I maintained my expression of indifference.
"What I mean is quite simple: if you take her away now, you are violating the rules. If you must take her, at least wait until after midnight tonight."
The two men exchanged glances.
After a lengthy pause, one of them finally responded, "Very well, we'll proceed according to the rules. Su Mei, I'll give you a few more hours. After midnight, if you still haven't repaid the money, don't blame us for what happened…"
Despair painted Mei's face.
Once we were both seated in the car, she caressed the steering wheel, a hint of reluctance in her voice as she said, "I've had this car for less than a year, and now it's gone. Sigh, Lupan, you really shouldn't have let them extend the deadline. Those extra hours are nothing but torment for me. Whether I had them or not, the outcome would be the same!"
I opened a pack of Chunghwa cigarettes, lit one, and gazed out the window as I replied with calm resolve, "It is different!"
"How is it different?"
"Perhaps we still have a chance to recover our losses!"
"Our losses?"
"Yes, our losses!"
Upon hearing this, Mei looked at me, bewilderment etched across her face.
Her expression was complex—a tapestry of hope, worry, and surprise.
After a long silence, she finally spoke again, "But I don't have a single cent to my name now. How can we recover anything?"
I pulled a bundle of cash from my pocket.
This was the reward that Mei had previously given me.
"This is your gift of ten thousand; we can give it a try…"
My calm tone only deepened Mei's astonishment.
"How could ten thousand possibly be enough?"
I flicked the cigarette butt out the window and turned to Mei, simply stating, "How will we know if we don't try?"
Since that summer when I was six, aside from Varg, it seemed no one had treated me kindly.
Though Mei might not have been exceptionally kind, the ten thousand dollars along with the cigarettes and tea she had given me today were enough to warm my heart.
Beneath my cold exterior, there was indeed a spirit of gratitude.
Thus, I decided to take action and assist Mei.
The casino where Mei took me was situated within an industrial warehouse on the outskirts of the city.
It was a small establishment, with barely a few dozen patrons.
Upon entering, had it not been for the various gambling tables, I would have thought I was in some deserted storage space.
The surroundings were cluttered with mismatched furniture, and a musty odour lingered in the air.
Yet, the tables were plentiful: baccarat, roulette, blackjack, and dice games were all well represented.
Exchanging for ten thousand in chips, I wandered from table to table, observing at my leisure.
Mei remained silent, trailing closely behind me.
After a while, I whispered to her, "Are you sure we can take the money if we win?"
Many underground casinos operate on a one-time basis, with no intent for long-term business.
Regardless of whether they encounter wealthy or average players, they aim to extract every bit of their resources.
And if a gambler does happen to win, the house will employ any means necessary to reclaim that money.
Cheating, framing, and all sorts of tactics are at their disposal.
If those fail, they might resort to following and forcibly taking the money back.
Mei quickly reassured me, "Don't worry, they'll let us take the money; this casino is quite fair…"
Fair?
I scoffed inwardly.
If fairness existed, casinos would not thrive.
Nor would there be skilled gamblers like myself.
"What games did you lose on?"
I inquired further.
"Dice!"
I asked Mei this to discern how she had squandered nearly three million.
In front of the dice table, there were only a handful of gamblers, while the dealer shook the dice.
Mei chose a spot for me to sit, but I shook my head.
I had established a rule for myself: regardless of the stakes, never rush to play, but first observe.
Only after confirming that the game was sound or deciphering the dealer's cheating methods should one make a move.
This discipline ensured that I would not fall victim to retaliation.
After all, in the realm of gambling, there are many adept players.
Caution truly is the mother of safety.
The rules here for the dice game were no different from others I had encountered.
Bets could be placed on high or low, odd or even, or even on specific numbers or sums.
One could also bet on streaks or triples.
The minimum bet was two hundred, and the maximum was five thousand.
After observing for a while, I noted that the bets placed by the gamblers were relatively modest—mostly around one or two thousand in chips.
Yet, it was precisely this modesty that allowed me to discern a flaw.
To be specific, the casino was cheating.
There are myriad ways to cheat at dice games.
From specialized mercury dice to oil-filled dice, coded dice, and fixed-point dice.
There are even remote-controlled dice, chip-embedded dice, and cobalt-element dice among others.
These dice, from the outside, appear identical to regular ones.
Yet, they share a common characteristic: they enable players to roll the numbers they desire.
The casino was employing remote-controlled dice.
After every round, once the dealer shook the dice and players placed their bets, he operated the remote control discreetly according to the betting pattern.
For instance, if the high-side bets were substantial, he would secretly manipulate the dice to produce lower numbers.
Of course, he didn't cheat every round; he also allowed some wins to maintain the illusion of fairness.
The remote control mechanism was located beneath the table.
While the dealer appeared to keep his hands on the table, he could discreetly tap the button with his leg to alter the outcome of the dice.
I was able to detect the cheating for two reasons: the dealer's leg movements and my keen sense of hearing.
When he pressed the remote button, the dice would jostle inside the cup, creating a sound so faint that it would be imperceptible to the average person.
Yet, I could hear it.
In the eyes of a seasoned gambler, detecting the sound of dice is often regarded as mythical—merely a legend confined to the realm of film.
However, in the world of gambling masters, the art of listening exists as a reality.
In the 1970s, a group of outstanding dice listeners emerged from the gambling circles of Nanyue.
These individuals had remarkable hearing, capable of discerning sounds even in noisy environments.
For a time, they wreaked havoc across the casinos of Nanyue and Macau, turning the establishment's fortunes upside down.
This also led to the rise of a legendary figure in Macau, the Ocean King of Gambling, Rodrigo.
At this moment, Rodrigo was merely a dealer, not yet a gambling king.
His exceptional cheating techniques drew the attention of Nanyue's casinos.
This laid the foundation for another legendary tale: Rodrigo's legendary battle against the dice listeners.
Rodrigo became famous overnight, ultimately rising to become the Ocean King of Gambling.
Yet, despite his legendary status, Rodrigo was acutely aware of the perils of gambling.
In his final moments, he left behind four poignant words: "To gamble is to lose!"
Seeing me remain motionless, Mei assumed I was uninterested in the dice game, and she quietly suggested, "Shall we check out a different table?"
I shook my head.
"No need; let's stay here…"
With that, I settled into a position at the edge of the table.
I chose this spot because it was closest to the remote control device beneath the table—so close that I could easily reach it with my foot.
However, I refrained from placing any bets and continued observing.
As I occupied my spot without wagering, the dealer's gaze toward me grew increasingly hostile.
He shot me several disdainful looks, but I paid no heed.
I was waiting—waiting for the right moment.
The dealer shook the dice cup once again, and my ears instinctively perked up.
Images of the dice rattling inside the cup flooded my mind.
As the cup struck the table, the dealer spread his hands and announced, "Place your bets!"
The gamblers hurried to place their wagers.
This time, I too decided to make my move.
I placed a single chip worth ten thousand directly on the three dice showing the same number—2.
My sudden bet drew the attention of everyone around the table.
It's worth noting that betting on three of a kind offered a staggering one hundred to one payout.