Young men from the five tombs gather east of the golden market, riding white horses with silver saddles through the spring breeze. Chapter 133: A Trip to the Treasure Island (6)

While the security guard went to summon someone, Cheng Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He sat down next to Fang Yu and whispered in the local Nanwu dialect, "Fang Yu, do you really want to play cards with them? Let me tell you, they are incredibly good at this."

"I know, but what else am I supposed to do when I don't have enough money? I'll gamble and see what happens. If it really doesn't work out, I'll just call the company to get more funds." He shot a resentful glare at Cheng Chen.

"Are you sure you can handle this? Should I take over instead? You don't even play cards normally, do you?" Cheng Chen was clearly uneasy.

"Enough, stop nagging. Shut your mouth, or I'll leave both of you behind. You can stay here to deal cards and Li Jing can dance," Fang Yu retorted, casting an annoyed glance at the pair.

Li Jing was terrified at this point. If she were actually left behind to dance, she feared she would be ruined within half a day. She hurriedly pulled Cheng Chen close, huddled in her boyfriend's arms, and dared not make another sound.

Three or five minutes later, the door to the private room opened again. Two young men wearing glasses walked in; they looked like twins.

"Mr. Fang, these are the employees from my establishment. Why don't you let them keep you company for a few rounds?" Tian Jisheng smiled and gestured toward the door.

"What about the cards? Let me inspect them first." Fang Yu was worried about foul play.

Tian Jisheng appeared indifferent. "Certainly. Come, bring two fresh decks for Mr. Fang. If Mr. Fang doesn't trust my humble establishment, you are more than welcome to go outside, buy two decks, and come back. We are at your service at any time."

Fang Yu relaxed slightly. The other party didn't seem to be running a scam; after all, in these types of venues, the primary profit came from commissions, and cheating wasn't a sustainable long-term strategy.

After the waiter brought two new decks, Tian Jisheng waved his hand generously. "It seems Mr. Fang doesn't quite trust us. No matter, why don't you deal the cards yourself, Mr. Fang?" As the boss, Tian Jisheng could tell at a glance that Fang Yu was not a professional gambler.

Seeing that the other party had covered all bases, Fang Yu had no choice but to brace himself. He stood up, sat at the round table in the room, shuffled the cards briefly, and began to deal.

In the first round, Fang Yu was dealt a 7 and an 8. Jin Da held a King and a 6. Jin Er had a pair of 9s, and since he was dealing, he had to take another card.

He dealt the third card to himself and flipped it over nervously. Cheng Chen saw it clearly. "Damn, busted."

It was a Jack, putting him over 21. Fang Yu lost 50,000 on his very first hand!

Off to a bad start, he grew anxious. He simply grabbed the remaining stakes and said, "150,000! Let's play the second round!"

Jin Da glanced at Tian Jisheng. Seeing that his boss had no intention of interfering, he threw in 150,000 in chips. Combined with Jin Er's, there was 450,000 on the table.

In the second round, Fang Yu was extremely lucky, starting with a Queen and a 10—a 20-point hand was strong enough.

Jin Da had a 10 and a 9; the risk of taking another card was too high, so he shook his head and folded.

Jin Er held a King and a 10, also totaling 20, but because Fang Yu was the dealer, he still lost.

"Hit me!" Jin Er wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had to draw an Ace to win, or he would lose all the money on the table to this teenager who wasn't even twenty years old yet.

Fang Yu's hands were trembling slightly. He didn't know any cheating tricks; he could only pray in his heart that the next card wouldn't be an Ace.

As the final card was dealt, Jin Er peeked at the corner. He muttered something, but his expression suggested it hadn't gone well.

"Damn it! A three-sided card!" Jin Er threw his cards down in frustration. Whatever it was, whether it was a 6, 7, or 8, he had lost.

"Mr. Fang has great courage. Wealth is found in danger!" Tian Jisheng clapped his hands calmly. This amount of money meant nothing to him.

In just one round, Fang Yu had recovered his principal. Excluding the 200,000 he brought, he had a profit of 250,000, though it wasn't enough to cover Cheng Chen's entire debt.

Just as he was hesitating whether to swallow his pride and put up his own 200,000, Cheng Chen couldn't help but chime in, "Go for it, Fang Yu! You're on a roll today; you can definitely win it all back."

Fang Yu glared at him, gritted his teeth, and pushed out the remaining 250,000. "250,000! All in!"

As the third round began, Fang Yu was dealt a Jack, Jin Da a Queen, and Jin Er a small 3.

As he dealt the second card, he nervously rubbed his fingers, peeked at the corner of the card, and checked it bit by bit, muttering, "Four sides, four sides!"

Unfortunately, the card showed no edges, meaning there was only a one-in-three chance of getting a Blackjack.

On the other side, Jin Da had already revealed his cards: a Queen and a 10. A 20-point hand was a strong contender. Jin Er had an 8; it didn't matter, he would wait for the next round.

Fang Yu's eyes were so tense he could barely keep them open. He gritted his teeth and flipped his hole card—it was a Spade Ace!

"Whew! BLACK JACK!" He let out a long sigh and slumped back into his chair.

Jin Da and Jin Er exchanged glances. In this situation, they had to take another card, or they would have to concede.

Fang Yu cautiously handed them the cards, staring intensely at their hands; he would speak up the moment he saw anything suspicious.

Jin Da was the first to fall. His hand needed an Ace to match, but when he flipped over a 4, he was finished.

Jin Er's hand was much better. With 11 points, he only needed a 10 or a face card to win or at least get his money back, even if he couldn't beat Fang Yu.

"Four sides! I've got it!" Jin Er's eyes lit up. It looked promising.

As the card was fully revealed, cold sweat dripped down Jin Er's face. It wasn't a 10—it was a 9!

With that, Jin Da's hand had busted, and Jin Er only had 20 points. Fang Yu's 21 won decisively!

"Won. Can we leave now?" Fang Yu stood up quickly.

"Certainly. Mr. Fang has great nerve. You are welcome to visit again," Tian Jisheng said, unbothered. After all, the 400,000 was what Cheng Chen had lost, so he hadn't actually lost anything himself.

There was 750,000 on the table. After deducting the 400,000 Cheng Chen owed, there was a surplus of 350,000, which should have belonged to Fang Yu.

Tian Jisheng, acting quite straightforwardly, had someone exchange about 310,000 in cash and handed it to Fang Yu with a smile. "Mr. Fang, according to our shop's rules, there is a 5% commission on your winnings. This is the remainder; please keep it safe."

Fang Yu was still nervous. He swallowed hard as he looked at the cash on the table. He reached out and took half of it, about 150,000. "Fair enough. Let's consider this money a way to make friends. I'll come back in a couple of days; just consider this my deposit."

Tian Jisheng smiled even wider. "Mr. Fang is truly a man of his word. Very well, very well. We look forward to your next visit. Do you need us to send someone to escort you and Mr. Cheng back?"

Fang Yu wouldn't dare let them do that. He waved his hand immediately. "No need. We can manage ourselves. Cheng Chen, Li Jing, let's go!"