As Zhou Xuan grew up, he realized that those were just words to scare children, but black bears were indeed very powerful. Black bears were called "black bears" not because they were actually blind, but because their eyes looked like a blind person wearing sunglasses, hence the name.
Black bears are about 1.2 to 1.8 meters long. Male bears can weigh over 150 kilograms, while female bears are lighter, weighing around 90 kilograms. Because black bears are not difficult to breed, there are many bear farms that raise them artificially. Asian black bears are relatively small in size, while American black bears can reach an astonishing 450 kilograms or more. Polar bears, needless to say, are the largest bear species in the world.
Bears, regardless of type, are like tigers and lions—animals that humans dare not confront directly.
This casino is actually hosting bestiality contests? That's absolutely insane! But the stage isn't enclosed; are the spectators safe?
However, after his initial surprise, Zhou Xuan noticed that most of the audience weren't panicked; instead, they only showed excitement. Gao Mingyuan turned to Zhou Xuan and said, "Brother, I didn't expect to see a human-beast fight today. Usually, these kinds of matches only happen once in a long while, and you have to make arrangements well in advance. You're really lucky; I never expected this."
Just as Zhou Xuan was about to ask about safety, he suddenly noticed that the host took a few steps back, raised his hand, pressed a button on the control panel, and a huge steel canopy slowly rose from the ground, with the competition platform on top. The canopy continued to rise until it reached a height of four meters before stopping.
This is a huge steel cage, with each seam only 20 centimeters apart, and each steel bar as thick as a child's arm. Such a cage can hold any wild beast firmly, so the safety of the audience is definitely not a problem.
Then, a platform about one meter square slowly rose from beneath the cage. Standing on the platform was a man dressed as a boxer, around thirty years old, who looked very capable; this was probably Yan Xuesong, the man the host had mentioned.
Yan Xuesong nimbly spun around in the cage, demonstrating his skills. He was quite agile, which was perfect for mobile fighting. However, judging from his physique and strength, he was far inferior to the boxers in the previous two matches.
After Yan Xuesong stopped, he clasped his hands in a fist salute and then stepped aside. On the platform opposite him, a topless iron cage about three meters wide slowly rose up. Inside the cage was a large, fat black bear, baring its teeth. Judging from its size, it was almost three times the size of Yan Xuesong.
A gasp escaped the audience. A fight between a wild animal and a human? That's something no human could control. Against smaller beasts like jackals or leopards, a human might have a chance, but against large animals like bears, tigers, or lions in hand-to-hand combat, there was no chance at all. And being confined in a cage is nothing like being in the open; there's nowhere to escape. How could you possibly win? Just surviving would be a miracle; forget about winning.
Yan Xuesong was also a little nervous, staring intently at the black bear in the cage. Judging from his expression, the audience already knew the outcome. Was there any need to compete?
Black bears aren't people. If they were people, they could be obedient and follow orders. How can wild beasts be controlled by humans? Perhaps it would be possible if there were animal trainers present and someone was directing them.
Zhou Xuan was surprised for a moment, then quickly turned his attention to General Manager Chen in the control room. General Manager Chen glanced at the hundreds of employees in the control room. Apart from him and the deputy manager, no one else knew about the arrangements for the match against Black Bear. Yan Xuesong and Black Bear were both sent secretly, and the casino kept it strictly confidential.
After thinking for a moment, General Manager Chen beckoned to the deputy manager beside him and they all went to his office. After closing the door, he asked in a low voice, "Ah Ming, has this matter been leaked?"
The deputy manager chuckled and said, "Second Brother, I'm your own brother. You've known about my methods for a while now, so don't worry. Besides you and me, no one else knows. Hehe, nobody knows, and nobody would guess, that Yan Xuesong is the one who raised the black bear. I've seen him at his bear farm. His performance with the bear was perfect, absolutely flawless. You couldn't tell at all. The bear could almost read all of Yan Xuesong's expressions. As long as Yan Xuesong wanted it, the black bear could perform it, especially the act of playing dead. As long as Yan Xuesong didn't speak or make a sound, the black bear wouldn't move, just pretending to be dead. After this performance, Second Brother, the farm is probably going to make a fortune."
Zhou Xuan remained outwardly calm, knowing that he and Gao Mingyuan were being monitored in the control room. But inwardly, he chuckled. Good heavens, they'd actually brought the bear breeder and the black bear to perform! This time, the gamblers were going to lose big time. As for Yan Xuesong being some kind of descendant of Yan Xiaoer, that was pure nonsense. They probably just shared the same surname, Yan.
The host stood on the empty platform outside the cage, holding a microphone and loudly proclaiming, "Everyone, watch closely! The king of Changbai Mountain, the most ferocious and terrifying black bear, Hei Xiazi, weighing 149 kilograms, nearly 300 pounds, is about to engage in a bear-versus-man battle with Yan Xuesong from Shandong. Will the bear kill the descendant of Liangshan, or will the Liangshan heroes continue their tiger-fighting legend? Please place your bets. Yan Xuesong is 1 to 4, and Hei Xiazi is 2 to 1. You have 20 minutes to place your bets."
As soon as the host finished speaking, the lighting technician shone the lights on the cage. Zhou Xuan's special ability detected things very carefully. Ninety-nine percent of the people's eyes were on the bear, and no one noticed Yan Xuesong. However, Zhou Xuan noticed that Yan Xuesong made a very subtle movement. As soon as the black bear saw it, it roared and fiercely pounced on the iron cage. Its long, sharp teeth were extremely frightening.
Seeing such a ferocious black bear, so enormous, how could Yan Xuesong, with his small frame, possibly win? It seemed he'd be lucky to even survive.
Unbeknownst to them, this black bear was domesticated and had been raised by Yan Xuesong since birth. It had no wildness whatsoever and was extremely intelligent, having been trained by Yan Xuesong to perform many actions.
Zhou Xuan chuckled inwardly at the thought of "one to four odds," realizing he was about to make an even bigger profit. After a moment's thought, he deliberately asked Gao Mingyuan in front of the camera, "Manager Gao, I'd like to ask, Yan Xuesong is one to four odds, while Black Bear is two to one. Why are the odds not equal?"
Gao Mingyuan smiled and explained, "Now both sides have a share, just like betting on football. Sometimes the odds offered by the bookmaker don't mean they have any control over the match; they just pay out a percentage. In this match, as long as more people bet on Black Bear and fewer bet on Yan Xuesong, the bets on both sides will eventually be evenly distributed according to the odds. In this way, the bookmaker will always make a profit. Let's say the percentage is 20%. If the total bet is 100 million, then the bookmaker can collect 20 million in commission. It's a win-win situation."
Volume 1, Chapter 601: Fortune Lies in Peril
Chapter 601 Fortune Lies in Peril
Zhou Xuan basically didn't bother to understand the gambling strategies Gao Mingyuan was explaining. He only needed to trust the facts detected by his supernatural abilities, because this round was a battle between humans and beasts, which made the audience even more interested, and people kept placing bets.
Zhou Xuan detected that the bets on the black bear had risen sharply, exceeding 200 million, while the bets on Yan Xuesong were less than 10 million. Even with a 1:4 payout, the total bets would only be 40 million, while the bets on the black bear were still increasing rapidly.
Meanwhile, General Manager Chen issued false betting amounts in the control room. Just as Gao Mingyuan had predicted, the betting amounts on both sides were nearly the same, both approaching 100 million, and both were rising back and forth.
After two rounds, Gao Mingyuan stopped discussing who would win and simply said, "Brother, I think Black Bear will win this round. It's a wild beast, not something a human can defeat. The bets on both sides are almost the same, so I reckon the house will just make a cut this round."
Zhou Xuan chuckled, pulled out the 35 million yuan receipt, and handed it to Gao Mingyuan, saying, "Manager Gao, want to make a fortune? If so, place your bet and go all in."
Upon seeing Zhou Xuan's actions, Gao Mingyuan's heart pounded. It seemed Zhou Xuan was about to go all in. And if he won, the tips would be substantial. It looked like Zhou Xuan was going to bet all 35 million.
Zhou Xuan handed the receipts to Gao Mingyuan, then patted him on the shoulder and said calmly, "Manager Gao, don't get excited. It's just a gamble. Think about it, since this is money you've already won, why not multiply it several times over? Hehe, bet all your money on Yan Xuesong for me. You can decide how much you want to bet."
Zhou Xuan's words immediately made President Chen and his subordinates tense, especially President Chen. Zhou Xuan's bill was for 35 million, with a 1 to 4 payout, which would mean losing 140 million to him. Based on the current betting amount, the 250 million bet on Black Bear was estimated to reach 300 million, and there was also the 10 million bet on Yan Xuesong. The total loss would be 180 million, leaving only 120 million in profit. Although the number was still huge, Zhou Xuan had taken away 140 million in cash, winning 20 million more than the bookmakers. How could he remain calm?
President Chen's brows furrowed deeply, his heart aching with regret, yet he was at a loss for what to do. If it weren't for the fact that they still had over a hundred million to make, he would have loved to see Zhou Xuan lose big. But in reality, every bet Zhou Xuan placed exploited their weaknesses, leaving them helpless.
Gao Mingyuan was taken aback again. Zhou Xuan's bet was the opposite of his. Although he was wrong the first two times, he was still unwilling to admit defeat and thought that Zhou Xuan was just lucky. But this time, he could not be the same as him no matter what. How could such a fierce black bear bet on Yan Xuesong?
Seeing Zhou Xuan's unyielding expression, Gao Mingyuan knew he didn't need to dissuade him anymore. He could only place his bet, but he wouldn't follow Zhou Xuan's lead. He had originally wanted Zhou Xuan to bet on Black Bear so he could also place a million bet himself, just to try something new. But Zhou Xuan's decision ruined his mood, even though he didn't agree with Zhou Xuan's suggestion. After placing 35 million bets on Yan Xuesong with Li Ni, he thought about it and decided against it. He had originally considered betting a few tens of thousands on Black Bear, but if Li Ni saw that number, she might look down on him. So he decided not to bet at all, just let her see that he had placed tens of millions in bets. He could then brag to her later, saying that his friend had placed a bet and he had also placed two million, getting a little something in return.
Zhou Xuan noticed that Gao Mingyuan had only bet on himself and not on his own, so he smiled faintly, sat down and looked at the betting odds displayed on the big screen. Of course, he did this only for President Chen and the others to see.
Mr. Chen's face remained grim. One of his subordinates leaned forward and whispered, "Mr. Chen, should I get a couple of my men to escort him out...?"
"Don't touch this person without my orders," President Chen flatly refused. Moving against Zhou Xuan wasn't something to be done lightly. Without a well-thought-out plan and without confidence, the consequences could be dire, even for his boss. And this was just Zhou Xuan's public persona; his hidden connections were unknown. He was a wealthy businessman in Beijing, possibly connected to powerful figures there. Offending those powerful figures would be a serious problem, potentially ruining his business. Even though the emperor was far away, some people were still not to be trifled with.
The subordinate, having gotten a cold shoulder, slunk away. Zhou Xuan, sitting in his seat, sneered inwardly. If these people didn't bother with him, fine. But if they dared to make a move, he'd turn their place upside down. In a place like this that harms people, even if he was standing up for the common folk, no matter how powerful their backers were, they wouldn't dare to mess with him. He wasn't afraid of them, openly or secretly. Right now, he'd better make a quick buck from them first. That Gao Mingyuan was ridiculous. He was helping him make money, and Gao Mingyuan didn't dare to. Oh well, this guy wasn't one of his kind anyway.
The 25-minute betting period was 10 minutes shorter than other sessions, but it still passed quickly. When the host announced the end, the betting volume on both sides of the large display screen was over 150 million, an enormous number.
In reality, the bets on Black Bear's side exceeded 300 million, reaching an astonishing 310 million, while the bets on Yan Xuesong were only 46 million. With odds of one against four, most bettors were betting small amounts to win big, with the largest bet being only one million. The rest were small bets. Of course, Zhou Xuan's 35 million was an extremely large bet, bringing the total to 370 million.
Zhou Xuan couldn't help but sigh at how wealthy these gamblers were, yet the vast majority of them were being swindled by the casino.
Just as Zhou Xuan was scanning the control room again to find President Chen and his group, his supernatural ability inadvertently swept across the VIP lounge on the second floor. In one of the windows, he saw a familiar face: Yang Tiancheng.
The VIP rooms on the second floor are located on the upper level of the lobby, surrounding the stadium. These rooms are fully equipped with computers, telephones, and 60-inch flat-screen monitors specifically for playing live broadcasts of the matches. The rooms also feature glass windows offering unobstructed views of the games. Everything is designed for the guests' comfort and convenience, with amenities matching those of a hotel room. The windows are designed to ensure complete privacy, allowing guests to see out but not in, guaranteeing complete privacy. Whatever they do in their rooms, no one outside can see or hear. It's a place where prostitution and gambling are rampant; there's nothing they won't do.
However, such VIP rooms are not cheap, costing as much as 5,000 yuan per day. But for big clients, the amount of money they casually throw out in gambling is more than that.
Zhou Xuan met Yang Tiancheng, a mysterious and wealthy man, at Gao Mingyuan's factory, and then left in a hurry. Gao Mingyuan was obviously a little afraid of this man, guessing that he was not simple.
Zhou Xuan knew that all his actions were being closely watched by President Chen, so he had to be extra careful with his words and actions to avoid giving them any clues. However, his identity was a guarantee that they wouldn't dare to act rashly. Moreover, they didn't know that he had connections with the police, something they probably couldn't find out. But now that they knew his identity, they probably wouldn't think that way. Why would such a wealthy man work as a lowly policeman?
Zhou Xuan considered for a moment before asking Gao Mingyuan. Meanwhile, two plainclothes security guards from the casino were recording their conversations behind their seats. Zhou Xuan detected this clearly but did not disturb them or damage their recording devices.
"Manager Gao, yesterday when we were gambling on jade at your factory, that Mr. Yang seemed to be someone important. Do you know what he does? Hehe..." Zhou Xuan asked, then deliberately added, "I don't think he's a jade merchant. His profession is different from mine because his behavior in gambling on jade and buying jade was unprofessional."