"You mean, when he said, 'I don't think I'll die here'... that was a lie?"
Ren Yi subconsciously lowered his voice, his gaze falling on Wang Zhixin on his shoulder as his mind raced.
If it was a lie, the opposite was true—he believed he might die here.
It wasn't entirely surprising. After all, this was an Anomaly Instance; one wrong move could lead to eternal damnation. Preparing for the worst was only human.
But in the context of the Battle-Damaged Guy's previous words, it felt incredibly off.
He had looked so confident, even a bit arrogant. He had said things like "Three chips are enough" without hesitation. How could he be so blustering on the outside while being fearful within?
Ren Yi frowned, temporarily suppressing the doubt in his heart. He planned to sort through the known clues first and summarize the situation.
First, the Battle-Damaged Guy was definitely prepared. His challenge to the God of Gamblers wasn't a whim but a premeditated plan.
This was evident from how he had set aside three chips beforehand, certain that he could quickly earn enough for the wager.
Second, the game he chose was the simplest: guessing the dice total. It seemed to rely entirely on luck with no room for skill.
But combined with Wang Zhixin's words, it was clear he had absolute certainty. This wasn't a gamble of luck; it was a cheater taking on the king of luck.
Furthermore, his goal definitely wasn't just the invitation to leave the entertainment city. That was merely a smokescreen.
His true objective was hidden within the lies he hadn't spoken.
Most importantly, for the sake of this unspoken objective, he was even prepared to die.
Ren Yi muttered to himself, "What does he mean? Is he planning to lose on purpose?"
But that didn't make sense either. Every day in the entertainment city, fools challenged the God of Gamblers. One more or one less made no difference; there was no need to plot so extensively just to put himself in such danger.
The more he thought, the more confusing it became. Ren Yi rubbed his temples, deciding to stop overthinking and just see how things played out.
Just then, the waiter standing nearby seemed to notice something.
"Mr. Ren Yi, he should be in the casino starting to earn chips now. Shall I take you to see?"
Ren Yi's eyes lit up. Rather than guessing blindly here, it was better to see it in person. Perhaps he could find clues about the man's talent from his actions.
"Sure, let's go have a look," Ren Yi agreed readily, pulling Wang Zhixin closer to his chest.
Dr. Lin and Dr. Zhao exchanged a look, wordlessly deciding to join in on the fun.
However, Ren Man did not follow. The entertainment city was still a bit too "loud" for him.
After some communication, the entertainment city sent a waiter to take Ren Man to the hotel deeper within to rest.
The waiter accompanying Ren Yi clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
The group walked through the noisy casino hall, drawing the gazes of many gamblers along the way. Ren Yi's youthful face was quite conspicuous in this environment.
After a few steps, the crowd ahead became dense. Waves of noise drifted over, faintly mixed with the crisp sound of clattering dice.
"That's the place," the waiter said, pointing to the gambling table in the center of the crowd.
Ren Yi squeezed through the crowd and peered inside.
The Battle-Damaged Guy was sitting at the table, and the two people opposite him were actually familiar faces.
One wore red armor that completely encased his face, standing tall with a fierce aura. The other wore simple, ancient-style robes; he was pale, with a touch of elegance in his features.
They were the two people who had been sitting near the Battle-Damaged Guy on the train.
The "Five Thousand Years" trio had gathered once again.
Currently, the three stood in a triangular formation. The Battle-Damaged Guy sat on one side of the table, while the Armor Hero and the Pale Scholar sat at the opposite ends. Their expressions varied, and the atmosphere was tense.
"It can't be such a coincidence. Did the Battle-Damaged Guy seek them out on purpose?"
Ren Yi wondered to himself, subconsciously stopping to listen to their conversation.
From their dialogue, Ren Yi pieced together the situation.
It turned out there was a significant grudge between the three of them. The reason the Battle-Damaged Guy had ended up as a stowaway in the entertainment city was that these two had set him up.
The customers in the casino loved nothing more than a grudge match. Everyone crowded around to watch, occasionally letting out cheers and jeers.
"Set up?" Ren Yi raised an eyebrow, though he didn't quite believe it. Based on Wang Zhixin's previous revelation, he didn't think the Battle-Damaged Guy had truly been tricked. This so-called "setup" was likely part of his plan.
At that moment, the Armor Hero impatiently tapped the table.
"Enough talk! Let's get started! We'll play by your rules: Big or Small. Do you dare?"
"Why wouldn't I?" The Battle-Damaged Guy leaned back in his chair, a faint smile on his lips and a calm tone. "But we play until one side runs out of chips?"
The Armor Hero's eyes sharpened as he immediately agreed, "Fine! We do it your way! I want to see what kind of skill you have to challenge me!"
Ren Yi's gaze fell on the dice cup and dice on the table, understanding the rules of this match.
It was the most standard version of Big or Small: The dealer shakes the dice, and the players bet on the result. They can bet Big, bet Small, or bet on a Triple.
After the reveal, the result is determined by the total of the three dice: a sum of 4 to 10 is Small, and 11 to 17 is Big. If all three dice show the same number, it is a Triple.
Normally, if you bet Big or Small, you win if you guess correctly and lose if you don't. However, if a Triple is rolled, everyone who bet Big or Small loses, and the dealer sweeps the table. Only those who specifically bet on a Triple win, usually at very high odds.
To prevent cheating, the dice and cup were provided by the entertainment city. They were made of special materials that made tampering impossible.
Both sides could watch the shaking process the entire time, and no extra movements were allowed. If cheating was discovered, the cheater would immediately lose and be dealt with by the entertainment city on the spot.
"Choosing such a simple game..." Ren Yi stroked his chin, a guess forming in his mind. "It's probably because this is the fastest way."
Since the Battle-Damaged Guy needed to earn enough chips to challenge the God of Gamblers as quickly as possible, this direct and efficient game was indeed the best choice.
Just then, the waiter beside Ren Yi nudged his arm.
"Come here, I'll give you a little cheat."
Rate on N.U.
