Chapter Sixty-Five: The Ten-Yuan Chip

The bathhouse, game room, bar, and every kind of entertainment area were all present, making the place well-equipped. Compared to the Imperial Dynasty, where Ling Tian had once beaten up the Li family’s young master, Li Wenhao, the Fookang Entertainment Club was slightly less refined, but it carried an air of decadence, as though people here indulged themselves with even fewer restraints.

“Gentlemen, what would you like to try today? We’ve just had a batch of Russian beauties arrive—would you care to sample their charms?” A garishly dressed middle-aged woman, cigarette in hand, approached them with a sly smile.

The mention of Russian girls made Wang Yong visibly excited, but he was not the one in charge this time, so he turned his gaze to Ling Tian.

“Have a little self-respect, will you? Who knows how many people those Russian girls have been with? You’d dare touch them?” Ling Tian shot Wang Yong a glare.

“Big brother, I can’t compare with you. This is about as ambitious as I get. Russian girls are rare; if I get to have some fun with one, I’ll have something to brag about to the boys when I get home,” Wang Yong chuckled.

“Let’s get business done first. When that’s settled, you can play as you wish.” Ling Tian continued, knowing it was pointless to talk standards with someone as indiscriminate as Wang Yong.

Wang Yong grinned and said, “Don’t worry, big brother. When it’s time to play, I’ll go wild, but when it’s time for business, I’m serious.” Then he leaned in and whispered, “Honestly, big brother, following you is incredibly exhilarating.”

Exhilarating? Ling Tian smiled wryly; indeed, it was thrilling. He was taking a risk, after all. His strength had not yet fully returned, and even if it had, he could not claim invincibility. Unless he reached the stage of transforming energy, he would still be vulnerable to a single bullet.

According to his plan, Ling Tian had not intended to bring Wang Yong along—having an ordinary person with him would only be a burden. Once Wang Yong brought Ling Tian into the Fookang Entertainment Club, he was supposed to leave. But now, Ling Tian changed his mind, deciding to let Wang Yong come in for some training and cultivation.

If Wang Yong proved competent, Ling Tian might entrust him with minor affairs in the future.

“Come, broaden your horizons; it’ll be good for you. Take this and keep it on you.” Ling Tian pulled a protective talisman from his pocket and handed it to Wang Yong.

It was inconvenient without a wish ring. Even a wish pouch would have been handy. As he took out the talisman, Ling Tian recalled the jade slip’s description of the wish ring—a tiny ring that could hold anything. Even the lesser wish pouch could contain much, far more convenient than stuffing things into pockets.

Wang Yong took the talisman and examined it curiously. To him, this little thing could be bought for ten coins a dozen at any small stall in Sapphire City. But since Ling Tian gave it to him, he didn’t dare say anything and obediently put the talisman in his pocket.

The two followed the signs toward the underground casino.

At the entrance, they were stopped. Two burly men with brutish faces stood guard, raising metal detectors. “Stop, gentlemen. You’ll have to be checked before entering.”

After confirming neither carried weapons, the security let them through. As Ling Tian and Wang Yong entered, the guards’ radios crackled with news: guards at the main entrance had been knocked out, and two people had forced their way into the Fookang Entertainment Club. The instructions were simple—start searching immediately, but don’t alarm the guests.

Because the security was strict, the casino gave up on further searches. Even if someone entered without weapons, there wasn’t much danger. Of course, even if the police came, Liu Zhiping’s influence could easily smooth things over. In his words, in Yunhai City, everyone had to show him respect.

The moment Ling Tian entered the underground casino, he almost thought he’d arrived in Macau. The decor and layout were a miniature version of the Macau casinos—even half the waitresses were blonde, blue-eyed foreigners in revealing bikinis, answering customers’ questions.

Naturally, many patrons pretended not to understand, their true aim simply to take advantage of the beautiful women.

These girls were indeed sexy and attractive, easily stirring primal urges. However, Ling Tian, long accustomed to beauties, felt little temptation. Compared to his calm composure, Wang Yong looked like a country bumpkin seeing the city for the first time, his eyes darting everywhere, amazed at everything.

“Big brother, look at that foreign girl! Damn, at least a 36D—must be amazing to touch. And look at this one, her ass is so perky, I just want to give it a squeeze...” Wang Yong ogled the passing beauties, his eyes almost bulging out, unable to see enough.

Ling Tian approached the counter and said, with utmost seriousness to the attendant, “Ten chips, ten yuan each.”

The attendant could hardly believe his ears and eyes. He’d worked here for over a year and had never encountered a customer who only exchanged one hundred yuan in chips. The Fookang Entertainment Club, located in bustling Yunhai City, was considered a first-class venue. Guests usually spent at least ten thousand yuan. Especially those who came to gamble—most exchanged at least a thousand yuan in chips.

But what truly stunned the attendant was yet to come.

Ling Tian rummaged in his pockets for ages and produced only thirty cents in coins. “Do you have any money?” he asked Wang Yong calmly, pocketing the coins.

Wang Yong searched his pockets for a while and finally produced a crumpled twenty-yuan bill. “Big brother, expenses have been high lately; this is all I’ve got left.” He handed the money to Ling Tian.

“How do you get by?” Ling Tian felt on the verge of collapse.

Wang Yong scratched his head and chuckled, “I mooch meals. Just hang on for another week, and the salary will be paid.”

“Please exchange this for two ten-yuan chips,” Ling Tian calmly handed the bill to the attendant. Several customers waiting in line for chips burst out laughing; one mocked, “Damn, pauper! If you have no money, don’t come to places like this.”

“Yeah, with just this much, you dare come here to play? Move aside, don’t waste our time.”

The attendant was nearly in tears. Apparently, ten-yuan chips hadn’t been used in the casino for ages; they were hard to find, but he had to oblige the customer. He searched the drawers for a long time and only found a broken half of a ten-yuan chip.

“Sir, I’m terribly sorry. For certain reasons, we’re unable to provide ten-yuan chips at the moment. The smallest denomination available is twenty yuan,” the attendant apologized.