Chapter Forty-Five: All In! Earning Another Hundred Million

Xu Yi decisively used the Mind Reader skill on Luo Hao.

Just as expected! Peeking into Luo Hao's inner thoughts revealed that he had come specifically for him after being tipped off about the casino by Ah Jie.

With this realization, Xu Yi wore a high-profile smile, shook his head at the young master, and said dismissively, "Accusing me of cheating? These cards were dealt by the dealer, and the equipment belongs to the casino. This is my very first time here; what kind of cheating could I possibly pull off? Are you implying that the casino is colluding with me to swindle the young master's money?"

Luo Hao narrowed his eyes slightly upon hearing this, his voice turning icy. "Kid! You can say whatever you want, but you'd better watch your mouth. Do you even know who owns this casino?"

Xu Yi scoffed disdainfully. "What? Operating a casino means people aren't allowed to speak the truth? So what if you own it? Does that make you immune to criticism?"

Pausing for a moment, Xu Yi swept a deeply contemptuous glance over the young master and said, "Surely not! This so-called young master wouldn't be a sore loser over a bit of money, would he?"

"Audacious!"

"You're courting death!"

Several shouts of anger rang out simultaneously!

"Who the hell do you think you are, kid? How dare you speak to Brother Hao like that? This is the territory of the East Sea Gang, you bastard! Say another word and I'll chop you up and feed you to the fish!"

A suited henchman standing beside Luo Hao barked loudly, stepping forward as if ready to throw punches!

"Damn it! Shut your traps, all of you!"

With a face so grim it looked ready to kill, the young master roared, stopping the man in his tracks.

"What the hell? I haven't even spoken yet. Who asked you to butt in? Get the hell out of here!"

With that, the young master glared at Luo Hao. "Keep a tighter leash on your dog! I'm not pathetic enough to resort to violence just because I lost some money! It's humiliating!"

Luo Hao's subordinate instantly flushed crimson. Seeing that his boss remained silent, he had no choice but to shut his mouth and step back, shooting Xu Yi a look of intense, burning hostility.

"Hmph!"

Snorting coldly, the young master stared fixatedly at Xu Yi. "Kid! No one has ever dared to speak to me like that. You're the first. Damn it, you've got guts."

"I couldn't care less about the money! But my pride? That I care about! Tens of millions is nothing in my eyes, just petty cash! Do you dare to play another round with me?"

Xu Yi replied indifferently, "Play? Why wouldn't I? I'm always happy when someone's handing out free money. But playing heads-up Twenty-One is boring. Let's switch to a different game."

"Tch! What do you want to play?"

"Since it's a heads-up duel, naturally we should play the most classic one."

"Stud poker!"

As soon as Xu Yi uttered those words, Luo Hao abruptly narrowed his eyes and stared at him intently.

Seeing Luo Hao's reaction, the corners of Xu Yi's mouth curled upward!

The bait was taken! According to the intelligence provided by Madman Zhang, the high-stakes card game Luo Hao was scheduled to participate in was precisely stud poker!

"Hahaha! Stud poker, is it? Right up my alley! Luo Hao, get me a hundred million in chips!"

The young master declared imperiously.

Luo Hao waved a hand, and someone immediately hurried off to prepare the chips!

The young master then grandly added, "Kid! If you've got the guts, win this hundred million from me. What I respect most is someone with genuine skill. However, your stakes aren't enough!"

"If you lose, I don't want your money! You cut off one of your own hands, and then kneel and kowtow three loud knocks to me! How about we call it even then?"

At this moment, the young master's mind was entirely consumed with reclaiming his lost face; he had completely forgotten that his initial intention was to target Yang Tingting, who was standing beside Xu Yi.

Yang Tingting was so nervous her throat felt parched and her entire body trembled, unable to utter a single word.

A hundred million! What had transpired tonight had far exceeded the limits of her imagination.

Luo Hao flicked away his glowing cigar ash and said with meaningful depth, "Kid! You'd better think carefully before you answer. Don't forget whose turf you're standing on."

Luo Hao's subordinates immediately dispersed, subtly blocking the exits of the private room.

Was this an implication that they would resort to force if he refused?

Xu Yi maintained a handsome, easygoing smile and responded with absolute calm, "What's there to be afraid of? This hundred million! I'm definitely taking it!"

Luo Hao abruptly commanded, "Clear the room!"

Instantly, the guests at the other gambling tables in the private room stopped their games and crowded around to watch.

The gambling table where Xu Yi and the others had been sitting was removed and replaced with a long, rectangular poker table.

The white-haired old dealer walked to the center, maintaining his composed demeanor.

"Since both gentlemen have chosen stud poker," he stated smoothly, "please set the rules."

"First, are we playing five-card stud or seven-card stud?"

"Five-card!"

"Who deals first?"

The young master pointed straight at Xu Yi. "Him!"

"What are the betting limits per hand?"

"Minimum one million, maximum ten million. All-ins are permitted before the final card is dealt!"

The dealer nodded. "Then the next step, please inspect this deck of cards to ensure there are no issues."

He produced a brand-new deck of cards and moved to hand them over.

The young master waved a hand dismissively. "No need."

Xu Yi shook his head as well.

The dealer nodded, unwrapped the deck, and began shuffling. Within moments, the deck was arranged.

Xu Yi and the young master sat facing one another across the table.

The first hole card was dealt! A thin mist instantly veiled Xu Yi's eyes!

Every single card to follow was instantly etched into his memory!

So that's how it is!

The corners of Xu Yi's mouth lifted into a smile!

...

Xu Yi held the first deal. His hole card was a nine of spades, while the young master's hole card was an ace of clubs.

For the second card, dealt face up, Xu Yi received a ten of spades, and the young master received an ace of diamonds.

"The young master holds the higher hand, please place your bet," the dealer gestured.

The young master glanced at his cards, casually tossed out five million in chips, and said, "Kid! Let's see you match this on the first hand! If you fold, I'll truly look down on you."

Xu Yi calmly called the five million, then replied, "My view is the opposite of the young master's. You'd better bet less on this hand; otherwise, I'm afraid this might be the only round you get to play today!"

The young master's face darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "Kid! You're getting more and more arrogant. You think you can win this in a single hand? Let's see if you have the capability! Turn the cards!"

The dealer dealt the third card!

The young master was dealt another ace, this time the ace of hearts, while Xu Yi received a jack of spades.

Seeing he had three aces in hand, the young master flushed crimson with excitement, his ego swelling visibly as he pushed out ten million in chips.

"Damn it! Lady Luck is smiling on me today! Kid, come on! Keep going! Didn't you say you were going to crush me in one hand? Do you dare to call?"

The young master struggled to suppress his excitement while making no effort to hide his arrogance. Watching him, Xu Yi found it difficult to tell whether to laugh or hold it in; the internal struggle was exhausting.

After all, Xu Yi had already foreseen the outcome. To him, the young master's posturing looked no different from that of a clown performing on a stage.

Still, it was best not to mock him too excessively. The man's background was clearly extraordinary, as evidenced by the way Luo Hao treated him. Befriending such a person could prove useful down the line.

Xu Yi calmly pushed forward ten million in chips as well, saying indifferently, "Young master, you might want to pace yourself. Even if your hole card is also an ace, it's just three aces—no need to get so carried away. At most, you'll end up with four of a kind, while my cards have the potential for a straight flush."

The young master glanced at Xu Yi's visible cards—the ten of spades and the jack of spades, with the hole card still unknown.

He sneered contemptuously, "What are the odds of hitting a straight flush? Do you really think you're the God of Gamblers reincarnated?"

Xu Yi shrugged. "Talk is cheap. Shall we continue?"

The dealer proceeded to deal the fourth card.

Xu Yi received a king of spades, while the young master received a nine of hearts.

The dealer maintained his steady, professional tone. "Final round of betting, please place your wagers."

Xu Yi spoke casually, "I'm all in! And as I stated before the game began, since my chips aren't enough, I am wagering one of my hands and three kowtows. I'm going all in against the rest of your stack!"

As soon as these words left his mouth, a sharp intake of breath echoed through the entire room.

At this point, both players' hands were nearly set.

The young master's visible cards consisted of two aces and a nine, with his hole card being an ace. If his fifth card turned out to be an ace, he would form four of a kind. Even without it, if he caught a nine, he would have a full house; any other card would leave him with three of a kind.

In contrast, looking at Xu Yi's visible ten, jack, and king of spades, coupled with his nine in the hole, he required precisely the queen of spades to complete a straight flush and secure a comeback. Any other card would mean certain defeat.

Purely from the odds visible on the table, the probability of Xu Yi winning appeared pitifully slim to everyone watching.

Under such circumstances, for him to push all in—and even wager his own hand to be severed—meant he either possessed nerves of steel or was out of his mind!

The young master was momentarily stunned by Xu Yi's declaration, a flash of genuine admiration crossing his eyes. "Spirited! This is the first time I've met someone like you. To be at such a disadvantage and still remain entirely unfazed while gambling everything! Win or lose today, you've made a name for yourself in East Sea City. You've earned the right to remember my name."

"Kid! Remember this: the man who takes your hand is none other than myself, Ye Yunqing!"

With that, Ye Yunqing pushed all of his remaining chips into the center!

Both players were completely all in!

The tense, thrilling moment for the final card had finally arrived.

Everyone in the room held their breath. Even Ye Yunqing's eyes were reddened and his breathing grew slightly shallow. In stark contrast, Xu Yi's composure was something the onlookers would find hard to forget.

No! There was still one other person who remained entirely unruffled.

The elderly dealer. No matter how agitated the surrounding crowd became, he remained as calm as still water. Seeing that Ye Yunqing had committed all his chips, he spoke in a steady voice.

"For the final round of cards, please collect your hands and reveal your hole cards."

With a flick of his wrists, two playing cards glided through the air toward the players. Without even glancing at it, Xu Yi flipped his card over—it was the queen of spades.

Ye Yunqing abruptly leaned forward, picked up his final card, and slowly rubbed the corner to reveal it.

"Ace! Ace! Ace! ... Ace!"

Ye Yunqing slammed the card—the ace of spades—onto the table with fierce excitement, then flipped over his hole card.

Four aces instantly materialized on the table! Four of a kind—the second strongest hand in stud poker!

"Hahaha! Kid, with this hand of mine, how the hell do you expect to win? Huh? Just gracefully admit defeat already! Hahaha!"

Ye Yunqing laughed with unbridled arrogance, while the surrounding spectators sighed in unison. "That kid is finished for sure..."

Yet some remained silent, such as the man in the gold-rimmed glasses, who continued to watch Xu Yi and his face-down hole card.

Xu Yi wore an expression of absolute calm. Could his hole card really be the nine of spades?

Amidst the suffocating tension, Xu Yi tapped Yang Tingting lightly on the shoulder. "Miss Tingting, why don't you do the honors and flip over this hole card?"

"Ah? What?" Yang Tingting felt as though she might faint from nervousness. Stakes exceeding a hundred million? From the very beginning, she had wondered if she was trapped inside a bizarre dream.

"Xu Yi, I... I don't dare!" Yang Tingting looked as though she was about to burst into tears.

"It's fine, go ahead! Who knows, maybe your luck is better than mine?" Xu Yi encouraged her with a reassuring smile.

Swallowing hard, Yang Tingting trembled as she reached out. She gripped the edge of the hole card, squeezed her eyes shut in sheer terror, and abruptly flipped it over!

At that instant, the entire private room fell into an absolute, breathless silence, as if someone had pressed the pause button on reality.

What just happened?

Then, Xu Yi's voice cut through the stillness and reached her ears.

"My apologies, Young Master Ye! This high-stakes gamble—I've won!"

Yang Tingting blinked her eyes open, and the next second, the room erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and shouts!

"Unbelievable! Holy shit! It really was a straight flush!"

"A straight flush beating four of a kind—a classic battle of the century! What was this guy's name again? Xu Yi? He's going to be famous!"

Yang Tingting stared in a daze at the gambling table. The hole card she had just flipped over was indeed the nine of spades!