Urban: Super God-Ring System

C20 – His Plan

The most commanding card on the table was Mr. Zhen’s King of Spades!

The majority of the cards laid out were numbers. Aside from Mr. Zhen’s King, only Wen Huaimu’s Jack of Hearts and the lady with the gold-rimmed glasses’ Jack of Diamonds were of any notable value.

Mr. Zhen hadn’t anticipated his turn to speak coming up so quickly. Glancing at his leading card, he couldn’t help but feel a smug sense of superiority over Wen Huaimu. In truth, his gaze was meant for Miss Zhuang, but to his chagrin, she seemed utterly oblivious to him. Her attention was fixed on Wen Huaimu, as if his face bore some enigma worth deciphering.

Slightly irked, Mr. Zhen decided to seize the spotlight for himself.

With a confident shove of a purple chip, Mr. Zhen declared, “One million!”

Betting a million was standard fare, but Mr. Zhen’s impulsive wager without even checking his hole card was a bold move.

Yet, for the seasoned players at the table, such displays of bravado were all too familiar. He might have been arrogant, but his wealth was undeniable.

Naturally, Mr. Zhen’s million-dollar bet fell flat, eliciting no reaction from Miss Zhuang.

Wen Huaimu, however, shot Mr. Zhen a sidelong glance, a silent scoff hidden behind his expression. It seemed the young man had his sights set on Miss Zhuang.

In a heartbeat, bets were placed all around the table.

The game of Ha Shao could be played in various styles, and the current game involved the traditional five-card hand. That meant, beyond the two cards already dealt, three more were to come. So, even with Mr. Zhen’s early lead, his advantage was minimal. After all, everyone still had their hole cards face down.

Wen Huaimu placed his bet with a nonchalant air.

The dealer skillfully distributed another round of cards to each player, then stood back, hands clasped behind him, waiting in silence.

This third card was dealt face down, leaving it to the players to reveal. They could also choose to flip their first card.

Each player inspected their card with a detached gaze before nonchalantly turning it over.

These actions were a window into the psyche of these affluent players.

Wen Huaimu had already intuited the value of his card. Without hesitation, he flipped it over onto the table’s face-up pile, revealing a Ten of Spades.

The dynamic at the table shifted once more as the cards were dealt anew.

This round, Mr. Zhen’s hand was no longer the strongest; his king of spades was now paired with a measly diamonds 3. In contrast, the woman with the gold-rimmed glasses had hit the jackpot with a jack of hearts, giving her a formidable pair of Js.

Without more than a cursory glance at her hand, the woman confidently slid forward her bet. “Three million,” she declared, the mark of a true high roller.

Several players subtly shook their heads, conceding defeat by covering their cards—a clear sign they were bowing out. Suddenly, the table was down to just four contenders.

Wen Huaimu, seated next to the affluent woman, was quick to follow suit, tossing in his bet without a second thought.

Miss Zhuang, seemingly amused, playfully toyed with Wen Huaimu’s earlobe, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. This youngster hadn’t even peeked at his hole card.

The elderly gentleman, holding a pair of eights, didn’t hesitate either and placed his bet, leaving Mr. Zhen brooding over his weak hand. Despite the odds, Mr. Zhen was not ready to fold. After scrutinizing his opponents’ superior hands, he finally checked his hole card.

A fleeting expression of delight crossed Mr. Zhen’s face before he composed himself and coolly matched the three million bet.

His audacity caught the attention of the wealthy woman and the old man. They exchanged glances, surmising that the young man’s confidence must mean he held a king in the hole—why else would he risk so much?

The dealer then distributed the fourth card.

Wen Huaimu received a nine of spades, the rich woman a queen of spades, and to everyone’s surprise, the old man drew a heart eight—turning his pair into trips. Mr. Zhen, however, was dealt a king of hearts, bolstering his hand with a second king!

The strength of the upcards was evident, yet with everyone guarding a hole card, the winner was still anyone’s guess.

Perhaps it was Mr. Zhen’s youthful exuberance, but his face once again beamed with a triumphant air.

The rich woman, having already folded, sat back with a serene expression, observing the remaining players battle it out.

With her departure, Mr. Zhen’s confidence soared. It seemed clear to him now—his hand was the one to beat.

He cast a smug glance at Miss Zhuang, but despite his suggestive look, she continued to disregard him.

“Go ahead and play.”

Out of the blue, the white-haired elder, who was expected to speak next, laid down his card and offered a nonchalant smile.

Mr. Zhen’s confidence soared. With an arch of his eyebrow, he taunted, “My friend, the old man’s hand is a trio of eights, and I’m holding two Kings. Your odds of winning are slim. You might as well fold now.”

Wen Huaimu let out a slight smile. He noticed the surrounding crowd casting annoyed looks at the blonde young man. Matching Mr. Zhen’s gesture, he raised his eyebrow and retorted, “No need. I’ve got money to burn. Are you worried you won’t win enough?”

“You!” Mr. Zhen seethed with anger. If Wen Huaimu was going to be ungrateful, he’d make sure to take a hefty sum off him.

“Ten million!”

He shoved a mountain of purple chips to the center of the table, leaving the onlookers agape.

Though they were all wealthy, a bet of ten million in one fell swoop was a rarity. And the fact that it was a young man making such a lavish bet was even more astonishing. What a way to squander money.

The young man with short hair hadn’t anticipated Mr. Zhen’s bold move. Shock registered on his face, quickly followed by a look of concern. It appeared he had truly taken a liking to his opponent’s woman. This was an ominous sign.

“I’ll raise you ten million!”

Wen Huaimu’s response was even more resolute, as if the stakes were mere pocket change.

His dismissive attitude caused everyone, except Mr. Zhen, to watch him with intensified scrutiny.

“Fine, deal the cards,” Mr. Zhen said with a cold laugh.

The final card was dealt.

Mr. Zhen was the first to grab and inspect his card, his grin growing broader. He flipped it over for all to see—it was the diamonds 3. With this, Mr. Zhen now had a full house: three Kings and a pair of threes. He was convinced it was the strongest hand of the night.

Wen Huaimu received his card and, without a glance, revealed it to the table. It was the queen of hearts.

Now, Wen Huaimu’s hand consisted of a nine, ten, Jack, and Queen. If he could draw another eight or a King, he would snatch the victory from Mr. Zhen.

Yet, with three eights and two Kings already in play, could Wen Huaimu’s final card possibly be one of them?

The anticipation was palpable among those gathered. Opportunities to witness such a classic showdown were few and far between, and they eagerly speculated about the identity of Wen Huaimu’s last card.

Meanwhile, in an isolated section on the fifth floor of Nighty Night, a vast monitoring area buzzed with activity as hundreds of video feeds operated flawlessly.

Before one of the large screens, three men watched the contest involving Wen Huaimu with stoic expressions.

After a moment, a slender young man inquired, “What’s the kid’s last card?”

Manager Sima, standing behind the youth, promptly answered, “The Ace of Spades.”

“He’s going to lose,” another young man remarked dismissively, his interest waning.

But the slender man merely smiled and countered, “I’d bet that it’s not the Ace of Spades.”

“The nanocameras have been on them the whole time. He hasn’t pulled any stunts. That card is absolutely the Ace of Spades,” Manager Sima insisted with conviction.

The previously disinterested young man perked up, casting a curious glance at the slender man.

Without a word, the slender man turned back to the screen, his voice calm, “Regrettably, I didn’t catch any slip-up, but my gut tells me there’s more to this kid. That card is either an eight or a King.”