I remember when I graduated from my apprenticeship, Uncle Tuo told me something.
"When you walk the martial world with the identity of a gambler, you must be prepared to have one foot in the grave!"
When I first finished learning my skills and graduated, I didn't quite understand why Uncle Tuo would brand the profession of a gambler as such a high-risk occupation on the verge of crime, as if one wrong move could get you shot.
Later, I figured it out.
The money a gambler earns from a single game of cards is equivalent to the salaries of most people for three to five years!
In some high-stakes card games, the income from one game can be much more than what an ordinary person earns in a lifetime!
And all of this can be easily achieved by even a moderately skilled gambler.
An ordinary gambler, as long as they are bold and meticulous, and leave no trace of their ill-gotten gains, can make money in minutes.
Those top-tier, super-skilled gamblers can not only create wealth for themselves but also help their patrons get rich.
Therefore, gamblers are easily targeted. If someone comes looking for revenge, it usually means big trouble.
Because disputes arising from profit are involved, bloodshed and injury are just minor issues.
Take tonight's situation, for example. Being able to pacify all the shops on both sides of the street before showing up, creating the illusion of closing down…
If Xiao Tianyu just wanted to beat me up to vent his anger, he wouldn't have needed to do all this.
I know very well that tonight… I'm likely in grave danger!
………………
Surrounded by a group of black-clad bodyguards, Xiao Tianyu stood arrogantly in front, holding a dark handgun. He beckoned to me with great arrogance and shouted, "Chen Xiang, I'll give you one chance. Get out of the car quickly!"
"If you get out and come with me now, maybe I can consider letting you and your accomplices live."
"If you still plan to huddle in the car, or try to call for backup… Heh heh~"
Under the glare of the strong headlights, I saw a cold and bloodthirsty curve at the corner of Xiao Tianyu's mouth.
No wonder everyone on the streets calls him Mad Dog. Xiao Tianyu daring to say this in public can no longer be described as "brazen."
It's clear that he considers himself an emperor with the power of life and death!
It's like in the movie "SPL," where the triad boss Boss Wang dares to say, "After twelve o'clock, I call the shots here" in front of the police, a statement that is almost a naked threat.
Too bad I don't have the formidable skills of the protagonist Ma Jun, played by Donnie Yen. Otherwise, I would have at least tried to pull off a feat of charging through enemy lines to take the enemy general's head.
After a moment of thought, to avoid being discovered by Xiao Tianyu and his men, I spoke without moving my lips: "Xiao Tianyu is looking for me. I'll get out of the car alone to stall for time."
"You guys hurry up and contact Zhang Chengxiang, and Jinlun… Quickly call your sister and ask her where she is."
"If she hasn't returned yet, have her help us contact Su Liuli."
"Why? Don't you have Su Liuli's number too?" Han Jinlun asked, confused.
Hearing this, I replied quickly, "Because only your sister has a genuine friendship with Su Liuli that can be negotiated. My relationship with her is, at best, a matter of mutual benefit!"
"After tonight's gambling match ends, we will have each received our benefits, and naturally, this bond will also end."
"Stop wasting time. If you really want to help me, hurry up and do as I say!"
As soon as I finished speaking, I reached for the door handle to get out.
Just as the car door was half-opened, Cheng Minglang suddenly shouted, "No! You can't get out of the car alone!"
"If you go alone, what's the difference between you and fish on a chopping block?"
"Believe me! Killing one person is much less difficult than killing several people at once!"
"If Xiao Tianyu really wants to kill you, he wouldn't give you a chance to get out of the car!"
"So Brother Xiang, he must be bluffing!"
"Staying in the car to huddle together for warmth and think of a plan is the only way out!"
"We advance and retreat together. Either we all get out, or we all stay in the car and try to figure out if we can fight back!"
After speaking, Cheng Minglang quickly reached out to stop me from opening the door further.
I knew very well that what Cheng Minglang said was true.
If Xiao Tianyu really wanted to retaliate or kill me without regard for consequences or cost, he could have acted directly just now.
But he didn't, which meant he still had expectations of me.
Putting on such a big show was most likely to force me to comply without a fight.
If I got out of the car and went with him, regardless of whether I could meet his demands, there would only be one outcome waiting for me.
Death!
Having tricked Tianci Lou twice in a row, it would be a miracle if Xiao Tianyu let me live!
After understanding this, I decisively closed the half-open car door.
In this situation, staying in the car might still offer a sliver of a chance to turn things around or escape.
Once I got out of the car, it would be a matter of waiting for death.
Seeing that I had suddenly changed my mind and wasn't getting out, Xiao Tianyu stood there motionlessly, just watching with cold eyes.
Even when he saw me, Cheng Minglang, Han Jinlun, and even Tuo, all four of us were making calls to summon help, he remained indifferent.
At this moment, for some reason, even though the calls I needed to make had been made, seeing Xiao Tianyu's indifference, my heart suddenly felt unsettled.
Late at night, the cold wind after the onset of winter was bone-chilling.
On the dark road where even the streetlights had been inexplicably turned off, the only light came from the strong headlights of the cars in front and behind.
Seeing Xiao Tianyu standing still, and after surveying the surroundings, Han Jinlun suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Brother Xiang, since all the necessary calls have been made, should we try to fight back again to buy more time for people to arrive?"
"I checked the blockage behind the car, there's a small gap. We definitely can't get through by driving normally, but if we step on the gas and crash through, there's still a chance to escape."
"Should we try it? Just waiting like this is too passive. After all, who knows what this mad dog Xiao Tianyu is thinking!"
After the initial shock and panic, I had gradually regained my composure.
Han Jinlun's words made me grasp the key point.
Indeed, just sitting in the car and waiting was too passive.
Since Xiao Tianyu had done his due diligence on me before inviting me to the gambling match, it was likely that except for the Tuo master and apprentice, whom I had hired with money in the end, the backgrounds of the four of us on our side had probably been thoroughly investigated.
He might not take me, Cheng Minglang, or Zhu Wenjing seriously, but he couldn't ignore one person.
Han Jinlun!