Lucian, without saying a word, pulled out some coins from his pocket. There were quite a few, enough to catch the old man's attention. The old man grinned, his eyes sparkling. He took the coins with trembling hands and started to plan his game strategy. Natty, still standing next to Lucian, felt increasingly uncomfortable with the old man's gaze. She looked down, trying not to make eye contact.
"Alright, let's get started..." The old man grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with ambition. He glanced briefly at Natty, then turned back to Lucian with a challenging look. Then he called out to someone who had been talking to Lucian earlier, "Hey you, please set up the table and the cards. We're going to play big today!" His voice trembled a bit with excitement.
The dealer nodded politely, then quickly prepared the table and chairs. He pulled out a deck of cards from a wooden box that looked antique and elegant. "Alright, Sir," the dealer said in a friendly yet professional tone, placing a stack of chips on the table. The chips sparkled in various colors, indicating different values. "For betting, instead of money, we're using these chips." He pointed to the stack of chips.
There are three types of chips, the pink one worth 10,000 ruphal, the blue one worth 50,000 ruphal, and the gold one worth 100,000 ruphal. He shows each chip while explaining its value. "Of course, the exchange rate of these chips is equivalent to the value of ruphal." He gives a slight smile, waiting for further instructions from Lucian and the old man. He watches them alternately, observing the dynamics of the game that is about to start.
Lucian looks at the stack of chips in front of the old man. Inside, he smirks cynically. "The value of money in this world is 10 times the exchange rate of the rupiah in my original world," he thinks, "So, this is going to be an interesting game." His smile is slight, but his eyes gleam sharply, full of calculation. He has already planned his game strategy, and he is confident he will win.
The old man, still drunk, grinned. "Hey young man, why do you look so calm? Are you afraid?" He laughed out loud, his voice echoing in the crowded room. "Oh... Now it's too late to retreat, snot!" He pointed at Lucian with trembling fingers, his eyes flashing with arrogance. He felt confident that he would win this game, and would make Lucian suffer. He took a sip of his liquor, then laughed again, his voice getting louder and more annoying.
Lucian stayed calm, his expression flat. "No, I'm actually really looking forward to our game, Old Man," he said, his voice calm but firm, showing high confidence. He watched every move the old man made, looking for any openings he could use to win the game. He didn't show any fear at all; in fact, he seemed to enjoy the situation. He even looked a bit amused by the old man's drunken antics.
The dealer, who had been watching the interaction between Lucian and the old man, approached. "So, have you guys decided on the game you want to play?" he asked in a friendly yet professional tone. He pulled out a deck of cards from a wooden box that looked antique and elegant. "We offer a variety of games. Feel free to choose the one you like." He gave a slight smile, waiting for the decision from both players. His eyes alternated between Lucian and the old man, trying to read their strategies and expressions. The tension in the air was palpable, amidst the excitement and hustle of the casino.
"I'll follow the invitation to play from the Old Man, so he'll decide it," Lucian said, his voice calm and flat, he smiled faintly. The old man, with a sly smile puffing up on his flushed face, pointed at Lucian. "You're so arrogant, boy! Fufufu, because this old man is very kind, so what about poker? A classic game that is always fun!" He laughed out loud, his voice echoing in the crowded room. He looked very confident, and slightly underestimated Lucian.
"Hoo, interesting," Lucian said, his voice still calm. He glanced at the dealer. "You've heard it, right? We're going to play poker." His voice was firm, showing undeniable authority.
The dealer nodded politely. "Understood," he said, while preparing the cards and arranging the chips on the table. "Gentlemen, before we start the game, please place your initial bets." He smiled slightly, waiting for the decision from the two players. The tension in the air was palpable, amidst the excitement and hustle of the casino.
The old man, without hesitation, placed a stack of chips on the table. "3 pink chips," he said loudly, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
Lucian, expressionless, picked up the same stack of chips. "Alright, I'll throw in 3 chips worth 10,000," he said, his voice calm and flat. He placed the stack of chips next to the old man's pile. He seemed calm and collected, but his sharp eyes kept watching every move the old man made.
The dealer nodded. "Understood," he said, as he started dealing the cards. "Then I'll begin dealing the cards. Good luck to both of you." He dealt the cards one by one, creating an increasingly tense atmosphere. Natty, still standing next to Lucian, tightly grasped his arm, her heart racing.
The dealer dealt the cards. The old man received his cards with trembling hands, his eyes squinting as he looked at them. He got two Aces! A wide sly grin spread across his flushed face, almost covering it entirely. He glanced at Lucian, whose expression remained flat, calm like the lake water in the morning, showing no reaction at all. Lucian received his cards calmly, his long, slender fingers carefully checking them. He got a King and a Queen. Not bad, but still far from the old man's cards. However, Lucian's gaze remained sharp, full of calculation.
Lucian, without changing his expression, said to the dealer, "Hey, can I add 5 pink chips?" His voice was calm, but there was a determination implied in it. He showed no doubt, looking like he was planning something.
The dealer nodded politely. "Well, adding chips is allowed. But it has to be approved by both parties," he said, glancing at the old man. "Do you also agree if we add chips, sir?" His tone remained professional, but he could feel the tension in the air.
The old guy, still drunk, initially looked surprised by Lucian's request. "Does this kid want to lose?!" he thought, but he quickly hid his surprise behind a sly smile. "Well, it doesn't matter since the win is on my side right now." He chuckled softly and said, "Alright, I'll add 5 chips too." His voice sounded confident, but there was a hint of doubt behind his words. He started to feel a bit uneasy with Lucian's extraordinary calmness.
The game started. The dealer dealt the cards. The old man got two Aces. A wide smile spread across his face, which was already flushed from the booze. He knew he had a great chance to win. Lucian got a King and a Queen. No good combination yet, but he stayed calm, his face flat as usual.
The first cards on the table were the Jack of Spades, 7 of Hearts, and 4 of Clubs. Lucian looked at his cards: King of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds. No strong combination yet, but there was still a chance. His expression remained flat, but his sharp eyes watched every move of the old man. The old man, on the other hand, grinned with satisfaction. He held two Aces in his hand, a very strong combination.
"I raised the bet, 5 more pink chips!" exclaimed the old man confidently, his voice loud and a little rough due to the influence of alcohol. He placed a pile of pink chips with a somewhat trembling, yet confident movement. Some of the coins rolled slightly, but he immediately took them back with a slightly clumsy movement.
Lucian remained expressionless, observing community cards and reading his opponent's movements. He thought for a moment, his eyes flashing sharply, as if calculating every possibility. Then, calmly and measurably, he replied, "I'm coming," while placing the same number of chips on the table. His movements were calm and measurable, showing a striking calmness amid the tension felt in the air.
The dealer flips over the fourth card—9 of Diamonds. This card doesn't help Lucian, his hand is still weak. But his expression stays flat. The old man is getting more confident about his win. His smile is getting wider, and he even starts tapping the table with his shaky hands.
"Hey, you're starting to shake, kid?" the old man mocks, laughing loudly, his voice echoing in the relatively quiet room. "I'm raising it by 10 pink chips!" He places the stack of chips down with a more confident move, this time more skillfully and without dropping any coins.
Lucian stayed quiet for a moment, his eyes glinting sharply. He thought for a bit, then calmly raised the bet. His movements were still calm and measured, but there was a hint of tension behind his calmness. Cold sweat started to bead on his forehead.
The dealer revealed the last card—2 of Spades. No significant change for Lucian. His best cards were still just a King and Queen without a strong combination. He let out a soft sigh, realizing his defeat. However, he still didn't show any expression.
The old man laughed happily, knowing that his two Aces were still the best hand. "Alright, show your cards," said the dealer, his voice calm yet tense. He watched both players closely.
The old man proudly flipped his cards. "Two Aces, kid!" he exclaimed, his voice full of triumph. He looked at Lucian with a victorious gaze.
Lucian calmly revealed his cards—King and Queen. His expression remained flat, showing no hint of disappointment. He just gave a small nod, accepting his loss graciously.
"The winner is... this guy!" said the dealer while pushing a stack of chips towards him. The old man laughed heartily, grabbing the stack of chips with shaky but victorious hands. He looked really happy, even though a bit wobbly from being drunk.
"180,000 ruphal is gonna be mine...~" the man whispered, his face flushed as he looked at the chips he was holding. Lucian lifted his head, his gaze sharp and piercing, focused on the old man. "I want to add another round."
The old guy was laughing out loud, his voice echoing in the relatively quiet room, shaking his whiskey glass until a bit of liquid spilled. "Oh~? Does losing hurt you? Ahaha, alright! I'm gonna drain your money, kid!" He pointed at Lucian with a trembling finger, but his eyes sparkled with confidence, even a bit of condescension. He took a confident sip of his whiskey.
The dealer, with quick and skillful moves, dealt new cards. Then, with just the right drama, he revealed the first three community cards—10 of Spades, 8 of Hearts, and 5 of Diamonds. The cards lay on the green table, as if challenging the players.
Lucian looked at his cards 9 of Spades and Jack of Diamonds. "Interesting," he muttered softly, almost inaudibly, but his eyes sparkled. He quickly calculated his chances. He just needed a 7 or Queen for a straight. He still had a shot.
The old man glanced at his cards, King of Hearts and 10 of Diamonds. He already had a pair of 10s from the community cards. A smug and satisfied smile spread across his face, covering most of his flushed cheeks.
"I'm raising the bet by 15 pink chips!" he said confidently, placing the stack of chips with a somewhat arrogant gesture, almost like he was showing off his wealth.
Lucian was closely watching his expression. The old man must have a decent combination, but it wasn't too strong yet. Lucian assessed his chances, weighing the risks and rewards.
"I'm in," Lucian replied without hesitation, putting in the same amount of chips. His voice was calm and flat, showing no hint of doubt, even though cold sweat was starting to dampen his forehead.
Lucian was closely watching his expression. The old man must have a decent combination, but it wasn't too strong yet. Lucian assessed his chances, weighing the risks and rewards.
"I'm in," Lucian replied without hesitation, putting in the same amount of chips. His voice was calm and flat, showing no hint of doubt, even though cold sweat was starting to dampen his forehead.
The dealer revealed the fourth card—King of Spades. The old man's smile grew wider, almost uncontrollable. He now had Two Pair—Kings and Tens. He looked at Lucian with a triumphant gaze.
"Alright, kid! I'll add 20 blue chips!" he exclaimed, his voice full of triumph, a little mocking. It puts a stack of blue chips with confident and rather aggressive movements.
Lucian pretended to hesitate for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if he was considering something very carefully. He rubbed his chin with his index finger, pretending to think hard. Then, it comes into play, placing a pile of blue chips calmly and measurably. His movements were under control, but the tension in his body was felt.
The dealer opens the last card—2 hearts. Lucian still hasn't gotten the straight he was hoping for. He sighed softly, realizing his defeat. However, he still didn't show any expression on his face.
"Alright, it's time to show the cards!" exclaimed the dealer, his voice tense, reflecting the tension at the table.
The old guy excitedly flipped his card. "King and 10! Two Pair, hahaha!" He laughed heartily, his voice full of victory and a bit mocking.
Lucian let out a quiet sigh, then flipped his card—Jack and 9. No strong combination. His expression remained flat, showing no hint of disappointment. He just accepted his loss calmly.
"And the winner is... this guy again!" said the dealer while handing all the chips his way.
The old guy laughed happily, his face getting redder from the alcohol and excitement. "You're too green for this table, kid! Hahahaha!" He grabbed a stack of chips with shaky but victorious hands.
Natty bit her lip, worried about Lucian's losing streak. But Lucian didn't show any signs of worry at all. He just touched his chin with a slight smile, his eyes sparkling with calculation. He was planning his next move. "Good, he's getting more confident. That's what I want," Lucian thought, his smile growing wider.