At the start of the final round, James was down $35,499.
Only $499 of that was his own money, the life savings he had scrimped for and slowly accumulated over the years.
Compared to that amount, the $35,000 that he had borrowed from Phil and lost was mindbogglingly immense.
Given that it had taken him almost eighteen years of his life to save $500, if you counted the dollar he had mistakenly donated to the system earlier, it would take him 1260 years to find $35,000!
Of course the math didn't quite work that way. James reassured himself mentally. He would eventually graduate high school, go to college, find a job, and be able to earn a salary and save money faster.
That was assuming that Phil had the patience to wait that long.
There was only one road left to him. With the last $25,000 that he had borrowed from Phil, he had to take risks and try to win it all back!
---
It started out well.
James started listening to his system more. Since he had spent the last two hours folding and being extremely tight, and the two hours before that playing some decent poker, he had left a strong impression on the other players.
James played more aggressively, opening more pots, and even starting to bluff.
The first middle sized pot he won, he had bet pre-flop under the gun with eight-nine of spades and gotten the small blind to call.
[ Under the gun - the first player to act in the pre-flop round. This player sits to the left of the big blind. ]
When the flop came Ace-Seven-Four rainbow, James had made a large continuation bet which the small blind had check-called.
[ Rainbow - cards of all different suits. Continuation Bet - a bet on the flop by the pre-flop aggressor. ]
After a second barrel on the turn, the small blind had folded and James had scooped a nice pot.
[ Second barrel - a second continuation bet on the turn, by the pre-flop aggressor. ]
However, it soon started turning for the worse.
Where James had been played scared earlier, now he had swung too far to the other side. The other players had noticed James starting to open too many pots, and were playing back against him and reaching showdown.
James was still winning pots when he got the other players to fold, but the pots he lost due to failed bluffs and over-value betting were far larger.
In poker parlance, he had gone from a rock, a tight-passive player, to a maniac, a loose-aggressive player. Unfortunately, he did not have the time nor the money to be able to make the maniac style work.
---
All too quickly, it was the last hand of the night. James looked down at his stack. He had dwindled his way from the original twenty five thousand down to just ten thousand.
James had just one last chance. He would go all-in without looking at his cards, and announce that he was playing blind. Maybe he could induce the other players into making calls, and if all of them called and he got lucky, he could win back exactly what he had lost.
[ System does not support this idea. God of Gamblers does not mean you make stupid bets and get lucky. ]
"All in." James announced, before the dealer could deal any cards or the system could change his mind.
"You're going in blind?" Phil said skeptically.
"Yeah. I'm so far down I may as well gamble." James said.
---
It didn't work. James lost yet again. He was now down $60,499 and in debt for sixty grand.
The players started settling their accounts and leaving. James looked at Phil, who gestured for him to wait until everyone else was gone.
This did not bode well for James.
The ladies had started to get up and leave as well. Other than Ms Chung, they had all left with the other players. Some players even had one or two on each arm.
James guessed that Ms Chung would leave with Phil later. Just his luck. First, he had lost an incredible sum of money, and to add the cherry on top of the cake, the closest woman to a madonna that he knew would go with another guy.
Phil turned to Ms Chung and said, "Head up first. I'll find you later."
Or, Ms Chung would stay with Phil. That was even worse than leaving with Phil.
---
Everyone had left and only Phil and James were still in the rec room. There were now no witnesses.
James mentally resigned himself to the worst. Maybe in his next life he would be able to reincarnate as someone worth a damn, or maybe he would transmigrate somewhere and have special powers.
[ You already have special powers. You have System. ]
Fat load of good that did him, James thought to himself.
"Well, James. It looks like you owe me a large amount of money." Phil sighed in mock disappointment.
"Yes Phil. It looks like I do. I can't pay it back right now." James admitted.
"How long will it be before I see my money again?" Phil asked.
"I don't know. After I graduate and find a job, I promise to make repayments until the loan is paid off." James tried promising.
"That's too long." Phil said with finality.
Phil went deep into thought for a minute.
"Look, I'll be honest. I was going to take your arm or your leg, or both, or all four. But, something happened tonight that changed my mind." Phil finally said.
James paused. He had expected to undergo severe harm, but to hear Phil first admit it and then say it wouldn't happen?
"Here's what we'll do. You owe me sixty. I saw enough from you today that I think you can be a good poker player with some time. I'll stake you and you can make up your losses." Phil said.
"What do you mean by you'll stake me?" James asked curiously. The only stake he knew was a sharp wooden stick with a pointy end.
"I'll continue to loan you money to play poker. Every dollar you win will be used to pay back the money you owe me. If you lose, it gets added to the debt. You can play online poker and grind it out there." Phil explained.
[ That is not a bad offer. With System, this is a sure-win proposition. ]
"OK." James agreed readily, it was far better than any of the alternatives he had thought about. "I don't have any money left though, and I don't have a computer that I can use."
"Don't worry. I'm not going to leave you hanging. I'll give you a small stipend for your personal expenses, and you will stay here in the employee lodging and use the equipment I provide. That way, I'll be sure you don't run off." Phil answered.
James was stunned into silence once more. Phil actually seemed like he cared. Was Phil a good guy deep down? If so, why scare him with the talk of leaving him with no arms or legs?
Phil nodded to himself. He had found a way to fulfill the immediate orders he was given. As for how to get close to James, Phil had a few ideas in mind.
"Thanks Phil." James said with true gratitude. Phil had given him a lifeline even though Phil didn't need to. "When do I start?"
"Now. I need to set up an accommodation for you though. I'll tell you what. Stay here in the villa tonight. Tomorrow, I'll get someone to send you home to pick up your things, and when you come back your accommodations will be ready for you." Phil instructed.
"Yes sir." James responded formally. He might hear Phil's night time activities later, but at least he was alive and could come back from this.
"Screw that. You're reporting to me now, but Phil will do. None of that sir business. Go upstairs and take the leftmost room." Phil said.
---
James entered his assigned villa room.
It was huge but strangely furnished. There was a large bed on what looked like a rotating circular platform, and mirrors on three walls. There was even a mirror on the ceiling. The last wall was made of glass and looked through to an equally large attached bathroom. From where he stood, he could clearly see a shower big enough to fit a party, a deep tub big enough to fit a second party, and a strange shallow tub that looked like it was only six inches deep but stretched a couple of feet off the ground. Only the toilet, with its porcelain throne, was hidden behind fogged glass.
What was with this room? Was this normal among rich people? James questioned to himself. It was completely different from the general vibe and classiness of the villa and estate.
Rich people sure had strange tastes.
James stopped thinking about useless things. It had been a long and very strange day.
James dimmed the room lights and hopped into the shower. Out of the corner of his eye, just as he ducked his head into the powerful sprays of water, he saw the door to his room open.