Chapter 357: Friendship Above All, Single for 10,000 Years!

In the private room, the gambling game was intense, while in the grand and opulent hall, music and dance filled the air. Yet, at the highest point of the Dream Come True Entertainment City, within the No Return Place, a different scene unfolded.

Beside what seemed like a time-displaced historical ruin, the Big Boss of the Entertainment City sat quietly by the lake, intently watching the Snow-White Koi and the Golden-Red Sturgeon in the pool.

The two large fish swam in the water, their snow-white and crimson fins undulating like silk, entwined in a luxurious dance. It was as if some force had them locked in an inextricable embrace, with a hint of menace lurking beneath.

After a moment, the Big Boss withdrew his gaze from the lake and glanced at the letter in his hand, sent by Black Peony, sighing softly.

“Just as she said, it’s hard to take advantage of this opportunity. But…”

He was muttering to himself when suddenly a splash echoed in his ears. He looked towards the sound and was momentarily stunned by the scene in the pool.

The Snow-White Koi had collided with the hard stone wall of the pool, shattering into pieces and transforming into gold coins that merged into the body of the Golden-Red Sturgeon.

Simultaneously, the lake water began to churn as if boiling, the azure surface frothing with white foam, resembling a stormy sky. Golden streaks of light, like meteors, flew from the center of the fish shoal, merging into the Golden-Red Sturgeon.

Thus, a colossal creature, far larger than most fish in the lake, was born. It quietly lurked in a corner of the lake, eyeing the central fish shoal as if waiting for the chance to devour them all at once.

Even the master of this lake was entranced by the spectacle for a while, a soft chuckle eventually escaping from behind the strange mask that concealed his face.

“Ha, now this is interesting. Since it’s already chaotic, let’s make it even more so!”

As he spoke, he raised a hand, slowly removing a white glove, allowing the blood, like molten iron, to drip into the lake. In the next moment, the fish shoal, catching the scent of “blood,” became restless…

Inside the luxurious private room.

Several men dressed in black, with special silver pins on their chests and white masks on their faces, moved silently back and forth, continuously observing the actions of the two guests.

They were the dark lamps of the Dream Come True Entertainment City and members of the Fairness Group.

Typically, when a guest requested an organized gambling game, they would appear beside it to ensure that no party intentionally lost, which could affect the fairness of the game.

At this moment, Lu Yibei had been staring at the precarious Jenga tower for over ten minutes, still undecided.

Her fingertips moved back and forth between happiness and loneliness, with thoughts of prediction flashing through her mind.

What does it mean to be lonely for life? Would I not see Bai Xiaohua anymore? If I could see Bai Xiaohua, how could I be lonely?

Is the so-called happiness with the leader? Is this happiness genuine? If it is, how long would it last?

…

Various thoughts and the myriad possibilities after pulling a block flashed through her mind, her brain working rapidly. Then, at the moment the bunny girl dealer began the thirty-second countdown, her mind suddenly went blank with a “buzz.”

In an instant, the whole world seemed to quiet down, the noise from the hall outside gradually fading away.

In the silent stillness, she looked up at Jiang Li, their gazes meeting.

The two were very close, just a short distance apart, close enough to hear each other’s heartbeat and breath.

[Do you want me to win?]

Without any extra thoughts, Lu Yibei instinctively asked Jiang Li with her eyes.

Jiang Li understood the “words” in Lu Yibei’s gaze, avoiding her eyes and looking at her slender fingers resting on the Jenga tower, frowning slightly.

[…]

If that block were pulled, Lu Yibei would lose.

At that moment, Lu Yibei’s fingers slowly moved, stopping at the last block that could be safely removed.

In an instant, Jiang Li’s tightly furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

Just like it’s hard to notice when the first blade of grass breaks through the soil in spring or when the first leaf falls in autumn.

Sometimes, changes in a person’s mindset are hard to notice.

Jiang Li didn’t realize that after Lu Yibei said, “This is our matter,” she subconsciously gave up fighting alone, instead relying on someone else, subtly influencing her actions.

Lu Yibei caught the fleeting change in Jiang Li’s expression, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes.

Since she wants me to win, then…

To hell with gaining happiness!

Friendship above all, long live being single!

Lu Yibei thought fiercely, without hesitation pulling out the block her fingertip touched.

Then…

She abandoned all thought, collapsing into the chair in defeat.

Watching Lu Yibei pull out that last safe block, a moment of relief and satisfaction flashed across Jiang Li’s face, but it was quickly replaced by a lofty, disdainful expression.

“Congratulations, you won.”

Jiang Li said, picking up the dice on the table, casually rolling it without looking at the result, then pulling a block, causing the already precarious Jenga tower to collapse with a crash.

“Alright, now my chips are yours. I’ll go find the bunny girl staff to bring the chips over.”

Jiang Li spoke calmly, standing up and heading towards the exit of the luxurious private room.

“Three days left. It’s up to you now, Lu Yibei.”

“This is between the two of us.”

“Don’t let me down,” Jiang Li thought.

At that moment, a weak voice came from behind her.

“Wait… I have a question for you…”

Jiang Li turned around, crossing her arms over her chest, and looked expressionlessly at Lu Yibei, who seemed on the verge of tears, tilting her head slightly.

Lu Yibei’s lips trembled, hesitating several times before finally mustering the courage to say, “Meow Meow-chan, if you get older and can’t find someone to marry, would you consider me?”

“…”

Jiang Li stared blankly at Lu Yibei, taking a long moment to come back to her senses, and replied indifferently, “Why would you have such a strange idea?”

Lu Yibei, “…”

Because I might end up alone for the rest of my life, so I want to plan ahead! Lu Yibei thought to herself, but the words got stuck in her throat.

No girl likes to hear that kind of talk.

Seeing Lu Yibei remain silent, Jiang Li gently shook her head, “Sorry, I’m not considering it.”

Lu Yibei, “…” Of course, someone as high-quality as Jiang Li wouldn’t have trouble finding a partner.

After speaking, Jiang Li didn’t even glance at Lu Yibei, who looked as if she had lost all hope, slumped in the chair like a salted fish, and turned to leave the room.

As she turned, a faint smile briefly appeared at the corner of her mouth.

In the upper three floors hall.

A group of gamblers who had participated in the off-the-record gambling game quietly awaited the outcome.

Suddenly, a loud shout drew everyone’s attention towards the exit of the luxurious private room on the third floor.

“Everyone, look, Miss Ah-Li is coming out! Has the gambling game ended?”

“Who won? Could that nobody have actually won?”

“Tsk, if she really won, she’d be a somebody now!”

“…”

Amidst the noisy chatter, a golden-clad bunny girl approached the gambling table with a silver tray, handing over the black envelope on the tray to the bunny girl responsible for organizing the off-the-record game.

The black envelope contained the detailed explanation of the final round between Lu Yibei and Jiang Li, as well as the judgment results from the Entertainment City’s Fairness Group.

The bunny girl organizing the off-the-record game read the two pages of letter paper inside the envelope, picked up the silver wind chime on the gambling table, and shook it twice. Once all the guests quieted down, she spoke softly, “Dear guests, the results of the gambling game are in, and the Fairness Group has confirmed them as true and valid.”

“Now, I will reveal the details of the final round to everyone.”

“In the final round, Miss Wang Buliuxing rolled a two and was the first to pull out a block. However, as she prepared to pull out a second block, Miss Ah-Li made her move!”

“She used one of her signature moves, the ‘gaze kill,’ to apply psychological pressure on Miss Wang Buliuxing. In an instant, the entire room was engulfed in an atmosphere of extreme tension.”

“As her gaze landed, so did the force, with invisible pressure surging towards Miss Wang Buliuxing from all directions. Alone and helpless, she seemed abandoned by the world, swept into an endless abyss…”

After Lu Yibei voluntarily increased the commission from 5% to 6%, the bunny girl responsible for writing the detailed explanation understood the situation and artistically embellished the description of the gambling game within the permissible limits of the Entertainment City, to prevent any incidents of losing the off-the-record game and attacking those involved in the official game.

In reality, although the tens of thousands of chips involved were a significant amount, it was, in essence, just the win or loss of a single game, a small gamble for entertainment that didn’t greatly affect the guests’ emotions.

They participated in the off-the-record game mainly for the excitement. Even if they lost in the end, it would likely only result in a brief sigh.

Some guests who bet more might feel unwilling to accept the loss, but due to the intense description in the detailed explanation and the judgment of the Entertainment City’s Fairness Group, they couldn’t easily make a fuss and had to silently accept their loss, mentally noting down the name “Wang Buliuxing.”

As the bunny girl passionately read the detailed explanation, a haunting with a Ghost Face tattoo all over its body and a dual-faced head nudged its companion with its elbow.

“See? What did I tell you? I’ve bet against Ah-Li before, and her gaze is truly terrifying. I suspect her eyes have been modified with a spell formation!”

“Hmph, Wang Buliuxing? What a joke. I think she’s bound to lose. If she tries any tricks, Ah-Li’s blade will be at her throat in no time.”

“Double-faced monk speaks the truth. Luckily, I bet on Miss Ah-Li!” another haunting chimed in.

In the crowd, Liu Seer, who had placed a heavy bet on Lu Yibei, felt increasingly uneasy as he listened, his face growing paler.

When he heard the bunny girl mention, “Wang Buliuxing stood motionless under the pressure brought by Miss Ah-Li for over ten minutes,” Liu Seer could no longer sit still.

No, if I wait here for her to finish, my high blood pressure will skyrocket.

Since the gambling game is over, I’ll go find that girl now!

She confidently assured me that this gambling game was a guaranteed win, so why are there so many unexpected twists? Liu Seer thought, quickly getting up and jogging towards the luxurious private room on the third floor.

Ah-Hua watched Liu Seer leave, then turned her attention back to the bunny girl organizing the off-the-record game, frowning.

Wasn’t it supposed to be just a simple bet?

Why does it sound like Lu Yibei and my miss are about to start a fight?

Clearly, Ah-Hua hadn’t spent enough time in the Entertainment City…

Three minutes later, the explanation of the detailed text was nearing its end.

“The countdown was nearing its end, and in a flash, Wang Buliuxing seemed to have used some secret technique, his aura suddenly rising. He forcibly broke through Miss Ah-Li’s mental blockade, executing a move called ‘Crane Control Dragon Hold,’ and pulled out the last piece of Jenga.”

“Whether it was the hidden strength of the opponent that threw Miss Ah-Li off balance, or Wang Buliuxing used some kind of psychic energy that was difficult to detect, she appeared flushed as if her blood was surging uncontrollably. When she made her next move, the outcome was decided…”

After listening to the bunny girl’s detailed explanation, the dual-faced monk remained silent for a long time, letting out a long sigh, “I didn’t expect Wang Buliuxing to be so terrifyingly powerful? We really misjudged, Miss Ah-Li’s loss wasn’t undeserved.”

“Indeed!” echoed a haunting, “But this Jenga sounds quite interesting. How about we play a round later?”

“Agreed! How about we play a round now?”

“That’s possible!”

“…”

Thus, Lu Yibei inadvertently started a strange trend of “dark version Jenga” in the Dream Come True Entertainment City.

Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the luxurious suite.

Liu Seer stopped Lu Yibei, looking at her face that seemed even more lifeless, like a walking corpse, his heart tightened.

“Gulp-!” Liu Seer swallowed hard, trembling as he asked, “Girl, girl, I heard the explanation downstairs, it sounded terrifying. What’s going on inside?”

Lu Yibei rolled her eyes at Liu Seer, hesitating several times before finally letting out a long sigh.

“Sigh-!”

Her sigh was so gentle that Liu Seer almost fainted from it, quickly asking, “You, you didn’t… lose, did you?”

Lu Yibei shook her head, weakly saying, “No, I won.”

Why does she still look half-dead after winning? Liu Seer frowned, about to ask again, but then heard Lu Yibei sigh again, making his heart leap once more.

“Sigh-!”

“Although I won, I also lost.”

Liu Seer was puzzled by Lu Yibei’s answer, staring blankly into her eyes, “So did you lose or win?”

Lu Yibei weakly lifted her eyelids, “I won the chips, won friendship, but lost life. Do you understand?”

Liu Seer, “???”

What does that mean? I don’t understand at all!

“By the way, Liu Seer, do you have any relatives with daughters who can’t get married? Can you introduce one to me?”

Liu Seer pondered for a moment, seriously saying, “No, all my relatives are dead, uh, wait, do you mind a ghost marriage?”

“…”

Lu Yibei silently stared at Liu Seer for a moment with a look that said, “Uncle, I’m very disappointed in you,” then quietly turned away, heading in the direction Jiang Li had left.

Liu Seer watched Lu Yibei leave, scratching his head in confusion.

“Yay! Friendship forever!”

From afar, Lu Yibei raised her little hand, weakly cheering twice, making Liu Seer’s mouth twitch uncontrollably.

This kid probably won too many chips at once and got overly excited, Liu Seer thought to himself, pursing his lips and muttering, “Forget it, let’s go count the chips first!”

“Hehe, this time I’m rich, I’ve earned back everything I lost before.”

When Lu Yibei found Jiang Li, Jiang Li had already completed the transfer with the bunny girl from the Entertainment City, transferring all the chips under her name to Lu Yibei’s account.

She turned around to see Lu Yibei standing stiffly behind her like an aberrant type Jiangshi haunting, blinked, and walked forward, rolling her eyes, “Although I don’t know what’s wrong with you, didn’t you confidently tell me to trust you before?”

“I’ve now lost all the chips to you, please treat them well.”

Is there any lovely girl who would treat this soon-to-be-lonely-for-life haunting a little better?

Lu Yibei thought to herself, slightly gathering her spirits, straightening her back, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

“Really?” Jiang Li crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows slightly, “Then when do you plan to go to the No Return Place, and what do you plan to gamble with the Big Boss?”

“Who said I was going to gamble with him?” Lu Yibei pouted, “Only a fool would gamble with him, uh sorry, I didn’t mean you’re a fool, I mean I want to try another way.”

Another way? Jiang Li blinked, falling into thought.

“However, whether my way succeeds depends on whether you’re willing to cooperate with me, otherwise I don’t have full confidence. Also, I need to know one piece of information.”

“What information?” Jiang Li asked.

“I want to know, among the upper three floors of the Entertainment City, how many psychics and hauntings have wishes that can only be fulfilled by challenging the Big Boss,” Lu Yibei explained, “And, approximately how much of the total chips in the Entertainment City do I currently hold.”

Jiang Li didn’t immediately understand Lu Yibei’s intention, frowning, “The first one I can tell you now, there are about a hundred, as for the latter, with some effort it should be possible to find out.”

“However, the amount found might only be superficial, whether there are hidden chips behind the Entertainment City is unknown.”

“Now, can you tell me what you plan to do?”

Lu Yibei sneakily glanced around, raised a small hand to her lips, leaned close to Jiang Li’s ear, and whispered, “I plan to set up a scheme…”