Hong Feiqiu kept his eyes fixed on Xiao Long, his brows furrowing even more deeply. He had realized that Xiao Long's gambling skills were leagues beyond anyone else in the room. Xiao Long didn't even need to cheat—his victory over Hunter Liu was practically guaranteed.
As for Hunter Liu, Hong Feiqiu didn't believe there was any way he could turn the tide, unless heaven itself favored him and blessed him with extraordinary luck for a slightly higher roll.
But the odds of that happening were minuscule.
Bang!
After a moment, Xiao Long finally slammed the dice cup heavily onto the table. The dice inside stopped rolling instantly, falling completely silent.
"Is it done?"
The onlookers watched this scene in amazement. Those who had never seen Xiao Long play dice before were shocked, their faces full of disbelief. They hadn't expected Xiao Long's speed to be so astonishing, even with his ears twitching as he worked. Regardless of what numbers the dice showed, his technique alone had won the admiration of many.
Of course, this sentiment belonged to the spectators. The members of the Luohong Gang, on the other hand, hung their heads, unable to watch any longer.
They could already imagine how miserably Hunter Liu would lose.
"Kid, I'm done. I won't open the dice cup just yet. If you surrender now and use that blade to sever your own arm, I might let you off the hook." Xiao Long lifted his chin arrogantly, staring at Hunter Liu with disdain. His gaze radiated superiority.
He already knew his score. Although the presence of a Nascent Star realm expert watching him made him somewhat nervous, he was very satisfied with the result. His score was something ordinary people could never hope to achieve.
Hunter Liu chuckled. "I haven't even started, and you're asking me to cut off my own arm? Tell me, are all the members of the Qingshan Gang this brainless? Oh, right, I just remembered the saying: 'strong limbs, simple minds.' It's fine; I forgive you."
"You bastard! How dare you insult me! I'll twist your arm off right now!" Xiao Long, infuriated by Hunter Liu's mockery, flushed with anger. He raised his massive fist, ready to strike.
"Stop!"
Both Zhou Longqi and Shu Sheng shouted simultaneously. Shu Sheng stepped forward and coldly glared at Xiao Long. "The match isn't over yet. If you attack now, I'll immediately declare the Qingshan Gang the losers. Zhou Longqi, you've seen this yourself. He's blatantly ignoring the competition rules by attempting to strike before the results are decided."
Zhou Longqi's face darkened. He glared at Xiao Long and let out a cold snort. "You fool. Can't you see he's provoking you on purpose?"
Under normal circumstances, Zhou Longqi would have slapped him outright. However, he was counting on Xiao Long to win this match and restore some face for their gang. But now, he began to suspect that the eighteen-year-old youth standing before them wasn't as simple as he seemed. From Hunter Liu's relaxed tone earlier and his composure even as Xiao Long nearly attacked, it was clear this young man wasn't ordinary.
"Kid, you'd better know your place. Otherwise, the Skull Gang won't be so kind," Zhou Longqi said, glancing at Hunter Liu with a cold smile in his heart.
Xiao Long wiped the sweat from his brow. He hadn't expected Hunter Liu to provoke him so easily. Fortunately, he had stopped in time. If he had ruined Zhou Longqi's plans, not even ten lives would have been enough to atone for his mistake.
"Damn brat! You almost got me into serious trouble. Hmph! Later, even if I twist your arm off, I won't let you off easily. You'll regret ever setting foot in Poyang City."
Xiao Long glared at Hunter Liu, his face full of hatred.
Hunter Liu, seeing Xiao Long's expression, couldn't help but laugh again. "Can you stop looking at me like that? You're making me nervous. And when I get nervous, who knows? I might just roll a seventeen and crush your score."
"You're cocky, but I hope you really can roll a seventeen. Otherwise, get ready to have your arm twisted off."
Xiao Long sneered, then confidently lifted the dice cup. The numbers on the three dice were revealed for all to see.
A six and two fives—sixteen points in total.
"What? Sixteen points? That's such a high score! Only two points shy of a perfect roll. Xiao Long's victory is guaranteed!"
"Unbelievable. Even under such pressure, Xiao Long managed to roll sixteen points. The Skull Gang is about to gain face again. Too bad the city lord's disciple isn't here; otherwise, Xiao Long wouldn't get to act so arrogant."
"The Luohong Gang is in deep trouble now. A hundred high-grade star crystals isn't something most factions can casually cough up. Even if they manage, it'll cripple them. And on top of that, losing five inns and a gambling hall? It's a death sentence!"
The crowd was once again shocked by Xiao Long's results. Few could believe that Xiao Long could roll such a high score under the circumstances. Almost no one thought he could lose now.
Shu Sheng and Hong Feiqiu both wore grim expressions, though they managed to maintain their composure as leaders. However, the Luohong Gang disciples were in an uproar. If the Qingshan Gang won, their gang's power would be severely weakened—perhaps even demoted to a lower-tier faction. That was something they couldn't accept.
But soon, a sudden doubt arose in everyone's minds, triggered by Hunter Liu's earlier words:
"When I get nervous, I might just roll a seventeen and crush your score."
How did he know that a roll of seventeen would beat Xiao Long's score by exactly one point? At that time, he hadn't even seen Xiao Long's dice.
There was only one explanation:
Hunter Liu's gambling skills were no worse than Xiao Long's. He must have thoroughly understood Xiao Long's technique.
As everyone's shocked gazes turned to Hunter Liu, they saw him slowly reaching for the dice cup.