Chapter 404: A Quiet Battle Of Wits

The game continued. A few turns later, Sacha had managed to reduce her hand considerably.

Camilla had several cards remaining, but Stan could already see the direction she was trying to take the game.

She was preserving certain cards. She was carefully maintaining multiple colors.

And judging by the way she had played the last few turns, she was preparing for a sequence that could potentially leave her with only two cards.

Stan considered his options. He could interfere directly. But that would be too obvious.

Instead, he chose a card that benefited his own hand while forcing the color into one Camilla was least likely to have.

Camilla stared at the card. Then at him and said softly, "Interesting."

Stan raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Nothing." She replied and played her next card.

Stan’s expression remained unchanged. But internally, he was more alert.

’She noticed, or maybe she’s just getting a feeling.’ he sighed, he definitely couldn’t afford to get careless.

A few turns later, Sacha reached three cards. Camilla had four. Stan had five. Camilla’s next move made her intention clear.

She was positioning herself for a strong finish. Stan immediately recognized the danger.

He needed to interfere. But rather than targeting her directly, he played a card that looked like an attempt to improve his own position.

The result, however, forced Camilla to draw while leaving the color favorable for Sacha.

Sacha immediately seized the opportunity. Her next card hit the table and she smiled, "Nice."

Stan kept his expression neutral. ’Perfect.’

Camilla’s crimson eyes shifted toward him. They remained there for a second longer than necessary.

Stan pretended not to notice. He calmly drew his next card.

’She’s suspicious.’ He sighed, at this point it was pretty obvious that he needed to change his rhythm.

So on his next turn, he made a completely neutral play. No advantage for Sacha. No deliberate attack on Camilla. Just a reasonable move.

Camilla’s eyes narrowed slightly and the game continued. But something had changed.

Camilla was watching Stan now. Not constantly. That would have been too obvious.

Instead, she observed him between turns. His hands. His expressions.

The cards he hesitated over. The cards he played without hesitation.

She was gathering information.

Stan noticed, he was at alert he wasn’t about to miss that...

’She’s studying me... huh.’

A faint amusement appeared in his eyes. ’All right.’

Let’s see who can read whom. Camilla deliberately played a particular color. Stan recognized the choice.

It wasn’t the strongest move available to her. It was a test. She wanted to see whether he would react.

Stan understood immediately. Instead of taking the obvious opportunity, he played a different card.

Camilla’s eyes flickered. She had expected something else.

Stan leaned back. ’Nice try.’

Camilla continued playing as though nothing had happened. But internally, she had already revised her assessment.

He noticed. The next few turns became a quiet battle between them.

Neither said anything. Neither needed to. Camilla would make a move. Stan would recognize the intention behind it. He would then adjust.

She would notice the adjustment. Then she would change her approach.

Sacha, meanwhile, continued playing without realizing that the real battle was taking place between the two people sitting across from her.

Eventually, she placed another card down and glanced between them.

"Why do you two look like you’re planning a military operation?"

Stan looked at her, "It’s Uno."

"That isn’t an answer."

Camilla calmly nodded, "She is correct."

Stan turned toward Camilla, "Seriously?"

"My observation was merely factual."

Sacha laughed, "You know what? I like her."

Stan shook his head. ’This is getting dangerous.’

Sacha’s attention returned to her cards. "Anyway, I’m winning."

"You have four cards," Stan pointed out.

"And you have five."

"Exactly."

"So I’m winning."

Stan stared at her, "That isn’t how winning works."

"It is when I’m better than you." Sacha replied...

He almost laughed. She’s really getting confident. Yet beneath the teasing, Stan was pleased.

Sacha was genuinely improving. She was remembering which colors had appeared and which action cards had already been played. She had begun recognizing Camilla’s habits too.

At one point, Camilla attempted to force a particular color.

Sacha immediately countered..Camilla’s eyes flickered toward her.

Sacha grinned, "Thought you had me?"

Camilla calmly replied, "I was testing you."

Sacha’s smile froze.."...You were?"

"Yes."

Sacha’s eyes narrowed, "Don’t do that."

Camilla’s lips lifted slightly, "I’ll keep that in mind."

Stan couldn’t help smiling. ’Nice one, Sis.’

That move hadn’t been part of his plan. She had figured it out herself. The game continued.

Soon Sacha was down to three cards. Camilla had four and Stan had four.

Camilla’s position was becoming dangerous again. She had quietly accumulated the cards she needed for a strong finish.

Stan noticed. He also noticed something else. Camilla had intentionally left herself vulnerable.

It was subtle, almost too subtle. But Stan caught it. That’s a trap. If he attacked her directly, she would learn that he was paying special attention to her.

If he ignored the opening, she would learn that too. So he chose a third option. He played a card that didn’t significantly benefit either of them.

Camilla looked at him. "You didn’t take the opportunity."

Stan shrugged. "It wasn’t worth it."

She studied him. "You could have disrupted me."

"I could have."

"Yet you didn’t."

Stan calmly drew a card. "I had a better move."

Camilla said nothing. But her eyes remained on him for another moment.

’He’s hiding something.’ She didn’t know what, she couldn’t prove anything. But her instincts were telling her that Stan wasn’t playing this round the same way he had played the previous one.

Stan noticed the slight change in her expression.

’That was close.’ He sighed inwardly... He needed to be even more careful.

The game accelerated from that point, Cards moved across the table. Colors changed. Draw cards appeared and disappeared.

Sacha was now playing with far more confidence than she had at the beginning. Camilla was becoming increasingly difficult to predict.

And Stan was quietly manipulating the entire flow without ever allowing himself to make the same kind of move twice.

Eventually, Sacha reached two cards. Camilla reached two as well. Stan had three. He immediately recognized the danger.

Camilla is one good turn away. He looked at Sacha. Then at Camilla.

His mind raced through the cards that had already appeared.

He knew what Camilla was likely holding. He also knew what Sacha probably had. But he couldn’t act as though he knew.

He needed to make the correct move for the wrong-looking reason. Stan placed his card down.

Camilla’s eyes narrowed. She understood what the move accomplished. It disrupted her. But it didn’t look intentional. At least, not completely.

Sighing, she changed the color and Sacha immediately countered.

Stan watched the exchange carefully. ’Good.’

Camilla drew. Sacha’s hand dropped to one card. Her eyes widened.

She immediately straightened. "Uno!"

Stan’s heart lifted. ’Perfect.’

Camilla’s expression remained calm. She studied the table. Then her cards. She was already searching for a way to prevent Sacha from finishing.

Stan saw it too. He couldn’t let her..But if he directly stopped Camilla again, she would know.

He considered the possibilities. Then he made a move that appeared to be purely self-serving.

Camilla’s eyes shifted toward him. For half a second, she seemed to understand. Then Sacha seized the opening.

She placed her final card on the table.

Silence descended on them all...

Sacha stared at it. Then at the other two. Her eyes widened, then a grin slowly spread across her face as she said softly, "I won."