It wasn’t hard to find He Fu Gui. He was in Jingshi town, as Ruan Zhan had guessed. Although he had been roaming around the country, after fixing the excavation contract, his masters would probably have him remain in his hometown for a while and help them with their secret task. Others might see him as a gambling god, but his masters viewed him as a dog.
What surprised Ruan Zhan a little was that the yakshas didn’t hide despite the fact they had to know he would come looking. It was clear what they wanted to do was extremely important, enough to make them take this risk.
Carefully, cautiously, Ruan Zhan spent several days wandering the town and the mountain. After confirming he wasn’t discovered, he started asking around. What he heard confirmed the weirdness of the matter.
To the citizen’s of Jingshi Town, He Fu Gui’s explosive gain in wealth was essentially a miracle. Everyone knew how he got rich, but no one actually investigated him. People merely looked on in envy. This became a bad influence for the town. There was a sudden increase in gamblers as everyone tried to become rich overnight like He Fu Gui. This caused the town’s police to strictly prohibit gambling to the extent that all the underground casinos here closed down.
As a nouveau riche, He Fu Gui naturally acted extravagantly. He was building a three-storied western-styled building where his old house stood, not caring whether winter was a suitable season for construction. Since his house wasn’t done, he had been staying in the town’s most expensive hotel. He spent money like water as he bought random things, even sending bodyguards to neighboring towns as shoppers. Those who looked down on him previously all fawned upon him now. Many young women cast flirtatious glances at him, hoping to marry this man and become a trophy wife. Those foolish women only saw the shine of wealth, thinking that excavating the barren mountain might bring even more, They never considered that the wealth gained from gambling wouldn’t last, and also forget that this shameless person had sold off his own wife for gambling money.
The townsfolk unanimously supported the excavation of the mountain. After all, it would bring them additional business opportunities, and they could earn more money. From what Ruan Zhan saw, He Fu Gui’s other actions were extremely normal, but his plan for the mountain was truly unfathomable.
He didn’t know anything about excavation, and also knew the process was extremely wasteful and unskilled. A lot of valuable minerals might end up getting ruined. Jingshi Town hadn’t mined anything before, so they didn’t have any equipment. While waiting for equipment to arrive, He Fu Gui already hired a few townsfolk to excavate using the most primitive methods: explosives and digging. From a distance, it seemed to be a historical quarry.
Even stranger was that after blowing the mountain peak flat, he didn’t organize the resulting rocks or prepare for the next step. Instead, he had the people throw the rocks into a not too deep yet extremely narrow ravine. He said those rocks weren’t the ores he needed, but the townsfolk didn’t ask further since they got paid either way.
Although the mountain was called “Ironhead” mountain, it wasn’t round like the shape of a head. Instead, was made up of two hemispheres joined together. From a distance it looked like the letter M. The narrow ravine was the middlemost part. Ruan Zhan was really hating is lack of knowledge about Fengshui at the moment. He didn’t understand why the two yakshas wanted that ravine filled. Yet he was certain the mountain wasn’t a place that gathered spirit energy.
Then why would they choose to hide here? Could he have guessed wrong? They weren’t actually going to hide here for a while, but actually wanted to obtain something? Then what were they trying to get?
With the sky turning dark, Ruan Zhan decided to start his gambling. There were no more underground casinos left in the town, so he decided to show up for a personal wager. This actually saved him some trouble. He didn’t want the situation to get out of hand after all. The less people who knew, the better. Furthermore, after this brief period of observation, Ruan Zhan noticed He Fu Gui was feeling extremely uncomfortable due to the lack of gambling opportunities. He was like a drug addict suffering from withdrawal. Even if the underground casinos were still around, which of them would dare entertain the gambling god who always won?
In the last couple of days, Ruan Zhan saw that He Fu Gui got himself a weighing scale and went to the quarry to wager on the weights of rocks with people. He even bet with children on the street whether the next passerby would be a man or a woman. Those who won would get a hundred bucks from him, but no one ever won! It was clear that He Fu Gui only had gambling on his mind. As long as Ruan Zhan showed up at the door, He Fu Gui was sure to agree. As for the yakshas, he wouldn’t give them the chance to react.
Xiao Xia had said they were possessing the earrings He Fu Gui wore. He guessed those were their life vessels, the objects they were initially bound to. If he got hose earrings, it would be extremely easy to control them. He Fu Gui was human. Ruan Zhan didn’t want to knock him out and rob him since he still had four bodyguards. It would take a lot of effort. He also didn’t want to use spells to take them out. It would expend a lot of stamina, and he needed it to deal with the yakshas! Therefore, he would gamble with He Fu Gui, with the wager being the earrings.
He had brought five hundred bucks in his backpack. Thinking about it, he was really quite poor compared to Tycoon He. It was only enough for a single wager. He mocked himself, and also reminded himself he couldn’t lose even once. He had to clean out this undefeated gambling god. Unfortunately Xiao Xia wasn’t there to witness it.
Warmth welled up in his heart at the thought of her. He was doing this for himself, but even more so for her. He was going to find out about his father’s situation from the two yakshas, and figure out what secret difficulties his father had. He was also going to clarify what the Calamity of Threes entailed. He couldn’t give her up, so he couldn’t just accept his fate. He had to find a way to overcome this deadly tribulation.
He suddenly felt a wave of yin energy. It wasn’t powerful, but it contained very dense resentment. He was currently in a small alley, beyond which was the nicest hotel in town. He stopped, but didn’t look up. A black shadow was swaying on a branch under the moonlight. It looked like a dying moth, tragic yet horrifying.
“Don’t cause mischief!” He said coldly. “It’s useless.”
A gust of wind swept up, blowing a scrap of paper into the air. It passed through the woman’s shadow that was hanging from the branch. She tilted her head, letting out low sobs.
“I know you are He Fu Gui’s wife. But you aren’t able to get revenge this way. You are only harming innocents. Your resentment will grow denser, which is only harmful to yourself.” Ruan Zhan’s voice remained calm.
Perhaps she could tell the Ruan Zhan wasn’t ordinary, and she also knew he was here for He Fu Gui. The hanged ghost drifted down from the tree and knelt before him. She didn’t speak, but merely cried persistently. The sound was both mournful and sinister in the dark alley.
Ruan Zhan waved casually, erecting a barrier that trapped the sound of her sobbing to avoid drawing attention and scaring innocents.
“You want revenge, but can’t get close to him?” He stood in the small alley, but didn’t look down or make any movement. Outsiders wouldn’t notice anything unusual looking in.
He Fu Gui’s wife repeatedly kowtowed while crying.
“Do you know how he became a gambling god? I don’t really care either way. I’m just asking out of curiosity.”
“He went to the children’s cemetery and offered chicken blood rice. Most importantly, he has those two yakshas helping him!”
It was as he had guessed. Ruan Zhan took out a hundred dollar bill and threw it to the floor. “Attach yourself to this. I guarantee that you will get the chance to personally take revenge.”
“Yakshas…yakshas…” He Fu Gui’s wife trembled, mumbling nonstop. She had clearly tried to approach He Fu Gui previously. It wasn’t clear what she had suffered, but she seemed to have some lingering trauma.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let them hurt you.” Ruan Zhan sighed. “I know you’ve been watching me the past couple of days. Therefore, I won’t hide it from you. I’m going to find your former husband’s bad luck now. Tonight, his gambling luck will come to an end. The two yakshas’ luck is also at an end. Come with me if you believe me. If you don’t, that’s also up to you. Just stop scaring others. Otherwise, I won’t let you off!”
He Fu Gui’s wife no longer hesitated at hearing his words and seeing his calm appearance. She attached herself to the bill.
Ruan Zhan grabbed at the air and it flew back into his hand. He drew two glyphs on the bill with his nail, preventing the yin aura upon it from leaking out prematurely and drawing the yakshas’ attention. Then he said to the bill, “You had ill intentions towards Xiao Xia previously, so I didn’t want to help you. I even wanted to punish you. But she feels sympathy for your plight, so I’m letting you off and giving you the opportunity for revenge. I hope that afterwards, you will move on, and not cause anymore trouble.”
The bill twitched in agreement. Ruan Zhan no longer spoke. He put the bill back into his bag and walked towards the hotel He Fu Gui was staying at. He knew He Fu Gui had become nocturnal due to the gambling, and wouldn’t be able to sleep until dawn. Therefore, he wasn’t in a rush. He turned himself invisible while sealing off his aura. He also put an invisibility talisman on the backpack before entering.
The worker in the lobby was asleep at his desk, and didn’t notice the doors opening by themselves. Ruan Zhan thus easily arrived at He Fu Gui’s room on the top floor. Sensing carefully, he confirmed two faint evil auras in the room. Although it was hidden extremely well, it couldn’t escape the probing of his increasingly powerful mana. He let out a breath after knowing they were there. He had come for them. If they happened to be gone, it would have been a wasted trip.
He turned visible and knocked on the door. One of the bodyguards responded.
“Food delivery.” Ruan Zhan spoke in a higher voice. He had learned that He Fu Gui always ordered takeout at this time. He had just arrived ten minutes early to avoid the real delivery.
“What a good kid. I didn’t even have to call today. I’ll give some extra tip.” He Fu Gui’s smug voice sounded out.
The door opened and a burly man stood blocking the way. But Ruan Zhan had been prepared. He waved his hand, causing the man to space out momentarily. Ruan Zhan pushed his way inside, immediately seeing the ruby earrings on He Fu Gui’s ears. His appearance was too sudden and the earrings were still ordinarily red. The yakshas were clearing in a dormant state.
“Who are you?” He Fu Gui froze. The bodyguards, including the one by the door, snapped out of it.
The earrings suddenly glowed abnormally bright. Ruan Zhan knew the yakshas had been startled by He Fu Gui’s surprise. Yet he only needed that momentary lapse as he drew invisible glyphs in the air. He had already bitten his tongue earlier and now spat the mouthful of bloody air in the direction of his fingers.
It was an invisible barrier that looked simple, but contained sufficient mana to trap the two yakshas in their life vessels for two hours!
As expected, the earrings turned dark again. But his strange actions gave the four bodyguards sufficient time to pounce over.
Ruan Zhan dodged, avoiding the more dangerous attacks before purposefully allowing the safer ones to land, obediently getting pressed against the wall.
“Kid, trying to rob me? Don’t you know who I am?” He Fu Gui had been too bored. His spirits had been roused by the unexpected event. Seeing that he wasn’t in danger, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he felt a little excited. “Are you lacking money that badly?”
“I don’t lack money. I’m here to gamble with you.” Ruan Zhan answered calmly, glancing at his fallen backpack. He had purposefully dropped it while opened, and some bills scattered on the floor. One of the bills had flown the furthest, landing in the middle of the room.
“Gamble? Now that’s interesting! There are still people who dare gamble with me?! I can’t lose even when I try to!” He Fu Gui was overjoyed after his surprise.
What would Xiao Xia say if she was here? She would definitely call He Fu Gui Eastern Unbeaten! Ruan Zhan smiled, thinking of the person in his heart. Yet to He Fu Gui, it looked like he was mocking him.
“Don’t be so quick to doubt. You’re clearly not from around here. No one dares gamble with me here.” He waved his hand, telling his bodyguards to release Ruan Zhan.
“Boss, this won’t do. The kid is pretty skilled. He completely avoided three of our moves earlier. We only managed to pin him down on the last.” The bodyguard objected.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. You four can just keep him surrounded.” Addicts were often gutsy, especially since He Fu Gui knew the two “great immortals” could protect him. He had offended countless people due to his luck, yet he was completely unharmed. Therefore, he wasn’t worried now.
Ruan Zhan immediately grabbed at the money on the floor, looking clearly obsessed with it. But the furthest bill was too far, and he seemed a little afraid of the bodyguards’ reactions, so he didn’t pick it up.
“It seems your money is waving to me!” He Fu Gui laughed. He took two steps, picked up the bill and put it on the table. He felt as if the bill moved, and there was also some pain by his ears. He involuntarily rubbed them. He had thought the great immortals might have some orders for him, but there was no sound. He merely assumed it meant there was no danger. Recalling the gambler who offered himself up, his face turned red from excitement.
“Why did you come to gamble with me?”
“One of my friends told me your gambling luck is incredible, and that you’re essentially a gambling god. I’m not convinced, and want to try it for myself.” Ruan Zhan brought up the name of the city Xiao Xia had escaped from. “I learned that this place was your hometown so I made a trip here. I didn’t expect gambling to be so strictly prohibited, so I could only come find you for a personal wager. What? Afraid?”
“Why would I be afraid of you giving me money?” He Fu Gui was about to go mad from joy at the opportunity to gamble. He completely failed to notice the hundred dollar bill squirming anxiously on the table.
