Chapter 6: A Test of Skills

The next day, Xia Yu took with him the more than a hundred dollars in change he had saved over the years. After informing his parents, he headed towards his destination.

Although he had been a model student all these years and had never mixed with people from the underworld, and had never visited a gambling den, he was aware of the social environment in Hong Kong. The city was known for its mix of people, and joining the underworld was a common path for many, with many students becoming involved in society.

Thus, Xia Yu had inevitably encountered such people and overheard their conversations, learning about the locations of various gambling dens.

Planning to earn his first pot of gold through gambling, Xia Yu decided to disguise himself to avoid being recognized. The best method would be to use one of the four great magical arts: makeup. Unfortunately, he couldn't afford makeup, so despite having the knowledge, it was of no use.

After turning left and right, he finally arrived at the entrance of an abandoned factory. The factory's gate was only partially open, with a few people loitering around, clearly to guard against the police.

Xia Yu wasn't afraid and walked straight to the gate.

The guards only glanced at Xia Yu. Seeing he was just a child, they didn't pay much attention. However, one of them, seemingly skeptical about a child having money and thinking he was just looking for a place to play, spoke up, "Kid, this isn't a place for you to play around. Go back."

Xia Yu did not lower his head intentionally but instead replied casually, "I'm here to play a few games."

Saying this, Xia Yu pulled out a few dollars and waved them.

Seeing Xia Yu was indeed there to gamble, the guard didn't say more. As long as the visitor was a customer, there was no need to stop him.

"Go on in!"

Xia Yu walked in and found the inside bustling with activity, almost like a market. With at least over a hundred people present, the place was quite large!

Various voices of betting and shouting filled the air.

Xia Yu noticed there were also patrolling people, all of them tall and clearly from the gambling den. Their purpose was to supervise the gamblers, prevent cheating, and keep an eye on those who won, giving special attention to skilled players to minimize losses!

Of course, Xia Yu wasn't worried. If someone caused trouble, these people wouldn't mind showing the harsh side of society, such as with a fist the size of a sandbag!

Without further thought, Xia Yu mingled with the crowd, holding his money, and began to observe discreetly without placing any bets.

Knowing yourself and knowing the enemy ensures victory in every battle. He needed to understand the types of bets and the characteristics of the dealers before planning his steps.

Xia Yu had decided to be cautious: stay steady and avoid reckless behavior!

After a while, Xia Yu had taken a good look around and was ready. He moved to a spot with more people, where a dice dealer was operating. He had noticed earlier that the dealer's skills weren't impressive; he relied mostly on luck rather than technique. However, the position had been modified to facilitate cheating.

This didn't matter much to Xia Yu. He wasn't planning to bet big and force the dealer to cheat. He just needed to earn money quietly.

Who said he had to make a fortune in one go?

Although placing several large bets could rapidly increase his funds, it was a risky move. It was essential to get out alive first. In someone else's territory, the rules were set by them. If they decided to accuse Xia Yu of cheating, he wouldn't have much recourse.

So, it was better to earn money quietly and steadily, bit by bit. With persistence, even a corner of a wall could be undermined.

"Come on, come on, place your bets! The dice are rolling!" The dealer shook the dice and, holding the bowl down, shouted loudly.

Seeing the surrounding gamblers placing their bets, ranging from a few dozen to several hundred dollars, and some even betting thousands, Xia Yu pulled out fifty Hong Kong dollars and placed a large bet. He had heard the dice showing five-five-four.

"Place your bets, it's rolling! No more bets!"

The dealer then flipped the bowl, revealing the dice showing five-five-four!

Xia Yu's expression remained calm, without a trace of self-satisfaction. For the memory of the gambling expert he had, listening to the dice was a simple skill with nothing to boast about.

"Five-five-four, big win! Those who bet on big win, come and get your money!"

With this, Xia Yu's fifty had turned into a hundred. He continued to place bets…

Next, Xia Yu won a few more rounds, then intentionally lost one, and continued betting. The bets ranged from a few dozen to several hundred dollars, winning more than losing.

During this process, Xia Yu always discreetly tucked the money he won into the inner pocket of his clothes, never holding more than five hundred dollars in hand. He also performed, appearing indifferent when winning and sighing when losing, leading others to believe he was losing heavily.

His acting skills were likely good enough for an Oscar.

An hour passed unnoticed. Xia Yu held only a little over a hundred dollars, but no one knew that his inner pocket was bulging with money. Although he didn't count exactly, he estimated he had at least three thousand Hong Kong dollars.

He didn't stay too long at one dealer to avoid suspicion of his large amounts of money. Xia Yu moved to another dealer and continued his routine.

The whole morning passed, and Xia Yu's bulky coat was already stuffed with money, while his hand-held cash had been completely spent.

It was lunchtime, and many people began to leave, preparing to go home for a meal. Xia Yu mixed with the crowd and walked out.

As he walked out, Xia Yu noticed that someone was watching the departing crowd. It was clear that these were casino people observing who had won money.

Xia Yu looked at a red-faced man who had been observed several times by the casino staff. He silently shook his head, thinking that if this person came back, he'd likely leave without his underwear.

Despite his thoughts, Xia Yu pretended to be dejected, mumbling, "Damn, no money even for a meal. Looks like I'll have to find a rich mark to get some money…"

He faintly noticed the smirks in the eyes of those observing him.

Ignoring them, Xia Yu successfully left the casino, and once he confirmed no one was following, he quickly returned home, entered his room, and locked the door.

He then began to retrieve the money from his clothes.

Pulling out large amounts of cash and placing them on the table, he confirmed there was no money left in his clothes. Seeing a small mountain of Hong Kong dollars on the table, Xia Yu smiled and quickly began to count.

"One hundred, two hundred, three hundred…"

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