Chapter 39: Fishing
“I plan to set a trap, then we’ll do it like this…” Luxianbei whispered in Jiang Li’s ear, having only revealed the beginning of her plan before being interrupted.
“Wait a minute, this isn’t the place for that. Let’s go to a VIP lounge; it has soundproofing spells,” Jiang Li stated seriously.
As soon as she heard that Luxianbei intended to “set a trap,” Jiang Li instantly became serious, regaining her usual assertiveness of “a daughter must be strong” and “women should not remain inferior to men.”
Causing chaos in Dream Come True Entertainment City, especially involving a major scheme to make this entertainment city disappear, is no joking matter. It’s best to set aside romance; otherwise, achieving a long-lasting relationship would be impossible, while planning a joint grave could be considered in advance.
Luxianbei nodded, looking around before stopping a bunny girl to request a VIP lounge, smoothly handing over a metal card containing chips.
“Give me the most luxurious one!”
Real men don’t lack money!
A minute later, she paid the price for her affluent behavior.
VIP lounge consumption starts at ten thousand chips per hour.
Five minutes later, in the VIP lounge arranged for Luxianbei by the bunny girl.
Jiang Li sat on the couch in the meeting room, elegantly picked up the teacup, took a gentle sip, and, after just a taste, looked at Luxianbei in astonishment, saying, “What is this taste? Didn’t I ask you to get me a strong tea?”
The flavor was completely different from the bitter herbal tea she usually liked, carrying a strange sourness.
“It’s strong tea! The best picked from the Mountain of Urban Legends!” Luxianbei said with a serious expression, “Anyway, it’s included in the lounge package; we need to drink our worth, right? Hurry up, hurry up!”
Jiang Li, “…”
After a moment of silence, she put down the teacup and looked at Luxianbei. “Let’s get to business. What do you plan to set up?”
“A Ponzi scheme? In that case, when things fall apart, you might have to face the wrath of thousands of spiritual ability users with average spirit energy fluctuation levels above B, not to mention the forces behind them.”
“As far as I know, the thousands of customers involved have ties to at least fifty different organizations, including maniacs like the Solar Eclipse Society, the Miracle Cult, and the Mourning Bell Group.”
“You’ve already offended Haze God. If a few black forces target you…”
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Li said seriously, “I can help you apply for a plot of land in the Siye Society Martyr Garden, to avoid afterlife excavation and the scattering of ashes.”
“Can urban legends enter the Siye Society Martyr Garden?” Luxianbei said with a curl of her lip.
“…” Jiang Li frowned slightly and coldly replied, “I heard there’s a moonlight plan being devised to recruit urban legends into the Siye Society. Why don’t you participate?”
I really don’t want to sign a life-threatening contract… Luxianbei inwardly grumbled and continued, “Let’s forget it!”
Jiang Li considered for a moment and then said, “If it’s not a Ponzi scheme, could it be predatory lending? That kind of fund recovery is another big problem, after all, those customers are not easy to handle.”
“If it’s like private bonds with stock characteristics, then it could be somewhat feasible, but the operational cycle is too long. I can’t wait that long; you know, I’m close to dying, or…”
Jiang Li wanted to say more but noticed Luxianbei looking at her with a strange expression, so she paused and tilted her head, asking, “Do I have something dirty on my face?”
“No.” Luxianbei sized Jiang Li up and said seriously, “I just feel that you seem a bit too familiar with these illegal methods.”
“How many times have you done this?”
“Stop pretending to be innocent…” Jiang Li shot Luxianbei a look and replied softly.
“A great person once said, whether it’s a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat. So I researched these methods before coming here and concluded that their feasibility is low.”
Luxianbei sighed silently, “I know these methods aren’t very feasible, but we can use reasonable means to do unreasonable things, right? For example…”
“If you meet a girl and hit it off, immediately establish a relationship; that’s not illegal, right? Having a relationship with my girlfriend isn’t illegal, right? Giving my girlfriend pocket money isn’t illegal, right? Breaking up with her when I don’t like her anymore isn’t illegal, right? Why is that considered a corner case?”
Jiang Li, “…”
Individually, none of them were illegal.
But…
You should save that kind of nonsense for the police!
In silence, Jiang Li rubbed her aching temples and sighed softly, “Do you really think this chaotic approach will work?”
“Why wouldn’t it work!” Luxianbei explained, “Since you said there are over a hundred people or urban legends in this upper-floor casino, and that a wish can only be granted by challenging the big boss, did you ever think, why is it that only you are going to challenge him?”
Jiang Li rested her chin in one hand and thought for a moment, then replied seriously, “Because they can’t win enough chips.”
“To be honest, I’ve been here for a while and found that many spiritual ability users and urban legends at the poker table are relying on various special means and are only beginner-level skilled, and if they were even slightly better, winning enough chips would be much harder.”
“Uh…” Luxianbei had no words to reply, “That’s undoubtedly one reason, but I think there’s a bigger reason why they don’t challenge the big boss.”
Jiang Li pressed, “What reason?”
“They are afraid!” Luxianbei stated seriously, “That big boss has been in the entertainment city for too long, losing very few times, to the point where he has established an invincible image in the hearts of the people and legends in the entertainment city.”
“So the more than a hundred people or urban legends are both eager to fulfill their wishes through the challenge and wary of losing chips and…”
Halfway through her sentence, Luxianbei looked at Jiang Li with a serious gaze, paused, and added, “And much more.”
Although Luxianbei was not entirely clear on the specifics of Jiang Li’s gambling with the big boss, given that Jiang Li’s time was limited to just over three days and that she couldn’t recall the person from the Huacheng Siye Society she disliked the most, which was Li Xuan, Luxianbei deduced that when they went to challenge the big boss, depending on their wishes, aside from possibly losing chips, they might also lose more.
And the potential losses seemed to be why those more than a hundred people or legends felt intimidated.
Jiang Li nodded, acknowledging Luxianbei’s point, “Yes, that’s indeed one reason. Continue.”
Luxianbei raised her brows slightly, “Now, what if someone appeared who was willing to help them bear the risks? Do you think they would be more eager to challenge the big boss?”
“Of course they would, wait a minute…” Jiang Li pondered for a moment, “You intend for them to gamble with you; they provide the chips, you provide the quota, and if they win, you’ll challenge the big boss on their behalf?”
“Exactly!” Luxianbei replied. “But it’s not me challenging them; it’s you. I’ll find a way to secretly assist you. I can’t guarantee a win on my own.”
“Compared to winning against the big boss, we are definitely an easier target, and as long as we lower the threshold and increase the chances of small stakes leading to larger results, their desire to try the challenge will be even stronger.”
“With fewer chips, they take a chance to fulfill their wishes, and with someone willing to help them bear the risks of losing to the big boss, do you think these gamblers will try?”
“We’re like elite monsters that spawn before the BOSS, only a small chance of dropping rare items that only the BOSS drops. I think there will definitely be far more players challenging us repeatedly than they would risk challenging the BOSS.”
In other words, hijacking the big boss’s gambling game? Jiang Li’s eyes lit up as she nodded seriously, “This method can be tried, but…”
“You said this solution came from rational means. I’m a bit curious, where did you come up with this idea?”
Luxianbei shrugged and casually said, “Lottery!”
Jiang Li, “…”
While Jiang Li was in silence, the doorbell of the lounge suddenly rang, followed by a bunny girl’s voice coming from the crane statue decoration on the tea table.
“Miss Wang Buliu, according to our casino’s rules, you are now the top player, the second highest in accumulated chips. I’m here to invite you to participate in the bell ringing ceremony.”
“I’ve brought the gown prepared for you. Would you like to change into it now?”
Luxianbei paused for a second and turned to Jiang Li, “The bell ringing ceremony, is that the one you participated in earlier?”
Jiang Li nodded silently.
“Perfect timing!” Luxianbei said with excitement, “I was just thinking about how to promote our gambling game!”
Saying that, she reached out and lightly touched the crane sculpture on the tea table. “Okay, come in!”
An hour later.
Meanwhile, in the upper-level hall of the entertainment city.
After the massive bronze dragon-patterned bell was rung again, a calm gradually settled.
Luxianbei stood on stage, clad in a deep blue qipao embroidered with lotus flowers, with a snow-white rabbit fur collar, draped in a black satin shawl, her fiery red hair neatly arranged, looking like a Jiangnan rich lady from the Republic of China.
Once the bell sound ceased, Luxianbei, having endured a long wait, approached the center of the stage, surveying the guests around, cleared her throat, and said, “Ahem, everyone, I have something important to tell you all.”
“It’s an exciting and interesting gambling game, already organized by the entertainment city, and I now invite everyone to participate. The winner will have me challenge the big boss, and I wonder if anyone is interested?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the originally noisy hall fell into a brief silence. The guests looked at Luxianbei with varied expressions, some eager to try while many appeared skeptical and doubtful.
However, this silence was soon broken.
“By the way, as long as the chips exceed ten million, you can participate in my gamble, challenging Miss Ali, my current assistant!”
Upon hearing this, the guests were taken aback and quickly gathered in small groups, beginning to whisper among themselves.
If the opponent is Miss Ali, it might not be a bad idea to give it a try!
After all, while Miss Ali is a legend of the entertainment city, she has had her fair share of small losses.
Some optimistic individuals have calculated that her total winning rate is only slightly above seventy percent, which is considerably lower than the big boss’s ninety-nine percent win rate.
Seeing the guests starting to waver, Luxianbei slightly bowed and expressionlessly said, “I’m done with what I wanted to say. Thank you all!”
With that, she turned and left the stage.
Now, let the storm brew for a while!
I need to go change into another outfit; d*mn, this dress is so tight across the chest… Luxianbei thought.
————
In Nowhere Land.
As the big boss’s iron-like bl**d, shimmering with brilliance, fell into the lake, the azure water instantly boiled.
High temperatures evaporated the lake, resulting in a thick fog floating over its surface.
Under layers of eerie white mist, the entire lake had transformed into a cruel hunting ground, with countless phantoms of aquatic creatures continuously fighting for a shining drop of bl**d.
Small fish eat shrimp, big fish eat small fish, and then big fish eat each other.
The big boss quietly observed the golden-red white sturgeon at the lakeshore, as well as a snow-white koi fish no bigger than a thumb.
They remained still, seemingly waiting for something.
Then…
The golden-red white sturgeon suddenly darted toward a bl**d pearl encircled by the fish swarm with an unstoppable force, the school of fish retreated, unable to withstand its massive size and incredible momentum.
Thus, it effortlessly seized the dazzling bl**d pearl.
Seeing this, disappointment flashed in the eyes hidden behind the strange mask as he murmured, “In the end, did it turn out the same as those other guys? Black Peony, I’m afraid you miscalculated this time.”
As soon as he finished speaking, observing the scene in the pool, his deep golden pupils slightly constricted.
After seizing the bl**d pearl, the golden-red white sturgeon did not consume it but gently placed it on the snow-white koi, nudging it to swim forward.
Meanwhile, the golden-red white sturgeon submerged back down, guarding the snow-white koi, maintaining a distance that was neither too far nor too close, like a knight.
The holder of the bl**d pearl changed, and the retreating fish swarm grew agitated again, rushing toward the snow-white koi for an attack.
However, just as they were about to close in on the snow-white koi, a massive shadow surged violently from beneath the water, brutally tearing apart their bodies.
Accompanied by countless brilliant bl**d and flesh coins entering the golden-red white sturgeon’s body, its size rapidly expanded, and it was soon destined to become the “king” of the lake.
“…”
Watching this scene, the big boss was momentarily at a loss for words. Those bl**d pearls, originally meant to stimulate the “fish swarm” to fight, were now used by the golden-red white sturgeon.
At that moment, his mood mirrored that of a fisherman discovering that his bait had been stolen by a larger fish to go fishing—a truly cr*p situation.
However…
Soon, a deep, raspy laughter erupted from behind the mask, like a hiss, “Hahaha! Very good, very good; go ahead and plunder! The more you plunder, the better. At the right time, I can…”
As he spoke, he gently waved his arm, and beneath the unfathomable lake, countless bubbles surged. Accompanying these bubbles, shadows emerged, turning into fat, unremarkable grass fish that joined the school.
————
Luxianbei’s remarks during the bell ringing ceremony indeed stirred up quite a storm in the entertainment city, but the progress of the gambling game was not as smooth as she and Jiang Li had hoped.
Although the terms of their gambling game were enticing, the guests still harbored suspicions, worrying that there might be something fishy about it.
Everyone wanted to wait and see what others would do, resulting in a lot of noise but little action; no one genuinely took a step forward.
This situation persisted until half a day later when Luxianbei was preparing to spend money to hire someone when a person clad in a black cloak, their lowered hood completely concealing their face, appeared with over twenty million chips to participate in the gambling game.
The gambling skills of that strange person were shockingly poor, just as Jiang Li had said; they were only at a beginner level, relying solely on their ability to see through cards to win.
Jiang Li even managed to win over twenty million chips in less than twenty minutes without resorting to the “eye contact cheating technique” they had previously discussed, easily taking the victory.
Soon after this first trial from the strange person, the second, third, fourth… up to fifty gamblers appeared before the poker table.
Even many customers whom Jiang Li didn’t know, appearing very relaxed and wanting to challenge the big boss, participated in the gambling game.
After all, guests holding ten million or close to ten million chips accounted for at least over half of the upper-level casino, with a significant portion eager to gamble.
Thus, leveraging the “eye contact cheating method,” Luxianbei and Jiang Li easily won chips worth between ten million to eighty million from them.
By the end of the first day of the gambling game, Luxianbei had accumulated over a billion chips, becoming the guest with the most chips in the entire entertainment city.
However, such interludes were bound to occur. When something is profitable and replicable, malicious competition is inevitable.
When Jiang Li and Luxianbei opened the gambling game for the second day, a group of men clad in black leather jackets and sporting identical mohawk hairstyles appeared in the upper-level hall, stopping their progress.
“Come take a look, don’t miss out as you pass by!”
“The same excitement, the same rewards, just requiring less investment. Welcome to join the gambling game of the Ximen Gang!”
“Hey brother, want to get acquainted? As long as you win our gambling game, you can have our boss challenge the big boss. The threshold is only five hundred thousand chips!”
From a distance, watching that group of mohawk men vigorously distributing flyers to compete for business, Jiang Li frowned and turned to Luxianbei, saying, “We’ve got trouble; competitors have appeared.”
“…” Luxianbei propped her chin up in silence for a moment, then stated seriously, “What kind of background does this Ximen Gang have?”
“They are a local gang of the Dream Come True Entertainment City. Their boss is a regular in the entertainment city, consistently ranking in the top five for accumulated chips, and recently seems to have reached third place,” Jiang Li explained.
“What should we do now? We’re facing malicious competition.”
Jiang Li raised her chin slightly, “As long as they follow our lead, as long as they aren’t qualified to challenge the big boss, isn’t that enough?”
“Are you suggesting we participate in their gambling game and win their chips?” Luxianbei frowned slightly.
“No, there’s a lower-risk way, for example…”
Jiang Li narrowed her eyes, saying, “For instance, you can bet with me again, giving half the chips to me, right?”
Luxianbei, “…” Isn’t this just monopolizing?
Tsk, no wonder she’s the daughter of a capitalist.
Well done!
