Chapter 664: Blood Spots
"Ha, you're betting just because of that?"
"Of course. Since I, 'Third Day of the Third Month,' can speak, that means even your old man is younger than me," Qiao Jiajin said, tossing a "Dao" onto the table.
"That's nonsense," Earth Monkey said.
"I'll follow," Qi Xia said, being the first to toss a "Dao" onto the table.
When Earth Monkey heard Qi Xia speak, he glanced at his hand. "Your hand is 'Seven Points.' You might as well drop out now."
"I'm not dropping out," Qi Xia said, his eyes looking a bit dazed. "Do you dare to follow?"
Earth Monkey looked at Qi Xia's expression, pondered for a few seconds, and decisively placed a "Dao" down. He had the "First Day of the First Month," and right now it seemed like he had the best chance of winning. There was no reason to back down.
After Chen Junnan also bet one, Qiao Jiajin began to consider the possibility of raising the stakes. But no matter how he thought about it, he felt his hand was unlikely to beat Earth Monkey's, so he could only wait for the next opportunity.
During this time, he kept glancing out of the corner of his eye at Qi Xia, only to find his figure swaying unsteadily, as if he was barely holding on.
"Brother Jun, deal the cards first," Qiao Jiajin said. "We'll think about raising the stakes next round."
"Alright." Chen Junnan nodded and began to deal a "hidden card" to each person.
First to himself, then to Qiao Jiajin, Qi Xia, and Earth Monkey.
Since this round only required nine cards to be dealt, and there were a full twenty-seven left in the deck, it seemed unrealistic to try and deduce what cards the others might draw based on their current hands.
Chen Junnan took his card and slowly peeled up a corner.
"Little Master has been unlucky his whole life... can’t I get a little lucky this time?"
He slowly turned the card and glimpsed a "left-falling stroke" at the edge.
Chen Junnan blinked in confusion. As he reviewed the twenty-four solar terms in his mind, he couldn't think of a single one that started with that stroke.
Could it be that a miracle had actually occurred?
With a joyful expression, he slowly revealed the card. Three seconds later, his face twisted into an expression of utter despair.
"Double Ninth Festival."
"September Ninth."
Not counting any other cards, this single card had already caused him to "bust."
This card was worth "Eighteen." If he wasn't mistaken, "Double Ninth Festival" should be the highest card among all the hands. No other card could possibly reach "Eighteen" on its own. It was a living, breathing "bomb."
Added to his previously drawn "Beginning of Spring" and the public card "Community Day," his total hand was a whopping twenty-nine points, nearly double the target of sixteen!
"Little Master is convinced, completely convinced..." Chen Junnan struggled to control his expression, trying not to show his utter collapse.
What could he do now?
It wasn't a question of whether he could win anymore; it was that continuing to bet would inevitably lead to failure.
So what could he still do?
After a few seconds, the corners of Chen Junnan's mouth slowly lifted. Maybe he was overthinking this...
From the very beginning, his goal in this game had never been to "win."
"Whoa~~~~~~~~"
His hearty voice once again cut through the silent gambling den, causing Earth Monkey to slowly furrow his brow.
"I did it again!" Chen Junnan shouted. "Brother Monkey! This time I really want to bet with you!"
Earth Monkey looked at Chen Junnan impatiently and asked, "What do you want to bet?"
Chen Junnan thought for a few seconds and then slowly said, "Can I bet on the color of my ass?"
"What...?!" Earth Monkey was so angry his nose nearly twisted. "What the hell kind of bet is that?!"
"It means if Little Master wins, I'll be rosy white. If you win, you'll... at least look like a human."
"Fuck!" Earth Monkey was clearly furious. He slammed the table and pointed viciously at Chen Junnan. "You're dead today, kid. Even if the game ends, I won't let you off."
"Hey, don't worry. I doubt I'll even live to see the game end," Chen Junnan said with a smile.
"You..."
"What, can't bet that?" Chen Junnan shrugged helplessly. "How about you guys keep talking, and I'll just listen in for now."
Qiao Jiajin brought his hand to his face, lifted the card gently to look at it, and then raised his eyebrows.
"Rain Water"!
He quickly calculated in his mind. Rain Water in this year fell on the "Twenty-first day of the First Month," which was "1, 2, 1."
He had a "Shangsi" card, the "Third Day of the Third Month." The sum of his two cards was "Ten." Even adding the "Community Day" in the center of the table, the total was only "Fourteen."
Not only did this hand not "bust," but it was actually quite competitive...
The only thing was to see what Earth Monkey's "hidden card" was.
As long as it wasn't "Fifteen" or the highest "Sixteen," this round was already won.
In this "Full Moon Rule" game, most people's hands would bust. Simply keeping a hand intact was tough enough, let alone holding a number as high as "Fourteen."
Qiao Jiajin put his card back expressionlessly and then turned to look at Qi Xia.
He wanted to know roughly what Qi Xia was holding, and whether he could go all-in against Earth Monkey.
But Qi Xia hadn't even looked at his own card. He just kept staring at the "hidden card" in Earth Monkey's hand.
Earth Monkey carefully picked up his "hidden card," read the text on it, and then put it down expressionlessly.
A few seconds later, a slow smile spread across his face. "May I ask if anyone wants to 'raise the stakes'?"
Qiao Jiajin knew the arrow was already on the string. He quickly shot a pleading look at Qi Xia, only to find that Qi Xia's gaze never left Earth Monkey's card, as if he were trying to see through that "hidden card" with his own eyes.
Following Qi Xia's gaze, Qiao Jiajin also looked at the card not far away. Within a few seconds, he spotted something.
At the same moment, Chen Junnan noticed it too.
None of the three spoke. They just sat there in silence.
Was this a coincidence, or incredible luck...?
Under the flickering, dim lights of the gambling den, everyone could clearly see that the "hidden card" lying in front of Earth Monkey was stained with a few barely visible blood spots.
"Hiss..." Chen Junnan touched his forehead and quickly let his brain race.
Blood spots... blood spots...
When it came to "blood spots"...
That must be from Zheng Yingxiong's recent nosebleed!
He had bled a lot, then immediately tilted his head back, causing the blood to flow back into his windpipe and making him cough it up. The blood spots had sprayed everywhere, splattering onto the cards in front of him.
"Crap... What was Zheng Yingxiong's card just now...?" Chen Junnan slowly closed his eyes and started thinking rapidly, mimicking Qi Xia.
The card Earth Monkey was holding now was one of Zheng Yingxiong's hand cards from the last round...
Chen Junnan slowly opened his eyes. The image of Zheng Yingxiong's last hand suddenly appeared in his mind.
"Beginning of Autumn," "Eighth Day of the Seventh Month."
"Great Heat," "Twenty-first Day of the Sixth Month."