Qin Lu had long heard of Wu Hao’s reputation as a smiling tiger. Seeing that very smile now, his heart tightened instantly.

“Ahem!”

Qin Lu cleared his throat, straightened his back, and clasped his fists.

“What advice does Manager Wu have for me?”

“Ah, what advice could I possibly have? It’s just that you, Brother Qin, repaid such a large sum of Spirit Stones all at once, treating me with such sincerity. How could I, Wu, not show some appreciation in return?”

Wu Hao gave a light chuckle, then raised his right hand and gave a gentle wave.

He Liang immediately stepped forward from behind him and placed five round coins with square holes in front of Qin Lu.

“These chips are a gift for you, Brother Qin. Consider them a small token. Take them downstairs and have some fun.”

“This…”

Qin Lu was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Wu Hao to be so generous.

These coins were the common chips used at Jishan Store. According to the exchange rate, one coin equaled one Spirit Stone.

Qin Lu glanced at the coins, thought for a moment, and spoke directly.

“Sorry about that, Manager. I’ve given up gambling now, I don’t really play anymore. Thank you for your kindness!”

“Uh…”

Qin Lu’s words left both Wu Hao and He Liang stunned. They clearly hadn’t expected him to say that.

Wu Hao was the first to recover, chuckling amiably.

“Give up gambling? What’s there to give up? Life is short, one should eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. A little gambling is just for fun, why make things hard on yourself?”

“So I want to keep some Spirit Stones for eating and drinking,” Qin Lu said seriously.

“Uh… th-this… these chips are my gift to you. It doesn’t even count as gambling. Just take them and place a random bet, that’s all.”

“Hmm… you do have a point,” Qin Lu nodded slightly. After a moment’s thought, he smiled. “Then I’ll just take these coins and exchange them directly. That’s five Spirit Stones right there.”

“This…”

Wu Hao’s expression froze again. This Qin Big Mouth was giving him quite a few surprises today.

One had to know, Qin Lu used to be someone who easily got carried away with gambling, addicted to it like his life depended on it. Otherwise, the store wouldn’t have lent him over a hundred Spirit Stones.

Who would have thought that after not seeing him for a while, the man had completely changed.

Wu Hao suddenly put on a stern face, speaking seriously.

“Does Brother Qin wish to break the rules of my establishment? Do me a favor, at least play a few rounds before exchanging them!”

Qin Lu’s heart pounded. He felt something was off about this Wu Hao. Why was he practically throwing Spirit Stones at him?

But since the man had put it that way, Qin Lu didn’t dwell on it. He directly picked up the chips from the table.

“Alright, I’ll go down and play a bit. I’ll take my leave first.”

With that, he turned and left.

Watching Qin Lu’s departing figure, a sinister expression appeared on Wu Hao’s face.

“This kid really is different now. But since he’s willing to gamble, I don’t believe he won’t get carried away again! Is everything ready?”

“Manager, rest assured, everything is prepared! That kid is definitely going to die here today!”

He Liang followed up with a vicious statement, his face full of malice.

……

Qin Lu returned to the first floor. Looking at the smoke-filled, chaotic gambling den, he tossed the few coins in his hand, then, on a whim, walked towards one of the gaming tables.

It was a dice-guessing table.

The semi-circular table had a dice-shaking dealer standing at the front. The area around the table was packed with people, constantly placing coins from their hands onto the painted cloth in front of them.

Qin Lu glanced at the cloth. It had betting areas painted on it: “Big/Small,” “Triples,” “Odd/Even,” “Specific Numbers.”

“Hey? Big Mouth is here? Hehe, what are you betting on this round?”

Suddenly, a young gambler leaned close to Qin Lu, greeting him cheerfully.

Qin Lu had no intention of gambling to begin with. Without much thought, he casually tossed his five coins onto the “Small” character.

“Betting small.”

“Great! I’ve been losing all day. I’ll follow your bet!”

The gambler said casually, also tossing down a few coins.

“Bets are closed!”

The gambling den dealer announced loudly, then picked up the dice cup and began shaking it. The dice clattered noisily inside.

The dice cup was specially designed; even using spiritual energy, one couldn’t see inside.

A moment later.

The shaking stopped.

“Open!”

The dealer slowly lifted the cup, revealing the specific numbers of the dice inside.

“Two, three, three! Small!”

This result made the young gambler’s eyes light up, showing a look of pleasant surprise.

“Not bad, Big Mouth! Trusting you was right, we actually won!”

Qin Lu remained silent upon hearing this.

The house paid out. Qin Lu received ten coins.

The young gambler continued asking, “Hey Big Mouth, what’s the next bet?”

Qin Lu took a look. A thought struck him, and he threw all ten coins in his hand onto the “Triples” area.

“Huh?”

The young gambler seemed surprised and quickly said, “Big Mouth, you threw it wrong. That’s the triples area.”

The probability of rolling triples with dice was relatively low, hence the payout was as high as twenty-four times.

No one would bet their entire stake on triples.

“Didn’t bet wrong. It’s triples. If not now, then when?”

Qin Lu said calmly, his confident demeanor as if he didn’t care about these Spirit Stones at all.

However, unnoticed by anyone, the corner of his eye was constantly surveying the gambling den enforcers around him.

He noticed that a few men seemed to be moving closer to him. This discovery made him break out in a cold sweat without realizing it.

He didn’t know what was happening, but his intuition told him something was wrong today!

“Ah, whatever. Since I’ve been losing all day, I’ll follow you one more time!”

The young gambler gritted his teeth and tossed down a few more coins.

“Bets are closed!”

The dealer shouted again, his eyes carefully glancing at Qin Lu from the corner.

“Clatter, clatter!”

After another round of shaking, under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the dealer revealed the outcome once more.

“Five, five, five! Triples!”

“Wow!”

“It really is triples!”

“My heavens, Qin Big Mouth’s luck is heaven-defying!”

This scene immediately attracted many gamblers to come and watch the excitement.

The most excited, naturally, was the young gambler who had followed the bet.

He howled with excitement, his face beaming.

The dealer remained expressionless, as if this was expected, then began the payout.

Qin Lu’s bet of ten coins successfully earned him over two hundred coins, piled up into a small hill.

But at this moment, he showed not the slightest smile. A flash of insight crossed his mind, and his expression gradually turned grave.

“Something’s not right!”

……

In the back alley of Jishan Store, five burly men armed with blades stood ready for action.

The leader was none other than He Liang.

“Everyone, be careful! This kid is a bit strange. When he comes out later, cut him down with your blades immediately! A soundproofing array has been set up here. The Wuji Sect definitely won’t notice! Understood?”

He Liang shook the sharp broadsword in his hand, emphasizing in a low voice.

“Yes!” the others responded immediately.

Inside the gambling den.

Wu Hao was quietly observing from a distance, secretly making a hand signal to have his men prepare to act.

As long as Qin Lu placed another bet, he was sure to win money.

And as soon as he won one more time, they would rush up, grab him, pin a cheating charge on him, drag him straight to the back alley, and cut him down with their blades.

The back alley already had a soundproofing array set up. Even if a fight broke out, it wouldn’t make a commotion.

Doing it this way would neither attract the attention of the gamblers in the hall nor invite investigation from the Wuji Sect.

Killing two birds with one stone.

Qin Lu, having just won on triples, attracted many people’s attention. Quite a few were urging him to place his next bet quickly, planning to follow along.

And as everyone waited for Qin Lu’s next move…

“Everyone!”

Qin Lu suddenly stood up, raised all the coins in his hand high, and then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, dumped them all into the pocket of the young gambler beside him.

“From today onward, I, Qin Lu, will gamble no more! The last of my luck at the gambling table today, I leave to this young brother who believed in me!”

Qin Lu’s loud declaration caused the entire hall to fall silent for a moment.

The next second, it erupted into commotion.

“Hey, hey! Big Mouth, think this through! That’s over two hundred Spirit Stones! You’re just giving them up like that?!”

“I told you Big Mouth really struck it rich! Otherwise, how could he look down on even this many Spirit Stones?!”

“Damn, Big Mouth, share some with me!”

“…”

Exclamations of shock rang out continuously in the hall, and the gazes directed at Qin Lu all held a touch of astonishment.

Having handed over the copper coins, Qin Lu did not pause for even a moment. He immediately strode purposefully toward the main entrance with his head held high.

This move left the gambling den enforcers, who had been poised to strike, utterly bewildered. They hurriedly cast questioning looks toward Wu Hao at the rear.

Wu Hao’s face was now ashen. Seeing the situation, he could only give a slight shake of his head, signaling them not to act.

As Qin Lu saw he was about to step out of the gambling den’s doorway, his mood relaxed involuntarily. He thought for a moment, then suddenly turned around, raised his arm, and shouted with great fervor:

“I declare an eternal vendetta against gambling and drugs!”

==========