Chapter 70 edited
In the tense atmosphere of the high-stakes poker game, the four face-up cards lay on the table: A-K-J-J.
With Kage, his eyes are locked on Le Chiffre, who struggles to hide a tell. Mathias and Lady Jaye watch intently from the rail, Mathias whispers urgently, "It's the tell. He's bluffing. My God, Kage was right."
Kage glances at Lady Jaye, who offers a supportive smile, but his expression remains steely. Across the table, the American player, Felix, boldly pushes a mountain of chips forward, declaring, "Three hundred thousand."
As Le Chiffre matches the bet, Kage follows suit, a million now in play. The tension mounts as the next card is revealed—a KING, precisely what Kage had hoped for. Le Chiffre's demeanor remains stoic, but his finger betrays a nervous twitch.
The five cards now on display read A-J-J-K-K.
Wolpert's stunned reaction as he knocks the table, while Mathias and Lady Jaye analyze the scene. Mathias deduces, "The American must have been holding queen-ten. He knows his straight just lost value. Now, if Kage is right about the bluff, here comes something big."
Le Chiffre makes a bold move, sliding a towering stack of chips into the pot, his finger still pressed to his cheek, attempting to mask any tells. Kage senses an opportunity but detects something amiss.
Kage, with a keen eye for detail, narrows his focus on Le Chiffre. Despite the stoic facade Le Chiffre presents, Kage detects a subtle inconsistency—the rhythm of his heartbeat.
As Le Chiffre places his final bet, his pulse quickens imperceptibly, betraying his outward calm. Kage's trained ear picks up on the irregularity, a telltale sign of deception.
He then began thinking to himself, "He's faking it." However, a cunning plan forms in Kage's mind as he counts his chips.
At the table, Kage takes a deep breath, gathering his resolve as he pushes all his chips forward, declaring confidently, "Six and a half."
Mathias leans in and whispers to Lady Jaye, "He's going all-in." Her eyes widen in realization.
Lady Jaye gasps in shock, her hand covering her mouth as Kage pushes all his chips forward. "My God," she breathes, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Le Chiffre locks eyes with Kage, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. Meanwhile, Wolpert's sudden change in demeanor hints at the unfolding drama. He tosses his cards aside and directs his attention to Kage, taunting, "I hope you've got something better than my straight, pal. If you're bluffing..."
Before Wolpert can finish his sentence, Le Chiffre interrupts him by forcefully shoving his chips into the pot, silencing any doubts.
The dealer interjects, breaking the tension. "Mister Kage, you've been called," he announces, prompting Kage to reveal his hand.
With all eyes on him, Kage reveals his cards, the dealer proclaiming, "Full house, Kings over Aces."
Anticipation fills the air as Kage waits for Le Chiffre's response. However, Le Chiffre's smile remains unwavering as he calmly reveals his hand—TWO JACKS, FOUR OF A KIND.
A collective gasp echoes through the room as Kage feigns devastation, playing his part to perfection.
The dealer nods in acknowledgment of the intense moment. "Unless anyone objects, I believe a short break is in order?" he suggests, giving everyone a moment to process the thrilling turn of events.
Kage sits in contemplative silence,then he moves and steps out to the terrace and gazing out onto the serene moonlit hills from the terrace.
he retrieves a cigarette from a pack, the faint click echoing in the quiet of the night. Placing it between his lips, he reaches into his pocket. With a smooth motion, he retrieves his Zippo lighter, the metallic surface catching the faint glimmer of nearby streetlights.
With a flick of his thumb, Kage flips open the lid of the Zippo, the hinge creaking softly in the stillness of the night.
The metallic click of the lighter igniting reverberates through the silence as Kage brings the flame to the tip of the cigarette, the ember catching fire with a soft hiss.
As the flame dances in the darkness, Kage draws a deep breath, the ember glowing brightly in the dimly lit surroundings. With a practiced ease, he takes a long drag from the cigarette, the smoke swirling around him in an intricate dance.
With a slow exhale, a cloud of smoke billows from his lips.
Lady Jaye and Mathias observe him from inside, unsure of what to say, feeling almost intrusive in their watchfulness.
After a moment, Lady Jaye musters the courage to join Kage on the terrace. Kage putting away thr cigarette tentatively speaks up, "I'll need the other five million to buy back in." She fears his response.
Turning to face her, Kage smiles reassures her, "Don't worry, it went as planned."
Confusion flickers across Lady Jaye's face as she questions Kage's strategy, "But you lost?"
With a knowing smile, Kage elaborates, "Le Chiffre is cautious. To clean him out, I need him to lower his guard."
As Mathias also walks in, he absorbs Kage's explanation, realization dawns, "You lost on purpose."
Kage nodded, his gaze focused on the distant horizon, his mind calculating the next move in this high-stakes game. "Now, he thinks he has me outsmarted and figured out. He will become overconfident," he remarked coolly.
Mathias, after a moment of contemplation, grasped the essence of Kage's strategy. "It is risky," he conceded, his voice tinged with concern.
Acknowledging the risk with a determined nod, Kage affirmed, "But we have to lure him out."
Moments later, Kage observes Le Chifffe strolling with his bodyguards and Valenka, who spots him and gives a subtle nod.
As Wolpert settles into the seat beside him, he breaks the tension with a casual remark, "Funny game, right?" He then offers an apologetic smile before continuing, "Sorry, should have introduced myself earlier. Given our connection, my real name is Felix Leiter. General Hawks sent me to provide support, just in case."
Kage swiftly confirms their identities, satisfied with their exchange of coded identification.
With his attention fully on Felix, Kage listens intently as his newfound ally speaks, "You should have a little faith. I've been watching your play, and aside from that one unlucky hand, I think you have him."
Assured by Felix's confidence, Kage responds calmly, "Don't worry, everything is going as planned."
Felix, though curious, ultimately decides to trust his fellow operative. "So... you're buying in?" he inquires tentatively.
Affirming his decision, Kage nods, prompting Felix to offer assistance, "Look, I've been losing steadily. I'm not going to last much longer. So you've got a better chance is all I'm saying. I can get you the money to keep going."
Kage considers the proposition before asking the crucial question, "And the winning?
Felix's smile broadens as he responds confidently, "We are not short on money."
The game resumes, and as they prepare for the next session, the dealer moves to remove Kage's chair. However, Kage halts him with a charming smile, catching Le Chiffre off guard. "Lovely stretch; shall we double the blinds?" Kage proposes, his demeanor calm and collected.
Le Chiffre returns the smile, a glint of intrigue in his eyes, and the game continues.
As the intense gameplay unfolds, an exhausted player folds, their defeat palpable. But Kage remains unfazed, steadily clawing his way back into contention, raking in chips with each successful hand. His eyes never leave Le Chiffre's, a silent battle of wills playing out between them.
Meanwhile, in the bar, a bartender prepares two drinks, one with a lemon slice and one without. Unbeknownst to him, one of Le Chiffre's men discreetly adds a powder to the drink with the lemon, stirring it unnoticed. The bartender returns with two glasses of sparkling water, while the waiter approaches to collect the tray.
Following the waiter to the card table, the drinks are distributed, with the poisoned one placed in front of Kage. Unaware of the danger, Kage takes a sip and continues playing his cards, winning the hand with strategic finesse.
However, Kage senses something amiss. Despite his mastery of control over his body, a creeping realization sets in—he's been poisoned.
With his keen knowledge of poisons, Kage quickly discerns Le Chiffre's nefarious intentions to stage his death as a cardiac arrest.
In response, Kage calmly declares, "Deal me out. Time for some air," surprising both the dealer and the other players with his sudden departure. Le Chiffre merely shrugs, his expression unreadable.
Exiting the room, Kage makes his way to the bathroom, where he employs the Art of self-healing to counteract the effects of the poison.
Kage feels disoriented, losing focus. Things are taking on a yellow tint, coronas forming around lights. Kage shakes it off, trying to clear his mind and starts fighting against the deadly poison coursing through his veins. With sheer determination etched on his face, he begins to channel the ancient Art of Self Healing. His hands move with precision, weaving through the air in a mesmerizing dance of nine intricate Kuji-In hand signs.
As he focuses his energy, beads of sweat glisten on his brow as his breathing steadies, a stark contrast to the erratic gasps moments before. The tension in the air is palpable as Kage battles against time, struggling to stave off the impending threat of cardiac arrest.
Lady Jaye, sensing his distress, follows him inside with concern etched on her face.
"Are you okay?" she asks, her voice tinged with worry.
Kage nods, his features hardened with determination. "Bastard poisoned me, but it's okay," he reassures her, his resolve unshaken.
Fearing for his well-being, Lady Jaye offers, "Should I get the medical kit?"
Kage shakes his head, his trust in his own abilities unwavering. "No need. The poison isn't too strong. My body can handle it," he assures her, his focus solely on neutralizing the toxin.
Due to his mastery of his body's biology and his profound skill in the Art of Self Healing, he pushes the mortal limits to an extraordinary extent. Even fatal wounds to the heart and lungs succumb to his ability to heal.
With each exhale, the poison is expelled from his body, his muscles relaxing as the grip of death loosens its hold.