CHAPTER 72:Puzzled

The "Domineering" entry on Weiwei's panel flickered twice, but failed to light up.

Still not enough buildup. So, what now? Simple. Keep stacking emotional pressure.

Under the sharp eyes of everyone in the casino, Weiwei stood up and said, "So it's just bad luck? That's unfortunate. How many chips do I have left? One last round, then. This world's really that dark, huh? Fine—round thirty-nine, I'm betting black again."

Having already lost 25 million Berries in succession, she shoved her last 5 million worth of chips forward.

She "looked" casually in the direction of the guest dealer—none other than the casino owner himself.

The man was visibly tense. Thirty-eight consecutive white results—who could believe that? Anyone with half a brain would suspect foul play, but the thought of pocketing nearly 30 million Berries clouded his judgment.

"Place your bets! Spin!"

The roulette wheel spun rapidly, the bead dancing in chaos before settling—white again.

"White! Still white! Thirty-nine in a row, she's lost again!"

"Hahaha! I can't take it—this girl's a riot!"

"She should've known better! There's a time to fold, but she kept pushing her luck."

"Lost 30 million? Maybe she'll learn."

The gamblers roared with laughter. Many were convinced they'd just witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event. The casino owner thought he'd bagged a fat sheep. Weiwei also smiled. Her Kenbunshoku Haki—Observation Haki—had begun to take root. She was finally getting somewhere.

She turned toward her companions and called out, "Sister Ain, I lost everything. Let's come back tomorrow."

Ain and Binz had both lost plenty as well, but neither looked worried. Who would dare try to cheat a former admiral? If necessary, they could always take back the money—by force.

"Alright, let's go," Ain replied.

Weiwei tapped her bamboo stick against the ground, finding her way to the door. "I'll be back tomorrow," she said casually and left with a spring in her step.

"Hahahaha—seriously? She still wants to come back?" The casino erupted. Bosses, dealers, and gamblers were all laughing so hard they clutched their stomachs. "She heard the jeers and ran off with her tail between her legs!"

But before their laughter could fade, the sound of wooden sandals echoed outside—da-da, da-da.

Everyone turned. Standing at the entrance was a tall, middle-aged man. An "X"-shaped scar ran from his forehead down across closed eyes. He wore a lavender kimono, clogs on his feet, and held a bamboo stick. His eyes were shut tight.

The casino fell silent, confused. Another blind person?

What day was this? First a blind girl, now a blind man? What kind of joke was this?

"I was walking by and heard laughter echoing from here," the man said with a smile. "Must've been something good. Mind sharing it with this old man?"

After learning it was a casino, the man grinned genuinely. Taking a seat at the roulette table—coincidentally the same spot Weiwei had sat earlier—he placed a bet. The crowd hadn't moved; gamblers and staff remained unchanged.

But unlike Weiwei, who always bet black, this blind man in lavender kimono bet white every time.

The casino staff, high on profit, glanced around. They'd already enjoyed cheating one blind fool—what's another? The gamblers and employees came to an unspoken agreement: if he bet white, the result was black; if he bet black, it stayed white. What could a blind man do?

Weiwei had lost 30 million Berries. The lavender kimono man? He was even richer. He dropped 25 million like it was nothing—without so much as flinching.

The gamblers whispered among themselves. "What's going on today? Are blind people loaded or what?"

As the man continued playing, he inquired casually about earlier events.

"Oh? That little girl said she'll be back tomorrow?... What's she up to?" he mused aloud.

He had been ready to draw his blade, fingers brushing the bamboo stick's concealed hilt. But the moment he heard Weiwei was returning tomorrow, his mood shifted. He let go of the hilt and stood, tapping the floor with his bamboo cane.

"I'll return tomorrow as well," he said, then vanished with the same da-da, da-da of his clogs echoing behind him.

No one in the casino realized they had just danced on the edge of death.

The casino boss was ecstatic. A windfall of 55 million Berries in a single day! Even after paying off the city's nobles and underworld connections, they'd still keep 30 million. This was far better than robbing pirates.

Everyone eagerly waited for their blind fat sheep to return.

But no one came.

Weiwei hadn't brought much cash when entering the New World. Her original plan only involved spending 30 million Berries, but the casino drained it all. To continue her game, she had to act. With Ain guiding her, she stayed at a private port owned by a noble.

Over the next few days, she captured two pirate ships, turned the pirates over to the World Government's garrison in the Kingdom of Lulucia, and exchanged them for bounty money—enough to fund her return to the casino.

It wasn't easy. The procedures were slow and required careful handling. She had to keep her eyes closed the whole time, making it even more difficult. She originally meant to return to the southern casino but ended up wandering in circles and stumbled into a northern one by mistake.

There, she felt the same malice, the same mocking glances. She lost the 20 million she'd just earned. But the awakening of her Kenbunshoku Haki crept closer. Once again, she left the words, "I'll be back tomorrow," and walked out with Ain and Binz.

Back in the southern casino, the middle-aged man in the lavender kimono waited patiently. But Weiwei never showed.

He was puzzled. Yesterday, she swore to return. Today, she vanished. Curious, he followed her trail to the north. There, he too dropped another 20 million and quietly walked out.

The next day, she went west. The day after, she circled the city twice, defeated a group of bandits and two roadside brawlers, then headed east.

He followed her all the while, utterly confused. He was fifty years old, a man who had survived countless battles, but even he couldn't make sense of her strategy.

What was she trying to do?