Chapter 26: The Invitation and the Money Are Mine

Before Chen Xian had 001 attach itself to Captain Fang Jing, he had already given 001 mental instructions: for incidents involving robbery, murder, or other major crimes, 001 was to give him a special warning, while for other matters, Chen Xian would choose whether to pay attention. Just now, 001 had relayed a major police alert to him—a piece of news about an underground casino.

On Wednesday afternoon, which was tomorrow, many wealthy bosses would be bringing large amounts of cash to gamble at an underground casino hidden deep within the Guangnan Mountains of GN County, under H City, the capital of H Province. At that time, the casino's real owner might even show up in person to oversee the operation. The police were preparing to take down the entire casino in one sweep, catching both the organizers and whoever was protecting them behind the scenes. In order to round up the organizers, the backers, and the gamblers all at once, the police had planted an undercover agent inside the casino; they had been watching this casino for half a year. This piece of information was passed out by the undercover.

Upon learning of this, Chen Xian made an immediate decision: he would head to the Guangnan Mountain casino, confront the casino's organizers and managers before the police arrived, and "confiscate" their ill-gotten fortune for himself!

What excited him even more was that the casino kept a group of enforcers who were armed with a large number of firearms. Chen Xian planned to absorb their attacks, allowing the mysterious transparent tree in his mind to bear more fruits. The first fruit had given him the Mortal-level chapter of the "Supreme Chaos Method"; the second had produced "Dragon Elephant Divine Fist" and the "Secret Art of Spiritual Control"; the third had yielded the Mother of the Breath-Stealing Worms. He was eagerly curious about the treasures hidden in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh... fruits yet to come.

Furthermore, from the breath-stealing wormling, Chen Xian had learned that a large number of officers from the Northern Branch of H City’s police had been directly seconded by the city’s public security bureau, including Fang Jing, and were presently in a secret meeting. All communication devices had been surrendered to prevent any leaks that might ruin tomorrow’s operation.

Chen Xian realized that if he hadn't placed breath-stealing wormling 001 on Fang Jing, he never would have gotten wind of this. "This time, I’m going to make a big move!" he muttered to himself.

It took him a while to calm his excitement. Then he went downstairs, hailed a cab, and set out for GN County. GN County was 150 kilometers from the urban center of H City; the casino itself was deep in the Guangnan Mountains, requiring another two hours’ drive from the county seat, followed by a half-hour walk on foot.

From the information 001 had relayed, Chen Xian learned that the casino only accepted regular patrons or trustworthy individuals introduced by regulars, and entry required an invitation from the casino. Therefore, he needed to set out early and find a way to acquire such an invitation.

As the wheels rolled on, night gradually fell, and neon lights flickered to life along the roads...

Two and a half hours later.

"Boss, we’re in GN County now. Where do you want to get off?" the taxi driver asked, glancing at Chen Xian.

When he’d set out, Chen Xian had only told the driver to take him to GN County, without specifying a destination. He hadn’t decided at the time. Now, he had made up his mind. "Take me to the Garden Grand Hotel," he said.

Along the way, he’d checked on his phone and found the Garden Grand Hotel was the most upscale hotel in GN County, a quasi four-star establishment. Chen Xian surmised that most of the bosses planning to gamble at the casino tomorrow would very likely stay there tonight; wealthy people tended to indulge themselves with high-end accommodations.

It would be the perfect place for him to gather information—and, incidentally, get his hands on an invitation to the casino.

"Sure thing!" the driver replied, adjusting the navigation on his phone and driving toward the hotel.

Fifteen minutes later, the taxi pulled up at the entrance of the Garden Grand Hotel.

Chen Xian paid the fare and got out of the car. He glanced at the hotel: a fifteen-story building with a massive sign reading "Garden Grand Hotel" prominently displayed on the front. Bathed in light, the hotel looked elegant and high-class.

At the splendidly decorated entrance, well-dressed men and women bustled in and out, the place exuding an air of prosperity.

Chen Xian made his way to the hotel entrance and saw a long queue at the front desk.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very sorry—the last room in our hotel has just been booked. We have no more vacancies. Please look for another hotel,” announced a staff member.

“Damn it, if there were no rooms, you should have said so sooner. Made me wait all this time for nothing,” one person grumbled.

“This crappy hotel with service like this dares call itself four-star? What a joke!” another snapped.

The rest of the customers left the hotel amid curses and complaints.

Originally, Chen Xian had planned to book a room and investigate from within, but with the current situation, that was no longer possible. Instead, he headed straight for the lounge area in the lobby, sat down at a coffee table, and carefully observed the various people coming and going, searching for a suitable target.

“Sir, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. If apologies worked, we wouldn’t need the damn police. This jacket is imported, cost me over fifty thousand. You’ve dirtied it—pay me ten thousand, or this won’t be over.”

“Sir, I really didn’t mean it. Please, forgive me!”

“So if I stab you and say ‘sorry, I didn’t mean it,’ does that make it alright?”

“Sir, my child is in college. I need my salary to pay tuition. I also have elderly parents depending on me. I really have no extra money… Please, I beg you, have mercy. I’ll get on my knees if you want!”

“Cry me a river! My jacket got splashed with filth—bad luck. Might even ruin my luck at the tables tomorrow and make me lose money. If anyone should be crying, it’s me! Come on, pay up. If you don’t, you can kneel here till you die and it won’t matter!”

At that moment, from a corner of the lobby, a timid, tearful woman’s voice mingled with the arrogant tones of a man.

Chen Xian looked over and saw a cleaning lady and a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair and a chunky gold chain in a confrontation. To be precise, the cleaning lady’s mop bucket had accidentally splashed dirty water onto the man, who was now demanding ten thousand yuan in compensation.

Behind the man stood two burly men in black suits, looking like bodyguards, each holding a leather case—probably filled with cash.

Chen Xian noticed that the man’s leather jacket was only slightly damp at the hem; a visit to a leather care shop would cost a few hundred at most. Yet the man was demanding ten thousand—a clear case of extortion.

Though Chen Xian found the man distasteful, he didn’t immediately step in to help. From their conversation, he’d deduced that this gold-chained man was likely one of the bosses heading to the Guangnan casino.

In the end, with the hotel manager mediating, the cleaning lady paid five thousand to settle the matter.

Through the manager’s exchange with the gold-chained man, Chen Xian learned the man’s name was Brother Niu—probably a local tough with some influence.

“Your invitation and your money—I’ll be taking them,” Chen Xian thought to himself, watching Brother Niu from a distance, the corners of his lips curling up ever so slightly.