Chapter 48 - 45: Win Once

Chapter 48: Chapter 45: Win Once

As Jiang Yong walked out of the antique shop, his first thought was to sell the Lucky Star Necklace.

But when he reached a jewelry store, he stopped. Jiang Chaosheng’s words surfaced in his mind.

"Don’t you want to win, just once?"

Jiang Yong’s eyes grew vacant.

’I’ve been losing for years.’

’Lost at the gambling table, lost my family, lost... my life.’

’Just one win. I want to win, just once!’

Jiang Yong’s gaze hardened with resolve.

’If this thing is really as powerful as that shop owner said, then let me win just this once!’

Jiang Yong looked at the lottery station next to the jewelry store, then strode inside.

He studied the scratch-off tickets on the counter as intently as an old woman picking fresh vegetables at the market.

Jiang Yong wasn’t just choosing a scratch-off ticket; he was choosing his ’one win’.

The lottery station owner looked at Jiang Yong with disdain.

"They’re all the same. What do you think you can figure out? Are you buying one or not?"

Jiang Yong looked up, his expression dead serious.

"They’re not the same."

Jiang Yong pulled out two hundred, selected ten scratch-off tickets, and handed them to the owner.

The owner muttered something about him being a psycho and put the money in the register.

Jiang Yong scratched one off.

His eyes gradually lit up.

One thousand!

He won a thousand!

Jiang Yong immediately handed the winning ticket to the owner, like a small child waiting for praise from their teacher.

"Boss, I won a thousand!"

The owner gave Jiang Yong a skeptical look, then inspected the scratch-off ticket carefully.

"You actually won. Lucky you."

The owner took out a thousand from the counter and handed it to Jiang Yong.

Jiang Yong tucked the thousand into his pocket, his movements light and careful.

He immediately scratched another one.

"I won again!"

The owner was stunned.

"No way."

Jiang Yong excitedly scratched off the third ticket.

"A winner! A winner! Another winner!"

The owner said in disbelief,

"Holy shit, man! A triple play! You’re on fire!"

The other people playing the lottery were also drawn over by the commotion.

Watching Jiang Yong win one ticket after another, they let out cries of astonishment.

Ten scratch-off tickets, all winners, for a total of ten thousand!

Jiang Yong chuckled and handed the scratch-offs to the owner.

"Cash me out."

The owner rummaged around under the counter and said,

"You’re really lucky. I only brought ten thousand with me today.

If you’d won any more, you would have had to wait until tomorrow."

Jiang Yong froze for a moment when he heard that.

’Am I really that lucky?’

’It cost me fifty years of my life.’

He smiled brilliantly.

"Yep. I’m exceptionally lucky."

...

「That night. South Sea. The Splendor KTV.」

The KTV wasn’t famous, but it never lacked for customers.

Those in the know were all aware that the owner of this KTV was Zhang Bao.

Zhang Bao was a veteran gangster in the South Sea.

Years ago, he’d been slashed across the forehead in a fight, leaving a scar that earned him the nickname "Three-Eyed Bao."

Naturally, a place run by an old dog like him wasn’t just for something as simple as karaoke.

The Splendor KTV’s true nature was that of an underground casino.

On the third floor of the KTV, Jiang Yong was like the God of Gamblers incarnate, wiping the floor with everyone.

In a single day, he had not only paid off all his gambling debts but had also won eight million.

Jiang Yong’s hearty laughter could be heard throughout the entire casino.

More and more gamblers noticed how bizarrely lucky the kid was today and started placing their bets alongside him.

The house’s losses grew more and more disastrous, and the dealer couldn’t stop wiping the sweat from his face.

The casino’s spotter found Jiang Yong and said in a low voice,

"Stop playing. You’ve won enough. Watch out, or you’ll lose it all back."

Jiang Yong was on a high and in no mood to listen. He snorted coldly.

"Me, lose? Do you have any idea who Zhou Runfa is to me? That’s my idol!"

The casino spotter said,

"Take a million, and I’ll find a couple of Princesses to keep you company. Just leave now.

Don’t make this difficult. Be careful, or you might not be walking out of here at all."

Jiang Yong sneered.

’I’ve already thrown away fifty years of my life. All I want right now is to win!’

Jiang Yong jumped onto a chair and yelled at the top of his lungs,

"Three-Eyed Bao is a sore loser! He’s trying to kick people out!"

Why would the surrounding gamblers let their cash cow walk away?

They all started cursing out the house for being sore losers.

The spotters resentfully walked away.

In this business, your reputation is everything.

Jiang Yong waved his arm grandly.

"Let’s keep it rolling!"

...

「Top floor. Luxurious private suite.」

Zhang Bao chain-smoked, staring fiercely at Jiang Yong on the security monitor.

Ever since the other players started riding Jiang Yong’s coattails, the casino’s losses had become astronomical.

’Losing money here is faster than a bank withdrawal!’

Just then, the door opened.

A man in a yellow suit walked in.

Zhang Bao saw him as a savior and quickly scurried over.

"Mr. Yamada, you have to help me today!"

The man was, surprisingly, one of the East Sakura People.

Yamada sat on the sofa.

"Go on. What’s the matter?"

Zhang Bao said with a pained expression,

"Some kid with unnatural luck showed up. His name is Jiang Yong.

He used to be a regular degenerate gambler at my place, but I don’t know how he’s suddenly become a high roller today.

My spotters have checked him out; he’s not cheating. He’s not a mechanic.

Mr. Yamada, if he keeps playing like this, I’ll be bankrupt by the end of the night."

After speaking, Zhang Bao paused and looked at Yamada cautiously.

"It doesn’t matter if I go broke. My main concern is that I won’t be able to present Lord Seimei with his customary antiques on time."

Zhang Bao didn’t know who Seimei was, only that this "Lord Seimei" was Yamada’s boss and had a particular fondness for antiques.

Every month, he would purchase priceless antiques to present to Seimei.

Of course, Zhang Bao wasn’t doing this for free. In return, Mr. Yamada here was supposed to protect his business.

This man, Yamada, was unnervingly formidable; he actually knew the mystical Yin Yang Art!

Yamada moved closer to the monitor, staring at Jiang Yong.

"What are you afraid of? I’ll go deal with him."

...

Yamada walked out onto the casino floor, dismissed the dealer, and took his place at the table.

Jiang Yong jeered,

"Well, well, switching dealers? It’s useless. You’re all the same."

Yamada said quietly,

"You’ve won more than enough. It’s time to be satisfied."

For some reason, when Jiang Yong heard that, his eyes began to sting.

’Have I won enough?’

’It’s not enough.’

’How much do I have to win to get my wife and kids back?’

’How much... to win back the happy life that was once mine?’

A thick wave of resentment toward the casino washed over Jiang Yong.

’If it weren’t for gambling, how good would things be? I’d eat well, sleep soundly.’

’But since I already have the Lucky Star Necklace, I might as well win as much as I can.’

’Mom and Dad, my wife and kids... they can all live a goddamn good life!’

’And forget... about me, this asshole!’

As if in revenge, Jiang Yong slammed his fist on the table. His eyes bulged with hatred as he roared,

"Bring it on! Motherfucker!"

Yamada’s expression stiffened, and he said sinisterly,

"Fine. Bring it on."

The tense, confrontational atmosphere only made the onlookers more excited.

Yamada secretly used his Yin Yang Art to manipulate the gambling table.

Gradually, Yamada’s brows began to furrow.

’I learned my Yin Yang Art from Lord Seimei himself.’

’It may not be on the level of Lord Seimei, who can command the wind and rain, but it should still be more than enough to cheat at a simple game.’

’So what’s going on today? How have I lost several rounds in a row to this man?’

Yamada let out a long, heavy breath.

"You win. I concede defeat."

Jiang Yong burst out laughing excitedly.

"Hahaha, I won! I won!"

This was the happiest Jiang Yong had been in years.

’It’s all thanks to the Lucky Star Necklace, and my own luck from the next few years of my life.’

’I really didn’t expect my luck for the next few years would be this good.’

Jiang Yong pulled out the Lucky Star Necklace, wanting to give it a big kiss.

But when he saw the Lucky Star Necklace, the smile on his face froze.

At some point, the Lucky Star Necklace had changed color.

It was as black as ink.

Sensing something, Jiang Yong quickly looked up.

He saw the man in the yellow suit staring fixedly at the Lucky Star Necklace, his eyes filled with an almost crazed Greed.

Yamada slowly shifted his gaze to Jiang Yong’s face.

"So, that’s how you’ve been winning."