Chapter 200

‘This is ridiculous…! Where did the fair competition and match go!? This is completely a wild gambling den!’

– Isn’t it fair to use prepared items under the same conditions for everyone? –

The scream I silently let out echoed emptily.

After asking the fool who was reviewing the definitions of terms like fairness and equity to check the poker hand rankings, I relaxed my tense body, which had been leaning forward, and sat comfortably.

You sneaky humans! Was I the only one internally sweating bullets and staring so intensely…!?

…With a thud. The fourth community card was drawn from the holder and laid down. It was a Diamond 5.

– You have a high card status with Top A Spade. –

Regardless of whether I was trembling with self-betrayal that I brought upon myself, the dealer, who was inwardly pleased with the one-on-one structure that reduced distractions, now fixed his gaze solely on me and Alfred as he proceeded with the round.

“It’s the turn. The two of you who haven’t folded can bet in the same order as the flop.”

According to the guide, from here on out, there would be no difference from a card type with a special name. The only thing that would change would be the openly revealed cards or the repeated bets, turning it into a bare-knuckle fight and psychological warfare using chips.

“2 million, bet.”

“Uhhh… call.”

Calmly responding to yet another unwanted rock thrown my way.

With this, the chips locked on the table were worth 6 million, and the total pot size was 16 million. It was astounding that within just a few rounds, it had swelled up so much with only four of us—only two of whom were seriously invested.

It truly felt like gambling was a swamp that ensnared anyone who dipped their feet in.

Ironically, this poker game seemed to prefer fancy names that didn’t want to invoke such a terrifying feeling.

“It’s the river. After the last betting is completed, a showdown will proceed immediately where the remaining players reveal their hands, so be cautious.”

The turn name implies that one can still turn back, even if they’ve already gone through two rounds of betting. It might not be something to say to someone who’s already bet twice; however, considering that the remaining rounds are the critical junctures, it can be defended as an appropriate expression.

But the river. The river really signifies that it’s like a river’s flow—an intimidating phase of no return.

Don’t people often say? You’ve crossed a river you can’t return from.

Or… it can also be interpreted in an Eastern context where only the winners can safely cross the river and everyone else meets their doom.

“Oh, the rake will be calculated collectively when you exchange your chips later, so please just focus on the cards and chips.”

“”…….””

There was no need for such emphasis; the attention of everyone present was entirely on the dealer’s fingertips. No one cared about the fees.

The final fifth community card would be revealed. Depending on what the river card was, Alfred’s confidence, which had been soaring from his bold bets, could either solidify or be crushed by my counterattack.

Looking at the ratio of my seed money, even if I had more chips in play, he had also put in 6 million just like me.

If I suddenly flipped from passively calling to raising with a hand that could turn the tide, it would be hard to dismiss, right?

And… sorry, but I’m lucky. Terribly so!

………Or rather, it would be correct to say I was lucky.

“Clover 10, Clover 10 has been revealed. Please examine it carefully.”

“Hmph…! Carefully, what’s that! Put in another 2 million!”

The dealer’s voice advising caution and the old man’s grumbling felt distant.

Usually, a contest requires at least a little incline or reason to initiate an act; the current hand I was relying on was less trustworthy than the shrunken chip case next to me.

– Hand ♠A, ◇4. Community cards ♡3, ♣6, ♠J, ◇5, ♣10 give you a high card status with Top A Spade. –

‘……Ah, this is infuriating.’

I understand it would be best to refrain from actions that would provide information that could decipher my situation… but since that old man had completed his betting already, I felt it was of no use to rub my forehead.

High card. The title sounds grand, but in reality, it’s the weakest hand that can even lose to one pair, close to a death sentence that says, ‘Well, you’re so pitiful that you couldn’t even make a hand, so I’ll just evaluate you based on the highest card you have.’

…Personally, I’m annoyed to find myself in such an embarrassing situation after acting all high and mighty! I don’t want to acknowledge it!! But what can I do? If this is the fate that the deck has dealt me, I’ll just have to accept it.

Now it’s time to make a choice.

To act crazy and bluff to follow that bet… or to take the loss and retreat.

Since I’ve already spent 6 million, isn’t it reasonable to consider 800 million as an acceptable loss?

Nonsense; this Haven Holdem is based on old American poker, so even if I call here, there’s a chance the old man can check-raise again.

It’s a kind of dehydration hell.

Given that I couldn’t create a strong hand or ranking, being crushed by capital was a preordained scenario. This is why it’s right to back off when the hand is weak… but, ugh, I had to be a part of the game board at least. Ugh.

“Uhhh…”

I wouldn’t call stepping into a grave that is half-certain to become worse courage, nor would I praise it as fortitude. Typically, that would be laughed at as a self-destructive act.

Losing to a single pair means defeat, with just one of the old man’s cards matching the tabletop. Even if I started betting with a pair from the beginning, it would be the end.

Would he be intimidated just because I’ve finally jumped in late after showing weakness every time the cards were revealed? It’s an absurd idea to think that simply going for a showdown without raising would leave me with a chance.

This… this is not right. Even if I threw away a single shoe that had already been eaten up, I needed to escape from this trap; it was right to make a swift retreat.

So even if I feel terribly anxious, that’s just the regret of my pitiful position having to declare a fold after coming this far.

“…Dammit, fold! You can have it all. Everything!”

“Uhhuhuh! Then I won’t hold back.”

“Player Anastasia folds. Since there’s only one active player left, the showdown is automatically skipped.”

With a swish,

The dealer retrieved my pitiful hand and smoothly pushed the amassed chips toward the old man while summarizing the round’s results. Even though he saw me faltering mid-way, it was reassuring to see he was still working with a professional smile.

Meanwhile, Alfred was bursting into a raucous laugh at my gloomy concession.

Most importantly, it’s fortunate that I can exercise the right of the victor with just my mouth, but does he have to flail his arms wildly and make a blunder…!?

“Oh dear…! My hand slipped, huh?”

“…Huh?”

The old man flipped over the hand he was showing to the dealer.

Since it hadn’t gone to the showdown process, neither the dead player nor the surviving player had an obligation to reveal their hands. They could simply cover their cards and submit quietly.

Yet, he blatantly lifted the cards for everyone to see and let them drop onto the table.

The shown fronts were a Heart 2 and a Diamond Q. Combining those with the board revealed quite an interesting result.

– Hand ♡2, ◇Q. Community cards ♡3, ♣6, ♠J, ◇5, ♣10 yield a high card with Top Q Diamond. …Indeed, even the master of deceit, Ahsa, can occasionally be caught off guard. –

‘It’s not really my specialty, though…!!’

“Ugh…!”

“Oh dear, seems like the pretty lady is quite flustered.”

When was the last time I felt this furious?

It was after I encountered Kajun in the corridor of the Enema headquarters and yelled at him to do his job properly, only to see him run away saying he couldn’t go against the director. It’s been a while. Hmm.

I glared at Alfred fiercely while leaning on the corner of the table, but he merely chuckled, wondering if he had died with a better hand than this.

I won, didn’t I! Damn! If I had just shut my eyes and gone along with it, it would have been my win!!

Who said earlier that the outcome of victory and defeat depended on the cards? Ultimately, it’s the players involved who must discern that! Ah…!!

The feeling of having been too intimidated by the harsh conditions came too late.

If only I had just bet as recklessly as when I was trying to reach the credit limit back then. Instead of trying to gauge if luck was in play like earlier at the slot machine, what kind of mess is this now?

“Hurry up… let’s move on to the next round??”

I barely held back from complimenting how well the game was playing, despite how terrible it was.

I took a hit, and my chips had been halved. Still, grievances from the game should be resolved in the game itself; whining after a loss wouldn’t change anything.

“Oh, you old man’s in trouble. Are you going to be mercilessly bitten later?”

“………Hmm.”

I heard what the spectators were chattering about, but I didn’t pay any attention.

How many chips do I have left? 17.72 million? Then I had to serve up a barbed remark worth at least 17.72 million to that white-haired old man just to settle my spirit, but then an offering was extended towards me.

“Cough! I’m sorry for pretending to test you like that. I meant to teach you how to enjoy ourselves at this table, but I got carried away with my antics.”

“…Huh? Antics?”

“Exactly. You see, while you may be disappointed to lose some chips, you don’t seem at all afraid of bankruptcy? Then, you shouldn’t be here as a broke player.”

I felt my eyebrows raise at his sudden analysis.

That observation is only natural. While it’s slightly disappointing that the chips I’m taking out have decreased, I initially had every intention of putting all the credits on my debit card, so irrespective of feeling averse to unilaterally losing, I had no real reason to dread it.

If it was simply to test one’s financial capacity… was it necessary to go through all this trouble?

“I believe that the thrill of gambling doesn’t come from the thrill of risking everything in a life-or-death situation. Rather, I perceive it in the joy of watching it up close. Especially as it becomes increasingly hard to lose all your chips. In that sense, I’d like to propose a different kind of enjoyment for you, who has come here for the first time, and for Mr. Sugar.”

“…What, shall we go pull a lever together?”

I jokingly suggested that if card dealing was becoming boring, we should have a second round at the slot machine.

Alfred merely laughed off my joke. …But it wasn’t a joke.

“We don’t have to keep suffocating each other… let’s invite the luckiest one here today, the person who’s winning the most down below, to this table. Those who only handle cards all day long can’t possibly believe their skills are better than those who are enjoying themselves lightly, can they? Watching that massive confidence shatter and seeing them scurry away with moderately lost bets should be delight enough, no?”

“…Ah.”

I remembered the oddly leaving guests I had seen before coming over.

In that moment of observation, I didn’t know precisely what was happening, but now I think I understand it. They were private guests… so that’s what it was.

This old man seemed to have taken a look at me and wondered if I might be interested in the same kind of entertainment, so he called me over in a hurry.

And how did I feel about receiving this proposal? Well, even if there was a slight misunderstanding, did I appear sharp enough to be directly solicited for this infamous culture? I felt a bit shocked within.

The overall color coordination being black perhaps…?

It’s not that I’d be lying if I said I had no interest in a little trick or probing; it’s just that I thought I had only shaken those who had somewhere to retreat to.

I didn’t want to get unnecessarily tedious by trying to dictate someone else’s hobbies, so I decided to ‘politely’ decline.

“So, what do you think? There are many members we haven’t seen in a while, so the excitement has dwindled a bit….”

“Yes, yes. I understand well, so let’s move on to the next round now? My redemption match is still pending.”

At that, I finally noticed the veins throbbing in Alfred’s forehead and around his eyes as his expression turned flustered, and he interrupted, but the fire in my competitiveness had already ignited. Well, even if bluffing is one thing, that card drop provocation crossed a line.

Let’s not waste time with idle chatter and play a few more rounds of the game we were already in! I’m about to explode with frustration!