The heat was unbearable.

  Saches' group rested in the town for two days. In the courtyard of the inn, Mei and the others sat under the eaves, with slices of chilled watermelon before them.

  A cool breeze blew by.

  A truly delightful feeling.

  Sullivan held a piece of watermelon, eyes half-closed in drowsy contentment.

  "So refreshingly cool—"

  Chirp chirp—

  Even the incessant cicadas didn't seem so annoying.

  Blaise asked, "Shouldn't we leave quickly? The commotion yesterday wasn't small; someone might be chasing us soon."

  "No rush."

  Saches seemed unconcerned, showing no urgency. If he wasn't worried, neither were Blaise and the others.

  Blaise still didn't know if Saches was carrying the third-generation Songyun Katana. Perhaps their entire group was just a decoy to shift attention.

  It didn't matter, in the end.

  "Suit yourself."

  Blaise didn't dwell on it. He'd learned about Willpower Vessels from Saches yesterday and was now focused on how to manifest his own.

  A head appeared over the courtyard wall. A young boy effortlessly flipped into the courtyard and ran toward Mei, carrying some strange-looking fruit.

  "Master, I'm back!"

  Mei corrected him.

  "I never said I'd take you on as a disciple."

  "But you ate my watermelon."

  "You gave it to me."

  "I'll bring you delicious things every day!"

  "Even then, I won't take you on. You'd be better off trying to apprentice with those two; it might actually work. I'm not interested in taking on a brat."

  The boy turned to look at Saches and Blaise, stating simply, and irrefutably: "They're not as good as you; I'm not interested in them."

  "..."

  "..."

  Saches couldn't help but laugh.

  He couldn't argue with that.

  To be fair,

  The boy had considerable potential. At such a young age, he'd already cultivated such a physique. His talent shouldn't be wasted; he might achieve great things in the future.

  Such talent shouldn't be squandered. Saches' mentor's instincts kicked in again. He smiled and beckoned the boy closer. "Kid, would you like me to teach you a few moves?"

  Mei remained completely indifferent. Faced with Saches' kindness, the boy hesitated.

  "Really?"

  "Why would I lie?"

  Dong!

  A sudden drumbeat startled Sullivan awake. He curiously looked towards the courtyard wall; the townspeople seemed to be holding a celebration.

  "What's up?"

  The boy explained, "Everyone says the Thunder God appeared yesterday, so they're going to offer sacrifices to the gods, praying for the town's peace and safety."

  Sullivan looked puzzled. That Thunder God was dead, wasn't he?

  Around midday,

  The sun seemed to grow even brighter. In the hazy light, a ray of light, seemingly emanating from the sun, ripped through the space with blinding speed and entered Mei's body.

  Everyone saw a flash of light before it vanished, then looked at each other in surprise.

  "What happened?"

  "Nothing."

  Mei waved dismissively.

  【Repair Progress: 21,049/100,000】

  Undoubtedly, that was a fragment of truth. Due to the causal influence, the second fragment appeared unexpectedly quickly.

  Perhaps it was originally very close to this world. Once the Book of Truth began its repair under Mei's causal influence, it was immediately pulled back from the void.

  Mei's causal power couldn't reach beyond this world, but the Book of Truth possessed such ability, leveraging Mei's causal power for repair.

  Otherwise, retrieving these fragments from the void would be extremely slow, a gradual process.

  With the Book of Truth's repair progress exceeding 20,000, Mei could complete the second upgrade task and receive another random reward.

  Immediately,

  She began to anticipate it.

  【Upgrade Task 2 · Complete】

  【Receiving one random reward】

  【Super Burst ·LV15?】

  ——

  【Ability: Super Burst】

  【Level: LV15】

  【Description: Concentrates all power for an instantaneous burst attack with 200,000 times the user's strength.】

  ——

  This random reward instantly boosted Super Burst from LV11 to LV15, increasing its power from 20,000 times to 200,000 times.

  A full 200,000-fold increase!

  While the power increase was significant, for high-level combat, pure multiplicative increases were becoming less meaningful, though not entirely useless.

  Their effect was extremely limited.

  Of course,

  They weren't completely meaningless.

  Mei believed that with further upgrades to Super Burst, its destructive power would eventually undergo a qualitative leap. She eagerly anticipated that moment.

  Perhaps, when Super Burst underwent a qualitative change, its power would no longer be a simple multiplicative increase in destructive force, but would achieve a cross-grade lethal effect.

  That would be ideal.

  Another day passed.

  "Master!"

  The boy climbed over the courtyard wall, carrying some fruit, but found Mei and the others gone. The courtyard was empty and eerily silent.

  Mei had never accepted him as a disciple, but she hadn't left him completely empty-handed. She'd left him her bank card with 300,000 Nak in it.

  The boy picked up the bank card; a note lay beside it.

  【Thank you for your hospitality】

  "300,000 Nak?!"

  The boy's eyes widened. This sum was astronomical to him, but for Mei, it was just a meaningless string of numbers.

  "Such a pity."

  Composing himself, the boy sighed. He still didn't know Mei's name, but regardless, this was a substantial favor.

  Carefully storing the bank card, the boy swiftly left the courtyard.

  After Coria, things went smoothly for Saches' group. Their luck was good; they hadn't encountered significant trouble, at least none that required Mei's intervention. Saches and the others were capable of handling it.

  Only when they reached an establishment called the Songyun Liu Sword Dao Hall did Sullivan realize their nearly month-long mission was about to end.

  【Repair Progress: 21,061】

  "Songyun Liu…"

  Blaise asked Saches, "Could that sword be the legendary blade of this school's lineage?"

  "Precisely."

  The Songyun Liu Sword Dao Hall was located in a relatively small, slightly dilapidated town. It seemed quite famous, attracting many aspiring disciples.

  Creak!

  Saches pushed open the doors of the Sword Dao Hall, entering alone. He quickly emerged, neither carrying anything extra nor missing anything.

  "Mission complete!"

  Relief flooded his face.

  No one asked where he'd hidden the sword. Without delay, they boarded their ship and headed to the nearby Adventurer's Guild branch to submit their mission report.

  Inside the Songyun Liu Sword Dao Hall, water trickled in the courtyard. An elderly man with silver hair placed a long white-sheathed sword onto a previously empty rack.

  A gentle breeze stirred his sleeves.

  The old man sat before the sword, contentedly closing his eyes.

  ...

  At the nearby branch office.

  After Saches submitted the mission report, the reward was immediately distributed. The amount was considerable.

  250,000 Nak per person.

  The total reward was 1 million Nak.

  The mission to hunt an Indominus Rex was rated as difficulty level 2 by the Adventurer's Guild; this escort mission for the Songyun Katana was rated 2.5.

  The transport route presented complex situations, inherently dangerous. A low reward wouldn't be approved by the Guild.

  Saches and Sullivan originally intended to give their share to Mei. Without her, they would have been slaughtered by Coria.

  Mei refused.

  She didn't need the money.

  "All good things must come to an end. If you need anything in the future, feel free to contact me. I need to return to the Platinum City branch to handle some matters. Farewell for now!"

  "Until next time!"

  Saches and Sullivan said their goodbyes. Blaise, however, disappeared without a word. He wasn't the type to show sentimentality; he decisively parted ways upon mission completion.

  In fact,

  Blaise had previously considered himself a strong warrior, but this mission profoundly altered his perspective and mentality, changing his personality.

  He was no longer so arrogant, now possessing a clear goal.

  A Willpower Vessel!

  Only by manifesting his own Willpower Vessel could he reach the pinnacle of the Willpower path. Every time he thought of Mei crushing Coria with a single thought, he felt an urgent desire to achieve that power.

  The same thought took root in Saches and Sullivan's hearts. People might be lost, but once a clear and achievable goal is found,

  All one needs to do is strive towards it.

  【Completed Commissions: 1/3】

  The interface updated. The first tier 2 segment of the main mission was completed. Mei needed to complete two more commission tasks.

  Perhaps due to good fortune, she'd just recovered a fragment of truth. Unexpectedly, Mei discovered traces of a new fragment on the Truth Manifestation treasure map.

  Fragments of truth, under the influence of causality, would eventually return to Mei and rejoin the Book of Truth. However, the speed and method varied; some returned instantly, while others required Mei to retrieve them.

  She examined the location marked in red on the treasure map.

  "Liberty City."

  Liberty City was renowned, a city famous for its gambling, a massive, modernized entertainment metropolis, incredibly prosperous.

  Countless people went there, achieving overnight riches or utter ruin, indulging in unrestrained pleasures. Thanks to these individuals, Liberty City's wealth was immense.

  A few hundred thousand Nak were insignificant there.

  Mei was interested in Liberty City, not just because of the truth fragment, but because of the incredibly powerful Ideal present there.

  In fact,

  It was a city built from Ideal, the entire city a Willpower Vessel. Its power was immense, but not enough to threaten Mei—at most, Tier 4.

  The next destination: Liberty City!

  Mei accepted a commission related to Liberty City and handed it to the counter worker. "Please register this commission for me."

  "Liberty City?"

  "Yes."

  "Miss, I must warn you: this commission has a 50% mortality rate. If you insist on accepting it, I will register it for you."

  "Register it."

  "Very well. Good luck."

  This commission was only level 1 difficulty, with simple instructions: retrieve a fat man named "Toni" from Liberty City.

  Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  The difficulty wasn't high.

  The mortality rate, however, was a high 50%.

  This fat man had gambled in Liberty City, staking his life and losing everything. Retrieving him meant the same for anyone without equivalent assets or wealth to use as gambling chips; it was a life-or-death gamble.

  Win, and you retrieve the fat man. Lose, and you leave your life behind. The win/loss ratio is equal, hence the 50% mortality rate.

  Equivalent wealth and life are considerable sums, far exceeding the commission's reward. If one possesses such wealth, accepting this commission is unnecessary.

  Furthermore,

  Besides the fragment of truth, Liberty City also held a large number of divine weapons, demonic weapons, and cursed objects—all targets for Mei.

  Given this world's high drop rate, not seizing this opportunity for a massive loot spree would be wasteful. Time for another big score.

  Unless absolutely necessary, or if they were enemies, Mei wouldn't resort to unreasonable force. Liberty City posed no threat and wasn't an enemy.

  She would follow Liberty City's rules.

  After accepting the commission, Mei boarded an airship bound for Liberty City. Inside the cabin, she saw numerous wealthy and powerful individuals adorned with gold, silver, jewels, and rings.

  Their arrogance was evident; they held expensive wine glasses, sipping fine liquor. The women wore luxurious and elegant dresses, stunningly beautiful.

  Even before reaching Liberty City, Mei felt the opulent atmosphere.

  There were also speculators hoping to make a quick profit in Liberty City, mingling amongst the passengers, searching for targets.

  They were looking for a fat fish to exploit.

  An exceptionally elegant and beautiful young woman moved through the social circles, finally stopping before Mei with a captivating smile.

  That's her!

  "Miss, what is your name?"

  Mei returned a polite smile.

  "Aure."

  "Vivian."

  Vivian wore a flamboyant crimson dress. Her beauty was undeniable, and her graceful and generous demeanor made her instantly likeable.

  But she was a hunter. At the opportune moment, Vivian changed the subject, feigning boredom: "The journey's long. Shall we find some entertainment?"

  "Very well."

  Mei responded without hesitation, surprising Vivian. She marveled at how quickly she'd been ensnared, leaving her no time to employ her usual tactics.

  Vivian smiled sweetly.

  "Let's call a few of my friends over."

  The next day, in a private gambling room.

  "Honestly, I don't have any money. I still owe you 300,000 Nak. Could you give me some time? Ten days? No, just five days…"

  Vivian's eyes welled up; she clung to Mei's leg, pleading tearfully, her usual elegant demeanor gone.

  Meanwhile,

  Her three accomplices huddled in a corner, faces swollen and bruised, silent and defeated. They'd been thoroughly conned.

  Mei remained unmoved.

  She simply removed Vivian's necklace—a Tier 2 artifact capable of manipulating people's perceptions and emotions—the tool Vivian used for her scams.

  "This will cover the debt, then."

  Then she left.

  "..."

  Vivian fell silent for a moment, then burst into tears. What a loss!

  ...

  From afar, a vast expanse of buildings was visible, its scale the largest in the world. Skyscrapers pierced the clouds, countless airships and trains converging on a web-like transportation network.

  An incredibly vibrant scene.

  Liberty City!

  Arrival!

  "It's magnificent!"

  Some passengers peered from the ship's windows, gazing at the unimaginable prosperity. Sightseeing trains crisscrossed the city, like dragons winding through its heart.

  A colossal Ferris wheel slowly rotated under ornate lights, a landmark easily visible from afar, showcasing a vast entertainment complex.

  Awe-inspiring.

  "It's truly a dreamland!"

  Meanwhile,

  The rich and powerful displayed contemptuous expressions.

  "Unsophisticated country bumpkins."

  However,

  Gazing at the fantastical city before them, a fervent eagerness flickered in the eyes of the rich and powerful; their desires for greater consumption and luxury burned brightly.

  The airship slowly landed.

  Passengers quickened their pace, rushing into this opulent dream world. Mei walked calmly, followed by someone.

  Vivian, feigning desperation, pleaded, "Could you return my necklace? It's a heirloom from my mother. Give me two days; I can definitely gather enough money here to repay you!"

  Mei calmly said, "Forget the money. That trinket is meaningless to me. I need your help with something."

  "What is it?"

  Vivian cautiously backed away, but seeing Mei didn't move, she decided to negotiate. "I already said, I won't agree to unreasonable requests."

  "It's simple. Just sign this."

  A short time later,

  They arrived outside a casino. Vivian, with Mei's assurance, signed her name, readily receiving her necklace back.

  The role of guarantor needed no further explanation. Liberty City wasn't like other places; owing debts there had severe consequences. A guarantor was therefore required to be responsible for the debtor's future debts; there were specialized agencies in Liberty City to handle this.

  Mei preferred a simpler approach, using Vivian.

  Even such a risky request, she agreed to; it was clear she desperately wanted her necklace back, willing to take great risks.

  The risks, however, came with great rewards. If a debtor couldn't repay, the guarantor had to; in return, the guarantor received two-tenths of any profits made from the person they guaranteed.

  Vivian, having witnessed Mei's incredible skill at gambling on the airship, trusted Mei implicitly, a major reason for her agreement.

  She’d really gotten herself into this one!

  Inside the casino,

  Gold glittered everywhere. Various games dazzled the eyes; the cacophony of curses and cheers felt surreal.

  "Big! Big! Big!"

  "Damn it, I lost again!"

  "Ha ha, two more wins and I'll break even!!"

  Clack! Clack!

  The crisp sound of chips stacking, the aroma of fine liquor and cigars, and the presence of alluring women continuously stimulated the senses, captivating everyone.

  Including the airship winnings, Mei had 2 million Nak, all exchanged for chips. Vivian held a stack of chips, standing beside Mei, becoming excited by the scene before her.

  "What game do you prefer?"

  "This one."

  Mei went to a roulette table, the wheel divided into twenty numbered sections. A small ball bounced rapidly before settling on a number.

  Vivian commented.

  "The odds of winning are too low."

  "20."

  "Okay, how much are you betting?"

  "All of it."

  "What?!"

  Such confidence?

  As the guarantor, Vivian was genuinely afraid Mei would end up in debt. However, the money was hers to bet as she chose; she was just unlucky.

  Whoosh!

  "2 million, on 20."

  The stack of chips on the table immediately drew the attention of the other gamblers, who shook their heads. People like this appeared daily—either making a fortune or going broke. The thrill of the gamble was the draw.

  Suddenly,

  Clickety-clack—

  The wheel began to spin, the ball bouncing. As the wheel slowed, the ball rolled along the edge, finally dropping into a numbered section.

  "20!

  20!

  20!"

  Vivian's heart pounded; she was incredibly tense, her cheeks flushed until the ball finally came to rest, landing squarely on 20.

  Her expression froze in disbelief.

  "It's really 20?!"

  Vivian was instantly ecstatic.

  "20! Twenty times the payout!"

  "I'll be damned!"

  "He struck it rich!"

  The onlookers were speechless; this lucky dog was incredible.

  Then,

  Whoosh!

  The casino staff piled a huge stack of chips before Mei. The 2 million Nak had transformed into 40 million.

  A full 40 million!

  Vivian had never seen so much money in her life. She was too excited to speak, but she knew she would receive two-tenths of the winnings.

  That was 8 million.

  An astronomical sum for her.

  She immediately urged Mei, "Stop while you're ahead."

  "Continue."

  "Again?"

  Vivian had a bad feeling; she felt Mei didn't treat the money as money at all. She trembled as she placed the chips again.

  "All of it."

  Mei was completely unconcerned.

  "All of it, on 20."

  Whoosh!

  Vivian, eyes closed, bet all 40 million Nak on 20 again. Even she thought Mei was insane.

  She muttered under her breath, her heart sinking.

  "There's no way it can hit 20 twice in a row…"

  Clickety-clack—

  Before she finished speaking,

  The ball stopped, landing firmly on 20. Vivian's mutterings ceased; she rubbed her eyes, thinking she'd imagined it.

  "It's 20 again!"

  Her emotions soared and plummeted. The extreme tension caused her heart rate to accelerate; even winning felt unbearable.

  However,

  800 million Nak was hers!!

  "Whoa, what kind of insane luck is this?!"

  "I should've joined in!"

  "What a pity."

  The other gamblers at the table were kicking themselves.

  As the 800 million Nak—a mountain of chips—piled up before her, Vivian's hands trembled. She felt like she was dreaming; her voice shook uncontrollably.

  Mei's expression didn't change.

  "Continue."

  This person was utterly mad!

  At that moment,

  Vivian's scalp tingled.

  ...

  Click!

  Bang!

  A roulette wheel-shaped firearm fired a dart, instantly killing a gambler. Warm blood and brains splattered.

  Vivian was stunned by the sight, frozen in place, watching as the casino staff dragged the body away, Mei then taking the gambler's seat.

  At that moment,

  Her face went pale.

  Vivian was finally certain: Mei was insane. Why engage in such reckless gambling when they could have played in the main hall?

  "Hey, hey, hey! Are you serious?!"

  She grabbed Mei, unable to move her. She'd assumed Mei was simply using her gambling skills to make a quick profit. If she'd known he was this crazy, she never would have agreed to be his guarantor.

  Liberty City was called Liberty City because, besides gambling, virtually anything of value could be used as a bet.

  Lifespan, abilities, artifacts, life itself…

  This was Liberty City's Ideal.

  Everything turned into chips on the table.

  As long as you could consistently win, you could obtain anything you desired, including power.

  This kind of gambling was called "Wish Gambling." If you won, you could obtain anything you wanted from the table, stripping your opponent of everything.

  Without a doubt,

  The mortality rate was terrifyingly high.

  Mei's commission was to acquire someone named "Sunia" in Liberty City, a gambler who'd lost his life in a Wish Gamble.

  Whoosh!

  Seeing Mei pile 800 million Nak in chips onto the table, Vivian despaired, covering her face to regain her composure.

  "It's over."

  In ordinary gambling, the worst outcome was debt, but in Wish Gambling, who knew what kind of debts she, the guarantor, might incur?

  Please don't let me bear those debts!

  Vivian trembled with fear.

  Normal gambling only involved money, but from the start, Mei's target was Wish Gambling, targeting powerful gamblers—all of them his prey.

  Mei pushed all his chips forward.

  "800 million Nak."

  An undeniably large sum.

  Only two gamblers were at the table. Opposite Mei sat a man in a suit, his eyes fixated on the 800 million in chips, his greed undisguised.

  He smiled confidently. "What do you want?"

  Mei stated plainly,

  "Your life."

  "No problem."

  Those participating in Wish Gambling were mentally prepared to pay any price; great risk meant great reward, and they all understood this.

  There were many ways to determine the winner, entirely decided by both parties. If they couldn't agree, a casino employee would randomly decide.

  Meanwhile,

  Vivian nervously swallowed, not daring to disturb Mei. When Mei picked up the roulette-style firearm, her heart pounded.

  The firearm had six chambers; only one contained a bullet—a one-in-six chance of firing, one of the most thrilling games.

  Mei displayed the firearm.

  "How about this?"

  "Agreed."

  The suited man's smile widened. He'd used this roulette game to eliminate several opponents; playing this with him was suicidal. This kid was handing him money.

  Click.

  The suited man loaded a bullet into the cylinder, then spun it rapidly with a flick of his wrist, randomly selecting a chamber to align with the firing pin.

  Vivian's nerves were stretched to their limit. She didn't want her share of the winnings to be lost, clenching her fists, silently wishing Mei, and herself, good luck.

  With everything prepared,

  The casino employee announced,

  "The gamble begins!"

  Then,

  Both simultaneously raised their roulette firearms, aiming at each other's foreheads. Mei's expression revealed no emotion, while the suited man grinned with utmost confidence.

  He said to Mei, "Farewell. That 800 million Nak is mine!"

  Liberty City's rules strictly forbade cheating; those caught would be stripped of everything. In other words, as long as you weren't caught, it wasn't cheating.

  This was a well-understood unspoken rule.

  To think that Wish Gamblers relied solely on luck was naive. Those participating understood this perfectly well.

  The suited man was confident, but his skills were insignificant to Mei. Higher-level power descended, causal forces restricting the outcome to a single possibility.

  Mei didn't bother with pleasantries.

  Both pulled the triggers simultaneously.

  Click!

  Bang!

  When the suited man realized his roulette firearm had misfired, his pupils constricted before Mei's bullet pierced his head, sending him crashing to the ground.

  The gunshot made Vivian jump. She looked at Mei, unharmed, then at the fallen, deceased man in the suit, letting out a cry.

  "We won!!!"

  After shouting, she let out a long sigh of relief. Honestly, such gambling was far too exciting and terrifying. She'd never witnessed such a scene.

  Simultaneously,

  Only Mei could see a light emanating from the suited man's corpse, transforming into a sphere of light that floated before her. An item dropped.

  【Item Acquired: Thieves puppet】

  ——

  【Item: Thieves puppet】

  【Type: Item】

  【Description: A puppet from some mysterious ruin. As long as you desire it, it can steal or return anything you want, undetected.】

  ——

  It seemed to be a Tier 2 item.

  The suited man had used this item to steal the bullets from the opposing revolver, manipulating his own gun to ensure a successful shot, winning the gamble.

  A fascinating little item.

  Mei stored the acquired items in her Personal Spatial Storage. As the winner, she now possessed the suited man's assets. She told a casino employee, "Continue."

  "Again?!"

  Vivian looked unwell.

  Mei presented the roulette firearm to Vivian, saying something that sent shivers down her spine. "If you're bored, want to play a round?"

  "No!"

  Vivian's face turned deathly pale; she frantically backed away, shaking her head. She stressed again, "I'm not bored at all!"

  Then,

  With the addition of the suited man's assets, the pile of chips before Mei grew larger, including some rare items. Mei didn't bother with them and simply left them on the table.

  The other gamblers, eyes gleaming with avarice, practically fought to get to the table. One fearless gambler after another sat down, greedily eyeing Mei's winnings.

  "I'll bet my life against your chips."

  "Agreed."

  Mei loaded a bullet and spun the cylinder.

  ...

  Bang!

  Another gunshot.

  Another gambler was shot in the head by Mei.

  Several flashes of light indicated a significant loot; Mei quickly stored the low-level equipment and items into her Personal Spatial Storage. They were of no practical value to her.

  The other gamblers' hearts leaped. This was Mei's tenth kill; ten consecutive wins without stopping.

  "..."

  "This is a master!"

  Everyone knew the probability of ten consecutive wins; Mei must have been cheating, but nobody could figure out her method.

  Causal manipulation allowed Mei to arbitrarily determine the outcome of an event; in other words, she was manipulating probability.

  However, she was still some distance from complete probabilistic control. Mei could use the result as the cause, achieving "post hoc, ergo propter hoc"—the effect preceding the cause—but only if the premise already existed.

  She couldn't create causality from nothing. Complete probabilistic control would allow the impossible to become possible, without any prerequisites.

  Complete probabilistic control would mean the ability to create countless infinite parallel worlds, wielding unimaginable power comparable to a quantum lifeform.

  That was true omnipotence. Destroying a world, destroying countless parallel worlds, eliminating any possible world—all achievable with a single thought.

  Mei was clearly not at that level.

  Not even Tier 7.

  "Another win!"

  Vivian's face flushed with excitement. Ten consecutive wins had created a mountain of chips before Mei, all high-denomination, a breathtaking sight.

  She didn't know the exact amount—an astronomical sum—but even two-tenths would make her a magnate.

  Vivian now understood: Mei was a master among masters, not some small-time gambler lurking in the lower levels.

  Her emotions had been a rollercoaster that day, terrified by Mei's actions, but now, realizing his power, she finally felt relieved.

  Vivian smiled broadly.

  She'd hit the jackpot!

  However,

  The other gamblers weren't fools. After ten bodies had fallen, they understood that gambling against Mei was a death sentence and wisely avoided further confrontation.

  Those chips and artifacts were tempting, but one needed to stay alive to enjoy them.

  Soon,

  Several men in black suits approached Mei. They said, "Miss, our boss wishes to meet you. Please come with us."

  Mei stood up, giving an instruction, "Bring my things."

  "No problem, miss."

  Vivian hurriedly followed, feeling anxious. Mei's cheating must have been discovered by the casino owner; if so, they were certainly doomed.

  She was terrified but maintained a calm fa?ade. Passing the table, she couldn't resist taking a chip. She was entitled to a share of the winnings; why not take a little something?

  Footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor. Vivian trailed closely behind Mei, nervously whispering, "Should we run?"

  "No need."

  Mei was taciturn; Vivian had rarely seen much expression on her face, always maintaining an aloof demeanor, as if the world were at her fingertips.

  She'd never encountered someone so inscrutable.

  At the end of the corridor was a large, black wooden door. Opening it revealed a vast space. Inside, a formidable old man sat calmly in a chair.

  The moment Mei and Vivian entered, the old man opened his hawk-like eyes, his gaze sharp as a blade. Vivian instantly understood what true pressure felt like.

  Mei remained unfazed, sitting down on the sofa.

  The old man smiled, the smile creasing his weathered face in a terrifying way that sent shivers down Vivian's spine.

  "Youngster, state your intentions. If I didn't meet you, you might have turned my casino upside down."

  Mei chuckled.

  "Actually, a little later would have been fine."

  "Ha ha."

  The old man's smile vanished, his expression turning harsh. "Before you speak, let's settle your cheating in my casino. Let's have that girl settle the account. She seems to be your friend."

  As his words fell,

  A bodyguard pointed a gun at Vivian's head.

  "What?! Me?!"

  Vivian was terrified, tears welling up. She was just the guarantor! The person she guaranteed hadn't done anything; why kill her?

  She pleaded tearfully,

  "Boss, I swear I just met this gentleman! Will you believe me?"

  She'd never been this terrified before, wondering what karmic sin she'd committed. She even suspected Mei was leading her to her death.

  Thinking this,

  Vivian despaired further.

  Worst of all, Mei seemed to have ignored the old man's last sentence. While Vivian trembled, he didn't even glance her way.

  The supposed cheating was a bluff by the old man, attempting to deceive Mei. If he could sense Mei's causal manipulation, he should be the one trembling.

  Ignorance.

  Therefore, fearlessness.

  With his objective clear, Mei was always assertive and proactive. She didn't bother with explanations; she simply produced a roulette cylinder.

  "My intentions are simple. As the wealthiest person in this casino, how about a Wish Gamble with me? Bet your life."

  The old man's eyes narrowed.

  "Oh? That's your goal?"

  "More or less."

  Having owned this casino for decades, this old man undoubtedly possessed numerous artifacts and items. Defeating him would yield a significant haul; this was just the appetizer; the main course was yet to come.

  "Ha ha, youngster, you've got guts!"

  The old man laughed heartily.

  He then decisively drew a roulette-style firearm from his bodyguard's belt, removing five bullets from the cylinder with a swift, practiced motion.

  Though old, he remained spirited, a testament to his past prowess. He was confident in his abilities and not afraid of a young upstart.

  "Things have gone this far. Refusal would be pointless. I've lived a full life and am curious to see what my brains look like."

  Click!

  Mei stood, raising her roulette firearm alongside the old man. Without further words or countdown, they both held their triggers.

  Bang!

  A gunshot rang out.

  Moments later,

  Mei and Vivian left the room, streaks of light continuously flashing around Mei—an uncountable number of items, all quickly stored in her Personal Spatial Storage.