Chapter 659: The Second Largest
Chen Junnan placed both hands on Qi Xia's shoulders and said softly, "Old Qi, do you believe that little master here has a bit of a brain too?"
Qi Xia was slightly taken aback and replied, "I find it hard to believe, but also hard to disbelieve."
"Damn it..." Chen Junnan cursed. "Little master really can't tell if you're trying to praise me or insult me..."
"Haha!" Qiao Jiajin also stepped forward and patted Qi Xia on the back. "Don't worry, conman boy, I can show you a thing or two as well!"
"But... but..." Qi Xia felt at a loss for words for the first time. "This is, after all, Ground Monkey's game. Logically, I should be the one to handle it..."
"But your ass, 'but,'" Chen Junnan said, pointing a finger at his own temple. "You know, Old Qi, once little master here starts using his brain, 'Ground Monkey' can only become 'Monkey Junior.'"
He turned to look at Ground Monkey and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that right, Bro Monkey?"
Ground Monkey's expression was cautious. He felt that Qi Xia was no simple opponent. Every word spoken and every action taken by the group could be part of a deception, so he did not reply.
"Relax," Qiao Jiajin said to Qi Xia. "Have you forgotten that I used to run a gambling den? Conman boy, just give us a few pointers on the side. Leave the rest to us."
Qi Xia was stunned for a moment, then nodded. Chen Junnan reached out, pulled up a chair, and helped Qi Xia sit down.
"Alright, it's little master's turn to use his brain now." He shot a glance at the others, then walked over to check on Zheng Yingxiong's condition. "Kid... you okay?"
"I'm fine..." Zheng Yingxiong pinched his nose, his voice thick with a nasal tone. "But be careful... it really stinks!! It's so dangerous!!"
Qi Xia and the others had witnessed Zheng Yingxiong's abilities, so they naturally understood what "stinks" meant.
But wasn't it strange for those words to appear in this venue?
Either there was an extremely powerful "Echo" here, or there was a "Heavenly Level" presence.
Yet the person sitting before them was clearly Ground Monkey. First of all, "Zodiacs" never Echoed, and secondly, he wasn't "Heavenly Level."
The group sat back down at the round table. Although this was a mental game that involved no killing or combat, everyone's face was lined with exhaustion.
"Qi Xia, is this as far as you go?" Ground Monkey laughed. "I only asked you a single question, yet you crippled your own hand? Was it worth it?"
Qi Xia looked at Ground Monkey expressionlessly and spoke calmly, "If your superior hadn't been pulling so many dirty tricks on me, why would I have needed to cripple my right hand just to deal with a mere Ground Monkey like you?"
Ground Monkey felt he had completely seen through Qi Xia. This man's deception seemed clever, but he always revealed huge flaws at the most inopportune moments.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Ground Monkey snorted. "Are you implying that 'Sky Monkey' was afraid he couldn't beat you, so he went and fought you in advance?"
"'Sky Monkey'...?" The corner of Qi Xia's mouth lifted. "Sorry, but I've never even noticed such a person before."
"Then why are you spouting nonsense about a 'superior'? Your lies are just too—" Ground Monkey stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stunned. "...'Superior'?"
The phrase "superior" made Ground Monkey freeze. He couldn't believe who Qi Xia was referring to.
"Why hasn't 'Heavenly Dragon' come to see me?" Qi Xia spoke as if to Ground Monkey, but also as if calling out across the void to "Heavenly Dragon." "Pulling so many dirty tricks on me—are you afraid that I'll keep winning?"
Ground Monkey's expression slowly changed. He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Qi Xia! Do you know what you're saying?! Shut up!"
"Ha..." Qi Xia's expression seemed completely relaxed. "Ground Monkey, your expression is really amusing... If I don't die this time, I'd love to have a good chat with you. Let's continue the game."
"Continue the game...?" Ground Monkey slowly straightened up. "Qi Xia, you're about to lose. You're even giving up the one chance I offered you."
"I haven't given up," Qi Xia shook his head. "I've thought of the question."
"Oh...?" Ground Monkey raised an eyebrow, a look of contempt in his eyes. "Have you now?"
"That's right," Qi Xia nodded. Though the fog in his mind hadn't cleared, as long as he had enough time, he could still figure these problems out.
"Go ahead," Ground Monkey said. "Let me see just how capable you really are."
Qi Xia glanced at the cards on everyone's table, then looked up and asked, "Ground Monkey, in this last round, aside from you, who had the second-largest hand on the table?"
"Second-largest...?"
Ground Monkey frowned slightly. He felt the question didn't violate any rules, but it was equally fatal.
It meant that the group was essentially replaying the game with the same cards, and the answer was being revealed a second time, saving them a round.
In the previous round of rules, Qi Xia had taken roughly two rounds to figure things out. Could he do it again this time?
Ground Monkey thought for a moment. He felt that by asking this question, Qi Xia had already earned his respect.
"I can tell you," Ground Monkey said. "After all, I don't think you'll all survive the remaining bets, even if you win every single round from now on."
"Is that so?" Qi Xia nodded. "We'll see."
Ground Monkey looked at the cards on the table, then narrowed his eyes and moved his lips slightly, as if performing a somewhat complex calculation. Finally, he extended a furry finger and pointed at Xiao Cheng.
"Aside from me, he is the second-largest."
"Oh?" Chen Junnan grinned. "That kid's the second-largest?"
Qi Xia immediately looked at the cards in front of Xiao Cheng. He had "Minor Snow," "Winter Solstice," and the center card "Spring Festival."
These three cards formed "five ones," "a pair of twos," and "a pair of threes," yet they weren't the largest on the table—they were the second-largest?
Had Ground Monkey assembled a hand even larger than this?
"No..." Qi Xia struggled to engage his brain, wanting to make one last push for the team before he became completely disoriented.
If the key wasn't "five ones," then he needed to change his perspective.
Xiao Cheng's cards were "Minor Snow," "Winter Solstice," and "Spring Festival."
Ground Monkey's cards were "Pure Brightness," "Spring Equinox," and "Spring Festival."
Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. The situation was too strange. An absurd thought suddenly emerged in his mind—
Could it be "temperature"?
But how could such a vague concept as "temperature" determine which was bigger and which was smaller?!
"No... it can't be as simple as temperature."