The conditions proposed by Shen Lingyu, while seemingly trivial to outsiders, were something only I, the person involved, truly understood.
Standing behind her was Ying Baolin, and her words were his unspoken intent.
Ying Baolin had no intention of letting me off the hook. He planned to use Xu Peiyu and Shen Mengqing to tie me down, then execute a "one against three" maneuver.
Combining this with the information previously revealed by Fan Yixin, the Texas Hold'em final on the cruise ship was undoubtedly a pre-arranged event by Ying Baolin.
This was because, compared to other card games, there were extremely limited actions a cheater could take in Texas Hold'em.
Coupled with the assistance of that plump dealer, Shen Lingyu had revealed virtually nothing throughout the entire game.
If not for the chance encounter on the gambling ship Yunshuang, where I witnessed her "Finger Flicking Divine Skill"...
I might still know absolutely nothing about my opponent, Shen Lingyu, to this day!
A meticulously orchestrated series of deadly traps!
Not only to crush me completely, but also to spare no one around me!
This was a situation that offered me no chance to breathe or recover, a resolute determination to eliminate me entirely!
Ruthless! Ruthless to the point of inhumanity!
Although I desperately wanted to refuse, I ultimately nodded in agreement without a word.
There was no choice!
Shen Lingyu was holding Shen Mengqing and Xu Peiyu hostage, making refusal impossible even if I wanted to.
Seeing that I agreed without any hesitation, Shen Lingyu instinctively turned her gaze towards Ying Baolin.
Her expression seemed to be asking Ying Baolin when the main event would begin.
After all, tonight was Ying Baolin's birthday banquet.
Without his word, the most important person present, Shen Lingyu dared not act on her own initiative.
Ying Baolin stated expressionlessly, "Since that's the case, we'll wait until the banquet concludes!"
With that simple sentence, the tone for the unseen war of tonight was definitively set.
After speaking, Ying Baolin led Yun Jin to the remaining tables to toast each guest.
His demeanor was as if he were merely an insignificant bystander.
However, any discerning observer could tell that tonight's banquet was undoubtedly problematic!
Consequently, for a period afterward, the lively chatter and clinking of glasses in the living room diminished, replaced by an air of inexplicable gossip.
In private, many people had already begun whispering and speculating about what indescribable events might unfold after the banquet.
Approximately an hour later.
The birthday banquet, named festive but in reality a Hongmen Banquet, slowly drew to a close.
After the banquet concluded, except for a small number of influential figures from the government who departed, most of the businessmen from the underworld chose to stay and watch the show.
...
The moment the living room was restored to order.
Shen Lingyu immediately emerged from behind Ying Baolin, a sinister smile on her face.
I was well aware of this woman's abilities.
Although Shen Lingyu had only given a small demonstration on the Yunshuang gambling ship earlier, that single "Finger Flicking Divine Skill" made it clear to me that she possessed genuine talent.
Later, when we played Texas Hold'em at a table, with the assistance of the plump dealer and Fan Yixin, Shen Lingyu did not reveal any further true skills.
Therefore, my understanding of her capabilities at this moment was extremely superficial.
Not knowing the depth of an opponent's strength is a cardinal sin for a cheater before sitting down to play.
Lost in thought, Shen Lingyu slowly walked up to me.
As soon as she stopped, someone emerged from behind her.
It was Xiao Hua, the same person who had cheated people out of money using the "fish biting the hook" scheme on the Yunshuang.
As Xiao Hua appeared alongside Shen Lingyu, I immediately heard many people around me whispering and discussing.
"Holy crap! Doesn't this guy look familiar? Have I seen him somewhere before?"
"Think, think..."
"I remember now!!!"
"Isn't this guy Feng Xihua from the renowned 'Qimen Cheating Troupe' in our great Zhejiang province?"
"If Feng Xihua is willing to follow her around, could this woman be..."
"That's right! I remember now too! That's why I felt she looked so familiar earlier, but her name was strange. It turns out she's Xu Qihan!"
"Exactly! She is Xu Qihan! The main general of the Qimen Cheating Troupe!"
"What Xu Qihan? What Qimen Cheating Troupe? Why have I never heard of them?"
"You're out of touch, brother? The Qimen Cheating Troupe is quite famous in our province!"
"Putting aside the distant past, Xu Qihan, the main general of the Qimen Cheating Troupe, is a rising star in Zhejiang's underworld!"
"Xu Qihan's nickname is 'Miraculous Skill,' and in 2006, she reached the finals of the 'Star Pointing Competition' for new talents in the cheating world, jointly organized by eight provinces in our inland region!"
"Although she was eliminated later, her lightning-fast card manipulation left a deep impression on the judges!"
"It is said that after failing at 'Star Pointing,' Xu Qihan formed a cheating team and has been traveling around challenging other cheating teams for the past two years!"
"Rumor has it that her hand skills have reached a state of perfection, and the word 'fast' is insufficient to describe it!"
"Holy cow! Is that true? Anyone can brag! I say I'm fast too! Give me a screen, and I can finish in five seconds!"
"Five-second man of true strength—impressive!!!"
"Stop talking nonsense! Xu Qihan is fast at cheating at cards, you're fast at watching movies and masturbating!"
"Exactly! She makes a fortune every day, while you ejaculate a thousand times a day. There's no comparison between the two!"
"Hey, didn't Xu Qihan once declare that she would never align herself with any faction or bow to any individual patron?"
"Then why has she changed her name to Shen Lingyu now, and is also with..."
"Shhh! Shut up! Do you want to die?!"
"..."
It was only then, through these local casino owners, that I learned some personal information about Shen Lingyu.
Strictly speaking, it should be Xu Qihan.
It turned out she was a rising star recognized on the cheating world's "Star Pointing" list!
No wonder she was so indignant and eager to prove herself after losing the Texas Hold'em final to me; her starting point was so high.
...
Standing still with a blank expression, Xu Qihan stared intently at me.
At such close proximity, I could see a flicker of competitive fire subtly igniting in her eyes.
This immediately explained everything.
Ying Baolin sought Xu Qihan's help, and the reason he persuaded her was... me!