Because I controlled the win-loss ratio so well, after doubling down and winning each time, I would then lose several rounds in a row, spitting some money back out. Therefore, the only one who truly lost heavily was Cui Qianting.
After returning the money I won from Xu Peiyu exactly as I received it, Cui Qianting went on to lose another nearly ten thousand!
The reason for losing so much was a common flaw among those who frequently play Niuniu: doubling down on bets!
If you can't win with 100, bet 200.
If you can't win with 200, bet 400.
At first glance, the amount being bet doesn't seem like much. However, once you hit a doubling card, if you lose just one or two hands, you're bound to go on tilt!
To put it bluntly, in a four-player Niuniu game, as long as no one delays, a round can usually be completed in less than two minutes.
For a professional cheat, an hour is more than enough time!
If I weren't afraid that going too hard on the first kill would be counterproductive, I would have loved to just go unlimited stakes as the banker, draining Cui Qianting in one go!
Relying on a couple of low-level cheating techniques to swindle people he knows, Cui Qianting isn't even a proper cheat. At best, he's just a gambler who likes to take shortcuts.
Truly accomplished cheats wouldn't participate in such low-end games, nor would they deign to.
The logic behind it is similar to playing video games.
It's perfectly fine to stomp on noobs occasionally, but if you do it too often, you'll soon find yourself asking: "Damn, how did I get so bad!?"
With no difficulty, no pressure, and no room for skillful play, it's no wonder your skills decline if you keep playing like that!
As for Zhang Fengyan and Xiao Mei, their roles were essentially swapped from before.
Zhang Fengyan became the loser, losing four or five thousand.
And Xiao Mei, with my intentional letting her win, managed to claw her way back through a few doubled-down bets, ultimately ending up roughly breaking even.
In summary, the two-person small clique led by Cui Qianting... was utterly defeated!
As soon as the time came, Cui Qianting, no longer bothering to pretend, slammed the table with a cold glare and said in a deep voice, "It's time, I'm done playing, going back to sleep!"
Before Xu Peiyu could respond, Zhang Fengyan, Cui Qianting's accomplice, spoke up first, "Sister Peiyu, we're leaving now!"
"Let's arrange another time when we switch shifts next!"
Hearing this, Xu Peiyu, in a great mood, nodded and smiled, "Sure, no problem!"
After Cui Qianting, them, and Xiao Mei had all left one after another, Xu Peiyu didn't say another word. She immediately scooped up the money on the table and handed a large portion of it to me.
Seeing this, I looked at Xu Peiyu with surprise and chuckled, "Sister Peiyun, we agreed to split it fifty-fifty, why are you giving me more?"
Hearing my words, Xu Peiyu first fiddled with her pink short hair, then smiled brightly, "If you weren't here today, I probably would have been the one losing the most."
"My greatest strength is that I have a lot of self-awareness, so..."
"Hurry up and take the money!"
Hearing this, I waved my hands repeatedly and replied, "We agreed to split it fifty-fifty, I don't want a single cent more!"
"Hey!"
My words instantly made Xu Peiyu laugh in exasperation, "You really are a stubborn mule! Hurry up and take the money, then go back and get some rest!"
Ignoring Xu Peiyu's words, I stood my ground, unmoving.
"Oh! So you're quite the character, aren't you?"
Seeing this, Xu Peiyu walked right up to me, extended her slender and fair fingers, and gently hooked my chin.
At the same time, her pretty face leaned directly into mine.
To be precise, the distance between Xu Peiyu and me at that moment was less than the thickness of a hand.
One more step, and it would be zero contact.
"I order you, in my dual capacity as supervisor and mentor, to take the money!"
At such close proximity, the faint fragrance emanating from Xu Peiyu instantly filled my nostrils and my mind.
Although this extremely intimate distance caused my heart to flutter for a moment, as soon as I remembered the vengeance I carried, I instantly regained my composure.
With my mind settled, I quickly retreated, pushing the extra money back into Xu Peiyu's hands, and said word by word, "My principle in life is that I won't take a cent less than what's mine."
"And I won't take a cent more than what I'm owed!"
After speaking, before Xu Peiyu could react, I quickly slipped out of the private room.
The world bustles and bustles, all for the sake of profit.
I believe that after today, Xu Peiyu will likely lower her guard against me.
At that time, if I want to inquire about Yun Jin's whereabouts and information from within the club, Xu Peiyu would undoubtedly be a suitable candidate.
Of course, the other prong of my two-pronged approach must also be pushed forward at the same pace, striving for parallel progress...
Returning to the hotel, after calming down Han Jinlun, who had rushed to Xingjia overnight, I directly had Cheng Minglang give Han Jinlun twenty thousand yuan to let him go wild tonight, in order to speed things up!
No other requirements, just one word: splurge!
In addition, I redefined the identities of these two men.
Han Jinlun was to play the role of a dissolute young master (i.e., a walking, talking sex machine), while Cheng Minglang would play the role of the bodyguard accompanying the young master.
"This... isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
Despite saying it was inappropriate, his hands were honest as he took the money and put it directly into his pocket.
Han Jinlun, whose words and actions didn't match! Well done!
I smiled dismissively at this and said, "Brother Jinlun, I only have one request for you, and that is..."
"To leave as unforgettable and profound an impression as possible on the girls you choose!"
Hearing my words, Han Jinlun nodded in agreement, "This is already within my purview!"
"Saving countless fallen girls, I, Han Jinlun, am duty-bound!"
"Consider me, Han Jinlun, a man standing tall and upright. I can earn money if I run out, but those fallen girls are different."
"Their fathers are either gambling and accumulating debts, or they are violent and abusive after drinking."
"And their mothers cannot tolerate such a life and usually leave very early."
"Moreover, they have a bunch of younger siblings to support and send to school. Helping them, contributing my meager efforts, isn't that only natural?"
Han Jinlun's rather suggestive words stunned me into silence.
Meager efforts? Meager...勃之力?
...
After chatting for a while longer, I got up and went to my room.
After showering, I lay down on the bed.
Even though I hadn't slept all night, I still had no trace of sleepiness in my mind.
Ever since Uncle Tuo's accidental death, I had been suffering from insomnia for the past two days, staying up almost every night.
Why did Uncle Tuo die?
What is the function of the Thousand King Token?
These two questions had become an inescapable shadow lingering in my heart...