The Grand Wager

“Spend, spend a month with me?”

Kristina’s stunning beauty and fiery figure, combined with such a brazen declaration, nearly sent Du Chen’s nose gushing with blood.

“Shame! Papa, Bebé doesn’t want to hear! Bebé is going to play with little brother!” Belmonde, shaking her head and wiggling, slid down Du Chen’s thigh to the floor. With stumbling steps, she padded into the inner room, covering her flushed face with her tiny hands and wriggling in embarrassment as she went. Yet, after she entered, the mahogany door remained slightly ajar, a single dark eye peeking conspiratorially into the living room.

Du Chen was so stunned by Kristina’s offer that he couldn't recover for a long while. What man would willingly pass up such a golden opportunity? Yet, Du Chen’s heart frantically screamed a warning: *If you fail, self-castration will prevail! The Precious Lotus Scripture is truly malicious!*

His prolonged silence further fueled Kristina’s misunderstanding. “What?” she fumed, “Do you expect me to ‘deliver the goods’ right this instant?! If you just agree, I’ll…!” She waved her hand dismissively. “All of you, get out! I’m going to ‘deliver the goods’! This entire month, I am yours! But Francis, if you dare go back on your word after I’ve… ‘delivered’… ”

With that, she tore open her collar.

“Stop! Let’s discuss this calmly! Call your subordinates back, all of them! Jamis, you too, come back!”

Du Chen feared neither heaven nor earth, but a woman disrobing before him? That was a terror of an entirely different magnitude. The temptation was simply too immense; one wrong move and he’d commit an irreversible mistake!

Kristina was slightly taken aback. Could Francis truly be the legendary paragon of virtue, a man completely devoid of lecherous thoughts? Yet, observing him, the moment she tore her collar, he frantically averted his gaze as if he’d witnessed something truly horrifying.

*Is my body terrifying?* Impossible, she was one of Battle God Isle’s most captivating beauties! *Then, does Francis fear women?* That also seemed unrealistic. *Heh, how interesting! This might be exploitable!*

Kristina ignored Du Chen’s plea and tore her garments further. “Mr. Francis, what are you still hesitating for? Come! For my father, I don’t mind ‘performing’ in front of so many people!”

*Heavens! Will no one save me?!* Lately, Du Chen had been living a glorious life, basking in the benefits brought by the Precious Lotus Scripture. Now, it was time for him to pay his dues!

Seeing Du Chen leap up like he was dodging an assassin, turning and increasing the distance between them, Kristina’s conviction solidified. *Indeed! Francis is one of those legendary charlatans who craves a reputation for virtue!*

*This makes things much easier!*

“Francis, you have two choices now,” Kristina threatened, her voice edged with steel. “Either you come with me to save my father, or you spend the night with me tonight!”

The gang enforcers Kristina had brought, and even Jamis, were all stunned.

“What is the Young Miss saying? She wants Mr. Francis to spend the night with her? Did we mishear?” the enforcers whispered amongst themselves.

The atmosphere within Dormitory Number Eighteen was indeed far too bizarre!

Just then, Kristina added, “There is no third option. If you don’t make a choice today, this mistress will come to spend the night here every single day!”

Du Chen, a wry, half-amused, half-dismayed smile playing on his lips, smacked them lightly. “Alright! You’re ruthless, I concede! But let me make this clear beforehand: I won’t wager my life, nor any of my bodily organs! Also, I’ll gamble with all my might, but if I can’t save your father, don’t blame me!”

“Deal!” Kristina turned, pointing to an enforcer. “What are you standing around for? Bring the sedan chair, escort Sir Francis to the casino!”

With that, she hurried out of the dormitory, head bowed.

*How mortifying! Did I truly say all those things just now? So embarrassing! But it’s fine, as long as I can persuade Francis to save my father, I’ll throw caution to the wind!*

When Du Chen stepped out, Kristina was taken aback. Du Chen had changed from his robes, now wearing black soft armor beneath a plain white outer robe. His long golden hair flowed freely behind his head, making him look exceptionally handsome! However, he was still holding his daughter. “Hey, why are you bringing a child with you?”

“Worry not! When one’s gambling prowess reaches my level, external factors are absolutely incapable of affecting me!” Du Chen proclaimed with an air of superiority, though inwardly, his mind was already churning with calculations. His daughter Bebé’s Spiritual Power was so potent; she was sure to be useful at the gambling table. Bringing this ‘child’ along would be a very safe bet!

The little one also waved to Kristina. “Big Sister, be good! Bebé is also good! Bebé is not naughty!”

Belmonde’s adorable antics made Kristina want to laugh, but the thought of her father stifled any mirth.

Pied’s casino was built on Battle God Isle’s beach, a majestic aerial pavilion supported by thirty-six colossal pillars carved from Aberrant Beasts, with spiral staircases connecting its four sides. From afar, it resembled a mystical paradise suspended between the sea and the sand.

On the highest floor, within the exceptionally luxurious circular white jade hall, Pied sat despondently on a chair, a sharp, swift blade impaled into the table before him. Across from him sat a vigorous elder of about sixty, clad in a lavish purple noble’s robe and cloak. His silver hair was slicked back from his scalp, and a neatly trimmed silver beard adorned his chin, each strand distinct. Most strikingly, his dark purple eyes gleamed with such intensity that few dared to meet his gaze.

The elder’s voice was melodious and deeply penetrating, carrying an undeniable authority. “Pied, has your friend not arrived yet? I’ve waited three hours for him, and allowed your limbs an extra three hours of activity. Now, I am tired!”

“Very well, I admit my loss, and losing to you is no injustice!” Pied pulled the swift blade from the tabletop.

A flash of steel, and then a hearty laugh echoed from outside the hall. “Mr. Pied, what’s the rush? Your limbs are temporarily no longer yours; no one has yet said when they’ll claim them!”

“Well said!” The elder’s gaze shifted, spotting Du Chen striding in through the doorway with a child in his arms. He chuckled softly. “A mere stripling, and with a child, no less!”

Holding his child with one arm, Du Chen hooked a finger with the other, gesturing for Pied to offer his seat. He then strode directly to Pied’s chair and sat down. “At the gambling table, there is only winning and losing, not age, isn’t that right?” Du Chen glanced at the twenty-plus attendants standing behind the elder, then smiled, fixing his gaze on the elder’s eyes.

The elder watched Du Chen silently. Though young in age, his composure was utterly unshaken, an air of serene confidence gracing his features. The black and white soft armor and cloak complemented his handsome looks, and as he sat before him, he exuded the aura of a true king! The aura of a king of the gambling world!

*A formidable opponent! A gambler’s core lies in their state of mind and presence. This man faces a powerful adversary without flinching, even bringing his young daughter. In terms of presence and mental state, he’s already won by three points!*

Such masters, capable of remaining so calm in the face of his formidable presence at a gambling table, were exceedingly rare!

With this thought, the elder dismissed his initial underestimation and introduced himself in a deep voice. “Rogliff! I’ve traversed the Three Continents, challenging masters of gambling prowess across the land. Pied was meant to be my final opponent! Now, it is you. You are worthy of being my opponent!”

“Francis, a student of Battle God Isle!” Du Chen replied with a faint smile, glancing at Pied beside him. “What did you lose to him?”

Pied shook his head with a bitter smile. “My specialty, dice.”

“Very well, Mr. Rogliff, then we shall gamble with dice!” Du Chen placed his daughter on his lap, steadying her with one hand while resting the other on the table. “If I win, Mr. Pied’s debt to you is nullified!”

Pied grew anxious, quickly whispering, “Francis, his dice skills…” His words were cut short by Du Chen’s dismissive wave. Seeing Du Chen’s composed demeanor, and recalling the battle at the Icy Jade Pool, Pied felt a surge of calm. At this moment, Kristina also came to her father’s side, anxiously awaiting the start of the gamble that held her father’s life in the balance.

Rogliff crossed his arms, smiling faintly. “And if you lose?”

Du Chen lowered his head, gently pinching his daughter’s nose, as if savoring a moment of familial bliss. “Will I lose?”

“Good! For that spirit alone, I’ll give you a chance. You are junior; if you lose, you may simply leave! But Pied must give me everything he owes!” The elder gestured for a gambling official to bring a dice cup. “According to the rules common across the Three Continents, you set the stakes, and I set the rules!”

With that, he didn’t rush to declare if they were betting on high or low. Instead, he gripped the dice cup with both hands and began to shake it, staring at Du Chen. Then, with a resounding ‘thump,’ he slammed the dice cup onto the table.

Pied glanced at Du Chen, who was still teasing his daughter, then exchanged a look with his own daughter. Kristina nodded back at him. Both father and daughter had heard it: Rogliff had stacked all three dice into a perfectly straight line.

The topmost die showed a ‘one.’ Rogliff’s dice cup contained only a single point!

*Is he betting on low?* Kristina wondered inwardly.

Pied frowned slightly. *Is he betting on who gets the lower score?! If so, Francis just needs to shatter all the dice to win, and he definitely has that power. But…* Pied felt a subtle unease.

After all, Rogliff hadn’t yet stated the rules!

“I’ve dropped the cup!” Rogliff declared. Everyone present who had heard him shake out a ‘one’ subtly nodded. He was indeed betting on low—once the cup was released from his hand, Rogliff couldn’t change his ‘one’ outcome, nor would he be foolish enough to bet on ‘who gets higher’ with a ‘one’!

Rogliff smiled faintly. “Do I even need to say if we’re betting high or low?”

“I understand!” Du Chen chuckled, holding his daughter tighter with one hand, while casually picking up the dice cup with the other and gently shaking it.

Rogliff’s lips curled into a strange smile. “Are you not going to put the child down?”

“One hand is sufficient!”

At these words, the color drained from the faces of Rogliff’s attendants. *Our master has dominated gambling tables across the Three Continents, defeating countless experts! What kind of man is he?! And you dare to gamble against him with just one hand? Utterly arrogant!*

After Du Chen set his dice cup down, Rogliff slowly said, “You shattered all three dice. Did you hear my ‘one’ and assume I was betting on low?”

Pied and Kristina’s hearts sank. *Yes, indeed. The assumption that Rogliff was betting low was based on hearing his ‘one.’ He never explicitly said it!*

*Damn it, Rogliff deliberately used the ‘one’ to mislead his opponent, making them mistakenly believe he was betting low! Though it’s a somewhat underhanded psychological trick, it’s enough to win this gamble!*

*Francis, you’ve been too overconfident. You should have at least made Rogliff explicitly state whether it was high or low before shaking the dice!*

“Mr. Rogliff, you talk a little too much!” Du Chen held his daughter with both hands, placing Belmonde on the table and gently caressing her little face. “Sweetheart, help Papa blow on this lid!”

Belmonde obediently climbed up and lifted the dice cup. Inside was a pile of powder, spread flat on the tabletop.

Du Chen had a ‘zero.’

“Now tell me, do you want to bet high, or low?”

“Heh heh, you lose! I’m betting high!” Rogliff revealed his own dice cup. Sure enough, his three dice were stacked perfectly straight, with a single vivid ‘one’ at the very top.

Kristina’s eyes squeezed shut in despair.

Pied’s brow furrowed, his heart sinking.

“Do you take me for an idiot?” Du Chen sneered, a dismissive smile playing on his lips. “Before the rules were stated, you shaking out a ‘one’ doesn’t mean you wanted to bet low!”

*Could Francis not have been fooled?!* Kristina’s eyes snapped open.

Pied also smiled. *That’s right. As long as Francis had hidden two intact points beneath the pulverized dice, he was bound to win against Rogliff’s ‘one.’*

“I never take my opponents for idiots! It’s good that you thought of that. So you must have hidden a few intact points under the powder, right? But…” Rogliff raised his hands, indicating he hadn’t touched the table since opening his cup! “Look closely at my points!”

As he spoke, with a subtle shift, as if cleaved by an invisible blade, Rogliff’s perfectly stacked dice neatly split down the middle, transforming into six precise halves that scattered across the tabletop.

The six half-dice rebounded off the felt, each landing with a numbered face precisely upwards, instantly summing to a grand total of twenty-one.

Pied’s face instantly turned ashen. Even if Francis had anticipated Rogliff’s ‘one’ being a decoy, he could at most hide a few points; it couldn’t possibly surpass twenty-one—at least Pied had never heard of such a technique!

Rogliff calmly gazed at Du Chen, speaking slowly, almost as if lecturing a junior. “Given your age, your current skill is already impressive, but you still lost! Even if you hid a few intact points beneath the dice powder, could they compare to my twenty-one? How many points could you possibly hide?”

He took a wine glass from an attendant behind him and gently sipped. “I’ve gambled for many years; the strongest expert I’ve ever seen could only hide eighteen points beneath pulverized dice!”

Du Chen pinched his daughter’s chin. “Sweetheart, help Papa blow a breath!”

*Whoosh!* Belmonde puffed out her little cheeks, blew hard, then joyfully exclaimed, “Papa, so powerful!”

Sixty-three points. Du Chen had shattered all the dice, leaving only a thin surface layer with the pips, and then pulverized the interiors of the dice, covering them with the dust!

Sixty-three points against twenty-one. The outcome was self-evident!

“Mr. Rogliff, I am the winner!” Du Chen held his daughter, gently wiping away the powder clinging to her little face.

Amidst Kristina’s cheers, Rogliff quietly observed the result on the gambling table. His vigorous face was expressionless. After a long moment, he slowly stood up. “Indeed, heroes emerge from the young. I lost!” He walked leisurely to the seaside window, seemingly lingering over something, then said in a deep voice, “She is yours. Everything you’ve won is up there.”

With that, the attendant behind him draped a silver-white fur cloak over his shoulders. Rogliff strode out of the hall, followed by his twenty-odd dejected retinue. At the doorway, Rogliff turned back, laughing heartily. “Today, I concede defeat wholeheartedly. In three months, I shall return for another challenge!”

*Damn it, you’re coming back?* Du Chen smiled, shaking his head. “I’m still a student. In three months, I’ll be taking my mid-year examinations. I have neither the time nor the interest to accompany you.”

“Boy, your gambling prowess may be formidable, but don’t push your luck!” A burly man beside Rogliff exploded in anger. Du Chen’s arrogant demeanor had tested his patience for too long. “If it were a battle of battle qi, my master could cripple you with a single finger!”

“Jacob, silence!” Rogliff reprimanded his attendant sharply. “As I said, in this world, the strong are revered. He won, he is worthy, and he must be accorded due respect!” He smiled, glancing at Du Chen, and extended three fingers. “In three months, I will return to Battle God Isle—for other matters. I believe we will certainly have an opportunity to spar then!”

“Perhaps!” Du Chen added silently in his heart, *you won’t get the chance.*

The burly man named Jacob was furious and about to speak again, but Rogliff’s icy gaze silenced him. He pounded his chest in frustration, muttering, “Ramepatisu, hateful boy!”

Ramepatisu? Du Chen was abruptly startled. *They… this phrase is like the monks of his previous life chanting ‘Amitabha.’ It’s only uttered by members of the Yessar Church when furious or extremely excited!*

*They are members of the Yessar Church? That’s hardly possible. Philip of the Yessar Church self-destructed, Flaying is in seclusion recovering from injuries, and Deboning is in my hands. The other two Saints have also disappeared. How could there still be such a prominent figure?*

Du Chen wanted to call out to them and ask, but he couldn’t discern if they were friend or foe, nor could he discuss the Yessar Church in public.

But that fleeting moment of indecision, Rogliff had already led his people away. They flew directly into the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Pied walked over, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and thanked him. “Francis, today you saved my life, preserved my family’s fortune, and ensured my entire family will still have food on their table! I, Pied, will waste no more words. In the future, if you ever encounter trouble, the Red Sand brothers will not hesitate!”

Du Chen was still pondering that phrase, Ramepatisu, and only gave a somewhat distracted nod, appearing a little impolite.

Pied didn’t mind, slapping Du Chen’s shoulder and laughing heartily. “It’s time to go check on your winnings, Mr. Battle God Isle’s wealthiest man!”