Chapter 358: Fishing

“I plan to set up a scheme, and when the time comes, just like this…” Lu Yibei leaned close to Jiang Li’s ear, whispering softly. She had just begun outlining her plan when she was interrupted.

“Wait a minute, this isn’t the place to talk. Go book a VIP lounge; it has soundproof solidified spell formations,” Jiang Li said earnestly.

Upon hearing Lu Yibei’s intention to “set up a scheme,” Jiang Li immediately became serious, reverting to her usual demeanor of “a daughter should be strong” and “women are no less than men.”

Causing trouble in Dream Come True Entertainment City, especially something as significant as making the city disappear, was no child’s play. Romantic notions should be set aside; otherwise, growing old together would be impossible, but considering a shared burial might be prudent.

Lu Yibei nodded, glanced around, stopped a bunny girl, and requested to book a VIP lounge. She then suavely handed over a metal card loaded with chips.

“Give me the most luxurious one!”

Money is no object!

A minute later, she paid the price for her lavish behavior.

The VIP lounge costs start at ten thousand chips per hour.

Five minutes later, in the VIP lounge arranged by the bunny girl for Lu Yibei.

Jiang Li sat on the sofa in the reception room, elegantly picked up a teacup, and took a sip. She immediately looked at Lu Yibei in astonishment, “What is this taste? Didn’t I ask you to get me a strong tea?”

The taste was completely different from the bitter tea she usually liked, with a strange sour and astringent flavor.

“It’s strong tea! It’s the best from the Tea Mountain haunting!” Lu Yibei said earnestly, “Anyway, it’s part of the lounge package, we should drink our money’s worth, right? Drink up, drink up!”

Jiang Li, “…”

After a moment of silence, she put down the teacup and looked at Lu Yibei, “Let’s talk business first. What kind of scheme are you planning?”

“A Ponzi scheme? If so, when things fall apart, you might face the wrath of thousands of psychics and hauntings with an average psychic energy fluctuation level of Class B or higher, not to mention the forces behind them.”

“From what I know, these thousands of guests are backed by at least fifty different organizations, including madmen like the Eclipse Society, Miracle Order, and Death Knell Group.”

“You’ve already tangled with the Haze Deity before. If you get targeted by a few more dark forces…”

Jiang Li thought for a moment and said seriously, “I can help you apply for a plot in The Midnight Watchers Society’s martyr’s garden, so you won’t have your grave desecrated and bones scattered after death.”

“Can hauntings also enter The Midnight Watchers Society’s martyr’s garden?” Lu Yibei pouted.

“…” Jiang Li furrowed her brows slightly and said coldly, “I’ve heard there’s a Moonlight Project to recruit hauntings into The Midnight Watchers Society. You could join that.”

I don’t want to sign that life-threatening Indenture… Lu Yibei thought to herself and continued, “Let’s forget it!”

Jiang Li looked at Lu Yibei and thought for a moment, “If it’s not a Ponzi scheme, is it a loan shark scheme? Recovering funds like that is a big problem, considering those guests are all tough nuts.”

“Private bonds similar to stocks might be feasible, but the operation cycle is too long. I can’t wait that long; you know, I’m dying, or…”

Jiang Li wanted to say more but stopped when she noticed Lu Yibei looking at her strangely. She tilted her head and asked, “Is there something dirty on my face?”

“No.” Lu Yibei examined Jiang Li up and down and said earnestly, “I just think you’re a bit too familiar with these illegal methods.”

“How many times have you done this?”

“No white learning…” Jiang Li rolled her eyes at Lu Yibei and said 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 before coming here, I studied these methods and concluded they’re not very feasible.”

Lu Yibei sighed silently, “I know these methods aren’t very feasible, but we can use reasonable means to do unreasonable things! For example…”

“Meeting a girl, hitting it off, and immediately starting a relationship isn’t 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 if I don’t like her anymore isn’t illegal, right? Why call it a scam?”

Jiang Li, “…”

Individually, these actions aren’t illegal.

But…

You should save this nonsense for the police!

Silently, Jiang Li rubbed her aching temples and sighed softly, “Can you really pull this off by messing around like this?”

“Why not!” Lu Yibei explained, “Since you said there are over a hundred people or hauntings in the upper three floors of the casino with wishes that can only be fulfilled by challenging the Big Boss, have you ever wondered why you’re the only one challenging him?”

Jiang Li rested her chin on her hand, thought for a moment, and said seriously, “Because they can’t win enough chips.”

“Honestly, I’ve been here for a while and noticed many psychics and hauntings at the gambling tables rely on brute force with various special means. Their skills are only at the beginner level. If they were more skilled, I wouldn’t have won enough chips so easily.”

“Uh…” Lu Yibei was speechless, “That’s certainly one reason, but I think there’s another more important reason they don’t challenge the Big Boss.”

Jiang Li asked, “What reason?”

“They’re afraid!” Lu Yibei said solemnly, “The Big Boss of the Entertainment City has been around for so long and has lost so few times that he’s almost established an invincible image in the minds of the people and hauntings of the city.”

“So the over a hundred people or hauntings you mentioned are eager to fulfill their wishes by challenging the Big Boss but are worried that they’ll most likely lose, lose their chips, and…”

Halfway through the conversation, Lu Yibei cast a serious glance at Jiang Li, paused for a moment, and added, “And more things.”

Lu Yibei wasn’t entirely clear about the specifics of Jiang Li’s game with the Big Boss.

However, considering Jiang Li had only three days left to live and couldn’t even remember that the most hated person at Hua City’s The Midnight Watchers Society was Li Xuan.

Lu Yibei deduced that when challenging the Big Boss, depending on the wish one wanted to fulfill, besides possibly losing chips, one might also lose more things.

And the possibility of losing more things was what instilled fear in those hundred or so people or hauntings.

Jiang Li nodded in agreement with Lu Yibei’s assessment, “Yes, that’s indeed one reason. Go on.”

Lu Yibei raised her eyebrows slightly, “So, if someone were to appear now, willing to take on the risk for them, do you think they would be more eager to challenge the Big Boss?”

“Of course they would, wait…” Jiang Li pondered for a moment, “Are you planning to have them gamble with you, they put up the chips, and you provide the opportunity? If they win against you, you would go in their place to challenge the Big Boss and fulfill their wish?”

“Exactly, that’s the plan!” Lu Yibei said, “But it’s not me gambling with them, it’s you. I’ll find a way to help you secretly, as I can’t guarantee a win on my own.”

“Compared to beating the Big Boss, we’re definitely easier targets to win against. As long as we set the threshold lower and increase the possibility of winning big with small stakes, their desire to try will surely intensify.”

“With fewer chips, they get a chance to fulfill their wish, and there’s someone willing to take on the risk of losing to the Big Boss for them. Do you think these gamblers would give it a try?”

“We’re like elite monsters guarding the boss level that erases accounts upon loss. As long as they defeat us, there’s a small chance of dropping the rare items that only the boss would drop. I think there would be many more players repeatedly challenging us than risking a challenge against the boss.”

In other words, intercept the Big Boss’s gambling game? Jiang Li’s eyes lit up, and she nodded solemnly, “Your method is worth a try, but…”

“You said you came up with this solution from reasonable means. I’m curious, where did you get this idea?”

Lu Yibei shrugged, nonchalantly, “The lottery!”

Jiang Li, “…”

Just as Jiang Li fell silent, the doorbell of the lounge suddenly rang, followed by the voice of a bunny girl emanating from the crane-shaped decoration on the coffee table in the reception room.

“Miss Wang Buliuxing, according to our casino’s rules, you have now obtained the Top Prize and are the guest with the second-highest accumulated chips. I’ve come to invite you to participate in the bell-ringing ceremony.”

“I’ve also brought the dress prepared for you. Would you like to change into it now?”

Lu Yibei was momentarily stunned, then turned to Jiang Li, “The bell-ringing ceremony, is it the one you participated in before?”

Jiang Li nodded silently.

“Perfect timing!” Lu Yibei’s eyes brightened, “I was just wondering how to publicize our gambling game!”

Saying this, she gently stroked the crane sculpture on the coffee table, “Alright, you can come in!”

Thus, an hour later.

Meanwhile, in the upper three floors of the Entertainment City.

After the giant bronze dragon-patterned bell was rung again, it gradually fell silent.

Lu Yibei stood at the front of the stage, wearing a sapphire blue Qipao embroidered with lotus flowers, complemented by a snow-white rabbit fur collar, draped with a black silk shawl. Her fiery red hair was neatly combed, presenting the appearance of a noble young lady.

When the bell’s sound ceased, Lu Yibei, having endured a long ordeal, walked to the center of the stage, surveyed the guests present, and cleared her throat, “Ahem, everyone, I have something important to tell you.”

“It’s a very exciting and interesting gambling game, now organized by the Entertainment City on our behalf. We invite everyone to participate. The winner of the game will have me challenge the Big Boss of the Entertainment City on their behalf. Is anyone interested?”

With these words, the previously noisy hall fell into a brief silence. The guests looked at Lu Yibei with varying expressions, some eager to try, while more were skeptical and suspicious.

However, this silence was soon broken.

“By the way, as long as your chips exceed ten million, you can participate in my gambling game and challenge Miss Ah-Li, who is now my assistant!”

Upon hearing this, the guests were taken aback, quickly gathering in small groups to discuss quietly.

If the opponent is Miss Ah-Li, it might be worth a try?

After all, although Miss Ah-Li is a legend in the Entertainment City, she has had quite a few small losses.

Some enthusiasts had calculated that her overall win rate was only slightly over seventy percent, much lower than the Big Boss’s ninety-nine percent win rate.

Seeing the guests begin to waver, Lu Yibei slightly bowed and said expressionlessly, “I’ve said 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 my clothes; damn, why is this dress so tight around the chest… Lu Yibei thought.

In the No Return Place.

As the Big Boss’s blood, like molten iron, shimmered and fell into the lake, the azure water instantly boiled.

The high temperature evaporated the lake water, spreading a dense fog over the surface.

Under layers of eerie white mist, the entire lake had become a brutal hunting ground, with countless phantoms of various aquatic creatures fighting fiercely, all vying for a single dazzling blood pearl.

Small fish ate shrimp, big fish ate small fish, and then big fish devoured each other.

The Big Boss quietly watched the Golden-Red Sturgeon at the edge of the lake and the Snow-White Koi, now only the size of a thumb.

They remained motionless, as if waiting for something.

Then…

The Golden-Red Sturgeon suddenly dashed towards a cluster of blood beads surrounded by the school of fish with lightning speed. Its massive size and imposing presence forced the fish to retreat.

Thus, it effortlessly seized a cluster of dazzling blood beads.

Seeing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in the eyes hidden behind the strange mask, and he murmured, “So, in the end, it’s just like the others? Black Peony, it seems you’ve misjudged this time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his deep golden pupils slightly contracted at the sight in the pool.

After seizing the blood beads, the Golden-Red Sturgeon did not devour them but gently placed them on the Snow-White Koi, allowing it to swim forward with them.

Meanwhile, the Golden-Red Sturgeon lingered at the bottom of the water, guarding the Snow-White Koi, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, like a knight.

With the change in the bearer of the blood beads, the previously retreating school of fish became agitated once more and swiftly surged forward, launching an attack on the Snow-White Koi.

However, just as they were about to approach the Snow-White Koi, a massive shadow swiftly emerged from beneath the water, brutally tearing their bodies apart.

As countless dazzling pieces of flesh and blood were absorbed into the Golden-Red Sturgeon, its form grew visibly larger, and it was foreseeable that it would soon become the “king” of this lake.

“…”

Watching this scene, the Big Boss was momentarily speechless. The blood beads, which contained special powers, were originally meant to incite the “fish” to fight, but now they were being used by the Golden-Red Sturgeon.

At this moment, his feelings were akin to a fisherman discovering that his bait had been stolen by a big fish and used for fishing, quite frustrating indeed.

However…

Soon, a hoarse, low laugh emanated from behind the mask, “Hahaha! Very good, very good, plunder to your heart’s content! The more you plunder, the better, and when the time is right, I can still…”

As he spoke, he lightly waved his arm, and countless bubbles surged up from the depths of the lake. Along with the rising bubbles, shadows appeared, transforming into large but unremarkable grass carps, almost devoid of any offensive capabilities, joining the school of fish.

Lu Yibei’s speech at the bell-ringing ceremony indeed stirred up quite a storm within the Entertainment City, yet the gambling game did not proceed as smoothly as she and Jiang Li had anticipated.

Although the terms of their gambling game were enticing, many guests were still somewhat suspicious, worried that there might be some trick hidden within.

Everyone wanted to see others test the waters first, resulting in much noise but little action, with no one truly making a move.

This situation persisted until half a day later when Lu Yibei was about to spend money to hire shills, a strange person appeared, clad in a black cloak with a low-brimmed hat completely obscuring their face, bringing over twenty million chips to participate in the gambling game.

The strange person’s gambling skills were surprisingly poor, just as Jiang Li had said, only at an entry-level, relying solely on a hand of perspective ability to win.

Jiang Li didn’t even need to use the “eye contact cheating method” she had previously discussed with Lu Yibei, and within less than twenty minutes, she easily won over two million chips, effortlessly winning the gambling game.

This first strange person’s test of the waters was quickly followed by a second, third, fourth… fifty gamblers appearing at the table.

Even many guests unknown to Jiang Li, who usually appeared laid-back and wanted to challenge the Big Boss, joined the gambling game.

After all, guests holding ten million or nearly ten million chips accounted for at least half of those in the upper three floors of the casino, and a significant portion of them wanted to try their luck.

Thus, with the “eye contact cheating method,” Lu Yibei and Jiang Li easily won chips ranging from ten million to eighty million from them.

By the end of the first day’s gambling game, the chips accumulated in Lu Yibei’s hands had surpassed the ten billion mark, making her the guest with the most chips in the entire Entertainment City.

However, such interludes are bound to happen sooner or later. When something is profitable and replicable, cutthroat competition is inevitable.

When Jiang Li and Lu Yibei started the gambling game on the second day, a group of men dressed in black leather jackets with uniformly styled Mohawk haircuts appeared in the upper three floors’ hall, intercepting guests.

“Come and see, don’t miss out!”

“The same thrill, the same reward, with less investment required. Welcome to participate in the Ximen Gang’s gambling game!”

“Brother, would you like to know more? If you win our gambling game, our boss can also challenge the Big Boss on your behalf, with a threshold of only five million chips!”

From a distance, watching the men energetically distributing flyers and stealing business, Jiang Li frowned and turned to Lu Yibei, “Now we’re in trouble, competitors have appeared.”

“…” Lu Yibei rested her chin on her hand in silence for a moment, then said seriously, “What’s the background of this Ximen Gang?”

“They’re a local gang in the Dream Come True Entertainment City. Their boss is a regular at the Entertainment City and has long been in the top five in chip accumulation, recently reaching third place,” Jiang Li explained.

“What should we do now? We’re facing cutthroat competition.”

Jiang Li slightly raised her chin, “If they’re following our lead, as long as they don’t qualify to challenge the Big Boss, it doesn’t matter, right?”

“You mean we should participate in their gambling game and win their chips?” Lu Yibei frowned.

“No, there’s an even lower-risk way, for example…”

Jiang Li squinted slightly, “For example, you gamble with me again and lose half your chips to me, right?”

Lu Yibei, “…” Isn’t this just a monopoly?

Tsk, as expected of a capitalist’s daughter.

Well done!