Chapter 218: Despair Casino (15)
From noon until evening, Yan Qiao finally had his fill.
Ji Ning was exhausted. Wrapped in a bathrobe, she lay on the bed watching Yan Qiao scramble to clean up the chips she had earlier scattered across the floor when she threw them—some even rolling under the bed.
Seeing him struggle like Cinderella picking red beans out of green beans, Ji Ning thought to herself, young people are just impulsive and don't think about consequences; if they had known it would come to this, why do it in the first place?
After cleaning up, as Yan Qiao passed by, Ji Ning poked his leg with her foot. "Can I gamble with you one more time? I really need a bit more chips."
Yan Qiao gave her a glare, opened his own case, exchanged some of his orange chips for a couple of her black ones and set them aside for her, saying nonchalantly, "No more gambling. Consider this money payment for your hard work just now."
Ji Ning laughed. That meant her hourly rate was higher than a lot, a lot of people's.
Seeing her laugh, Yan Qiao climbed onto the bed and snuggled up close, pinching Ji Ning's cheek and grumbling, "Is it worth going all out for others like that? In here, kindness is the stupidest thing."
As he said this, Ji Ning noticed the coldness reviving in his eyes.
She moved closer and rested her head on his arm, tracing her fingers over old scars on his waist, and asked softly, "What happened with these injuries on your body?"
Even more than Xing Ye has.
In the game, aside from death, nothing leaves lasting marks on the body. The scars on him must have been from before he died.
Yan Qiao gave a light snort and said flatly, "Yan Minghui did it."
Hearing the surname, Ji Ning knew he was referring to his father.
Scars like that meant the beatings were not only severe, but the tools used were also twisted.
To beat someone to this extent and leave scars—that went far beyond disciplining a child.
The way he spoke about it so impassively showed he had long grown used to it, or maybe his hatred had burned out until there was none left, and he had completely closed off his heart.
Ji Ning started to understand why his temperament was so unpredictable; it must be inseparable from what he went through in life.
Although he only explained where the scars came from, Ji Ning felt that Yan Qiao must have many more tragic stories on him.
Seeing him grow sullen, she raised a hand and stroked his head. As her hand came down, it brushed past his ear and touched his ear stud.
Trying to lighten the mood, Ji Ning said, "Your ear stud is quite nice-looking."
Unexpectedly, Yan Qiao chuckled, grabbed her hand, and looked at her steadily. "Do you know what this is?"
"What?" Ji Ning let him guide her hand to touch it again.
The content in his eyes grew rich, a cold smile wrapping around madness, and his voice rose and fell with suppressed emotion, now laughing, now sorrowful: "Heh… when I was little, I picked up a little puppy and raised it secretly until he found out and beat me along with it. The dog died. I burned him until only shapeless bones were left, and this was ground from his bones. Haha… then… being on the run everywhere with no point, I just killed myself."
Ji Ning's smile froze on her face. The human bone under her fingertip seemed as scorching as if just pulled from a fire.
Yan Qiao grinned, leaned in close to Ji Ning's face, and looked into her eyes. "So? Isn't it interesting?"
Ji Ning's heart trembled; she was both scared and heartbroken for him.
Having just been so intimately entwined with him for so long, she was already tied to him and couldn't just throw him away. So she mustered her courage and pulled him hard into her embrace.
They embraced with necks crossed. Ji Ning's hand covered Yan Qiao's back, stroking from top to bottom, and she kissed his hair, coaxing him softly, "Not interesting. You've suffered."
Yan Qiao's whole body was stiff, and the way he leaned against her was awkward. But he didn't struggle or move; he just quietly let Ji Ning hold him and stroke his back.
Like soothing a wild little animal.
After that, Ji Ning didn't leave the room until an hour before the mission countdown ended.
Yan Qiao wouldn't let her go out. He called the front desk to have women's underwear and outerwear delivered, and even ordered meals to the room.
Ji Ning knew he was guarding against Song Weiyang, but she really couldn't out-stubborn him, so she had no choice but to be hidden away like a trophy for the time being.
It wasn't until after 3 p.m. on the third day, with 47 hours having passed since entering the casino, that the two finally left the room, returned to the first floor, and went to the front desk to exchange chips for money.
Song Weiyang, who had been searching for Ji Ning all night, finally saw her and came forward with reddened eyes to snatch her away.
Just as a male showdown was about to erupt, the system suddenly fired off a rapid succession of notifications.
【Player No. 9's mission failed. Permanent death.】
【Player No. 1's mission failed. Permanent death.】
【Player No. 5's mission failed. Permanent death.】
In the distance, a crowd had gathered around the massive front desk facing the casino's main entrance.
When the three rushed over, the three players' rigid corpses, stiff as if from cardiac arrest, were already being carried away by NPCs.
Their chip cases were left behind, presumably already exchanged.
"Wait here." Leaving Ji Ning with that, Yan Qiao went ahead to the front desk and handed over his case and card.
After verifying the count, the staff returned the card to Yan Qiao shortly after.
Yan Qiao checked the balance on his phone, frowning as he walked back.
"How did it go?" Ji Ning's heart was racing, unsure why those three players had died.
Yan Qiao let out a scornful laugh. "A hundred twenty thousand short. Looks like the initial funds aren't counted in. Those few must have just scraped by without any extra chips distributed."
Ji Ning and Song Weiyang exchanged a glance, both shocked.
She thought to herself, no wonder this instance is called "Despair Casino"—it had been a trap set for them all along.
She also thought, thankfully Yan Qiao had over two million extra in chips, or they'd really be done for.
But seeing how completely unfazed he'd just been, he must have guessed the reason all along.
"Weiyang, do you have extra?" Ji Ning had enough herself, but her biggest concern was Song Weiyang.
Song Weiyang nodded, glaring at Yan Qiao with undisguised hostility, as if he wanted to pounce and start a fight.
Feeling incredibly guilty, Ji Ning hugged Song Weiyang's arm and coaxed him, "Alright, alright, let's talk outside, okay?"
Livestream comments:
"Hurry up and go out, hurry up!"
"If only we could watch the Wooden Cabin too hahahaha!"
"King Yama Qiao is about to become public enemy number one among men, can't wait!"
"Sunflower seeds, peanuts, eight-treasure porridge, beer, drinks, mineral water. Move your feet, make way."
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