Chapter 35: The Cursed Dice

The black dice spun on the table, glowing faintly, like ghostly fire trapped inside a glass bottle.

Lin Han stared at it, his fingers gripping the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He knew very well—this was no longer a simple game of luck. This was a battle of life and death.

"Walau eh, are you sure you want to continue?" Noya raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of concern. Her fingertips accidentally brushed over an old scar on Lin Han's hand, as if trying to confirm something.

"No other choice." Lin Han muttered, his gaze sinking.

Round One: The Ghostly Shadow

As soon as the dice landed, the air around them turned icy cold, as if an invisible wind had seeped into their bones.

Lin Han blinked—he could have sworn he saw the shadow of the dice move in the opposite direction for a split second before it finally stopped.

The number—four.

"Not bad." The man in the suit chuckled and tapped the table leisurely. "But remember, this game… isn't played by you alone."

The moment he spoke, the ground trembled slightly, as if something was crawling up from beneath.

Then, they heard the sound of a second dice rolling.

Noya turned abruptly, realizing that a dice had somehow rolled to her feet.

This time, the number—one.

Round Two: Time Reversal

Lin Han felt something was wrong.

The sounds around him became distorted, like a radio losing its signal—warped, unclear. He lowered his gaze and saw the dice on the table rolling backward, shifting from "four" back to "three," then "two"…

His heart sank.

Time was reversing.

Su Xueqing's expression darkened as she swiftly drew the short blade at her waist, attempting to cut through this eerie shift, but her movements were strangely restrained—she had already swung the blade, yet in the reflection of the polished floor, she remained motionless!

The suited man let out a soft chuckle, his eyes narrowing. "You still don't understand, do you?"

"The dice don't just determine your fate… they control reality."

Round Three: Blurred Lines Between Illusion and Truth

Lin Han clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the fear rising in his chest.

"You mean… every number we roll changes a part of this world?" He asked cautiously.

"Smart." The suited man smiled, tapping his finger lightly on the table. "But not smart enough."

At that moment, the entire scene twisted violently—the casino disappeared, replaced by a damp underground dungeon.

The walls were covered in moss, the air was thick with the stench of decay, as if something had been rotting in the darkness for years. In the distance, a large bronze mirror was stained with fresh blood, and in its reflection, another Lin Han could be seen.

That "Lin Han" slowly lifted his head, a strange grin spreading across his lips.

Final Round: A Gamble Against Fate

"This isn't real…" Su Xueqing whispered, her grip on the short blade tightening. "We're still inside the game."

Lin Han didn't respond. He stared at the dice on the floor, his breathing growing steady.

Now he understood.

This was more than a gamble—this was a wager against fate.

The dice were both a key and a curse. Each roll would rewrite reality.

If he could figure out the pattern, maybe—just maybe—he could find a way out…

But before he could act, the suited man smirked and spoke again:

"This is the final round."

"If you win, you all leave."

"If you lose…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but Lin Han already knew what it meant.

The dice in Lin Han's palm burned hot, as if it were a piece of molten metal. He could feel something pulsing inside it, something alive, as though it were not a mere object but a conscious entity.

"Walau eh, this thing is definitely not an ordinary die..." He clenched his teeth, trying to ignore the searing pain in his palm.

Su Xueqing and Nuoya stood nearby, their expressions contrasting. Su Xueqing's hand never left the hilt of her dagger, ready to strike at any moment, while Nuoya furrowed her brows slightly, her gaze shifting between Lin Han and the man in the suit.

The suited man flicked his sleeve lightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

"This round will decide whether you stay or leave."

He extended a single finger, slowly pointing at the black die in the center of the table.

First Round: The Unpredictable Die

Lin Han took a deep breath and loosened his grip. The die slipped from his palm, struck the table, and made a heavy, dull sound.

Thud—thud—thud—

The die spun slowly, flickering with an eerie glow.

Everyone held their breath.

But just as it was about to stop—

It vanished.

"What?" Lin Han's eyes widened in shock. He quickly scanned his surroundings, but there was nothing—just the smooth, untouched surface of the table.

A low chuckle suddenly echoed through the air. The suited man clapped his hands softly, amusement flashing in his eyes.

"It seems you've touched upon its 'essence'."

Before Lin Han could respond, the ground beneath him gave way.

In an instant, he was pulled into a bottomless void.

Second Round: The Abyssal Game

Icy coldness wrapped around him.

Lin Han's eyes shot open, and he found himself standing on a colossal gaming table. There were no walls around him—only endless darkness.

And across the table sat a familiar figure—

"...Me?"

It was another Lin Han, dressed identically, even carrying the same expressions and mannerisms.

The only difference—his eyes. They were as deep as black holes, capable of swallowing everything.

"Walau eh, what kind of trick is this...?" Lin Han muttered under his breath, his fists clenching slightly.

His double smirked, reaching out and placing a single die on the table.

"Let's gamble."

Third Round: A Duel Against Oneself

The air was frozen in time. Lin Han stared at the die, fingers twitching ever so slightly.

"What are the rules?" he asked in a low voice.

His double shrugged. "Simple."

"You roll once, I roll once."

"Whoever gets the higher number—lives."

"Whoever gets the lower number—dies."

"..."

Lin Han swallowed hard.

He wasn't afraid of gambling. What truly scared him was—if his opponent was identical to him, then wouldn't their luck also be the same?

"What if we roll the same number?" He tested cautiously.

"Then we continue, until the die decides our fate."

His double said it casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Lin Han licked his dry lips. He knew there was no turning back.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and grabbed the die.

Fourth Round: A Fate with No Return

Thud—thud—thud—

The die tumbled across the table, and time seemed to stretch indefinitely.

It finally stopped, revealing the number—six.

Lin Han exhaled slowly, but before he could celebrate, his double casually tossed the die as well.

It landed.

The number—six.

A tie.

"Again."

His double said coldly, picking up the die and rolling it once more.

Five.

Lin Han's heartbeat quickened. His palms were slick with sweat, but his grip on the die was steadier than ever.

He threw the die.

Five.

"...Continue."

The gamble was far from over. Fate had yet to make its choice.

Lin Han's gaze darkened. He finally realized—

This gamble might never end.