Chapter 210: The Sparrow Sage

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In response to Qingque's explanation, Stelle remained entirely unconvinced.

After all...

For someone like this Mahjong Maiden, her exceptional skills couldn't simply be attributed to sheer luck.

March 7th shared similar doubts.

"Qingque, just tell us honestly—while playing mahjong...do you use Xianzhou's divine divination abilities?" The pink-haired girl gestured with her fingers, "Like Master Diviner does?"

Qingque tilted her head, pondering for a moment before saying, "Oh that... I occasionally do use it, but...it can't really be considered cheating, right? Most of the time, I only perform simple calculations on the tiles; divination is quite energy-consuming."

Bochang, Stelle, and March 7th exchanged glances.

As long as she didn't manipulate the tiles directly, it indeed wasn't cheating.

Bochang couldn't help but chime in sarcastically, "Didn't you say earlier...that even if you calculated, it wouldn't matter since the needed tile would eventually come up anyway?"

"That's true... When playing for fun, I don't usually bother calculating. Most of the time, it comes down to luck," Qingque replied nonchalantly, gently shaking her head.

Bochang found it hard to discern whether she was being truthful or not.

"Let's continue." March 7th pushed forward the mahjong tiles in front of her.

After playing for some time:

March 7th's confidence had noticeably improved; at least she could now maintain eye contact with Bochang without appearing timid.

[Dating Options activated.]

[Option 1: Gambling money on Mahjong is quite mundane. Why not bet something else? Propose: "Everyone, listen up! Instead of betting Credit Points, let's switch to clothing. Whoever loses has to remove one item, how about it?" - Completion Reward: Qingque refuses to join the game.]

[Option 2: Stripping might be indecent; better stick with drinking. Suggest: "Everyone, hear me out! Let's change from betting Credit Points to drinking instead. Whoever loses takes a shot." - Completion Reward: Unlock Skill, Booze Immunity: Even when intoxicated, you can retain your rationality and control over your body.]

[Option 3: Keep playing, no need for chatter. - Completion Reward: Unlock Skill, Mahjong Master: You can perceive all cards and silently swap them using your thoughts.]

Bochang studied the three options, deep in thought.

The first option was clearly eliminable.

However...

The information implied within held significant meaning.

« Would March 7th and Stelle agree to my proposal, aside from Qingque? »

Bochang considered giving strip mahjong a try someday.

But not now, as Qingque certainly wouldn't agree to it.

His gaze continued downward.

Both Option Two and Option Three offered skills as rewards—Drunkard's Eye and Mahjong Master.

After weighing his options mentally, Bochang ultimately chose Option Three.

Mahjong Master seemed immediately useful, so prioritizing it was definitely the right choice.

"Qingque! Let's go for a pong!"

[Reward being granted—Congratulations on obtaining the skill, Mahjong Master.]

As the system's voice echoed, Bochang squinted slightly, feeling a cool sensation surge through his mind. With just a bit of focus, he could effortlessly see through others' tiles and seamlessly swap any two different cards without detection.

It resembled teleportation but lacked any attention-drawing effects—a skill seemingly tailor-made for cheating at card games.

Bochang promptly tested the new ability, finding its results highly satisfactory.

Indeed, no one at the table noticed anything amiss.

Next... the game continued.

Bochang and the others gathered their mahjong tiles, manually shuffling them before rearranging them. This was necessary since they didn't have a dedicated mahjong table, requiring manual mixing of the tiles.

At this point, Qingque remained unaware of the potential implications.

They rearranged their tiles, rolled the dice, and drew new cards.

Bochang glanced at his hand, then looked towards March 7th, Stelle, and Qingque.

Among them, March 7th had the best initial hand.

Bochang, Stelle, and Qingque were roughly on par with each other.

All eyes focused intently on the Mahjong girl.

Bochang thought to himself, "Let me observe closely; is she cheating or not?"

This question intrigued not only Bochang but also March 7th and Stelle equally.

After all...

Qingque was playing exceptionally well, almost as if she must be cheating.

"Three of clubs."

"One of diamonds."

After several rounds, Bochang was astonished to discover that Qingque wasn't cheating at all, yet her hand consistently improved.

The Mahjong Maiden's skills were truly awe-inspiring.

Qingque could even predict which tile she was most likely to draw next, evident from her strategic decisions—knowing when not to call 'Pong' or 'Chow'.

Combined with her divination abilities, Qingque became a formidable boss at the mahjong table.

In this four-player game with one winner and three losers per round,

the ultimate victor of the current session was Stelle.

March 7th, Bochang, and Qingque were each just one step away from winning.

This pattern continued for two more rounds.

Throughout these games, Bochang discreetly observed Qingque's playing style. By the third round, he decided it was time to exert his own influence.

Utilizing his ability to see through every card on the table,

Bochang won three consecutive rounds effortlessly.

Qingque, initially laid-back, suddenly widened her eyes and exclaimed, "Bochang, you're not cheating, are you?"

Logically, the one capable of winning three straight rounds should have been the Mahjong Maiden, not Bochang.

It seemed utterly illogical.

"No, no way I'd cheat," Bochang smiled reassuringly. He hadn't physically manipulated any tiles; instead, he merely used his foresight to make the best choices, akin to the Mahjong Maiden's counting skills or divine divination prowess.

Qingque remained somewhat skeptical.

However...

Without concrete evidence, Qingque couldn't accuse him further. She simply focused intently on the game ahead.

The next round swiftly began.

After several rounds...

"Eight bamboo," said March 7th.

"Hut!" x2

Both Bochang and Qingque declared simultaneously.

March 7th, caught in a double win with her one shot, scratched her head dejectedly, causing her charming short pink hair to sway freely in the air.

In a momentary daze, Bochang recalled the recent encounter—the sensation of that kiss had indeed been delightful.

A hint of frustration flickered across March 7th's bright, expressive blue-pink eyes. The pink-haired girl had lost countless games, squandering a significant amount of credits for no apparent reason.

Fortunately, their bets were small, and the Seat of Divine Foresight reimbursed them.

"A single shot resulted in a double win, but with three losers and one winner, only the player next to the shooter can claim victory." Qingque's eyes narrowed with a smile. "This round goes to me, Bochang."

"No worries, let's continue."

Bochang shifted his gaze away.

The thrilling mahjong match resumed. With both Qingque and Bochang fully focused, they played at an evenly matched level, leaving March 7th and Stelle overwhelmed and barely enjoying the game.

After numerous additional rounds...

"I'm done playing."

March 7th leaned back, and Stelle nodded in agreement.

Although the Seat of Divine Foresight reimbursed credit losses, there was a limit of five thousand per person for mahjong expenses. After all, it was still gambling, and Xianzhou Luofu couldn't afford to be overly generous by covering everything.

Over these two days, March 7th had depleted her credits entirely. Any further losses would come directly out of her own pocket. Stelle faced a similar situation, so neither wished to continue playing.