Gunpowder Plate Armor and the Magic Revolution

Most of them only had one or two pitiful copper coins in their hands, and had no money to gamble with, but they still craned their necks and squeezed around the gambling table, their eyes fixed on the dice and cards on the table, shouting and yelling at the people at the gambling table until their faces turned red.

Even if winning or losing has nothing to do with you, you can still experience a moment of madness and a feeling of euphoria brought on by the release of dopamine in this extreme stimulation.

The bustling crowd provided excellent cover for Noze and his group.

"This is the low-stakes zone, which focuses on low entry barriers. You can start with just one copper coin as the ante. The games are all about comparing sizes and guessing odd or even, the simplest games. A game is over in just a few dozen seconds, very fast."

He gestured for the two men to look at the casino staff standing next to the gambling table.

"See? Every time a hand is opened, regardless of whether you win or lose, the casino takes a cut. Don't be fooled by the low ante; because so many people play, the bets run out quickly. In a day, the casino can make a lot of money just from the coins played by these lowly players."

"Most of these people have lost all their money and just squat on the side watching. They don't cause any trouble. They are both customers of the casino and the best backdrop. If we blend in, no one will pay much attention to us."

Nozer nodded, subtly scanning his surroundings.

He could clearly see that thugs carrying machetes were standing everywhere in the corners of the casino, their eyes fiercely watching the commotion inside. Anyone who dared to cause trouble would probably be dragged out and have their legs broken in the next second.

Sophie remained quietly by their side, her large hood obscuring her face, making it impossible to tell whether she was male or female, and naturally, no lecherous men came to cause trouble.

The three of them walked through the gaps in the crowd. The deeper they went, the thinner the crowd became. A half-person-high wooden fence stood in front of them, and a woman was standing next to the fence.

The space behind the fence was completely different from the outside. The gambling tables were more refined and covered with coarse cloth that wasn't very clean.

There were only a few people sitting around, most of whom were dressed fairly decently. Norze guessed that these people were either black market dealers with goods in hand or minor leaders of the guild.

"This is the inner area."

Graham stopped and continued in a low voice, "It's the exact opposite of outside. Here, the ante is high, and the commission is very low, practically nonexistent. The games played are mostly Baccarat, Blackjack, and Primello, which are more complex card games."

"Is Commander Monet in here?"

"Noze asked in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over the few people in the inner room, but he did not see anyone who matched the description."

"It's definitely there."

Graham raised an eyebrow, his tone certain, "Monet is too arrogant. He doesn't even look at the outside world. Besides, the things he buys on the black market all year round are very valuable. If he only gambles in the outside world, he would work himself to death and still not make enough money."

"Why would Commander Monet need so much money to buy things on the black market?"

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? If you really want to know, just go ask him yourself when it's all over."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the heavily made-up, scantily clad woman guarding the gate approached him, rubbing her ample breasts against Graham's arm. Her tone was extremely affected, "Please wait, gentlemen. There is an entrance fee to enter the inner area. It costs five copper coins per person."

Graham looked at the woman who was pressing herself against him. Although he felt a bit disgusted, he didn't refuse her out of a sense of pretense.

With a wicked grin, he pulled a handful of copper coins from his inner pocket and threw them at the woman's chest. The coins jingled as they fell to the ground.

"No need to count, consider the extra as my tip."

Graham now embodies the demeanor of a nouveau riche that everyone hates.

While the woman was frantically picking up the copper coins, the three of them calmly pushed open the gate and went inside.

As soon as the three stepped into the inner area, a waiter wearing a vest and a big smile quickly came up to them. He was bent over so low that he almost broke in two, and his eyes darted around the three of them, clearly thinking they were easy targets who had money in their pockets but knew nothing.

"Distinguished guests, please come in, please come in!"

The waiter rubbed his hands together, pointed eagerly to the brightest-lit table at the back of the casino, and deliberately spoke in a fawning voice, "That's the liveliest table in our casino. Shall I take you three there? I guarantee you'll have a blast!"

Noze glanced in the direction he was pointing and saw several flushed gamblers sitting around a table, their eyes filled with the madness of having tasted success.

The dealer behind the table dealt the cards with practiced ease, his movements few but quick and precise, clearly intending to rip off these gamblers who thought they had great luck.

These casino-run betting schemes are clearly scams; they give you a little taste of success first, then suddenly rip you off when you're completely carried away.

In casinos, it's best to play games where you compete and strategize against other gamblers.

Blackjack and Baccarat are the most popular card games played against other people. Although playing a different game doesn't guarantee a big win, at least you won't get ripped off by the casino.

Graham understood this perfectly well; in his eyes, such tricks were no different from children playing house.

However, as the saying goes, it's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. If they don't give this waiter some benefits, they probably won't have a smooth ride.

Graham ignored the waiter's comment, instead taking out a gleaming silver shield from his pocket, casually twirling it between his fingers, and tossing it into the waiter's arms.

Don't give me that.

Graham's tone was utterly arrogant, typical of a nouveau riche. "Leave that table for someone else. Take us to the card room, the biggest game out there. Don't try to fool me with small stakes. I have plenty of money. Consider this silver shield a tip, get it?"

The waiter hurriedly caught the silver shield, his eyes widening as his fingertips touched the cold metal.

He hurriedly stuffed the silver shield into his pocket, bent even lower, and repeatedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes! I'll take you three there right away! Please follow me!"

The waiter led the way, passing the card game in the lobby, and led the three into a half-open wooden door on the side.

Behind the door was a private room with only one ornately decorated gambling table. Compared to the hustle and bustle outside, it was much quieter here, and there were not many people. Only four gamblers were playing "Primeiro" at the table.

The air in the private room was filled with the pungent smell of cheap whiskey.

Nozer looked up and immediately spotted Monet von Schönfeld sitting directly opposite him.

At this moment, Monet was casually holding a few cards in one hand and a half-empty bottle of whiskey in the other, with a pile of copper coins and silver shields in front of him as high as a small mountain.

But his eyes were unfocused, and he didn't look at the cards in his hand carefully at all. He exuded a sense of decadence and indifference.