Chapter 72

Episode 72

Everyone around had stopped gambling and stood up, surrounding the table in a circle, looking over at us. It wasn’t every day that something more interesting than gambling happened.

It wasn’t bad.

The wall of onlookers would put pressure on them.

“What are you doing? Are you deaf? It’s your turn.”

Thump!

I slammed the table forcefully.

Snake Eyes flinched momentarily, his eyes rolling in tension.

He probably just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.

But he couldn’t do that.

With so much money at stake, he couldn’t just get up and leave unless he was out of his mind.

“Wait. The dice are covered in blood. We can’t just play like this. We need new dice.”

Snake Eyes, wiping the sweat from his forehead, asked the staff for new dice.

Blood had splattered on the dice and the wooden cup when Odd Ear’s wrist was cut.

The staff moved to replace the dice.

Snake Eyes took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he bought some time.

Shortly after, the staff returned.

New dice and a wooden cup were placed in front of Snake Eyes.

Yet, Snake Eyes couldn’t easily roll the dice.

I knew why.

He was contemplating.

Whether to cheat or not.

He had been sucking the honey through cheating since the middle of the game, but now it was different.

If caught, his hand would fly off.

But it was such a huge amount of money at stake.

He couldn’t easily make a decision because of the weight of that money.

“Umm.”

After hesitating, Snake Eyes finally rolled the dice.

Click-clack.

He shook the wooden cup carefully.

Godwin remained still.

Meaning he didn’t cheat.

He must have decided that his body was more important than the money.

Snake Eyes, with trembling hands, began to lift the wooden cup.

And then.

“Kugh.”

He groaned in despair.

1, 1, 2.

The worst possible numbers had come up.

It seemed even the heavens had abandoned him for his sins of cheating others.

“Oh? Why did your skills suddenly drop? Something’s strange, isn’t it?”

I mocked him on purpose.

But Snake Eyes, clenching his fists, just trembled without saying a word.

He wasn’t in a position to talk back.

I looked at Snake Eyes with a full sneer.

It was satisfying.

Those who cheat others should experience the same.

That’s the right world.

“Next.”

I turned my gaze to Dan and spoke.

“Well, I know it’s my turn without you saying.”

Dan spoke up.

He maintained a certain calmness, unlike Snake Eyes.

Dan was different from the mere small fry.

A real player, overflowing with confidence in his skills.

He must be thinking that his cheating would never be caught.

“Hmm.”

Thump.

Dan placed the dice in front of him and covered them with the wooden cup.

Rattle-rattle.

Then he rolled the dice with the same movement as before.

After a moment, the dice stopped.

“I need some luck here.”

Muttering to himself, Dan lifted the wooden cup.

The result was.

6, 6, 5.

Almost the highest possible numbers.

Practically a guaranteed victory.

“Wow, it stuck!”

Dan lifted his fist in joy, smiling happily.

“Wow… did it really hit? That’s crazy.”

“Man, that’s the shot of a lifetime. Damn, I want to graduate from this scene too.”

The crowd buzzed.

It was the moment of a big win that every gambler dreams of.

The moment was about to happen right before their eyes, so the atmosphere was inevitable.

I stared at the scene.

Was it really luck that brought the best numbers?

No.

It was cheating.

But why was Godwin still quiet?

Because I asked him to be.

Let the first cheat pass.

It would give him confidence.

The belief that his cheating would never be caught.

And that would naturally lead to the certainty of victory.

So he had to be drawn in.

For the decisive round.

“Lucky you.”

I muttered and moved the dice in front of me.

Then I casually shook the wooden cup.

It didn’t really matter what numbers came up here.

Because the decisive round wasn’t now.

Thump.

I rolled the dice carelessly and lifted the wooden cup.

The numbers underneath were.

“hmm?”

My eyes widened.

6, 6, 5.

Surprisingly, the same numbers as Dan.

A tie.

“Insane, those numbers came up again here?”

“Does that make sense?”

“Wow, the game’s gone mad, totally.”

The onlookers buzzed with excitement again.

In such an incredible game, a nail-biting showdown was inevitable.

Anyway, I was surprised.

A tie had occurred.

It was laughable.

It made things easier for me.

“Um… it’s a tie. One more time…”

“Wait, hold on.”

I stopped Dan, who was about to roll again.

Then I turned to Snake Eyes.

“You’re out, so it would be better if you just left.”

“Kugh…”

“Get lost.”

“Damn it!”

Snake Eyes, having lost all the money he had won and what he had brought, cursed and left with a weak gait.

He should be thankful.

At least he got away with his body intact.

“One down.”

I moved all the chips from in front of Snake Eyes to the center.

“Hey, move those chips too.”

At my word, Godwin pushed the chips of Odd Ear, who had been disqualified for cheating, to the center.

I added the chips in front of me to the pile.

An enormous amount of chips gathered in the center.

“Hey, since it’s a tie, how about we raise the stakes? It would be much more fun.”

I said to Dan with a smirk.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Gamblers feel a primal excitement and joy in big games.

The bigger the game, the more they feel it.

That’s why such a response was inevitable.

“Hmm, how much?”

Dan was testing the waters.

“Five hundred.”

I pushed the pile of chips in front of me all at once.

“Wow, 500 more?”

“He’s lost his mind.”

The crowd was astounded by the huge amount.

Dan scratched his head.

“I don’t have 500 on this side.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll say you’ve bet it even if you don’t have it.”

I said generously.

It was a very generous condition.

If he could win.

“Ha-ha, you’re really bold.”

Dan laughed.

He had a moment of contemplation in his eyes.

But in the end, he would have to be drawn into this condition.

Why?

Because he’s confident in himself.

The confidence that he can win.

His cheating hasn’t been detected at all.

He must think this tie was just a coincidence.

“Alright, fine. I can’t back down now, not as a man. I’ll take that condition.”

As expected, Dan accepted the challenge.

At that moment, cheers erupted again.

Because an exciting game with a huge amount of money at stake was really happening.

I enjoyed the reactions around me and smirked.

“You’ve made a choice I like. Let’s see how this goes.”

I gestured for him to roll the dice.

He would obviously cheat here.

He needs a high number to be sure of winning.

Of course, I don’t have the ability to detect that.

That’s Godwin’s job.

Godwin’s eyes are the real deal.

Even if the god of gambling descended, he couldn’t fool Godwin’s eyes.

“Phew, this is nerve-wracking.”

Dan took a deep breath and stretched his hands in a gesture.

A natural movement that didn’t seem odd at all.

That’s why Dan’s cheating skills are top-notch.

He deceives the eyes with naturalness.

It sounds easy but is a very difficult skill.

“Ah, it’s all or nothing. Let’s go with the momentum.”

Dan muttered as he covered the dice with the wooden cup.

And just as he was about to roll.

Tip.

Suddenly, Godwin’s large hand firmly grasped Dan’s wrist.

“What? What is this?”

Dan looked displeased.

The onlookers also reacted with confusion.

“You can fool everyone else, but not me, you scammer.”

Godwin spoke with a voice full of murderous intent.

“What? What are you talking about?”

Dan spoke as if it was absurd.

His expression was so natural that, if I hadn’t known his true identity, I couldn’t have imagined it was an act.

It was an applause-worthy performance.

Dan’s heart must be pounding out of his chest.

Just thinking about it made me want to laugh.

“Staff!”

Godwin called out loudly again.

The staff, who had been watching us, hurried over.

“What’s the matter?”

“Open the lid again.”

There’s no third party as fair as the staff.

That’s why we asked the staff to check.

“Again?”

The staff glanced at Dan and me, the direct parties involved.

“Open it. I’ll take responsibility. He’s my acquaintance, so his opinion is as good as mine. If no cheating is found, I’ll concede defeat and leave.”

I spoke with conviction.

“But how can you just decide that—”

I cut off Dan’s protest.

“Why? If you’re clean, you have nothing to lose. In fact, it’s an insanely good deal for you. You can sweep all that money without even rolling the dice.”

“Ah, good deal or whatever…”

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m taking all the responsibility. What are you waiting for, staff? Open it now!”

I ignored Dan’s words and raised my voice.

Godwin also urged the staff with a threatening look.

Eventually, the staff, with no choice, opened the wooden cup.

Underneath were three dice.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

The onlookers murmured with puzzled faces.

“What’s wrong? What’s strange?”

“I don’t know. Doesn’t seem like anything suspicious.”

“Was all that bravado for nothing?”

Joining the crowd’s reaction, Dan spoke up.

“See, what did I tell you? I don’t know anything about cheating or whatever.”

He kept up his act of innocence to the very end.

But.

He picked the wrong opponent this time.

“Look.”

“Yes?”

“Roll those dice. They’ll definitely show 6.”

Godwin told the staff.

At that moment.

I saw Dan’s eyes unmistakably shake.

‘You can’t escape, you bastard.’

I added with a smirk.

“Just as he said, roll them.”

I might not have seen it, but Godwin definitely did.

Dan’s seamless switch of the dice.

And those dice would surely have some mechanism.

“Ah, okay.”

The staff, swallowing hard, covered the cup and shook it several times quickly.

The clattering sound of the dice was heard.

And then.

“I’ll open it.”

The staff cautiously opened the wooden cup.

Underneath was.

“Huh?”

6, 6, 6.

An unbelievable highest number appeared.

The onlookers buzzed.

They sensed something was off.

But once could be a coincidence.

Knowing this, the staff covered the cup again.

“I’ll try one more time.”

Clatter-clatter-clatter!

This time, the staff shook the cup more vigorously.

Ensuring the dice were thoroughly rolled.

“Then.”

The staff stopped the dice and lifted the cup again.

Naturally, the result was.

6, 6, 6.

“Again…?”

The staff groaned with widened eyes.

The highest number twice in a row?

That couldn’t be a coincidence.

The probability was too slim.

“Ah, he messed with the weight center.”

“Wow, when did he switch them? I had no idea.”

“Right? But how did he see that? What kind of person is he?”

The onlookers murmured in surprise.

In front of the curious onlookers, I grabbed the dice and threw them into the air as a final check.

Thump!

The dice rolled and stopped on the floor.

The numbers were the same.

6, 6, 6.

Dan’s face drained of color.

“Your hand…”

“Wait, please! I beg you, forgive me for that! I’ll do anything, just not that!”

Eventually, Dan pleaded with a pale face.

It seemed he thought that was his only way out.

“Shut up.”

Godwin, deeming it not worth listening to, drew his dagger to cut off Dan’s wrist.

“Ugh!”

Dan screamed.

At that moment, I extended a hand of salvation.

“Ah, wait, wait.”

My words dramatically stopped Godwin’s movement.

Right above Dan’s wrist.

“Ha, ha.”

Dan breathed heavily, narrowly escaping death.

His face was completely pale.

“Anything?”

I asked, as if to confirm.

“Yes, anything! I’ll do anything!”

Dan desperately shouted, as if he had to grab this chance of salvation.

“Really? If you lie, I’ll cut off both your hands.”

“Of course! I swear to God, I’m sincere!”

“Hmm, alright. I’ll trust you.”

I nodded and signaled Godwin with my eyes.

Only then did Godwin put away the dagger.

“Ha… Thank you!”

Dan thanked me with a relieved expression.

“Ah, we’re all just trying to make a living, but there should be limits.”

I smiled pleasantly.

Everything had gone according to plan.

I gathered the chips on the table and said,

“Come on, follow me. Let’s have a serious talk.”