In short, the third-floor casino of Tianci Tower is… extraordinary!
Of course, its overall environment is impeccable. The indoor air conditioning was set to a perfect temperature, and ventilation was timely, so one could hardly see any rising smoke.
Smoke is unavoidable in a casino during winter.
Especially when smoking in an air-conditioned environment, if the ventilation isn't timely, you’d have to be a seasoned smoker to endure it!
At the end of the third-floor hall was a very, very large door, presumably leading to a private room.
If nothing unexpected happened, the gambling matches tonight would likely take place in the private room.
Indeed…
As I was looking around, someone with a smile on his face walked up and approached me.
Judging by the person’s attire, I knew he must be the person in charge or manager of the third-floor hall.
“Hello, may I ask if you are Mr. Chen Xiang?” the person asked politely.
After nodding calmly, I replied, “Yes.”
“I am He Bin, the lobby manager here. The second boss has instructed me to wait for you here.”
“Alright! Please lead the way.”
Without the slightest hesitation or reservation, I stated my attitude directly.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
Having already arrived on Xiao Tianyu’s turf, acting hesitant would only make me a laughingstock.
Therefore, I chose to face whatever was coming head-on.
As he led me towards the private room, He Bin said, “There’s still over an hour before the gambling match begins. I’ll take you in first to familiarize yourself with the environment.”
“If you feel bored, you can do anything you like here according to your preferences!”
“Oh, right. The rules on our third floor are all formulated according to the rules of the Macau casinos. If you’re interested, feel free to play with confidence.”
“Thank you,” I replied courteously.
I understood the principle of not hitting a smiling face, especially on someone else’s territory.
“You’re welcome. Call me anytime if you need anything.”
As soon as he finished speaking, He Bin led me into the private room.
The gambling tables in the private room were all brand-new Texas Hold’em tables, and there wasn’t a soul in sight.
It seemed I had arrived nearly two hours early.
This was good! I could observe the surroundings as much as possible and be well-prepared.
Then, when the time came to truly drop the pretense, I could act with a clear plan.
To my surprise, for a long time after He Bin had fulfilled his duty and left the private room, Xiao Tianyu’s figure did not appear.
I had expected him to meet me beforehand, before the gambling match officially kicked off tonight, to brief me on matters related to the game.
Who would have thought that Xiao Tianyu, known as “Mad Dog,” would be so arrogant and conceited?
Either he had confidence in himself, or… he had confidence in me.
No matter how I thought about it, the second possibility was extremely slim.
Therefore, it had to be the first possibility.
I was just a little unclear as to where Xiao Tianyu’s confidence and assurance stemmed from.
On what basis did he dare to be so sure that I would help him with all my might? Was it merely because his Xiao family brothers held sway in the Longxi region, both in and out of the law?
Just as I was constantly speculating in my mind about the source of Xiao Tianyu’s self-confidence, my phone in my pocket vibrated.
Taking it out, I saw it was a call from Xiao Tianyu.
As soon as I answered, before I could even speak, I heard Xiao Tianyu’s cold voice on the other end say, “Chen Xiang, your three friends have been invited to my office for tea.”
Boom!!!
Upon hearing this, my entire head buzzed and exploded.
This wasn't even about not fighting fair; it was about resorting to any means necessary!
Unlike the usual methods employed by those in the underworld, grudges in the Thousand Doors and the Blue Path were settled one by one and rarely involved outsiders.
Last time, when I caused trouble, it was understandable that he couldn't find me and instead controlled Cheng Minglang.
But this time… it was truly going too far!
Xiao Tianyu’s actions weren't breaking the rules; they were a complete disregard for them!
Thinking of this, I said angrily, “Second Boss Xiao, do you need to do this? If you wanted to go back on your word, I wouldn’t have come!”
“Heh heh~” Xiao Tianyu chuckled and said, “Don’t misunderstand! I just want to have an extra layer of insurance with you!”
“Don’t worry! I guarantee on my honor, inviting your three friends to my office is just for a cup of tea!”
“As long as you handle things smoothly and the gambling match concludes, they will naturally return to your side.”
Hearing Xiao Tianyu’s brazen and unscrupulous words, a surge of burning rage suddenly erupted in my heart.
Fortunately, I had made ample preparations before coming, otherwise, it would have been difficult to deal with the current situation.
After hanging up the phone, I didn’t rush to contact Mu Haitang, who was lurking around Xiao Tianyu, but first called Su Liuli and revealed the news that Han Jinlun and the others had been taken into custody.
After listening to my description, Su Liuli remained silent for a while before asking, “What do you mean? Do you want to continue or give up?”
As expected of the straightforward Su Liuli, she cut straight to the chase and asked this awkward question without any preamble.
Clearly, she already knew that I might change, or even terminate, our previously agreed-upon cooperation agreement.
After careful consideration, I gave my answer.
“Continue cooperating!”
Before Su Liuli could reply, I continued, “Xiao Tianyu is someone who stops at nothing to achieve his goals. Even if I cooperate with him under duress, I will inevitably face repercussions afterward!”
“I have a premonition that regardless of whether we win or lose, Xiao Tianyu will not let me leave so easily!”
“Therefore, I plan to compromise with him on the surface, but continue to cooperate with you behind the scenes!”
“Let’s join forces and stage a grand play of ‘openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang’!”
“In addition to this, from now on, I need your unconditional and comprehensive cooperation!”
Of course, I couldn't reveal Mu Haitang’s matter to Su Liuli. So, I used Xiao Tianyu’s character and conduct as a pretext to state my intentions.
Su Liuli, without any suspicion, readily agreed, “No problem!”
After confirming some cooperation details, I hung up the phone and walked out of the private restroom, returning to the main hall of the private room.
When I reappeared, people had already started to trickle into the hall of the private room.
Before long, the gambling match would be imminent!
At that time, the true winner would be revealed…