Chapter 44
The connection between Etal and the other two surrounding star systems is deep in the gray area where the government has no official jurisdiction.
There stood a magnificent building quietly, with countless suspended vehicles flocking to it.
"Are you really ready?"
Elaine looked nervous and asked three times in a row. He knew he was too nervous, but he couldn't calm down at all.
Although he had begged and pleaded with everyone and even used the connections of his female father to get the invitation, he still hoped that the male insect would not put himself in danger.
Squeak——
The suspended car just arrived at its destination and parked steadily in the corner of the underground parking lot. Sporadic light shone into the dim interior of the car, outlining the quiet outline of the figure in the back seat.
"yes."
Yael opened his eyes silently, and raised the corner of his lip slightly when he heard the words.
The extreme light and shadow are broken between his eyebrows, like a black and white frozen painting, and every stroke of the brush interprets the thrill.
"After all, there's no other way, right?"
He coughed. He should have been the most nervous, but he was still trying to comfort Elaine, "I'm somewhat confident. You don't have to be too nervous."
Before Elaine could ask again, the waiter stepped forward, opened the door, and respectfully asked them to get out of the car.
Forget it, we're already here, there's no point in retreating. Elaine took a deep breath, steeled herself and got out of the car.
The underground parking lot was directly connected to an exclusive passage. The waiter took them around a few corners and across a long corridor covered with red velvet carpet, and they arrived at a special lounge.
"Please come this way...S101, this is your room."
The waiter bowed slightly and said, "The party will start at 11 o'clock sharp. Please arrive on time."
Yael hadn't said a word the whole way, but now he nodded and reached out to push open the luxurious and heavy door of the lounge.
"I understand. You can go down now."
The lounge is almost as spacious and luxurious as the presidential suite.
The room was shrouded in a tipsy dim light, like a small projection leaking out from the glamorous world of fame and fortune, which almost made Chong intoxicated.
"Okay, the first step has been successfully completed."
Elaine also calmed down a lot. "So that you don't forget me to repeat the auction rules again."
“The auction here is different from the traditional model. It does not rely on competition to compete for the auction items, but is conducted through gambling.”
"Participating insects convert their own funds into weights. The auctioneer stipulates that the capital doubled after winning is equal to the original capital. The higher this value is, the higher the priority of selecting the auction items."
“This is the second time we have held this type of auction. The first time, the first-place winner multiplied his capital 500 times to win the first prize, while many buyers lost everything.”
Elaine handed the nano-optical computer that she had prepared to Yael.
"As we have discussed before, our initial capital is temporarily set at 2 million Star Coins, which should be a very low number among buyers."
"If it's not enough, call me again, but we have only reserved 10 million in funds for turnover. If the situation is not good, you... remember to stop in time."
Although he said so, he was still very uncertain. The casino was like a huge abyss. Once you entered, it would be difficult to get out until you threw all your assets in and then were smashed to pieces.
"Okay, I understand."
Yael took the laptop and responded briefly. He had heard Elaine say these words countless times and could almost memorize them.
He scanned the room briefly and finally opened the closet next to him.
There were several evening suits inside, all of which were exquisitely made and of great value. Elaine took a look and felt that a tie alone was worth more than one million Star Coins.
And they only came with a measly 10 million star coins, which was all their fortune that they had managed to scrape together... Elaine sighed sadly.
Is this the game of the dragon worm? These working worms really don't understand.
Yael flipped through the dresses and finally took out a white fox mask from the hook. He checked it for pinholes and placed the mask on the coffee table.
He sank into the extremely soft sofa, and suddenly remembered something. He took out his laptop and opened the takeaway software.
That thing was unfamiliar to the insect tribe. He spent some time communicating with the store owner and quickly placed the order. He closed his computer and continued to rest.
Time passes by little by little.
10:37…10:45…10:59…
Click, it's eleven o'clock.
Yael's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes silently.
At the same time—knock, knock.
"Sir, the time has come. Are you ready?"
Yael touched the exquisite white fox mask with his fingertips, picked it up and gently covered his face with it.
The precise buckles snap in place automatically, fitting tightly with the undulating contours of the face.
The gold threads on the mask shone brightly, and the intricate branches spread out wantonly, almost like a vast expansion of blazing sunset, with a suffocating and heart-pounding beauty.
But the beauty that was deliberately created was not as good as the pale texture revealed under the mask, which almost instantly absorbed all attention in the extremely dim light.
"Let's go."
*
After passing through a long and narrow corridor, they came to an extremely luxurious door.
The ferocious beast head grinned bloodily, and a glimmer of light faintly shone through the two black eyeballs.
Yael raised his head slightly and stared at the door in front of him, his expression unclear behind the mask.
"If you can really get it, he will be free again and no longer belong to you."
Elaine suddenly spoke up.
“Is it really worth it?”
"Of course, I..."
Yael chuckled, but the next words were drowned out by the muffled sound of the door opening.
In a hurry, Elaine could only see the pale thin lips under the mask, which were curved.
The door opened.
Brilliant crystal lamps hang from the ceiling of the tall hall, reflecting the sparkling light and enveloping every corner, leaving almost no place for hidden shadows.
Yael narrowed his eyes slightly and took the lead to walk into this surging silence and bustle.
This is a veritable den of money and a place of fame and fortune where drinking and chatting are rampant.
Elaine had attended several aristocratic balls with her father-in-law, so she didn't feel out of place here because of the cramped environment.
But what surprised him most was Yael, who was wearing only an ordinary black wool coat without any identity tags or other high-end decorations, but he blended into the scene perfectly.
He was tall and slender, with a thin coat that made his features look neat and clean. He went straight to the hot casino.
Uh, that's not right.
Elaine has heard her fair share of "rednecks" insults.
This is the bottom floor of the auction house, where all kinds of people are mixed together in a chaotic situation, and it is natural for groups to squeeze and bully each other.
"Gee...wait for me!"
Two million in funds could only be exchanged for a handful of weights. The worker worm made a sound when pouring it out. He might have never seen such a shabby gambler before.
"That's great. I don't even need a basket to carry it."
Yael laughed, picked up one and played with it for a while, then motioned for Elaine to hold the weight.
"Let's start now."
He suddenly loosened his grip, and the weight fell into Elaine's pocket, colliding with the other weights, making a crisp sound.
…
At first, Yael only played in the smallest venues. He didn't talk much and wasn't excited. Even the way he took the cards seemed awkward, so he was not noticeable.
But game after game, from inexperienced to skilled, from losing to winning, it seemed like just a blink of an eye.
Obviously, he doesn't seem to be that amazing. He doesn't always have superb luck, nor does he have any thrilling comebacks. But he can always maintain a certain frequency and gradually increase his weight.
Before the other insects could react, the weight in front of them was quietly swept away and fell into a hand as clean as white jade.
Two million.
In a flash, the money doubled to eight million, ten million, forty million... or in just one round, he lost all but five hundred thousand, and there was even one time when he was left with only one weight.
But when he stood up again, all the losses had been made up, and he continued to rise along the initial trend, from being a small fish that was eaten, to being a shark that swallowed all the weight in the pond in one gulp.
Then go to the next table and experience the advanced process that challenges your heart again.
Elaine followed behind him, her expression going from extremely nervous to shocked to numb, and she could even pretend to be calm and composed to fool other insects when they came to test her.
"Sir... have you ever played this before?"
During another transition, Elaine quickly walked to catch up with Yael and asked, trying hard to suppress her excitement.
“Not really.”
Some unpleasant scenes appeared before his eyes. Yael frowned, but his expression was not caught by the mask. He just said lightly, "I hate gambling."
These two words almost enveloped his childhood, symbolizing a man who was addicted to gambling and drunk, with endless hunger and pain, bringing countless suffering and even despair.
But despite this, he still remembered those gambling rules that he hated, and even used them to benefit himself... Things are so unpredictable.
Elaine was stunned for a moment, a little at a loss, "Ah? Then...then should we continue?"
"Of course, I haven't got the thing yet."
Yael looked for the next venue. "There's nothing I can do about it, I'll just have to endure it for now."
He suddenly thought of the takeaway he had just ordered. He wondered how the food was prepared and whether it had been delivered to his home. Caesar should have eaten it by now, right?
I don't have time to watch the surveillance tonight. I hope the female insects don't stay up late...
But he didn't have time to wander away for long before he was involved in the next gambling game and had no time to think about anything else.
"Go ahead and try to finish it without staying up all night."
…
Yael folded his hands gently on the table, his back straight but still relaxed.
A thin, white wrist bone was revealed under the sleeves of the black wool coat, looking exceptionally clean and beautiful.
Among a group of gamblers who have lost all their money, gamblers who pretend to be deep and calculate each other, and the dealer who narrows his eyes like a shrewd fox after making a profit, they are completely different. They can easily attract countless eyes from both the open and the dark.
He casually scanned the cards in front of him without opening them.
This was already the fifth round of losing. If they lost again, they would lose most of the money they had just won. Even though Elaine was almost numb, she couldn't help but sweat.
"How is it, sir?"
A graceful gambler next to her held his chin up, his eyes roaming over the little bit of skin that was sparingly exposed, and he could hardly hide his blatant greed.
He obviously understood that Yael's current situation was not good, but it was not the end of the world.
So there is no need to rush into it, as there are too many guys vying for it, and the one who laughs last must be the one who can keep calm the most.
"It should be good, I think."
But Yael curled his lips, without even looking at the card, he just flipped the card open and flicked it away.
The air on the gaming table was stagnant for a moment, and then there was a clattering sound, and those colorful weights poured down like water, piling up into a small mountain of wealth in front of him.
The temptation of getting rich instantly made countless people envious, but he still didn't even take a second look.
There was no pretended calmness or disdain, not even a hint of pride. Those lacquered eyes did not allow for any win or loss, including those of the various gamblers in front of him.
It's obviously a world of fame and fortune, but a little white flower that doesn't fit in squeezes in.
But it is not a real little white flower, but a king flower that eats insects without blinking an eye.
The gambler who was bitten hard was almost stunned, but he didn't feel angry at all. He looked at each other for a while, and he could even feel that his emotions had been pulled out of the quagmire.
"How strange..."
After that, Yael spent another two hours circling the middle level.
After winning round after round, he finally attracted the attention of some high-ranking officials.
"Your Excellency."
A waiter pushed aside the swarm of onlookers, came up to Yael, bowed respectfully and conveyed the meaning of the superiors.
"Just now, you have won the qualification to go to the upper level. Do you need to go immediately?"
——At this time, his capital had reached 2 billion.
Yael and Elaine looked at each other secretly across the swarm of insects, and they both saw a glimmer of light in each other's eyes.
"Let's go."
He curled his lips, threw the weight he was playing with onto the table, and stood up.
*
Very quiet.
This is the first impression of Yere when entering. Compared with a casino, this place is more like an exquisite and luxurious ball scene.
The insects inside would either lean over to whisper with their companions, or quietly lean against the gaming table, watching the countless weights being moved around with the winnings and losses, occasionally revealing a mysterious smile.
But it seems like he is deliberately trying to compare himself with others, wanting to look more like a real noble, rather than the rude nouveau riche from the lower and middle classes...
The boredom that can be seen at a glance.
Yael glanced at it briefly, then lowered his eyes without interest and opened the catalog of auction items handed to him by the waiter.
The front part contains some rare jewels, and if you turn to the back part you can see some very rare resources that are rarely circulated in the market. Even if they are available, they are priceless. There is even a bottle of high-concentration pheromones of noble male insects mixed in.
He flipped through the pages quickly and finally saw what he wanted in the column of strange functions.
The picture looks like a small chip-like thing, and its function is marked underneath.
Yael glanced through it quickly without making a sound, and after making sure that he had made no mistake, he continued to turn the pages.
It was not until he turned to the last chapter that his eyes narrowed slightly.
[During the Lemire War, after Admiral Monte was sacrificed, the explorer found the heart of the mecha on the battlefield.]
In the center of the black sponge in the picture, a rusty necklace hangs.
The chain made of the strongest material had broken into several pieces, which was enough to show the cruelty of that war.
In the center is an ice crystal-like structure that glows a deep blue under the light. It is as beautiful as a corner of a falling star. Through it, you can seem to be able to glimpse the entire universe.
Yael was a little absent-minded.
I caught a glimpse of the note below and finally understood why this thing ended up in an auction house in a distant galaxy instead of being displayed in a museum on the main planet.
[The identification center was unable to verify its authenticity and after trying various methods, it still could not be awakened. The identity and value of this object are in doubt. ]
This is still a gamble.
I bet this thing is really Admiral Monte's relic, or... a piece of scrap iron that looks better.
After pondering for a while, he closed the album and handed it to Elaine who was following beside him.
"Let's go."
His purpose of this trip was not to gain the upper hand, and there was no need to get involved in these open and covert struggles, as it would be difficult to extricate himself in the end.
Ding ding.
A subtle but clear ringtone suddenly rang out, which seemed to contain a trace of spiritual power and instantly attracted everyone's attention.
Yael looked at Elaine and got a slight nod.
His guess was confirmed, and the look in his eyes beneath the mask grew more serious.
The biggest gamble has begun.
Tick, tick, tick.
The crisp sound of boot soles hitting the cold floor was heard, and they approached slowly step by step.
The hall, which was originally filled with whispers, gradually became quiet, and all eyes turned to the spiral staircase in the center.
A pale, slender hand touched the escalator, and further up was a pair of intricate and exquisite cuffs.
Her brilliant golden hair was tied up with a jade ring and fell behind her body, swaying slightly as she walked.
“Oh my god…!”
"What brings Viscount Enix here? This is just an ordinary place under his name..."
After the extreme silence, there was a wave of more heated whispered discussions.
Every family with a bit of fame was eager to try, hoping to become familiar to this first-class noble family.
Yael followed the worm's lead and quickly looked away, looking at the huge gambling table rising in the center of the hall.
"Let's get started."
The viscount seemed to be in a bad mood. After sitting down at the main seat, he spoke briefly and didn't say another word.
"...the rules of the last auction game are a car race, and all gamblers with capital can go on stage and fight."
"No substitutions are allowed during each round, and no competition for positions is allowed. Only when a vacant position is created can a replacement be made."
"During the round-robin period, you can either lose all your capital or voluntarily quit the game by cutting your losses in time. However, once you quit, you will not have the chance to come back. You will be ranked according to the ratio of your final capital to your original capital."
"There is only one way to play and one pool, which is the one in the middle of the hall. Make sure you don't go wrong."
The bug who was hosting the auction made a joke, and there was a burst of laughter from the audience.
"Cheating is prohibited at the gambling table. This point has been emphasized many times, but it still needs to be repeated here."
"Once discovered, not only you, but also your family will be blacklisted for life."
After reading out the new rules and customary prohibitions, the insect presiding over the auction did not delay any longer and directly signaled the guards nearby to open the pool.
Amid the flowing insect tide, Yael suddenly raised his head, glanced at the viscount sitting above the pool, and closed his eyes in time before being noticed.
…
There is a box above the gambling room with an excellent view, from which one can have a clear view of the scene below.
Enix looked down boredly, and suddenly turned his head to the shadow beside him, "Has there been no news from the royal family yet?"
"Not yet, sir."
"Where is my paternal father?"
"Let you stay here for a while and stay out of the spotlight."
“…”
Enix took a deep breath and managed to maintain his noble manners, not making any outrageous or vulgar remarks directly to those good-for-nothings who were as stupid as pigs but keen on making trouble.
He originally wanted to kill some time by auctioning. After all, there were no gambling experts on Bianyuan Star. They were all calculating and stupid and could be seen through at a glance.
After casually picking out a few guys who dared to cheat and driving them out, the rest of the gambling became even longer and more boring.
But as he watched, Enix's gaze gradually focused, and he lowered the hand that was supporting his chin, and even leaned forward slightly in fascination.
——"Who is that?"
Following his muttering and his gaze, the guards hiding nearby glanced into the casino and noticed a very low-key black color.
…
Each round of gambling takes place very quickly, with a batch of vacancies being screened out almost every few minutes, and then new gamblers filling them, and the cycle continues.
Yael didn't get that position at first, but he didn't have the mentality of taking advantage of the situation.
After watching for nearly five rounds, he chose an empty seat and sat down.
The algorithm is a bit complicated, but not difficult to solve. Yael pondered in silence, rubbing the smooth surface of the card with his fingertips unconsciously.
When Elaine introduced the background of the auction, he said that it belonged to a noble family on the main planet. It seems to be related to the viscount who just appeared.
And because this nobleman was extremely persistent in following the rules, the casino derived from the auction was not that shady. He did not adjust the parameters of the machines and values, otherwise the calculation would have been more troublesome.
At first, Yael's presence did not attract much attention.
The gambling situation is unpredictable and changes very quickly. If you are not careful, you will suffer a disastrous defeat, or even a complete collapse and lose all your money.
The gamblers change every minute.
After the inferior ones were eliminated, it was the turn of the noble children with some fame. They had been preparing for this auction for a long time and thought they had some luck.
But after an hour, this group was basically wiped out. They retreated behind the cordon unwillingly, reviewing in disbelief why they had failed.
The third group is the experienced gamblers who are well versed in the rules and have been in the casino for many years. At this time, the elimination rate has slowed down.
There were still about twenty gamblers left in the pool, most of them familiar faces, some even friendly with each other, working together to eliminate the other bugs.
“Stand back!”
The guards further set up a cordon, pushing back the gamblers who wanted to take advantage of the situation and squeeze in, clearing a large area of the venue.
At this moment, the strange white fox mask was finally exposed to countless gazes.
The author has something to say:
Start showing off (?)
As for why Ye Ye understands these rules, it is because of his high IQ. I will add some reasons later.
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