The Gambler

Allie stood on the streets of the Martian slums, clutching the prize money she had just won. Red dust swirled around her feet, as if reminding her of the instability of everything here. Her silver hair fluttered gently in the breeze, her purple eyes sparkling with the joy of victory.

"What should I do with this money?" Allie muttered, looking at the 50,000 gold check in her hand and glancing around. The slum streets were still dilapidated, littered with garbage and discarded mechanical parts. In the distance, the towering domed cities glimmered enticingly, as if mocking the poverty here.

Just then, a group of refugees were struggling to queue for water at a street corner. Most of them were elderly people and orphans without labor capacity, homeless and often without water supply. Even regular residents frequently lacked water, let alone these refugees. It was common for thirsty refugees to rot in the slums.

Their eyes were filled with despair and exhaustion. Allie's heart suddenly tightened as she remembered her childhood. After getting separated from her father, she spent her first few years homeless, cold and hungry. If it weren't for the charity of some kind-hearted people, she would have perished long ago.

"Maybe... I could help them," Allie thought, "but this money is far from enough." Buying a truck of black market drinking water would cost almost 50,000 gold, how could it be enough to share among so many people?

Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind. She had heard about an underground casino in the slums where the stakes were astonishingly high. If she could win more money, she could help more people.

Allie took a deep breath and decided to head towards the casino. It was located in an abandoned underground shelter, its entrance hidden behind a pile of discarded machinery. As Allie entered, she was hit by the strong smell of smoke and a cacophony of noise.

The interior of the casino was much more luxurious than Allie had imagined. Flickering neon lights, exquisite gambling tables, and well-dressed dealers. Allie felt a bit uncomfortable, but she mustered up the courage to walk towards a roulette table.

"New here?" the dealer asked with a smile, his eyes twinkling with cunning.

Allie nodded and placed half of her prize money in red.

The wheel began to spin, and Allie's heart raced. She had secretly learned how to bet by watching others. It seemed simple enough. Her purple eyes were fixed on the small ball.

"Red!" the dealer announced.

Allie watched with delight as her chips doubled. This victory gave her confidence, and she decided to try again.

For the second round, Allie bet all her chips on odd numbers. When the dealer announced the result, Allie won again. People around started to talk, some praising her luck, others casting suspicious glances.

Allie felt a rush of excitement. It seemed like today was her super lucky day! Her chips were now four times the initial amount. "One more time," she told the dealer, her eyes glinting with greed.

However, luck wasn't on her side this time. Allie lost all her chips. She felt dizzy but wasn't ready to give up.

"Can I keep playing?" Allie asked, her voice slightly trembling.

The dealer gave a meaningful smile. "Of course, we can offer you a credit line."

And so, Allie fell into the whirlpool of gambling. Each loss made her more desperate to win it back, each small victory made her greedier. Time passed unnoticed, and Allie not only lost all her prize money but also incurred a large debt to the casino.

When Allie finally realized she owed 500,000 gold, panic swept over her. She stood up trembling, wanting to leave the casino.

"Miss, you haven't cleared your debt," a tall security guard blocked her way.

Allie felt a wave of fear. "I... I don't have money now," she stammered, "but I promise I'll pay it back."

The guard's eyes turned cold. "Then you'll have to come with us."

She suddenly turned, pushed through the crowd, and ran out of the casino.

Allie sprinted through the streets of the slum, the sound of footsteps chasing her. Her silver hair streamed in the night wind, her purple eyes full of alertness. She skillfully navigated through narrow alleys, jumped over piles of garbage, and climbed through a barber shop window, trying to shake off her pursuers. She often did this; for survival, how could she lack escape skills?

But her luck seemed to have run out. In a dead-end alley, Allie was surrounded by the casino's thugs.

"Don't think about running," the lead thug sneered, "you owe the casino a lot of money, it's time to pay up."

Several burly men closed in, their knuckles cracking ominously.

Allie felt a wave of despair. She wanted to slap herself, hating that she had been so foolish to believe there was such a thing as a profitable gambling game. Now she had lost her prize money and owed 500,000 gold. She didn't think she'd make it home alive today.

Just as the thugs were about to make their move, a loud engine sound suddenly descended from above. Allie and the thugs looked up in surprise.

The strong air current made it hard to keep their eyes open. A luxurious Mercury spacecraft slowly descended into the alley. The exterior of the craft gleamed with a cold metallic luster, standing out starkly in the dim street. The cabin door slowly opened, and a dazzling beam of light shot out, cutting a sharp line on the dirty ground.

A tall man stepped out of the spacecraft. His features were unclear due to the backlight. Allie squinted to barely make out his appearance: neatly cropped hair, chiseled features, and exceptionally beautiful yet cold blue eyes set deep in their sockets. He wore an impeccably tailored black suit made of a material Allie had never seen before, seemingly even more luxurious than those worn by the wealthy. A small, faintly glowing silver badge on his collar was particularly eye-catching.

The thugs were stunned too, clearly not expecting such a situation.

The man walked slowly towards Allie, his gaze fixed on her purple eyes as if he could see into her soul.

"Allie Raine," the man spoke, his voice deep and magnetic, "I've been looking for you for a long time."

Allie felt confused and uneasy. She didn't know this man, yet he knew her name. He seemed to be from Mercury, that upper-class world so different from Mars.

The man slowly approached them, each step filled with low pressure, as if the air itself was making way for him. His gaze swept over everyone present, finally resting on Allie, a flicker of indecipherable emotion in his eyes.

"Leave," he commanded, his voice deep and magnetic, carrying an undeniable authority.

The thugs looked at each other, unsure how to handle this unexpected situation. The leader, a burly man, gritted his teeth and stepped forward, saying, "I don't care who you are, this girl owes us money. You'd better not interfere."

The man turned to the thug, his eyes suddenly turning ice-cold. "I suggest you leave now," his voice carried an undeniable authority, "otherwise, you'll regret it."

The silver badge clearly represented some power they dared not offend. The thugs hesitated for a moment but finally backed down.

Before leaving, the burly leader shot Allie a vicious glare.

The man turned back and extended his hand to Allie. "Come, Allie," he said, "come with me."

Allie hesitated for a moment but finally took his hand. Where else could she go now?