Chapter 199

“Ah… this old man. He’s acting up again. Isn’t it just like that engineer from last time? All the curious customers disappear in fright, don’t they?”

“What nonsense! Is there such a lowly word as ‘acting up’ in the world of competition? I’m just betting aggressively.”

When it comes to “raising,” it means placing more chips than the previously made bet. Despite Sasha’s mocking tone, like he was crushing his lowest bet, Mr. Alfred didn’t seem inclined to pull back the chips he had pushed forward.

For the moment… whether it is even possible to retract a declared bet is secondary.

Moreover, the harsh snorts, narrowed brow, and definitively glancing over here as if to question what he would do.

It was indeed a way of intimidation suitable for a gambling hall, and yet I couldn’t help but wonder why he suddenly came out with this at a moment that didn’t particularly benefit him.

Logically speaking, the bets hadn’t accumulated to create a big pot, and it was hard to say the other players had checked their hands and shown proper reactions either.

Furthermore, the game hadn’t even revealed a single community card yet, so how strong could the old man’s hand be?

The best starting hand he could make with just two cards… at most, an AA pair?

…Seriously? Thinking about it that way, it makes sense he would act a little forcefully.

Suddenly, a foolish public service ad photo I had seen before came to mind. In a once-in-a-lifetime moment holding a royal straight flush, the dumb question asking, “Would you bet your life on such a card?”

“If that’s true, maybe I’d risk this life by default and raise it all the way into the next life…?”

If there were a gambling game with a real 0% loss probability, wouldn’t even Zero want to bet his own head on the line?

Cough, anyway! Let’s stop the pointless fantasies. If the other players just fold their hands, I’d only lose one blue chip at best in the current pre-flop stage.

It’s equivalent to scaring the opponent away and missing a big opportunity to win.

If the community cards that will be laid down later don’t help at all, the confidence he’s exuded now may turn into a sunk cost that makes it hard to backtrack.

But still, with so many negative aspects I could think of right off the bat, did Mr. Alfred really not know about this? It would make more sense to say he came at it knowing full well.

Then, what needs to be considered now is not the reasonableness everyone can think of, but the fundamental question of why he came to challenge me in the first place.

Ah, why bother to dissect something as simple as a betting amount? Right. It’s not actually that difficult. Sometimes, just shifting your perspective slightly reveals a clear answer.

“Call!”

With a lively response, I picked up two red chips from the stacked tower and placed them in the betting box to balance out the 2 million credits.

A call means accepting the opponent’s bet or raise. In other words, it means you are putting in that much money and proceeding passively in the competition.

During my contemplation, I subtly checked my hand, which was a spade A and diamond 4. In truth, it was just an ambiguous hand that I couldn’t develop into any strategy, but I nonetheless moved to keep up with the old man’s tempo.

“…Call.”

“Ugh! That sort of thing should only be done when it’s your turn first, not annoyingly dragging things out… Call!”

“I’ll reference if I remember. Check!”

Due to our seating positions, Mr. Sugar, in charge of the next turn, silently took up the challenge, and Sasha, who expressed annoyance at the reality of having to put in chips multiple times from the start, subsequently piled in the insufficient amount.

Finally, with the old man declaring a check after raising, the total pot on the table instantly reached a staggering 8 million—blood money, as it were. Visually, it was a bit diminished as it was replaced with larger chips.

So, what was all this ruckus about? It’s straightforward. It’s a sort of initiation ritual.

While the pile of chips in front of the three of us seemed to exceed a hundred million at a glance, I had come in with around 20 million even after partially triggering the slot machines.

In such a situation, the bet I laid down being the same as the basic chip given when purchasing a high floor reservation feels rather significant, doesn’t it?

Even those who regularly go to such casinos likely don’t want to waste time aimlessly, so they would calculate their odds. Of course, a game is only fun when you’re winning, so that’s a reasonable attitude.

However, if I had to identify what’s more crucial than enjoyment or odds for them, I would think pride would come first.

Should I compare this to my area of expertise, gaming? Honestly, if I worked through a matchmaking queue for a long time only for a noob to suddenly pop up and type, “Ha, since I matched with you too, you guys and I have similar skills, right?” and fall over. I would predict with confidence that at least a few small blood vessels would definitely burst.

For those who aren’t just playing for fun but genuinely have ambition, there’s certainly a desire to test the opponent’s financial capabilities, just like I did earlier.

By the way, a base bet of 100,000? If no one intends to play that decently, it almost doesn’t count as a limit.

Hey, dealer working over there. Is this gaming hall always so ruthless? No, don’t just smile like it’s hard to answer.

“Ha…”

Feeling my throat dry up, I gulped down my drink.

Provocation? Or is it rookie harassment? Anyway, I shot a glare at Mr. Alfred as a gesture of willingness to engage in his challenge before focusing back on the front.

In fact, I didn’t care anymore. Literally, the outcome of the win or loss didn’t depend on my hands but rather on the cards that would be laid out, and it’d probably be better if I focused on connecting the patterns in my head.

“…We will proceed with the flop.”

Shush!

As the holder attached to the case bounced with each flick, I was pierced by the metallic sound.

Judging the players’ mental skirmish to have ended, the dealer cautiously moved his hands, drew cards from the case, and brought them to the center of the table to reveal.

By repeating this four times independently, more than half of the community cards containing the fate of the participants were revealed.

Huh? You say, “Why three cards for four times?”

Because the first drawn card is burned (a Burn Card) to prevent manipulation. How brutal.

Thus, the final cards were… Heart 3, Clover 6, Spade J.

Whether it was due to how diligently our dealer shuffled the deck, the suits and numbers already turned out randomly, and now, I had neither a pair nor any chance for a flush. Hm… Am I just incredibly unlucky??

“””……”””

However, if I furrowed my brows even inadvertently, the other three were looking down at the table with a fierce demeanor as if they had a knife at their neck.

Sasha, who had been busy playing with her partner, was smiling outwardly but was focusing her piercing gaze back and forth between her hand and the table, revealing the tension they were under.

“In Haven Hold’em, we apply considerably simplified rules, so the turns go in counter-clockwise order each round; however, to ensure betting fairness, from the second bet onwards, it initiates from the right of the first bettor, just like in traditional Texas Hold’em. It’s Mr. Alfred’s turn.”

“2 million. Bet!”

As soon as the ongoing commentary concluded, the fierce contest continued.

He seemed intent on reminding me of the basic chips or the chips already in the pot, throwing in an additional 2 million—bombarding my nerves.

Yeah, in gambling, isn’t there no more dangerous temptation than thinking of getting your money back?

Even for me, who hadn’t lost anything yet, the brutal reality of losing 2 million credits for simply folding stung deep.

How could those who had already dug themselves in numerous rounds withstand such provocation? They would surely be observed closely, only to be eaten alive by a seasoned player like this.

“Call.”

So why did I hold on with this terrible hand? Because… I had no decent alternatives.

With betting chances still left, showing retreat now would be half about not wanting to be looked down upon, while the other half was fueled by remaining experimental spirit.

Above all, if I didn’t secure a firm deal, they would just keep hurling 2 million credit stones at me using their overwhelming seed money difference, and I didn’t want to just take that.

“…Fold, I’ll die here.”

“Ugh, that’s annoying. Fold!”

“Oh…?”

Not wanting to get further caught up in the apparent continuation of our fight, perhaps in disbelief over the hopeless community card situation seen through almost a novice’s eyes, Mr. Sugar and Sasha threw down their hands.

Carefully preventing the flying cards from flipping, I watched as the dealer cleared them to a corner, somewhat impressed.

Certainly, the judgment of those accustomed to gaming is different.

During that fleeting moment, I desperately scanned for any matching suits or numbers, but they were already contemplating not just the current situation on the table but also the game’s future, pulling out early.

It might be a result of reading the old man’s temper, who had played several rounds at the same table, but considering that it utilized the unique traits of offline games, I understood why it wasn’t unreasonable.

With that in mind, ah~ how nice it would be if I could just receive that level of system assistance as if playing on a computer~. Isn’t it reasonable to ask for at least the help embedded in mini-games in Neo Haven?

Additionally, noticing this, the self-proclaimed domestic robot correcting my significant misunderstanding may have been a predetermined step!

– …If you wish, I can continuously inform you of the strongest possible hands (Nut) in real-time, combining your hand and community cards. And if it’s a case where counting is possible, I can calculate those odds as well. –

‘…Huh?’

In a place with many eyes and concentrated attention, Zero sneakily sent a private message, promising to reduce interference.

The content seemed to chastise me for complaining when he could help as much as I liked if I wanted such support.

Clearly, his scanner must be reflecting that me not effectively utilizing available resources is a highly inefficient and baffling sight. That much is easy to discern. But….

‘Hey, even if I’m kind of neglecting my duties right now, getting kicked out would be a bit troubling, okay?’

This guy, no matter how much he says, seems to be making a big deal out of it, right? Doesn’t he know that if you get caught using such shortcuts, you’re immediately punished?

Could it be he thinks that considering the uncollected jackpot amounts could smooth this over…? But I found the contradiction in this roundabout thinking.

…Ah, Zero checked the casino rules while rolling the slot machine earlier, right? He should know well what’s possible and what’s not here.

– The Rendezvous Casino explicitly states that it allows the use of applications or implants that assist in players’ decision-making without directly impacting game factors. –

– As evidence, Asha is currently playing with an open hold’em guide, isn’t she? It seems other guests are relying on the program for probability calculations or hand recognitions while playing, so it’s frankly not an issue for Asha to create and use a dedicated program. –

“……”

Hold on a second, let’s quickly recall that fleeting memory.

Didn’t they undergo the normal procedures like implant deactivation, just like in the other luxurious casinos that came up in the game?

No, they simply performed a body search and moved on.

Then, did they have interference waves laid down instead?

With the communication working well and the network being solid, what kind of silly talk is that?

Then why didn’t Anastasia, who even rated ‘cyberware as no different than smartphones for modern people,’ consider using it more actively?

That would be… well…