Ch.7676. Heroes Who Begin to Kill Citizens

“Are you worried about cheating? Then we can shuffle the cards together, place them on the table, and distribute them from there.”

I suggested to Conqueror. He was furious to the point his anger reached the top of his head.

To settle what he’d already lost to me, he’d have to cut his organization in half.

He has nowhere to retreat.

“I’ll distribute the cards to prevent you from pulling any tricks. Once the shuffle is complete, no one touches the deck!”

Conqueror picked up a transparent ashtray nearby. He planned to cover the deck with it, placing his hand on top except when distributing.

The tension was evident on his face as he was backed into a corner.

“Do as you please. But you know that if you cheat, your life goes on the table too. How many do you have left?”

“Kuk…!”

He was already cornered after what Lu-a, Lena, and Boksil did to him.

My dragon eyes can catch any deception.

There will be no tricks.

“Let’s begin…!”

With a shuffle, we took turns mixing the cards and each separated a random pile.

Two cards were distributed.

We’ve both bet everything. The chip amount is 200 trillion won each. The total on the table is 400 trillion.

But that number doesn’t hold much meaning.

It means we’ve bet all our villains, controlled social infrastructure, spies, assets—everything each organization possesses.

It’s amusing how the flow of the entire world is determined by just a few numbers and symbols printed on scraps of paper.

That’s what makes it fun.

Three cards are laid on the table.

Spade 4, Heart 2, Clover 7.

Neither I nor Conqueror show any change in expression.

None of the onlookers dare to make a sound, not even a breath.

The fourth card.

Clover 6.

Depending on one’s hand, this combination creates the possibility of a straight.

The fifth card.

Clover 8.

The tension subsides.

If someone has two clubs in their hand, they’d have a flush—an extremely strong hand. In that case, victory is almost certain.

Or if someone just has any 5, they’d have a straight, which is also strong.

If both have a 5, it’s a split. A draw, and we move to the next round.

But judging by Conqueror’s expression, neither seems to be the case. Yet he doesn’t seem to have given up either.

The decision has already been made.

I ordered him.

“Dealer, show them.”

At my words, Conqueror slowly revealed his cards.

He trembled, breaking into a cold sweat.

“…No pair. K kicker.”

His hand was Heart K, Heart Q.

Normally, this would be a strong hand. If all-in wasn’t required and betting was possible, he could have killed his opponent. But it doesn’t match with the community cards.

So he did have some luck to make it this far.

My turn now.

I tossed my two cards to Conqueror.

He looked at me in confusion.

“What does this mean?”

I shrugged.

“I haven’t checked those cards either.”

“What? You’re insane! You expect me to believe that?”

“…It’s true.”

“That guy, Gerogius, didn’t seem interested in the cards at all. He never even put his hands on the table, just kept looking at the boss.”

His subordinates reported to Conqueror.

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my legs.

“The result was determined the moment the cards were shuffled, wasn’t it? Will looking at them change anything?”

“Arrogant bastard. I’ll open them and see!”

Conqueror opened my cards.

The first card was Heart 9. A completely useless garbage card in this situation.

“Good. Just one more, just one more garbage card and—!”

The last card was revealed. Conqueror’s face turned pale when he saw it.

“Ugh…!”

It was Spade A.

“No pair, Ace kicker. My victory.”

“Impossible! In a match of this magnitude, I lost because I couldn’t beat a mere no pair?!”

BANG!

Conqueror slammed the table. I casually stepped onto the poker table.

“From now on, Hell’s Babel will be incorporated under the villain alliance Vengeance and will obey absolutely. Betrayal means immediate execution. Understood?”

“Ha, don’t make me laugh. You’re trying to take everything with just one game!”

Conqueror raised his fist. He was about to start a war. This was his nest. He probably thought he could handle the four of us with superior numbers.

But.

CRASH!!

At that moment, the ceiling collapsed and Vengeance villains descended.

Villains entered the casino and landed. All of them were SSS-class. They maintained formation and surrounded the area like a well-trained army.

“Ugh…!”

Conqueror froze, overwhelmed by their presence.

“Want to try?”

I casually drew out the White of Pestilence. Conqueror finally bowed his head.

***

“That was quick.”

“Other organizations acting as witnesses to the match will serve as a deterrent, but you can’t subjugate an organization of that size with just one game of poker. Even if Conqueror submits, rebellion could occur. There’s still much work to be done.”

“Above all, it’s difficult to ensure that Vengeance’s ideology is maintained down to the lowest ranks. Still, the news that Hell’s Babel has submitted to Vengeance will be good material for absorbing other organizations.”

“So many delicious things! I’m happy!”

The issue is the tight schedule.

For the time being, I’ll have to travel around the world, even if it means consuming Sloth to its limit.

“By the way, Geo, what technique did you use in poker? I understand you used the Blue of Death in the third and fourth rounds. But how did you win the last round?”

At Lena’s question, I shrugged.

“I just played.”

“…What do you mean? You just played?”

“I played without cheating.”

“…What? You mean you won by luck?”

“Yes.”

Lena stumbled slightly.

“Listen, Geo. You know that what you bet—Vengeance’s assets—was everything I had collected from the Holy Tree, right?”

“You invested in me.”

“No, what were you planning to do if you lost?”

“Then I’d have bad luck.”

“Bad luck… Sigh. Never mind.”

Lena rubbed her forehead as if dizzy.

“If I had the kind of luck to lose at this point, I wouldn’t have made it this far. Right?”

“Of course. There’s no way Geo would lose.”

Lu-a smiled confidently, chiding Lena. Lena seemed to accept it.

“You two are my karma. One sees money as scraps of paper after watching me burn piles of it, and the other became a fanatic after showing appropriate trust in her leader. How can you both be so extreme?”

“Karma? Is that tasty?”

Lena threw some jerky to the drooling Boksil.

“It’s more bitter than cold medicine.”

I could see that Lena was contemplating how to re-educate Lu-a and me.

***

Over the next three weeks, I succeeded in integrating all major villain organizations worldwide.

However, there was far from enough time to control them perfectly.

It was like a patchwork chimera, loosely stitched together.

To easily unify them, giving them a common purpose is most straightforward.

Naturally, the most obvious target is heroes.

As soon as the villains were integrated, they began preparing attacks on each country’s Hero Association.

That rumor has surely reached the heroes as well, but they’re too busy with the S-Sentai Tournament to deal with us.

Above all, Washington is misunderstanding.

They believe I’m controlling the villains as Red Dragon, not as Gerogius.

If they accurately grasped the underworld’s political situation, they would sense something strange, but they don’t have the luxury right now.

We strike in that gap.

In the first month, the World Villain Alliance Vengeance began a quiet uprising.

“Lu-a, lead the main force and occupy Asia. It’s centralized, so if you neutralize the Vladivostok Association, local organizations will handle the remaining forces.”

“I’ve prepared detailed plans. Leave it to me.”

Lu-a’s leadership has improved to the point where she can handle most organizations like an army.

“Lena, conquer Europe with the Holy Tree elites. The EU has a closed system, so their hero standards are lower. Target the core associations and they’ll fall like dominoes.”

“One night will be enough.”

Lena’s abilities are beyond question.

Oceania has already been destroyed. It’s in a completely anarchic state, so we can delay entry.

“Boksil, go to South America. No strategy needed. Just push through everything.”

“Woof woof!”

“And Washington.”

As Lena suggested.

“I’ll go alone.”

That will be enough.

***

With Lu-a’s help, I arrived at the outskirts of the Washington Association. Lu-a immediately returned.

I looked around.

A magical city, you might call it.

The Association is of terrifying scale, occupying an entire city.

BOOM!

Battle sounds came from downtown. I headed there.

“Whoo! The Nigerian Sentai is fierce!”

“Egypt is quite sharp. As expected of the sunlight of cult followers!”

Dozens of heroes were engaged in intense combat.

Different races, ages, genders, nationalities.

All blinded, having become slaves to the name of S-Sentai.

“Aaaaah!”

“Run away!”

Civilians caught in the heroes’ battle were fleeing.

But it’s ordinary people versus powered individuals. Humans can’t escape a tsunami.

SPLAT!

A civilian was hit by a rapidly running hero and died instantly as their body burst.

The hero didn’t even care, just casually brushed the blood off their suit and returned to battle.

Interesting bunch.

The current S-Sentai, Absolute League, was among the fighting teams. Exile recognized me.

“Wait, Red Dragon! How are you here? Tourism is welcome, but the timing is bad, bro!”

“A villain? You must have a death wish!”

Several heroes charged at me.

The Washington Association is located in Andrews.

Not far from downtown DC.

And in the center of DC is the White House, the president’s residence.

The presidential attack event that disappeared when Dillitter vanished.

Let’s recreate it now.

However, the attackers won’t be villains, but you heroes.

“Apocalypse.”

[R■VELATIO■]

And the one who saves the president and wins public support.

“Black of Famine.”

[F■MESA■RUM]

Will be a villain.

***

“Breaking news! We’re live above Washington! All Association heroes have gone berserk!”

“Heroes who have been causing casualties and property damage during the S-Sentai Tournament have finally begun openly attacking citizens!”

“Heroes are invading the White House! The military is trying to stop them but appears overwhelmed…”

“The number of civilians sacrificed to the heroes is beyond count! They’re destroying Baltimore and now moving on to New York!”

“The president is safe but believed to be isolated in the White House underground bunker…”