C16 Bet

Mulan Street, just a block away from the bustling commercial district of Zluftin, was usually a haven of tranquility. Rows of luxury cars were neatly parked along both sides of the street. A Bentley came to a smooth stop at the entrance of the Tianzhao Casino.

A tall, muscular man stepped out of the vehicle. He handed his car keys to the valet and made his way into the casino with purposeful strides.

Once Tang Ye was escorted to Lyi Tianzhao's private meeting room, the waiter discreetly exited. The room was hazy with smoke as the attendees briefly glanced at Tang Ye before resuming their tasks. Lyi Tianzhao, however, welcomed Tang Ye with open arms and a cigar between his lips. "Mr. Tang, surely you haven't come to seek retribution at this late hour?"

"Mr. Lyi seems quite occupied," Tang Ye remarked evenly.

Lyi Tianzhao accepted a wine glass from the waiter and passed it to Tang Ye, then ushered him to sit on the couch. "Business is tough these days," he lamented. "I've barely turned my back on the casino for a few days, and look at the losses I've incurred."

Tang Ye glanced at the group engaged in a heated discussion near the substantial desk. A man in a light jacket with a buzz cut shot a look their way.

Observing Tang Ye simply swirling his wine glass in silence, Lyi Tianzhao asked with a chuckle, "Mr. Tang, have you truly come to demand satisfaction? If so, I'll throw you a lavish party in the next couple of days. I'll even bring the crutch along to make amends. Does that settle it?"

Finally, Tang Ye shifted, his gaze settling on Lyi Tianzhao with the same undisturbed tone. "How's the investigation going?"

"What investigation?" Lyi Tianzhao was momentarily puzzled.

"Aren't you investigating someone?" Tang Ye brought the wine glass to his lips for a gentle sip.

Lyi Tianzhao looked uncertainly at Tang Ye and replied, "You're aware of it, Mr. Tang?"

"Not entirely. What have you found so far?"

Summoning his men, Lyi Tianzhao took a tablet from them and pointed to a middle-aged man on the surveillance footage. "This man from Freyfield, Qin Shan, has won over ninety million from me in just half a month. My team has been suspicious for a while, but we've yet to find solid proof of any foul play."

"Can't your team catch his movements?"

"This guy's a pro; he always finds the blind spots in the surveillance. My men have tailed him a few times, but as soon as he senses he's being watched, he gets cautious. He seizes the moment, makes a score, and then he's gone." Lyi Tianzhao's tablet was playing a video, but indeed, the man's actions were barely discernible.

"What times does he usually show up?" Tang Ye inquired, watching the video.

"He's here from nine to ten every day, never varying by more than ten minutes."

Tang Ye checked his watch; it was already eight-thirty. The man would soon arrive.

"Mr. Lyi, you wouldn't be so worried if it were just one person, right?" Tang Ye said, looking at Lyi Tianzhao. "Ninety million is certainly not a trivial sum. What's your plan of action?"

Lyi Tianzhao, with a pained expression, replied, "The problem is I don't know who's pulling the strings. Our casino operates on a membership basis, and members can bring in new people. That creates a vast network. For this Qin Shan to be so bold, there must be someone backing him."

"So, Mr. Lyi is caught between a rock and a hard place. If we don't stop him, the losses will mount. But if we intervene now, we might face similar issues later." Tang Ye took another sip of his drink, the bitterness lingering in his mouth.

Lyi Tianzhao grabbed the bottle and poured Tang Ye another glass, venting, "It's a tough situation. I'd love to uncover who's behind him, but they're well-hidden. Mr. Tang, your reach is impressive; you're even aware of this little issue in my casino."

"I have a plan, but I'm not sure if Mr. Lyi would be interested?" Tang Ye downed his glass in one go and set it aside.

"What's the plan?"

"I could try to help Mr. Lyi reel in this big fish."

"That would be perfect. I'm much more relieved with Mr. Tang on board." Lyi Tianzhao looked at Tang Ye appreciatively and said, "Whatever you need, Mr. Tang, my people are at your disposal."

"Later, have someone escort him to the private room upstairs and just have a few people on hand to assist," Lyi Tianzhao instructed. He had someone tidy up a private room and invited several of his close friends to join him at the casino. Everything was ready; they were simply awaiting the arrival of Qin Shan from Freyfield.

Lyi Tianzhao and Tang Ye stood shoulder to shoulder at the broad entrance of the staircase, casually chatting as they awaited Qin Shan's arrival.

"I have great respect for your skills, Mr. Tang. In less than a day, you uncovered a mole in my sister's company. I would have never guessed it was Sally," Lyi Tianzhao remarked with a sense of wonder. "Business is so unpredictable. Sally was my sister's most trusted aide. She always treated her like a younger sister, and yet, she turned out to be the most thorough betrayer."

"Why even mention it, Mr. Lyi? Haven't you done the same by planting a spy under someone else?" Tang Ye responded bluntly.

Lyi Tianzhao fixed his gaze on Tang Ye for a moment. How did this man seem to know everything? Just how many secrets was he privy to?

With things already out in the open, there was no point in concealing anything. Lyi Tianzhao admitted openly, "I had no choice. If I hadn't had my own informant among their ranks, I wouldn't have made it this far."

While they conversed, a lean middle-aged man in a cap and a thick coat appeared in the lobby, quietly surveying the surroundings.

"Let's go inside and get ready. Have someone bring him over," Tang Ye suggested, leading the way to the second floor.

The lean man seemed to catch a hint of something, glancing upward just in time to see the retreating figures of Tang Ye and Lyi Tianzhao as they vanished around the second-floor corner.

A waiter, dressed in a neat suit, approached the man with a polite demeanor and whispered, "Good evening, sir. We have a high-stakes game on the second floor. Would you be interested in giving it a try?"

"Are the stakes high?"

"The players upstairs are all friends of our boss, and they play for significant sums."

The lean man gave a brief nod at the staircase and responded in a raspy voice, "Lead the way."

Guided by the waiter, the lean man ascended the steps and entered the private room that had been prepared in advance. Lyi Tianzhao's associates, who had been waiting for some time, were already there, each with a hefty stack of chips at their side.

The lean man surveyed the room before settling into a corner seat. From his unobtrusive vantage point, he discreetly observed the others in the room. Their idle chatter revealed that they were anticipating someone's arrival.