Casino surveillance room.
"This woman, she won over three million dollars after being at the casino for just an hour. I suspect she's cheating!"
Manager Zhang, with your extensive experience in catching cheaters, please take a look."
Manager Zhang said: "Bring up the playback."
The yellow-haired man did as told and rewound the footage back to when Qin Zhao and Pei Qian started the game.
Manager Zhang stared intently at Qin Zhao on the screen, scrutinizing her every little move.
Finally he concluded: "I don't see any evidence of her cheating. If she really was a cheater, her skills would be unmatched!"
The yellow-haired man asked: "Should we send someone to apprehend her then?"
"No evidence, don't do anything for now.
Keep an eye on her, let me know if anything comes up.
Have Old Zhou keep watch with you, he's observant."
"Yes sir."
At the same time, in the first train car.
Qin Zhao picked up the casino handbook beside her and started flipping through it, saying: "I'm no saint, just an ordinary person.
If anyone, it's you who should be competing for an Oscar with acting skills like that."
Pei Qian's expression changed slightly as he asked: "What do you mean?"
Qin Zhao turned to the 18th section of the handbook, which listed the minimum bets required for access to train cars 2 through 9.
They were: 1 million, 3 million, 5 million, 8 million, 10 million... 30 million.
Given Zhao Zhongyi's ability to manage Ye Chenxi's billions in assets, Qin Zhao estimated his annual income wouldn't be less than 10 million.
So he was likely playing between train cars 5 and 9.
The 3 million she had won so far was far from enough. She would need to try harder.
Qin Zhao put the handbook down, walked over to Pei Qian and whispered: "Put away your childish tricks. Let's play some grown-up games."
Surrounded by Qin Zhao's fragrance as she moved, Pei Qian momentarily forgot to react. Although he found her words strange, he didn't get a chance to think much of it.
Qin Zhao had already returned to her seat and grabbed a handful of red chips, scattering them towards the onlooking crowd!
Immediately, a frenzied scramble broke out!
Pandemonium erupted as people pushed and shoved, cursing at each other!
"Give it to me, that's mine!"
"Let go damnit, I picked it up first!"
Some who couldn't grab any opted to fiercely tear the money in half - if they couldn't have it, neither could anyone else!
Perhaps the sums weren't large, but because it was easy money, people were extremely invested in the scramble.
Human greed was magnified without limit.
In just a few minutes, most were left injured from the tussle.
But no one cared, their hungry eyes fixed expectantly on Qin Zhao.
"Ms. Gao, throw some more, you've won so much!"
Others chimed in, "Yeah, more!!"
Qin Zhao yawned drowsily. Sleep deprivation was no joke.
When the clamor died down, she singled out a few who had previously insulted her: "100,000 to whoever beats them up."
Fighting in a casino was risky, but with a generous reward, there were bound to be takers.
As soon as Qin Zhao finished speaking, some nearest the targets surrounded and assaulted them with kicks and blows!
Screams echoed ceaselessly!
Those unable to reach the center gazed on longingly.
Watching everything unfold with eyes and mouth agape, Pei Qian was genuinely shocked. He really hadn't expected Gao Qian to be so vengeful!
What would she do to him for teasing her earlier...
At this thought, he whipped his head towards Qin Zhao. She returned his gaze with a smirk.
Her lips moved as if whispering devilishly.
"Everyone, don't worry if you missed out on the last reward. I have another offer."
All ears perked up eagerly.
Qin Zhao announced: "2,000 for a peck on the lips with Pei Qian. 5,000 for a long kiss. No limit on number of people."
A swift man instantly rushed Pei Qian without hesitation!
Qin Zhao added: "No limit on number of kisses!"
And so, amidst Pei Qian's fright and disbelief, he was engulfed by a group of men...
Some men, put off by the aggressive display, remarked: "They're all men too!"
Qin Zhao laughed, "Your thinking is too old-fashioned. Men can also kiss men."
Ten minutes later, the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch, on the verge of getting completely out of hand.
Suddenly, a burly man appeared and bellowed: "Stop this instant! No causing disturbances in the casino!!"
Perhaps because too many were involved in the commotion, he was unsure who to punish.
As everyone halted, he swept an intimidating gaze across the crowd.
One by one, they shrank back deferentially, acquiescing to his authority.
Satisfied, the burly man nodded and left.
A brief silence followed after he exited the train car. But soon, the crowd gathered around Qin Zhao,
babbling eagerly about their contributions.
"Boss Gao, I kissed Pei Qian thirty seven times."
"Me, me! Boss Gao, I had a five minute long kiss with Pei Qian."
"Boss Gao, Pei Qian's lips are swollen! I definitely helped with that!"
At this point, Pei Qian was huddled in a corner. Several buttons had been ripped from his shirt, exposing sickly, sagging pale skin underneath.
He quivered at each proclamation, like a soulless human accompaniment machine.
"Boss Gao, I beat those bastards who insulted you half to death. You better not go back on your word!"
"I helped too! I kept the teeth they lost!"
...
Qin Zhao chuckled lightly: "Alright alright, line up everyone. I'll hand out payments one by one."
"Great!"
"Okay!! Okay!!"
"Get in line, get in line!"
Watching Qin Zhao distributing cash, System 502 was bleeding internally!
Observing her expression gradually morph into the: old man on subway looking at phone meme.jpg
"Host, what are you doing? I can't take this! I'm breaking up with you!!"
502 monologued pitifully alone in Qin Zhao's mindspace.
She didn't respond the entire time.
Dejected, 502 sprawled limply like a salted fish that had lost hope and dreams.
When Qin Zhao was left with only a third of the money, Pei Qian suddenly bellowed: "Bro, you're here!"
Everyone looked towards the entrance as a 1.9 meter tall, bearded macho man walked in!
Pei Qian crawled and rolled over, hugging the man's thick legs sobbing: "Bro, you're finally here! You don't know how much I suffered tonight, all alone!"
The bearded man glanced at Pei Qian's sausage lips occupying half his face.
He shook his leg, kicking Pei Qian aside, yelling: "What ugly freak is this? No brother of mine looks this hideous!"
Pei Qian's sausage lips quivered as if wanting to explain, but ultimately he silently slunk back to his corner, a forlorn figure like a weary old traveler returning to his fireside.
Having paid the last person, Qin Zhao sat back down, gazing calmly at the bearded man striding towards her.
She told 502: "Don't be upset. The money I tossed out will return manifold."
502 immediately perked up: "Host, what other surprises do you have that I don't know about?!"
"From the moment Pei Qian sat down, I saw through all his tricks. He's a master swindler who deliberately lost to me.
All the money was him handing it to me on purpose."
Having lived in a martial arts world, Qin Zhao had witnessed moves from top martial artists.
While she didn't retain any martial strength, her observational skills remained.
As such, she could discern swindlers without being one herself.
No matter how ingenious their techniques, cheaters were laid bare before her.
Although unaware who had instructed Pei Qian and this replacement man to give her money, it aligned with her aims.
She would gladly accept with nonchalance.
Giving away the money she had won signaled that 300 million was far from satiating her appetite. They would offer more.
With this in mind, Qin Zhao took the initiative to extend her hand to the bearded man with a smile:
"Gao Qian."
He returned the handshake. "Song Qian."
·
Slap!
The yellow-haired man excitedly slapped his thigh upon catching the slip up after reviewing the footage a 16th time.
He called Manager Zhang over: "The real swindler is this Pei Qian!"
Pointing at the paused screen, he said: "See that blur in his palm? That's him switching cards!"
Manager Zhang nodded thoughtfully: "Impressive skills. This is my first encounter where the sleight is only visible slowed down!"
"Should we apprehend him now?" the yellow-haired man asked.
Manager Zhang shook his head. "We catch cheaters because they scam customers and the casino. But someone giving away money, what grounds do we have?
First see what he wants to do.
Also, go notify the boss. An event this interesting, she will definitely want to participate.
