Chapter 641: All In

“Oh…?” Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brows. “You want to raise…”

“Not bad.” Di Hou glanced at Qi Xia’s cards and said, “I’m raising two Dao. Anyone able to match?”

With that single statement, he essentially cut off everyone else’s options.

From the start, one Dao had been put in as the ante, and now in the first round, this was the first raise with one Dao, followed by another two Dao, bringing the total to four Dao in just the first round.

Whether Di Hou had planned this all along or was just testing the waters, his two-Dao raise now equaled the entire stakes of both Qi Xia and Qiao Jia Jin, while the others could only fold. For Di Hou, four Dao was a minor inconvenience, but for everyone else, it was like going all-in.

After all, no one could keep up with such a big bet unless they were willing to wager their lives.

Without waiting for anyone to decide, Di Hou pulled two Dao from under the table and tossed them onto the surface. Now, four shimmering Dao lay before him, like eyes staring at the group, urging them to back down wisely.

At the sight, Chen Jun Nan and Tian Tian simply covered their cards and laid them on the table, their faces showing helpless resignation as they bowed out of the round. Zheng Ying Xiong also pushed his cards away with a touch of frustration.

They no longer had enough chips to continue.

This game had been unequal from the beginning. Di Hou not only knew all the rules but also handled the dealing and victory announcements. On top of that, he had wealth far surpassing everyone else’s. For anyone choosing to gamble against him under these conditions, they’d need better luck than usual and a sharper mind, or their chances of winning would be less than one percent.

“Are you two still in?” Di Hou asked, looking at Qi Xia and Qiao Jia Jin.

Qiao Jia Jin slightly lifted his hidden card, revealing the words “Li Qiu” on it.

Now, he held “Da Shu” and “Li Qiu,” while Di Hou’s visible card was “Xia Zhi.”

After thinking for a moment, Qiao Jia Jin said, “Fat horse, you know what?”

“What?”

“I grew up on the streets.” Qiao Jia Jin touched his card and spoke slowly. “In our Tang Kou, before any group activity, we always check the almanac. We never bother with the Western ways. So, solar terms are just as important to us in each Tang Kou.”

“Oh?”

“Since you say ‘Shuang Jiang’ is September 23rd, then my ‘Da Shu’ is June 21st, and your ‘Xia Zhi’ is May 21st, right?” Qiao Jia Jin asked.

“That’s the idea.” Di Hou nodded.

“Just looking at our visible cards, my date is bigger than yours, so I’m in too.” Qiao Jia Jin finished and threw his remaining two Dao onto the table. Then, he revealed his “Li Qiu.” “I don’t believe the card I have left can’t beat yours.”

Qi Xia, standing nearby, saw Qiao Jia Jin’s hidden card—it was “Li Qiu,” dated July 8th. If they were simply comparing dates, Qiao Jia Jin’s card wasn’t overwhelmingly big or small; the outcome was uncertain.

Of course, there was also the possibility that this was just one of Qiao Jia Jin’s tactics.

At that moment, Qiao Jia Jin turned to Qi Xia and said quietly, “Kid, if it’s just you and him showing cards, you’d have too little info to work with. But with all three of us, you can observe everyone’s cards and figure out what counts as ‘big.’ If I lose it all, it’s no big deal for me.”

“Got it.” Qi Xia understood Qiao Jia Jin’s thinking and looked back at Di Hou.

“Are you going to match?” Di Hou said. “As a gambling vet, here’s some advice—fold now.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Because if you match, I’ll raise again, and you won’t have the chips. You’ll just lose.”

“That’d be boring,” Qi Xia said. “Your logic starts falling apart right there.”

“Oh?”

“You said you waited so long for a ‘Shuo Wang Yue’ round, but now you’re unleashing all your moves in the first hand to take me down. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

“I didn’t plan for this either.” Di Hou’s mouth curved slightly. “But your current state makes me feel threatened. I’m playing it safe and taking you out here.”

“Too bad you’re lying.” Qi Xia said. “I don’t think your cards can beat mine.”

Qi Xia’s face was now flushed on one side and pale on the other, like a demon etched with battle scars, making Di Hou feel a chill.

“You know… if I want to win, it’s not just about the cards,” Di Hou said. “I can outchip you. If I keep raising, you won’t be able to keep up, and the winner’s decided before we even show.”

“Then let me make this clear.” Qi Xia tapped the table. “From this moment on, if you call a bet I can’t cover, I’ll wager my life on it.”

“What?!” Di Hou’s eyes widened slowly. “You’re… that crazy?”

“So chips won’t stop me.” Qi Xia said calmly. “And I don’t think I’ll lose.”

“Have you figured out the game’s rules?”

“Pretty much. Now, just say the word.”

The others watched Di Hou, Qi Xia, and Qiao Jia Jin, who were still in the game, holding their breath for them.

This was only the first round, and they’d already bet everything. If Qi Xia and Qiao Jia Jin lost, they’d all go down together.

Because Di Hou had shut down the casino, there’d be no new customers today, and they had no extra capital to gamble with him again. That outcome would be as good as death.

“Fine…” Di Hou nodded. “I just hope you won’t regret it.”

“Why would I?”

“Based on the cards we know so far, you’re the only one who could go toe-to-toe with me, but I think your chances of winning are slim.”

“How so?”

“There are thirty-six cards in total.” Di Hou smiled. “Your visible cards plus the community cards have locked in your hand. Only one card could make yours bigger than mine, and I don’t believe I’m that unlucky.”

“Is that right?” Qi Xia’s mouth also curved slightly. “Then let me tell you something.”

“I’m all ears.”

Qi Xia lifted his hidden card and slowly moved it to his left cheek, leaving his blood-red right cheek facing Di Hou, like a true demon.

“This card is deadly for you. I’ve thought of six ways to compare them, and only one rule would let you win.”

“Six rules…?” Di Hou slowly furrowed his brows, as if judging whether Qi Xia was bluffing.