Chapter 666: Forcing a Retreat

"Is that so...?"

Upon hearing Chen Jun Nan's response, Qiao Jia Jin fell silent for a few seconds, then showed a look of relief.

So, this cycle of reincarnation ends here?

It wasn't a bad thing, after all. Everyone had already "responded," and when they woke up next time, they could all sit together neatly again—that was naturally a good thing.

"Ha." Qiao Jia Jin shook his head and said softly, "De Ren Zai, don't worry, I'll always treat you like a brother."

As soon as he finished speaking, he slapped the "Dao" that Qi Xia had given him onto the table, his expression as if he were facing death.

"What...?" Di Hou couldn't understand Qiao Jia Jin's action. "Are you completely giving up? In this situation, you're still choosing to 'Gen Zhu'?!"

"What do you know?" Qiao Jia Jin laughed. "I just want to call. If you're not happy, come hit me."

Di Hou's expression slowly darkened, looking extremely angry. "Are you sure you've placed your bets?"

"No..."

Qi Xia interrupted Di Hou softly, then extended his right hand and stared straight at Di Hou with eyes that had lost their light. He asked,

"One right hand—how many 'Dao' can that exchange for?"

"What...?" Di Hou could hardly believe his ears.

"Di Hou... I'll give you some leeway..." Qi Xia mustered all his strength to show a cold smile. "I'm betting my right hand. You can use 'Dao' to match it, and after the cards are revealed, my right hand is yours."

"How could I possibly agree to that kind of rule?!" Di Hou snapped angrily. "This is completely different from what we agreed at the start!"

"Then you can bet your right hand too..." Qi Xia said in an icy tone. "If my right hand doesn't count as 'Dao', then add your right hand to the bet."

"You..." Di Hou thought it over and decided not to tangle with this madman, so he said, "Your right hand only counts as one 'Dao'. Bet it if you want."

"One 'Dao', huh...?" Qi Xia nodded. "Then I'll bet a bit more."

"Bet... more?"

"I'm betting my hands and feet, plus my head. Does that count as five 'Dao'?"

"You're a damn lunatic... Do you even know what you're doing?" Di Hou said in disbelief. "Are you planning to let me dismember you right here?"

"It's not out of the question..." Qi Xia replied. "You just need to tell me if that counts as five 'Dao'."

After hearing this, Di Hou pursed his lips and turned to Qiao Jia Jin. "Damn it, you saw his cards earlier, right? Are you really going to 'Gen Zhu' even with stakes like this?"

Qiao Jia Jin didn't answer; he just furrowed his brow and asked, "First, answer De Ren Zai—does that count as five 'Dao'?"

"Damn it..." Di Hou muttered under his breath. "One after another, you're all out of your minds..."

"Does it count?" Qi Xia asked again.

"Fine." Di Hou nodded. "I'll put up five 'Dao'. You bet your limbs and head. 'Dao' isn't worth much to us Di Ji Sheng Xiao anyway—I'll just take it as buying your life!"

He rummaged around and scattered a pile of spheres on the table, counting exactly five.

Adding the "ticket" from Di Hou and the previous two 'Dao' bets, he had now put out a total of eight.

Di Hou arranged the 'Dao' and looked back at Qiao Jia Jin.

"So, are you going to bet your limbs and head too?"

Qiao Jia Jin thought for a moment, then placed his hand on the table and said, "Fei Mao, you might not know my personality..."

He slowly revealed a smile, his eyes clear and unwavering.

"If De Ren Zai tells me to call, even if I know it'll end in death, I'll still do it. After all, he's let me live much longer, and every day since is something I owe him."

Di Hou's brow furrowed deeply, his eyes growing complex. After thinking for a few seconds, he slowly said, "Alright, if you're done, then... I'll raise..."

"I'll raise more." Qi Xia cut him off. "Di Hou, that was just limbs and head—my 'internal organs' haven't been added yet."

"What...?"

"I mean... our 'internal organs'." Qi Xia said expressionlessly. "I don't know if you can handle a bigger bet? Like my sanity, my wisdom, or even my life in every future reincarnation—as long as you can take it, I can put it all on the table."

"You... you're saying..."

"I'm planning to win enough in this round to buy back the lives of all six of us." Qi Xia said softly. "But I'm just worried you won't dare to call."

Qi Xia's words made Di Hou shiver uncontrollably.

He felt completely seen through; in front of Qi Xia, he was utterly exposed, like a child playing a fraud game against an adult.

"You... you knew?"

"I don't know anything; I just want you to 'Gen Zhu'." Qi Xia said. "You can put up the same things, or exchange them for 'Dao'."

Qiao Jia Jin and Chen Jun Nan, standing nearby, looked at Qi Xia. Although neither he nor Di Hou had revealed their cards, Di Hou seemed to be panicking.

"What a terrifying person..." Di Hou murmured, slightly dazed. "This is only the fifth round..."

"So, are you calling?" Qi Xia asked. "Di Hou, you've shown a huge flaw, so I'm putting everything I have and can offer on the table. I'll gamble it all against you—tell me, which one can you match?"

Di Hou fell silent.

He opened his mouth slowly, as if to say something, but swallowed his words several times.

A foul-smelling wind from outside blew into the room, making the old lightbulb sway and casting flickering shadows.

After a long while, Di Hou pushed his cards forward and said softly, "I fold."

This series of moves left Chen Jun Nan and Qiao Jia Jin baffled, and the three people—Tian Tian and the others—in the distance widened their eyes.

What on earth had happened... to make Di Hou fold right here?

Di Hou slowly flipped over his hidden card.

It wasn't Zheng Ying Xiong's "Da Shu" at all; it was clearly a "Xiao Man."

"Xiao Man," the twenty-first of the fourth month.

Combined with Di Hou's "Chun Jie" as "one one," and "She Ri" as "two two," it totaled only thirteen points.

Although Qi Xia and Chen Jun Nan's cards had "busted," Qiao Jia Jin's hand had fourteen points.

They had won.

Everyone in the room fell into a prolonged silence.

Their thoughts varied, but they were all filled with countless questions.

Di Hou had been holding such a card all along?!

"What... flaw did I show...?" Di Hou spoke first.

Qi Xia felt a wave of relief and leaned back in his chair, then pointed to Di Hou's hidden card.

"The blood spots." Qi Xia said weakly. "You thought you were clever, putting blood spots on a mediocre card to fake it as Zheng Ying Xiong's from the previous round, then using raises to scare everyone off. That is a classic 'gambling technique,' but you still lost to me."

"How is that possible..." Di Hou gritted his teeth and asked, "How did you know I faked those?"