such was the case with casinos. Big fish gobbled up small fry, and one could either avoid being slaughtered or possess enough mettle to ride through it.
It came to Ye Lingchen’s attention that several major real estate developers seemed extremely tacit regarding the situation. None of them came forward as though they were prepared to have a field day.
Wei Hong glanced at Ye Lingchen walking past him and frowned slightly. He turned to Meng Jiu and asked, “Is he a master gambler?”
Ye Lingchen was far too calm, as though everything inside the casino had nothing to do with him. Perhaps the composure was due to him being in control.
Meng Jiu’s scarlet eyes glowed red and he shook his head. “His body doesn’t give off a gambler’s vibe. Judging from his hands, he probably doesn’t touch cards often. He doesn’t even look like he knows how to gamble, much less a master?”
“Lu Tianxiong is nuts. Why would he invite a rookie here?” Wei Hong remarked plainly and chuckled. “Looks like Lu Tianxiong has reached the end of the line. Unfortunately, I can’t spur Lu Tianxiong to bet against himself like last time. Otherwise, the first one to be eliminated is him! ”
When Ye Lingchen sized up the crowd, everyone else was sizing him up too.
Other than those well-known gamblers, Ye Lingchen was undoubtedly the most striking person there.
He was too young and was unknown. At first glance, everyone thought he was Lu Tianxiong’s bodyguard.
“Big Boss Lu, why not come to my table and play a couple of rounds?” Jin Heng saw Lu Tianxiong and invited him with a smile.
“Big Boss Lu, you should be here at our table. How about a game of dice?”
“Hahaha, you’re amusing, Big Boss Lu. You actually brought a child over. Why not come play a few rounds of Golden Flower. It’s the easiest.”
Along the way, many people greeted Lu Tianxiong while shooting looks of contempt at Ye Lingchen.
Lu Tianxiong smiled bitterly. Everyone was regarding him as a pushover.
However, Ye Lingchen had an indifferent look on his face and he did not take anyone’s words to heart. He swept his glance across the room and chose a table to sit down.
Eight people were sitting at that table playing Baccarat. When Ye Lingchen took his seat, all those individuals looked at each other and smiled. The game was going to be a walk in the park with the rookie as their companion.
Others looked depressed, lamenting their missed opportunity to pick on that rookie.
“Miyako is here!”
All of a sudden, there was a yell from outside the door. Everyone in the casino was breathless. Their heartbeats accelerated and they all looked up.
Most of the gambling bigwigs gained their reputation through experience, so Miyako’s name most certainly rang a bell. Her status as the Gambling King’s disciple was already thunderous enough, but the crux of it was her undefeated streak going back to her debut!
All her opponents lost in her hands regardless of what the game was.
Ye Lingchen instinctively looked up as well. He saw a woman wearing a reddish-brown kimono walking in. Beside her, a fat middle-aged man smiled and followed along, while behind them were two rows of bodyguards in black suits.
The procession was so imposing that it immediately silenced the noisy casino.
Not long later, gasps and exclamations resounded through the hall.
“That woman is the disciple of the Sun Nation’s Gambling King? She’s too young!”
“She showed her skills a few times back in the Sun Nation and she’s very proficient. Rumor has it that she already possesses seventy-percent of her master’s skills, but no one knows whether it’s true or not.”
“That Jin Heng fella said it was true. Hengtai laid low too and they did invite Miyako over.”
“No wonder Hengtai chose to show up last. Turns out, it’s to surprise us! How crafty!”
In addition to being young, Miyako was also very beautiful. She had big and lively eyes, like that of the Sun Nation’s anime girls. Her skin was fair, and her long, slender legs made her look stunning when paired with her kimono.
It scarcely occurred to anyone that such a young girl would turn out to be a master in the gambling industry.
Most people’s gazes unwittingly drifted away from Ye Lingchen and were drawn to Miyako.
Both of them appeared to be about the same age, but…comparing the two was futile. The disparity between them was just too wide.
After Miyako came in, she picked a gambling table at random and sat down without even taking a closer look at the situation. Those at the table immediately had a sunken look, with traces of despair appearing in their eyes. They were just too unlucky
“It’s almost time!” Lu Hao’s voice was a little hoarse due to excitement. He sat earnestly beside Ye Lingchen and stared nervously at the gambling table.
Baccarat was divided into four bets: banker, player, tie, and pair. Everyone is allowed to bet according to the game and whoever made the right bet would win!
The gameplay was very simple. A third-party would deal cards to the banker and the player. After that, both hands would then be compared. Any hand with a value closest to nine would win. If both sides have the same value, it would amount to a tie. If either side has a pair of the same cards, then it would be a pair.
