The truly arrogant one isn't me, but Wang Mingxuan.
He's just a master of Texas Hold'em, yet he insists on acting like he knows everything, even brazenly telling me to choose.
Oh, wait... I almost forgot!
When Jiang Xiaowan introduced Wang Mingxuan earlier, she seemed to have mentioned that this guy also had a nickname: "Mind-Reading Divine Calculator."
Although I didn't witness it last time, I deduce that Wang Mingxuan was likely underestimating his opponent then.
Being a "Mind-Reading Divine Calculator" implies that this fellow is also a gambling expert in card games involving algorithms.
Games like Stud Poker, Baccarat, Blackjack, and so on...
This explains why among the Twelve Dark Lanterns, the top echelon under Ying Baolin, there would be a master who only understood a single card game like Texas Hold'em.
If the opponent were to obtain this information, Wang Mingxuan would be a ready-made breakthrough.
So, he's actually a versatile player!
But even so, this guy is truly beyond arrogant, seemingly not putting me, the newly appointed leader, in his eyes at all.
With this thought, I immediately said in a deep voice, "Since you're the one who issued the challenge, why don't you also state the gambling method?"
"It doesn't matter to me, I'm open to anything!"
Youth is wasted if not spent in wild abandon!
When I encounter a worthy opponent, I would certainly resort to my usual tactic of hiding my edge, restraining my sharpness, and proceeding with caution.
But if I encounter an opponent like Wang Mingxuan, who is outrageously arrogant and dismissive of others... then I don't need to hold back, I'll just go head-to-head with him!
You can be as arrogant as you want, I'm even more arrogant than you!
Seeing that I seemed even more arrogant than himself, Wang Mingxuan immediately got angry, and with a laugh born of extreme irritation, he said, "Heh heh! Well said, 'open to anything'!"
"Since you've asked me to decide the gambling method, I won't be polite!"
"Let's play Blackjack!"
"And to be fair, I won't be bullying you; I'll let you be the dealer, shuffle, and deal."
Upon hearing this, I nodded without hesitation and agreed, "No problem."
In fact, even if we were to play Texas Hold'em again, I was mentally prepared.
There was no other reason.
The best way to defeat someone is to crush them mercilessly in their most proficient domain.
...
After confirming the gambling method, Wang Mingxuan immediately had eight new decks of cards brought over, pushed them all in front of me, and signaled for me to shuffle.
The reason Wang Mingxuan asked me to shuffle wasn't out of politeness, but to first test my skill level.
Shuffling is a fundamental skill for a professional cheater; observing a genuine cheater shuffle can reveal their level of expertise.
I was well aware of this.
And I also knew that not only Wang Mingxuan, but many among the onlookers shared the same mindset.
Everyone eagerly and fervently wanted to know just how skilled I, the suddenly appointed leader, truly was.
Without any hesitation or refusal, the moment I took the cards, I tore open the packaging of all eight new decks, then spread them out flat and arranged them into a fan shape.
After doing this, I gestured to Wang Mingxuan, indicating that he could inspect the cards.
Although this gambling match was initiated privately between Wang Mingxuan and me, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.
Unlike other cheaters who might refuse to have their cards inspected, Wang Mingxuan stood up from his seat, unfurled the cards spread in a fan, and began to meticulously examine them...
About ten minutes later.
"No problem! You can shuffle now."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Mingxuan sat back down in his seat and signaled for me to start shuffling.
I didn't comply immediately, but before shuffling, I asked him another question.
"After shuffling, do we deal directly, or do we first use a card shoe, cut the deck, and then deal?"
Hearing my question, after a brief pause for thought, Wang Mingxuan impatiently waved his hand and said hurriedly, "No need for a card shoe, just deal them directly from the table!"
Confidence! A mysterious kind of confidence!
To be so confident in front of a cheater, Wang Mingxuan either truly had such immense arrogance that he couldn't tolerate any other professionals,
Or he was trying to cover something up, to create a preconceived subjective impression of him in my mind.
Regardless of which possibility was true, since he didn't want to use a card shoe, I would grant his wish!
When a person mistakenly believes they have already won... that is often the beginning of their downfall!
No matter what hidden skills Wang Mingxuan might still possess, I would deal with any unforeseen circumstances by adhering to a timeless saying from our founding chairman, Mao Zedong:
"Strategically despise the enemy, but tactically take them seriously!"
After shuffling, it was time for betting.
This gambling match, proposed by Wang Mingxuan, had stakes both on and off the table.
The stake was one million chips per person.
Neither Wang Mingxuan nor I had yet bought our one million chips.
Because we had agreed beforehand, before the game started, that the loser would pay for the winner.
So, in all fairness, the cost of this gamble... was actually quite high.
For the first round, Wang Mingxuan made a small probe, betting only ten thousand chips.
After Wang Mingxuan placed his bet, I began to deal.
His first face-up card was a 10.
And I myself received a 6.
In the comparison of the first face-up cards, Wang Mingxuan held a clear advantage.
After the first card was dealt, I prepared to deal the second card.
The moment my hand reached for the deck, Wang Mingxuan suddenly let out a cough.
At the sound of the cough, I instinctively looked up...
I saw Wang Mingxuan with his eyes narrowed, his lips slightly parted, speaking with ventriloquism, and controlling the volume so low that only I, his opponent, could hear him.
Ventriloquism refers to a special vocal technique developed through professional training, where breath is settled and modulated in the abdominal cavity, striking a specific part of the vocal cords, causing them to vibrate passively.
The sound produced by ventriloquism is indeed quite different from a natural voice.
And most importantly, when speaking a long passage, the sound produced by ventriloquism is rapid and low-pitched.
Due to the specific part of the vocal cords being struck and vibrated at high frequency, the pitch sounds more like a sound wave.
If combined with some highly suggestive hypnotic techniques, a double-pronged attack...
It is possible to achieve temporary control and hypnosis of the target individual in a short period.
...
While bombarding my mind with a series of vague ventriloquial sound waves, Wang Mingxuan also, at a crucial juncture... suddenly snapped his fingers.
*Snap!*