Chapter 175: Labyrinth of the God Pan
Chapter 175: Labyrinth of the God Pan
The Nobles of the Western Continent were a truly remarkable type of living beings.
Just moments ago, they had been fighting fiercely, their heads bleeding as if they were mortal enemies. But in the short time it took to finish a cup of tea, even Marrs, who had suffered the worst injuries, was already sitting peacefully on the surrounding sofas. Everyone had straightened their disheveled clothes perfectly. Everyone made an effort to hide their injuries as much as possible. Even the large bump on Marrs’s forehead had completely vanished under the powerful effects of a certain Secret Elixir.
Everyone wore broad smiles on their faces. They elegantly held their wine glasses and cheerfully chatted about refined topics such as the weather over the past couple of days, what jewelry would be in fashion next year, and how many actors had been replaced at the Imperial Capital’s Grand Opera House.
Even Marrs, who had just been brutally beaten by Lin Qi, behaved with great grace and dignity in front of the two stunning young girls, Ya and Ling, appearing every bit the true gentleman. He sat grandly on a sofa, holding a large bronze wine cup, and even raised his glass with a smile from afar to toast Lin Qi. Although a cold glint occasionally flashed in his eyes, sharp as a blade, as if he wanted to cut Lin Qi into pieces, his smile at that moment was indeed very radiant.
Lin Qi also smiled and nodded toward Marrs. He walked side by side with Long Cheng to the central card table.
The chattering Noble men and women in the hall immediately fell silent, looking excitedly at Lin Qi and Long Cheng.
This would be the most extravagant gambling match in the Imperial Capital in the past thirty years. Although no one had explicitly said it, everyone clearly understood who the two opposing sides were. With the third-ranked Silver Crescent Trading Company in the Imperial Capital and all the shops and properties under Tixiang’s name at stake, such a wager couldn’t help but draw attention.
A young man in light cyan armor stepped forward from behind Marrs. He smiled and nodded toward Tixiang. “So, these two are the representatives you sent, Tixiang?”
Tixiang also stepped forward slowly, nodding at the young man. “And who is your man, Luo Jia?”
Luo Jia came from a prominent military Noble family of the Empire. He held the title of Viscount and held a minor, obscure position in the Victory Palace, leading a unit of one hundred drummers and trumpeters—essentially a small leader of the Victory Palace’s honor guard. His family background naturally couldn’t compare to Tixiang’s, but his family was still considered among the top aristocratic houses in the Imperial Capital.
The Silver Crescent Trading Company was Luo Jia’s private enterprise, bringing him tens of millions in abundant profits each year. However, all sufficiently qualified Nobles in the Imperial Capital knew that the Silver Crescent Trading Company was actually Marrs’s tool for accumulating wealth. It was precisely because of the vast funds provided by Silver Crescent that Marrs could afford to raise a private army equipped to the teeth.
Hearing Tixiang’s question, Luo Jia smiled lightly. He clapped his hands gently, and a short, inconspicuous man in black, who had been blending in among the armored young Nobles, cautiously stepped forward.
He was short and sturdy, like a dried hazelnut. This man in black stood only about five feet tall, but he had a pair of extremely agile and slender hands. His skin was rough and dark, yet his hands alone were as white and smooth as jade, shimmering with an enchanting glow under the light.
Lin Qi couldn’t help but let out a soft whistle. Long Cheng raised his eyebrows and excitedly flexed his hands.
This man in black must have possessed some extremely unique skills with his hands. His hands were slender, well-proportioned, with bones and Meridians that were exceptionally balanced and strong. Lin Qi even suspected that these hands could effortlessly tear open a bull’s throat. Of course, such hands, refined through harsh training, also held a unique advantage in delicate, small movements—such as shuffling and dealing cards.
Tixiang looked at the man in black with almost admiring eyes. He lightly clapped his hands and praised sincerely, “Luo Jia, you’ve certainly picked an expert!”
Luo Jia smiled with restrained pride. He bowed slightly and then silently walked back to his place.
Marrs clapped his hands heavily. A group of burly men strode in, carrying heavy bronze chests. They carefully placed ten large metal chests on the floor and then forcefully flipped open the lids. A dazzling golden light spread out—the chests were filled with exactly ten million Gold Coins!
Ten million Gold Coins, ten million glittering Gold Coins right before their eyes—this was entirely different from Gold Notes. A Gold Note for ten million Gold Coins was just a light piece of paper, but ten million actual Gold Coins? That was a solid, towering hill of wealth.
Even though all those present were high-ranking Nobles of the Imperial Capital, everyone felt a sense of breathlessness as they looked at this mountain of Gold Coins. Not everyone had the chance to witness ten million Gold Coins laid out before them; the sight was truly breathtaking.
Lartus smiled and nodded toward Marrs. He softly clapped his hands, and another group of burly men stepped forward, gently placing ten silver chests behind Lin Qi and Long Cheng. The lids of the ten large silver chests were slowly opened, revealing another neatly stacked ten million Gold Coins inside.
Marrs’s face suddenly darkened. He had used bronze chests to carry the Gold Coins, while Lartus used silver ones. Unconsciously, he had been overshadowed by Lartus, and this feeling displeased him greatly.
“Let’s add another bet,” Marrs declared with a grim tone. “If Luo Jia wins today, Tixiang must never set foot near No.1 Shenghui Street again!”
His sinister gaze turned toward Elham and his companions. “You’ve encountered some troubles; I know that too. If the two esteemed young ladies become my friends, I can accomplish what Tixiang cannot.”
Elham and his group remained silent. Being treated as a bet was not something to be proud of.
Lin Qi grinned as he looked at Elham and the others. More discomfort awaited them—just wait and see. Lin Qi would definitely not let them off so easily. Rubbing his hands together with a smile, Lin Qi turned to the man in black. “So, what shall we play today? Look, with so many important people watching, we must find something entertaining!”
The man in black smiled arrogantly. He pulled out a very large wooden box from the stack of thick cards on the table.
“You have two people; I am alone. Perfect, just perfect. The three of us shall play Labyrinth of the God Pan!”
The man in black smiled coldly, as if he didn’t take Lin Qi and Long Cheng seriously at all.
“You two will partner up, and I will partner with the dummy hand. Each hand is ten thousand Gold Coins, and we’ll follow the fast-play rules.”
“With so many distinguished guests watching us, let’s not waste their time. We’ll decide the outcome in two hours. After two hours, whoever has more money wins!”
Labyrinth of the God Pan!
Lin Qi looked at Long Cheng and slowly nodded.