The three members of the Qian group, led by Brother Feng, wore expressions of surprise and elation, as if they had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Yes, Qian Xin had guessed correctly.
I had rolled an 114, a small total!
Naturally, they had reason to be surprised and elated. If Qian Xin had misguessed even one of the dice's numbers or its total, the first round would have been rendered meaningless.
In stark contrast to the jubilant Qian group, the small circle of players around Leng Meng appeared deeply resentful and indignant.
This was because the first round had ended in a draw.
As for Leng Meng and her companions' reactions, I had no time to concern myself with them.
To be honest, I hadn't even considered defeating Qian Xin in the very first round.
It was unrealistic, and frankly, impossible!
One must understand that dice rollers and listeners, when practicing, typically start with three dice.
If Qian Xin couldn't even guess the numbers or the total of three dice, Brother Feng wouldn't have placed him at the forefront.
Therefore, the skill I had just displayed was a deliberate message to Qian Xin: the next round would be the real showdown between him and me!
Once you step onto the gambling table, you're not getting off!
...
After each of us added another die to our dice cups, the second round of the first game commenced.
I still let Qian Xin go first, my intention being to see if he would employ any new tricks.
Uncle Tuo had once told me that the arts of shaking dice and listening to dice were the most revealing of a gambler's skill.
Gamblers and inside men who frequented major casinos could freely control the numbers and totals of six dice.
Once the number of dice exceeded six, the difficulty of controlling their numbers and totals increased exponentially.
Uncle Tuo claimed that at his peak, he could only just manage to control the numbers and totals of nine dice.
The game where his fingers were severed was precisely a dice-betting match against an opponent.
Rumor had it that the dice expert his opponent brought in was of considerable repute, though I couldn't recall his name.
All I remembered was that Uncle Tuo mentioned this person's nickname... "Dice Demon."
A master who could perfectly control the numbers and totals of ten dice!
Enough preamble, let's get back to the main event.
Ever since I revealed my skill in creating a "long dragon" effect, Qian Xin's expression had become exceptionally grave.
Just as I signaled for him to begin shaking the dice, he first picked up the dice cup, gently slid it across the table, then slightly lifted it, and with a sudden pull, he drew it back!
Clatter, clatter, clatter...
In the blink of an eye, the dice cup was in Qian Xin's hand, and he began shaking it randomly in all directions.
Seeing Qian Xin's initial stance, I immediately realized... he was changing his tactics.
If I recalled correctly, this move of Qian Xin's was called "Four Like, Four Unlike" in the dice world.
A prominent characteristic of "Four Like, Four Unlike" was that the numbers and totals of the dice within the cup were entirely undetectable and unanalyzable during the shaking process.
The numbers and totals of the dice were solely determined by the shaker at the very instant they settled.
A long time ago, before high-tech gadgets and "marked dice" became prevalent in casinos, this was the most potent "killing technique" for the inside men of the establishments!
In just half a second! Precisely in the last half-second before bets were closed, the inside man could perfectly control the dice's numbers and totals based on the wagers on the table.
Whether it was a complete sweep, a win with minimal loss, or a win on large bets and a loss on small ones, it would only be revealed in that final half-second!
The preceding shaking was merely a smokescreen, a veil to obscure the truth.
However, this move was useless against me!
To be precise, the number of dice hadn't yet reached a level that could affect my ability to listen to the cup.
If Qian Xin had maintained his composure and used "Four Like, Four Unlike" when the dice count increased to six, I might have genuinely found myself in a precarious situation!
Unfortunately, Qian Xin's state of mind had been compromised by me.
Why does the old saying go, "Lose the battle, but not the spirit"?
It's because confidence and backing are mysterious, ineffable things that cannot be explained by any language!
In a confrontation between two armies, regardless of the disparity in strength, one must at least project an imposing presence and personal confidence.
To be timid before the battle has even begun is to have already lost!
Initially, Qian Xin's choice to seize the initiative was perfectly valid.
But the crucial point was that he failed to subdue me, and instead, he was subdued by my delayed counter-attack.
Consequently, his mindset began to shift.
Although this change was subtle, on the gambling table, it was enough to alter the final outcome.
One minute later, Qian Xin stopped shaking the dice.
The instant the dice cup settled on the table, my ears twitched imperceptibly.
Then, Qian Xin eagerly asked me about the numbers and the total of the dice.
Glancing at the still-unopened dice cup, I calmly replied, "Four fours, sixteen points, a large total! Oh, and by the way..."
"You should have used 'Four Like, Four Unlike' in the end."
"Perhaps, just perhaps... I might not have guessed correctly."
"You can open the cup now."
As soon as I finished speaking, I saw Qian Xin's face suddenly contort in a dramatic change.
It seemed Qian Xin was a player who thrived on favorable winds and faltered in adverse ones, a person who was confused in balanced situations!
With a face ashen, Qian Xin opened the dice cup.
Four dice, all showing the number four.
Undoubtedly, I had guessed correctly again!
Next, it was my turn.
As the saying goes, the first burst of energy leads to victory, the second to a decline, and the third to exhaustion!
Seeing Qian Xin's hesitant and uncertain demeanor, I decided... to send him on his way!
Mimicking a scene from "God of Gamblers 2: The Shanghai Gambler," I first lit a Red Nanjing cigarette.
The moment I lit and took a drag from the cigarette, I snatched the dice cup, raised my hand, and with a flick, the four dice flew into the cup.
Then, as I shook the cup in my hand, I smoothly executed a flashy "over-the-shoulder pass," a small display of flair!
The moment the "over-the-shoulder pass" was completed, my right hand was replaced by my left.
With a "snap," the dice cup landed on the table.
Do you think my movements were perhaps too flashy and lacked substance?
Not at all.
One must understand that shaking dice is different from dealing cards; the latter requires pure skill. The former, however, relies on numerous factors.
For instance, wrist strength, hearing, angle, technique, environment, the number of dice, and so on.
From an ordinary person's perspective, these factors might seem overly meticulous or even impractical.
However, for us gamblers, each of these factors is critically important!
And I, in this instance, utilized wrist strength.
Unless a person is naturally ambidextrous or has deliberately trained for balanced coordination, the power exerted by the wrists of each hand to perform the same action at a specific moment is entirely different.
Although I didn't use the "Four Like, Four Unlike" move, in the final second before the dice settled, by adjusting my dominant hand, I altered the trajectory of the dice's impact within the cup.
I can confidently state this... even I am now unsure whether the numbers and totals of the dice in the cup have changed!
Therefore, if Qian Xin is also affected by this, unless he gets lucky and guesses correctly, it is highly probable that with his compromised mindset, he will make a mistake amidst the chaos.
If he misguesses the numbers or the total, then besides the fifty thousand yuan... he will lose one of his fingers for each mistake!