In my heart, I thanked all the deities. I crawled over to Sophie, grabbing onto her arm and refusing to let go. She gave the old gangsters a fierce glare, then pulled me upstairs to the second floor of the casino.
Shaken and still in shock, I couldn't even speak. I trembled as I lit a cigarette, slowly regaining my composure. If she hadn't appeared to help, I might have been done for.
"Why would a kid like you come here? Are you looking for Danny?" Sophie continued filing her nails without even looking up. I replied, "Yeah!"
I wouldn't have come to this wretched casino if it wasn't to find my uncle! If my damn uncle hadn't insisted on bringing me here to watch a bunch of old thugs play cards, I would be relaxing in an internet café with air conditioning right now!
Suddenly, screeching brakes echoed, and shouts emerged from downstairs. Sophie's brow furrowed. "Not good!"
She rushed to the window, and I followed. Looking down, I saw five or six black SUVs arriving with a group of people dressed in black, brandishing weapons aggressively.
"Pay up, you bastards!" shouted the leader, and immediately, someone started splashing paint on the casino. Others swung their weapons at the casino, causing a fierce onslaught!
The noise was deafening, and the people inside rushed out to confront them. A chaotic brawl erupted instantly, accompanied by a barrage of cursing. I was dumbfounded, as I had never witnessed a fight like this before in my life.
Neither side was backing down, and it was hard to distinguish who was who. The open space in front of the casino was filled with people, and some were even smashing the black SUVs. The car windows were shattered in an instant, and the ground was covered with paint and blood. The impact was even more shocking than what met the eyes.
Beside me, Sophie took out her phone and said into it, "Dirk, it's bad. Duane and his people are here to wreck our casino !"
I understood why I had been targeted as soon as I walked in. Today was clearly the day of a massive brawl, and these people were sent by that Duane. Damn it, my timing was so off!
But now I was convinced that this trip was definitely not in vain!
Such scenes were quite rare. If I hadn't come to the casino today, I would have missed this incredible brawl. Both sides were experienced in street fights, and they were hitting hard, but avoiding targeting vital areas. Watching them fiercely battle it out, their weapons avoided striking heads.
Some say that schools are more complicated than society itself because students don't hold back, don't consider consequences, and will beat someone to death!
I remember the fights at school, a group of people surrounding and beating up one person, capable of almost beating them to death, and they were always picking on innocent people who wouldn't fight back.
When fights happened at school with a lot of people, they all knew each other too well to actually fight. It's not like these adults here who, at the slightest provocation, would readily wield weapons and engage in serious violence. Moreover, their attacks varied in intensity, which shocked me even more in comparison.
As the brawl continued, something felt off. The fight erupted quickly and dissipated just as fast. There was a significant difference in the number of people on both sides. Many fled back to the gambling den, and a few were chased away into the distance.
The group dressed in black before me clearly outnumbered the others. However, the seasoned gangsters inside the gambling den were no pushovers. They vandalized several cars and managed to harm a few of the black-clad individuals.
Another fight broke out at the entrance of the gambling den. Suddenly, Sophie tapped me and urgently said, "Quick, come with me through the back door. There's no time to lose!"
Without a second thought, I ran after her. While watching the chaos had been thrilling, being caught up in it and facing potential danger was an entirely different story.
I felt that people like Duane and his crew wouldn't bother listening to my explanations or caring whether I was associated with the gambling den. If they caught me, a beating was certain.
In the blink of an eye, people started descending from the second floor. The fight at the entrance was intense, with the gambling den's members blocking the doorway, and those outside trying to force their way in. Sophie guided me towards the first-floor back door, but when we got there, we were stunned to find it locked.
"What do we do, Sophie? What should we do?" I was so anxious that I didn't know what to say anymore. Fear was all that occupied my mind.
"Hide in the women's restroom and don't come out! Dirk will be back soon!"
Despite hearing the advice to hide in the restroom, I found myself frozen in place. Honestly, I had never set foot in a women's restroom before, let alone now, during this intense situation. I couldn't overcome that mental barrier.
"Dirk is here! Dirk is here!" Someone shouted, and immediately, a wave of angry voices emerged outside the gambling den. Sophie visibly sighed with relief.
I hurriedly asked her, "Who's Dirk?"
"Dirk is the boss of our gambling den!" Sophie's words finally eased my heart. I thought, with the boss of the gambling den returning, he must be bringing a group of people along.
Sure enough, more than a dozen white sedans appeared at the entrance of the gambling den. The individuals carried sturdy pickaxes and wore white ribbons on their arms. The solemn aura emanating from them was palpable, sending shivers down my spine.
At the forefront was a man with a menacing scar on his face. His strong build marked him as a formidable fighter. The white ribbon on his arm stood out prominently.
In an instant, Duane's crew turned and fled without a second thought. They abandoned everything, even their vehicles. The situation had taken a dramatic turn, and I was both astonished and horrified by what I witnessed.
Groups of people were chasing each other through the streets, wielding weapons and shouting insults. It was like a scene out of an action movie, so exhilarating that I couldn't resist the urge to join and witness it firsthand. Such scenes were incredibly rare.
As I stepped out, the smell of paint hit my nostrils. The entrance of the gambling den had been splashed with red paint, and a few individuals were taking turns smashing cars with iron rods. Within moments, several black SUVs had been severely damaged.
After a while, Dirk returned, muttering under his breath. His gaze fell upon me, and my heart skipped a beat. I felt an indescribable tension.
"What's this kid in school uniform doing here? Don't tell me he's here to gamble!" Dirk's intense gaze remained on me. I glanced down at my school uniform, my face burning. I had rushed out without changing, forgetting that being seen like this by people from school could cause trouble. I quickly took off the uniform and bundled it up.
Dirk approached me, his bloodshot eyes fixed on me. He wore a sly smile that sent shivers down my spine. "Hold on a sec. Come with me. I've got something to talk to you about. You guys, clean up the paint at the entrance. Tomorrow, pay a visit to Duane and settle the score, damn it!"
In an instant, my legs felt weak. I had no idea what had gone wrong. Why would Dirk, of all people, want to talk to me? I had always avoided contact with people like him. Just looking at him was intimidating.