It's a draw. I never expected that this game would end in another draw.
In baccarat, ties are relatively common, but on average, you won't get a tie even once every ten hands. It's even rarer to get two ties in a row. I never expected that this time, two ties would actually happen in a row. Is there really such a coincidence in the world?
Many gamblers' first thought is cheating... someone must be cheating.
The problem is... neither Zhou Ziwei nor Xue Xue touched a single card from beginning to end, and they were more than two meters away from the card dealing machine, so the possibility of them cheating was almost zero.
Therefore, if anyone were to cheat, it could only be the blond man who dealt the cards.
However… that person was a dealer on the gambling ship! These two rounds of losses have cost the entire gambling ship its money to cover… Even if the people on the gambling ship have made too much money and want to distribute it, they could easily use it to establish some kind of charitable foundation. That way, they could do good deeds, launder money, and gain a good reputation—why not? Unless the gambling ship owner has lost his mind, there's no way he would allow a dealer to cheat.
As for the claim that the dealer colluded with outsiders to cheat the gambling ship out of money, that's even more unlikely. Collusion between dealers and outsiders has happened in some casinos before, but each time the plan is flawless, meticulously planned to avoid being detected. They quietly and subtly siphon off the casino's money bit by bit. How could someone have lost hundreds of millions or even billions in one go like this? It's far too obvious! Is the casino owner a fool?
But if they weren't cheating, then these two are incredibly lucky! They actually won both bets on a tie twice in a row, and each time the bets were such astonishingly large. Are they some kind of gambling god descended to earth? And... it's a male and a female.
Under the stunned and envious gazes of the crowd, the blond man waved to the staff on the gambling ship, who quickly brought over stacks of chips and then paid out the winnings without hesitation.
Xue Xue bet 36 million this time, and after winning, she was paid out 288 million. In addition to Xue Xue's principal, the total amount was 324 million.
That's 324 million euros... not RMB. And 324 million euros is equivalent to 3 billion RMB...
My God... After just two rounds, this woman earned over three billion... That's terrifying!
And what about that man? He bet over 200 million euros on that one bet... So... how much did he win this time? My God... That must be over 10 billion... Can the gambling ship afford to pay out such a huge sum?
Sure enough... after paying out Xue Xue, the blond man had almost no chips left, and he didn't seem to want to get any more. The onlookers' eyes lit up... This is going to be interesting... There's going to be a good show.
Zhou Ziwei frowned slightly upon seeing this, but he wasn't in a hurry. He already knew that the relationship between this gambling ship and Xue Xue was unusual, and everyone on the ship was doing their best to help Xue Xue. However, he figured that no matter how much they helped, they had to do it reasonably! They couldn't just swallow all the money he had won in front of so many guests!
So when the blond man delayed in making compensation, Zhou Ziwei didn't pay any attention and patiently waited to see how the other party would respond.
"Excuse me... esteemed sir..." After the blond man had taken all the chips bet in this round except for those placed by Zhou Ziwei and Xue Xue, he politely said to Zhou Ziwei, "This gentleman doesn't seem to come to our Supreme Ship very often, does he?"
Zhou Ziwei smiled faintly and said, "Oh...yes, hehe...this is indeed my first time playing on your Supreme Ship. Why...do I have to pay protection money for my first time? But...your protection money here seems a bit too expensive, doesn't it?"
"Of course not..." the blond man quickly shook his head and said, "Our Supreme is a world-renowned entertainment aircraft carrier with an excellent reputation. How could we possibly do something like collecting protection money from our guests?"
"Oh... not protection money?" Zhou Ziwei shrugged, then pointed to the large pile of chips still on the betting table and said, "It's good that it's not protection money. Then I think I won the last round. Please pay me back quickly! Hehe... my time is very limited."
Seeing that Xue Xue had already had her bodyguard carry that huge pile of chips to another gambling table and started gambling, Zhou Ziwei frowned, secretly getting angry.
It's unbelievable that the casino would go to such lengths to help Xue Xue win... they even resorted to delaying tactics like this.
“I’m sorry… your bet in the last round was invalid, so we cannot pay you out,” the blond man replied politely.
"What? Why is it invalid? I clearly placed my bet before the betting deadline. If you have any doubts, please provide evidence. I believe it's all recorded on the video surveillance, right? However... I don't have time to fight this lawsuit with you right now. I'll take my initial investment first. As for the money I won in this round... let's settle it slowly in an hour!"
When Zhou Ziwei saw that Xue Xue had won another round at the blackjack table, his face immediately darkened. He was too lazy to argue with the blond man anymore, so he waved his hand and gathered all the chips on the betting table into a tray.
It's unclear whether the casino dealers were deliberately targeting Zhou Ziwei, but the largest denomination chip in the casino was ten million, yet the chips they paid out to Zhou Ziwei were all one million each. As a result, over two hundred million chips were fabricated. If it were anyone else, trying to move these chips from one table to another would probably take quite a while just to sort through them.
However, Zhou Ziwei didn't care at all. In Zhou Ziwei's hands, these shiny chips were as obedient as well-trained soldiers. With a flick of his hand, they immediately lined up in several straight lines and were steadily stacked on the tray, as if someone had carefully placed them one by one.
"Wow... what a master... truly amazing!" Zhou Ziwei's move immediately drew gasps of amazement from the onlookers. Some of the voluptuous and sexy ladies screamed even more exaggeratedly, as if they were experiencing the peak of spiritual and physical intimacy while making love with their lovers.
Zhou Ziwei gave a wry smile. He wasn't deliberately showing off; he was just trying to save time. In just a short while, Xue Xue had won another game over there. If he lingered here any longer, the gap between him and Xue Xue would only widen.
"Sir, please wait a moment..." Just as Zhou Ziwei was about to turn and leave, the blond man stepped forward and stopped him. He then picked up a small, inconspicuous sign hanging on the side of the gambling table, waved it in front of Zhou Ziwei, and explained with a smile, "We don't need to wait an hour to calculate. Please note... this is the rule on our gambling ship. There is a maximum betting limit in the VIP entertainment and gambling hall. Look... it's all set here. The maximum bet in a single session in the VIP entertainment and gambling hall cannot exceed 50 million, and you just placed a bet of over 200 million, which far exceeds our maximum betting limit."
So… your bet was invalid, and we won't pay you back one euro in chips. Oh… this rule has been in place for a long time, and this sign has been here for several years. We're not targeting you personally, so please understand, sir.”
"Ah...right, this betting hall also has a maximum bet limit. We completely forgot about that. No wonder they wouldn't pay out..."
The gamblers watching suddenly realized what was going on. Many of them were regulars who often came to the Supreme Ship for entertainment, so they were quite familiar with the rules of the Supreme Ship.
However, the entertainment and gaming hall on the eighth floor is the most luxurious gaming hall on the entire gambling ship, with a maximum betting limit of a terrifying 50 million. This number is practically meaningless for most of the guests who come here to play, because even the richest people rarely bet tens of millions at once.
If they really had the financial resources and gambling instincts, they wouldn't be playing with all sorts of random people on the eighth floor. They would have gone up to the ninth or tenth floor, to play in a more upscale place. So, since this VIP room opened, no one has ever been seen placing a single bet exceeding the maximum limit in this lobby.
That's why even regular customers who come here often have almost forgotten that there's a maximum betting limit...
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziwei was stunned for a moment, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips. Without saying a word, he immediately picked up the tray of chips and turned to leave.
He knew he'd been tricked by the people on the gambling ship again. No wonder the guy didn't seem nervous at all when he placed his bet the second time, and readily revealed his cards... So that's what they were waiting for him...
They knew their bet was invalid, but they didn't mention it at the time, clearly waiting to buy themselves more time so Xue Xue could win more money...
Although Zhou Ziwei currently has over 210 million chips, in just a short while, Xue Xue has played several more rounds and has already won over 400 million euros, more than double what Zhou Ziwei has won. If Zhou Ziwei continues to bet with Xue Xue as before, he will never be able to beat her.
Zhou Ziwei was really annoyed. It seemed that the gambling ship was really going all out to help Xue Xue win against him. Originally, Zhou Ziwei had planned that as long as he beat Xue Xue, he wouldn't go too far until he was sure that his parents and Yu Xiaoru were on the ship.
But now... this gambling ship has completely enraged Zhou Ziwei.
Did they think this would allow Xue Xue to beat them? No way! If Zhou Ziwei really got serious, this gambling ship would soon be under Zhou's ownership.
"Sir...I...I'll help you!"
Allen had just received a reward of two million from Zhou Ziwei, so she was naturally devoted to him. Even if Zhou Ziwei wanted to sexually harass her right away, Allen wouldn't hesitate at all.
Seeing that Zhou Ziwei had won tens of millions in such a short time, she couldn't help but feel excited, her eyes sparkling. However, she no longer had any greed. The two million that Zhou Ziwei had tipped her was enough for her to do many things. Now she just hoped that Zhou Ziwei could win more money here. This... could be considered a reward for good deeds!
Seeing that Allen hadn't run away after receiving such a huge reward, Zhou Ziwei couldn't help but smile slightly. He then handed the tray to Allen and said with a seductive look, "Miss Allen, would you like to become a billionaire?"
“Of course I want to…” Allen said with shining eyes, “Who doesn’t want to be rich? If I had money, I could give my family a good life, live in a big house, and I could also invest in making a movie myself. That way, I could really be the leading lady, not just a child star making jokes in a film.”
“Oh…not bad, your idea is very interesting.” Zhou Ziwei nodded and said, “So…in your eyes, how much money do you consider to be rich? You want to invest in making a movie, but…how much money do you need to invest to make a movie that you are completely satisfied with?”
"Well... actually... I think I'm pretty rich now!" Allen blushed slightly as she gently touched the two chips she had hidden in her bosom, then stuck out her tongue and said, "Sir, you just tipped me these two chips, and I've suddenly become a millionaire! Before this, I never imagined I could have so much wealth one day. However... if we're really going to make a movie, this amount of money is indeed a bit too little. Even for a small production, it probably wouldn't be enough!"
"So... how much investment would you need to make your ideal film?" Zhou Ziwei asked casually.
Although Zhou Ziwei's expression was somewhat casual, Allen's heart still fluttered wildly upon hearing his words.
Could this gentleman really be planning to invest in making a movie for me? Oh my god... does that mean I actually have a chance to be the lead actress?
If someone else had said this, Allen probably wouldn't have taken it seriously at all. But if Zhou Ziwei really said it, Allen would definitely believe it without a doubt, because Zhou Ziwei looked like a guy who didn't care about money at all.
For a film, even a big-budget production, one or two hundred million yuan would be enough. But for Zhou Ziwei, one or two hundred million yuan is just a string of numbers he can earn by gambling once.
Although Zhou Ziwei seemed very generous, Allen didn't dare to ask for an exorbitant amount, fearing he might scare Zhou away. So, after careful consideration, he said, "If we're being frugal, and choose a script for an urban romance film with less prominent locations, a budget of around ten million should be enough to make a decent movie. If we need to add post-production... the production cost will probably increase to twenty million. If we need some professional special effects... well... keeping the cost below fifty million should be enough to make a good, high-quality film!"
"Alright... So you mean if you have 100 million, you should be able to fulfill your dream, right?" Zhou Ziwei didn't have time to listen to Allen's rambling and immediately said, "Then I'll give you a chance to realize your dream now! You'll take my place and gamble a few rounds. If you win one round, I'll give you a reward of 50 million, and if you lose... of course, I won't ask you to pay me back. How about that? If you can win two rounds... your dream will come true."
Volume 3, King of the City, Chapter 479: The Crazy Gamble
Upon hearing Zhou Ziwei's words, Allen was completely dumbfounded.
Is my dream about coming true... or... am I dreaming?
Ellen had seen many absurd things. A girl who had entered the film industry at a young age was certainly not lacking in imagination. Ellen, who longed to become a real Hollywood star, had also fantasized countless times about her path to success and glory. But even with her rich imagination, she could not have imagined that one day she would meet a young man on a gambling ship who did not seem to be crazy and said to her... "You gamble a few rounds for me. If you win one round, you will get a reward of fifty million. If you win two rounds, your dream will come true."
This world is just too crazy. Allen felt like her thinking was a bit out of touch with the times. Zhou Ziwei had just tipped her two million euros, and she was still wondering if she should let him do whatever he wanted to her for those two million... But... if Zhou Ziwei really tipped her another hundred million, then... what should she do for him? Oh... God, she probably wouldn't be too much to die ten thousand times for Zhou Ziwei!
Allen forgot whether he had agreed to Zhou Ziwei's request. He just vaguely remembered holding the tray full of chips and followed Zhou Ziwei back to the dice table.
The croupier in charge of the area turned pale as soon as he saw Zhou Ziwei return, but he still forced a calm smile while secretly praying that this plague would leave as soon as possible!
However, things didn't go as planned. Instead of leaving, Zhou Ziwei seemed determined to gamble everything on the place.
However, Zhou Ziwei had no intention of going on the game himself. He simply picked up a chair, sat down at least five or six meters away from the dice table, and then instructed Allen, "You can gamble for me from now on!"
"But...but I can't!" Allen felt his teeth chattering, making a clear, pleasant "click-clack" sound as he spoke.
Zhou Ziwei waved his hand dismissively and said, "You don't need to know how. You just need to do as I say."
"Oh..." Hearing that Zhou Ziwei wanted her to do as he said, Allen breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, if Zhou Ziwei had really let her decide which door to bet on and how much to bet each time, Allen would have been so nervous that she would have fainted. But if she just followed Zhou Ziwei's instructions, it would be much simpler.
But when Zhou Ziwei told her what to do, Allen was so shocked she almost fainted.
“You pick out 49 million chips and put them there... on the three six-point betting slots. You don’t need to worry about them anymore. We’ll bet on this one every time. There’s no need to change anything. No matter what the last round was, we’ll just chase this six-triple.”
"Ah...this...sir, you...you're not joking, are you?!"
Although Allen wasn't very familiar with gambling, he had spent some time on this gambling ship and had some basic knowledge of it.
Even the chaotic bets and payout ratios on the gambling table are easy to understand.
Sic Bo is a gambling game with a relatively diverse range of betting options, and the highest payout rate is quite astonishing. For example, as Zhou Ziwei just mentioned, betting on three sixes, also known as the "six leopards," has a payout rate of an astonishing 150 times.
In other words... if you bet one yuan on this door, and you actually win, then the bookmaker will have to pay you one hundred and fifty yuan.
And... if someone like Zhou Ziwei bets 49 million at once, then... after Allen did some calculations on his fingers, he was horrified to discover that... if such a bet were to actually win, the bookmaker would have to pay out 7.35 billion in one go.
Allen felt a severe lack of oxygen in her brain, and breathing became extremely difficult. She simply couldn't imagine how Zhou Ziwei could make such a crazy decision.
A bet of 49 million is already astonishing, but Zhou Ziwei is betting on such a high payout ratio. The odds of 150 times seem tempting, but the odds of winning are also shockingly low. Under normal circumstances, even if he bets 1,500 times in a row, he might not actually get a six-of-a-kind even once.
Isn't this... just throwing money down the drain?
Allen asked Zhou Ziwei again, somewhat incredulously. Seeing Zhou Ziwei's smiling face but firm expression as he said the same thing, she gritted her teeth, finally stopped overthinking, suppressed the urge to vomit blood, and, following Zhou Ziwei's instructions, steeled herself and pushed out the 49 million chips.
A single bet of 49 million is an extremely rare and extravagant act, especially considering it takes place in the VIP betting hall of the Supreme Ship. To place such a large bet directly on the highest odds of six leopards is an even more unprecedented and insane move.
So... when Allen pushed the pile of chips over as Zhou Ziwei instructed, the entire room fell silent. Everyone looked at Allen and Zhou Ziwei as if they were looking at a pair of madmen.
The dice cup had been rolled for this round, and everyone was just waiting for the results to be revealed. When the dealer saw Zhou Ziwei make Allen place such a high bet on six leopards, he felt dizzy.
Fortunately, she had been extremely careful when she saw Zhou Ziwei coming over. She was extra careful when shaking the dice cup. Normally, she might not even know the exact number she rolled after shaking the dice cup, but this time, after shaking it carefully, even if she couldn't know the exact number she rolled, she at least knew the value.
So although she was startled by Allen's actions, she relaxed when she recalled that the number she rolled this time should be small, the total number of points should definitely not exceed ten, and there should not be even a six among the three dice.
Hmph... He's just a rich madman. I've seen people betting on the leopard before, but I've never seen anyone this crazy. If winning on the leopard were that easy, this gambling ship would have gone bankrupt long ago.
The confident dealer no longer cared about the huge bet on six leopards and proceeded with the normal operation. After shouting "Place your bets!" to end the final betting, she reached out and placed her hand on the black dice cup lid, ready to lift it.
Just then, the dealer saw two people approaching from not far away, one of whom was none other than Andre, the famous dice king hired by the gambling ship at a high salary.
Andrei is considered a star figure on the Grand Casino. He is treated like a king by the casino owner and doesn't have to do anything all year round. He just needs to sit on the casino. Only when a cheat or a real gambling master comes to the casino will Andrei step in to help the casino handle these matters.
Andrei is known as the King of Dice, but that's only because his most proficient gambling skill is Sic Bo. He's also quite skilled in other gambling techniques, and his eyes are incredibly sharp; he can tell at a glance whether someone is cheating.
Even if he encountered a true gambling master, Andrei could handle it with ease. And how many of the world's famous gambling masters didn't know Andrei? So when these people saw Andrei on the gambling ship, they would generally know better than to back down and wouldn't dare to cause trouble there, as that would only bring shame upon themselves.
It seems the higher-ups are taking this young man very seriously... They even sent Andrei out. However, the game has already started, and according to casino rules, the dealer cannot be changed in the middle of a game. So Andrei can only wait on the sidelines until the game ends before he can come and take over the current dealer.
Because Zhou Ziwei had Allen place such a large bet, the dealer was still under considerable pressure. When she saw Andrei approaching, she felt much more relaxed. Although she was certain that the number she rolled in this round could not possibly be a six-of-a-kind, she still glanced at Andrei out of caution, raising her eyebrows slightly and secretly asking Andrei if she could open the game herself.
Andrei glanced at Zhou Ziwei, who was sitting five or six meters away from the gambling table, then at Allen, who looked so nervous he was about to faint, and then nodded slightly.
Without further hesitation, the dealer immediately grabbed the black lid of the dice cup and gently lifted it up...
The moment the black lid was lifted, Andrei's expression changed drastically. He wanted to remind the dealer, but didn't know what to say. In fact, he was absolutely not allowed to participate in this game under the current circumstances. Whatever he said would be against the rules and would seriously undermine the casino's credibility.
Left with no other choice, Andrei could only shut his mouth, then stared with a livid face at the three dice slowly emerging from under the rising black lid.