Xing Ye's method

 

After Mu Ba was dragged away by the dealer, Yan Hebi walked up to Xing Ye. Seeing the dealer organizing the chips on the table and exchanging them for high-denomination chips before handing them to Xing Ye, his eyes nearly popped out. He lowered his voice and asked, "Boss, you're incredible! Not only did you expose the traitor in an instant, but also—just how many points is this?"

"They're just numbers," Xing Ye said calmly, unfazed. "We won't be able to keep these points."

"Why not?" Yan Hebi asked. "Boss, you're so powerful, you'll win even more chips sooner or later."

Xing Ye glanced at the dealer, who maintained a constant smile, then shook his head. "If points in the advanced world were so easy to obtain, why have so many players failed? Until the game ends and the chips are actually converted into points, don't treat them as your own. Otherwise, you'll lose control of your mindset."

Song Er, his face pale, walked over and said, "That was terrifying. I gambled with Mu Ba yesterday, but he didn’t make a move against me. He probably hadn't been approached by Shao Lin yet, right?"

Xing Ye gave him a look and said, "Maybe. But how come I remember that you and Mu Ba were together even when exchanging chips?"

Yan Hebi also recalled something and added, "Right! I remember when I found you two yesterday, you said you had been teammates since the Melee World, and you continued working together in the Advanced World, trusting each other completely."

Song Er gave a forced laugh. "That must be why Mu Ba couldn't bring himself to harm me. After all, we're good friends."

"Really?" Xing Ye said. "I remember when I first suspected you, Mu Ba immediately jumped out and said, 'Why are you suspecting us?' At that time, he considered you as one with him. But later, he said, 'I even suspect the three of you,' pulling himself away from you. You two really are close—at first, he saw you as a comrade and insisted on including you in everything. But why did he separate from you later? Could it be that he realized he had slipped up and was trying to cover for it?"

Song Er's expression darkened. He turned to Xing Ye and said, "What are you implying? Our team is already down to just three people, and now you're suspecting me too? Are you trying to eliminate me as well?"

Xing Ye said, "I'm not afraid of a 2v4. I'm only afraid of a 2v5. Your relationship with Mu Ba was too close. He betrayed us, and yet you knew nothing? That’s hard for me to believe."

"Then what will make you believe me?" Song Er asked angrily.

"Gamble with me," Xing Ye said. "Bet all your player chips. Then, over the next few days, I'll slowly return them to you. This way, we can ensure that both of us complete our three required matches, and I can feel at ease. What do you think?"

"Why should I? You're being too domineering!" Song Er immediately protested. "We're all on the Green Team. Why do I have to listen to you?"

"Because I'm stronger than you," Xing Ye said.

He backed Song Er into a corner and spoke in a low voice, "At first, I wanted my teammates to act freely. I never intended to force or control anyone. Since coming to the Advanced World, I didn’t want to draw too much attention. I just wanted to observe quietly and act low-key.

"But I was wrong. This isn’t a world where people can coexist as equals. Nor is it a world where teammates can be respected.

"Just because I wanted to respect and protect you all, an innocent teammate was eliminated. I have to be cautious at all times—guarding against both opponents and my own teammates. Why should I have to carry this burden?"

Song Er growled, "Yes, you're strong! You're amazing! But I don’t need your protection! I made it to the Advanced World with my own abilities. I don’t want to follow anyone’s orders!"

"I know," Xing Ye said. "That's why I gave you a choice at first. But now I realize that approach doesn't work."

With that, he took out a Duel Card and said, "Let’s gamble."

Yan Hebi hesitated and said, "Boss, he might not actually be a traitor…"

"I know," Xing Ye replied. "Maybe Mu Ba really didn’t tell him anything. Maybe he really hasn’t betrayed us. But so what? Do you know the safest way to survive in this casino?"

Yan Hebi shook his head. He found the casino full of dangers, especially with Shao Lin watching them like a predator. He even felt relieved that he had spent yesterday playing cards with the noble ladies, accidentally completing all three required matches. Otherwise, he might have been the one eliminated last night.

Xing Ye explained, "First, I win all of your and Song Er’s chips. Second, I give you both 10,000 points in a match. Third, you both lose those 10,000 points back to me.

"This way, all the chips in our team will be in my hands, under my control. Meanwhile, you two will have completed your three required matches, meaning you won't have to accept any more challenges from the Red Team. And since you'll have no chips left, you won’t need to submit 10,000 points each day. That is the only truly safe approach."

"That's just your safety!" Song Er shouted. "All our chips will be in your hands. What if you collude with Shao Lin? What if you lose everything?"

Yan Hebi, however, nodded and said, "I think this is a good idea. Holding onto my own chips makes me nervous. I’d feel more at ease leaving them with Xiao Yezi."

Xing Ye asked, "Yan Hebi has agreed. What about you?"

"I refuse!" Song Er yelled.

"Then let’s gamble. You haven’t completed three matches yet, have you?" Xing Ye held up the Duel Card. "I happen to have one left from yesterday."

Since Xing Ye had already presented the Duel Card, Song Er had no choice but to follow him into the duel room.

Because Xing Ye initiated the duel, Song Er got to choose the game. Both of them were Fate-defying Players, so luck wasn’t a factor. Moreover, since Xing Ye had been pretending to be a following Fate Player, Song Er didn’t dare choose a game that relied too much on luck.

In the end, Song Er chose "Old Maid."

In this game, each player has a certain number of cards, including a single "Joker," which was the Old Maid. The total number of cards was odd, and players must form pairs and discard them. The player left with the Joker at the end lost.

The key to the game wasn’t where the Joker started, but how well you could deceive your opponent into drawing it from you.

Song Er had watched Xing Ye's two previous games against Lin Si and knew that Xing Ye was skilled at strategy games and had amazing luck. Rather than risk a game based on intelligence or luck, he thought he could win with psychological manipulation.

Unfortunately for him, Xing Ye’s greatest strength was psychological manipulation.

It took only one round for Song Er to collapse under the pressure, losing all his chips to Xing Ye, leaving only his starting skill intact.

Since he had no chips left, Xing Ye promised to return 10,000 points in their second match, and Song Er had no choice but to agree. With no chips, he had to use his starting skill as collateral to borrow 10,000 points from Xing Ye, equating to 1,000 player chips.

The second game was a luck-based game, which Song Er won. However, he was convinced that Xing Ye had let him win.

After winning 20,000 points, Song Er had no choice but to accept Xing Ye's third challenge. In the final match, Song Er lost to Xing Ye once again, leaving him with only the 10,000 points he had put up as collateral.

Xing Ye reclaimed the 10,000 points, considering Song Er’s debt repaid, and returned his starting skill to him.

With this, Song Er had completed his three required matches, meaning Shao Lin could no longer force him into a duel. However, all of Song Er’s chips were now in Xing Ye’s possession. Xing Ye promised to return them to him through future bets, so Song Er had no choice but to follow Xing Ye’s lead to recover his points. At this point, even if Shao Lin tried to persuade Song Er to betray the team, Song Er, who now had nothing left, wouldn’t dare accept—unless Shao Lin could offer him an equivalent amount of player chips. But the amount was too large, and Shao Lin was unlikely to invest that many player chips into Song Er.

At this point, Xing Ye’s team was down to three members, but these three were now guaranteed to be fully united.

Yan Hebi, unlike Song Er, fully trusted Xing Ye. Following Song Er’s example, he also lost all his chips to Xing Ye but felt completely relieved afterward. He even happily went off to meet the noble ladies as planned.

Song Er, on the other hand, was deeply resentful, but since he couldn’t defeat Xing Ye, he had no choice but to obey his commands.

Shao Lin watched helplessly as all of the Green Team’s chips ended up in Xing Ye’s hands. His composed expression finally disappeared as he said to Xing Ye, “You’re ruthless.”

Xing Ye looked at him and replied, “Not as ruthless as you. If you hadn’t pressured us step by step, I wouldn’t have resorted to this strategy. Now, all three members of my team have completed their required matches, so you can’t use Duel Cards against us. But if you’re willing to bet your entire fortune as collateral, I’ll accept the challenge. Do you dare?”

Shao Lin did not dare.

So, he could only watch as Xing Ye leisurely went downstairs to watch a movie, completely powerless against the Green Team.

 

Translator : DarNan