Chapter 817 - 735: A Gamble

Chapter 817: Chapter 735: A Gamble

On May 24th, the first game of the Western Conference Finals took place. The Phoenix Suns narrowly defeated the Pioneers 95-92, clutching a three-point victory. This result fell far short of the media’s previous predictions, which claimed that after conquering the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns would easily sweep their way to the championship. The press had anticipated a crushing, exhilarating blowout. Instead, it was a nail-biter.

Furthermore, as the core player and the hero who defeated the Lakers, Nowitzki’s performance was subpar. He shot 8 for 18 from the field, scoring only 23 points with a shooting percentage below fifty percent. For a time, some media outlets in Portland even boldly proclaimed that Milicic could completely lock down Nowitzki, chanting the slogan that the Pioneers could continue last year’s miracle and win the championship.

Chen Yu naturally watched this game. After watching it, Chen felt there was no major issue. He was incredibly familiar with both teams, from their rosters to their playstyles. Milicic did cause some interference for Nowitzki. Chen had long said that in the league, there were only one and a half anomalies at the power forward position: Nowitzki was one, and Milicic was the other half.

The two men shared the same height and weighed nearly the same. Both relied on agility, capable of playing inside and outside while shooting three-pointers. Nowitzki possessed excellent ball-handling skills, but so did Milicic; all the time Chen spent training him to dribble wasn’t for nothing. If Nowitzki could drive the ball from the high post straight to the basket, Milicic could do the exact same thing. Furthermore, Milicic possessed a close-range hook shot, something Nowitzki did not excel at.

In this game, Milicic stuck to Nowitzki like glue, hounding him from the paint to the perimeter without giving an inch. He alone applied enough defensive pressure on Nowitzki, which was absolutely crucial. When a team had to divert extra defensive energy—using two players or a zone defense to target a single opponent—they easily lost track of other threats, leading to a defensive collapse. The Pioneers did not face this dilemma. Even though Randolph lacked strong interior defense, he could still score, and Chandler’s scoring ability was limited anyway.

Therefore, the Pioneers actually put up a phenomenal fight. They also boasted a fierce bench mob, whose performance even outshined the Phoenix Suns’ reserves. Their loss merely came down to a lack of luck and a slight deficit in star power during the critical final moments. In the clutch, Hardaway single-handedly carried the team, scoring five consecutive points to keep the Phoenix Suns alive. Regardless, a win was a win. If there were problems, Skiles would be the one getting a headache over them.

Chen had his own matters to attend to. The day after the game, he set off. Bringing Ronaldo along, Chen drove his sports car straight toward Las Vegas. The entire journey spanned over four hundred kilometers, a five-hour drive.

"Chen, is it really a good idea for us to go to Las Vegas right now?"

In the car, Ronaldo looked a bit conflicted, yet a hint of excitement and anticipation lingered deep in his eyes. Everyone knew Las Vegas was a mecca of entertainment, a paradise of worldly pleasures for countless men.

"What’s wrong with it? Just treat it as a good relaxation trip before the World Cup," Chen replied. "Ronnie, you can’t keep yourself wound up so tight."

Through some background investigation and face-to-face conversations, Chen was almost certain that Ronaldo’s mindset had genuinely developed an issue. The star athlete was currently suffering from a degree of insomnia, which had started right after the season ended. Chen didn’t delve too deeply into it, sensing that Ronaldo himself was lost and confused, completely unaware of why this was happening to him. But Chen knew exactly why. The psychological string in his mind was stretched dangerously taut.

As for how to handle it, Chen felt that simple psychological counseling would be a massive waste of time. Therefore, the easiest solution was to relax—a complete and utter relaxation. They would do it in Ronaldo’s favorite way!

It was already dusk when the pair arrived in Las Vegas. Their destination was the MGM Hotel. Upon their arrival, Valenna Payne, the head of the hotel’s guest relations department, personally stepped forward to receive them.

"Chen, why do I get the feeling you have more clout than I do?" Ronaldo couldn’t help but mutter inside the luxurious presidential suite, overlooking a Las Vegas already illuminated by dazzling city lights.

As the FIFA World Player of the Year and a top-tier global football star, he had naturally visited Las Vegas more than once. It was safe to say that he could enjoy the highest level of treatment at any hotel he visited. However, he knew clearly that it was only because he was a celebrity—and a wealthy one at that. All the VIP treatment he received was bought with money. He didn’t receive true respect.

But Chen was different; Chen was deeply respected. Valenna, the second-in-command of the hotel, personally came out to host them. During their conversation, the executive even took the initiative to apologize to Chen, explaining that Mr. Mond, the president of the hotel, happened to be on a business trip abroad and was sorry he couldn’t entertain Chen personally. This level of reverence was something Ronaldo simply couldn’t buy.

Having driven the whole way, Chen already felt exhausted. He poured himself a glass of wine, thought for a moment, and said, "Could it be because I know the founder of their group?"

Kirk Kerkorian, the founder of MGM, was already eighty-nine years old and had long suffered from severe knee arthritis.

Ronaldo slightly raised his eyebrows, though he wasn’t particularly surprised. Chen was a presidential medical advisor and the world’s top orthopedic surgeon; it was perfectly normal for him to know high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

"So, Chen, what are we gonna do next? By the way, does Lexi know you came to Las Vegas?"

Chen thought to himself that there was no way he would let Lexi know about this.

"What do you think?" Chen replied.

Now that they were in Las Vegas, the obvious answer was to play. To let loose and play thoroughly. Every form of entertainment one could possibly imagine was available here. Naturally, the first thing to experience was gambling. After indulging in a massive feast, the two arrived at the hotel casino. The sports world was full of gambling addicts. Although Ronaldo didn’t quite reach the level of an addict, he was no stranger to the tables, and he was an avid fan of Texas Hold’em.

"Chen, is it really necessary to play this big?" Seeing Chen directly exchange one million US dollars in chips, Ronaldo was startled.

Chen casually took out a thousand-dollar chip, tossed it to the beautiful hostess accompanying them, and fired back, "What’s the matter? You afraid of losing?"

"Tch, as if," Ronaldo scoffed. Pouting slightly, he continued, "Consider this million US dollars on me. Play whatever you want. If you win, you keep it; if you lose, it’s my tab."

His income last year was nearly twenty million Euros, second only to Xiaobei. A mere one million US dollars was just a seventh of his annual salary. Still... it was a considerable amount.

"Alright," Chen agreed.

Chen thought to himself, "No duh. If I’m treating you, you’re obviously the one footing the bill."

All expenses for this Las Vegas trip had to be reimbursed by Ronaldo. Carrying their chips, the two headed into the VIP section. Chen didn’t find much joy in gambling. Analyzing it from a mathematical and statistical model, the probability of winning money and becoming a millionaire was truly about the same as the probability of obtaining a System. The main mission of this trip remained focused on psychological therapy.

"Mr. Paine, are you sure you can meet my requirements without him noticing?" Chen asked, taking a moment to pull Valenna aside.

Valenna smiled and nodded. "Gambling is a game that relies heavily on skill, and his skill level is terrible. We have ample ability and confidence to control his wins and losses." Pausing for a moment, Valenna added, "It’s just... sir, are you absolutely certain you want him to experience such a massive emotional rollercoaster?"

When Chen initially contacted them, he had made a specific request, asking the hotel to arrange a targeted gambling session for Ronaldo. It had to be a game where he would first win several million, driving him mad with excitement, only to lose it all in the final hand.

It was an incredibly bizarre request. That kind of devastating disappointment—holding millions one second and having absolutely nothing the next—was not something an ordinary person could endure. Valenna genuinely couldn’t understand why Chen would do such a thing to target a good friend.

"Just do it exactly as I asked," Chen said, thanking the manager without offering any explanation.