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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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“A finger… flick?”
To be honest, seeing the Tang Family Head’s distorted face, I wondered if I had gone too far, but outwardly, I started a shamelessly calm act.
“There’s always a price to pay to gamble.”
Lessons require a moral.
If it were a gamble with real money, it would be enough to make him taste the sense of loss from losing money, but it was impossible to feel such a deep lesson in a game with these taels.
If he had looked dejected with a face that said, ‘Ah, I was cleanly fooled by that outcast! Is this the current state of my gambling skills…’, that would have been different.
But right now, the Tang Family Head’s face was the very face of a gambling addict regretting not having more stakes to win money.
His way of thinking was already different from an ordinary person.
It was true that the Tang Family Head had become accustomed to my hand techniques.
But what if we calculated this in terms of probability?
Even if the Tang Family Head’s win rate had increased, it was clear to anyone that my win rate was overwhelmingly higher.
If the probability increased from 1 percent to 2 or 3 percent, is it normal to regret that he could have won if he had played a little more?
An ordinary person would think, ‘Ah, I should cut my losses now,’ and run away from the table.
The patient’s condition was even more severe than I had expected.
So, shouldn’t we resort to physical therapy beyond counseling?
“Think about it for a moment. May I get some fresh air with the Feng Ying Hall Master’s guidance for a bit?”
“Go ahead.”
Leaving the Tang Family Head, who had entered into deep thought with a serious expression, we headed to the reception room with the Feng Ying Hall Master for a moment.
“What do you think of the Family Head, Feng Ying Hall Master?”
“Sigh… To be honest, it seems true that he’s a bit obsessed with gambling.”
“Do you agree that the Family Head needs treatment?”
The Feng Ying Hall Master pondered for a moment and then nodded.
Good, I’ve got the guardian’s consent for now.
“Even I think it’s impossible for him to defeat Tang Do-gyeong in his current state, even if he acquires the techniques. It’s a pressing situation in many ways, but that doesn’t mean we should repeat bad moves just because it’s urgent.”
“In case the Tang Family Head loses his reason, please protect me.”
“Of course. Just stick close behind me.”
I’ve recruited a guardian and bodyguard.
“By the way, I understand that the Family Head’s personal secret weapons were lost through gambling. But can’t you just compensate appropriately and retrieve them? Is there a reason to go this far?”
“Hoho, that’s also a problem, but the real issue is the fact that the Family Head was defeated by Tang Do-gyeong, even if it was in gambling.”
Is there something about the Tang family that I don’t know?
“What about the heads of other families? Naturally, as heads living in the martial world, it’s basic for them to do martial arts. But strictly speaking, the head is just a representative of the family. There’s no need for the head to be the absolute strongest within the family.”
“Hmm.”
“However, the head of the Tang family must be undefeated. Because he receives the best secret weapons, and of course, the Family Head’s personal secret weapons, as well as the best poisons first. Tang family members may not know about other aspects, but when it comes to martial arts, they take it for granted that the head maintains the highest position. But is that really a given?”
That was true.
It was harsh to say that always having the best results was natural just because one received the best support.
“The head of the Tang family is a position that must achieve that. And the Tang Family Head has lived like that all his life. You said you need to treat the Family Head, right? That’s correct. The head of the Tang family is a position that inevitably develops a chronic illness. It’s a position where one is bound to catch the disease of pursuing invincibility.”
“Hmm…”
“Since gambling and martial arts are closely related within the Tang family, the fact that the Family Head was defeated by Do-gyeong in gambling is a major incident. Especially since Do-gyeong isn’t even a direct line member yet and is still in the late stages of the peak realm. The realistic repercussions of that might be even greater than the Family Head’s secret weapons being taken.”
“The problem is that the Family Head’s personal secret weapons have leaked out…”
“Yes. Because it’s irrefutable evidence that the Family Head was defeated by Do-gyeong.”
“I see.”
I pondered deeply upon hearing the Feng Ying Hall Master’s words.
The head of the Tang family.
The pressure to maintain the highest position.
The impatience to make up for the defeat.
I just slowly savored the Feng Ying Hall Master’s words.
The more I repeated the words, the more a firm conclusion settled in my heart.
This is…
Just a gambling addict, isn’t it?
What’s so important about the reason for starting to gamble?
I was also momentarily confused because the Feng Ying Hall Master told the story so appealingly, and he was the head of the Tang family, so it seemed somewhat plausible.
Ah, so he gambled and absolutely couldn’t lose, so he bet bigger to make up for the losses, and that’s how he was ruined, and now he’s sitting on the street, reminiscing about the past, saying, “You know, even though I’m in this state now, in my younger days, I was the head of a renowned family that everyone knew just by mentioning the name!”
Emotional sympathy doesn’t help much in solving the problem.
Well, the Feng Ying Hall Master seemed to want to defend the Family Head’s hardships as his superior…
But there’s no tomb without a story.
If we’re talking about having a story, there’s no one like me.
I was playing games in my room when I got hit by a truck that fell from the sky, and I’ve been suffering for 8 years now!
To be clear, the primary problem with gambling addiction is a lack of self-control, and the secondary cause is a lack of realization.
What is this lack of realization?
It refers to a state where, despite causing an incident due to a lack of self-control, one doesn’t properly experience the consequences due to luck or other factors.
The Tang Family Head probably thinks the current situation is rock bottom.
He seems to think that he has suffered an indelible humiliation as the head by losing to Tang Do-gyeong…
But there’s always a basement below the bottom.
He needs to experience true humiliation to the bone to be rehabilitated.
“If the Family Head refuses, I will also judge that he has self-control and obediently teach him. If not… you promise to do it my way?”
The Feng Ying Hall Master promptly nodded.
The Hall Master seemed to trust the Family Head’s self-control.
When we returned with the Feng Ying Hall Master, Tang Guanglie declared,
“I’ll take the taels!”
And the Feng Ying Hall Master’s head drooped.
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Well, it goes without saying, but it didn’t take long to retrieve Tang Guanglie’s 10 taels again.
Tang Guanglie, who was looking at the ceiling with regret.
Well, it was true that Tang Guanglie was gradually adapting to my shell game.
Perhaps his win rate had increased to around 40-50%.
He was in a state where he only saw possibilities without considering the risks.
“Do you want to play again?”
“…Alright!”
“Then you need to settle the score first.”
The Feng Ying Hall Master, who had decided not to intervene, coughed repeatedly as if frustrated, but now even that coughing sound wouldn’t reach Tang Guanglie’s ears.
“…Ugh.”
Tang Guanglie reluctantly extended his face forward.
With a finger flick loaded in my right hand, I aimed at his forehead.
My strength stat is 9.
Although it may seem insignificant as it’s just the limit of second-rate, this strength stat of 9 is equivalent to the training of a professional athlete.
In terms of grip strength, it’s a value that can crush a walnut shell.
Smack!
A finger flick with a strength stat of 9 exploded on Tang Guanglie’s forehead.
“Ho… hoho… Outcast Ya has quite a stinging hand.”
Tang Guanglie’s hand trembled as he rubbed his forehead.
Judging from the bulging cross-shaped vein, he seemed quite angry.
Seeing his fierce gaze directed at me, I quickly changed the subject.
“Hoho, shouldn’t you gamble?”
“Phew, right. Let’s do that.”
Tang Guanglie shook his head to regain his senses.
The fighting spirit burning in his eyes was clearly visible.
I intentionally lost once in the fourth shell game.
“Yes! Finally!”
It was Tang Guanglie’s first victory, even if it was a one-tael game.
He was so happy that he jumped up from his seat and threw an uppercut.
Seeing an elderly man on the verge of old age rejoicing like a child, I couldn’t help but laugh too.
Haha, Family Head, how does it feel to taste victory for the first and last time?
“Haha! Outcast Ya! You need to be nervous now! Even if I discern it just once, the payout is 4 times!”
Tang Guanglie exclaimed confidently, excited, but the taels that entered my hands never left.
After neatly arranging 100 taels in rows of five and ten, I stood up from my seat and said,
“Hoho, then let’s settle the score and call it a day.”
In fact, dusk had already fallen.
Gambling itself was already an embarrassing thing to call official business, but we had passed the usual time for wrapping up work.
The Family Head jumped up and shouted,
“What are you saying? Outcast Ya! They say everything comes in threes, so you should at least give me one more chance!”
“Hoho… I don’t even know how many shichen we’ve been playing the shell game. But since the Family Head insists on regretting it… how about five taels for one finger flick?”
“No, but suddenly half…”
“Hoho, unlike the Family Head, I’m just a second-rate martial artist. It can’t be helped that my stamina is different.”
At my whining, Tang Guanglie bit his lip hard and eventually nodded.
“Family Head!”
“Stay still, Feng Ying Hall Master!”
The Feng Ying Hall Master couldn’t stand it and intervened.
From the Feng Ying Hall Master’s perspective, it must be incomprehensible that Tang Guanglie kept crawling into a trap.
However, Tang Guanglie had already been provoked by me.
The Feng Ying Hall Master didn’t seem to notice that I had been subtly raising the corners of my mouth or slightly smiling with my eyes, constantly eroding Tang Guanglie’s reason with facial expressions while focusing on the fuming Tang Guanglie.
Tang Guanglie still lacked a lesson.
To learn my gambling techniques in a short period, it was important to have an accepting attitude, but he was already mistakenly thinking of himself as a gambling master.
How can we deal with that?
We need to send him to rock bottom and brainwash him.
This was all for Tang Guanglie’s sake.
Is it even possible to call getting finger flicked by an outcast rock bottom?
Isn’t it actually a blessing if a bump on the forehead can prevent a fall to rock bottom?
“Then please reveal your forehead.”
Smack!
Tang Guanglie, who was hit on the forehead, snorted like a rhinoceros and steeled his resolve, but the five taels really melted away in an instant.
I let out a big sigh of relief and leaned back in my chair.
How would Tang Guanglie perceive my appearance now?
At first glance, it might seem like I was exhausted from the long shell game and had lost strength in my body, but…
“Outcast Ya! Let’s have one last round!”
To Tang Guanglie alone, my gestures would have given the impression of ‘Ah, the shell game almost got discerned, but I barely passed it. Phew. That was really dangerous~’.
“Hoho, Family Head. Didn’t you say it was the last round earlier?”
“It’s too disappointing to end it like this! I heard there’s a last-minute comeback in gambling! I’ll borrow fifteen of my taels, so let’s have a final showdown!”
Tang Guanglie, who took my bait with all his might.
Yes, in fact, what’s a couple of finger flicks to rock bottom?
“Hoho. Then will you bet eleven finger flicks and have a final showdown?”
“Eleven… flicks? Alright! That’s exactly what I wanted!”
The final round.
I lifted the cups.
Swish. Swish swish. Swish swish swish!
And Tang Guanglie’s mouth gaped open.
I wondered what to do for today’s finale and thought this method would give Tang Guanglie the biggest shock.
Internal energy.
I was now playing the shell game while burning internal energy without restraint.
Seeing this sight, Tang Guanglie must have finally realized that I had been gambling purely with physical abilities alone, without using internal energy.
Even if I was just second-rate, the psychological impact of the current shell game on Tang Guanglie, who had thought it was a confrontation between martial artists, would be considerable.
It was like a scene in a sports story where, in the midst of a fiery match that seemed to be going on, the opponent suddenly grips the racket with the opposite hand.
As if saying, ‘Actually, I’m left-handed!’
In fact!
I haven’t used internal energy on you until now!
Take this, my true ultimate move!
Internal Energy Shell Game Technique!
It was clear that such imaginings were flying through Tang Guanglie’s mind.
Tap.
The cups stopped.
And Tang Guanglie also stopped in that posture.
“Choose, Family Head.”
Tang Guanglie knocked over any cup with dead eyes without saying a word.
Naturally, it was an empty cup.
Confirming that, Tang Guanglie lowered his head.
I tidied up my sleeves on both hands.
“I’ll go for a combo. Family Head.”
There was no reaction coming back, but punishment was punishment.
Making finger flicks with both hands, I aimed at his forehead.
“I hope the Family Head learns a lot from today’s events. Starting tomorrow, from the mindset of gambling to hand techniques and how to win, this Outcast Ya will teach you with all his might.”
Hoping that these finger flicks would be the flicks of enlightenment that blow away the deluded thoughts in the Tang Family Head’s mind, I flicked my fingers.
Flick flick! Flick flick flick! Flick flick flick flick! Flick flick!
In an instant, the Tang Family Head’s head, who allowed eleven consecutive flicks, was tilted back.
It was a posture reminiscent of a villain who had been shot and killed in a movie.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Family Head.”
Although I hid behind the Feng Ying Hall Master for safety, I truly hoped that Tang Guanglie would awaken to his right mind tomorrow.
Tang Guanglie didn’t move until the moment I left the Family Head’s quarters.
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