Chapter 31: Taking a Gamble
Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Taking a Gamble
Geta Club, Basement Level 1, VIP Viewing Room.
A middle-aged man in his early forties, dressed in a dark suit, leaned lazily against a spacious leather sofa. He was Zhao Tianxiong, one of the true Speakers of Jinchuan City’s underground world and the big boss of the Geta Club.
Beside Zhao Tianxiong sat a graceful and charming woman. Su Man wore a sharply tailored champagne suit. The pearl necklace around her neck emanated a warm luster, clearly a vintage piece of exquisite quality.
"What brings you the leisure to come here and watch these brutes fight to the death today, Man?"
Zhao Tianxiong was actually a few years older than Su Man, but she had supported him in his early years. Considering her a senior in the industry, he habitually addressed her with respect.
Su Man picked up the crystal glass in front of her and gently swirled the liquor. Her smile was elegant, though it lacked its former flamboyance. "You must be joking, Tianxiong. Your Geta Club is rising to fame in Jinchuan right now, so naturally, I came to show my support. And while I’m at it... I thought I’d see if there’s anything new and exciting."
Zhao Tianxiong chuckled, shifting his gaze back downstairs. A match had just ended; the winner raised his arms in a wild shout while the loser was carried away on a stretcher. "Show your support? Man, we’ve known each other for years, so there’s no need to beat around the bush. Has the Su Family been having a hard time lately?"
Su Man’s smile stiffened slightly before quickly returning to normal. She set down her glass, leaned forward a bit, and lowered her voice. "You’re well-informed, Tianxiong. We’ve indeed hit a bit of a bottleneck and need some funds for turnover. Not much, just twenty million. I’ll pay the standard interest rate and use my shares in that hotel in the east of the city as collateral."
Zhao Tianxiong didn’t reply. He slowly clipped the ash from his cigar, his eyes still fixed on the arena below. After a long while, he finally spoke, a teasing tone in his voice. "Man, with our relationship, talking about interest and collateral is just too distant. It’s no fun."
He turned his head, looking Su Man straight in the eyes for the first time, a smirk curling on his lips. "Tell you what, just watching the fights is a bit dull. Let’s play a little game and add a wager."
Knowing the real topic had arrived, Su Man remained perfectly composed. "How do you want to play, Tianxiong?"
"It’s simple," he said.
Zhao Tianxiong pointed at the iron cage downstairs, which was currently being cleared. "For the next match, you pick one of the two fighters. We’ll roll dice, and whoever gets the higher number chooses first. If you win..." He paused and held up two fingers. "...Not only will I give you ten million for free, but I’ll also lend you another ten million. As for the interest? Consider it waived. How about that?"
Su Man’s heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained placid. "And if you win, Tianxiong?"
Zhao Tianxiong leaned back and spread his hands. His smile didn’t change, but his gaze sharpened considerably. "If you lose, you won’t need to put up any collateral. Just write me an IOU for ten million. How about it? It’s just a game, just for fun."
Su Man’s hands tightened slightly on her lap. She knew full well that this was a trap. However, with the Su Family currently in a state of emergency, and both sides having a fifty-fifty chance, there was no harm in playing along. She glanced around. They were the only two in the room; it was impossible for Zhao Tianxiong to send messages out and secretly rig the fight. Of course, this was Zhao Tianxiong’s turf. He naturally knew who was stronger, which gave him an advantage. But if she won, she would walk away with twenty million, and if she lost, she only had to write a ten-million IOU...
After a few seconds of silence, her mind racing to weigh the pros and cons, a smile tinged with a worldly aura bloomed on her face. She raised her glass. "Alright. Since you’re in the mood, Tianxiong, I’ll play along to the end. We’ll do it your way and have some fun."
...
The dice cup rattled crisply before slamming onto the table. When lifted, it revealed a five and a three.
"You rolled higher, Man. Please, take your pick," Zhao Tianxiong said, making an inviting gesture and looking completely at ease.
Su Man turned her gaze toward the iron cage below, where the two upcoming fighters were warming up. One man had bulging, knotted muscles and a steady, heavy stance. The other appeared leaner and more agile, with a fierce, vicious glint in his eyes.
Seeing her study them carefully without making a decision, Zhao Tianxiong chuckled, as if suddenly remembering something. "My fault, my fault. It’s been too long since you last visited, Man. You must be unfamiliar with the new faces in the arena." He offered a casual assessment. "The big guy goes by the nickname ’Thunderbolt Hand.’ He throws heavy punches and excels at aggressive assaults. The skinnier one next to him is called ’Tianlang.’ He’s fast and uses unorthodox methods."
As Su Man listened to the introductions, her sharp eyes caught a subtle detail. The fighter known as Thunderbolt Hand had thick bandages wrapped around his right wrist and forearm. Although he hid it well, a few minor movements during his warm-up revealed an unnatural stiffness.
She thought, "Luckily, I get to pick first." Her mind was made up.
"In that case, Tianxiong," Su Man smiled sweetly, pointing at the arena below, "I’ll bet on Tianlang to win."
Zhao Tianxiong’s smile remained unchanged. He nodded. "Haha, good eye, Man. Then I’ll have to go with Thunderbolt Hand."
The match began.
However, the course of the fight unfolded completely differently from Su Man’s predictions! Thunderbolt Hand didn’t seem affected by his right arm injury at all. His attacks were just as ferocious and explosive. In the face of his onslaught, Tianlang’s speed advantage was rendered entirely useless. In less than two minutes, Tianlang was struck down heavily by a vicious hook and never got back up.
"Haha, Man, thank you for letting me win," Zhao Tianxiong said, taking a drag from his cigar. His tone was flat, betraying neither joy nor anger.
Su Man’s expression didn’t waver. "Alright, I’ll accept my loss gracefully. I’ll write that IOU for you right now, Tianxiong."
"Ah, no rush." Zhao Tianxiong waved his hand dismissively. He suddenly leaned slightly toward Su Man, one hand seemingly casually resting on her silk-stockinged knee, lightly caressing it.
Su Man’s body stiffened imperceptibly. A faint, worldly half-smile quickly rippled across her face. She reached out and gently brushed his hand away, her movement natural yet firm. "What’s this? Have you gotten bored of those fresh young girls, Tianxiong, and suddenly taken an interest in an old woman like me?"
Unbothered by having his hand pushed away, Zhao Tianxiong leaned back against the sofa. He stared at her with burning eyes, his tone tinged with a hint of deep affection. "What are you talking about, Man? In my heart, you’re still the same Miss Su who outshone every beauty in Jinchuan over ten years ago. Your elegance hasn’t diminished in the slightest. All these years... I haven’t forgotten you for a single day." With that, his hand misbehaved once more, reaching over toward her.
"Don’t be so impatient~" Su Man raised her voice slightly. "Tianxiong, all I lost today was a ten-million IOU. Aren’t you... being a little too hasty? Do I, Su Man, only amount to this much money in your eyes?"
Zhao Tianxiong froze. A fleeting, imperceptible hint of malice flashed in his eyes before instantly melting into hearty laughter. He took the opportunity to withdraw his hand. "Haha, my apologies, my apologies. Seeing you just made me lose control of my emotions for a moment, Man." He changed the subject, sounding as if he were making a casual suggestion, though it carried an undeniable pressure. "Sigh, it seems luck isn’t on your side today, Man. How about it... do you want to keep going? Tell you what, let’s raise the stakes for the next round."
Seeing this, Su Man asked with piqued interest, "What’s wrong? Are you hoping I’ll use my body to pay off the debt, Tianxiong? I’m flattered you think so highly of me, but I’m curious—how do you plan to raise the stakes?"
Zhao Tianxiong stood up. "For this next match, if you win, Man, you can forget about that ten-million IOU. I’ll also hand over twenty million and an interest-free twenty-million loan. If you lose, it’s simple—a twenty-million IOU, plus..." He leaned over, picked up his glass, and mimed a toast with intertwined arms. "Of course, from then on, the Su Family’s business will naturally become my business."
Su Man didn’t respond immediately. She looked at the large screen displaying the fighters for the next match.
[Feng Yuxiu vs. Iron Hand]
She thought, "Forty million! Oh well, even if I lose, I’ll at least have dragged Zhao Tianxiong onto the Su Family’s side. He’s been developing rapidly over the past few years. It... might actually be a good thing for the Su Family."
A flicker of gloom flashed across the corners of her eyes, but she quickly covered it up. She picked up her glass and clinked it against Zhao Tianxiong’s. "Then I must thank you for your favor, Tianxiong."