"Detecting a gamification event, special rules have descended."
As a European gold coin disintegrated into golden particles, ending the reign of the previous holder...
"Rule One: Identity equals status, gamblers must uphold hierarchy."
"Rule Two: Unauthorized harm and plunder are prohibited."
"Rule Three: Anything of value can be used as a chip."
"Rule Four: Order cannot be violated in any form."
"Rule Five: Welcome to the world of gambling, whales, and gacha."
The ancient royal casino merged with the Chenghai Miracle Cruise, and suddenly, the inexorable rules governed the world.
The grand epic atmosphere enveloped the entire scene as if ancient bells tolled, and ancient-masked attendants emerged from the void.
Devoid of emotion, untouched by dust, these lifeless attendants calmly observed everyone.
They represented order, an unchallengeable existence for all gamblers.
"Shinguya Tetsu, what is the meaning of this?!"
Looking around, the middle-aged man, who had been cut off from reality by Chenghai Miracle Cruise, dangerously interrogated the golden-haired youth on the stage.
A B-rank sequence title indicated that he was also a player in the top-level domain.
As for Luorou, and indeed all non-players, they were overwhelmed, doubting their own senses.
"... Alister, what is all this?!" Luorou had never seen anything like this.
Did the "Vision Block" in the casino fail?
"Can you see?" Alister confirmed.
Luorou blinked in surprise and asked in return, "What do you mean? Are you saying you've been able to see all along?!"
Himizuki then explained to Luorou, giving a brief overview of the situation with sequence games.
"So... you're saying!" Luorou's eyes sparkled. "All of you are players?!"
"That's one way to put it."
Leaving that statement, Himizuki casually walked towards the stage to maintain order throughout the scene.
"Can I become a player too?" Luorou asked Alister again.
Alister looked seriously towards the stage and analyzed, "Considering Rule Three, if a player offers you the 'Player Qualification' and gambles with you, then perhaps."
"Really?!" She clearly didn't grasp the key point.
Alister gave her a sidelong glance and advised, "Do you remember the time when Yumikou and I played that Devil Card game with you?"
Luorou was left speechless.
"And at that time, Yumikou and I even held back." Alister added nonchalantly.
Luorou felt quite defeated.
"I can only suggest... not doing anything foolish." Alister tried to console her.
Luorou felt deeply disheartened.
Ordinary people were so pitiful. Even when an opportunity was before them, they lacked the means to seize it.
After this game ended, as an ordinary person, she would be shielded from awareness and forget everything.
Thus, Luorou became invisible, silently observing the night of the players.
...
...
Under the rule of the attendants with the golden masks, the night was ablaze with excitement. Representatives of many enterprises began to show signs of danger.
While they held reverence for A-rank players, they were not willing to be lambs led to the slaughter.
Facing all the doubts and enmity, Shinguya Tetsu simply raised his hand in a confident, nonchalant gesture that befit a powerful figure.
In the silence that followed, he suppressed the entire scene.
In the next moment, Shinguya Tetsu scanned the crowd, his rebellious attitude on display as he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the reason I've done this is simply to capture a criminal player."
He narrowed his golden eyes and continued in a deep voice, "A criminal player capable of easily shattering your family legacies."
Following that, Shinguya Tetsu gracefully bowed and announced, "I, Shinguya Tetsu, swear by my name that I have no intention of plotting against any of you, nor do I have any reason to do so..."
"And that's all." Shinguya Tetsu's eyes exuded the demeanor of a powerful figure.
Meanwhile, Himizuki ascended the stage as well, her queen-like figure imposing its authority over the night.
Her sharp crimson eyes scanned everyone, and she said coldly, "Allow me to speak frankly. Among you, there is an impostor. Perhaps someone near you is the impostor in disguise?"
Himizuki's relationship with Shinguya Tetsu was well-known to be antagonistic.
Now, both of them stood together...
This alone spoke to the authenticity of the situation.
"In the name of the Seventeenth Bureau's executor, I assure you that this game is only aimed at that impostor. Rest assured, and let the game begin."
Himizuki remained aloof, smiling faintly as she said, "Of course, weaklings needn't worry either; Rule Two will protect you."
Doubt chains formed, and the entire crowd roughly divided into three factions: those who believed, those who doubted, and those who were indifferent...
Simultaneously, Chenghai Miracle Cruise was dominated by the masked attendants, detached from time and reality, dividing different areas based on hierarchy.
"Divine Envoy (90% of total wealth of the venue): The Lord of the Casino, immune to all rules (cannot be drawn)."
"Queen (1 billion): Interrogation, judgment, deprivation... (fold/unfold)."
"Duke (100 million): (fold/unfold)."
"Prince (10 million): (fold/unfold)."
"Marquis (1 million): (fold/unfold)."
"Knight (100,000): (fold/unfold)."
"Commoner (None): (fold/unfold)."
"Ascend in status, gain exclusive rules and services corresponding to the level."
"Whale/Gacha?"
The banquet ended without much joy.
Walking in the luxurious corridors.
"Queen? One billion?" Himizuki crossed her arms. "Is it really that simple?"
As the CEO of the Ji Clan Group, her personal wealth was already in the billions, so producing one billion was a breeze.
"Past fortunes don't count; only the wealth you earn now matters."
Shinguya Tetsu wasted no time, mobilizing all his connections to make a run for the Queen's one billion.
As long as he ascended to the rank of Queen, he could directly interrogate the impostor.
Himizuki wasn't lagging behind either. She gazed beyond Chenghai Miracle Cruise's expansive deck to the profound night sky and dialed the private number of the Ji Clan.
"Old man, make me one billion in a night."
Time was of the essence, as the identity of Queen was unique and mustn't be drawn by anyone else.
"Miss, am I hearing you right? You need one billion just to have some pocket money?"
"Don't waste time talking; I need you to earn it for me!"
...
"This..."
When several skeptical players arrived at Chenghai Miracle Cruise's shopping area, they found that it had already fallen under the dominion of the masked attendants.
"Trade, and with the sufficient chips offered, you can exchange for satisfying abilities," they said.
"B-rank: Ancient Martial Spirit"
"B-rank: Necromancer"
"B-rank: Bloodline Surge"
"..."
Thousands of years of the casino's heritage, abilities left by gamblers from different eras, left everyone awestruck.
Who among the players wouldn't want to possess a higher-ranked ability?
And so, the gambling for chips began.
...
...
On Chenghai Miracle Cruise's vast deck, moonlight spilled, and a mysterious figure in a white hood emerged.
The waves undulated, reflecting the brilliant starlight.
After a while, the white-hooded figure looked at the silhouette at the end of the deck and laughed, "With their strength, they can practically reserve the position of Queen. Aren't you considering an exit strategy, Impostor?"
"I'm the impostor?"
"Do you think I'm joking?" The white-hooded figure retorted.
After a moment, the impostor questioned, "What do you want?"
"Cooperation. I can draw the Queen directly. I'll restrict them from investigating you."
"You?"
"Yes, me."
Saying that, the white-hooded figure revealed their ability panel to the impostor.
"Ability: Luck of the Draw"
"Rank: A"
"Experiencing extraordinary luck, your life is a succession of successes."
"You're from... Europe," the impostor couldn't hide their surprise.
"Hush..." The white-hooded figure made a shushing gesture. "All you need to do is hand over all the significant bond assets you possess."
"You want to become the Divine Envoy?"
"Exactly, to become the Lord of the Casino, all the chips will be mine, including those high-level abilities..."
"And, I can also disregard the rules, seizing Himizuki and Shinguya Tetsu's abilities—their chips." The white-hooded figure added.
The impostor frowned and said, "Players can only possess one ability; that's been proven."
No player in the world had a second ability; the ability column was unique.
"I know, but don't you think it's interesting to reduce the world's top players to mere mortals?"
Answering with a casual tone, the white-hooded figure continued, "Rest assured, I'm not interested in your 'Perfect Disguise.'"
Now the impostor only had two options.
Either refuse to cooperate, be apprehended by the Countermeasure Department, and have no hope of escape.
Or cooperate and gamble on the likelihood that the white-hooded figure would keep their promise.
Still suspicious, the impostor rejected, "Even if you can always win at gambling, as long as those two people's vast fortunes remain, you'll never reach 90% of the total venue wealth..."
The white-hooded figure said, "The Queen can strip three gamblers of their qualifications, which means their wealth will be invalidated."
"Himizuki and Shinguya Tetsu can transfer their wealth before being stripped."
After that, the impostor continued to question, "Before the game ends, as long as I instruct the inheritors not to gamble, I can still veto the possibility of the Divine Envoy..."
This casino game would never produce a Divine Envoy—because the participants were not idiots.
"The inheritors will gamble."
"Why?"
The person under the white hood smiled, taking out a coin and said, "Heads, the inheritors will gamble; tails, they won't."
The next moment, the coin was tossed into the air and then fell...
The result was heads.
"You see, guessed it right away; the inheritors will gamble."
The "Luck of the Draw" holder's power to predict the future.
...
...
After the impostor left, the white-hooded figure's silhouette tossed the coin into the air once again.
"Heads, I become the Divine Envoy; tails, I don't become the Divine Envoy."
The person under the white hood revealed a faint smile.
— Heads.