Chapter 16: The Ruinous Gamble

Ma Jinlong sensed the situation turning against him. He had intended to cancel the entire match to maintain his advantage, but the crowd’s emotions spun out of control; they demanded the competition continue. This sealed off his retreat and, for the sake of pride, he could do nothing but force a smile and declare, “Rest assured! The bet is still on, and we’ll proceed to the next round.”

He glanced at Dr. She, who gave him a subtle signal that everything was in his hands, which somewhat eased the tension in Ma Jinlong’s heart. Dr. She stepped in to smooth things over, saying, “This time, the one guarding the villa’s main entrance is Mr. Wu Qiwei. Although he isn’t one of our laboratory’s creations, he’s a master whom Mr. Ma hired at great expense from the outside world. With him pitted against that young woman, victory is almost certain. Gentlemen, place your bets on who you think will win.”

“Which side are you betting on this time, Zeng Yilong?” With this new combatant entering the fray, Ma Jinlong’s confidence began to return. He fixed Zeng Yilong with a murderous glare: “Hmph! If you have the guts, then wager a few hundred million on those people winning. This time, I’ll make you bankrupt with interest.”

“I’m putting down two billion.”

Ma Jinlong was stunned, as if he didn’t believe his own ears, and stood frozen for a moment. “What did you say?”

“I said I’m betting on that girl to win. You heard me—I’m wagering two billion dollars.” Zeng Yilong flicked the ash from his cigar and spoke with a calmness that filled the room with silence. Every eye turned toward him.

Ma Jinlong now found himself half-laughing, half-crying. “What! How am I supposed to cover such an astronomical bet?”

“You can cover it, Mr. Ma. Liquidate all your assets and you’ll just about be able to settle a two-billion debt. On the other hand, if I lose, I’ll be utterly ruined as well.”

Seeing Ma Jinlong’s hesitation, the others, eager to watch the drama unfold, started to pressure him. “That won’t do, Mr. Ma—you must accept his wager.”

“You set up the bet, you’re the house, you must accept it. That’s the rule we all agreed upon when the club was founded,” Mr. Wang, a thin man, cut off his escape once again, leaving Ma Jinlong with no choice but to fight.

“Whoever loses is bankrupt. We’ll be able to gloat then; it’ll be quite entertaining.” With those words, Mr. Chu sent the room into laughter.

“How exhilarating—this is truly sensational.”

By now, Ma Jinlong could no longer afford any other considerations. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he silently prayed that Lady Luck would favor him. “Zeng Yilong, you bastard, what kind of scheme are you plotting? Are you really so confident that the girl will win? Impossible. If I win this, all the money is mine. You’ll pay the price for your arrogance, and you’ll be the one to go bankrupt.”

“No problem. I accept your bet.” This time, he resolved to throw all his resources into this life-and-death gamble. Turning to Wu Qiwei, he said, “Everything depends on you now, Wu Qiwei.”

“It’s been a long while since I’ve met a worthy opponent. I’m a little nervous, even a bit impatient,” Wu Qiwei replied, bowing before picking up a sword from the table and heading outside.

Ma Jinlong motioned to the bodyguard standing by the door and quietly instructed, “Bring in the girl we just captured. If necessary, use her to restrain them. Remember, don’t let the shareholders find out.”

“Yes, Mr. Ma.” The bodyguard nodded respectfully and left.

A faint smile touched Ma Jinlong’s lips. “You’re being far too arrogant, Zeng Yilong. If you’re going to stake everything against me, I’ll make you regret it.”

Soon the two men arrived at the villa atop the mountain, where the person who had captured Qin Ling was waiting outside. “We’ve finally reached the summit. It seems he’s the final adversary.”

“I’m counting on you this time, Wu Qiwei,” Ma Jinlong said nervously, holding a glass of brandy on the open-air terrace.

“Haha, it looks like Mr. Ma is truly nervous this time.”

“No wonder—after all, he’s already lost a hundred and twenty million. The stakes for this round are even higher; both sides are risking everything they own,” Mr. Huang remarked, twisting the knife.

“Though Mr. Zeng appears calm on the surface, in reality, he’s quite tense. After all, his resources and his winnings from the previous rounds only amount to about a third of Mr. Ma’s assets.”

Zeng Yilong closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying the life-or-death tension. He maintained his smile, while the other shareholders, save for the two principal players, chatted and laughed amongst themselves.

Du Bin, seeing Ma Jinlong and the others on the villa terrace, with Qin Ling tied up beside them and a livestreaming setup broadcasting the scene, grumbled, “Tch, we’re fighting for our lives while that bunch of bored rich men watch as if it’s just entertainment. It’s infuriating.”

“Impressive skills. I hope you won’t disappoint me, heir to the Hunting Family,” Wu Qiwei said, removing his sunglasses, dropping them to the ground, and crushing them under his foot.

Du Bin noticed Ye Tang standing motionless and silent, and asked curiously, “What’s wrong? I know he’s strong, but you’re no slouch yourself.”

“You’re mistaken. His strength is beyond words. And I sense a killing intent like a raging storm. To be honest, last time he was only testing me.” Ye Tang’s expression grew tense as she stared at this formidable enemy. She knew that, with her own abilities, the odds of victory were slim.

“The Scarlet Blade, the heirloom sword of the Hunting Family. Your mother’s scandal years ago made your family a laughingstock, yet they still trust you so much. Clearly, you’re unaware of the real story. No wonder they kept it from you—no family wants their shame aired in public.”

Ye Tang clenched her fists silently. Wu Qiwei drew his own sword and continued, “When the Scarlet Blade was forged, so was another sword—this one here in my hand: Phantom. It’s so fierce it’s been sealed away for years. Anyone who wields it is in danger, for it must continuously feed on its wielder’s strength, burning ever hotter—sometimes even consuming life itself. Though I am its master, it is not safe.”

“Let’s see which is mightier—the Scarlet Blade or the Phantom.”

Wu Qiwei drew his sword. A blue flame burst from its edge, but within the fire lurked the aura of death. Ye Tang sensed a truly evil power emanating from the weapon.