“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brows. “You want to raise the bet…”
“Exactly.” Earth Monkey glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and spoke up. “I’m raising by two ‘Dao’. Can anyone match that?”
With those words, he effectively cut off almost everyone’s escape route.
The game had started with an initial bet of one ‘Dao’, followed by a first-round raise of another ‘Dao’. Now, with an additional two ‘Dao’, the first round alone had escalated to a total of four ‘Dao’.
It was unclear whether Earth Monkey had planned this from the start or was merely testing the waters, but his two ‘Dao’ raise now represented the entirety of Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin’s remaining stakes. For the others, folding was the only option. While four ‘Dao’ was nothing to Earth Monkey, for the rest, it was essentially an all-in bet.
No one could afford to match such a high stake—unless they were willing to wager their lives.
Without waiting for the others to decide, Earth Monkey pulled out two ‘Dao’ from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four gleaming ‘Dao’ lay before him, staring at the players like watchful eyes, silently urging them to back down.
At the sight of this, Chen Jun’nan and Tian Tian immediately folded their cards onto the table, their expressions resigned as they withdrew from the round. Zheng Yingxiong, too, pushed his cards forward with a hint of frustration.
They no longer had enough chips to keep up.
From the very beginning, this game had been wildly unbalanced. Earth Monkey not only knew all the rules but also dealt the cards and declared the winners. On top of that, he held a wealth far surpassing anyone else’s. To gamble against him under these conditions required not only extraordinary luck but also a sharper mind than usual—otherwise, the odds of winning were less than one percent.
“Are you two going to call?” Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.
“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. “You want to raise the bet…”
“Exactly.” Earth Monkey glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and said, “I’m raising by two ‘Daos.’ Can anyone match that?”
With that one sentence, he effectively cut off almost everyone’s escape route.
They had started by investing one ‘Dao,’ raised by one ‘Dao’ in the first round, and now another two ‘Daos’ were added. By the first round alone, the pot had already reached a height of four ‘Daos.’
Whether Earth Monkey had planned this from the start or was merely testing the waters, his current raise of two ‘Daos’ represented the entirety of Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin’s stakes. The others could only fold. For Earth Monkey, four ‘Daos’ were nothing, but for everyone else, it was essentially an “all-in.”
After all, no one could match such a high bet unless they were willing to wager their lives.
Without waiting for the others to decide, Earth Monkey took two ‘Daos’ from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four晶莹剔透 ‘Daos’ lay before him, staring at everyone like eyes, silently urging them to back down in the face of difficulty.
Seeing this, Chen Junnan and Tian Tian immediately placed their cards face down on the table, withdrawing from the round with resigned expressions. Zheng Yingxiong also pushed his cards away with a hint of frustration.
They no longer had enough “chips” to continue calling the bet.
From the very beginning, this game had been highly unbalanced. Not only did Earth Monkey know all the “rules,” but he was also responsible for dealing and declaring victory. On top of that, he possessed wealth that far surpassed everyone else’s. Under these circumstances, choosing to gamble against him required better luck and sharper wits than usual, with odds of winning less than one percent.
“Are you two going to call?” Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.
Qiao Jiajin slightly flipped his “hole card,” revealing the words “Liqiu” (立秋, Start of Autumn).
Currently, he held a “Dashu” (大暑, Major Heat) and a “Liqiu,” while Earth Monkey’s face-up card was a “Xiazhi” (夏至, Summer Solstice).
After a moment of thought, Qiao Jiajin said, “Hey, fat monkey, you know what?”
“What?”
“I grew up on the streets.” Qiao Jiajin gently tapped his cards as he spoke. “In every one of our gangs, before any group activity, we consult the traditional almanac. We never follow Western practices. So, ‘solar terms’ are equally important to all our factions.”
“Oh?”
“Since you said ‘Frost’s Descent’ (霜降) is the ’23rd day of the ninth month,’ then the ‘Major Heat’ in my hand must be the ’21st day of the sixth month,’ and your ‘Summer Solstice’ is the ’21st day of the fifth month,’ right?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“That makes sense.” Earth Monkey nodded.
“Just looking at our face-up cards, my date is later than yours, so I’ll call.” With that, Qiao Jiajin tossed his remaining two ‘Daos’ into the pot and revealed his “Liqiu” card. “I don’t believe the card I’m holding can’t beat yours.”
Qi Xia, standing nearby, saw Qiao Jiajin’s hole card—”Liqiu,” the “eighth day of the seventh month.” If they were truly comparing dates in the traditional sense, this card was neither particularly high nor low; its outcome was uncertain.
Of course, there was another possibility: this was just one of Qiao Jiajin’s tactics.
At that moment, Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia and whispered, “Liar, if it’s just you and him revealing cards, the information is too limited. With three of us showing our hands, you can observe all our cards and get a better sense of what counts as ‘high.’ Even if I lose everything, it’s no big deal.”
“Alright.” Qi Xia understood Qiao Jiajin’s intention and looked up at Earth Monkey.
“Are you calling?” Earth Monkey said. “As a seasoned gambler, let me give you some advice: just fold now.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because if you call, I’ll raise again. You don’t have the chips to match it, so you’ll lose regardless.” Earth Monkey replied.
“How boring.” Qi Xia said. “Your logic starts to fall apart right there.”
“Oh?”
“You said you’ve waited so long for a ‘Syzygy’ round, yet you’re going all out in the first round to take me down. That doesn’t make sense to me.” Qi Xia retorted.
“I hadn’t originally planned to go this far.” Earth Monkey’s lips curled slightly. “But your current state feels dangerous to me. I’d rather play it safe and take you down here.”
“Too bad you’re lying.” Qi Xia said. “I don’t think your hand can beat mine.”
Qi Xia’s face, now starkly divided between red and white, resembled a battle-scarred demon, sending a chill down Earth Monkey’s spine.
“You know… if I want to win, I don’t necessarily have to compare hands.” Earth Monkey said. “I can also compete with you in chips. As long as I keep raising, you won’t be able to keep up. The outcome will be decided before the cards are even revealed.”
“Then let me make myself clear.” Qi Xia tapped the table. “From this moment on, if you name a stake I can’t match, I won’t hesitate to wager my life.”
“What?!” Earth Monkey’s eyes widened slowly. “You… you’re actually this insane?”
“So ‘chips’ can’t stop me.” Qi Xia said calmly. “And I don’t believe I’ll lose.”
“Have you figured out the rules of the game?”
“Pretty much. Now I’m just waiting for you to speak.” Qi Xia replied.
The remaining players had been watching Earth Monkey, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin—the only ones still in the game—holding their breath in anxiety for them.
This was only the first round, and they had already bet everything they had. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin lost, they would all be doomed together.
Earth Monkey had already closed the gambling den for the day. There would be no new customers, and they had no extra capital to gamble against Earth Monkey again. Such an outcome was no different from death.
“Fine…” Earth Monkey nodded. “Then I just hope you won’t regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Based on the known cards on the table right now, you’re the only one who can compete with me. But I feel your chances of winning are very slim.”
“How so?”
“There are thirty-six cards in this deck.” Earth Monkey smiled. “Your face-up card, combined with the ‘community cards’ on the table, has already determined your hand. Right now, only one card can make your hand stronger than mine, and I don’t believe I’m that unlucky.”
“Is that so?” Qi Xia’s lips also curled slightly. “Then let me tell you something.”
“I’m all ears.” Earth Monkey said.
Qi Xia raised his hole card and slowly moved it to his left cheek. Now, only his crimson right face was visible to Earth Monkey, like a true demon.
“This card is far too致命 for you. I’ve just thought of six different rules for comparing hands. Under only one of those rules would I not be able to beat you.”
“Six rules…?” Earth Monkey slowly furrowed his brow, as if trying to discern whether Qi Xia was telling the truth.
“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. “You want to raise the bet…”
“Exactly,” Earth Monkey glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and said, “I’m raising by two ‘Dao.’ Can anyone call?”
With that one sentence, he almost cut off everyone’s escape route.
They had started by investing one ‘Dao,’ then raised by one ‘Dao’ in the first round, and now another two ‘Dao’ were being added. Just in the first round, the pot had already reached a height of four ‘Dao.’
Whether Earth Monkey had planned this from the start or was merely testing the waters, his current raise of two ‘Dao’ represented the entirety of Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin’s stakes. The others could only fold. For Earth Monkey, four ‘Dao’ were nothing, but for everyone else, it was essentially an “all-in.”
After all, no one could afford to call such a high bet unless they were willing to wager their lives.
Without waiting for the others to decide, Earth Monkey had already taken two ‘Dao’ from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four glistening ‘Dao’ lay before him, staring at everyone like eyes urging them to back down in the face of difficulty.
Seeing this, Chen Junnan and Tian Tian immediately folded their cards onto the table, withdrawing from the round with resigned expressions. Zheng Yingxiong also pushed his cards away with a hint of frustration.
They no longer had enough “chips” to call the bet.
From the very beginning, this game had been incredibly unbalanced. Earth Monkey not only knew all the “rules” but was also responsible for dealing and declaring victory. On top of that, he possessed “wealth” far surpassing everyone else’s. Under these circumstances, choosing to gamble against him required better luck and sharper wits than usual, with odds of winning less than one percent.
“Are you two going to call?” Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.
Qiao Jiajin slightly flipped his “hole card,” revealing the words “Liqiu” (立秋, Start of Autumn).
Now, he held a “Dashu” (大暑, Major Heat) and a “Liqiu,” while Earth Monkey’s face-up card was a “Xiazhi” (夏至, Summer Solstice).
After a moment of thought, Qiao Jiajin said, “Hey, fat monkey, you know what?”
“What?”
“I grew up on the streets,” Qiao Jiajin said slowly, stroking his cards. “In every one of our gangs, before any group activity, we consult the traditional almanac. We never follow Western methods. So, ‘solar terms’ are equally important to all our factions.”
“Oh?”
“Since you said ‘Shuangjiang’ (霜降, Frost’s Descent) is the ’23rd day of the ninth month,’ then the ‘Dashu’ in my hand must be the ’21st day of the sixth month,’ and your ‘Xiazhi’ is the ’21st of the fifth month,’ right?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“That makes sense,” Earth Monkey nodded.
“Just looking at our face-up cards, my date is later than yours, so I’ll call.” With that, Qiao Jiajin tossed his last two ‘Dao’ into the pot and revealed his “Liqiu” card. “I don’t believe the card I’m holding can’t beat yours.”
Qi Xia, watching from the side, saw Qiao Jiajin’s hole card: “Liqiu,” the “eighth day of the seventh month.” If they were truly comparing dates traditionally, this card was neither particularly high nor low—its fate uncertain.
Of course, there was another possibility: this was just one of Qiao Jiajin’s tactics.
At that moment, Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia and whispered, “If it’s just you and him revealing cards, you’ll have too little information. With three of us showing our hands, you can observe all our cards and get a better sense of what counts as ‘high.’ Even if I lose everything, it’s no big deal.”
“Alright,” Qi Xia understood Qiao Jiajin’s intention and looked up at Earth Monkey.
“Are you calling?” Earth Monkey said. “As a seasoned gambler, let me give you some advice: I suggest you fold now.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because if you call, I’ll raise again. You have no chips left to call, so you’ll lose,” Earth Monkey said.
“How boring,” Qi Xia replied. “Your logic starts to fall apart right there.”
“Oh?”
“You said you’ve waited so long for a ‘Shuo Wang Yue’ round, yet you’re going all out in the first round to make me lose. That doesn’t seem reasonable,” Qi Xia said.
“I hadn’t planned to go this far initially,” Earth Monkey’s lips curled slightly. “But your current state feels dangerous to me. I’d rather play it safe and take you down here.”
“Too bad you’re lying,” Qi Xia said. “I don’t think your hand can beat mine.”
Qi Xia’s face, now starkly red and white, resembled a battle-scarred demon, sending a chill down Earth Monkey’s spine.
“You know… if I want to win, I don’t necessarily have to compare cards,” Earth Monkey said. “I can also out-bet you. As long as I keep raising, you won’t be able to keep up. The outcome will be decided before the cards are even revealed.”
“Then let me make this clear,” Qi Xia tapped the table. “From this moment on, if you name a bet I can’t cover, I won’t hesitate to wager my life.”
“What?!” Earth Monkey’s eyes widened slowly. “You’re… that insane?”
“So ‘chips’ can’t stop me,” Qi Xia said calmly. “And I don’t believe I’ll lose.”
“Have you figured out the rules of the game?”
“Pretty much. Now I’m just waiting for you to speak,” Qi Xia replied.
The remaining players had been watching Earth Monkey, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin—the only ones still in the game—holding their breath in anxiety.
It was only the first round, and they had already bet everything they had. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin lost, they would all be doomed together.
Earth Monkey had already closed the gambling den for the day. There would be no new customers, and they had no extra capital to gamble against him again. Such an outcome was no different from death.
“Fine…” Earth Monkey nodded. “Then I just hope you won’t regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Based on the known cards on the table, only you can compete with me, but I feel your chances of winning are slim.”
“How so?”
“There are thirty-six cards in this deck,” Earth Monkey smiled. “Your face-up card and the community cards already determine your hand. Right now, only one card can make your hand stronger than mine, and I don’t believe I’m that unlucky.”
“Is that so?” Qi Xia’s lips also curled slightly. “Then let me tell you something.”
“I’m all ears,” Earth Monkey said.
Qi Xia raised his hole card and slowly moved it to his left cheek, leaving only his crimson right cheek facing Earth Monkey, like a true demon.
“This card is far too deadly for you. I’ve just thought of six different rules for comparing card values. Under only one of those rules would I not be able to beat you.”
“Six rules…?” Earth Monkey slowly furrowed his brow, as if trying to discern whether Qi Xia was telling the truth.
After a moment of thought, Qiao Jiajin spoke up. “Hey, fat monkey, you know what?”
“What?”
“I grew up on the streets.” Qiao Jiajin tapped his cards lightly. “In every one of our gangs, before any group activity, we’d check the traditional almanac. We never bothered with Western methods. So, solar terms like these—they’re just as important to us.”
“Oh?”
“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. “You’re raising the bet…”
“Exactly.” Earth Monkey glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and said, “I’m raising by two ‘Daos.’ Can anyone call?”
With that one sentence, he almost cut off everyone’s escape route.
They had started by investing one ‘Dao,’ raised by one ‘Dao’ in the first round, and now another two ‘Dao’ were added. By the first round alone, the pot had already reached a height of four ‘Dao.’
Whether Earth Monkey had planned this from the start or was merely testing the waters, his current raise of two ‘Dao’ represented the entirety of Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin’s stakes. The others could only fold. For Earth Monkey, four ‘Dao’ were nothing, but for everyone else, it was essentially an “all-in.”
After all, no one could afford to call such a high bet unless they were willing to wager their lives.
Without waiting for the others to decide, Earth Monkey took two ‘Dao’ from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four shimmering ‘Dao’ lay before him, staring at everyone like eyes urging them to back down in the face of difficulty.
Seeing this, Chen Junnan and Tian Tian immediately folded their cards and withdrew from the round with resigned expressions. Zheng Yingxiong also pushed his cards away with a hint of frustration.
They no longer had enough chips to call the bet.
From the very beginning, this game had been highly unbalanced. Earth Monkey not only knew all the “rules” but also dealt the cards and declared the winners. On top of that, he possessed wealth far surpassing everyone else’s. Under these circumstances, choosing to gamble against him required better luck and sharper wits than usual, with odds of winning less than one percent.
“Will the two of you continue to call?” Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.
Qiao Jiajin slightly flipped his “hole card,” revealing the words “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn).
Now, he held “Dashu” (Major Heat) and “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn), while Earth Monkey’s face-up card was “Xiazhi” (Summer Solstice).
After a moment of thought, Qiao Jiajin said, “Hey, fat monkey, you know what?”
“What?”
“I grew up on the streets,” Qiao Jiajin said slowly, stroking his cards. “In every one of our gangs, before any group activity, we consult the traditional calendar. We never follow the Western way. So, ‘solar terms’ are equally important to us.”
“Oh?”
“Since you said ‘Frost’s Descent’ is the ’23rd of September,’ then the ‘Dashu’ in my hand is the ’21st of June,’ and your ‘Xiazhi’ is the ’21st of May,’ right?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“That makes sense,” Earth Monkey nodded.
“Just looking at our ‘face-up cards,’ my date is later than yours, so I’ll call.” With that, Qiao Jiajin tossed his remaining two ‘Dao’ into the pot and revealed his “Liqiu” card. “I don’t believe the card I’m holding can’t beat yours.”
Qi Xia, watching from the side, saw Qiao Jiajin’s hole card was “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn), which falls on the “eighth day of the seventh month.” If they were truly comparing dates in the traditional sense, this card was neither particularly high nor low—its outcome was uncertain.
Of course, there was another possibility: this was just one of Qiao Jiajin’s tactics.
At that moment, Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia and whispered, “If it’s just you and him revealing cards, the information is too limited. With three of us showing our hands, you can observe all our cards and get a better sense of what counts as ‘high.’ Even if I lose everything, it’s no big deal.”
“Alright.” Qi Xia understood Qiao Jiajin’s intention and looked up at Earth Monkey.
“Will you call?” Earth Monkey said. “As a seasoned gambler, let me give you some advice: I suggest you fold now.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because if you call, I’ll raise again. You don’t have the chips to call, so you’ll lose,” Earth Monkey replied.
“How boring,” Qi Xia said. “Your logic starts to fall apart right there.”
“Oh?”
“You said you’ve waited so long for a ‘syzygy moon’ round, yet you’re going all out in the first round to make me lose. That doesn’t seem reasonable,” Qi Xia said.
“I hadn’t planned to go this far initially,” Earth Monkey said with a slight smirk. “But your current state makes me feel threatened. I’d rather play it safe and take you down here.”
“Too bad you’re lying,” Qi Xia said. “I don’t think your hand can beat mine.”
Qi Xia’s face, now starkly divided between red and white, resembled a battle-scarred demon, sending a chill down Earth Monkey’s spine.
“You know… if I want to win, it’s not just about comparing cards,” Earth Monkey said. “I can also outbet you. As long as I keep raising, you won’t be able to keep up. The winner will be decided before the cards are even revealed.”
“Then let me make myself clear,” Qi Xia said, tapping the table. “From this moment on, if you name a bet I can’t cover, I won’t hesitate to wager my life.”
“What?!” Earth Monkey’s eyes widened. “You’re… that insane?”
“So ‘chips’ can’t stop me,” Qi Xia said calmly. “And I don’t believe I’ll lose.”
“Have you figured out the rules of the game?”
“Pretty much. Now I’m just waiting for you to speak,” Qi Xia replied.
The remaining players had been watching Earth Monkey, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin—the only ones still in the game—holding their breath in anxiety.
It was only the first round, and they had already bet everything they had. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin lost, they would all be doomed.
Earth Monkey had already closed the casino for the day. There would be no new customers, and they had no extra capital to gamble against him again. This outcome was no different from death.
“Fine…” Earth Monkey nodded. “I just hope you won’t regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Based on the known cards on the table, only you can compete with me, but I feel your chances of winning are slim.”
“How so?”
“There are thirty-six cards in this deck,” Earth Monkey said with a laugh. “Your ‘face-up card’ and the ‘community cards’ have already determined your hand. Right now, only one card can make your hand stronger than mine, and I don’t believe I’m that unlucky.”
“Is that so?” Qi Xia also allowed a slight smirk. “Then let me tell you something.”
“I’m all ears,” Earth Monkey said.
Qi Xia raised his hole card and slowly moved it to his left cheek, leaving only his crimson right cheek facing Earth Monkey, like a true demon.
“This card is far too deadly for you. I’ve just thought of six different rules for comparing card values. Under only one of those rules would I not be able to beat you.”
“Six rules…?” Earth Monkey slowly furrowed his brow, as if trying to discern whether Qi Xia was telling the truth.
“That’s correct.” Earth Monkey nodded.
“Just comparing our face-up cards, my date is later than yours. So, I’ll call.” With that, Qiao Jiajin tossed his last two ‘Dao’ onto the table and flipped over his hidden card, “Li Qiu”. “I don’t believe my remaining card can’t beat yours.”
Qi Xia, watching from the side, saw Qiao Jiajin’s hidden card—”Li Qiu”, the eighth day of the seventh month. If the game truly revolved around comparing dates, this card was neither particularly strong nor weak; its fate was uncertain.
Of course, there was another possibility—this could simply be part of Qiao Jiajin’s strategy.
Turning to Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin whispered, “If it’s just you and him going head-to-head, you’ll have too little information. With three of us revealing our cards, you can analyze all of them and get a better sense of what really counts as ‘big’. Even if I lose everything, it’s no big deal.”
“Got it.” Qi Xia understood his plan and looked back at Earth Monkey.
“Are you calling?” Earth Monkey asked. “As a seasoned gambler, I’ll give you some advice: just fold now.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“Because if you call, I’ll raise again. You won’t have the chips to match, so you’ll lose by default.”
“How boring.” Qi Xia smirked. “Your logic starts falling apart right there.”
“Oh?”
“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. “You want to raise the bet…”
“Exactly.” Earth Monkey glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and said, “I’m raising by two ‘Dao.’ Can anyone match it?”
With that one sentence, he almost cut off everyone’s escape route.
They had started by investing one ‘Dao,’ then raised the bet by one ‘Dao’ in the first round, and now another two ‘Dao’ were added. By the first round alone, the pot had already reached a height of four ‘Dao.’
Whether Earth Monkey had planned this from the start or was merely testing the waters, his current raise of two ‘Dao’ represented the entirety of Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin’s assets. The others could only fold. For Earth Monkey, four ‘Dao’ were insignificant, but for everyone else, it was essentially an “all-in.”
After all, no one could match such a high bet unless they were willing to wager their lives.
Without waiting for the others to decide, Earth Monkey took two ‘Dao’ from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four晶莹剔透 ‘Dao’ lay before him, staring at everyone like eyes, silently urging them to back down in the face of difficulty.
Seeing this, Chen Junnan and Tian Tian immediately placed their cards face down on the table, withdrawing from the round with resigned expressions. Zheng Yingxiong also pushed his cards away with slight frustration.
They no longer had enough “chips” to continue calling the bet.
From the very beginning, this game had been highly unbalanced. Earth Monkey not only knew all the “rules” but also dealt the cards and declared victory. Beyond that, he possessed wealth that far surpassed everyone else’s. Under these circumstances, choosing to gamble against him required better luck and sharper wits than usual; otherwise, the chances of winning were less than one percent.
“Will you two continue to call?” Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin.
Qiao Jiajin slightly flipped his “hole card,” revealing the words “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn).
Now, he held a “Dashu” (Major Heat) and a “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn), while Earth Monkey’s face-up card was a “Xiazhi” (Summer Solstice).
After a moment of thought, Qiao Jiajin said, “Hey, fat monkey, you know what?”
“What?”
“I grew up on the streets,” Qiao Jiajin said slowly, tapping his cards. “In every one of our gangs, before any group activity, we consult the traditional almanac. We never follow Western methods. So, ‘solar terms’ are equally important to all our factions.”
“Oh?”
“Since you said ‘Frost’s Descent’ is the ’23rd day of the ninth month,’ then the ‘Major Heat’ in my hand is the ’21st day of the sixth month,’ and your ‘Summer Solstice’ is the ’21st of the fifth month,’ right?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“That makes sense,” Earth Monkey nodded.
“Just looking at our ‘face-up cards,’ my date is later than yours, so I’ll call too.” With that, Qiao Jiajin tossed his last two ‘Dao’ into the pot and revealed his “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn) card. “I don’t believe the card I’m holding can’t beat yours.”
Qi Xia, watching from the side, saw Qiao Jiajin’s hole card: “Liqiu” (Beginning of Autumn), which corresponds to the “eighth day of the seventh month.” If they were truly comparing dates in the traditional sense, this card was neither particularly high nor low—its outcome was uncertain.
Of course, there was another possibility: this was just one of Qiao Jiajin’s tactics.
At that moment, Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia and whispered, “If it’s just you and him revealing cards, the information is too limited. With three of us showing our hands, you can observe all our cards and get a better sense of what counts as ‘high.’ Even if I lose everything, it’s no big deal.”
“Alright.” Qi Xia understood Qiao Jiajin’s intention and looked up at Earth Monkey.
“Will you call?” Earth Monkey said. “As a seasoned gambler, let me give you some advice: it’s better to fold now.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because if you call, I’ll raise again. You have no chips left to match, so you’ll lose,” Earth Monkey said.
“How boring,” Qi Xia replied. “Your logic starts to fall apart right there.”
“Oh?”
“You said you’ve waited so long for a ‘Syzygy Moon’ round, yet you’re going all out in the first round to make me lose. That doesn’t seem reasonable,” Qi Xia said.
“I hadn’t planned to go this far initially,” Earth Monkey said with a slight smirk. “But your current state feels dangerous to me. I’d rather play it safe and take you down here.”
“Too bad you’re lying,” Qi Xia said. “I don’t think your hand can beat mine.”
Qi Xia’s face, now starkly red and white, resembled a battle-scarred demon, sending a chill down Earth Monkey’s spine.
“You know… if I want to win, I don’t necessarily have to compare hands,” Earth Monkey said. “I can also outbet you. As long as I keep raising, you won’t be able to keep up. The outcome will be decided before the cards are even revealed.”
“Then let me make this clear,” Qi Xia said, tapping the table. “From this moment on, if you name a bet I can’t match, I won’t hesitate to wager my life.”
“What?!” Earth Monkey’s eyes widened. “You’re… that insane?”
“So ‘chips’ won’t stop me,” Qi Xia said calmly. “And I don’t believe I’ll lose.”
“Have you figured out the rules of the game?”
“Pretty much. Now I’m just waiting for you to speak,” Qi Xia replied.
The remaining players had been watching Earth Monkey, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin—the only ones still in the game—holding their breath in anxiety.
It was only the first round, and they had already bet everything they had. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin lost, they would all be doomed.
Earth Monkey had already closed the casino for the day. There would be no new customers, and they had no extra capital to gamble with him again. This outcome was no different from death.
“Fine…” Earth Monkey nodded. “I just hope you won’t regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Based on the known cards on the table, you’re the only one who can compete with me, but I doubt your chances of winning are very high.”
“What makes you say that?”
“There are thirty-six cards in this deck,” Earth Monkey said with a laugh. “Your ‘face-up card’ plus the ‘community cards’ have already determined your hand. Right now, only one card can make your hand stronger than mine, and I don’t believe I’m that unlucky.”
“Is that so?” Qi Xia also allowed a slight smile. “Then let me tell you something.”
“I’m all ears,” Earth Monkey said.
Qi Xia raised his hole card and slowly moved it to his left cheek, leaving only his crimson right cheek facing Earth Monkey, like a true demon.
“This card is far too deadly for you. I’ve just thought of six different rules for comparing hands, and only under one of those rules would I not be able to beat you.”
“Six rules…?” Earth Monkey slowly furrowed his brow, as if trying to discern whether Qi Xia was telling the truth.
“Honestly, I didn’t plan to go this far.” Earth Monkey’s lips curled slightly. “But your current state feels dangerous. I’d rather play it safe and take you down here.”
“Too bad you’re lying.” Qi Xia’s voice was calm. “I don’t think your hand can beat mine.”
Qi Xia’s face, half-red and half-pale like a battle-marked demon, sent a chill down Earth Monkey’s spine.
“You do realize… winning isn’t just about comparing cards,” Earth Monkey said. “I can also outbid you. As long as I keep raising, you’ll never catch up. The winner will be decided before the cards are even revealed.”
“Then let me make this clear.” Qi Xia rapped his knuckles on the table. “From this moment on, if you name a stake I can’t match, I’ll wager my life without hesitation.”
“What?!” Earth Monkey’s eyes widened. “You’re… this insane?”
“So ‘chips’ won’t stop me.” Qi Xia’s tone was indifferent. “And I don’t believe I’ll lose.”
“You’ve figured out the game’s rules?”
“Pretty much. Now I’m just waiting for you to speak.”
The remaining players watched the trio—Earth Monkey, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jiajin—who were still in the game, their nerves on edge.
This was only the first round, yet they were already betting everything they had. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin lost, the rest would be doomed.
Earth Monkey had already closed the gambling den for the day. No new customers would arrive, and without fresh capital, they’d have no way to challenge him again—an outcome no different from death.
“Fine.” Earth Monkey nodded slowly. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Based on the cards currently visible, you’re the only one who stands a chance against me. But I doubt your odds are high.”
“And why’s that?”
“There are thirty-six cards in this deck.” Earth Monkey grinned. “Your face-up card plus the community cards already determine your hand. Only one card left in play can make your hand stronger than mine—and I refuse to believe I’m that unlucky.”
“Is that so?” Qi Xia’s lips curled slightly. “Then let me tell you something.”
“I’m all ears,” Earth Monkey said.
Qi Xia lifted his hidden card and moved it to cover the left side of his face, leaving only the crimson right half exposed—like a true demon.
“This card is fatal for you. I’ve thought of six possible rules for comparing hands. Only under one of them would I lose to you.”
“Six rules…?” Earth Monkey’s brows knit together as he weighed the truth of Qi Xia’s words.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage