Chapter 1036: Met Twice, So We're Acquaintances
The pool table started with thirty balls, and after each round, more could be added until reaching a maximum of five hundred. At the same time, every ball had a number on it. The first ball a player struck had to be the one with the smallest number. As for how many balls could be knocked in with a single shot, it all depended on individual skill. Aside from the number of balls knocked in on the final shot, the count of balls potted in each individual stroke was also a scoring factor.
Simply put, the more balls you potted in a single shot, the better, and the more consistent you were, the better. If you potted one ball in one shot and ten in the next, such wild fluctuations would also lower your score.
After one turn, it was time to switch players. It was almost Xu Huo's turn. He looked at the twenty-six balls remaining on the table, took out the "Little Note Launcher," and grabbed a handful of seeds. He loaded them in, and the seeds shot out, hitting the ball with the smallest number squarely. But the force was off, and it knocked the ball straight off the table.
A wave of laughter erupted around him.
However, according to the rules of pool, an unsuccessful shot wouldn't count toward the final total score.
Looking somewhat "disappointed" at the ball that had flown off, Xu Huo picked up the seeds that had fallen onto the table. "This shouldn't count as a prop touching the ball, right?"
"No, it doesn't count." The mixed-race player slapped the table, laughing. He'd probably never seen anyone knock a ball off the table before. Since the entire building was suspended in midair, all the tables, chairs, and utensils here were specially made, mostly from metal. Even the entertainment equipment was heavier than usual. Even for a first-timer, it was rare for anyone to knock a prop outward like that—because no one would use a combat method to play pool. Xu Huo's move, in the eyes of others, was basically making a fool of himself.
Xu Huo didn't mind. Instead, he gestured for the mixed-race player to continue.
The mixed-race player's smile faded a bit. He raised his hand and struck the balls again. This time, five dropped.
It was Xu Huo's turn again. This time, he seemed to have gotten the hang of it and knocked down another five.
By now, there weren't enough balls left on the table. The waiter brought out a new batch and placed them on the table. On the mixed-race player's third turn, it seemed he hadn't found the right angle, and only three went in. Xu Huo, however, maintained a steady output, still potting five.
Over the next few exchanges, the mixed-race player's results varied, sometimes more, sometimes less. But aside from his first shot, Xu Huo consistently potted exactly five balls every time. As time went on, he also grew more skilled, no longer needing to spend much time finding the right angle. He could just stand anywhere and reliably knock down five.
This completely shattered the mixed-race player's confidence. His performance became increasingly unstable, and the result was an undeniable loss.
Xu Huo retrieved his own prop and left the prop he had won on the coffee table as the stake for the next round.
To everyone else present, this move was undoubtedly a provocation. The player with the eyebrow mole stepped forward and said bluntly, "Next. Me."
Xu Huo accepted without hesitation. This time, he increased the number of balls he potted per shot by one.
Starting from a single ball, it wasn't surprising how many others it could touch, but accurately sending several balls into the pockets was extremely difficult. Doing it with perfect precision every single time, potting the same number of balls, was even harder.
However, the eyebrow mole player was clearly also a skilled player. He found an extremely tricky angle and, after his own shot, set up a difficult position for Xu Huo to break.
As the two competed, more and more people gathered to watch, and bets kept being placed.
While playing, Xu Huo kept an eye on the activity upstairs.
So far, the number of players had probably exceeded five hundred. Gathering so many players at once didn't seem like a simple mobilization meeting... Almost every building in Snow City had the conditions to install and activate a space channel. Could it be that the 002 District Government planned to open this space channel inside this building?
It sounded unbelievable, but it wasn't impossible. For the 002 District and Snow City, this connection to another district should be a stress-free plunder. Choosing a lively time like the celebration was quite fitting.
If the space channel really opened inside the Tomorrow venue, that would be troublesome.
"You win this round," the eyebrow mole player said.
Xu Huo nodded casually, not intending to continue playing. The crowd he had drawn over was already large enough, making those who had no interest in the excitement or gambling stand out conspicuously.
"Thinking of leaving just like that?" The man in the suit reached out to block him. "Let's have a round."
"I have something to do," Xu Huo said.
"I'll increase the stake." The suit man casually placed a B-grade prop on the table. "If you win, the prop is yours. If you lose, just give me the two props you won earlier."
Xu Huo hadn't planned on staying, but he changed his mind when he saw the person walking in through the entrance.
Three players came in through the door. In front were an older man and woman, followed by a young man in his early twenties. The couple calmly asked the waiter for drinks. The young man, though dressed in formal wear, kept his head down nervously, as if he didn't dare to meet anyone's eyes.
The middle-aged woman turned to signal him to relax, but the young man only nodded. Then he walked off on his own to a corner, found a seat by the edge, sat down, and started fiddling with his communicator with his head down.
He had a very delicate appearance. If you covered his eyes, he looked somewhat similar to a player Xu Huo had met before.
"So? Are we betting or not?" the suit man asked again.
Xu Huo agreed, and the pool game restarted.
But this round was different. While playing, Xu Huo also left difficult problems for the suit man, putting the opponent at a disadvantage from the start.
During a break in the game, Xu Huo confirmed that the young man who had just come in was the raincoat man he had seen before at the Sea World. Back then, he had been fighting with a Holy Sword Society player, and the raincoat man had specifically warned him that the opponent wasn't a real Holy Sword Society member.
The Holy Sword Society was famous, so it wasn't surprising that someone would impersonate them. But that player had followed him all the way from District 011 and had even caused chaos there. His strength wasn't weak either. It was hard to tell just by appearance whether he was really a Holy Sword Society member. Yet the raincoat man seemed very certain.
Xu Huo naturally assumed he knew the Holy Sword Society well. He hadn't expected to run into him again here.
He also glanced at the middle-aged couple. They were very alert. Almost as soon as he withdrew his gaze, they looked back at him precisely. Though their eyes didn't meet, he could still feel them staring at him for at least three seconds—a clear signal that they knew what he had just done.
Their actions caught the raincoat man's attention. He looked up and happened to lock eyes with Xu Huo.
In the game, meeting twice counted as acquaintances. Xu Huo politely nodded at him.
But the other party clearly didn't see it that way. Expressionless, he lowered his head, one hand rapidly tapping on his communicator while the other pulled out earphones and shoved them into his ears. The movements were smooth and seamless.
"Friend," the mixed-race player said, now standing beside Xu Huo, "during a bet, you should at least show some respect to your opponent!"
(For some reason, I've had tinnitus for days now, ringing all day long. Medicine hasn't helped. Does anyone know any folk remedies? Asking for help.)
(End of chapter)