I'm not a genius detective

Chapter 152 Crackdown on Casinos (Two chapters combined)

The casino wasn't too small, but it wasn't too big either. Tong Feng wandered around, looking at things from one side to the other, and even played a few slot machines, losing several hundred dollars.

Slot machines rely entirely on luck; even the most skilled person cannot control their winning percentage.

This stuff is extremely addictive.

When leaving, Tong Feng was quite reluctant to go, looking back several times, clearly not believing in the superstition and wanting to try again. He only snapped out of his daze after realizing that his emotions were not right.

There is some merit to the government's ban on gambling. Long-term participation will inevitably lead to financial losses, which in turn will affect personal and family life, and addiction will trigger a chain reaction.

Without finding Shao Fei, Tong Feng returned to the blackjack area and noticed that something was wrong. The dealer seemed nervous, and even his forehead was sweating.

Customers from the surrounding area are also gathering here.

"what's the situation."

Tong Feng stood behind Han Ling, glanced at the chips on the table, and found that the total amount of chips had reached more than 200,000.

"How did they win so much?!"

It's only been less than an hour.

He understands the rules of blackjack and knows how to play, but knowing how to play and being able to play are two different things.

In theory, a player, acting as the player in blackjack, can control their winning percentage, provided they have exceptional memory and calculation skills to track the cards that have already been dealt.

It is most advantageous for the player when the number of high-value cards in the remaining deck is greater than the number of low-value cards. The more high-value cards left, the higher the player's winning probability.

Everyone knows the rules and how to win; the final result is who has the highest total card value closest to 21. However, in practice, it's not that easy. You'll face choices between "calling" and "standing," and engage in a psychological game with the dealer.

There are currently four players at the table. The other three players have busted (scoring over 21 points) and lost the round, leaving only Han Ling remaining.

Han Ling currently has 20 points, the dealer has 11 points (open card), and their hidden card is unknown. (The dealer has one hidden card, which only they know; all players have their cards open.)
In this situation, 99% of players would not choose to ask for more cards, and Tong Feng thought so too, making his chances of winning extremely high.

The dealer was a man wearing a white shirt and a black vest. He rested his hands on the card table, looked at Han Ling, and waited for him to speak.

"Double."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Han Ling pushed out all the chips in front of him and chose to continue drawing cards.

This move caused an uproar.

If you get 20 points, the closest you can get to 21, then the probability of busting is very high if you draw another card.

Moreover, they went all in and doubled their bet.

This kind of courage is not something an ordinary person can have. Did he see through the dealer's hand?

He's already won 200,000; a truly rare expert.

Han Ling naturally didn't see through the dealer's cards, but he saw through the dealer. No matter how hard the other party tried to hide their micro-expressions, they couldn't conceal their composure and confidence in winning back the game.

The dealer's hidden card is most likely nine points, and with the revealed card, it's also twenty points. If it's ten points, the dealer will definitely win, and the opponent's facial expression will be even more exaggerated.

Normally, when the banker and player have the same points, it's a tie, and all bets are returned. However, this casino is a bit of a rip-off; it stipulates that if the banker and player have the same points and neither player has blackjack, the banker wins.

Illegal casinos in China are quite different from those abroad; they are primarily focused on making money and don't care about long-term development.

Illegal casinos are already rare, and as long as they don't go too far, gamblers won't care too much; scarcity makes them valuable.

Therefore, if Han Ling doesn't take the cards, he's very likely to lose.

Of course, there's a good chance of losing if you're playing badly, but gambling is all about the "gambling" part. If you're afraid of losing, what's the point of playing?
He had already calculated that, based on the ratio of the two Aces in the remaining cards to the total number of remaining cards, it was definitely worth the gamble.

Behind him, Tong Feng watched quietly, without disturbing Han Ling.

At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the dealer. When Han Ling chose to double his bet, it was clear that he paused for a moment before frowning.

If Han Ling chooses to stop playing, he will win for sure, but if the opponent chooses to take the card... then variables will arise.

He can continue to draw cards, but he will have to take the risk of busting.

Should we gamble?

If you lose, the opponent's 200,000 chips will become 500,000.

It's not a difficult decision; he has a better chance of winning.

Ultimately, the dealer chose to stop the game and dealt Han Ling a card. Han Ling picked it up, didn't look at it, and immediately threw it face up.

A.

The dealer was dumbfounded. This was incredibly lucky. He was very professional and revealed his hidden card: nine.

"Banker gets 20 points, Player gets 21 points, Player wins."

If Han Ling had stopped playing earlier, a draw would have resulted in the player losing.

"Fuck! Awesome!"

"He must have figured out the dealer's points and didn't want to lose, so he went all in to get the cards."

"I'm so lucky, there are only two Aces left."

"When he first started playing, he seemed to have less than 20,000 chips. He went all in three times and won every time."

The crowd whispered among themselves, realizing they had encountered a master today. It was a pity that blackjack was an individual game, and outsiders couldn't follow along like in sic bo, where you could call.

The chips in front of Han Ling were piled up like a small mountain. He leaned back in his chair, signaling the dealer to start the next round.

Judging by their stance, they won't leave until they win.

The dealer couldn't help but wipe the fine sweat from his forehead. At that moment, he paused and listened intently as sound came through his earphones.

A guest next to Han Ling got up and left, so Tong Feng quickly sat down next to him. He looked at the chips that had turned from 20,000 to 500,000 and could hardly believe his eyes.

If you're that capable, why are you even a policeman? You could just go to Macau once a year.

"Are you telling the truth?" Tong Feng whispered.

Han Ling fiddled with the chips, then turned her head: "What, really?"

Tong Feng: "It's that... an old man commented that you are a genius, one in ten thousand."

"Uh." Han Ling's expression was strange; he felt that Tong Feng really believed it.

Before he could speak, the dealer politely said, "Sir, our boss would like to invite you to the second floor for a drink and a rest. We'd also like to ask if you'd be interested in becoming a VIP at our casino."

Han Ling didn't believe these words; he was just saying them to others to avoid making them think that the casino couldn't afford to lose.

Winning money grants VIP treatment, which will undoubtedly increase guests' desire to play.

That might be the case in Macau, but it's unlikely to be the case in underground casinos in mainland China.

"Okay." Han Ling stood up. "Madman, grab your chips and come with me."

His original intention in winning the money was to try and see if he could meet the casino owner.

"Well, I'm back to being a follower again." Tong Feng sighed and accepted his new role.

After the two left, the blackjack section quickly filled up. The customers were all smart; they knew that the dealer had lost so much money and was probably not in good form, which affected his judgment, so the probability of winning was much higher than usual.

Han Ling and Tong Feng went up the curved staircase. The person guarding the staircase did not stop them, obviously having received instructions as well.

There is a glass door on the second floor. Once you push the door open and walk in, the noise around you disappears instantly. The soundproofing is excellent.

There were two men in the room, both looking to be over forty years old; one was wearing a suit, and the other was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

Seeing Han Ling enter, the man in the short-sleeved shirt placed his wine glass on the table and asked in a low voice, "Hey buddy, what's your background?"

The man in the suit was also looking at Han Ling, his eyes showing no aggression, only curiosity.

Han Ling casually found a place to sit down and laughed, "I thought you were really going to invite me for drinks and give me a VIP card. What's wrong? Can't afford to lose? If you can't afford to lose, don't run a casino, or you'll embarrass yourself."

The man in the short-sleeved shirt looked slightly cold: "You're here to cause trouble, aren't you? Who sent you? I just want your name, I'll give you 500,000."

Such experts are almost impossible to find in China, and he suspects that his enemies or rivals hired him at a high price.

Han Ling asked in surprise, "What do you mean 'give it to me'? I won it in the first place, you madman, don't you think?"

Tong Feng remained standing behind Han Ling, truly becoming his follower, and nodded upon hearing this.

The man in the short-sleeved shirt: "I'll add another 100,000. Who sent you?"

Han Ling pointed to another person: "Tell me who he is first."

The man in the short-sleeved shirt turned to look at the man in the suit, who smiled and introduced himself: "I own Phoenix Nightclub."

"Oh..." Han Ling understood, he could tell from the accent, typical Hong Kong-accented Mandarin, "Are your two families collaborating?"

Man in suit: "No, the casino has nothing to do with me. I just came up here for a drink."

Han Ling: "Is it alright? I was able to find this place entirely thanks to your marketing manager."

The man in the suit maintained his smile: "If my men want to make money, I can't stop them, as long as it doesn't affect the nightclub's business." "Stop talking nonsense," the man in the short-sleeved shirt interrupted. "Who sent you? You're not leaving until you tell me."

This person's gambling skills are so high that he absolutely does not believe he is just an ordinary customer.

"You think you can just leave after I tell you?"

"You can leave once you say so."

"Okay." After confirming there were no surveillance cameras in the room, Han Ling got up and went to the man in the short-sleeved shirt. "I was sent by the Criminal Investigation Brigade of the Gu'an Branch. Can I use your phone for a moment?"

The man in the short-sleeved shirt was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard. When he realized what had happened, his expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to make a move, Han Ling's hand had already pressed down on his shoulder, his palm exerting force.

"Don't move."

The sharp pain in his shoulder made the man in the short-sleeved shirt grit his teeth; the other person's strength was immense, and he felt as if he were being crushed by a heavy object.

“If you move even slightly, your arm could fall off. This place will be surrounded soon, and we can’t escape. There’s no need for us to go to the hospital.”

Han Ling smiled and gestured for Tong Feng to use the man in the short-sleeved shirt to call the team.

The text message he sent to Fang Zhou while they were in the private room contained a lot of information, including preparations for the next operation. Once at the casino, he and Tong Feng would adapt to the situation; they might play a couple of rounds and then leave, or they might find an opportunity to make their move inside.

It might seem a bit reckless to the leaders, but blindly following the team's instructions is not Han Ling's style, and undercover investigations are inherently uncertain.

Tong Feng stepped forward and picked up the phone. The phone had no password. During this time, he remained vigilant towards the man in the suit to prevent him from making any unusual moves.

"I already said, it has nothing to do with me, I just came here to drink."

"If you don't believe me, you can check the accounts. I will cooperate unconditionally."

The man in the suit stopped laughing, but he wasn't flustered. The law didn't prohibit making friends with criminals, and he even raised his hand to indicate that he was not in any danger.

Tong Feng was somewhat relieved but not entirely convinced, so he dialed very slowly.

Seeing that he was about to make the call and there would be no chance of escape when a large number of police arrived, the man in the short-sleeved shirt quietly reached for the wine bottle with his left hand, preparing to hit Han Ling on the head.

As long as the commotion on the second floor attracts the attention of the lobby and his men come to his aid, he can escape in the chaos.

"what!!"

The next second, the man in the short-sleeved shirt let out a scream as Han Ling twisted his arm with all his might.

It's just a dislocation; it'll be fine once it's put back in place.

"I told you not to move around, why can't you understand?" Han Ling let go of him. "Opening a casino isn't a big deal. There are plenty of casinos abroad, it's just that it's not allowed in China."

The man in the short-sleeved shirt clutched his arm, sweating profusely from the pain. His angry eyes were tinged with fear; now, even if he wanted to run, he couldn't.

He clearly hadn't expected that a young policeman who looked to be only in his early twenties could be so ruthless, easily dislocating someone's arm.

The man in the suit didn't react much, only looking at Han Ling with surprise. Han Ling was a skilled gambler and acted decisively, maintaining a composure beyond his years from beginning to end. He had never seen a policeman like this in mainland China.

No wonder they were sent on a covert investigation; they're quite capable.

Tong Feng made the call and gave a detailed report on the situation on the fifth floor and the route to get there, including the presence of Sister Meng. He said that the Criminal Investigation Brigade and the Public Security Brigade would arrive within half an hour.

The man in the short-sleeved shirt recovered from the pain after a while, but his arm was temporarily useless. He could only huddle in the corner of the sofa and wait for the police to arrive.

"Who set me on fire?" he asked.

Han Ling took out a cigarette, lit it, and said, "Nobody's here. A gambler died under suspicious circumstances, and we discovered the casino while investigating him."

Upon hearing this, the man in the short-sleeved shirt had a rather interesting expression on his face, and then he swore a few words.

This is really bad luck. The probability of someone dying is so small, how did it happen to him?

There's nothing we can do but accept our fate.

It wasn't that he was careless, nor was there a problem with his business model; it was simply bad luck.

Since he had nothing better to do, Han Ling started chatting with the two men, first asking Xiong Chuan and then Shao Fei, but both said they didn't know them.

It's unlikely that Xiong Chuan's death was related to the casino; the main purpose of this operation was to investigate gambling.

“Officer, I’m just an honest businessman. I’ve never even heard of the murder case you just mentioned,” the man in the suit said.

Han Ling: "Even those who act honestly will not escape being shut down. Your employees introduced customers to the casino, and they are suspected of being accomplices in the crime of operating a casino. I'm sure there are more than one or two of them, right?"
Furthermore, they've gone a bit too far in skirting the edge; it wouldn't be unfair to label them with prostitution allegations.

The man in the suit didn't speak; this was the first time he had remained silent.

"It's okay, taking a break means earning a little less," Han Ling said again. "If you think earning less is a loss, then you're just wasting your time."

The man in the suit sighed, "There's nothing I can do. I'll cooperate unconditionally, just don't force me to close down. Making money isn't easy."

Twenty minutes later.

More than a dozen police cars drove up from a distance and stopped in front of the Phoenix Nightclub. A large number of police officers got out of the cars and rushed in. The team was led by Ji Bowei and Tian Liang, the captain of the public security brigade.

There are roughly forty or fifty police officers, including those from the local police station.

"Leave twenty people behind. Gather all the nightclub staff immediately, not a single one can be missing. From now on, they are prohibited from making phone calls." Ji Bowen gave the order as he walked. "Where is the marketing manager named Sister Meng?"

Fangzhou went upstairs and led Sister Meng to the lobby.

Sister Meng was terrified. Her face, which was already pale from applying powder, became even paler. Faced with the police's request to lead the way, she dared not question or refuse. She obediently led the team from the fire escape to the fourth floor, then from the fourth floor to the fifth floor, and finally stood in front of the casino.

A phone call opened the back door, and this time the casino was met with a raid by the Public Security Bureau.

"Don't move! Crouch down!!"

The man was immediately subdued, and all the police rushed into the casino.

"Police! Don't move!"

Numerous black gun barrels were pointed at gamblers and casino staff, using overwhelming force to suppress any potential incidents.

The second floor.

Han Ling stood up and looked at the chaos below. After waiting for a while, he and Tong Feng led the two down.

Ji Bowen and Tian Liang saw it and quickly walked over.

"What's going on?" Ji Bowei asked, seeing the man in the short-sleeved shirt clutching his arm and looking pained.

Han Ling explained, "He resisted arrest, but it's nothing serious, just a dislocated shoulder. It'll be fixed. He's probably the casino owner."

The man in the short-sleeved shirt opened his mouth, intending to complain about the violent enforcement of the law, but ultimately held back.

The common people can't fight with the officials. Offending the police won't do him any good; he's not being sentenced to death.

Moreover, he did attempt to resist arrest and escape, so it was reasonable for the police to take action.

Ji Bowen nodded slightly, without asking any further questions, and looked at the man in the suit: "Who is this?"

Han Ling: "The owner of Phoenix Nightclub said that the people who come up for drinks have nothing to do with the casino, but I don't know if that's true or not."

Ji Bowei waved, and four police officers stepped forward and took the man in the short-sleeved shirt and the man in the suit away.

"My name is Li Jingqian! Young man, welcome to come for a drink when we reopen!" The man in the suit said to Han Ling before leaving.

Han Ling ignored him.

Since this guy is so confident and composed, it seems he really hasn't done anything illegal or criminal. At most, he might have gotten away with something borderline by pulling some strings.

Han Ling didn't believe that someone could work in entertainment venues in Qingchang for over a decade without some connections.

"Well done." Ji Bowei patted Han Ling on the shoulder.

Perhaps because Tian Liang was present, he did not criticize the other party's recklessness; as long as the outcome was good and no adverse consequences occurred, that was enough.

His requirements for Han Ling were relatively lenient compared to other police officers; outstanding people always have some privileges.

However, when submitting the action report after the case, it is still necessary to say what needs to be said.

The casino investigation would take time. Ji Bowei observed the casino layout and, finding the second-floor stands to be relatively private, began to wonder how Han Ling and her companion had managed to control the casino owner without alerting other casino staff.

Han Ling briefly recounted what had happened.

In any casino in the world, if you win a lot of money, it will definitely attract the attention of the management. That's for sure. It just depends on the size of the casino and the management's tolerance.

Clearly, the casino owner's budget is only a few hundred thousand; if he doesn't step in, he'll feel the pinch.

"The bureau allocated you 50,000, and you can win 500,000?" Ji Bowei looked Han Ling over again, this time genuinely surprised.

Investigative skills can be attributed to a combination of talent and hard work, but what about gambling?
Han Ling laughed and said, "I'm an orphan, with no one to care for me or love me, so I'll have plenty of time to study all sorts of random things."

The words sounded rather melancholic, and Ji Bowei couldn't bear to ask any further, so he gave up.

"Any clues about Xiong Chuan?"

"Well... I don't really have any."

(End of this chapter)