Chapter 2379: Come On, Let's Hurt Each Other
Number 1 followed, and Number 6 also showed sincerity, offering not only that Instance Authorization but also a Super A-grade Space Device. Numbers 5 and 2 didn't participate, while Number 8 used a pharmaceutical company as their stake.
This was different from the previous gambling game, being completely free-form, so there was no rule about stacking bets—roughly equivalent value was enough.
Those who abstained didn't participate but also didn't leave. There were still six people around the gambling table, but it was a four-person game.
After communicating among themselves, the four decided to use the previous method, except the role of the caller was replaced by the Fair Dealer. The four would take turns calling the dice to stop. Those who called correctly advanced directly to the next round, while those who lost were eliminated immediately. If all four won or all four lost simultaneously, they wouldn't need to exchange chips but would proceed directly to the next round using the same method. Over time, someone would inevitably be eliminated.
"Dear guests, please note that the Mermaid Game has only fifteen minutes remaining," the Fair Dealer reminded.
"Plenty of time," Number 6 urged it to begin.
Soon the game started. The four called the dice to stop in the order determined by drawing lots: Number 8 first, Xu Huo second, Number 6 third, and Number 1 last.
Number 8 and Xu Huo both passed smoothly, but when it came to Number 6, a faint force shot out from behind the screen, shaking the dice just as he was about to call stop!
After calling the wrong number, Number 6 immediately erupted in fury: "Who! Who's interfering with me!"
Accompanying his words were the sounds of cups and plates shattering, along with faint sounds of pulling and dissuasion. A few seconds later, Number 6 said darkly, "Fair Dealer, is this the rule of the Fish Feast Building? Someone's tampering with my game!"
The puppet smiled, bowed to everyone in a circle, and then said, "Due to human interference, the previous round is void. This round will restart."
"Isn't that a bit unfair to those of us who already won?" Number 8 said. "Why not just disqualify the one who tampered?"
"The only pleasant words I've heard all night," Number 6 said.
However, the Fair Dealer didn't agree and instead explained, "The Mermaid Game guarantees the privacy of honored guests. Since it's impossible to confirm who exactly tampered, the only option is to void the round."
Number 8 had nothing more to say and asked Xu Huo and Number 1 for their opinions.
Number 1 chuckled and said, "Let's follow the Fish Feast rules. I believe everyone will eventually get a satisfactory result."
Hearing this, Number 8 sneered, "If you quit now, I'd be satisfied."
"Young man, don't be so impatient. It's just a suspected Perfect Potion—why get so worked up?" Number 1 said.
"Stop acting like an elder. If you think it's unimportant, you can withdraw!" Number 8 said angrily.
Withdrawal was, of course, impossible, but that didn't stop Number 1 from saying pretty words: "Opportunity is right in front of us. What's the harm in gambling? I'm old, learning some youthful vigor won't hurt."
Honestly, no one found these pretentious words pleasant to hear.
Then the second round began.
This time, Number 1 went first, but unfortunately failed at the start—he got the number wrong.
Number 6 mocked, "Big talk, but as people age, their eyesight and hearing deteriorate. Only their skin gets thicker."
These two had been at odds since they sat down at the table, likely knowing each other privately, hence the mutual sabotage.
Number 1 didn't respond, but immediately afterward, Number 6 also called the wrong number.
Next was Xu Huo.
The moment the word "Stop" left his mouth, he sensed that one of the eight dice on the corner had rolled an extra turn, ultimately landing on the wrong number.
"How come you called it wrong too?" the round-faced player said nervously.
"Wrong is wrong. No one's winning this round," Xu Huo said calmly. He hadn't tampered with the dice on the table, but plenty of others had.
Sure enough, the last one, Number 8, also called the wrong number.
Everyone had dirty hands, so unlike the previous round with Number 6, no one appealed. They accepted the result and moved to the next round.
After three consecutive rounds without any result, the puppet said, "Everyone, only six minutes remain. If no result is reached before the last three minutes, the Fair Dealer will return all chips on the table and settle the accounts."
The screen was a spatial partition but couldn't completely block item effects, otherwise chips couldn't be thrown across it. Therefore, everyone present, including Xu Huo, knew who had tampered each time. Numbers 2 and 5 had also meddled, apparently not wanting anyone to take that potion.
Numbers 2 and 5 had little interaction with the others at the table. Throughout the game, they remained calm, showing no emotional fluctuations over wins or losses. Faced with the temptation of the Perfect Potion, they stayed aloof, only to deliberately sabotage at the last moment to ruin the game.
"Could it be they don't want you to lose the potion, so they can quietly buy it from you at a low price?" the round-faced player said.
"Not necessarily." That might be one reason, but with the stakes already on the table and the Fish Feast Building as a competitor, what reason could they have to convince Xu Huo, the seller?
So other motives were more likely.
Perhaps once the Mermaid Game ended, they would come to him on their own.
Looking at the time, only the last round remained.
This time, Xu Huo was the first to call the dice to stop. Predictably, he lost again.
He smiled silently. Winning might not be easy, but losing was simple enough. So he indiscriminately interfered with Numbers 1, 6, and 8 afterward. Might as well let no one win!
"What do you mean?" He had remained silent before but pulled this stunt in the last round, inevitably angering others. The one questioning him was Number 8: "Can't handle losing?"
Xu Huo laughed. "Forget the previous rounds—winning or losing didn't matter, just for fun. But I didn't expect that even in the last round, someone would still interfere with my dice. What's that about?"
"Since you don't want to play, then let's not play at all."
Mutual harm—if you strike first, don't blame others for retaliating later.
The people at the table were speechless. This last round was indeed a bit unreasonable. Fortunately, no one lost, or things wouldn't have ended so easily.
"Pick up my potion," Xu Huo reminded Hua Sisi, who was still crouching in the corner by the gambling table.
Hua Sisi quickly took the box and returned through the screen.
"Can we settle now?" Xu Huo asked the puppet standing in place.
"Of course." The Fair Dealer began to work, and the players behind the screen left one by one.
Xu Huo had gained quite a bit, so he made some disguises before leaving. But at nine o'clock sharp, the Mermaid Game venue would automatically expel them, making it hard to delay.
The timing of their exit was tight, and with floor and room numbers, as soon as they stepped out of the room, he released his Spiritual Realm, made what disguises he could, and then rushed toward other floors at maximum speed.