Translator: AnubisTL
"How's it going?" Chen Mang asked, patting Li Shiji on the shoulder, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "This shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"
Our chance to strike it rich is here!
The reason Chen Mang had specifically brought Li Shiji to this fortuitous encounter map was precisely to prepare for situations like this. He hadn't expected it to actually happen. He'd originally wanted to bring Old Pig along too, but someone needed to stay behind to guard the base.
"It's not difficult," Li Shiji said, shaking his head. He was about to elaborate when Chen Mang thrust his wrist-mounted device toward the nearby scanning instrument. "Alright, I'm going all in. 9,970 points total. I'm counting on you."
"Huh?" A flicker of panic crossed Li Shiji's eyes. He said bitterly, "I was just about to suggest we try 1,000 points first. I'm worried I might make a mistake, and then this whole trip would be for nothing."
"Don't panic," Chen Mang said, shaking his head. He handed Li Shiji the newly lit cigar, his expression serious. "I've seen your skills firsthand. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just maintain your usual level, and you'll clear this easily."
"Even if we lose it all, it's fine."
"Then let's go back to mining."
"A cigar to sharpen the mind."
"Go all out and finish early."
"Let's get started."
Just then—
The countdown began on the stage's screen. Li Shiji took a deep drag from the cigar, feeling his mind clear slightly. But the next moment, he choked, coughing uncontrollably. By then, a cube containing 18 golf balls had appeared on the screen.
With his eyes stinging red from the smoke, Li Shiji couldn't even rub them. He could only stare intently at the cube on the screen, coughing violently.
Only three seconds remained.
This kid...
Standing beside him, Chen Mang didn't interrupt. He merely frowned slightly. The Tier 10 overpowered effect of the Cigar Production Line was supposed to sharpen the mind, and he'd intended for Li Shiji to calm down and clear his head. But who knew the kid would take such a massive, lung-filling drag?
Had no one told him you're not supposed to inhale cigars like that?
Do you have iron lungs or something?!
The bikini-clad beauty at the booth showed little reaction, maintaining her professional smile.
Seeing this, Biaozi clenched his fists, pacing anxiously and jumping up and down, yet daring not to make a sound. If they lost this round, their entire trip would have been for nothing!
He had been counting on earning 50,000 points to go to the Mechanical Train Parts Store and beg Lord Mang to buy back the Zombie Siege Virtual Map Chip.
To pilot the Thunder mech as soon as possible, he needed another map to rapidly improve his comprehensive physical fitness.
If all else failed...
If all else failed...
Biaozi gritted his teeth. At worst, it would be a matter of closing one eye and opening another—closing the upper one and opening the lower one. By then, three seconds had passed, and Li Shiji wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve before quickly placing the golf balls on the table in their corresponding positions.
"Sir," the bikini-clad woman beside him said with a smile and a hint of shyness, glancing at Biaozi. "Would you like to try? 100,000 points."
"What the hell?"
Biaozi, who had been intently watching Li Shiji, startled at the voice and turned to glare at the woman behind him. He couldn't help but curse, "What the fuck do you think you're doing? Do you even know your worth? Are you worth that much?"
"Even I'm only worth 100,000 points! What makes you think you deserve that much?"
But then he realized his hand, which had been behind his back, had accidentally brushed against the woman. He paused, then seemed to grasp something, and poked her again.
"Sir, would you like to play? 100,000 points."
A strange glint flashed in his eyes as he began rapidly and repeatedly poking the woman's body.
"S-s-s-s-s..."
The woman immediately froze, her mind seemingly short-circuiting, and began repeating the first syllable of her sentence endlessly.
"Just a broken record!" Biaozi scoffed, losing interest in the game. He turned back to Li Shiji, looking anxious. If I break her, they'll fine me!
Finally—
As the last golf ball was placed in the cubic box, the woman announced crisply, "All 18 golf balls correctly positioned. Double payout of 19,940 points. Please confirm receipt."
"Good enough," Chen Mang said, satisfied. He extended his wrist to receive the points, then placed his wrist device back on the Receiver. "Another round."
With a ding, another 10,000 points were deducted. The maximum bet allowed was 10,000 points.
"Good luck," Biaozi muttered.
Chen Mang patted Li Shiji's shoulder again. "No pressure, just play your best. Give me the cigar."
Chen Mang took the cigar and handed it to Biaozi, who was standing nearby.
Don't let the kid smoke that! It's supposed to sharpen the mind, but it's just making his eyes water.
Having succeeded once, Li Shiji was now brimming with confidence. He nodded firmly, his face resolute. "Leave it to me, Lord Mang! We'll make a million today!"
The project itself was actually quite simple for him.
The earlier pressure had been overwhelming—he'd worried that if he lost, everyone's trip would be for nothing, and he'd bear the full responsibility. But now, even if he lost this round, he still had 9,940 points left. Plus, having already succeeded once, he felt even more assured.
Soon—
He succeeded again, earning another 10,000 points.
Chen Mang grinned so wide his face hurt. He immediately invested another 10,000 points and started another round.
This time,
The screen had barely flickered for a second before Li Shiji clasped his hands behind his back, closed his eyes, and stood calmly.
"Hey! Hey!" Biaozi said urgently. "Aren't you being a bit cocky? Don't fucking lose now!"
Two seconds later—
The screen went dark, and only then did Li Shiji open his eyes, casually and flawlessly arranging all the golf balls on the table.
"Congratulations on passing," a woman's crisp voice chimed in his ear.
"What a show-off!" Biaozi exclaimed, giving Li Shiji a thumbs-up. "But damn, you're good! Awesome!"
As Chen Mang, beaming, prepared to start another round, the woman gently placed her hand on his arm, stopping him from placing his bet. "Sun City rules state that after winning three times at any mini-game, you're no longer allowed to participate."
"What if I lose three times?"
"As long as you don't win three times, you can lose as many times as you want."
"Is there a time limit? Can I come back tomorrow?"
"Once you've won three times, you're permanently barred from playing this game."
"..."
Chen Mang stared blankly at the woman's unchanging, perfect smile, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to curse. But remembering she was a robot, his anger dissipated like smoke. He sighed softly and patted her shoulder.
"Your business practices will get you—"
"Sir, would you like to play? 100,000 points."
"I'll play with your mother."
"My mother's worth 1 million points."
"..."
Chen Mang withdrew his hand and remained silent for a moment before moving on to the second stall. He couldn't reason with these people; he felt that in this city, money was all that mattered—you could do whatever you wanted, no matter how absurd, like trying to figure out how a robot could have a mother.
Crazy bastards.
He thought this place shouldn't be called "Eden," but rather "Satan's Paradise."
Still, it wasn't bad.
He glanced at the balance on his wrist device:
39,940.
Nearly forty thousand.
If he could earn a bit more at the other game stalls and reach fifty thousand, he could buy back the Zombie Siege chip. Then this trip wouldn't have been a complete waste.
"Welcome to the experience," a bikini-clad woman greeted Chen Mang's group before they even reached the stall. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her chest, her professional smile unwavering.
All the women were strikingly tall, wearing sky-high heels and identical red bikinis. Only their faces differed; their figures were virtually indistinguishable.
Chen Mang gave them a cursory glance before looking away. If he were running this entertainment city, he could do a much better job.
Clothes that revealed too much lost their allure.
It was the suggestion of what lay beneath that truly captivated.
At the second stall, another platform stood with a large screen mounted above it.
"Sun Entertainment City Mini-Game."
"Game Name": Golden Flower.
"Game Rules": A total of 54 cards are used. Each player receives three cards, and the remaining 48 cards are revealed on the screen for three seconds.
Betting then begins.
The minimum bet is 1,000 Chips, and the maximum bet is 10,000 Chips.
Players reveal their hands. If they lose, their initial bet is deducted; if they win, they double their stake.
During the competition, no one except the participants may offer advice or assistance. Violators will be immediately disqualified.
"Ahem."
Standing behind Chen Mang, Li Shiji cleared his throat softly. "It's my turn again, Lord Mang."
"Indeed." Chen Mang stepped aside. "Begin your performance."
The first round started quickly.
A woman standing nearby dealt three cards each to Li Shiji and herself. Immediately afterward, the remaining 48 cards flashed across the screen, laid out face-up for just three seconds before flipping over.
This game wasn't about luck.
It was about speed and precision. With a sharp mind and quick eyes, one could easily deduce the opponent's hand, minimizing losses and maximizing gains.
Li Shiji closed his eyes, mentally reviewing the card layout before finally glancing at his own hand.
"Lord Mang, my hand is a pair of threes. The opponent's hand is a mixed hand."
"Go all-in. It's a guaranteed win."
"Of course." Chen Mang chuckled, extending his wrist to select a 10,000-point wager. The round ended swiftly. The woman's hand was a diamond 6, a heart 9, and a heart 10—exactly as Li Shiji had predicted, a mixed hand.
Another 10,000 points were added to their balance.
The next two rounds also ended in victory, effortlessly bringing their total to 79,940 points.
Chen Mang led Biaozi and the others toward the next game stall, glancing at Li Shiji with a hint of surprise. "Is this beginner's luck or something? Your luck is pretty insane."
For three consecutive rounds, Li Shiji had held the highest hand.
Even with Li Shiji's ability to see through his opponents' hands, a player with bad luck would still have to bet at least 1,000 chips, meaning they'd lose that amount. Normally, winning one round and losing another would still result in a substantial profit.
Even losing slightly more would still yield a small profit.
The only way to lose everything was to lose 49 consecutive rounds, but such long losing streaks were rare.
Back in his previous world, Chen Mang had joined the fun and hunted Dragons.
It was quite entertaining.
He stubbornly pursued a Dragon that had started at 28 Dao all the way to 43 Dao before finally giving up. After that, he lost interest in such games. By the 44th round, his chips were gone, so he turned and left without checking if the next player had succeeded. Watching would only mess with his mindset.
If the Dragon had been slain on the 44th round, he wouldn't have been able to sleep that night.
He'd have just stayed up until dawn.
"Hehe..." Li Shiji said sheepishly, "It's probably just the beginner's protection period."
"Alright, good enough. Let's check out the third stall."
Soon, they arrived at the third stall.
"Sun Entertainment City Mini-Game."
"Game Name": Boxer.
"Game Rules": No armor, exoskeletons, or accessories that enhance physical power are allowed.
Only raw physical strength is permitted.
Minimum wager: 1,000 Chips. Maximum wager: 10,000 Chips.
If a single punch registers a score of 7 or higher, the wager is doubled and returned. Otherwise, the Chips are forfeited.
A full-power punch from a professional boxer typically scores 7.
The requirements were high.
But...
If there was one thing Stellaris had in abundance, it was talent. Chen Mang had always believed that in the apocalypse, talent was an extremely precious resource—the more, the better.
He couldn't possibly master everything himself.
He didn't have the time to learn, nor the aptitude.
It seemed he could earn double the rewards from this little game.
Once a person won three times, they were barred from participating for life. But he had Zhang Yi and Zhang Er. Their physical prowess was already extraordinary, and after training in the Combat Training Virtual Space, their comprehensive physical fitness had been elevated to even greater heights.
Zhang Yi, who was chewing on a steamed bun while rummaging through the refrigerator for more snacks, suddenly felt someone poke his side. He looked down to see Biaozi. Puzzled, he mumbled in a low voice, "What's up, Brother Biao? You want some too?"
"I'm not hungry. Go aim for that punching machine and give it a good whack."
"Full power?"
"Full power."
"Got it."
Zhang Yi immediately adopted a serious expression and tossed the refrigerator onto his younger brother. He strode confidently toward the punching machine, took a deep breath, and tensed every muscle in his body. With a thunderous roar, he swung his fist in a wide arc and slammed it down with tremendous force!
A haymaker!
Having never gone hungry aboard the Stellaris and enjoying such lavish meals daily, Zhang Yi was naturally eager to prove his worth when given the chance. He was determined to impress Lord Mang with his performance.
Boom!!!
The punching machine shuddered violently from the impact, and a faint "15" slowly materialized on its display.
"Is this good enough?"
Chen Mang silently held his wrist-mounted communicator up to the woman, retrieved his chips, and then turned to Zhang Yi with a serious nod. "Perfect. Give it two more punches."
"When we get back, I'll treat you to extra rations."
"Biaozi, from now on, you can starve anyone else, but never let this brother go hungry."
"You hear me?"
(End of the Chapter)
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