Wu Bo

The spacious hall was furnished with two rosewood armchairs, where Zhang Wu and Wu Bo sat facing each other like old friends, chatting amiably over tea and sunflower seeds. Their entourages scattered around the room—some playing cards, others engaged in casual conversation.

At this moment, only Huo Xuan stood behind Zhang Wu, while Wu Bo was flanked by a woman in her twenties. Her gaze was icy, her posture rigid as a spear—so much so that it overshadowed her striking beauty.

Huo Xuan, driven by mischief, activated his X-ray vision to scrutinize her, uncovering secrets no one else knew. First, her crimson lingerie contrasted vividly with her porcelain skin, an undeniably alluring sight.

Second, her chest was far more ample than it appeared, tightly bound with cloth to conceal its true size. But what intrigued Huo Xuan most was the arsenal hidden beneath her clothes: daggers, throwing needles, a pistol, and razor blades—all concealed seamlessly.

Moreover, her heartbeat and breathing were eerily slow and controlled, her muscles and bones exceptionally dense. A trained killer, he concluded.

Yet he felt no concern for Zhang Wu's safety. After all, Zhang Wu was a master in his own right. Hua Buyi once remarked that, in pure combat terms, Zhang Wu could hold his own for fifty moves. That confidence was why Zhang Wu dared meet Wu Bo in international waters.

After an eternity of small talk, Wu Bo finally cut to the chase: "Mr. Zhang, I've long admired your gambling prowess. Care for a wager?"

Zhang Wu grinned. "You flatter me—I'm merely passable. Rumor has it you keep a gambling prodigy close, Mr. Wu. Did you bring him along?"

Wu Bo chuckled. "Guan Yinhe isn't here. But how about a game between us?"

"Gladly," Zhang Wu said. "What's the stake?"

Only then did Huo Xuan sense the undercurrents of danger. Will I need to intervene?

Wu Bo leaned forward. "How about we gamble on... courage?"

Zhang Wu's interest piqued. "Go on."

With a clap of Wu Bo's hands, an attendant brought over a tray bearing a classic six-chambered revolver—and a single bullet.

Zhang Wu's eyes narrowed slightly. "They say Mr. Wu is a man of refinement, yet you indulge in such bloody games?"

Wu Bo chuckled. "Too much refinement dulls the palate. Care to switch things up? Or is Mr. Zhang... hesitant?"

Zhang Wu grinned. "There's nothing in this world I wouldn't dare. Fine—let's play."

Wu Bo picked up the revolver, loaded the single bullet, and gave the cylinder a sharp spin. "Mr. Zhang, your turn or mine?"

Huo Xuan's heart raced. Isn't this Russian roulette?! He glanced at the gun, then stepped forward abruptly. "Wu Ge, let me take this one."

Zhang Wu shot him a look. "This is between Mr. Wu and me. Stand down."

Wu Bo, however, smiled. "Mr. Huo's companions are as bold as he is. If he wants to play, someone should oblige."

At this, the woman behind him stepped out, her voice icy. "I'll play with you."

Huo Xuan kept his expression blank. "Who goes first?"

"Your call," she replied.

Huo Xuan smirked, pressed the barrel to his temple, and pulled the trigger three times in rapid succession—click, click, click—all empty. He handed the gun to the slightly pale woman. "Six chambers. I took three. Your turn."

Wu Bo's expression remained unreadable. "Gutsy." His gaze flicked to the woman.

Without hesitation, she raised the gun and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

A muzzle flash erupted—but the woman stood unharmed. She stared at Wu Bo in stunned silence. Wu Bo burst into laughter. "The bullet was a blank. But your courage was real."

The woman said nothing, returning the gun and retreating to her post.

Zhang Wu's face darkened. "Mr. Wu, I thought you'd grown a spine. Turns out it's all theatrics. Fine. If you play fake, I'll keep it real."

Wu Bo spread his hands. "Mr. Zhang, I came to Jiangzhou not to seize territory, but to propose a business partnership."

Zhang Wu narrowed his eyes. "Business? All business in Jiangzhou belongs to me. There's no room for you here."

Wu Bo remained unruffled. "This venture is massive. I doubt you can handle it alone."

"Hmph!" Zhang Wu turned away. "So you've heard about the international gambling ship project. Too bad—we lack neither funds nor manpower."

Wu Bo smiled. "Mr. Zhang, Jiangzhou has no shortage of wealthy families and individuals with assets exceeding two billion. But an offshore gambling operation requires more than just money."

Zhang Wu met his gaze. "Since you're so well-informed, I'll spell it out: this project is backed by ten major investors. Still think it's unfeasible?"

Wu Bo's expression shifted. "No wonder," he murmured.

"The initiative even drew scrutiny from higher-ups," Zhang Wu continued. "After rounds of... negotiations, the consortium expanded from ten to fifteen members. Regardless, the plan is finalized. Asia's gambling market is lucrative—they won't let this opportunity slip."

Wu Bo forced a bitter smile. "Truthfully, we've already operated gambling ships internationally, with established clientele from Japan and Korea. I'd hoped to collaborate, but clearly, that's impossible now."

Zhang Wu scoffed. "Your rickety boats are child's play. The consortium plans to raise 20 billion to build two 180,000-ton mega-ships, complete with patrol vessels for security."

Wu Bo had only caught whispers of this earlier. Now, hearing the details, he inhaled sharply—realizing he stood no chance of joining.

"Mr. Zhang, I understand. I'll relay this to Mr. Bai," he said after a pause, cupping his hands respectfully.

Zhang Wu nodded. "Good. Since we rarely meet, let's talk tonight."

Wu Bo turned to the woman behind him. "Accompany this young brother. I need to speak with Mr. Zhang privately."

The woman approached Huo Xuan. "This way," she said coldly.

Huo Xuan glanced at Zhang Wu, who gave a slight nod. He followed her into a room, where she shut the door—and immediately began undressing.

"Hey—what are you doing?!" Huo Xuan blurted.

The woman replied coldly, "Mr. Wu instructed me to accompany you."

Huo Xuan's eyes swept over her alluring figure. With a blink, he said, "Ah, so 'accompany' means sleeping together."

She removed her outerwear, revealing a black fitted tank top, then stared at him impassively. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're... incapable?"

Huo Xuan studied her with narrowed eyes and grinned. "That's just instinct—no challenge there. How about a game instead?"

"What kind?" she asked.

"Before you strip completely," he said, "I'll guess the color of your underwear. If I'm right, you can't refuse anything I ask today."

"And if you're wrong?" Her voice was icy.

"Then the tables turn—do whatever you want with me."

"Deal." She didn't hesitate. "Guess."

With so many possible colors, the odds of him getting it right are less than ten percent, she thought.

Huo Xuan smirked. "Since you agreed, here's my guess." He closed his eyes as if deep in thought. "You're cold on the outside, but inside, you burn like fire. The slightest spark could ignite you."

The woman's expression remained blank, betraying nothing.

He continued, "Such contradiction means your choice of underwear must be just as bold—red. Bright, vivid red."

A flicker of surprise crossed her face. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

For a split second, murderous intent flashed in her eyes, but she lowered her head. "You win. Command me as you wish."

Huo Xuan pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag. In truth, his heart was pounding wildly. Since I was sixteen, I've dreamed of a moment like this.

A sealed room. A stunningly beautiful woman. And this woman was bound to obey his every command.

His mind raced. Even if I take her right now, Wu Bo likely wouldn't object—this was his order to begin with. As for Zhang Wu… he'd probably just be jealous, not disapproving.

Only after finishing his cigarette did he speak slowly: "Keep going."

The woman obeyed without hesitation. Beneath the tank top were layers of tightly wound cloth binding her chest. As she unwrapped the fabric, two pale, supple peaks sprang free, leaving Huo Xuan's blood boiling.

Perhaps due to her martial training, her waist was slender, her shoulders delicate—making the fullness of her curves all the more striking.

Huo Xuan swallowed hard. If he'd been toying with her earlier, now there was nothing left but raw desire.

Next, she peeled off her skin-tight leather pants, revealing long, toned legs pressed tightly together without a gap between them. Her skin was flawless—smooth, unblemished. The sight of her slender thighs and snow-white hips drove Huo Xuan to take an involuntary step forward.

Now, the only thing left was that crimson lingerie—the final barrier. But soon, even that was discarded.

Before him lay a delicate thatch of curls and the gentle curve of her abdomen.

Though Huo Xuan could see through anything with his X-ray vision, there was a world of difference between observing through a lens and witnessing the real thing. One was like watching through a screen; the other was a live performance.

Exhaling sharply, he beckoned. "Come here."

She approached, her movements fluid, her chest swaying with each step. She walked with the grace of a Persian cat under moonlight.