Doomsday Jigsaw Puzzle

Chapter 148: Chapter 148: The Whole Team’s Bet

"My dear guests! Do you want to remain as lowly creatures for the rest of your lives, or do you aspire to turn your lives around? When you wake up and find yourself at the elevator to the Divine Realm, have you ever thought that you might be the chosen one? Your life trajectory is destined to soar into the clouds starting today."

"Seek out your prey; in twenty-four hours, you will become fundamentally different. Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho."

In the casino’s grand hall, such seductive and misleading announcements would sound off from time to time. Both Evil Fallen and humans appeared ready to kill.

Especially since Evil Fallen were mostly haunted by resentments, they rarely had the capacity for rational thought. The moment they entered, they would lose something, which only increased their desire to gamble.

One thing led to another, and Bai Wu could feel the thick air of deception in the casino.

There were many activities in the casino: card games, dice games, billiards, roulette, and multiplayer games.

Alternatively, one could directly find a prey and request to engage in some kind of special duel with them. Such a duel had rules set by the participants themselves.

Because Seahorse emphasized that oaths made here had to be fulfilled, agreements between two people were effective.

Using this, an array of competitions could be staged.

One could even invite their opponent to a physical fight, which was also a form of gambling.

In the corner on the ring, Bai Wu could see two Evil Fallen grappling with each other, with spectators placing bets around them.

He observed his surroundings carefully; the first order of business for Bai Wu was to find a suitable game for himself, one where he was absolutely certain of winning.

"Prayle’s Eye won’t tell me the contents of the games, but it will reveal the Innate Forces and Talent Sequences of these creatures, as well as the Mutation Entries. As long as I grasp these, I can know what they need. My chips are limited to one... I must be careful and cautious."

Wu Jiu, Yin Shuang, and others hadn’t made a move; they were also looking for games with the highest winning odds.

"These Evil Fallen... They’re really strange, showing not the slightest desire to attack us," Shang Xiaoyi said, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Bai Wu said,

"You can challenge them too if they agree."

Of course, Shang Xiaoyi wouldn’t choose that path but asked instead,

"Right now... if we gamble against the Evil Fallen, we should have a greater chance of winning, right?"

"Not necessarily. Some Evil Fallen are not any less intelligent than humans; they simply follow their own desires. You have one hour to reclaim what you have lost, but it’s best not to rush into any games. Do you still remember what Seahorse said?"

"It said a lot..." Wang Shi said.

"Time might be more valuable than chips. Be patient in choosing your opponents. The games here are the only thing we can control, so observe carefully and don’t be easily provoked by others."

Bai Wu was very patient.

Yin Shuang, Wang Shi, Lin Wurou all took his words to heart, not wanting to be the one who dragged the team down.

After scanning the surroundings, Wu Jiu noticed that among so many Evil Fallen, only three had an aura stronger than the others.

Bai Wu also observed that although there were many humans and Evil Fallen around, among the humans there was only one expert, Dwarf. In the Evil Fallen, there were two at level eight and one at level nine, the latter being Black Bone who had entered with them.

"What if we used brute force?" Wu Jiu said.

Bai Wu shook his head:

"That’s certainly an option, but it’s best not to do so until we have a clear understanding of the casino’s rules.

The depths of the casino are an unknown, and we might have already crossed from the blue area to another zone.

What we can do now is to win back our chips first. I will figure out a way to help you."

Lin Wurou wanted to scoff and make a sarcastic remark, but he could only think it.

"Before we disband, let me stress once more—observe carefully, understand the rules of the game, and don’t rashly accept challenges. In the casino, the scariest thing isn’t losing, but getting carried away. Once that happens, what awaits you is an irredeemable downfall."

Everyone nodded; it was rare to see Bai Wu so serious.

Bai Wu was indeed being very cautious.

He noticed that most of the employees helping out at the deep-sea casino were withered old people.

They might have been summoned to this area for some reason, forced to participate in the gambling games; certainly, there were a lucky few who could escape from here.

But whether they left as winners or left something behind remained to be seen.

Those who stayed were mostly out of luck, left only with a handful of life years, devoid of Innate Force or Talent Sequence, and constantly living in fear, amusing the Evil Fallen creatures with their excitement.

The principle was probably much like how some dealers were dressed seductively; to the Evil Fallen, these humans brimming with despair made the casino much more entertaining.

Bai Wu started looking for a target:

["A down-and-out miner but clearly someone with good luck as he had won a lot in a row and had stumbled in here obliviously. Nobody cared about his death, and if he could hold on for another seven hours, he could take back a fifth-tier Innate Force and a Talent Sequence under two hundred. But the assets that took him seventeen hours to win, could he defend them in the final seven hours? Worth mentioning is his current Sequence—Talent Sequence 425: The Orator."]

The Orator enabled a passive enhancement of one’s persuasive power, affecting others on a mental level to believe in one’s words.

Unbeknownst to Bai Wu and Cain, although this Sequence was ranked rather late, it could elicit a binding reaction with The Deceiver.

This miner was playing Werewolf with several Evil Fallen. It was a group betting game where as long as the villagers survived until the end, they could win chips.

And if the werewolves killed the Law Enforcers, they could gain chips.

Similarly, if the Law Enforcers could identify all the werewolves, they’d win the chips.

The miner kept winning with his glib tongue, prompting Bai Wu to acknowledge the intelligence of the common folk, and with the effect of The Orator, he always survived till the end.

Bai Wu could have disrupted the game, but he had no issue with this man, so he couldn’t be bothered to interfere.

His gaze then shifted to the center of the casino, where a human was playing dice head-to-head with an Evil Fallen.

Once again, it was the human who was thrashing the Evil Fallen.

This man, dressed in noble attire and sporting a little mustache, was clearly skilled at utilizing his Sequence.

Their game involved throwing three dice. It was decided over six rounds, betting on the high or low results.

In the first five rounds, the person with the higher points could take a chip from the one with fewer, but the sixth round was thrilling; the person with the higher points could win a number of chips from their opponent based on the highest number on any one of the three dice.

For instance, if the final throw was four-five-six, the opponent would have to pay six chips.

This game, trivial to lose in the beginning but with all-or-nothing stakes at the end, was quite appealing to the Evil Fallen.

This human had a substantial pile of chips in his possession; it was clear he had played many rounds of this game. Like the Werewolf game player, he was quickly amassing enough chips to enter the second level of the casino.

Bai Wu had also discovered his secret to winning—

["You’ve seen an interesting Sequence; if I were you, I’d hurry over and gobble him up, taking his treasure—Talent Sequence 266: The Sixth Must Succeed."]

Bai Wu still remembered the description of this Sequence. As the saying goes, "three strikes and you’re out." If one fails at the same thing three to five times in succession, most people lose enthusiasm. However, with this Sequence, after five consecutive failures at something, the probability of success on the sixth attempt would increase dramatically within a certain period.

The success of an event, as determined by the bearer of the Sequence, could be hitting a target, rolling a specific number, remembering something hard to recall, or mastering a certain skill.

It was a Sequence that could have a profound effect when used correctly.

In the first five rounds, this person could lose at most five chips, but in the last round, as long as he hadn’t rolled three sixes in the first five rounds, he was guaranteed to win six chips on the final roll.

Even if he lost all five initial rounds, as long as he ensured a six on one of the dice and scored higher than his opponent in the last round, he could recoup all his losses and still profit one coin.

With such a high likelihood of success after five losses in a row, his actual earnings in chips were even greater.

However, this Sequence had a limit on the number of times it could be triggered over a long period. It could be activated six times every six days.

Bai Wu didn’t bother to keep watching. Instead, he pondered over how the gambling between Evil Fallen and humans, if possible to use one’s own Sequence, could be nearly invincible.

He was also considering how to use his own Sequence to remain unbeaten in the gambling games.

Humans utilized Sequences; the Evil Fallen employed Entries.

Bai Wu quickly noticed that Black Bone, an Evil Fallen who had entered the casino along with him and four members of the Garrison Corps, was cheating using his ability.

Perfect Mutation Entry: Extreme Pliancy.

Black Bone’s body could become infinitely elongated due to its softness, even taking any shape imaginable.

In an extremely soft state, part of Black Bone’s body was like liquid, so much so that objects could be hidden within it—such as playing cards.

As long as one was confident that the opponent wouldn’t notice, the casino itself would allow gamblers to cheat.

After observing several gambling rounds, Bai Wu had roughly figured it out.

He found the guiding Seahorse standing at the entrance; since no new guests were entering, its current job was to provide advice to those participating in the gambling.

Bai Wu said,

"I’m very curious, Evil Fallen cannot cross regions, what method do you use to allow Evil Fallen to enter the casino?"

"That, of course, is a secret that can’t be told, esteemed guest. Besides, don’t you want to join the gambling?" Seahorse looked at Bai Wu.

Bai Wu replied,

"I want to know what the chips can be exchanged for."

"There are many options, it depends on what kind of things interest you."

The current state of Prayle’s Eye didn’t guarantee that Bai Wu would win the gambling round every time, as some of the observational focal points it provided were very puzzling.

Sometimes, these eyes were less like an informant and more like a damn riddler.

Fortunately, he could control these eyes; the strongest feeling Prayle’s Eye gave Bai Wu was when facing Lilith. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

It perfectly predicted Lilith’s actions.

Thinking of this, Bai Wu asked,

"Can you get all Sequences?"

"Certainly not, the top hundred Sequences are not available. Those rare Sequences, you’ll have to go to Black Gold Island to purchase."

"Well, it’s understandable that the top hundred Sequences are not available, but surely you have Sequence 240, Eye of Insight, right?"

"Connoisseur, huh? Although this Sequence is ranked beyond two hundred, it’s quite pricey and the Island Master doesn’t have much stock. If you want it, we only offer rental," Seahorse said with a teasing look in its eyes.

He asked again, "Can Evil Fallen use Sequences too?"

"Of course not, but we can provide them for human use."

"So, you’re actually cooperating with humans? Are humans regularly provided to you from High Tower?"

Seahorse became cautious:

"Guest, your questions are overstepping the bounds."

"Just asking, no harm even if that’s the case. After all, I already know it’s true," Bai Wu said casually.

Seahorse looked a bit displeased while Bai Wu appeared very relaxed and then asked,

"How can I meet the casino owner?"

"Guest, you currently don’t have the authority to ask such questions. You only have a pitiful single chip on you; this is like you being a beggar by the roadside yet asking me how to acquire Hongyuan Group."

Seahorse was just making an offhand example but unintentionally revealed something.

Bai Wu noticed the words Hongyuan Group. He quickly thought of a place—High Tower Hongyuan Production Base.

Seahorse obviously looked down on Bai Wu. Bai Wu smiled and said,

"Eye of Insight can only see some battle-related information, it’s not that significant in gambling, could you rent it to me for one chip?"

"We can offer the service of renting Sequences. You can use these Sequences to do things within the rules that could let you win. However, we do not accept bargaining. This Sequence requires a total of six chips, and the rental time is four hours."

If you can provide the chips, I will immediately offer you the Sequence.

Quite reasonable, six chips in exchange for four hours. And yet, taking Yin Shuang’s Sequence, Lin Wurou’s mouth, Wu Jiu’s lifespan, these things were only worth one chip each.

This trade, is perhaps a bit too greedy.

But with that settled, Bai Wu was now able to go all out.

"Then please wait for a moment."

Bai Wu left.

Seahorse watched Bai Wu’s retreating figure, not understanding what the young man needed the Sequence for.

The Eye of Insight could discern an opponent’s Sequence and Innate Force; in some sense, it could calculate what the opponent most desperately wanted.

But after all... it wasn’t a Sequence urgently needed.

In many gambling games, luck was the key factor. Instead of renting the Eye of Insight, it might be better to rent "It’s Gonna Work the Sixth Time" or the Wheel of Sorrows and Joys.

After all, there were a few individuals who had reversed their fortunes through sheer luck. Of course, after entering the second layer of the casino, luck wasn’t so effective anymore.

This supervisor of the casino was curious if Bai Wu had some misunderstanding about the Eye of Insight.

It even wanted to laugh a little: Did this kid think that the eye had X-ray vision?

In its opinion, whether Bai Wu could gather enough chips was still in question.

But before this thought was completely forgotten, in just a few short minutes, Bai Wu actually came back with the chips!

"Six chips, I want to exchange for the Eye of Insight," Bai Wu said calmly to Seahorse.

Seahorse was shocked:

"How... how did you get them so fast?"

"A bet, yeah. Five guys bet with me and then lost."

Seahorse was puzzled.

Naturally, Bai Wu wouldn’t mention that in just a few minutes, Wu Jiu had lost Extreme Shadow, Yin Shuang had lost her luck, Lin Wurou had lost her Innate Force, and both Wang Shi and Shang Xiaoyi had lost part of their lifespans.

When Bai Wu said he could possibly lead everyone to win, but he needed more chips... Wu Jiu took the initiative to challenge Bai Wu to a bet.

The others were silent for a second or two, but soon, Lin Wurou, Yin Shuang, Shang Xiaoyi, and Wang Shi also challenged Bai Wu to a bet.

The simplest game of rock-paper-scissors, and then they deliberately lost to Bai Wu.

The members of the Vanguard Group didn’t say another word; their silent trust even made Bai Wu a bit astonished.

He hadn’t even made a definitive promise; he just said it was possible to win.

Despite that, they handed over all their chips to him.

Then, the rules of the casino forcibly stripped something from them, granting them chips once again.

Bai Wu then lost all his six chips to Wu Jiu, giving Wu Jiu a total of seven chips.

Once Bai Wu had no chips left, Taotie suddenly disappeared.

Although it was among the top hundred Sequences, the casino still only gave Bai Wu one chip, which he then used to win six chips from Wu Jiu.

Now, he had seven chips in hand. He had to ensure he always had at least one chip.

Otherwise, it was quite possible that after spending six chips on a Sequence, he might randomly lose something due to not having any chips left; if it just so happened to be the Sequence he had bought, it would be a huge blunder.

The casino didn’t forbid this kind of behavior; it even enjoyed seeing humans ally with each other, Evil Fallen with Evil Fallen, or even humans with Evil Fallen.

In the end, there were too many cases where a pitiful alliance fell apart; one human raked in a fortune while their trusting ally was abandoned in a crisis of faith.

This was one of Seahorse’s sources of joy.

"Have you thought this through? If you lose the gambling game, you might not even have the Eye of Insight for four hours before it’s taken back."

Thinking of those cute guys from the Vanguard Group, Bai Wu suddenly smiled; it was as if he was bewitched by the noises of the casino hall, and there was even a hint of murderous intent in his voice:

"Don’t lose our things. I will retrieve them all within thirty minutes."