It had already been ten days since Ho Cheon-an’s group had stayed at the Tang Clan.
“Hmm.”
Wi Seoryeon sat on a mat, looking around. The sunlight shone just right, and since they were surrounded by buildings, it was quite a serene place.
“I heard the entire Tang Clan has been newly built, but it’s surprising to find such a place.”
“Hehe, right?”
Wi Seoryeon chuckled as she watched Tang Rye-ah, who was beaming with pride at the compliment. Seeing her happy expression made her feel that the gradual breaking down of emotional walls over the past few days was worth it.
While chewing on the rice ball offered by Rye-ah, Wi Seoryeon petted Seo Gong, who was munching on Spirit Herbs beside her.
“I heard the sound of rough hoofbeats and Miss Tang Do-yeon’s laughter yesterday. It seems the Bicheongmacha repair is nearly complete.”
“I hoped it wouldn’t be fixed…”
“Ha ha, would Miss Tang Do-yeon really want to see that?”
The comforting atmosphere, the cute Rye-ah, the fur of Seo Gong that boasted a special texture, and even the lively chatter of Ho Cheon-an’s group—it was truly a moment of relaxation.
Immersed in such tranquility, Wi Seoryeon answered Rye-ah’s curious questions about the Heavenly Demon Sect leisurely or joined in Ho Cheon-an’s conversations while glancing at the dozing Seo Gong before looking up at the sky.
“It’s getting close to the time.”
Although this sudden statement from Wi Seoryeon was unexpected, everyone present understood what she meant. It was time to head to the gambling hall for their wager against the Tang Clan.
“Speaking of which, how’s the win-loss record lately?”
At the question from the Black Cat, Wi Seoryeon recalled the gambling bouts against the Tang Clan.
For a day that Wi Seoryeon won, the next day the Tang Clan would win, leading to a current score of 5 to 4, with Wi Seoryeon barely ahead by one win.
“If we don’t lose today, we can solidify our chances.”
Leaving that remark, Wi Seoryeon set off toward the Tang Clan’s gambling hall.
Now accustomed to the path leading to the gambling hall, her heart raced with anticipation.
The Tang Clan, who had won with overwhelming skill against Wi Seoryeon, faced her with the same approach the next day, but it didn’t turn out well.
Wi Seoryen had begun to grasp psychological warfare, and their prepared techniques were insufficient to hinder her.
The Tang Clan thought their gambling with Wi Seoryeon would end naturally, pouring everything they had into it, only to be caught off guard when the competition extended unexpectedly.
After regrouping and winning another round, they found themselves in a position where they couldn’t simply overwhelm Wi Seoryeon with sophisticated techniques.
Dedicated to countering the Tang Clan’s skills, Wi Seoryeon and the Tang Clan had embarked on a series of matches.
After nine intense bouts, five had gone in Wi Seoryeon’s favor, and today they stood before the tenth match.
Grasping the door handle of the gambling hall, she recalled the recent results. A total score of 5 wins and 4 losses could be considered nearly even, but the Tang Clan had just suffered two consecutive defeats until yesterday, sharpening their blades for revenge.
Wi Seoryeon herself could hardly sleep the night after a loss.
Surely, the Tang Clan had been restless through the night, preparing countermeasures.
Curious about what counterplans the Tang Clan would bring, Wi Seoryeon opened the door to the gambling hall with an expectant smile, only to harden her expression.
“Welcome.”
It was the gambling table where the Tang Clan and Wi Seoryeon always faced off.
Seated there was Tang Do-gyeong.
Despite Wi Seoryeon’s not being well-acquainted with many people, she had heard of Tang Do-gyeong through various channels.
Not the fighting dog Tang Do-gyeong of the Martial World, but the rumors of the gambler Tang Do-gyeong.
As soon as he appeared at the gambling table, he had swept all the hidden weapons of the Tang Clan into his pocket.
At such a young age, he possessed gambling skills comparable to the family head.
His gambling prowess was said to have reached heavenly heights, frequenting games with the Poison Doctor.
What had the Black Cat said about him?
While many had been taught gambling by Ho Cheon-an, she noted that Tang Do-gyeong was the closest to Ho Cheon-an’s disciple.
Considering the distribution in the Martial World, even disregarding that, it wouldn’t be strange to call him the best gambler of the Tang Clan.
With such a person opposing her, even the mighty Wi Seoryeon couldn’t help but be tense.
“Are you my opponent today?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmm. What breeze blew in suddenly?”
Wi Seoryeon’s question wasn’t without reason.
What could have prompted the Tang Clan to deploy Tang Do-gyeong, who was the strongest among those capable of facing Wi Seoryeon?
The Tang Clan felt a necessity to conclude this gambling contest.
Wi Seoryeon could only perceive the situation as a threat posed by Tang Do-gyeong’s appearance.
“We can’t leave the Tang Clan’s hidden weapons in the hands of outsiders forever. So today, I wish to wager all the hidden weapons of the Tang Clan.”
It had already been ten days since the hidden weapons had gone back and forth, yet he chose now to say this.
Wi Seoryeon felt Tang Do-gyeong’s response was just a flimsy excuse but didn’t press the matter further.
She was simply flustered by the totally unexpected situation, not wanting to forego her duel with Tang Do-gyeong.
“Fine! What’s the game?”
“Golpae.”
“Hmm. I heard your specialty is the gambling game.”
“That’s right.”
Tang Do-gyeong didn’t deny it.
“I just thought Golpae would be a fitting game to decide the winner.”
Wi Seoryeon’s eyebrows twitched.
You’re saying I don’t even have to fully unleash my skills in my specialty against someone who could be an easy opponent?
That’s how Wi Seoryeon interpreted Tang Do-gyeong’s words.
“I’ll make you regret those words.”
With a fierce smile spreading across Wi Seoryeon’s lips, the gambling began.
In the initial phase, where there was no information on the pairs, Wi Seoryeon proposed her bets.
“I’ll put in two.”
“I’ll go all in.”
“I’ll raise to three.”
“I’ll fold.”
Wi Seoryeon felt a heaviness in her chest at Tang Do-gyeong’s calmness while abandoning the hand. This was precisely the method preferred by Ho Cheon-an.
Ho Cheon-an placed more value on ‘information’ than anyone else at the gambling table.
What techniques would be used and what psychology or opportunities were they aiming for?
For opponents to acquire information, they had to be coerced into wagering, while he cared little for losing stakes when needing to hide or distort his information.
Contrary to the other gamblers, who would readily sell their information if an opportunity arose, Ho Cheon-an was completely different, and Tang Do-gyeong’s choice was strongly tinted with that trait.
Just that alone put immense psychological pressure on Wi Seoryeon.
Having gambled extensively with Ho Cheon-an, she acutely understood how wide the gap in skill between them was.
The rounds continued to pass.
As the seventh round went by, the numbers of each hand began to be revealed, and Wi Seoryeon felt as if her head was about to explode. She had to keep track of the known card positions in her mind while accurately observing how Tang Do-gyeong’s hands changed with every movement.
Confident she couldn’t fully comprehend Tang Do-gyeong’s motions, she could only store all the suspicious plays in her mind, pondering possible outcomes, and the branches of possibilities had long since filled her head.
Perhaps sensing Wi Seoryeon’s state, Tang Do-gyeong boldly placed his bets just as the deck was shuffled.
“I’ll raise three.”
Starting off strong, Wi Seoryeon observed his movements, rushing to recall all she could about the cards. If she hadn’t missed anything, one of Tang Do-gyeong’s cards must be a 33. The remaining card lacked information.
In contrast, Wi Seoryeon held a 10 and a 20, creating a total worth of 50.
“Perhaps Tang Do-gyeong also knows I’m holding a 20.”
Since the 10 had never come out before, it was mysterious, and the range of variables was too broad to definitively conclude the identity of the remaining card.
While the 33 was the highest number among Golpae cards, it couldn’t score higher without an 18 or more in hand. In contrast, while the 20 might not seem high, it had various scoring rules. Trying to bet against the unknown could yield unpredictable outcomes.
“I’ll take three and raise two more.”
“I’ll also take two and raise one.”
Wi Seoryeon chuckled at Tang Do-gyeong following along.
Strictly speaking, the odds leaned slightly in Tang Do-gyeong’s favor, yet the current situation was practically 50-50. Nonetheless, he seemed unhesitant in raising the stakes.
“Betting here is the familiar style of Ho Cheon-an. The chances aren’t negligible, so winnings are beneficial. Even in loss, you gain information.”
With the board of cards halfway revealed at a point where 32 cards, 14 of which were unveiled, Wi Seoryeon aimed to gauge how much Tang Do-gyeong had learned about her hand.
Betting time passed with neither player hesitating to expend their full effort, which heightened the tension for the spectators, as the Tang Clan was compelled to stay alert, eager to grasp the ongoing techniques.
“Five!”
“I’ll take five.”
“I’ll take two.”
Yet, since they laid all their best cards on the table, neither would back down when they were confident about their hand.
Despite the stakes merely amounting to one hundred, any collision could mean losing twenty or thirty at a time, with no one able to predict the direction it might take. The Tang Clan could only grip their hands out of nervousness.
An unrestrained exchange of bets blazed brightly!
But as time passed, the entire match started to tilt toward Tang Do-gyeong.
“I’ll wager three.”
“I’ll call.”
Wi Seoryeon’s hand revealed 2 and 18. Tang Do-gyeong’s showed 20 and 17. Upon seeing his hand, a sigh escaped Wi Seoryeon’s lips. With both parties drawing on their techniques, how could anyone accurately identify the cards?
Already the duel had turned into a bloody brawl; these gambling games had become a murky fight.
In such murkiness, Tang Do-gyeong struck true, leaving Wi Seoryeon staggering in an unfavorable position.
Now only five cards remained from the betting pool.
Feeling the impending necessity to wager, Wi Seoryeon bit her lip.
She had exhausted every technique learned until now along with new skills gained from contending against the Tang Clan. But what card should she put on the line?
Wi Seoryeon paused, her hand lingering, but Tang Do-gyeong and the Tang Clan waited patiently without rushing her.
They sensed she was preparing her final move with all her remaining cards.
How long did the silence linger in the Tang Clan’s gambling hall?
*Smack! Smack!*
Wi Seoryeon’s hand started to move.
And the Tang Clan’s eyes fixed on her card shuffling with keen intensity.
‘How bold!’
‘No hiding!’
Her hand movements revealed an absence of deception in how she shuffled. It occurred to her viewers that she practically taunted them.
“Let’s see, if you can guess, give it your best shot.”
A texture of near arrogance emanated from her confident stance. But that bold hand was as solid as a wall. The Tang Clan sighed over the inevitable outcome.
No matter how acute a vision one might have, they couldn’t see what unfolded behind such a large wall!
While it was clear the cards had been shuffled, how they had been arranged remained elusive.
Tang Do-gyeong understood Wi Seoryeon’s play instinctively.
This tactic echoed Ho Cheon-an’s!
Yet half of that inference was indeed correct.
Ho Cheon-an had never shared his gambling techniques with Wi Seoryeon, his supporter.
Nonetheless, in her battles against Ho Cheon-an, his methods weren’t concealed, allowing her to acquire some of the techniques he employed.
*Smack!*
With Ho Cheon-an’s maneuver complete, their hands presented the cards to Tang Do-gyeong and Wi Seoryeon.
“I’ll call the basic and bet the rest.”
Just as expected, Wi Seoryeon placed all her five remaining cards on the line. All eyes in the Tang Clan turned to Tang Do-gyeong. Had he managed to see through her play? If so, he would go all in; if not, he would be defeated.
Tang Do-gyeong made his decision.
“Five. I bet five.”
With that pronouncement, he revealed his hand: 11 and 16, totaling 27 points. A less-than-impressive number that darkened the Tang Clan’s expressions.
“Ha.”
As Wi Seoryeon gazed at Tang Do-gyeong’s revealing hand, she let out an indistinct sigh and flipped her own.
9 and 17, totaling 25 points.
It was Wi Seoryeon’s defeat.
“Ha!”
“That was an incredible match! Truly remarkable!”
“Both of you were magnificent!”
The Tang Clan members, who had been holding their breath during the contest, finally erupted with pent-up excitement. Wi Seoryeon questioned the slightly crumpled Tang Do-gyeong.
“How did you decipher my final play? How did you realize I couldn’t produce a winning move?”
“The last technique you used was certainly Ho Cheon-an’s. Isn’t that so?”
Nodding, Wi Seoryeon acknowledged. It wasn’t surprising that Tang Do-gyeong, having been trained by Ho Cheon-an, recognized that he had adapted that style.
Hearing that he knew Ho Cheon-an’s style but still chose to use it made sense. It was an unpredictable technique where recognizing it didn’t guarantee an outcome.
Nevertheless, Tang Do-gyeong had perceived Wi Seoryeon’s clumsy maneuver; was there a counter to this seemingly invincible technique?
This intrigued Wi Seoryeon to no end.
“I didn’t counter Ho Cheon-an’s play. Truthfully, I had no grasp of the card numbers.”
However, Tang Do-gyeong’s reply diverged entirely from Wi Seoryeon’s anticipation.
“Miss Heavenly Demon has given her all, each round, to win. Isn’t that so?”
“That’s correct.”
“I put my faith in your sincerity. If you could win using this technique, you would have done so from the start. Thus, I concluded this technique wouldn’t lead to victory, even if it was Ho Cheon-an’s.”
“Ha.”
Wi Seoryeon was left in awe by Tang Do-gyeong’s reasoning.
Though she had stolen Ho Cheon-an’s technique, it was so complex that no one could decipher it perfectly, yet the limited range allowed her to utilize it without fully obtaining the outcome she desired.
Trying to outsmart Tang Do-gyeong through the allure of her technique had been overcome by his trust in her.
“I concede. That was a complete defeat.”
Wi Seoryeon had no choice but to accept her failure.
Reaching into her possession, she retrieved the fake hidden weapon cases and handed them to Tang Do-gyeong. He opened the box to inspect the contents.
As she observed, a hollow feeling washed over Wi Seoryeon. Losing all the weapons of the Tang Clan meant she wouldn’t be able to step foot in their gambling hall again. It would mark the absolute end of her competitions against the Tang Clan.
Although she had known that losing everything would lead to this, facing the reality made it all the more bitter.
As she mulled over the taste of defeat, Tang Do-gyeong finished verifying the hidden weapons and returned the fake cases to Wi Seoryeon.
She took the returned case in confusion. Why was he giving this back?
“The Tang Clan’s gambling hall is where the rightful owner of the Tang Clan’s hidden weapons is determined. Isn’t that so?”
“…I have heard that.”
“If the Tang Clan’s hidden weapons remain, it would be no issue gambling in this hall, right?”
Wi Seoryeon blinked in surprise. As she absorbed the situation, one of the Tang Clan members stepped forward to place a hidden weapon box on the gambling table.
“So! A fake hidden weapon is still a hidden weapon made by the Tang Clan! There should be no issues in wagering against someone else with the same fake hidden weapon!”
“Oh.”
Only then did Wi Seoryeon fully comprehend, glancing at a Tang Clan member whose shoulders were trembling oddly, suggesting they hadn’t slept through the night, coming to realize that this very member was today’s real opponent—one who had spent the night preparing a counter after losing two matches.
“Now that we’ve retrieved the higher-grade weapons and the score is 5 to 5, let’s settle the real match!”
“Haha.”
Finally, a smile spread across Wi Seoryeon’s face. Seeing her smile made the Tang Clan members subtly raise the corners of their mouths as well.
“Alright. Anyone can challenge me.”
“The game will be with dice!”
“Bring it on!”
Quickly, the gambling hall filled with excitement, the noise not dying down even late into the night.
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