Chapter 1 "Nerve-Wracking"

The so-called "Nerve-Wracking" is a card game that tests memory and strategy.

Similar to "Number Guessing Duel," this game is usually played in a two-person or multi-person competitive format.

The gameplay is as follows:

First, prepare "one deck" of playing cards, excluding the jokers. Then, shuffle the remaining fifty-two cards, place them face down on the table.

Next, one of the opposing sides (or multiple sides) starts flipping cards.

The player flipping cards can flip two cards at a time. If the two flipped cards have the same rank, the player can take the two cards and gets the right to flip two more cards; otherwise, if the two flipped cards have different ranks, the player must cover them up and hand over the flipping right.

This continues until all the cards have been flipped, and the side with more cards in hand wins.

The above is the most basic "Nerve-Wracking"; under this set of rules, there is almost no room for strategy, and it is a game of "90% memory, 10% luck."

However, there are many derivative ways to play Nerve-Wracking. After adding some new rules, this game can become quite complex and interesting...

For example... the "differential scoring system," which means "not looking at who flips more cards, but looking at who flips cards with a higher total score."

Or... add jokers (the jokers) on the basis of the "differential scoring system," and stipulate that "whoever successfully flips a pair of jokers can immediately exchange scores with the other party."

In these two modes, the importance of luck and strategy becomes prominent.

In addition, there are various ways to increase the difficulty, such as "using two decks of cards, but only scoring points if the rank and suit are the same after flipping," "receiving a penalty for flipping a specific combination (such as flipping two cards with different ranks but the same suit, or flipping two cards whose ranks add up to 13)," and "limiting the flipping time," and other regulations.

In short, the changes in "Nerve-Wracking" are varied, but no matter what, one thing will not change—"memory" is the most powerful weapon in this game.

…………

One o'clock in the morning.

Preparations for the "Triple Nerve-Wracking" game are complete.

This second game adopts an elimination system...

Sixty-four players will compete in pairs, and those who win three consecutive games can enter the top eight and become the winners tonight.

As for the fifty-six losers, they won't be as miserable as the losers in the previous game... At this time, the U.S. dollars they have left have been deducted from the "loan portion," and the loan contracts they signed have been invalidated; so, these fifty-six people can at least take the "net winnings" from the "Number Guessing Duel" off the ship.

Of course, whether that little money can solve their problems outside is another story...

Right now, let's talk about the situation of this second round of the game.

The pairing method for this game is drawing lots.

Speaking of "drawing lots," the players don't actually have to "draw" anything. They just take turns shaking a drum containing numbered balls; the 64 numbered balls in the drum correspond to seats 1-64, and the seats determine the pairing for the duel.

Feng Bujue can understand this setting. If it were him, he would arrange it the same way...

Although using a computer to randomly match players is the most efficient, the organizer obviously doesn't want a decision method that produces all the results in "an instant" and doesn't involve the players themselves.

What the organizer wants to see is... the reactions and performances of the guests as the results are revealed one by one. Therefore, he naturally won't let this process end in a few seconds.

As a result, this drawing of lots took nearly half an hour.

In this half hour, the players watched the game rules while queuing up to shake the numbers.

In the blink of an eye, it was one o'clock in the morning, and the game... officially started.

…………

Feng Bujue's opponent is a woman wearing a black butterfly mask.

She should be a very beautiful woman.

I say "should," because she's wearing a mask, so it's not necessarily absolute.

Although... what Feng Bujue sees is a gorgeous low-cut dress and the alluring curves it outlines; what he smells is a variety of brand-name cosmetics used in just the right amount and manner; what he hears... is a voice that is both coquettish and charming, making people's minds wander.

But... he still isn't sure that she is definitely a beauty.

If you ask why, Brother Jue will answer you--"In this day and age, you can't even trust the cover of *****, what else can you..." The following three thousand words are omitted.

Okay, let's get back to the story...

"Heh... Mr. Crow, I didn't expect that at the beginning of the second game... I would meet you~" The butterfly mask smiled charmingly, and said a meaningless dialogue, seemingly intending to test Brother Jue's reaction.

She leaned over the table on the trolley, desperately showing off her "career line," and unreservedly flaunted her charm with every gesture.

However, the response she got was...

"Nonsense, the matching is determined by drawing lots." Feng Bujue was completely unmoved. He replied with his usual calm and sarcastic tone, "If you could predict the outcome of that kind of thing in advance, you wouldn't have to get on this ship, just go buy a lottery ticket."

The butterfly mask was slightly stunned by Brother Jue's retort, but she didn't show anything. Instead, she quickly adjusted her mood and continued, "Heh... I'm just a little afraid of dueling with you, that's why I said that~"

Obviously, she is a very sociable woman. No matter what kind of person she faces, no matter their gender, age, or personality... she can handle them. It is no exaggeration to say that, from domineering CEOs to wretched otaku, she is confident that she can make the other party feel good about her in a short period of time.

Unfortunately, Feng Bujue... doesn't seem to be in her "from top to bottom" range; not to mention from top to bottom, even from left to right, from inside to outside, from shallow to deep, from the whole to the part, from phenomenon to essence... Brother Jue is a type she has never encountered.

"Admit defeat if you're scared, nonsense doesn't solve the problem." Feng Bujue lazily replied, and at the same time, he took a step and walked towards a round table a few meters away.

In less than ten seconds, he dragged two chairs with backrests over from there.

"Hmph... he speaks in a particularly unpleasant way, but he still has some gentlemanly demeanor." When the butterfly mask saw that Brother Jue had moved "two" chairs over, she thought to herself.

She, thought one of them was prepared for her.

She, was so naive.

"Huff... looks light, but it's quite heavy." Two seconds later, Feng Bujue put both chairs on his side, one to sit on and one to rest his feet on...

He just slumped down sideways like that, and looked at the referee beside the table with dead fish eyes and said, "So... Mr. Referee, if you don't mind, while you're checking out her chest through your sunglasses, could you please wash the cards for us?"