Zhao Zhongyi's square face revealed an unusual flush from the drunkenness. The coarse pores were oily.
Being so close to this man made Qin Zhao feel a little nauseous.
"Miss Qin, would you care to have a drink with me?" Zhao Zhongyi asked, raising a glass of vodka.
Qin Zhao was slightly startled that he actually recognized her.
Since that was the case, Qin Zhao replied, "Mr. Zhao, have you forgotten where we are? Wandering around drunk in a casino will only lead to losses."
Zhao Zhongyi tilted his head back to drink the liquor, which trickled from the corner of his mouth and dampened his shirt.
Qin Zhao looked away in disgust with an eye roll.
Thud!
Zhao Zhongyi heavily put the empty glass down and said, "Do you know, just an hour ago, I lost four billion? If I don't take the chance to drink more now, I'll never have the opportunity again."
Qin Zhao said, "Tell me more specifically."
Zhao Zhongyi pointed and said, "See that man sitting in the main seat at the ninth gaming table over there?"
Qin Zhao looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a man who looked about sixty years old.
He had a refined scholarly air, with silver hair but still attractive features.
His physique was also not withered, and one could vaguely see the undulation of muscles beneath his clothes when he moved his hands and feet.
It was clear he was an extremely disciplined person.
Zhao Zhongyi went on, "Among the gamblers here, he's the only one who can be called a true gambling god.
Everyone who comes here to prove their gambling skills will seek him out for a challenge.
And he takes on all comers.
But the challengers usually don't end up well, because he's the one who always wins.
Once the loser owes him money, he sets the deadline at midnight that night. If it's not cleared, there's only a dead end.
And my time of death is midnight tonight.
It's nine o'clock now, so I have three hours left to live. Don't you think I should take the chance to drink some more while I still can?"
As he spoke, he refilled his glass.
Qin Zhao said, "Yes, drink slowly then. I won't disturb you."
She got up to leave.
502 didn't understand. "Host, if you leave now, tonight will have been a waste.
No matter how much longer he can live, get as much information from him as possible. That's better than leaving empty-handed!"
"Don't worry," Qin Zhao said. "Do you believe that if I count to three, he'll call me back?"
502: "I don't believe it."
Qin Zhao silently counted down: "3, 2...
1.9, 1.8, 1.7..."
502: "..."
"Host, you lose."
Just as 502 finished speaking, Zhao Zhongyi's voice rang out, "Miss Qin, please wait!"
Qin Zhao's lips curved slightly. She turned slowly, using her eyes to signal Zhao Zhongyi to continue.
"Miss Qin, I know you're investigating me, and I know you want to deal with Ye Chenxi.
If you agree to one condition from me, I'll provide all the information you need."
Qin Zhao returned to her seat and said, "Let me guess what you want me to do."
Zhao Zhongyi made a "please" gesture.
"You want me to help you cancel your debt with that gambling god?"
Zhao Zhongyi nodded. "Yes."
Qin Zhao's expression instantly turned cold. "Do you take me for a fool?
A longtime gambler like you would ask me, someone coming here for the first time, for help?!"
Zhao Zhongyi smiled and said, "Ha, you've seen through me. I do have another purpose.
I've never married or had children in my half a lifetime. Just a lonely bachelor.
If I could die with such a beautiful woman like you, I'd have no regrets."
Qin Zhao narrowed her eyes dangerously. This man had skin as thick as horse hooves.
Zhao Zhongyi waved his hand. "Don't get angry, Miss Qin. I assure you, as long as you dare to gamble with that boss just once,
No matter if you win or lose, I'll tell you everything I know about Ye Chenxi.
If you lose, keep me company to hell.
If you win, send Ye Chenxi to hell."
Qin Zhao rested her chin on her hand and thought for a bit. Just as she was about to say something, her phone rang!
She took out her phone and saw it was Xiao Tao calling. She said to Zhao Zhongyi, "Let me take this call first."
Zhao Zhongyi nodded and said, "I'll wait for your reply here."
Qin Zhao found an unoccupied lounge and answered the call.
She immediately heard Xiao Tao's somewhat weak voice, "Boss, hurry and get out of Ghost God Casino. Someone there wants you dead!"
Perhaps because she had received too many similar calls recently, Qin Zhao was no longer sensitive to these claims.
Qin Zhao: "Xiao Tao, your voice sounds a little weak. Are you sick?"
This time, Xiao Tao replied with a sob: "Boss, don't worry about me. Hurry up and leave!
It's my fault, I got you into danger!
Everything is my fault. I don't ask for your forgiveness, I just want you to get out of there quickly! Hurry!"
Only then did Qin Zhao realize something was wrong.
From Xiao Tao's words, did she betray her?
Qin Zhao said, "If you don't explain clearly, I won't leave."
Xiao Tao said with great difficulty, panting as if she might faint at any moment.
After a rest, she replied, "They caught my boyfriend and threatened me with his life, telling me to give them the information about Zhao Zhongyi going to Ghost God Casino.
I thought that if I did as they said, they would spare my boyfriend, but they killed him anyway!
I couldn't save the one I loved, and I've harmed you too, boss. I'm useless."
"Who are they? Is it Ye Chenxi?"
Xiao Tao thought back and said, "I only heard them call the other party Chairman Ye on the phone. I don't know if it's Ye Chenxi."
It should be Ye Chenxi then.
Qin Zhao frowned and asked, "What happened to you then?"
It was difficult for Xiao Tao to speak. She panted heavily as if she might lose consciousness at any moment.
After a rest, she replied, "I was seriously injured in the struggle with them. I'll probably die soon."
"502, what is Xiao Tao's condition?" Qin Zhao asked.
"She has a penetrating wound in her abdomen, with some organ damage. The biggest problem right now is excessive blood loss..."
"Just tell me how much longer she can live!"
"Okay, Xiao Tao has about 5 hours left to live."
"Sorry for snapping at you just now."
502 had teary eyes.
Xiao Tao suddenly remembered why she was calling and yelled, "Boss, don't worry about me anymore. Hurry up and get out of Ghost God Casino!"
"Xiao Tao, don't get agitated. Listen to me," Qin Zhao comforted. "I'll be fine. Don't move around where you are. I'll come save you."
Xiao Tao cried uncontrollably and said intermittently, "But Boss, I betrayed you. You don't need to save me. Let me atone with death!"
But Qin Zhao said, "Don't think that way. If I hadn't asked you to investigate Ye Chenxi, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
Xiao Tao recalled when she had fainted from hunger next to the trash can. She teared up again.
"If not for the 1,000 yuan Sister gave me, I would have starved to death on the streets. Sister gave me a second life. I'm willing to do anything for Sister."
At first, when Qin Zhao had Xiao Tao call her "Sister", Xiao Tao insisted on calling her "Boss" to show respect.
Qin Zhao laughed and said, "Willing to call me Sister now? Then will you listen to Sister telling you not to die?"
"Wah... Sister, actually I don't want to die."
"Good, then be a good girl and wait for me."
502 calculated the time for Qin Zhao. "Host, it will take an hour to get from the casino to where Xiao Tao is, and fifty minutes to take her to the hospital.
So you have to finish things here before midnight."
After a pause, 502 added, "Host, I think you don't need to save her. She betrayed you, so she should die."
Qin Zhao asked back, "If you were Xiao Tao, forced to choose between her boyfriend and me, who would you pick?"
502: "You will always be first in my heart, Host."
Back at the bar, Zhao Zhongyi was still drinking. Seeing Qin Zhao come over, he nodded at her. "Miss Qin, have you decided?"
