Chapter 27: Yun Ho

The fat man had just won the previous round, and now he held more than 75% of the money on the table. The dealer, a slender woman, shuffled the deck with deft fingers before beginning to deal the cards. 

She started with the fat man to her right, moving clockwise around the table. Each player received their hole cards, and the two players to the left of the dealer placed the small bid and the big bid, respectively. The small bid pushed forward 150 gold, while the big bid doubled it, putting 300 gold into the pot as the full minimum bet.

Wong Yazhu, standing beside the fat man, reached out to pick up the hole cards in front of them. She stared at the cards for a moment before leaning in to whisper something in the man's ear. The fat man didn't even bother looking at the cards; he just laughed heartily, his belly jiggling with the motion.

The woman to the left of the big blind decided to call, pushing forward another 300 gold into the pot. The man to her right followed suit, matching the bid, and soon the pot began to grow. The third and fourth players both decided to call as well, bringing the total in the pot to 1650 gold.

The fat man chuckled, shaking his head. "This one will give you all face and fold," he declared, patting Wong Yazhu on the head as she discarded the cards face down on the table. He then announced, "I'll be leaving the game after this round. I've won more than enough."

"Give us face?" One of the women at the table smirked. "Or are you just leaving because you know you lost this round?" she teased.

Another player, a man with a sharp gaze, added with a chuckle, "Looks like your 'daughter's' luck has run out."

The fat man merely shrugged, a grin still on his face. "How about you return to the game and try your luck?"

The dealer then revealed the first three community cards: a 10 of hearts, a 7 of clubs, and a Jack of spades. The round continued, with one player folding under pressure. The next community card, a Queen of hearts, was revealed, and the remaining five players called, bringing the tension to its peak. Finally, the last card, a Jack of hearts, was flipped, sealing the fate of the game.

The winning hand of the game was held by a silent woman at the table. She won the pot with a full house, with a hole card of a Queen of Diamond and a Queen of Spades. The community card of Queen of heart, Jack of spades, and Jack of hearts, combined with the hole card, gave her a full house (Queens full of Jacks), securing her victory in that round.

She collected her winnings of 4500 gold without a change of expression while the fat man pushed back his chair and rose from his chair with a deliberate slowness that matched his imposing stature. Standing at 217 centimeters, his sheer size was awe-inspiring, with broad shoulders and his body, though undeniably large and round, bore a certain dignity.

His hair was a deep, lustrous black, tied up neatly into a top knot and held in place by a silver hairpin, with some strands framing his round and full face, with chubby cheeks that jiggled slightly when he moved. His skin was fair but flushed from the heat of the crowded room and the wine he had been indulging in. His eyes were small, almost hidden beneath his heavy lids, with purple irises, his nose was broad and slightly flattened, and his lips were full and naturally pink, set in a perpetual smirk. 

He wore a long robe that fell to his calves, made of dark, rich fabric and beneath the robe, he wore a silk tunic of deep indigo, its collar and cuffs adorned with silver thread. The tunic was tucked into wide, flowing trousers of the same dark fabric, which were tied at the waist with a broad, embroidered sash, and he wore a simple black shoe on his feet.

"I'll be ending my game for today," he announced, snapping his fingers. Two workers appeared instantly, bringing a cart to transfer his chips. The other players eyed the cart enviously as the fat man's winnings were loaded up. "Oh, I almost forgot," the fat man said, pausing. Wong Yazhu, with no expression, flipped the cards she had discarded earlier. An Ace of hearts and a King of hearts. If they had continued playing, they would have gotten a Royal Flush and won the pot again. The players at the table gasped in shock, their faces betraying a mix of disbelief and frustration. The fat man merely smiled at their reactions, saying nothing more as he turned to leave, with Wong Yazhu following beside him, the cart of his winnings pushed behind them. Tang San watched them leave, their figures disappearing as they turned a corner. He turned to Xiao Wu, his expression serious. "We should follow them," he suggested. Without wasting any time, the duo moved quickly to follow the fat man and Wong Yazhu. As they rounded the corner the cart pushing workers were now guarded by 2 grandmasters, however Wong Yazhu and the fat man were nowhere to be seen.

"Eh?" Xiao Wu looked around. "Where did they go?"

Just then, Tang San noticed a human walking towards them, and with a slight respectful bow, he said, "Yun Ho has instructed me to invite the two of you." He glanced at the duo. "He mentioned that you are acquaintances." Tang San and Xiao Wu exchanged confused glances. "Lead the way." Xiao Wu instructed the man.

The man smiled and led them through the third floor, navigating the bustling crowd until they reached a large waiting area. The room was filled with people conversing, some waiting for their chips to be exchanged, others simply enjoying the atmosphere. The man guided them past the crowd, leading them to the back where private rooms were located.

After a short walk, they arrived at the door of one of the private rooms. The man knocked, and a voice from inside called, "Come in."

The man pushed open the door, "I brought your two acquaintances," he announced, stepping aside to allow Tang San and Xiao Wu to enter. 

The walls were draped in rich red fabric, with a semicircular couch connected to the wall, a rectangular table in the center, and on the table were glasses of wine, snacks, and various delicacies. The room was lit by a soft, golden glow from crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Sitting at the head of the table, at the middle of the semicircular couch, was the fat man from earlier—now recognized as Yun Ho—sipping from a glass of red wine. To his left sat Wong Yazhu with her blindfold still on, about to light a metal kiseru pipe.

Tang San moved in a blur, snatching the pipe from Wong Yazhu's hand before she could react. She looked up at him, her blindfold hiding her eyes. "What?" she asked, utterly perplexed.

"Don't 'what' me," Tang San scolded, holding up the pipe while the human stepped out, closing the door behind him. "You were about to smoke!"

"So?" Wong Yazhu responded, tilting her head in confusion.

Tang San sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. "You're too young for this."

"Don't worry, we're Spirit Masters." Wong Yazhu shrugged. "This won't do anything to our bodies. I just wanted to try it,"

Before Tang San could retort, he heard a soft giggle and turned to see Xiao Wu standing beside Yun Ho, holding a glass and allowing him to fill it up with red wine. 

She froze when she noticed Tang San staring at her, then chuckled nervously. "This wasn't for me. It was for this fat man, right?"

Yun Ho laughed heartily, setting his glass down. "Fat? I'm just big-boned," he quipped, then looked at Tang San with a smile. "And she's right, the glass is for me." He took the glass from Xiao Wu, raising it in a mock toast before taking a sip.

"You must be Tang San," he said, looking at the young boy.

Tang San nodded politely, his expression calm and composed. "That's right."

Yun Ho's attention shifted to Xiao Wu, who now stood beside Tang San. "And you must be Xiao Wu," he observed.

Xiao Wu nodded, crossing her arms. "And you're Yun Ho?" she asked.

"The one and only," Yun Ho replied with a grin. Already knowing the line of question, he explained. "After noticing your friend here playing a match," He gestured toward Wong Yazhu, who was currently sniffing the contents of a wine bottle before wincing and screwing the cap back on tightly. "I decided to let her play in my stead, promising her 10% of the winnings."

Xiao Wu frowned slightly. "Only ten percent? She should get fifty percent since she did all the playing," she argued, clearly unimpressed by the offer.

Yun Ho nodded thoughtfully, not seeming to mind her forwardness. "Indeed, she did play the match," he acknowledged. "But if I hadn't allowed her into the table, she would have barely won 200 gold before her name spread around the casino. After that, fewer people would have wanted to play against her once they learned how good she is."

Xiao Wu pursed her lips, considering his point before responding, "I guess that makes sense... but the share should at least be boosted to 25%."

Yun Ho chuckled at her persistence. "True, but it was still my money that was used during the game," he explained.

As the two continued their back-and-forth over the share, Tang San turned to Wong Yazhu. "I didn't know you could play poker," he remarked, genuinely surprised.

Wong Yazhu shrugged nonchalantly. "It's all about knowing what cards are in your opponent's hands," she replied matter-of-factly, pointing to her eyes. "My eyes can see things."

Tang San's attention was turned to the blindfold. "By the way, why do you wear a blindfold?" he asked. "I assume you can see through it, but why?"

Xiao Wu, who had overheard the conversation, also turned her attention to Wong Yazhu, intrigued. Wong Yazhu opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Exchange completed," a woman's voice called out from the other side.

Yun Ho glanced at Wong Yazhu before calling out, "Come in."

The door opened, and a rather beautiful woman stepped inside, carrying a small box in her hands. She had delicate features, her hair pulled back into an elegant bun, and she wore a form-fitting robe that accentuated her graceful figure. 

She closed the door behind her, with Yun Ho said, gesturing for her to place the box on the table. She complied, opening the box to reveal its contents: neat stacks of coins arranged in perfect order.

"The tax of five percent has been collected by the casino," she announced, her voice smooth and professional, "and the total win is 2 platinum and 25 black gold."

Tang San and Xiao Wu's jaws nearly dropped to the floor. The sheer volume of wealth in that small box was staggering.

In this world, currency was divided into five layers: bronze being the lowest, followed by silver, then gold, black gold, and finally platinum. Each denomination was worth a hundred times more than the previous one. To accumulate one platinum coin, you needed a hundred million bronze coins! 

This was enough money to buy Spirit Saint Village many times over. The realization hit them like a ton of bricks, making them both fall silent in awe.

The woman then gestured to the open box. "I could count it in your presence if you so require," she offered politely.

"No need." Yun Ho waved her off with a smile. "You may leave."

The woman bowed gracefully before exiting the room, leaving the group to absorb the gravity of what had just been revealed.

Xiao Wu mumbled under her breath, "That's... a lot of money."

Yun Ho chuckled at her reaction. "You could have more if you come with me," he remarked, glancing meaningfully at the three of them. "Three Spirit Masters at only seven years old—you're worth investing in. I can give you more resources than the entire school could."

Xiao Wu turned to Tang San, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. Tang San, however, remained composed. "I appreciate the offer, but I already have a Master at Nuoding Academy. I couldn't betray my master," he declined politely.

Xiao Wu nodded solemnly beside him. "I can't leave my little brother," she added, "He will be lonely without me." Tang San only smiled.

Yun Ho nodded, accepting their decisions with a sigh. "I guess it can't be helped," he muttered, then turned his attention to Wong Yazhu, who had been silent throughout the exchange. "But before you answer, as promised, I'll give you 10% of the share," he offered, then added, "But I'm feeling generous today. If you recognize me as your master, as my student, you will have access to all my wealth if you come with me." 

"How much is that?" Wong Yazhu asked, folding her arm.

Yun Ho thought for a while, "I would say I have enough money to buy Nuoding Academy if I wanted—"

Suddenly, Wong Yazhu was on the ground, kowtow before the fat man. "My glorious rich master." She spoke. "This humble one, accept you."

~~~~~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~~~

Classes start on Monday so I might not be able to keep up this daily upload.