FT DR Chapter 96: A High-Stakes Gamble

Chapter 96:  A High-Stakes Gamble

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

“Shall we go over there now?” Wu Chenghe asked Jin Xuan.

Jin Xuan shook his head. “We’ll wait for the signal from Yin Bo.” He draped his arm around Wu Chenghe’s neck and navigated through the crowded room to another corner near the circular bar. They ordered two beers and, as they drank, Jin Xuan covertly observed Yin Bo and the military supply officer from the shadows of the curtain.

The entire casino was a circular structure with a domed ceiling, five levels high with an open central space. The ground floor housed a comprehensive casino with spacious halls for games like roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. The atmosphere was raucous, resembling a mental asylum with bursts of laughter and shouts echoing sporadically. The VIP lounges occupied the fourth floor and above, catering exclusively to senior officers and regular patrons, offering a quieter ambiance.

The second and third floors of the casino were dedicated to leisure, featuring slot machines, blackjack tables, bars, and dance floors. Soldiers lingered at the bars, boasting and flirting with waitresses, while clandestine transactions with prostitutes took place in the shadows. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and cosmetics, evoking a peculiar sense of excitement typical of the lower echelons of society.

Wu Chenghe found the atmosphere somewhat unsettling. His heightened consciousness made chaotic environments burdensome, leaving him feeling fatigued. Jin Xuan ordered a drink for him, but Wu Chenghe declined, opting instead to pick up a cigarette from the bar and light it, taking a drag.

Jin Xuan noticed Wu Chenghe smoking and frowned. “Since when did you start smoking?”

“Hmm, it seems like there’s marijuana in it,” Wu Chenghe replied, detecting an unusual taste after a couple of puffs. He extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray and took a sip of beer. “It’s too noisy here. My consciousness feels overloaded.”

“Come here, let me massage your temples,” Jin Xuan said, pulling Wu Chenghe into his embrace and rubbing his temples. Wu Chenghe focused on Yin Bo’s location and noticed a change in his posture. Yin Bo was now straddling the military officer’s lap, feeding him alcohol mouth to mouth.

Wu Chenghe stretched his hearing and heard the officer gasping for breath, emitting animalistic sounds from his throat. Yin Bo’s breaths were equally rapid, occasionally accompanied by seductive hums. Suddenly, the officer let out a long “Oh…” as if choked, followed by heavy breathing. “Oh, baby, oh, that’s amazing… I want to take you away. Come on, name your price, darling,” he said.

Wu Chenghe blushed furiously, still unsure of what exactly was happening between them— from his perspective, they were just embracing each other. How did Yin Bo manage to get the officer all worked up? Spies were truly a mysterious species!

Yin Bo chuckled darkly, pinching the officer’s chin and whispering something to him. The officer’s expression shifted, torn between leaving and staying. Eventually, he reluctantly nodded, smirked lasciviously, and slipped his hand under Yin Bo’s clothes.

Yin Bo flirted with the officer, kissing him and acting coquettish, feeding him alcohol mouth to mouth. It took about ten minutes of soothing before Yin Bo reluctantly climbed off the officer, swaying his captivating hips as he walked towards Jin Xuan and Wu Chenghe. Halfway there, he even blew a kiss back to the officer.

Wu Chenghe was in awe: Damn, he’s so dedicated!

“He says he’s willing to meet,” Yin Bo said in a low voice as he approached them, leaning close to Jin Xuan’s ear. “He’s difficult to handle and suspicious, but his authority is substantial. Bringing three or four people into Tartaros shouldn’t be a problem.”

Jin Xuan nodded, ordered a drink for Yin Bo, and asked, “How are you holding up?”

Yin Bo snorted, picked up the cigarette Wu Chenghe had barely smoked, took two stylish puffs, drank half a glass of alcohol, and replied, “It’s not your concern. I’ll handle my job.”

Wu Chenghe noticed that his thigh was damp and handed him a few tissues. Yin Bo wiped it twice and said, “The rules in Tartaros must be very strict. He hasn’t had a release in a long time. Just a couple of rubs and he shot me on the leg… Damn, couldn’t he save it for the night? The Second Army are all damn quick shooters. Finding someone who can last half an hour is harder than finding Lancer during the day.”

Wu Chenghe was speechless. Jin Xuan patted his pert buttocks and said, “Stop talking nonsense. Let’s go. Don’t keep him waiting.”

“I charge a hundred Federation credits just for a touch on my ass. He offered two thousand just now to have a go with me,” Yin Bo said, transforming into a seductive demon with his makeup. He hooked his thigh around Jin Xuan’s waist, rubbing it twice before pushing him away fiercely with his index finger. “You broke bastard, get lost!”

The colonel, earning a monthly salary of eight thousand, compared his middle finger to the seductive fox demon offering two thousand for a romp. He patted Wu Chenghe’s head and instructed, “Stay here. Keep an eye on his quantum beast. If you sense he’s lying, let me know.”

Wu Chenghe nodded. A quantum beast could reflect its owner’s true thoughts, but only a strong guide like him could detect subtle changes and give warnings. He and Jin Xuan had a conscious telepathic connection, enabling them to understand each other’s thoughts without speaking within a certain range.

Yin Bo took Jin Xuan to the military officer. Wu Chenghe extended his consciousness to eavesdrop on their conversation while keeping an eye on the officer’s bear-like quantum beast.

They talked for nearly half an hour. Jin Xuan was sincere but not overly flattering, fitting his identity as a “Capital Tycoon’s Second Generation.” Initially, the officer was suspicious of his background, but with Wu Chenghe’s hints through the quantum beast’s reactions, Jin Xuan quickly gained his trust.

Yin Bo played a crucial role. Initially leaning on the bar, he naturally ended up sitting on the officer’s lap, caressing his neck and face from time to time, and his hand even slid into the officer’s shirt to tease. At first, the officer maintained his composure, but as Yin Bo entwined around him like a snake, he gradually relaxed, his eyes becoming somewhat hazy. Jin Xuan took advantage of the situation, frequently clinking glasses with him and ordering more drinks. Before they knew it, they had downed three large bottles of whiskey.

They discussed matters related to the arena, such as scale, profit-sharing, and annual dividends. Later, the officer seemed genuinely interested in the business, initiating discussions on operational aspects in great detail.

Jin Xuan wanted to further establish a relationship with him. Seeing that it was getting late, he invited the officer to visit the arena. The officer agreed. As he stood up, he noticed Wu Chenghe and asked Jin Xuan, “Is he with you?”

Jin Xuan was extremely sensitive about Wu Chenghe’s situation and immediately sensed the danger. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Oh, yes, he’s my lover from the capital.”

“People from the capital are indeed different,” the officer said, holding Yin Bo while continuously glancing at Wu Chenghe, licking his lips. “How about we go to the brothel tonight? My treat. Shall we have some fun together?”

The brothel was the hotel next to the venue, known for its underground brothels. By saying so, he was hinting at a foursome. Jin Xuan remained noncommittal, just smiled faintly, and snapped his fingers at Wu Chenghe. Wu Chenghe paid the bill and walked over. Jin Xuan naturally pulled him into his embrace, saying to the officer, “He’s too shy, unfamiliar with others. It’s better for everyone to spend more time together.”

The officer’s dark eyes swept over Wu Chenghe, laughing, “Alright, I’m here for another half a month. We have plenty of time to get acquainted.” He reached out to touch Wu Chenghe’s chin. 

Jin Xuan discreetly blocked it and said, “Let’s go, let’s go to my place to play. This place is boring, full of sissies. I prefer the games men play.”

The officer, already a little tipsy, laughed heartily. Afterwards, he followed them to the arena.

At midnight, the atmosphere inside the arena was heated. The main event, the “Death Round,” had gone through seven rounds. Now, there was a burly man with three consecutive victories on the field. He had a bald head with a huge red spider tattoo, his muscular body glistening with blood and sweat after defeating three challengers. He looked extremely ferocious.

On the stands, soldiers shouted his name as if possessed. Occasionally, someone would ask the waiters to place bets for them. No one used electronic transfers; it was all done with paper money, as if only paper money could give them the thrill of buying lives in such an occasion.

“The next challenger, Hell Zorro!” the host jumped onto the boxing ring, shouting loudly, “Red Spider vs. Hell Zorro. Let’s wait and see if tonight’s crowd favorite can defeat the fourth round and win the cumulative three hundred thousand Federal credits in the ‘Death Round’!”

The soldiers in the stands erupted into thunderous cheers. Some shouted the name of Red Spider, while others cheered for Hell Zorro. Adrenaline soared to its peak in the hot and humid atmosphere. Even Wu Chenghe, usually calm and composed, felt his blood pumping as he stood in the VIP stands.

“Come on, let me help you place a bet,” Yin Bo took out some paper money from his pocket, fanned it out with his fingers, and slapped the military officer’s face playfully. “Who do you fancy? Hell Zorro or Red Spider?”

The officer squinted at the two muscular men in the ring. Red Spider was slightly bigger, but he had already fought three rounds and sustained some minor injuries. Hell Zorro, on the other hand, was younger, with less bulging muscles than Red Spider, but his crimson eyes gleamed with fierceness, indicating strong fighting spirit.

“Hell Zorro,” the officer said. “What about you?”

Yin Bo smirked, whistled, and called the waiter to place a bet on Hell Zorro. Jin Xuan, feeling excited, also bet a thousand credits.

Wu Chenghe felt a bit of a pinch. After all, they were both too poor. A thousand credits could sustain them for half a month during their school days. Jin Xuan sensed his discomfort through their telepathic connection and nibbled on his ear, saying, “This is public funds.”

Relieved, Wu Chenghe nodded and said, “Then help me place another thousand.”

Jin Xuan smiled, called someone to help him place the bet, and Wu Chenghe carefully observed the two fighters in the arena. “I’ll bet on Red Spider. He’s won three rounds in a row and has great momentum.”

The officer leaned over, his brown eyes mesmerizing as he leaned in close to Wu Chenghe’s cheek, whispering, “Listen to big brother. Bet on Hell Zorro. Red Spider’s legs are fractured; he definitely won’t last three rounds.”

Wu Chenghe gave him a signature “hehe” smirk, giving him a sidelong glance like a queen, and continued to bet on Red Spider. The officer was enchanted by his innocent yet seductive (confusing) demeanor and wanted to strike up a conversation. Jin Xuan immediately pulled him onto his lap, avoiding the harassment, and kissed him on the chin affectionately, saying, “Play as you like. You can bet on whoever you want.” Then, he winked ambiguously at the officer, “He’s sulking with me, behaving like a child. Don’t mind him.”

The officer burst into laughter, cuddling Yin Bo and caressing him. At that moment, the match began.

The arena erupted into a chaotic roar. Soldiers who had placed bets cheered for their gladiators. Wu Chenghe, thinking about his thousand credits, felt a bit nervous. He hugged Jin Xuan’s neck and looked at the ring. Two fighters exchanged blows, the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoing in the arena. Red Spider, visibly exhausted, was pushed to a corner by Hell Zorro and relentlessly pummeled. Soon, blood splattered from his head.

“Haha!” the officer shouted, “Kill him, kill him!” Those who had bet on Hell Zorro joined in, “Kill him, kill him!”

Hell Zorro did not disappoint. He overwhelmingly won the first round, taking a quick lap around the ring during the intermission, raising his arms and letting out a wild cry, pushing the atmosphere in the arena to its climax. However, the next two rounds surprised everyone. Red Spider, who had been showing weakness and avoiding attacks in the first round, suddenly unleashed his power in the second half of the second round, like a raging beast, overwhelming Hell Zorro. By the end of the third round, he had even dismembered one of Hell Zorro’s legs.

In a stunning comeback, when the referee announced Red Spider’s victory, the arena erupted into a thunderous roar. The officer also joined in the shouting, his temple veins bulging. Only Wu Chenghe was jubilant—within just fifteen minutes, his one thousand Federal credits had turned into three thousand. After deducting Jin Xuan’s lost one thousand, he still made a thousand in profit.

This kind of unprotected, no-holds-barred life-or-death duel stirs up masculinity in men the most. Previously lazy military officers in the casino, at this moment, their eyes turned red, shouting and roaring like they’ve been injected with chicken blood. They called over waiters to help them place bets, their spirits high. Unfortunately, their judgment was not very good. In the following four rounds, they bet on newcomers who lost consecutively. The Red Spider, however, persevered until the end, winning eight rounds in a row and becoming tonight’s Challenge King.

Wu Chenghe had astonishing luck, continuously betting on the Red Spider and winning. In just over an hour, he earned nearly twenty thousand federal credits, enough for ten rounds of Yin Bo.

The military officer lost five rounds in a row, their faces turning unsightly. They ignored the flattery of Yin Bo, muttering curses at the Red Spider. At this moment, the host jumped onto the boxing platform, saying, “Alright, tonight the Red Spider has won eight consecutive rounds, smoothly advancing to the ‘Challenge King.’ Now let’s ask him, does he want to continue challenging and have a big showdown with our annual champion ‘Iron Head,’ or take one-tenth of the prize money and leave!”

The total prize money of the “Death Roulette” accumulates to three hundred thousand, and if the Red Spider quits now as the “Challenge King,” he can take away thirty thousand federal credits. If he continues to challenge and wins against the annual champion, he can take the full three hundred thousand. Of course, the annual champion is not easy to defeat; they are the elite among elites, the strongest among the strong, the god of death forged with fists and flesh.

Thirty thousand compared to three hundred thousand is very little, but it’s almost equivalent to half a year’s salary for a senior miner. After discussing with his agent, the Red Spider went up on stage and announced his decision to give up the challenge and take thirty thousand and leave.

The stands erupted with intense boos. Disappointed soldiers shouted the Red Spider’s name, those who bet on him to win loudly urged him to continue fighting, while those who bet on his loss booed and cursed him as a coward.

“Damn it, he’s quitting just like that! He made me lose five thousand!” The military officer wore an angry expression, evidently deeply invested in the match. 

Jin Xuan, seeing his displeasure, called a waiter to help him refund the money and sent him a bottle of wine to cool off. Unexpectedly, the military officer completely disregarded it, refusing the money and even throwing the wine, muttering curses at the Red Spider who humiliated him.

Such ungrateful gamblers are the worst, even Yin Bo felt a bit nauseous, rolling their eyes in a corner where he couldn’t see. But this man was their big client, hard to come by, so they couldn’t afford to give up. Jin Xuan patted the military officer on the shoulder, comforting him, “Come on, people are leaving. It’s the rule of the arena; if he wants to leave, we can’t stop him. Damn, now I’ve lost five thousand, too.” 

He followed the military officer’s bets all the way and lost five thousand, but Wu Chenghe doubled it back for him.

The military officer grunted, agreeing, “Yeah, damn it, winning and running away, leaving behind three hundred thousand, taking thirty thousand and leaving, truly a damn miser!”

Jin Xuan thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up and said, “Tonight is really boring. The Challenge King actually quit. I’m not interested in waiting for another Challenge King.” Snapping his fingers, he called over a waiter and said, “Go, sign me up. I want to challenge the annual champion!”

Wu Chenghe was startled, then stood up and said, “What are you doing? Are you crazy? This is the arena!” 

This underground arena required signing a life-or-death agreement, no exceptions!

Yin Bo also frowned and said, “Boss, there’s no favoritism on the platform. Once you sign the life-or-death agreement, they won’t give you face just because you’re a shareholder. It’s better not to play, shall we go to the neighboring soup house and watch the midnight show instead?”

When the military officer heard that he was going to compete, his eyes brightened at first, then he coughed and said, “That’s right, it’s too dangerous. You should think about it again.”

Jin Xuan smiled and said, “It’s rare that everyone is interested tonight. I haven’t boxed in a long time, so let’s liven up the atmosphere for everyone. How about it, do you dare to bet on me winning?”

Then they started acting like brothers. The military officer’s low spirits were immediately lifted, and he laughed happily, saying, “Alright, alright, brother, if you dare to step up, I’ll dare to bet. I’ll bet ten thousand on you to win! How’s that for sincerity?”

Jin Xuan nodded and said, “Alright, with such a big bet from you, I’ll definitely win tonight.”

Wu Chenghe looked at the annual champion “Iron Head” sitting on the side of the boxing platform. He was a Sentinel, and while his height was similar to Jin Xuan’s, he was twice as wide, especially in the upper body, resembling a tower. Jin Xuan was also a strong Sentinel, but because he was of Chinese descent, his frame was not as robust as those of European and American descent, and he had recently been injured, so his body hadn’t fully recovered yet, his muscles lean, and his physical condition not at its peak.

[“Too dangerous.”] Wu Chenghe’s face showed concern as he communicated to Jin Xuan through conscious sense [“Your physical condition is far inferior to his, even if you win with skills, it will be very difficult.”]

Jin Xuan replied, [“Help me.”]

A guide could maximize a Sentinel’s potential, allowing them to enhance their combat power without entering a state of mania, reaching their peak condition. But Wu Chenghe had mainly been comforting before and had never tried to activate him. Facing such a life-and-death situation for the first time in experimentation, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat worried.

[“I believe in you,”] Jin Xuan said. [“I must win. If I win, everything will be settled.”]

Wu Chenghe looked at the military officer. Indeed, upon hearing Jin Xuan’s decision, his originally anxious and angry eyes became extremely excited, filled with trust and anticipation when looking at Jin Xuan.

Yin Bo understood Jin Xuan’s style of doing things very well and knew that once he made such a decision, he wouldn’t change it. So, they stopped advising him and instead leaned towards the military officer, saying, “Darling, you don’t think our boss is doing this for your ten thousand credits, do you? To be honest, even if that three hundred thousand is put in front of him, he wouldn’t care.”

The military officer was taken aback for a moment, then, realizing his identity as the “rich second generation,” he laughed heartily and said to Jin Xuan, “Alright, alright, you’re thoughtful. For you to challenge the champion for me, win or lose, you’re my friend now. I know you want to make a fortune in Tartaros. Fine, I’ll give you this opportunity. As long as you defeat him, I’ll introduce you to General Yuri.”

Jin Xuan’s pupils constricted. General Yuri was Kevin Lancer’s confidant and also the officer in charge of Tartaros’s internal affairs. With his connection, entering Tartaros’s internal defense would be a breeze. He smiled faintly and said, “Alright, I’ll fight this battle for you, big brother. With your word, whether I win or lose, it’s worth it.”

A hint of closeness and appreciation appeared in the military officer’s eyes as he said, “Rest assured, I won’t treat my friends unfairly. General Yuri likes warriors the most. If you gain his favor, running the arena will be a trivial matter!”

With his assurance, Jin Xuan felt relieved and raised two fingers to his forehead in a salute, without saying much, he strode towards the boxing platform.

While Wu Chenghe felt worried watching his slender figure, he felt more admiration and pride. He waved to a waiter, handed over the twenty thousand federal credits he had just won, and said, “Bet on the challenger to win.”

Yin Bo raised an eyebrow and said, “You seem confident in him.”

Wu Chenghe smiled and pointed to his temple, with a double meaning in his words, “I have confidence in myself.”

 

 

 

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