Just as everyone thought they would play in the hall, Liu Kai led Yang Chen into a private VIP room.
In the spacious room, apart from Yang Chen, Qin Xi, and Su Shan, everyone else was Liu Kai's people. There was even a dedicated counter for exchanging chips, meaning Yang Chen could keep playing as long as he had money.
"Kid, no one has ever dared to challenge me on my turf—you're the first!" Liu Kai leaned back in his chair, a Cuban cigar in his mouth, as a lackey immediately stepped forward to light it for him.
Yang Chen couldn't be bothered to waste words on him. He pulled out a black card and casually handed it to Qin Xi beside him: "Go exchange for five million in chips."
Though Qin Xi knew Yang Chen was wealthy, seeing him splurge like this for her sake made her heart ache. Still, she obediently went to exchange the chips.
Hearing that Yang Chen had only exchanged five million, Liu Kai sneered, "A measly five million, and you think you can make me admit defeat?"
"What if I get lucky and keep winning until you can't take it anymore?" Yang Chen replied with a faint smile.
"Dream on if you think you can force me to admit defeat on my own turf!" Liu Kai scoffed, his underlings echoing his mockery.
Liu Kai was starting to regret wasting time on Yang Chen. Earlier, when his men reported that a stunning beauty had appeared on the top floor, he had watched everything unfold via surveillance. He'd thought Yang Chen, who could casually toss out ten million, might be someone extraordinary.
"Let's begin," Yang Chen said, not bothering to explain further. Once Qin Xi brought over the chips, he casually tossed the entire five million onto the center of the table.
Seeing this, Liu Kai's expression shifted slightly. He'd assumed Yang Chen would play small stakes, but it turned out the five million was just a single bet. A hint of wariness flickered in his eyes—there were very few young people in Jiangzhou who could casually throw around that much liquid cash.
Since Yang Chen had said they'd play until one side admitted defeat, this five million was just the beginning.
This was Liu Kai's territory, and he couldn't afford to lose face. He tossed in a million chips without hesitation.
The dealer began dealing the cards, one to each player. Yang Chen flipped over his card—a '4'—and placed it on the table.
Liu Kai, who hadn't yet looked at his own card, burst into laughter. "Looks like your luck isn't so great!"
"So confident? What if you're holding a '3'?" Yang Chen teased.
Liu Kai smirked. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
As he spoke, he flipped over his card, so sure of himself that he didn't even glance at it before reaching for the chips.
"Boss!"
One of his lackeys quickly spoke up. Liu Kai glared at him. "Spit it out!"
"You… you lost," the lackey said cautiously.
"I know—wait, what?"
Liu Kai's hand froze on the chips. Only then did he look at his card—and when he saw it was indeed a '3', his face went blank.
"Confidence is good, Boss Liu, but overconfidence just makes you a joke," Yang Chen said mockingly.
Liu Kai's face paled. He shot a discreet glare at the dealer, who trembled in fear.
"Luck evens out—losing early means a big win later," Liu Kai said with a forced laugh.
Yang Chen smiled faintly, leaving the ten million chips untouched. "This round, I'm betting ten million. Deal the cards."
Liu Kai narrowed his eyes at Yang Chen but matched the bet.
The dealer dealt again.
Yang Chen flipped his card—a '5', another low number.
Liu Kai sneered. "This time, you lose, right?"
He turned over his card—and his expression froze. He'd lost again.
A bright red '4' lay on the table. Yang Chen grinned. "Seems my luck's holding up."
Liu Kai's face twisted. Losing wasn't the issue—it was that this was his turf, his dealer, yet he'd lost twice in a row. Worse, Yang Chen's cards were already low, but his were even lower.
"Twenty million—all in," Yang Chen said coolly. "Keep going."
Every round, Yang Chen won. Liu Kai couldn't even get the upper hand, completely at Yang Chen's mercy. Whatever Yang Chen bet, he had to match.
By the third round, when Yang Chen flipped over a '6', the dealer's face went white. She'd rigged the shuffle—this shouldn't have happened!
Her only hope now was Liu Kai winning this round.
Liu Kai was nervous, not because he feared losing, but because the game was eerily unnatural. Three rounds in, Yang Chen's cards were '4', '5', '6', while his own were '3', '4'. He dreaded drawing a '5' this time.
Everyone else seemed to share his fear, staring intently as Liu Kai slowly revealed his card.
"5!"
The room erupted in shock. Liu Kai's face went rigid.
"Goddammit! If you deal me another shitty hand, I'll kill you!" Liu Kai roared at the dealer, who trembled, on the verge of tears.
Yang Chen chuckled. "Boss Liu, can't handle losing? Didn't you say earlier that 'the first three rounds don't count'? It's only the third round, and you're already throwing a tantrum?"
"Shut your mouth, kid! Unless you want a beating," Liu Kai snarled.
"If you can't take the loss, just admit defeat. No need for threats," Yang Chen said calmly. "Or how about this? I'll walk away with nothing. Let us leave, and we'll call it even."
"Thirty-nine million is nothing to me!" Liu Kai snapped.
Yang Chen smiled. "Three rounds in, and you're down thirty-nine million. If this keeps up, even you won't be able to handle it, right?"
"I said shut the hell up!"
Liu Kai exploded. With a slam, he threw a Colt pistol onto the table.
At the sight of the gun, Qin Xi and Su Shan turned pale with fear.
Yang Chen remained expressionless, his voice icy. "Since Boss Liu wants to continue, I'll oblige. Fourth round—forty million."
Liu Kai had run out of chips. "Are you all blind? Get me more chips, now!" he bellowed.
A lackey hurried over with a stack of chips.
The dealer was petrified. She'd rigged every round, yet each time, the outcome defied logic. She'd never seen anything like it.
She dealt again. As before, Yang Chen flipped his card immediately.
When everyone saw the '7', the room fell dead silent.
Liu Kai's face contorted with rage. His cold gaze locked onto the dealer. "If I get a '6', you'd better have a damn good explanation—or else."
With that, he flipped his card over.