Translator: CinderTL
"Dr. Jiang," someone whispered, leaning in close. "What are you thinking about?"
When Jiang Cheng turned his head, he saw Pi Ruan's face, etched with worry and a hint of confusion. Though it was a familiar face, Jiang Cheng felt a strange distance.
"Nothing much," Jiang Cheng replied calmly. "Just suddenly remembered an old friend."
Whether Pi Ruan was connected to Crimson or not, this wasn't the time to investigate. The immediate priority was to uncover Crippled Liu's identity. His strangeness was obvious, and if they could confirm he was once a Disciple of the Door, things would become much simpler.
"But where do we even start looking for information about Crippled Liu?" Huai Yi asked. The Feng family, who knew his background best, were all dead.
The police station might have records, but everyone silently agreed not to involve Director Qiao, the man who had forcibly dragged them into this case. They wanted to avoid any contact with him unless absolutely necessary.
After a moment of thought, Jiang Cheng spoke. "Let's find Wu Dali."
Wu Dali clearly wasn't a core member of the police station. He was usually assigned menial tasks, but he seemed content with his carefree lifestyle.
As agreed, they found Wu Dali at a tea stall. He was shirtless, one foot planted on a stool, gambling with a crowd of people.
Even from a distance, they could hear someone shouting, "Place your bets! Fortune favors the bold!"
It seemed Wu Dali wasn't having much luck. As they approached, they realized he hadn't deliberately stripped off his shirt—the weather had turned chilly.
He'd gambled away his clothes.
When Jiang Cheng explained their purpose, Wu Dali initially refused, a strange flicker of emotion in his eyes suggesting some hesitation.
But Jiang Cheng's next words made him reconsider. "You gambled away your police uniform. Have you figured out how you'll explain that when you get back?" he asked, staring at Wu Dali.
After a moment, Wu Dali gritted his teeth. "So what do you suggest?"
"I'll help you win it back."
At Jiang Cheng's words, the boisterous crowd fell silent before erupting into laughter. The stall attracted people from all walks of life.
They might lack other skills, but they could spot a mark a mile away. In their eyes, Jiang Cheng and his companions were too "clean," completely clueless about their tricks.
A burly man with a burn scar on his right cheek squinted and sneered. "Kid, I'd advise you to mind your own business. Otherwise, you'll end up gambling away your wife too!"
The crowd erupted in laughter again.
Jiang Cheng remained unfazed, only concerned with Wu Dali's answer. "Accept or refuse?"
Wu Dali pressed his lips together, clearly aware of the consequences of losing his clothes. Gritting his teeth, he nodded. "Fine, I'll do it your way!"
But what no one expected was that the person they were betting against wasn't Jiang Cheng, who had made the initial boast, but a stunningly beautiful woman.
"How do we play?" Lin Wan'er extended her hand, effortlessly picking up three dice. Each slender finger held one between its joints. She dropped them one by one into the dice cup, her narrow eyes devoid of emotion. "Cross the Sea Gate or Golden Shaker?"
The Scarface Man seemed to sense the danger. He shoved aside the skinny man beside him and took the dealer's seat himself, muttering, "Golden Shaker."
No one wanted to miss such a high-stakes gamble. Soon, a large crowd had gathered to watch, even including beggars from the nearby streets clutching broken bowls.
The outcome was no surprise. The Scarface Man lost three rounds in a row, not only winning back Wu Dali's clothes but also recovering his previous losses and adding a fur coat of his own to the winnings.
In the biting wind, the Scarface Man, his bronze muscles exposed, shivered violently, his face contorted in a look of utter terror.
He tossed his clothes to Wu Dali and turned to Jiang Cheng. "Let's find a place to talk this through."
Just as Lin Wan'er set down the dice cup and prepared to leave, a shrill voice cut through the air. Though the tone was slightly childish, the words were sharp.
"Sister," Fu Fu called out from the gambling table, a wide, eager grin splitting her face as she looked at Lin Wan'er. "How about a game with me?"
Pi Ruan's footsteps faltered at the sound, his brow furrowing immediately.
Lin Wan'er, however, turned around, her gaze sweeping down at the girl who stood a head shorter than her. She smoothed her hair bun with a casual gesture and nodded.
Fu Fu's excitement intensified at this sight. An unnatural flush rose to her cheeks, leaving the onlookers puzzled.
Two women gambling against each other was a rare spectacle indeed.
Huai Yi and Chen Qiang, seeing the crowd growing larger, wanted to slip away, but Jiang Cheng remained silent, making it awkward for them to speak up.
Through their recent interactions, they had sensed Lin Wan'er's dominance over Jiang Cheng, their relationship sparking endless speculation.
Without even looking, Fu Fu grabbed three dice from the table by memory and tossed them into the dice cup. She shook it violently for a moment before slamming it upside down on the table.
"Guessing big or small is boring. Let's guess the exact number," Fu Fu said, her face flushed as if she were drunk.
"Alright," Lin Wan'er agreed.
Fu Fu gripped the dice cup tightly, her eyes practically glowing as she stared at Lin Wan'er as if she wanted to devour her alive. "You go first!"
"12," Lin Wan'er said.
Before her words had even faded, Fu Fu's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "I'll guess 6, 6, 4—16 points!"
"Open! Open!" The Scarface Man, who had been standing in the cold wind with his arms crossed, acting as a background prop, shouted, egging them on.
The others joined in the clamor.
Fu Fu narrowed her eyes and slowly lifted the dice cup, her throat bobbing nervously. Though she had already Prophecy the outcome, every second before the results were revealed was pure enjoyment for her.
The cup gradually opened a crack, revealing the first die. "It's a 6!" someone shouted.
Immediately after, as the second die appeared, the crowd erupted into a commotion.
Another six!
Seeing the second die, Fu Fu's breath quickened. Regardless of the outcome, she had already secured an unbeatable position in this gamble.
But the moment she fully lifted the dice cup, the noisy scene fell silent. Everyone stared at the table.
"How... how could this happen?" Fu Fu was stunned.
Everyone else was equally bewildered.
Beneath the dice cup lay only two dice: one showing six points, the other also showing six points.
Pi Ruan glanced at the ever-calm Lin Wan'er, sighed inwardly, then averted his gaze, his eyes filled with pity as he looked at Fu Fu.
In the next moment, under everyone's watchful gaze, Lin Wan'er moved. She slowly raised her hand, her slender fingers holding a die.
She gently placed the die on the table, just a few centimeters from Fu Fu's fingertips, causing the latter's eye corner to twitch involuntarily.
"If you can't even see your own cards clearly, don't try to play with the adults," Lin Wan'er said earnestly. "The waters here run deep, and you, a mere child, can't handle them."
(End of the Chapter)
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