C31 The Casino

The Japanese were exhausting. They called on Ethan for every trivial matter, treating him like a full-time civil servant. For days, Ethan had to escort the so-called Japanese sightseeing group around mountains, scenic spots, and local enterprises. The Japanese were quite satisfied with X City’s investment environment—and for good reason. China had the world’s largest population and market, plus extremely cheap labor. Produce goods here, slap a Japanese brand on them, and profits were guaranteed.

Ethan hated it. But there was nothing he could do. Some Chinese people with overseas connections acted as if they were no longer Chinese, looking down on their own kind. How could they expect respect from others?

Tomorrow would be the China-Japan football match. It was a civilian event, with many amateur players. X City was copying the old “ping-pong diplomacy,” hoping football could boost friendship and investment. Ethan was furious. Table tennis was China’s pride, but football? A nation of over a billion people could not find a decent team—just a group of good-for-nothings embarrassing the country worldwide.

Ethan wanted to skip the event, but orders from above left him no choice. When caught in the system, a man could not control his own life. He put Howard and Han Tao to work as free labor, then sneaked away for some personal time.

He wandered to the busiest street in X City. Luckily, his 200-year-old assistant Zhao Fan had not followed. This time, Ethan could enjoy himself. He stepped into a nightclub he had frequented in the past.

Even before evening, the place was already lively. Sunlight still shone outside, but inside it was dark and gloomy. Ethan never understood why entertainment venues loved fancy exteriors but shadowy interiors. Perhaps only in darkness could people truly relax, free from judgment and disturbance. Humans were contradictory creatures—they loved sunlight, yet often craved the cover of darkness.

Ethan walked to the relatively bright bar counter. Bottles of world-famous foreign liquor lined the shelves—but not a single Chinese wine. China had a long, proud drinking culture, yet it could not compete in modern entertainment venues. Ethan did not know whether to feel sorry for Chinese wine or for his own people.

A handsome young bartender with thick eyebrows and polite manners attended to guests smoothly. Ethan tapped the counter lightly.

The bartender approached respectfully. “Sir, what would you like to drink?”

“Brandy. On the rocks.”

“Right away. Let me know if you need anything else.”

“I’ll be playing cards in the back. Bring the drink there.”

The bartender froze. “Back? Sir, I’m afraid we have no such area. We have dancing, karaoke, stage shows, interactive games—but no gambling.”

Ethan smiled. “Is Sun Rupeng still the owner? I know exactly what he runs. I’m an old friend. Tell him Ethan is here. That’s all you need to say.”

Gambling was still illegal, but Ethan believed no city could thrive without sex and gambling. The more developed the city, the more prosperous these industries became. He saw it as simple economics—like America.

The bartender hesitated, then retreated to the back. Moments later, he returned and respectfully escorted Ethan inside. A dark, thin middle-aged man with messy hair and a liver-colored face greeted him with a wide grin. It was Sun.

“Old brother! Where have you been? Years since I’ve seen you! I hear you’re a government official now—here to inspect… or shut me down? Either way, you’re welcome! I dare not offend you, Ethan!”

Sun laughed easily, covering the earlier awkwardness.

“Your business is bigger than ever. You wouldn’t even notice my small fortune these days. If you don’t let me gamble to my heart’s content, I really will shut this place down!” Ethan joked.

“Haha! Don’t scare me! I can’t afford to let you win my entire life’s savings!”

They walked side by side into the back hall. It was noisy, full of game machines, with kids and young punks playing wildly.

“Sun, you’re running kiddy games now? Where’s the old high-stakes action? This isn’t for me. And why are all these kids underage? You’re even targeting their pocket money now?”

Sun looked embarrassed.

“These machines are smuggled from the US—they are gambling. I can’t operate openly. Small gambling supports families; big gambling stabilizes nations. I can’t just kick kids out. If one little brat reports me, I’m finished. Today’s young people are ruthless—worse than when I was young.”

“Quit while you’re ahead. This is trouble. Anyway, I’m not here as mayor. I’m here to gamble. Take me to the high-roller room—now!” Ethan was impatient.

“Ah! Right! I’ll shut this kiddie corner immediately. I can’t afford to anger a mayor.”

Sun led Ethan to a shabby, hidden door in a dark corner.

“This looks worse than before—”

Ethan stopped short, stunned.

Outside was shabby and secretive. Inside was another world.

Crimson Turkish wool carpets, luxurious Italian decor, gold-plated details, crowds of people. The scale was more than double what it had been three years ago. It looked like Las Vegas.

Waitresses in skimpy bunny outfits served drinks—all beautiful. Ethan could barely believe his eyes.

A stunning waitress handed him red wine. Sun gave him 10,000 in chips. Sun knew how to please people with power. Ethan felt like an emperor inside this casino.

He stopped at a poker table. The dealer looked familiar, but he could not place where he’d seen her. He knew the game but not its official name.

Spectators made space for him. Ethan joined the game. He had always loved poker, once dreaming of being a god of gamblers. Unfortunately, he was famous for losing nearly every time. His old company’s collapse had even been partly related to gambling.

The dealer glanced at him and dealt the cards.

Ethan’s hole card: Ace of Spades. His upcard: Ace of Hearts.

“It’s been a while. I’ll start low—ten yuan!” Ethan tossed out a small chip.

“The hell? Ten yuan at this table? You wasting my time?” A rat-faced man snarled.

“Rules say minimum ten. I’m using strategy—long line for big fish.” Ethan didn’t care. He was here for fun.

“Handsome, if you’re broke, I’ll cover you. Just spend the night with me,” a middle-aged woman on his left purred.

“Thanks, but I value my life,” Ethan shot back.

The others were annoyed. All three called.

By some miracle, Ethan kept winning with strong hands. The other three seethed. He was showing three Aces on the table.

The final card came: a two.

The woman’s turn.

“Pretty boy, I see your three Aces. But I have a straight flush. I’ll bet one million yuan. I’ll bury you.”

“I call! I have three Kings! I’m not scared!” The rat-faced man jumped in.

The fourth player folded.

Ethan had less than ten thousand in chips in front of him. The two gamblers grinned confidently.

“You want to play big? Fine. I call your million—and raise you five million.”

“Wait—you don’t have the chips!” The woman sneered.

Ethan snapped his fingers. Sun appeared immediately.

“Sun, give me seven million in chips. Keep one million as interest.”

“At once, Mr. Zhao!”

The woman and the rat-faced man went pale. Sun never treated anyone like this unless they were extremely important.

Chips arrived. Ethan tossed them onto the table casually.

“I’m Wang Liu of East District! You’ll regret this!” The man tried to leave.

“Not so fast. Don’t you want to see my cards? You’ll regret it forever.” Ethan turned to the woman. “Still rich? Borrow more from Sun. I’ll take it all.”

Both chickened out and folded.

Ethan laughed and flipped his cards.

Then his smile froze.

He had four Aces—but the Ace of Spades had somehow become another Ace of Hearts. He held two identical Aces.

“He’s cheating!” The woman screamed.

The crowd surged. Cheating in Sun’s club was a death sentence.

Ethan’s mind raced. He suddenly recognized the dealer.

He grabbed her by the hair and punched her repeatedly in the head. She collapsed. He kicked her face wildly.

Everyone scattered in terror.

Sun and his men rushed over.

Ethan stepped back, pulled a spare Ace of Spades from the dealer’s sleeve. Her face was unrecognizable.

“You bitch! I knew you looked familiar! Where’s Tian Kui? Where’s the Mouse Society? Come out! I’m right here!” Ethan roared like a wounded wolf.

A familiar voice spoke behind him.

“Right here.”

A huge, muscular man stood there. Tian Kui.

Ethan stared at him, burning with shame and rage.

“Mayor Ethan. You faked insanity well. I’m impressed. This time, you won’t escape. You walked right into our nest. You’ll never see daylight again.” Tian Kui smiled coldly.

Ethan didn’t waste words. He roared and charged. Fists were the only truth.

Tian Kui suddenly retreated. Gun barrels emerged from all sides, pointing straight at Ethan.

He had no choice. Even against bullets, he had to attack.

Gunfire erupted.

Ethan’s body twisted like a snake, then launched like a cannonball. No retreat, only attack. Dignity came from overcoming shame. He became a tiger, slamming through bodies. His body was a weapon; his fists were bullets.

Men fell one after another. Tian Kui’s smile vanished. He kept retreating. His men fell faster and faster.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of Ethan: Sun.

Ethan hesitated.

Then he was sent flying.

He crashed hard into the wall.

The cowardly, smiling Sun had transformed. His eyes glinted sharply; his hands formed a strange, sharp stance.

Praying Mantis Fist.

Ethan stood up, wiping blood from his mouth. He couldn’t believe his old “friend” had betrayed him.

Friends are for using, brothers for betraying—some joke. It was the sad truth of this world.

Dozens more men rushed in, guns aimed.

Ethan had no words. In an instant, fortunes changed. One moment a winner, the next a prisoner.

Tian Kui stepped forward again. Mice only dared to show themselves when there was no danger.

“Admit defeat. No more chances. This is our base. You don’t get to play games anymore. Still want to fight? Still want revenge?”

Ethan stared at him, unblinking. He wanted to die like a man.

“I won’t give you that honor. I’ll make you die with regret. This time, even if you go crazy, I won’t show mercy.” Tian Kui’s eyes filled with the same madness from the wedding.

“Old friend, you shouldn’t have come. Now you can’t leave. Goodbye.” Sun sighed.

Ethan suddenly began reciting poetry softly.

“The moon wanders with my song; my shadow dances with my steps…”

“Fire!” Tian Kui shouted.

Ethan leaped into the air.

At that moment, a terrifying power descended on the casino.

Gunfire exploded like rain.

Ethan floated in the air, supported by an invisible force. A beautiful fairy appeared beside him.

Long hair danced, figure enchanting.

Zhao Fan.

Ethan’s body moved in perfect sync with his assistant. A whirlwind swept the room. Bullets slowed, spinning in the air. Everything moved at half-speed. Ethan could have plucked them from the air like flies.

The tide had turned.

When the wind died down, everyone staggered, unsteady on their feet. Ethan and Zhao Fan landed gently, like immortals.

Forty-odd men stared in dumb shock.

“Who are you? The Mouse Society has no quarrel with you!” Tian Kui hid behind Sun, terrified.

“Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is you offended the mayor. Now you’re in deep trouble. Beg him, and he might spare you.” Zhao Fan’s voice sounded like celestial music—but carried no warmth.

“Arrogant! We have guns! You’re just two people!” Sun said calmly. He refused to believe what he’d seen.

“Guns?” Zhao Fan chuckled. “You rely on cheap metal while forgetting the power your ancestors left you. Your destruction is inevitable. I don’t need to lift a finger to kill you.”

Everyone looked skeptical.

“Ignorance is truly a curse.”

Zhao Fan sighed, then let out a long, clear cry—like a crane’s call piercing the sky.

The sound shook the casino. Cards, dice, chips—everything vibrated.

Every man in the room went weak, unable to move a finger.

Mouse Society members collapsed one by one, blood oozing from their noses, eyes, ears, and mouths.

Only Sun, Tian Kui, and Ethan still stood—Ethan fighting with all his will.

Ethan let out a desperate, booming roar.

Zhao Fan stopped, staring at him in shock.

“Incredible. You’re the first person in a hundred years who could resist my Dragon Cry.”

Only Ethan, Tian Kui, and Sun remained conscious, their faces yellow and terrified.

“Now do you believe? You two have some skill. I only strike once. Whether you live depends on the mayor’s mood.”

Zhao Fan sat down casually on a leather chair, waiting.

Ethan walked forward, his face heavy. He felt no joy—hiding behind a woman’s power felt shameful. At least she was old enough to be his grandmother. That eased the humiliation a little.

“Finish it. The world is cruel. I have no regrets.” Sun said calmly.

“We were once friends. I’ll give you a chance. You struck me down once. If you can stand and fight again, I’ll let you go. This world is already chaotic. Why add more violence?”

“Tian Kui—I will never forgive you. You love games? Now it’s your turn to play. Just like at the wedding.”

Tian Kui stared up at him, begging with his eyes.

Sun stepped forward firmly. A man should die like a man. He had never been ashamed of his life, and he wouldn’t start now.

Zhao Fan watched the two proud men face each other. Even after 200 years, she still didn’t fully understand males.

Ethan stood steady. Respectable opponents were rare. This old gangster, whom he’d once looked down on, was a hidden master. Business was just a cover for deeper ambitions. At least Sun had purpose—unlike Ethan, who drifted aimlessly.

Sun looked around his casino, his life’s work in ruins. It no longer mattered. Ethan represented the government. Even if they won today, they would be hunted forever. They could only live like rats unless their clan gained legal recognition—and that was impossible.

Sun had lost hope.

A man could be defeated, but as long as his heart lived, he could rise again. But Sun’s heart was dead.

“Ethan, I know what you want. I’m old enough to see clearly. I won’t give you the satisfaction of defeating me. I’m tired. In my life, no one has ever truly beaten me. Only I can do that.”

Blood trickled from Sun’s mouth.

“I’m leaving. This world is full of endless struggle and greed. I’m done. Thank you. Three years ago, you bought me the happiest night of drinking I ever had. I thought I’d never feel drunk again. But you gave me a night of complete freedom. I’ll never forget it.”

“I’m going to find peace in the next world. You live on with your shame.”

Sun collapsed, smiling peacefully.

Ethan felt a deep, heavy sorrow.

He thought of Li Yizhu. Why did they all die so freely?

“He’s dead. Self-destructed meridians. Not even gods can save him. What about the mouse?” Zhao Fan asked, confused by his sadness.

“The police are coming. Let’s go. Leave this to them.”

“Alright.”

Zhao Fan waved her hand gently. Tian Kui collapsed like mud—she had crippled him completely. She showed no mercy to enemies. He would never stand again, spending the rest of his life helpless in prison.

Police arrived. The illegal casino was shut down. Ethan became the heroic mayor who crushed a major crime ring. Television, newspapers, and social media praised him nonstop. All his past mistakes were forgotten. His portraits appeared everywhere in X City.

It all felt like a show.

Ethan knew what the Dragon Clan was planning. The more famous he became, the more he became a target for all clans. Everything would surface soon. He just didn’t know if he would live to see it.

Life seemed normal again—but Ethan was falling apart.

He skipped the football match. As expected, China lost again. The football association wasted millions on foreign teams, achieving nothing.

With Zhao Fan’s help, the Dragon Pearl’s torment had weakened. Ethan’s resistance grew stronger. He practiced the Ascending Dragon Art daily, finally understanding the gap between himself and those hidden masters. Strength was the only way to survive and earn dignity.

Peace returned.

The Japanese group left quietly. Inspired by their “football victory,” Japanese companies invested in X City. The world seemed normal again.

But Dragon One sent a warning:

The real storm is coming. The darkest hour before dawn is here.

Ethan didn’t know if he believed it—but his body was changing.

As his power grew, the Dragon Pearl’s true poison emerged.

Thin scales began growing all over his body: on his chest, back, arms, legs. Purple-red scales, spreading day by day.

Every midnight, he howled involuntarily, losing his mind.

His face and hands now began to itch.

Ethan was terrified.

He was turning into a monster.

A scaled beast.

The world would never accept him. He would end up in a zoo or a laboratory.

He locked himself in his room, afraid of sunlight, afraid of people.

Zhao Fan kept her distance, not wanting to provoke him.

Until today.

Zhao Fan came to him with an invitation from Dragon One.

The Dragon Clan leadership was holding a meeting. Ethan had to attend.

He dressed in total cover:

Black suit, dark green hat, white gloves, dark sunglasses covering most of his face.

Under the strange gazes of Howard and Han Tao, and the confused look of Zhao Fan, Ethan stepped forward into the unknown.

Toward darkness.

Toward the Dragon Clan meeting hall.