The Strange Adventures of Hearn the Believer

“No problem, Miss Van Mielion, what you’re looking for is right here. However, there are rules, or rather, rules of the game, here. We have to win to a certain point before we can get back what you’re looking for.”

Coming to her senses, Dominic looked at the dazzling, kaleidoscopic world on the field, beads of cold sweat appearing on her temples. However, since her lady had asked for her help, she gritted her teeth and forced a practiced explanation.

"Don't worry, I have some experience in this area."

……

Chapter 256 Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Night (Part 7)

Experience my ass...

A moment later, Dominic, sitting at the round table, looked ashen-faced.

Heaven has mercy, she couldn't even figure out how to play a few hands of cards at the party, and her understanding of the gambling industry was limited to movies. In essence, she was just a complete novice.

Love makes people blind, and unrequited love can lead to brain damage. Now that things have come to this, Dominic can admit that he was lusting after Miss Van Mielion's body and couldn't bear to see her return in tears, so he finally took up arms. However, as the saying goes, don't take on a job you're not qualified for, and once you're in a difficult situation, it's too late to back down.

Actually, it's not Dominic's fault. According to the normal work process, she was just a conscientious driver. Wherever she was needed, she would drive Mr. Hearn, who was just slacking off, to the location, park the car, find a safe corner to smoke a cigarette, time it right before returning to the scene, throw the lazy dog ​​Hearn, who had finished his business, back into the car, drive away, and that would be the end of her day's work.

Hearn's style of handling affairs was concise and clear. As a man of few words, he would rather use his fists than his words, and he would rather take a direct approach than a roundabout one, highlighting his efficiency.

Actually, Dominic had already figured out what was going on when he jumped into the sea. It was obvious that he was going to dive in and quickly destroy the subspace exchange hidden below. He didn't expect that the Mostima family's business interests were behind this, which is why Mostima had to struggle to pull him back, and why Dominic had just gotten 20 million in chips for free...

Thinking of this, Dominic's gaze slid to a corner of the dance floor, where he saw that the two bastards had already started drinking, and no matter how you looked at it, it was Mostima pouring the drinks, being attentive, smiling and apologizing, while Hearn still looked like a lazy dog ​​who had given up on life.

It's all about human relationships, both overt and covert, so the conclusion can be drawn—Domi didn't expect these two bastards to provide her with any direct assistance.

Moreover, Mostima had already made his point clear, and Dominic, who was at least a native of Hell, understood the true nature of this place.

This subspace, known as "Old Dreams," appears to be a complex of social venues that combine auction houses, casinos, and brothels, but in reality, it is a traditional hell facility full of classical charm.

What is tradition? It's probably the cultural facilities that follow the main base, mines, farmland, and barracks.

What other traditional industries can the devils of hell work in?

Of course, it's the same as always—here's a contract. Take a look, if there are no problems, just sign it willingly, before you die.

When Mostima mentioned that she wouldn't be able to explain herself to the old folks if things got out of hand, Dominic understood what she meant.

Such venues exist in Hell. Their true purpose is to provide high-quality contract clients and potential henchmen to the powerful demons, serving as a talent market in one aspect. However, the selection method chosen by this venue is gambling.

Dominica was already strange; how could a casino be associated with the rumored "dreams come true"? So it's not surprising that this connection was brought up.

After all, for an ordinary mortal to be able to connect with a powerful demon who is not even in the same dimension through gambling is itself a way to realize a "dream".

What Gomorrah has no shortage of is this kind of desperate dreamer who has nothing.

Otherwise, why would it be called the Sin City Grand Stage? If you have a dream, come and join us.

……

After looking around, Dominic sat down at a gambling table that seemed simple and easy to understand to her. The cool-looking cat dealer affectionately explained the rules to her, a game of guessing high or low that even a complete novice like Dominic could easily pick up.

The six six-sided dice were reassuring enough, and the range of possible outcomes was clear enough. Miss Van Mielion stood beside Dominic with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness, her soft, boneless little hands trembling slightly as she placed them on Dominic's left shoulder.

This sudden tremor really made Xiao Duomi's heart flutter, and without thinking, he carelessly threw out a chip that represented half of his wealth, betting big.

As for why she bet on the big one, Domi's mind wasn't clear, but her left shoulder and back should have been clearer than her mind.

By the time he realized what had happened, it was too late. Once the bet was placed, there was no going back. Amidst the urging, intimidation, and jeers from the other gamblers at the table, Xiao Duomi, with a stiff face, propped his chin up with one hand to try and remain calm.

At this moment, even the croupier's charming smile seemed sinister to her.

Oh no, I forgot about the possibility that these catgirls might be cheating.

Dominique's alarm bells rang. She then realized that in a regular casino, aside from cheating, most problems could indeed be attributed to mathematical issues. But in a casino run by these devils, could there be any mathematical problems? Wouldn't it all be a matter of metaphysics?

Why do I have this feeling of impending doom, like I'll lose everything in the next round and get thrown out by security?

Dominic's initial plan was to find a way to accumulate enough leverage to make contact with the backers of "Old Dreams," and then directly negotiate to exchange those leverage for the lost manual.

But now she has no choice.

Because a fat sheep went all in, what was originally an ordinary and simple gambling game at this table was actually a game of hidden currents. Although Domi was a bit of a mage on the path of spellcasting, it did not mean that she was completely unaware of the Etheric Flow. Both her senses and intuition told her that it was a foregone conclusion that someone was cheating at this table.

In other words, of the 20 million that Mostima paid, half of it is now going to be lost before it even gets off the ground.

Once the bets are placed, the dealer uncovers the dice cup.

Amidst a collective gasp and hiss, Domi, who was almost unable to bear watching anymore, forced himself to focus and lock onto the result.

No more, no less, six sixes lay boldly on the gambling table, a sure sign of betting big.

"We won. As expected of Miss Dominic, she's really reliable."

Behind her came Miss Vanmillion's soft exclamation, her pleasant voice revealing her delight.

"???"

Dominic was completely bewildered, staring blankly as the waitress piled up a small mountain of chips for her.

A gaze that seemed to want to chew her bones swept across the gamblers from all directions. Domi snapped out of her daze and forced herself to remain calm, wondering to herself if she was really lucky today.

Of course not. Over the years, Domi has a full and objective self-awareness of her luck and past life.

Since it's not luck, then it must be...

She glanced discreetly at a corner of the dance floor and saw those two bastards still living a life of debauchery, completely oblivious to little Domi, who might be killed by the gambling addicts at any moment.

Of course, this is only on the surface.

Dominic calmed down and, in order to verify her conjecture, this time she threw out a relatively small amount of chips, but bet on a specific result of 60 times the stake.

Yes, she bet on six "1s" that were practically betting on a ghost.

Any dealer with a modicum of sense could not produce such a bizarre result; it's a game where the dealer is essentially throwing money away.

Then, as is customary, the bets are placed and the dealer reveals the result—six bizarre "1"s lying casually on the gambling table, surrounded by a group of bettors, including the dealer, who all stare at each other in disbelief.

It turned out to be the case.

I understand.

Dominic sat upright at the gambling table, but a pretentious smile appeared on his face, which was undeniably irritating.

Since it was a gamble based on metaphysics that had nothing to do with probability from the very beginning, it meant that this casino was a hunting ground where gamblers could show off their skills. Those who were not skilled would either lose everything or be exposed by the house and taken away, their fate unknown.

Dominic, on the other hand, had no such concerns. The current situation was undoubtedly due to Hearn, that lazy dog, remotely controlling and supporting her. All she needed to do was go all in on this hunting ground and fight until the mastermind behind the scenes couldn't hold back and left in order to stop the losses.

"What did you do early?"

Dominic, who understood the situation, was in high spirits. It was rare to have someone backing him up, so how could he not indulge himself?

war!

……

Chapter 257 Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Night (Part 8)

What followed was unusually simple.

Dominic couldn't quite grasp that feeling, but in her memory, in the period that followed, the whole world opened its doors to her.

Even if the area she operates in is not large, merely a casino located in subspace.

From the simplest guessing game to the later, increasingly complex and confusing games, most of which have names that are hard to remember.

Dominique was disgusted by gambling, repulsed by it, and kept her at arm's length. She even believed that she would never set foot in such a place unless absolutely necessary.

Yet she truly embodied the meaning of "winning, winning, winning, winning, winning" amidst the envious and red-eyed gazes of countless gamblers.

As she progressed, the small mountain of chips quickly grew into a large mountain, and was even more quickly exchanged for chips of larger denominations. Later, she simply abandoned the external form in order to facilitate the existence of recorded data.

Dominic's dark horse performance quickly caught the attention of the management of [Old Dream]. The henchmen behind the scenes came looking for her, wanting to challenge her within the rules. However, they were all kicked out by Dominic after just one round.

Thus, the claws and fangs that followed the bloodline grew ever more powerful, the battle became ever more intense, and the so-called rules of the contest became ever more precarious.

There's a sense of crisis that if the bookmaker turns hostile, Xiao Duomi will be crippled and taken to the backstage area to disappear forever.

However, Dominic did not have such worries. Or rather, on a superficial level, he did have a sense of crisis that thought, "Oh no, what am I going to do? I'm going to get my arms and legs broken and be dragged backstage to be turned into a cream puff." But on a deeper level, he only had a reckless and open-minded belief that just charging forward was the right thing to do.

The reason for this is nothing more than that.

Thanks to his time in the Bay Area, Dominic inevitably encounters gambling addicts in the store, and "Lady Luck is on her side" is the most common nonsense and unrealistic fantasy of these scoundrels.

Domi, who had always scoffed at this, now truly understood what it meant for Lady Luck to have her legs outstretched.

Dominic glanced subconsciously at the two slackers lounging around the wine pool, and an indescribable image inexplicably popped into her mind. This association made Dominic's vision go black, so she shook her head violently and finally corrected the image in her mind to the image of "the goddess of fortune being forced to spread her legs towards Dominic because a bloody butcher's knife was held to her neck by a villain."

Phew, that's much better.

Dominic consoled himself.

The threshold for getting to the point had already been reached. After several unsuccessful attempts to obstruct, a hapless manager, who was clearly being pushed out to appease the situation and kept wiping cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, stepped out from behind the scenes. He extended an invitation to Dominic and her companion, Miss Van Mielion, regarding the special rule that Mostima had mentioned.

Finally, Dominique no longer needs to prove her "ability" in the betting world. Now, she is qualified to go behind the scenes and become a potential "dream chaser" who may realize her dream.

Although in Gomorrah, the word "dream-chasing" has always been a mixed bag.

"no problem."

Dominique took Miss Van Mielion's hand, which was indeed a courageous thing for her, and after the courage came confidence. She told Miss Van Mielion that everything was going according to plan.

It's time to retrieve the book Miss Van Mielion lost.

"You will not be disturbed here until you get what you want."

The behind-the-scenes representative of "Old Dreams" humbly bowed to Dominic before taking his leave.

Dominic and Miss Van Mielion turned around, lifted the curtain, and stepped into a respectable drawing room.

Inside the hall, everything one could need to receive guests was provided, but Dominic and his party were actually focused on the coffee table at the table.

Yes, a coffee table.

In more ancient times, it might have been a guillotine, a cross, a gallows, or even an ancient six-pointed star ritual site, but today, its form has become more refined and flexible.

In Mostima's prior notice, this coffee table... cough, this ceremonial venue, is actually a dreamlike place provided by [Old Dream] for the exceptional individuals who can reach this place.

To put it more pragmatically, visitors can use the "Old Dreams" treasure trove to take away one item, and only one item, that they desire.

To put it more ideally...

Dominic couldn't contain her excitement as she browsed through the treasure trove of "Old Dreams." Soon, she found the book she had added to the collection half a month ago in the well-organized list of items.

Search, identify, select, extract – all in one smooth process.

Black mist appeared on the coffee table, and a simple, unadorned, even unremarkable, scroll quickly revealed its true form within the mist.

With Miss Van Mielion's quiet confirmation, Dominic was certain that they had succeeded and it was time to leave.

When Dominic reached out and pulled the lost book out of the black mist, he felt that its weight and texture were off.

After a dizzying spin, Dominic's gaze began to rise from the floor upwards.

Her sense of touch didn't lie; the book's weight was indeed off.

Something was wrong with a strange creature that was brought out of the black mist along with the book.

It was a small animal that, no matter how you looked at it, went beyond the realm of realism. It had a pair of large, dark red eyes like copper bells, whiskers that were so neatly arranged that they were perfectly symmetrical, and a mouth that stretched all the way to the base of its ears... oh, in the conventional sense of the base of the ears, in short, it was full of absurd and impressionistic style.

The black cat of unknown origin opened its absurdly large mouth and swallowed Miss Van Mielion's collection of books whole. Then it jumped onto the sofa opposite the coffee table, lay down lazily, and stretched out its sharp claws to pick its teeth.

"Sigh, I just don't understand. Why can't these young girls learn to behave properly? They should be in school, what kind of behavior is it to come to a casino and cause trouble?"

This was the only sentence Dominic heard from the cat before he lost consciousness.

……

"Oh no, Hearn, something's happened to Domi!"

Mostima, who was lounging on the sofa by the wine pool with her legs crossed, suddenly shuddered. She looked incredulously at the path leading to the behind-the-scenes world. After regaining her senses, she began to shake another lounging companion beside her.

"?" Opening her eyes, the sleepy-eyed believer cast a questioning look at Mostima.

"What do you mean? Isn't pretending to be clueless at a time like this a waste of time? You've always been the one protecting Xiao Duomi, haven't you? You should know better than me what she's going through!"

Although Mostima had only met Dominic twice, she quite liked this country girl who was a bit cunning but also quite innocent at heart. In addition, given her relationship with Iota, she would have a hard time explaining to Iota if something happened to little Dominic in her territory.

"Mm," the believer replied with a brief nod.

"What do you mean by 'huh'?" Mostima started shaking him by the neck, incredulous. Was this guy still asleep?

"What I mean is, I know about what happened over there. Also, it seems you've misunderstood."

"What could I possibly have misunderstood?"

"From the time I walked in until I fell asleep, only half a bottle of wine was left. In fact, I didn't do anything for Domi from beginning to end."