Gwent Gambit

When Geralt came down from the second-floor feeling refreshed, he noticed a peculiar atmosphere enveloping the entire tavern. A group of people had gathered around a table, observing something in hushed silence. Their undivided attention was fixed on whatever was transpiring, creating a marked contrast to the usual lively commotion. Even those not directly engaged in watching couldn't help but cast occasional glances toward the table, clearly intrigued by the spectacle.

Geralt was a little curious and wanted to step forward to see what happened.

Suddenly, exclamations erupted from the onlooking drinkers, and a somewhat hearty voice broke into laughter. Soon after, it shifted to a sigh, accompanied by these words:

"That was quite the splendid game, Mr. Wayne. The deck I meticulously assembled after investing a considerable sum actually lost to your common cards that can be found anywhere. For me, it was a valuable competition. It taught me to be humble, cautious, and not to underestimate anyone. As per our bets, these three hundred Orens are yours."

Hearing such a conversation, Geralt probably guessed what had happened.

Sure enough, as the drinkers around marveled at the gambling spectacle, he approached the table, taking a few steps closer. There, he observed Wayne seated across from a businessman, with a smile on his face, and said humbly in his tone:

"Thank you for your bet, Mr. Levardon, you are an honest businessman, and this is a virtue to be admired. However, according to the rules of the Gwent card game, as the winner, I should be able to draw a card from your deck as my reward, isn't it?"

"Will you maintain this tradition?"

Hearing this request, Revarden twitched his lips with some heartache. As a businessman who came here from the southern Nilfgaard Kingdom, he understands the importance of the spirit of contract, and will not tarnish his reputation because of a little thing. So he squeezed out a smile and said loudly:

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, you won the game, and I will honor our agreement. Feel free to choose any card from my deck as your reward."

Then, as he spoke, he piled up his Gwent cards and handed them to Wayne, signaling him to draw a card at random. Wayne was not too polite, and he took out the special hero card he had been eyeing for a long time and then looked at the pained Levardon, and praised:

"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Levardon. This card will definitely be put to good use in my future games. I appreciate the match, and I'm glad we could share this moment of excitement and camaraderie over Gwent."

"It's still early; why don't we enjoy dinner together and play a few more rounds afterward? How does that sound?"

The corner of Revardon's mouth twitched. In the previous game, he had already witnessed Wayne's Gwent card skills and luck. He felt that he must not continue to bet against him until he had enough confidence. As a businessman, engaging in business destined to lose money was something he could not afford to do.

The fat businessman shook his head, pretending to be distressed, and said half-truthfully, "Sorry, Mr. Wayne. In two days, I will be transporting a large amount of goods to Vizima City. Tomorrow will be very busy. Please allow me to leave now. I must regain my energy and cope with tomorrow's work."

Wayne nodded, pretending to regret. He knew it was just an excuse, but he didn't force Revardon.

He took out a dozen or so of the Orens he won, threw them into the hands of the bartender, and then shouted loudly to the surrounding drinkers: "I'm lucky today, I'm very happy. I'm going to invite everyone in the tavern to have a drink and share my luck. But you don't have to thank me; you should thank the generous Mr. Revardon."

Excited cheers filled the air as the news of free drinks spread through the tavern. Some of them offered compliments to both Levardon and Wayne. The genuine praise managed to ease the stiffness in the fat businessman's expression.

Wayne glanced at the sky and noticed that it was still early, with the sun yet to set. Despite winning two out of three games in the bet against Levardon, he acknowledged that losing one game was challenging given his luck and skills.

Nevertheless, reaching a Gwent card proficiency level of five points brought him great satisfaction. With many Gwent players still in the tavern, Wayne viewed them as valuable sources of experience points that could help him further enhance his Gwent card skills. There was no way he would let such an opportunity slip away.

"Everyone, I haven't fully enjoyed the gamble just now, and now I want to play a small game with everyone. Tonight, any friend who knows how to play Gwent can pay an Oren as a registration fee and play a game with me."

"Whoever wins can take one hundred Oren directly, and until the three hundred are won, everyone has three chances." "Of course, the loser will follow the rules and I will draw a Gwent card as a trophy."

He shot a glance at those who seemed unimpressed by the announcement, adopting a slightly indignant tone as he continued:

"Spread the word to everyone in the floating port. I plan to stay here for two days. The challenge will be open until the moment I depart from the floating port."

......

In the banks of Temeria, one oren can be exchanged for a hundred copper coins, and it only takes a dozen copper coins to buy a family's daily bread. The temptation of three hundred Oren directly attracted everyone in the town who knew how to play Gwent cards.

As the news released by Wayne continued to spread, whether it was the people watching with excitement or those who wanted to use an Oren to make a big difference, they all gathered in the largest tavern.

After hearing the news, the mayor who was in charge of managing the floating port immediately wanted to end the gamble directly, but after seeing the enthusiasm of the participants with his own eyes. He glanced at the instigator angrily, and finally gave up on this tough method that could easily cause riots.

Instead, he chose to place more than a dozen soldiers from the barracks to maintain order in the tavern. The atmosphere in the tavern was very lively, with a steady stream of challengers and undiminished enthusiasm from the onlookers. The game went on for four hours unknowingly.

Standing next to Wayne, Geralt maintained a serious expression, cradling his steel sword and scabbard. His tall stature, white hair, and sharp eyes gave off an air of intimidation. Observing Wayne's victories over challengers and the growing excitement in the crowd, along with the accumulating Oren gold coins on the table, Geralt couldn't resist whispering to Wayne.

"Wayne, you're attracting too much attention today. Winning this much money will surely draw some unwanted eyes. We don't want trouble with the authorities or draw the ire of local gamblers."

Wayne raised his head and glanced at Geralt upon hearing the words. He knew that White Wolf's advice was true. Revealing such a substantial amount of money in front of everyone could undoubtedly attract unwanted attention.

However, within these four hours, he managed to defeat over 40 Gwent players. His Gwent level has increased from two to three, and his luck value had seen a slight increase. The rapid progress excited him, and the unexpected high-stakes gamble also presented Wayne with a golden opportunity to swiftly increase his Gwent card level. How could he possibly let go of such a chance?

He nodded reassuringly to Geralt, then checked the time—it was almost midnight. Wayne stood up and addressed the surrounding crowd and other contestants who still wanted to compete:

"Everyone, it's getting late now. I'm truly moved by everyone's enthusiasm.

As he spoke, he casually pushed out seventy or eighty Oren from the coins on the table and said to a squad leader and the tavern owner who had been standing by the side all the time:

"Thank you for your enthusiasm. Since everyone thinks highly of me, I'll be a generous host."

"Tonight, everyone present here can eat and drink as they please. There's no limit to the supply of beer and barbecue, and the expenses will be deducted from this money."

"After a good rest tomorrow, we'll continue our gambling game after lunch."