IC C8

Chapter 8

In contrast, Kang Siwon raised an eyebrow. He had not expected to meet him here. But in hindsight, it made perfect sense—Lei Jun, praised for leading games well but still relatively junior in tenure, was the perfect candidate to be pushed forward as the handler of this troublesome VIP. He had been thrown as a sacrifice, just like Siwon.

“Xiao Wei, you’re here? Sit down.”

The cause of all this chaos, Peng Tao, spoke with a lazy smirk. His voice was strikingly different from the one that had been yelling earlier. Siwon answered while mentally extending his middle finger.

“Good evening.”

“So, what do you like? Poker? Or baccarat?”

“To be honest, neither. I don’t even really know the rules.”

“That’s fine. You’ll learn as you play. I’ll teach you myself.”

The words “Didn’t you just yell thirty minutes ago at others, ‘What, did you all only learn poker yesterday?’” made their way to his throat but stopped there. He kept it in and sat down opposite Peng Tao.

“Well then, what game would you like to play?”

Lei Jun asked smoothly, and Peng Tao replied,

“Since Xiao Wei doesn’t have a favorite, poker will do just fine.”

“Understood. Shall I explain the rules briefly before we begin?”

“Go ahead.”

“Poker is a game where the player with the strongest hand wins. The rankings go from One Pair, Two Pair, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House. Four of a Kind and Straight Flush are rare, but extremely strong.”

With fluid hand movements, Lei Jun spread the cards neatly on the table, demonstrating the hierarchy. His graceful hands looked almost magical, captivating Siwon’s gaze.

“No need to memorize immediately. I’ll guide you as we play. Also, to begin the game…”

Siwon nodded as if listening intently, though there was nothing new. He already knew poker. More than just knowing—online poker had been his father’s addiction, and the game he had been forced into to cover debts three years ago.

The explanation wasn’t what struck him most—it was Lei Jun’s voice. Gentle yet oddly authoritative, a voice that inspired trust. This was “Dealer Lei Jun.”

“Any questions?”

“No.”

“None.”

“Then let’s begin.”

“Wait, before that we need to decide the starting stake.”

Here it came.

Playing without chips was impossible in any casino. Poker especially required each player to put in a base stake—essentially an entrance fee.

“I…”

“Don’t worry, Xiao Wei. I’ll provide you with chips. Today, I want to enjoy the game, not just gamble.”

Peng Tao slid three 10,000‑pataca chips toward him.

“Thirty thousand. If you manage to win them from me, you can keep them. But—if you lose them all within the hour, you’ll spend tonight with me.”

“…And by ‘spend tonight,’ what do you mean exactly?”

“What? Simply dinner, maybe a movie until dawn… What were you imagining, Xiao Wei?”

Peng Tao tilted his head with a playful grin. The faux innocence only made it more vile. The thought of being humiliated—by a man, and in front of his own roommate made his stomach churn. Though he had felt disgrace before, this was a new and intolerable kind. He wanted desperately to stomp this brat into the ground.

“…Fine. Let’s play.”

He picked up the hard edges of the chips. Lei Jun, prepared, lifted the deck.

“Then let’s begin.”

Cards slid gracefully under Lei Jun’s pale fingers.

“Dealing for poker.”

He set the deck down and dealt. Siwon checked his hole cards.

K♠, Q♠.

Not a bad start. An upper‑mid hand¹—uncertain for victory, but worth pursuing. He touched the cards, his face expressionless. For just a moment, he felt eyes lingering on him.

“First round. Betting begins.”

“Ten thousand!”

Peng Tao tossed chips onto the table. To him, this was a small bet. Was it courtesy to go easy? Or did he have a weak hand? Either way, Siwon matched it.

“I’ll bet ten thousand as well.”

Click. His chips joined the pot. Lei Jun flipped three community cards.

“Flop² revealed.”

K♣, 5♦, 3♠.

With his K♠, he now held top pair. As he thought—decent. But if Peng Tao had two pair, Siwon would lose. Still, Peng Tao’s low bet suggested he wasn’t holding a king. No, unlikely he was being considerate—men like him didn’t have that capacity. Really, what was it that drew him? Why fixate on someone like Siwon—sharp features, stiff demeanor? It could only be twisted compulsion.

“Raise. Ten thousand.”

At his declaration, Peng Tao looked mildly surprised. For him, ten thousand was pocket change. For Siwon, starting with only thirty, it was a third of his entire stack.

“Should I have explained betting too? Or are you trying to lose fast?”

“This is how games are learned.”

“True enough. Then I’ll fold, this round.”

He lifted his hands. He could have pressed harder but let it go.

“Fold. Xie Wei wins the round.”

Lei Jun pushed the chips toward him. Despite losing, Peng Tao chuckled with ease.

“Luck’s with you, Xiao Wei. Have you heard of beginner’s luck?”

“Yes.”

“How long will your luck last? Let’s continue.”

The shuffle began again. Siwon peered at his two new cards.

7♣, A♣.

Again, not bad. The lowest suit, clubs—but a flush draw was possible.

“Ah, this dealer shuffles well. Finally, a game worth playing.”

Peng Tao peeked at his own hand, grinning with outright confidence. Not bluff—the manic excitement seemed too real. This round would be tough.

“Pre‑flop³ betting begins.”

Thud. He slammed chips down.

“Thirty thousand!”

The bet tripled. Proof he had something strong.

But retreat wasn’t an option. Siwon matched him with three 10,000 chips.

“Call.”

“Flop, revealed.”

Lei Jun turned over three cards.

A♥, 7♠, Q♣.

Two pair. Strong—but if Peng Tao held a Q or J, he too had two pair, likely stronger.

“Raise—ten thousand.”

Should he call, or fold?

Siwon studied his hand in silence. To fold here meant losing thirty thousand, leaving only ten. To call could risk losing all forty. Better to cut his loss now than be dragged deeper.

Finally, he set his cards down.

“Fold.”

“Haha! Beginner’s luck already gone? A bit too soon, don’t you think?”

Not a beginner, in truth. He said nothing. Peng Tao flipped open his cards.

“Well, looks like Lady Luck kissed me instead.”

Q♠, Q♦.

With the community Q♣, a triple queen. Unbeatable for Siwon’s two pair.

Feigning regret, he shook his head. Inside, relief. If he had bet more, he’d have lost everything. Folding had saved him. In its way, fortune had sided with him after all.

“Shall we move to the next?”

Peng Tao grinned, triumphant, as though already having stripped Siwon of all his chips. His smug face only made Siwon want to win more.

“Let’s go.”

Siwon clutched his lone remaining chip. Across from him, Peng Tao’s stack towered. Already, the odds screamed disparity. Yet the game was still winnable.

Because he knew from experience: in gambling, no matter how far behind, one hand could turn it all.

Footnotes

1. The combination of cards a player holds.

2. The first three community cards revealed.

3. The stage immediately after players receive their two hole cards, but before any of the five community cards are dealt.

Footnotes Explanation

• Community Cards: In games like Texas Hold’em, five shared cards are dealt face‑up in the center of the table. All players use them in combination with their own “hole cards” to make the best hand.

• Hole Cards: The two private cards each player receives at the beginning, used together with the community cards.

• Game Phases: The terms “flop” (the first three shared cards) and “pre‑flop” (before any shared cards are dealt) are standard in poker terminology.