Chapter 832: The Abyss of Gamblers
Just as he finished speaking, the dealer in the center began to flip over the cards to reveal the hands of both sides. As expected, the Banker won and the Player lost. The few players sitting at the table reacted with a mix of sorrow and joy; the middle-aged fat man sitting in the very corner had already started clutching his chest and gasping for air.
Large handfuls of chips clattered together with the dealer's movements, emitting the crisp, distinct sound of money.
Looking at the colorful chips on the table, the onlookers couldn't help but gasp in unison.
Those who had already exchanged for chips at the counter knew that the pile of chips on the table was worth an astronomical sum, nearly several million.
Even though many people present were not short of money, that didn't mean they wouldn't feel a sting of pain for the loss.
"Huh? Brother Xiao, you can actually tell who's going to win or lose?"
The few people who were just there to join in the fun were still whispering and asking Xiao He questions.
"Brother Xiao, Brother Xiao, how did you tell? What kind of game is this? I don't quite understand. Is it about who has the bigger number? Why did the Player lose this round? Didn't they have a King and a 6? Added together, that should be a large number, but the Banker had a 7 and a 2."
Beside them, Wu Chuyi and the other two actors also perked up their ears.
Facing the curious eyes around him, Xiao He had no choice but to helplessly explain, "Because in the rules of this game, an Ace counts as 1 point, 2 through 9 count as their face value, and 10, J, Q, and K count as 0. Also, they aren't comparing who has the bigger number, but who has a point total closer to 9. For example, in this round, the Player had a King and a 6, which is 0+6 = 6, while the Banker had a natural, which was exactly 7+2 = 9. So, anyone who bet on the Player definitely lost."
Afterward, Xiao He explained the other basic rules of the game to everyone again, making it easier for them to understand the current situation.
"Ah, so that's how you play! Brother Xiao, you know so much! How amazing!" Xin Yiran realized with a start, not forgetting to add some fangirl flattery.
Xiao He smiled with a bit of a guilty conscience and looked away.
The reason he knew so many gambling rules was that he had learned a bit about them when he was hand-coding that software for Dong Huai, which helped him set a trap for Dong Huai more easily.
Wu Chuyi couldn't help himself and asked Xiao He, "Then, Brother Xiao, how did you know the Player would definitely lose before the cards were even revealed?"
If one could tell who would win or lose beforehand, wouldn't that mean winning every single bet?!
Xiao He's mouth twitched slightly.
Very good, Wu Chuyi had asked the right question.
What else could it be?
Of course, it was because, looking around, he recognized all the people sitting at the gambling table!
The two people sitting in the very center were undoubtedly Bao Wenqi of the Bao Family and Dong Huai of the Dong Family, and the outcome of this gambling session had been biased toward the two of them from the very beginning.
Sitting with them were four other players; three were just passersby, who could be ignored for now, but there was also an investor from the mainland with them.
Based ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) on Xiao He's observations and his previous investigations into Dong Huai and the others, after just a moment of thought, he could guess that their main target this time was that investor from the mainland.
—that is, the fat man who was currently clutching his chest and gasping for air.
This fat man seemed to be in the field of financial investment and basically had no interaction with Xiao He. This time, he was invited to the banquet, likely because he had just barely qualified to be there.
The reason he was targeted by Bao Wenqi and Dong Huai was not hard to guess; it was likely because he came from the mainland and was not yet familiar with many of the situations in Hong Kong, so he didn't know how vicious the two young masters sitting with him were.
He was being set up in a joint scheme without even realizing it!
As for why Xiao He could know which side would lose and which would win?
This was naturally not because Xiao He had superior gambling skills, but because of Bao Wenqi and Dong Huai!
The dealers were all their people; wasn't it obvious who would win and who would lose?
There was no need to guess at all!
Let the person win crazily in the beginning to get them hooked, then set the trap later to make them lose everything in one go.
With them doing things this way, many people with a sharp eye who knew the ins and outs of the casino could naturally see it clearly.
But the others who were just watching for fun naturally wouldn't understand the malice hidden behind this.
However, for most of the people here, their final choice was simply to watch with cold indifference.
There were simply too many gambling addicts in the casino; who would think to save such people?
Take Xiao He, for example.
Although he had seen the other person's ending at a glance, he had no intention of going up to be a hero or trying to wake the person up.
People who could enter this game and get trapped were mostly already hooked; they wouldn't perceive the danger at all. Furthermore, most of them were inherently greedy and couldn't learn to stop while they were ahead.
Then society would teach them this unforgettable lesson.
However, facing Wu Chuyi's question, Xiao He naturally wouldn't tell the truth, just shaking his head: "I'm not too sure, I was just guessing. If anyone could determine the winner or loser of such a gambling game at a glance, then there wouldn't be so many people whose families were ruined overnight."
"Ah, that's true."
Wu Chuyi nodded, and at the same time, let out a breath of relief without leaving a trace.
As an "all-around player," he always felt a sense of frustration whenever he met Xiao He.
It felt like this man seemed to know everything and was better at everything than them.
Fortunately, at least in terms of luck, everyone was equal, right?
It was just that the gambling game was never equal—
...
Even though he was sweating profusely from losing, the fat man, who was almost blinded by the gambling fever, had no intention of quitting and still followed the next round with red eyes.
This time he bet on the Banker, and the cards revealed were "2" and "6".
While the Player had an "ACE" and a "K", and drew a "5".
This time, he finally won a round!
By the way, the payouts for the Banker and Player were different; the Banker also had an extra "Banker commission," so under the same circumstances, one would earn less than the Player. Also, the probability of a "Tie" was low, so its payout was naturally higher; if one could win a round on that, one could quickly recoup their losses.
Therefore, everyone's betting strategy was a bit different.
But clearly, the person before them, who was blinded by gambling fever, had chosen the most extreme method—the "Martingale strategy," also known as the doubling rule.
This was a negative progression betting method driven by an extreme gambler's mentality: double the bet when losing, and return to the initial amount when winning. Simply put, it meant doubling the bet after every loss until one won a round, thereby recovering all previous losses and winning the initial bet amount.
This strategy first appeared in the casinos of France in the 18th century. It carried extremely high risks and required a large amount of capital support. For an ordinary capitalist without much foundation, this was undoubtedly a deadly trap.
But for a gambler like this, who was blinded by the fever and wanted to bet everything, it was an important opportunity for a desperate counterattack to reverse everything!
And undoubtedly, if this kind of increased betting succeeded, the positive excitement it brought was endless; it would infinitely stimulate the brain's nerves and cloud a person's mind.
At the gambling table, Bao Wenqi and Dong Huai admired the other person's twisted expression, both curling their lips in mockery. They just let the other person's emotions rise and fall, stimulating them repeatedly, keeping his wins and losses entirely under their own control, making the other person a puppet of gambling—
How delightful!
Bao Wenqi took a deep breath, feeling that the smell of the casino was just better than anywhere else.
And when he looked up to admire the sighs and admiration of the onlookers, he also happened to see Xiao He turning his back to the crowd, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, his hand, which was preparing to smoke, paused slightly.
—Xiao He?
The guy his father had his secretary investigate privately a while ago?
Bao Wenqi narrowed his eyes, a flicker of inquiry flashing through them.