As if nothing had happened, Zhou Zheng subtly adjusted the position of the two cards in his hand twice, his movements as fluid as a stream flowing around a stone, leaving no trace, before placing the two cards back in front of him.
He then placed the two cards face down in his left and right palms respectively, awaiting the revelation of fate.
The refined and elegant demeanor he exuded seemed like a natural shield, perfectly concealing his private actions.
His face remained calm and composed, as if the tricks he had just done had nothing to do with him.
His gaze was deep and focused, slowly following the movement of the stream, but never lingering on the surface of any playing card.
He had an Ace of Diamonds in his left hand, a Joker in his right, and the King of Spades was hidden in the cuff of his oversized raincoat.
No matter which card the girl draws from his hand, he's guaranteed to win.
Since the probability was 50% anyway, Chuanliu didn't choose and just picked up a random card.
She was about to lift the lid to take a look when Zhou Zheng stopped her, saying, "Let's announce it together."
Chuanliu nodded.
The two held their cards in their hands, seemingly praying that they would draw the colorful "Joker" card.
Under the cover of night, an indescribable tension and anticipation filled the air.
Then, the face-down playing cards were taken out of their hands.
Seeing the same pattern on the back, they said together, "Three, two, one, open."
Both players flipped their playing cards at the same time.
In Zhou Zheng's hand, there was undoubtedly the colorful "Joker" card.
The vibrant colors on the cards shone brightly even in the dim light.
Zhou Zheng's lips unconsciously curved upwards, forming a confident and elegant smile. He said in his usual gentle voice, "You said you'd honor your bet, so I won't hold back..."
However, before he could finish speaking, his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the direction of the flowing water, wanting to witness his opponent's disappointment.
But at that moment, his smile froze, and a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes.
He looked at the flowing river, and his calm emotions finally wavered.
"Chuanliu, are you kidding me?"
The girl was smiling at him, holding neither the "Ace of Diamonds" nor the "King of Spades" in her hand.
"This isn't a deck of cards at all!" The latter's eyes seemed to pierce through the cards in Chuanliu's hand, and his voice was filled with uncontrollable anger.
"Who said that? Haven't you seen it in a deck of cards?" Chuanliu held the card between his index and middle fingers, displaying it vertically in front of Zhou Zheng.
On the front of the card, it read "PLAYING CARDS"; below it were drawn the four symbols of "spades", "hearts", "clubs" and "diamonds"; and in the middle of the card was written a large "POKER".
In Paradise Island's understanding, there are 52 types of playing cards, with 13 types of each suit.
In general, a deck of cards consists of 54 cards, including two Jokers.
Zhou Zheng thought so too.
But is there really only 54 cards in a deck of cards?
In reality, a brand new deck of cards often contains 55 cards, and sometimes even 56 cards.
The extra 55th card is actually an "advertisement board" that comes with every deck of cards.
The existence of "billboards" is often used by manufacturers to advertise printed products.
But billboards have another use.
"Billboard" can replace any card when it is lost.
You could call it a "2 of Diamonds" or a "Joker".
This is the card that allowed Chuanliu to bring onto the island, issued by the WD Investigation Bureau.
— "WD Special Edition".
Zhou Zheng lowered his voice and said, "No matter what, I have the 'King' in my hand, and the 'King' is the highest-ranking card. I still win."
The sound of flowing water rang out at this moment, light and cheerful, "As you know, 'billboard' can represent any sign."
"so……"
She took a step to the side and continued, "Theoretically speaking, we're even."
Zhou Zheng underestimated Chuanliu. He focused all his attention on his own cheating but ignored the existence of Chuanliu as a variable.
"Square" represents fraud.
This is not a duel between the "King" and the "Junior King";
This is a battle of wits between two "liars".
"You just promised me that you could leave if you're older, otherwise I'll leave."
A hint of a smile flashed in Chuanliu's eyes. She then glanced at the time on the screen and continued, "Since we're tied, I won't hold back."
After saying that, she dashed towards the quietly waiting drone, like the most agile shooting star in the night sky.
The drone's internal scanning system quickly activated, and beams of light traveled across Chuanliu's body.
However, Zhou Zheng also realized what was happening at this moment. He grabbed the hatch with one hand and jumped up as well.
At this moment, the numbers on the screen inside the cabin turned red.
【00:10】
Inside the drone, a cold, electronic voice suddenly rang out: "10 seconds until takeoff of the unmanned helicopter. Please complete the verification as soon as possible." The voice echoed in the confined space, adding a touch of urgency.
Chuanliu had anticipated Zhou Zheng's arrival, and a resolute glint flashed in her eyes. She suddenly exerted her strength, her single leg whipping out like a whip, aiming straight for Zhou Zheng's chest, her movements swift and decisive.
Seeing that the scan was about to be completed, Zhou Zheng did not back down, but instead bravely took the kick.
At the same time, just like before, he reached out and grabbed Chuanliu's raincoat again. Without any hesitation, he yanked Chuanliu out of the scanning area that was about to be completed.
【00:09】
Zhou Zheng let out a muffled groan as Chuan Liu kicked him unexpectedly, feeling as if a boulder had struck his chest, and the pain instantly swept through his entire body.
He gritted his teeth, enduring the discomfort, and his body involuntarily staggered back a few steps.
He instinctively wanted to grab Chuanliu's raincoat again to steady himself, but this time, Chuanliu was no longer restrained by him.
【00:08】
With a swift movement, Chuanliu deftly broke free of the raincoat, his slender body tracing a graceful arc in the air before instantly regaining his freedom.
Immediately afterward, before she could even steady herself, she was already poised to strike.
With a turn, he aimed at Zhou Zheng, who was about to approach again, and unleashed a fierce spinning kick, forcing Zhou Zheng back several steps.
【00:07】
Taking advantage of this brief respite, Chuanliu, like a rabbit, swiftly rushed towards the hatch.
Her steps were filled with a persistent pursuit of freedom.
However, Zhou Zheng's figure once again loomed over us like a dark cloud.
Like the river, the man never wanted to give up.
He strode forward with his long, slender legs, determined to outpace the former.
The distance between the two continued to close, and the hatch was right in front of them, but Zhou Zheng's figure became clearer and clearer.
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