Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

January 1, 1983, 3:30 p.m.

Las Vegas, Nevada.

Although it's the New Year holiday, time has long lost its meaning for this desert city of desire. There is no day or night here, only ever-burning neon lights, perpetually cool air conditioning, and a unique smell in the air that's a mixture of cheap perfume, expensive cigars, and adrenaline.

Red Dragon Hotel.

The casino hall on the first floor was bustling with noise. The electronic music from the slot machines, the friction of the roulette wheel, the rustling of the dealer dealing cards, and the cheers of gamblers when they won and the curses of those who lost all blended together into a symphony of money.

At a blackjack table near the corner of the hall.

A young, refined-looking Asian man in a casual suit was sitting there, toying with two black chips worth one hundred dollars each in his hand.

It was Lu Chen.

Ruan Wen took GOGO and Nishikyo Michiko upstairs to discuss business, as he was not comfortable letting his woman venture into danger alone. Therefore, he and Tian Yangsheng remained in the lobby, posing as ordinary tourists, ready to provide support at any time.

"Banker has 19 points, Player has 18 points. Banker wins."

The dealer expressionlessly took away the chips in front of Lu Chen.

Lu Chen didn't care, he just smiled slightly and threw another hundred dollars on top.

With his exceptional brain and astonishing calculation abilities, he could easily calculate the outcome of this hand within ten minutes if he wanted to, leaving the casino penniless. However, he wasn't there to cause trouble, nor did he want to attract the attention of the casino's security by winning too quickly, thus interfering with Ruan Wen's negotiations upstairs.

Therefore, he chose to "control the score".

Win three times, lose two times; win big, lose small.

He was like a crocodile lurking in the deep water, with a mouthful of fangs, but merely blowing bubbles on the surface, observing everything around him.

"Sir, your luck seems to be running out." The blonde woman next to him couldn't help but strike up a conversation when she saw Lu Chen lose another round, but her eyes lingered on the priceless Patek Philippe on his wrist.

"Who can predict luck?"

Lu Chen took a sip of his martini, his eyes deep. "Sometimes, losing is winning."

Just then.

"Whoosh—!!!"

A tsunami-like gasp suddenly came from the Baccarat area in the center of the hall.

This was followed by thunderous applause and whistles.

"Oh my god! He won again!"

"How many times is this? A long run! This is an unparalleled long run!"

"My God, the dealers at that table turned green!"

The entire hall's attention was instantly drawn to it. Even the dealers at Lu Chen's table couldn't help but crane their necks to look in that direction.

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow slightly.

In Las Vegas, it's not uncommon for people to win money, but those who can cause this level of commotion are definitely not ordinary winners.

"Let's go take a look."

Lu Chen put away the remaining chips, gave the blonde woman a $100 tip, and got up to walk towards the crowd.

……

The area surrounding the VIP area for baccarat was already completely packed with people.

With their exceptional physical abilities, Tian Yangsheng and Tian Yangyong subtly led Lu Chen into the inner circle.

In front of the enormous green gambling table, there was a mountain of chips piled up. A rough estimate put the amount at least five or six hundred thousand US dollars.

Behind the mountain of chips sat a man.

He was in his early thirties, with his signature slicked-back hair, every strand meticulously styled and glossy. He wore a well-tailored black tuxedo with a black bow tie, exuding a composed, elegant, yet undeniably regal aura.

Gao Jin.

Although he was still young and lacked the composure that comes with experience, the aura of a "God of Gamblers" was already beginning to emerge.

At this moment, Gao Jin was leaning back in his chair, his slender fingers gently turning a jade ring on the little finger of his left hand. He wore a half-smile on his face, as if everything before him was under his control.

"Deal the cards."

Gao Jin took out a piece of bitter chocolate with the word "Feodora" printed on it from his pocket, unwrapped it, put it in his mouth, and chewed it gently.

The dealer opposite him was a veteran with twenty years of experience, yet his forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat. His hands were trembling slightly.

So far, eight rounds of betting have been held.

The man in front of them precisely placed all his chips on the "banker" every time.

This aura, this confidence, is as if they can see right through the deck of cards.

"Sir, this hand... is limited to 50,000 reds." The dealer swallowed hard, trying to use the rules to restrict the other party.

"no problem."

Gao Jin smiled, his voice magnetic and gentle, "Then fifty thousand. Banker again."

He casually tossed out five 10,000-dollar chips, his movements as elegant as if he were flipping coins.

Deal the cards.

The player has two cards: 8 of clubs and 1 of diamonds. Total points: 8.

This is a very large number of points.

A collective gasp of regret rippled through the surrounding crowd: "Oh dear! The player has 8 points! The banker is in trouble this round!"

"Looks like the long queue is about to break!"

All eyes were on Gao Jin.

However, Gao Jin's smile didn't even falter. He picked up the two cards in front of him, but instead of turning them over immediately, he stacked them together, leaving only a corner exposed, and slowly rubbed them together.

This is the most classic "squinting" move in baccarat.

But in Gao Jin's hands, it became an art, a ritual.

"Three sides...there are three sides..."

The gamblers around held their breath and whispered along with them.

Gao Jin gave a gentle push with his thumb.

The first card is the Queen of Hearts, with 0 points.

The room erupted in uproar. This meant that the second card had to be a 9, meaning that a "four-sided" or "9" hand had to be drawn to win.

"Looks like his luck has run out?" someone whispered nearby.

Gao Jin remained unmoved. He picked up the second card, his eyes instantly sharpening.

The thumb exerts force again.

"call……"

He gently blew on the card, as if trying to turn it into the number he wanted.

Then, he slammed the cards down on the table.

9 of Spades!

A winning hand! 9 points!

"Banker has 9 points! Player has 8 points! Banker wins!!"

The dealer's voice even changed.

"boom--!!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

"Another win! Nine consecutive wins!"

Gao Jin calmly straightened his collar and gathered his winnings. At this moment, the total amount of chips in front of him was approaching seven hundred thousand US dollars.

Just as he was about to place his tenth bet.

"Sir, please wait a moment."

A middle-aged white man in a dark suit with a name tag hanging on his chest, accompanied by two security guards, squeezed into the crowd, sweating profusely.

He is Smith, the gaming manager at Red Dragon Casino.

"Oh? Respected Manager Smith," Gao Jin turned his chair around, looking at him with a half-smile, "What? A place as big as Red Dragon, can't even afford to lose a few hundred thousand?"

"No, no, no, sir, you've misunderstood."

Manager Smith quickly waved his hand, his face plastered with a professional but stiff smile.

Are you kidding me? Are you kicking me out?

In Las Vegas, kicking someone out without solid evidence of cheating is a major taboo. If word gets out, the Red Dragon Casino's reputation will be ruined, and who would dare gamble there again?

But if we don't hurry...

Smith glanced at the data coming from the monitoring room. If this Asian man continued to play, he would drain the casino's cash flow for the day.

Moreover, that gesture, and that familiar ring… Smith naturally recognized the person before him—Ko Chun, the 'God of Gamblers' who had swept through casinos across Asia!

"Sir, your gambling skills are superb, and we at Red Dragon Casino are deeply impressed."

Smith took a deep breath, pulled a pre-prepared check from his pocket, and handed it over with both hands.

"Here is a Swiss bank draft for one million US dollars."

Smith lowered his voice, almost pleading, "This is the exchange amount for the chips on your table, plus... a small token of our boss's appreciation."

"There happens to be a table available at the Michelin-starred restaurant downstairs. Would you do me the honor of trying their truffles?"

The meaning is quite clear now:

Brother, you've won over 600,000. I'll round it up to a million. Please, stop, give us a break.

The surrounding gamblers were in an uproar.

Casinos are practically handing over money to people to leave? This kind of scene is a once-in-a-decade occurrence!

Everyone looked at Gao Jin, waiting for his reaction. Would he take the money and leave, or continue to fight?

Gao Jin glanced at the check, then at Smith, who was covered in sweat.

He picked up a piece of chocolate, put it in his mouth, stood up, and straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free suit.

"Since Manager Smith is so kind, then I shall accept his offer."

Gao Jin reached out and took the check with an elegant movement. "Perfect timing, I'm hungry too. I've heard your truffles are good."

The unwritten rule in the underworld is to know when to stop.

Ko Chun came to win money, not to make enemies. They've already given him plenty of face and even gave him over $300,000—that's the highest level of courtesy. If he still doesn't know when to stop, he's not a gambling god, but a gambling addict.

"Thank you! Thank you, sir!"

Smith breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had just escaped death. "Sir, this way please."

……

Ten minutes later.

Red Dragon Hotel lobby.

Accompanied by his cousin Gao Yi, Gao Jin walked lightly toward the door, carrying the check.

"The manager's face turned pale with fright," Gao Yi said excitedly to Gao Jin.

"Hehe, what casino owners fear most isn't good luck, but those who know what they're doing." Gao Jin chuckled, preparing to leave.

"Mr. Gao, please wait."

Gao Jin paused, raising his head warily.

A handsome young man with an extraordinary air was standing by the fountain, smiling at him.

"Who are you……"

Gao Jin narrowed his eyes, sizing up the man before him. As a seasoned veteran of the underworld, he could sense the extraordinary aura emanating from the other man.

And this face...

"Mr. Lu from Jiahe?" Gao Jin asked uncertainly.

Although Gao Jin had spent many years living abroad, he had always kept an eye on Hong Kong Island, so he was naturally very familiar with Lu Chen's name. After all, the stories of Golden Harvest's acquisition of Hong Kong Electric and Golden Harvest Security's pacification of the Grand Hyatt Hotel were widely known in Chinese communities.

"Just call me Lu Chen."

"Haha, I never expected to meet a business genius from Hong Kong Island here. I've heard so much about you." Ko Chun extended his hand.

"Mr. Gao, you flatter me." Lu Chen smiled and shook Gao Jin's hand. "Mr. Gao's demeanor at the gambling table just now was truly breathtaking. I admire your skill in bluffing."

"A trivial skill, just enough to make a living."

Gao Jin smiled modestly, but his expression relaxed. Since it was Lu Chen, he couldn't possibly be a thug from the casino, nor was he here for revenge.

"Mr. Lu, what brings you to Las Vegas? Maybe you're just here for a couple of games during the Lunar New Year?"

"I came here with my wife to discuss some business," Lu Chen pointed upstairs, "I never expected to run into the legendary God of Gamblers here."

The two exchanged a few pleasantries in the lobby.

One is a business tycoon, the other a gambling legend. Although they are from different fields, they are both top figures in their respective industries, and their conversation was quite congenial.

【Ding--】

[Key plot character detected: Gao Jin]

[Checking in at the movie "God of Gamblers"]

[Check-in successful.]

[Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point]

【Ding--】

[Key plot character detected: Gao Yi]

[Checking in at the movie "God of Gamblers"]

[Check-in successful.]

[Reward: +1 Free Attribute Point]

"Mr. Gao."

Just before parting, Lu Chen suddenly called out to Gao Jin.

He pulled a black and gold business card from his pocket and handed it over.

"Although Lu didn't understand gambling, he knew that this line of work was very risky. If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet."

Lu Chen looked at Gao Jin and said meaningfully, "Especially people like Mr. Gao who possess extraordinary skills are more likely to attract jealousy."

"This is the business card of our subsidiary, Jiahe Security Company."

"If you unfortunately encounter any trouble that you can't handle, or if you need protection..." Lu Chen pointed to the special number on the business card, "Call this number, and no matter where you are in the world, Jiahe Security will arrive immediately."

Gao Jin accepted the business card.

It was a card made of pure metal, with only a gold shield logo and a string of numbers on it. It was heavy and had a very high-quality feel.

He looked into Lu Chen's sincere eyes and his heart stirred slightly.

As a seasoned veteran, he certainly knew the importance of "security." Especially recently, he had a vague feeling that some people around him were acting strangely.

"Thank you, Mr. Lu."

Gao Jin solemnly placed the business card into his inner pocket, patted his chest, and said, "I will remember this favor. If I have the opportunity to visit Hong Kong Island in the future, I will definitely pay you a visit."

"You're welcome anytime."

Lu Chen smiled.

He knew that this business card might one day become the key to saving this "God of Gamblers".

……

After seeing Gao Jin off.

As soon as Lu Chen turned around, the door to the private elevator opened.

Ruan Wen emerged with GOGO and Nishiwaki Michiko. Her face showed a hint of fatigue, but even more so, an air of confidence that commanded everything.

"All done?" Lu Chen went up to her and naturally put his arm around her waist.

"Um."

Ruan Wen nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "That greedy Ryan simply can't refuse the terms I offer. The $100 million 'sample' has been handed over, and the official transaction will take place in three days."

"Thanks for your hard work."

Lu Chen kissed her on the cheek. "Shall we go home?"

"go home."

Ten minutes later.

A black Bell helicopter took off from the roof of the Red Dragon Hotel.

Lu Chen sat in the cabin, looking out the window at the brightly lit, sinful city below.

Under the dazzling neon lights, Gao Jin got into a stretch Lincoln and drove off into the distance; Ryan was still dreaming of getting rich in his suite; and the wolf named Tan Ruiqi was sharpening his claws in the shadows.

Everyone has their own situation.

Lu Chen, on the other hand, is the one who stands on the cloud, overlooking the chess game.