Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

"Yes, I'll go right away." Secretary Liu did not dare delay; having received the Xuanming Sect's orders, he immediately set about making the arrangements.

"Uncle Zhang, what's happened?" Yang Xutang had caught something about crashing the party in what Secretary Liu said, and asked curiously.

"It's people from the South City Casino." Seeing that Yang Ce had asked, the Xuanming Sect did not dare conceal anything—Yang Ce was, after all, one of the Huangs now, so he had to be dealt with earnestly. "The South City Casino is the closest establishment to the Huawei Casino. At the beginning, the Huang family's business was not focused on the gambling industry, so they did not invest much in the casinos here. But in recent years the gambling business has flourished, and Chairman Huang felt there was great profit to be made in it, so the Huawei Casino was rebuilt and expanded. And with that, corresponding conflicts arose—namely, competition. As the Huawei Casino grew, the South City Casino's business was bound to suffer. So the rift between our two casinos has gone from a crack to utter incompatibility. I never thought they would openly send someone to challenge us this time."

"I see. And what's the consequence of such a challenge?" Yang Yanchuan asked.

"I don't know yet. But if they've come to challenge us, they must have come prepared, and they're certain to make some harsh demands," the Xuanming Sect said. "As to what those demands are, we'll have to wait and see—I don't know either."

"Lele, someone's come to make trouble at your family's casino. Let's go down and take a look." Since Yang Ce had accepted Huang Yan's identity, Huang Yan's affairs were his affairs. With someone stirring up trouble at the Huang family casino, Yang Duoran could not stand idly by.

"Oh, then let's go take a look." As a member of the Huang family, Huang Yan could hardly ignore the family business entirely. With her second brother away, she had no choice but to go look herself.

The Xuanming Sect relaxed a little. The situation was complicated now: if the South City Casino really did propose some outrageous wager, he would not presume to decide on his own. But with Huang Yan and Yan present, things were different—on major matters they could make the call, and whatever the outcome, they would not blame him.

So the three of them went downstairs together. By now the casino hall was already bustling, with a crowd gathered around Yu Deyi. He was playing blackjack at that moment, and the chips before him had already climbed to nearly six million.

"That's Yu Deyi, the consultant director of the South City Casino—a master gambler," the Xuanming Sect said, pointing out the man in the middle of the crowd.

Yu Deyi won money at an astonishing pace. In the short time Yang Ce had been watching, he had won another million-odd, and his chips now stood at seven million.

He did not win every hand, though—his odds were simply a little better than average.

Just then Zheng Shaopeng appeared, striding over. As he walked he called out to Yu Deyi, "Brother Yu, what's the meaning of this?"

Though there was friction between the casinos, there was little personal grudge between their consultants. At the gambling exchange meeting the day before, Zheng Shaopeng and Yu Deyi had chatted and laughed together.

"Brother Zhang, my apologies." Yu Deyi looked up and saw the Xuanming Sect; he gave an easy smile. "Each of us serves his own master. I can only offend you."

Zheng Shaopeng nodded. Yes, each served his own master. Yu Deyi now represented the South City Casino, and he himself represented the Huawei Casino—their becoming rivals was unavoidable. So he set his face and said gravely, "In that case, bring out whatever skills you have. I'll be glad to oblige."

"Good. I'm still three million short here. Once I've gathered a stake of ten million, we'll begin." Yu Deyi gestured toward the chips before him.

"Bring him three million and make it ten million." Zheng Shaopeng waved a hand at the dealer beside him.

The dealer hurriedly brought Yu Deyi three million in chips, bringing what he held to a full ten million.

"In that case, I'll thank you for it—saves me the trouble of wasting time." Yu Deyi did not decline. He had come here to pick a fight, so what was the point of being polite? From the moment he walked through that door, Yu Deyi had known that his relationship with Zheng Shaopeng could never be as amicable as before. Each served his own master, true, but a rift between the two of them was inevitable.

"Let's go. Up to the VIP room on the second floor," Zheng Shaopeng said to Yu Deyi.

Yu Deyi nodded, picked up the chips on the table, and rose to his feet. He followed behind Zheng Shaopeng, and the two of them headed upstairs together.

Xuanmingzong and Yan followed along behind them. Seeing them all go upstairs, the crowd dispersed. The second floor consisted entirely of VIP rooms, closed to the public, so these spectators would not be blessed with the chance to watch the masters duel in person.

"Boss, so this is where you've been!" Zhang Bin and Wang Mei had naturally been watching Yu Deyi gamble just now as well. Zhang Bin was a born gambler; seeing a master at work, his hands had itched, and he had wanted to see it through to the end. Now he spotted Yang Ce and Huang Yan—perfect, no problem at all. The casino was owned by Huang Yan's family; surely there would be no issue with going to watch.

"Yeah. How'd you do?" Yang Ce glanced at Zhang Bin's empty hands and knew the fellow must have lost everything.

"Heh heh, I lost it all." Zhang Bin gave a dry laugh. "Damn, a million—it stings a little. Good thing it was Lele's family's money; in the end it all went back to Lele's family's casino anyway."

"All right, with those rotten hands of yours, don't play anymore. How many people ever walk away from gambling with money?" Yang Minlan said to Zhang Bin. "Don't let yourself get addicted."

"I know, but did you see that guy just now? Absolutely incredible—a hundred thousand, and in no time at all it turned into seven million!" Zhang Bin said with some envy.

"That's how he makes his living. Envying him won't do you any good," Yang Ce said. "Besides, there's technique to all of it. Don't go thinking that because he can win, you can win too."

"Don't worry, boss, I'm not that stupid." Zhang Bin laughed a little sheepishly. "I just thought—that feeling must be so cool. You sit down there, and the money comes pouring in."

Yang Heng laughed and clapped Zhang Bin on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's go upstairs and take a look together."

Zhang Bin could not have asked for more. At Yang Juehuan's words, he trotted along upstairs after them, tail wagging.

The group entered the lavish VIP room at the far end of the second floor. It was normally closed to the public; only important matches were held here.

To be continued

868. The Gamble

868 The Gamble

Zheng Shaopeng and Yu Deyi entered the VIP room first. Yang Ce and the Guixu Sect group followed in after them, and then Secretary Liu closed the main doors from the very back.

Yu Deyi swept his eyes over the people in the room. Xuanmingzong he knew, and Xuanmingzong's secretary, Little Liu. The rest he had never seen before, but presumably they were all people connected to the Huawei Casino.

"Yu Deyi, whatever your purpose is, just say it." Zheng Shaopeng's way of addressing him had changed from "Brother Yu" to plain "Yu Deyi."

"Since President Zhang is here as well, I'll speak plainly." Yu Deyi sat down at one end of the VIP room's table and came straight to the point. "One gamble, winner takes all. The losing side shuts down their casino for a month."

Shut down the casino for a month—Zheng Shaopeng was stunned, and Xuanmingzong even more so. A casino operated twenty-four hours a day; barring some special event, it never rested, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.