After reaching a cooperation agreement, Su Liuli immediately added a few more words.
"From now until the competition officially begins, neither of us can have any face-to-face contact!"
"Last night, when you appeared at the Liuli Nightclub, Xiao Tianyu's people would naturally assume you were there to relax. But if they see you coming to my place again, they'll definitely suspect your motives!"
"Just one more thing, for the competition seven days from now, as long as we're at the gambling table... you absolutely must pretend you don't know me at all!"
Upon hearing this, I replied without any hesitation, "Understood."
After a brief chat, Su Liuli hung up the phone.
She didn't ask where I was staying, and I didn't volunteer the information.
This was a conversation between intelligent people, understood only by the two of us involved.
...
Late at night.
The four of us returned to Han Jinlun's residence. Upon entering, I wasted no time, rushing to my room, taking off my jacket, and collapsing onto the bed to sleep.
I wasn't doing this because I was genuinely tired, but because the experiences of the night had pushed me beyond my limits.
I needed a room where no one would disturb me, a clean and tidy bed to clear my mind and adjust myself.
As seasoned gamblers, we were long accustomed to living with inverted day and night cycles. Lying in bed was never just about sleeping.
It was about seeking peace of mind and the light of dawn just around the corner.
As my mind gradually calmed down, scene after scene from the night replayed in my head...
Honestly, it wasn't until I started to retrace events that I realized how audacious and terrifying the lie I had told was!
In a situation where there was no retreat, a single misstep could lead to eternal regret, a consequence I couldn't afford.
Before I possessed sufficient strength, facing an enemy of Xiao Tianyu's caliber left me with no other option but to endure.
Once the first instance of such a situation occurred, countless others would follow.
To completely escape this predicament, I could only strengthen myself!
Especially with a gambling match full of unknowns awaiting me in a week. Whichever side I chose to support, the losing party would inevitably view me as a thorn in their side.
The situation I would face then would undoubtedly be even more perilous than last night's!
Therefore, I still needed to recruit allies.
I would use money to bring in some people to bolster our ranks, while true talent would require a discerning eye for careful selection.
Tonight was destined to be another sleepless night...
What happened next quickly validated my viewpoint.
Around two in the morning.
I had just drifted off to sleep when a phone call startled me awake.
Ordinary people feared late-night calls, let alone us gamblers.
As soon as the phone rang, I sprang up from the bed as if by reflex, quickly putting on my outer jacket and pants.
By the time the sleepiness in my mind had completely receded, I realized... it wasn't my phone ringing!
This was incredibly awkward!
Turning my head, I saw Han Jinlun, sleeping like a log and snoring loudly, his phone on the bedside table ringing and vibrating incessantly.
Seeing this, I immediately walked over, turned on the light, and woke Han Jinlun, urging him to answer the call.
Groggily, Han Jinlun half-opened his eyes and casually picked up the phone.
"Hello? Who is it?"
"It's me, Jinlun! Is your gambler friend Chen Xiang with you?"
Because it was late at night and Han Jinlun's ringer was set very high, Zhang Chengxiang's voice from the phone was clearly audible in the room.
"Yeah, we're all asleep. What's up?"
"Uh, this..."
After a long, hesitant pause, Zhang Chengxiang sheepishly said, "Several big clients came to the card room tonight, all unfamiliar faces driving Mercedes-Benzes.
"Although they all looked like they weren't short of money, I've heard people say there are teams who disguise themselves as bosses and travel around to swindle money, something like a 'gambler team,' I think they're called.
"So I was wondering if you could ask your gambler friend to come over and take a look.
"Don't worry, Jinlun! Regardless of whether these people are a gambler team or not, I'll definitely pay your friend the agreed-upon fee, every penny!"
"If it's inconvenient, then forget it!"
After listening to Zhang Chengxiang's lengthy explanation, Han Jinlun's sleepiness had significantly diminished.
After a brief exchange of glances with me, Han Jinlun replied, "Wait! We'll be there in twenty minutes!"
After hanging up, without any prompting from me, Han Jinlun decisively got out of bed and started putting on his clothes.
From this alone, it was evident why Cheng Minglang got along so well with Han Jinlun, that show-off.
It was because, at their core, they were the same kind of people, willing to go to great lengths for a friend!
Since I was going to help assess the situation, and it was Zhang Chengxiang's territory at the Yongli Card Room, I wasn't worried about any tricks. I didn't ask Cheng Minglang to accompany me, instead advising him to rest well and recuperate.
Han Jinlun drove his Enclave to the entrance of the Yongli Card Room with lightning speed. Parked neatly along the roadside were two Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans with out-of-province license plates.
Although they were the luxury cars Zhang Chengxiang mentioned, something caught my attention.
The car models were old, yet they were meticulously maintained.
Logically, it wasn't unusual for big bosses to have reservations about casinos and choose to gamble at card rooms.
However, truly wealthy individuals were usually low-key. Even if a few had the mentality of nouveau riche, they wouldn't drive such old cars to show off.
So, even before entering, I suspected that Zhang Chengxiang's assessment might be correct.
It was highly probable that these people were not big bosses at all, but a swindling team.
If this assumption held true, it was likely that these individuals would be playing individually in the card room, a tactic to win as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time.
With this thought, I immediately said to Han Jinlun, "Quick, call Zhang Chengxiang and ask him if those people are playing individually!"
Upon hearing this, Han Jinlun didn't hesitate and quickly took out his phone to make the call.
About two to three minutes later.
"Brother Xiang, Zhang says those unfamiliar faces are all sitting at the same table."
Han Jinlun's answer surprised me.
It was impossible, and shouldn't be the case!
A swindling team that traveled extensively shouldn't be this unskilled.
Or perhaps they had observed the Yongli Card Room beforehand and knew there were no legitimate plainclothes security personnel to catch swindlers?
While contemplating this, my gaze drifted back to the two Mercedes-Benzes parked by the roadside...