Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Macau Trip

Macau, officially known as the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, has a total area of 32.8 square kilometers. It is located to the north of Zhuhai, with the Wan Chai and Hengqin districts of Zhuhai to the west, and is 60 kilometers away from Hong Kong to the east, separated by the Pearl River Estuary.

Macau is a free port and the world's largest gambling city. Its famous light industry, cuisine, tourism, hotels, and entertainment venues have kept Macau thriving, making it one of the most developed and affluent regions in Asia. Due to the influence of European culture over the past four centuries, many of Macau's buildings are a blend of Chinese and Western classical Baroque styles, such as the St. Francis of Assisi Church.

Su Jing and Xu Jianfeng did not come here to enjoy the scenery. After leaving the airport, they directly hailed a taxi and headed down Beian Road. Su Jing lay down on the back seat to rest, while Xu Jianfeng silently gazed out the window at the seaside, lost in thought. The taxi finally stopped in front of the New Century Hotel.

"Eighteen Macanese patacas, please."

"Damn... I forgot to exchange money... Can I pay in RMB?"

"If you pay in RMB, it's twenty-five yuan."

The driver idly tapped his fingers on the dashboard.

"Wait... Isn't RMB more valuable than Macanese patacas?" Xu Jianfeng stopped halfway through reaching for his money, "Why is it eighteen patacas but twenty-five RMB?"

"Oh, you mainlanders, I said it's twenty-five RMB, so it's twenty-five RMB. What are you trying to do? Not pay?"

"You try talking to me like that again, and see what happens!" Xu Jianfeng grabbed the driver's wrist, "You think you can act tough in front of me?"

"Acting tough? Do you think I'm scared?"

"Enough! Enough! I'm trying to sleep here!!" Su Jing punched the car window, and the two in front turned to glare at him. Su Jing glared back, "Xu, pay the fare, I'm leaving."

Su Jing pushed open the car door and left Xu Jianfeng in the car, staring at the driver. When he reached the hotel entrance, Xu Jianfeng grumbled and caught up.

"Which floor?"

"Damn... The room I had booked is... Let me check my phone, room 0803."

Once inside the hotel room, Su Jing went straight to the bathroom to shower, while Xu Jianfeng ran off to exchange Hong Kong dollars.

After his shower, Su Jing lay on the bed, resting his eyes. Xu Jianfeng returned and threw a large paper bag onto Su Jing's stomach.

"What's this?"

"Dress nicely, so these people don't look down on us mainlanders."

Su Jing shrugged and opened the bag, which contained a black slim-fit casual suit and two white shirts.

"Xu, I didn't know you were so meticulous."

Su Jing lazily got up to change, while Xu Jianfeng was already dressed in a sharp suit, looking more like a bear due to his stocky build.

Half an hour later, the two got off the free bus and stood in front of the Babylon Resort Hotel.

"Why do I feel like this tie is a bit off..." Xu Jianfeng adjusted his tie all the way, feeling it was a bit crooked, "It's making it hard for me to breathe."

"Get used to it, you'll be fine."

"Hmm..."

After exchanging chips at the counter, they carried a bag of 50,000 chips and found a Baccarat table.

"What? We're not going to get rich playing Baccarat, are we?" After a few rounds, Xu Jianfeng leaned in to ask, "The money comes in... a bit slow, and you're not winning either..."

"Stop it." Su Jing flipped over his cards and snapped his fingers, "You're not still thinking about getting rich overnight and closing the casino, are you?"

"Can't we?" Xu Jianfeng asked in a low voice.

"No." Su Jing lazily pushed the chips he won in this round into Xu Jianfeng's arms, "Here's 2,000 for you. Go play on your own, and come back when you lose it. Don't disturb me while I gather information."

Xu Jianfeng hesitated for a moment, then noticed the chip bag was already in Su Jing's hands. After some thought, he sulkily went to play roulette.

"Hey! Xu, get me an ice cream! Chocolate flavor! And a few pieces of white chocolate, get the expensive ones!!"

"Got it!"

Xu Jianfeng, who found himself reduced to a lackey, waved his hand in resignation.

In fact, even with the Demon Hunter Bug, Su Jing's chances of cheating were still slim.

Big and Small, rejected.

Here, the bets are placed before the dealer shakes the dice, and the dice cup is transparent. This requires not just remote sensing but foresight.

Poker, rejected.

The Demon Hunter Bug has a limited movement speed. With five people at the table, it can only spy on one person at a time. The win rate is indeed higher, but unless it's a one-on-one duel, the win rate is still low.

Dragon Tiger, rejected.

Su Jing lacks the ability to predict the cards. The Demon Hunter Bug can transmit images from a distance, but it cannot see through the card dispenser.

Roulette is even less realistic. How can you predict where the ball will land? Even if you could see through the wheel, it wouldn't help.

Blackjack, Baccarat, slot machines... Su Jing leisurely visited each one, then eliminated them one by one. He won a 500 chip at Big and Small and asked the dealer for directions to the bathroom. The aunt smiled and pointed the way.

Su Jing quickly walked into the toilet and punched the wall hard. The tiles cracked, and a bit of blood from his knuckles was left on the wall.

Damn...!!

Even with the Demon Hunter Bug, he still can't cheat...

He has such an excellent tool but can't complete the task given by the World Core... Su Jing clenched his teeth, his eyes gradually turning red. This was the look he had whenever he was pushed to the brink, and in the past, he always found a way to turn the tide.

But this time, his examiner is the seemingly omnipotent World Core. Trying to deceive it is impossible, even for Su Jing. This is the first time in his life he faces a situation with no room for maneuver, the final test. In the Heaven Game, losing means death, and winning means survival.

Su Jing slowly savored the words "Heaven Game."

If it's a game, there must be a way to pass it. Su Jing believes the World Core brought him back from the brink of death not to push him down again. Since he is in this task, there must be a way to pass it. His job is to find that sliver of victory in the chaos.

Su Jing found a toilet stall, sat on the toilet seat, and let his mind race.

He thought for a while, then summoned the Demon Hunter Bug, letting the small beetle rest on his palm.

The silver-white, semi-transparent shell shimmered like glass, and the previously transparent patterns now had a faint pinkish hue, possibly due to absorbing Su Jing's blood. Su Jing touched the smooth back of the beetle and gradually narrowed his eyes.

How can this little thing evolve?

Su Jing closed his eyes and reviewed the information about the Demon Hunter Bug on his character card.

Insect species, all variations stem from the same origin. Even if it's a modified special breed, it should still need to consume protein and nutrients. He had tried feeding it during meals, but the Demon Hunter Bug refused to eat anything, not even water or the steak Su Jing left for it.

Su Jing left the toilet stall, looked around to ensure no one was there, and found the spot he had punched earlier. The high-quality tiles with intricate patterns were now cracked like a spider web. He punched a few more times, then used his fingernails to pick out a piece of the right size. He returned to the stall and locked the door.

Sitting back on the toilet, Su Jing rolled up his sleeve, found the right spot, and inserted the sharp piece of tile into his wrist. The cold, sharp object pierced his tender skin, through the dermis, and into the prominent veins. Su Jing showed no mercy, slicing a vertical wound.

Bright red blood quickly flowed down his wrist. The silver-white Demon Hunter Bug seemed to sense its master's will, latching onto Su Jing's wrist and beginning to drink his blood.

"Good... drink more... drink more..." Su Jing chanted softly, mesmerized by the beetle's back, where the faint pinkish hue deepened and became a dark red, "I knew you would drink my blood... you little demon."

The Demon Hunter Bug, now with a silver body and black patterns, lay lazily in Su Jing's palm, tucking its head into its shell. Su Jing then heard the card in his mind prompt:

[The Demon Hunter Bug larva is undergoing its first evolution. Please choose the enhancement direction.]

[Enhancement options: Information transmission distance, Signal stability, Information collection ability]

Su Jing looked up, a mad grin on his face, and without hesitation chose the third option: [Information collection ability].

An hour later, at a Dragon Tiger table, a young man who had been betting small chips on Dragon for several rounds suddenly took all the chips from his bag and placed them on the Tie side. A total of 57,000 chips.

The dealer politely confirmed with the young man, then dealt the cards.

One card for Dragon, one for Tiger.

As the cards were revealed, the surrounding gamblers focused on the young man, as betting 57,000 on the least likely outcome, Tie, was quite rare.

Betting on Dragon or Tiger wins pays double, but betting on Tie pays eight times.

"Reveal the cards."

The young man smiled, but no one noticed his pale face, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

The dealer used a long stick to flip the cards. Five of Clubs.

Next card. Five of Spades.

The surrounding people murmured in amazement.

"Eight times the bet, 456,000. Thank you."

The young man's voice was low and weak as the dealer pushed the chips to him.

The young man then placed all the chips on the Tie side again.

"456,000, continue, all on Tie."

Even the dealer was taken aback, and the surrounding people let out a louder gasp. An old man patted the young man's shoulder, saying, "Young man, know when to stop."

"I'll give it a shot, just one more try." The young man smiled politely.

The dealer dealt the cards.

"Reveal the cards."

The young man's eyes were fixed on the table, and he rubbed his tired eyes.

First card. Ten of Spades.

Second card. Ten of Clubs.

"456,000, eight times the bet, 3,642,000..."

As the young man said this, he suddenly slumped and fell off his chair, collapsing on the floor.

"What's wrong with you! Su Jing!! Don't scare me!!" A middle-aged man pushed through the crowd, helping Su Jing up, "Your face is so pale! What's in your sleeve..."

Su Jing raised his hand, placed it on the man's shoulder, and shook his head, signaling him to be quiet. Then, in front of the astonished onlookers, the young man and the middle-aged man collected all the large chips from the dealer and walked out of the casino together.

No one noticed the bloodstains on the young man's left sleeve, and in his lowered left hand, several nearly coagulated blood trails were slowly dripping down.

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