Chapter 614: The Strange Monkey

Qiao Jiajin instantly furrowed his brows and turned toward the direction of the outburst.

The sound resembled a crowd cheering.

“Got it. Just when we least expected it,” Chen Junnan said, tucking the map into his pocket and glancing in that direction. “Though I’m exhausted today, I guess we have to check it out.”

“No problem,” Qiao Jiajin replied. “Might as well see what game this ‘Groundhog’ is playing. If it’s not too hard, I’ll lend you a hand.”

The two scanned their surroundings, confirming no one was nearby, then headed toward the alley.

Strangely, there were no “Zodiacs” in the alley—just an old wooden door swinging inward.

On the wall beside the door, a mess of words was scrawled in red paint.

The first line read: **”Welcome.”**

Below it: **”Open hours: Sunrise to sunset.”**

The final line said: **”Harmony brings fortune.”**

“Dang it…” Qiao Jiajin frowned. “This setup feels oddly familiar.”

“What, were you a monkey in a past life?” Chen Junnan asked absently, peering inside.

“No, pretty boy!” Qiao Jiajin pointed at the last line. “I swear I’ve seen this phrase somewhere before…”

They fell silent. Chen Junnan took a step inside, finding a curtain blocking the way. When he pulled it aside, a thick cloud of cigarette smoke billowed out.

The lively chatter of a crowd instantly filled their ears.

“My god…” Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin exchanged glances, sensing something off. This didn’t feel like a “Land-level” game at all.

Cautiously, they stepped inside. After navigating a narrow, smoke-filled hallway, the space abruptly opened up.

A massive room sprawled before them, cluttered with tables haphazardly arranged. Some were strewn with dice, others piled with cards and mahjong tiles—though all were empty at the moment.

At the center of the room stood a large round table, around which about ten men were gathered, watching something intently.

They laughed and chatted, cigarettes dangling from their fingers, their carefree demeanor clashing starkly with the grim reality of the “Land of Endings.”

Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin exchanged another glance before slowly approaching.

Finally, it clicked for Qiao Jiajin—he remembered where he’d seen that phrase before.

Street gambling dens.

**”Harmony brings fortune.”**

On the surface, it was a blessing for gamblers, but it was also the true desire of the gambling den owners.

First, they wanted no trouble. Second, they hoped every visitor would bring them money.

The two edged closer to the round table. The dozen or so men barely spared them a glance before refocusing on the game.

Seated at the table were three people: two men sweating profusely and, across from them, a wrinkled “monkey.”

The monkey was short and stout, a cigarette dangling lazily from his lips, his expression both dismissive and bored.

His hand rested on a dice cup as he eyed his opponents sidelong.

The two men protectively cupped their own cups, tension etched on their faces.

Piled on the table between them were dozens of “chips”—clearly, they were gambling, and the stakes were high.

“My turn first,” Groundhog rasped.

The two men lifted their cups slightly, peeking inside cautiously.

Groundhog pondered, then lifted his own cup for a quick glance before declaring, “Six fours.”

Qiao Jiajin’s frown deepened. Something about everyone here felt unsettlingly familiar.

Gambling—the very thing that had ruined his life.

He’d stepped into countless gambling dens, had pleaded with gamblers like Rong to quit time and again. But gamblers were all the same: convinced the next round would recoup their losses, only to sink deeper into despair.

“What are they playing?” Chen Junnan asked, puzzled.

“‘Bluffing.’ You might know it as ‘Liar’s Dice,’” Qiao Jiajin explained. “Each player has five dice. They take turns guessing the total number of a specific face among all players—like ‘six fours,’ meaning all dice combined should show six ‘fours.’ If you believe the previous call, you raise the number. If not, you say ‘show’ or ‘call.’ Everyone reveals their dice. If the total matches the call, you lose; otherwise, the caller loses. Also, the ‘one’ face is wild—it can represent any number.”

“You sly old fox…” Chen Junnan punched Qiao Jiajin’s chest lightly. “You look so honest, yet you know all this? Some kind of gambling god?”

“It’s a common dice game, but I’ve never seen it used for actual betting,” Qiao Jiajin said, shaking his head. “I don’t gamble, but I’ve been in plenty of dens—even worked security in some. So I picked up a thing or two.”

Chen Junnan nodded, absorbing the rules before turning back to the table. Groundhog had made his call; now it was the middle-aged man’s turn. The tension among the three was palpable.

“Seven… seven fours,” the man stammered.

Silence followed. No one called his bluff, and he exhaled in relief.

The third player—a young man—clutched his cup tightly, peeking inside nervously. His face twisted in hesitation as he muttered, “Seven fours…?”

Chen Junnan, standing behind him, stole a glance at his dice.

Five dice: two “twos,” two “threes,” and one “one.”

These weren’t standard dice—instead of pips, they bore the Chinese characters for “one,” “two,” and “three.”

Currently, the young man had no “fours,” just a “one.” If, as Qiao Jiajin said, a “one” could substitute for any number, then he effectively had one “four.”

His expression was torn. The previous player had called “seven fours,” so the next bid had to be at least “eight fours” or “seven fives.” But either option carried huge risks.

Since neither opponent had mentioned “fives,” they likely had few or none. Sticking with “fours” was the safer bet.

But could three players really have **eight fours** combined?

Chen Junnan crossed his arms. Unlike simple “high-low” dice games, this one seemed to hinge on psychological warfare.

Still, something felt off…

Was this dice game really Groundhog’s trial?

The young man wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand before finally croaking, “Eight… eight fours.”

Groundhog smirked, turning to him with a cold gleam in his eye.

“Call.”