Chapter 268: Chapter 59: Winning Assurance _1
Yan Shi disdainfully said, "How could such a nation rise to power when commoners are addicted to gambling? Their bodies have already been drained by liquor and gambling. They probably couldn’t defend their city for long. Yan Li chimed in, "True, no wonder they call it Dark City. Besides the bureaucrats and the casino owners who get rich, ordinary people are likely to end up impoverished like Uncle Vatana in the end. Oh, isn’t that the casino over there?" He pointed to a shop with heavy foot traffic but without a sizable storefront. The shop had no obvious sign, just a large character on the door. It was written in the language of the Empire of Sunset City, which the three men didn’t recognize.
Vatana sighed and nodded, "That character on the door means ’gamble.’ That’s just a small gambling house, not much of a big deal. But you guys are right. In Dark City, most people are in a state of decadence. Most people work just to earn a bit more money for gambling. And we are not afraid of wars, we have the church’s protection. We are the most faithful followers of the Sky God, the god will bless us."
Yan Li disdainfully said, "If the god would bless you people, he must be blind."
A flash of anger passed through Vatana’s eyes. He was a loyal follower of the Sky God, but he was seeking help now and dared not refute Yan Li. He mumbled: "My Lord Sky God, please forgive these ignorant fools." his face full of devotion, as if the Sky God would indeed bless him.
Ah Dai said, "Uncle Vatana, let’s go to the Mage Guild first, so I can withdraw the money to repay your debt."
Just as Vatana was about to agree, he was stopped by Yan Shi. They exchanged glances, then Yan Shi pulled Ah Dai aside. Ah Dai asked in confusion, "Big brother Yan Shi, what’s happening? I’ve promised Uncle Vatana, and I’ll keep my word. Don’t try to talk me out of it. I believe Uncle Vatana is not a scammer."
Yan Shi slightly smiled, "What’s the rush? I never said you can’t help Vatana pay off the debt. However, the Mage Guild shouldn’t lend the money since it involves gambling, even though you want to help someone. That might negatively influence your reputation in the guild in the future. We’d better solve this issue ourselves."
Ah Dai was stunned, "Big brother, do you have the money?"
Yan Shi mysteriously smiled, pointed at the small casino, "Even though I don’t have it, it’s there! Since the casino took Vatana’s property, let the casino repay it."
Ah Dai scratched his head, not understanding Yan Shi’s meaning, "Big brother, do you want me to gamble? Didn’t you say gambling is harmful last night? How can we do that?"
Yan Shi explained, "Indeed, gambling is harmful. But if we can be sure of winning, we won’t be harmed. Perhaps, we could even vent the anger of the gamblers. Ah Dai, with your control of the Magic, you should be able to manipulate many things. Once we’re in the casino, just follow my instructions. I guarantee you can win all of Vatana’s debts."
Ah Dai had faith in Yan Shi, nodded and said, "Alright, big brother, I’ll follow your plan."
They returned to Vatana who looked pale and quiet. Yan Shi said, "Uncle Vatana, rest assured, we will pay off your debt. But first, you need to take us to the casino. We want to see how this casino harms people."
Vatana shook his head repeatedly, "No, no. I won’t go. That place is evil! I will never gamble again in my lifetime."
Yan Shi comforted him, "Uncle, don’t worry. We’re not asking you to gamble. We just want to see how this casino harms people. When we’re there, you just need to tell us how to play these games." Saying that, he urged Vatana, Yan Li and Ah Dai to head towards the casino.
Yan Shi thought to himself, since Vatana was a former wealthy merchant, he usually went to high-end casinos. He would never set foot in a small edge-of-town casino like this one. Naturally, no one here would recognize him. As soon as they walked in, they were welcomed by two attendants. Seeing Ah Dai dressed as a mage, they immediately bent over to welcome the four men inside, nobody paid attention to Vatana.
"Gentlemen, what would you like to play? I can help introduce."
Vatana, who had just said he would never gamble again, walked into the casino. The familiar shout of game moves, the clashing sound of gambling chips, made his heart boil with excitement. His eyes flickered with anticipation. For Ah Dai and the others, it was their first visit to such a place and they were slightly overwhelmed. Yan Shi said to the attendant, "Leave us be, we’ll look around first, then decide what to play." Although he told Ah Dai beforehand that he had a foolproof plan, it was because he was confident in Ah’s Magic control. He believed that any gambling result could be manipulated. For gambling, Yan Shi had a strong sense of detestation, having heard of too many stories similar to Vatana’s. His purpose was to break this casino. He asked Vatana, who was now brimming with excitement, "Uncle Vatana, what would be the fastest way to make money here?"
