I didn't take Mo Pingqiu's pleasantries seriously, because I understood the principle that the greatest truths are the simplest.
In any profession, true masters achieve mastery by returning to simplicity and the fundamentals.
The more I treated an opponent like Mo Pingqiu, the more I had to be cautious and careful.
Of course, I had to play the part of politeness.
So, I also feigned politeness and nodded, then introduced myself to show my response.
After a round of pleasantries, Mo Pingqiu got straight to the point and asked, "Little brother Chen Xiang, what are you best at?"
At first glance, the question seemed innocent, like a senior in the martial world inquiring about a junior, with a hint of wanting to offer help.
However, the underlying meaning was: Kid, I can do it all!
The battles in the gambling world were not filled with the dazzling swordplay of the martial world, but rather with treacherous schemes and deceit!
Especially when masters crossed paths, one had to be prepared.
If you mistook your opponent's false politeness for genuine courtesy, and couldn't even discern the unspoken implications...
To put it bluntly, you wouldn't even know how you lost your underpants in the end!
Snapping back to reality, I directly replied, "Mr. Mo, you are a senior. Whatever you say we gamble on, we will gamble on!"
While my words sounded respectful of the senior in the martial world and were a bit polite, they actually held a deeper meaning.
The translated true meaning was: Old man, this young master is also an all-rounder! If you want to play tricks, bring them on!
Hearing the hint of certainty within my politeness, Mo Pingqiu was slightly taken aback.
After a pause, he slowly said, "Since it's a one-round, winner-take-all format, poker cards with suits and ranks will have to be put aside for now!"
"Let's gamble with dice. To celebrate the maiden voyage of this gambling ship, we'll roll nine dice, and rolling nine ones wins!"
"Nine signifies longevity, how about it?"
Honestly, Mo Pingqiu wanting to gamble with dice to decide the winner was somewhat unexpected, but it made sense.
If I guessed correctly, Yu Shuang had already leaked all my information to Mo Pingqiu in advance.
That question just now was his final probe.
After obtaining the most accurate information, Mo Pingqiu decisively chose dice.
He knew very well that no matter how skilled a cheat was, if they hadn't accumulated years of experience, their dice-rolling skills would inevitably be inferior to their poker skills.
This was because there were no shortcuts in dice rolling; it only relied on constant, individual practice.
Therefore, he chose to attack my weakness.
Putting on a facade of a respected senior in the martial world, he was secretly using his strengths to exploit my weaknesses!
This old fellow was truly cunning!
Seeing my silence, Mo Pingqiu continued, "Rolling nine ones to win. Conversely, anything less, whether eight ones or seven ones, will all be considered a loss!"
"If we both roll nine ones, or if both fail, it will be considered a draw."
"If it's a draw, we'll switch to poker. As for the gameplay and rules, we'll figure them out when that time comes."
"Little brother Chen, do you think this is acceptable?"
He was truly a cunning old fox, a thousand-year-old turtle! This old scoundrel was indeed skilled at trickery.
Fearing I wouldn't agree to gamble with dice, he deliberately emphasized that anything less than nine ones would be a loss.
All cheats knew that starting from six dice, the difficulty increased exponentially with each additional die.
The trick of rolling nine ones wasn't something one could master with just a few months of practice.
Simply memorizing the incantations for rolling specific dice combinations was useless; one also had to adapt to the actual situation.
Mo Pingqiu wanted to create the illusion that he himself might not be able to consistently roll nine ones.
He wanted to dig a pit for me to fall into, but I wouldn't fall for his trap!
Ignoring Mo Pingqiu's words, I directly asked, "Since it's a one-round, winner-take-all match, can we use techniques to interfere with the opponent to win?"
Upon hearing this, Mo Pingqiu nodded and replied pointedly, "In a one-round, winner-take-all gamble, victory should be the priority!"
"Let's each show our own skills, like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea!"
"However, one point must be made clear beforehand: the rules of the gambling world still apply!"
The so-called rules of the gambling world meant that if one was caught cheating with a technique and exposed on the spot, they would automatically be deemed the loser.
The old scoundrel not stating it explicitly probably meant he didn't want outsiders to see his darker side.
I remained silent and nodded.
"If that's the case, let's begin!"
As soon as Mo Pingqiu finished speaking, the gambling ship staff, who were already in position and ready, immediately sprang into action.
They first retrieved two complete sets of dice gambling equipment from the tables in the main hall, then brought them on trays to the gambling table where Mo Pingqiu and I stood facing each other.
Two wooden dice cups and eighteen dice were all prepared.
Previously, as Ying Baolin had already communicated with Yu Shuang, there was no need for a professional dealer for this gamble. Instead, it would be hosted by a mutual acquaintance named Ke Jie.
By "hosted," it meant he would stand in the dealer's position to time us, announce the start and end, and handle other minor details.
Ke Jie, dressed in a sharp suit, walked to the gambling table and made a gesture of invitation to both Mo Pingqiu and me in a professional manner.
"Gentlemen, please inspect the equipment first!"
In response, Mo Pingqiu and I both shook our heads.
Given the grand occasion today, even if Yu Shuang had revealed her identity, Ying Baolin would never let it slide if she dared to tamper with the gambling equipment.
Skipping the inspection, Ke Jie directly said, "Since neither of you wishes to inspect the dice, please listen to my command!"
"Countdown..."
"Five, four, three, two, one..."
"Begin!"
The moment Ke Jie finished speaking, Mo Pingqiu and I each grabbed a dice cup in front of us. After exchanging a glance, we simultaneously began to shake them.
Although I didn't know what Mo Pingqiu saw in my eyes, I saw the word "calm" in his.
Composed and unhurried.
That look alone made me realize that this old scoundrel was likely the most difficult opponent I had encountered since my debut, besides Yu Shuang!
Therefore, in this round, I had to be more careful and more cautious than ever...
While shaking the dice cup, I stared intently at Mo Pingqiu.
And he was doing the same thing I was doing.
Even though we were on opposing sides, I had to admit from the bottom of my heart that Mo Pingqiu was indeed a master of the gambling world.
Because, like me, his movements with both his left and right hands were completely indistinguishable.
Uncle Tuo had once said that if I ever encountered a cheat who could use both hands equally, I should be extremely vigilant!