In the realm of fireworks

I opened a deck of three Aces.

Old Black picked up a card and turned its back to me.

He even used his other hand to cover the side, as if afraid it would run away. He cautiously asked me, "Didn't you say you can recognize marked cards? Tell me, what is this card?"

Old Black was as strong as a tower and looked like a fierce devil.

But his actions at this moment were surprisingly childish, like a preschooler.

"Black 3..." I said.

Old Black was dumbfounded.

He checked it repeatedly, front and back, but still couldn't see anything.

"How is that possible? What about this one?"

"Diamond 6!"

"And this one?"

"Heart J!"

"And what about this?"

"Are you done yet?"

This behavior was really boring.

But Old Black was convinced that there was indeed something wrong with the cards.

"Crack!"

A crisp sound.

It startled both me and the supermarket owner once again.

The tempered glass on the counter was smashed by Old Black's punch.

"Hou Jun, I considered you my brother, but you tried to deceive me with marked cards. Fuck you!"

Old Black cursed loudly.

But after cursing a few times, he immediately shook his head and muttered to himself:

"No, I can't fuck his mother. His mother is a good person. I should call her Auntie. Fuck his father, he and his father are the same, both are scumbags who cheat, deceive, and swindle... "

The supermarket owner beside him had long lost all color in his face.

After all, he was also implicated in this matter.

Knowing about the marked cards, I thought Old Black would definitely go berserk.

Go find Hou Jun, get back the money he owed me, and turn the world upside down.

But unexpectedly, after playing with the cards for a while, Old Black sighed.

"Fuck it, forget it. Even if I go to collect the money, he doesn't have any to give. Considering his face, I'll let it go. I must have been blind to consider this piece of shit my brother. I won't give him the money he owes me. From now on, I'll pretend I don't know him..."

Saying that, Old Black pointed at the owner and said:

"And you, you're no good either. Let me tell you, you won't get this glass and the money from the cards today!"

I could only laugh and cry on the side.

That's Old Black.

He's simple-minded, and yet, his simplicity is lovable.

Coming out of the supermarket, Lao Hei looked dejected with his head hanging low.

He asked me, "How do you also know this brand?"

I simply mentioned that I had seen it before and didn't say much more.

I had planned to go home, but he kept following me.

When I was almost home, he finally said he wanted to treat me to a drink.

But today he had just paid back Hou Jun's money, his entire fortune, and had only a little over 120 yuan left, afraid it wouldn't be enough.

Looking at the slightly embarrassed Lao Hei, I casually said, "It's okay, I have money, I can treat you!"

Lao Hei pondered for a moment.

Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and said, "How could I forget about that place? Come on, I'll take you there, eat and drink as much as you want, it's all on me. But I have to tell you in advance, that place has a lot of trouble, you must be careful not to get involved. There are many people causing problems inside..."

In Lao Hei's eyes, I was just a small gambler who happened to know how to play magic poker.

But that's fine.

I can continue to test his character and see what he's really like.

Among the "Eight Generals of the Thousand Gates," in addition to the "Tijiang" I mentioned before, whose role is to persuade people to join the game, there is another called the "Huojiang."

The role of the Huojiang is similar to that of an assassin or enforcer.

When tricks fail to solve the problem, force is needed.

This is when the Huojiang should step in.

And Lao Hei is well-suited for this role.

That's why I told him about Hou Jun cheating.

And also why I took leave to accompany him to learn about poker.

I want to become a lord among the Thousand Gates, expanding my territory.

Relying on just myself is not enough; I need allies.

Lao Hei is a good candidate.

The place Lao Hei took me to was an old street in the central area.

Compared to the surrounding tall buildings, it appeared slightly dilapidated.

With its blue bricks and gray stone pavement.

As we entered the street, the ordinary hustle and bustle immediately enveloped us.

Shouts, the sizzling of cooking, drinking and finger-guessing games, scolding of children.

Occasionally emanating from the narrow and gloomy residential buildings.

Walking with Lao Hei, we arrived in front of a dilapidated old building. Lao Hei pointed inside and said, "This is it!" I looked up and saw three rusty characters on the rooftop: "Chess and Card Room."

Upon entering, we found ourselves in an open room. Several heavily stained dining tables and long benches were haphazardly arranged within the room. A dozen or so men gathered around the tables, eating ravenously.

As soon as Lao Hei arrived, someone poked their head out from the kitchen to greet him. "Hey, isn't that Lao Hei? Haven't seen you in ages. Where did you run off to make a fortune?"

"What fortune? If I made a fortune, would I come here to mooch off you? Fry up a few dishes for me. Today, I'll have a drink here..." Lao Hei found a seat and sat down.

Lao Hei briefly introduced me to the place. It turned out he used to work here as a lookout but eventually found it too boring to continue. Despite its ordinary appearance, this place had a notorious reputation in Haibei.

Every day, they would set up hundreds of mahjong tables alone. As for poker, Pai Gow, and dice gambling, there were also dozens of tables. The dining room where we were sitting was specifically prepared for the gamblers.

The place was open 24 hours a day. Food and drinks were available anytime, free of charge. According to Lao Hei, many neighbors in the vicinity who didn't even play cards would come here just for a free meal. The owner didn't mind and never kicked anyone out.

As for the owner's income, it came from table fees. For example, in mahjong, each player paid fifty yuan, and a table cost two hundred yuan. For larger games, the table fee could be four hundred or more. As for poker, Pai Gow, and dice games, there were designated individuals collecting a percentage of the pot.

If the banker won more than two thousand, they would take five percent. If it was less than two thousand, no fee was charged. Moreover, the owner was reasonable and only collected from the banker, not the players.

I was amazed as I listened and quickly did some mental calculations. With this chaotic management, the owner's daily earnings would not be less than fifty thousand.

Originally, Lao Hei and I planned to have a drink, but after his warning, I lost interest. I asked him to finish his meal and take me upstairs to have a look. While Lao Hei agreed, he repeatedly cautioned me. This place was a mix of good and bad, and there were often swindlers around. He advised me to observe and not get involved.

In my heart, I secretly thought, "A con artist?"

Aren't I just a con artist myself?

We had eaten.

Following Old Black, I climbed the shaky wooden stairs and reached the second floor.

With a single glance, I could tell that Old Black's words were true.

Not to mention the hall and private rooms,

Even in the corridor, there were mahjong tables set up.

Games like poker and Pai Gow were on the fourth floor.

When we went up, the entire fourth floor was already bustling with a crowd, extremely lively.

Old Black had quite a reputation here.

People greeted him from time to time, calling him "Old Black" or "Brother Black."

No matter what they called him, you could sense

that these people had some fear and respect for him.

The most interesting thing was when we made a round.

Old Black had an extra four hundred yuan in his hand.

Someone had been the banker at a gambling table and gave him a lucky money as well.

When we reached a poker table at the innermost part, Old Black stopped in his tracks.

Originally, the dealer was shuffling the cards, but upon seeing Old Black, they immediately greeted him with a smile and said,

"Oh, isn't this my Brother Black? It's been a while since I last saw you. Care to place a few bets?"

(End of chapter)