Turning around, I saw Hou Jun standing to one side.
Pointing at me, he loudly proclaimed:
“These two are in cahoots. They’ve been whispering in the rest area the whole time. Clearly up to no good…”
This Hou Jun.
His thirst for revenge was strong.
He wouldn’t miss any chance to crush me.
I gave him a cold glance and ignored him.
The manager on the first floor didn’t recognize me.
He shook his head and said:
“Then you should all come with me…”
Inside the office.
Zou Xiaoxian and Su Mei were both present.
Seeing a group of us enter.
Su Mei looked surprised and asked:
“What’s going on?”
The manager had the casino dealer recount the events.
Su Mei listened, her delicate brows furrowing.
She glanced at me and asked:
“Did you see anything?”
I shook my head.
“Then why are you here?”
“Hou Jun said I was with him…”
“Do you know each other?”
I nodded slightly.
Of course, Su Mei wouldn’t believe that I was in league with Old Wu.
It wasn’t out of trust in me.
But because Old Wu’s tricks were too amateurish.
And the amount was too small.
Glancing at Old Wu, Su Mei said indifferently:
“Old man, considering your age, I won’t make things difficult for you. Just admit to cheating, return the chips, and pay a fine. I might consider letting you off…”
Actually, Su Mei’s leniency.
Was partly because of me.
But Old Wu immediately covered the teapot, his eyes glaring as he said:
“This money was won fair and square, why should I return it? You accuse me of cheating without evidence? I could say the same about you!”
Su Mei’s brows furrowed even more.
Zou Xiaoxian, who had been silent and stern-faced the whole time.
Suddenly snorted coldly, looking at Old Wu and said icily:
“Taking advantage of your age! Do you think that by not admitting it, we can’t do anything to you?”
Old Wu held his head high.
Still looking utterly unconcerned.
“I’ll have you know, we have surveillance here!”
Upon hearing this.
Old Wu’s eyes began to blink rapidly.
You could tell he was getting nervous.
The surveillance equipment in Harbin North in the year 2000.
Was still a mix of analog and digital.
The cameras weren’t 360-degree panoramic but mainly overhead shots, and the images were quite unclear.
Although Old Wu was quick with his chips.
The sudden appearance of extra chips at the banker/player positions could still be spotted.
“Check the surveillance!”
Zou Xiaoxian said coldly.
“Wait a minute!”
Old Wu suddenly raised his hand, making a stopping gesture.
He brushed the hair from his forehead.
Assuming a righteous demeanor.
“I, Old Wu, am a man who stands by his actions. I admit, I did flick the chips! Now, you say, what should we do?”
Since I got involved in gambling.
Old Wu was the first I’d seen.
To cheat so brazenly and still be so righteous.
Everyone was stunned.
And Old Wu’s expression suddenly changed.
He immediately put on a cheerful face.
Opening the teapot, he poured out the chips inside.
“I was just here for fun, to have a laugh with you all. I didn’t intend to win your money. Here, take your chips back…”
Saying this, he handed the chips to the casino dealer next to him.
But he kept a two-hundred chip, muttering to himself:
“This two hundred isn’t yours, it’s my stake. I’ll need to exchange it back later…”
The casino dealer glanced at Zou Xiaoxian, who dared not accept it.
Seeing her refusal, Old Wu simply placed the chip on the table.
Still with a beaming smile.
“Alright, alright. It’s no big deal. It’s getting late, I should be heading home…”
Saying so, Old Wu actually made to leave.
“Stop right there!”
Zou Xiaoxian’s face turned ashen with rage.
Staring at Old Wu, she asked coldly:
“What do you take my Sky Like gambling den for? A vegetable market? You cheat and think you can just walk away?”
“What else can I do if I don’t leave? Are you inviting me to dinner?”
That remark.
Made Zou Xiaoxian even more furious.
“The rules for being caught cheating, do you understand them?”
Old Wu nodded.
“Of course, I cheated, but hasn’t your casino done the same?”
Zou Xiaoxian was taken aback.
She stared intently at Old Wu.
While Old Wu, unconcerned, continued:
“Don’t bully me because I’m old, thinking I don’t know. Your Baccarat decks have secret compartments with an extra set of cards. Your dice tables use remote-controlled dice. The Roulette tables have magnets underneath. The Fan Tan tables use magnetized pieces. Even in Blackjack, the card shoes and decks are rigged, dealing whatever card you want. So, it’s okay for you to cheat and deceive, but Old Wu can’t flick a few chips?”
The office fell silent.
Zou Xiaoxian’s expression was a mix of shock and anger.
She never expected.
Old Wu to spill all the casino’s secrets.
And I, too, was taken aback.
Casino cheating was no surprise.
Many swindlers, if observant enough, could also spot the issues.
But this was Old Wu’s first visit.
In such a short time.
He had exposed all the tricks of the gambling den.
Just for that alone.
This Old Wu was no ordinary man.
But now, I was more worried for Old Wu.
By revealing the casino’s secrets.
How could Zou Xiaoxian possibly let him off easily?
Sure enough.
Zou Xiaoxian’s face darkened as she said coldly:
“You’re spouting nonsense! Since you admit to cheating, we’ll follow the rules!”
With that, she commanded the security guards:
“Take one of his hands first. Then send him to the dog farm in the countryside, let him stay with the dogs for a year or so. To prevent him from spouting nonsense!”
Zou Xiaoxian did this.
Purely for the casino’s reputation.
After all.
Old Wu knew the mechanisms behind each gambling table.
If word got out.
The casino might as well close down.
I felt a pang of regret.
If he hadn’t exposed the casino’s dealings.
Perhaps, I could have spoken up for him.
Offer more money to at least save his hand.
But now, it was impossible for me to speak.
To do so would be to add fuel to the fire.
As soon as she finished speaking.
Two security guards approached Old Wu.
One of them even drew a machete.
Old Wu was standing right beside me.
But strangely.
His expression showed not the slightest hint of nervousness.
Still as calm as ever.
The security guards drew closer.
I could even feel the violent aura in their eyes.
Suddenly.
With a cry.
One of the guards doubled over in pain on the ground.
The knife in his hand clattered to the floor.
His left hand tightly clutching his right wrist.
At the wrist.
Blood was slowly seeping out.
Everyone was shocked.
Including me.
Looking at the guard’s feet.
There lay a dice.
Clearly.
The injury on the guard’s wrist.
Came from that dice.
“Chu Liu!”
Su Mei suddenly looked up at me.
Her eyes filled with anger and concern.
I knew.
She must think that I was the one who flicked the dice.
If it were me.
Zou Xiaoxian would definitely not let me off today.
But, it really wasn’t me.
It was Old Wu, standing beside me.