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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Tap.
The gambling match between the two, who had eaten a hearty lunch, resumed.
The Feng Ying Hall Master chewed his lips with an anxious expression.
‘Why did I do that?’
The Feng Ying Hall Master looked at Ho Cheon-an with resentful eyes.
As if bewitched by Ho Cheon-an’s appearance, exuding strong confidence and calmly smiling, he had ended up commanding the Feng Ying Hall Master to gather the direct line members who had their secret weapons taken by Tang Do-gyeong.
Since the direct line members who had lost their secret weapons were already pacing in front of the Family Head’s quarters, it didn’t matter whether some or all of them gathered, but he couldn’t help but feel resentful towards Ho Cheon-an.
After watching Ho Cheon-an’s lectures from the side for a week, the Feng Ying Hall Master could fully realize that Ho Cheon-an was not just someone who was good at gambling.
From the techniques to the underlying principles that formed the basis for them.
He had no choice but to acknowledge that Ho Cheon-an, whom he called Outcast Ya, was a grand master in gambling.
‘What was I thinking when I agreed to Outcast Ya’s request…! I was too impatient.’
Thinking that Ho Cheon-an had some kind of plan, he had gathered the Tang family’s direct line members with a feeling of grasping at straws, but upon hearing the news, Ho Cheon-an just smiled hollowly and said, “Thank you for agreeing to my unreasonable request,” and expressed his gratitude, didn’t he?
It was Tang Guanglie’s turn to hold the cups.
The Feng Ying Hall Master felt despair.
Tang Do-gyeong followed Tang Guanglie’s pace control well.
While Tang Guanglie’s die accuracy was around 50-60%, Tang Do-gyeong’s die accuracy reached 70-80%.
Tang Guanglie’s secret weapon booklet was already half empty, so depending on how many secret weapons Tang Do-gyeong had, the match could be decided in this turn.
But then…
“It’s the second cup.”
“Wrong.”
“It’s the first cup.”
“No.”
“It’s the second cup.”
Suddenly, Tang Do-gyeong failed to discern the die three times in a row.
An unexpected turn of events.
The Feng Ying Hall Master stared at the table, unable to come to his senses due to the sudden reversal of the situation.
Although Tang Do-gyeong’s face looked calm at a glance, his forehead was already covered in sweat.
‘When…?’
The flow had shifted to Tang Guanglie.
“The southeast wind has arrived.”
“What did you say?”
“Ah, I unintentionally muttered to myself.”
Ho Cheon-an stepped back to avoid disturbing the match between the two and called the Feng Ying Hall Master along.
“The real match starts now, so let’s leave them to concentrate.”
Tang Guanglie thought.
‘Southeast wind…’
Although he couldn’t fully grasp the meaning of Ho Cheon-an’s words, Tang Guanglie also intuitively felt that the flow had changed.
‘They’re starting to mesh.’
Over the past week, Tang Guanglie had learned new things that changed by the day.
He learned new methods every day to plan with his mind, chase the opponent with his eyes, and deceive the opponent with his hands.
His skills had rapidly improved, but he was still clumsy in using them in actual combat.
Experience was essential in anything, and Tang Guanglie’s experience was gradually being filled through the gambling matches with Tang Do-gyeong.
The misaligned gears started to fit together one by one.
Techniques, theories, hand skills…
The things that had excellent foundations but creaked and caused dissonance were now smoothly rotating as the lubricant of experience was applied.
Finally, ‘Gambler Tang Guanglie,’ created by Ho Cheon-an’s words and hands and Tang Guanglie’s sweat and effort, started to function in its complete form.
Tang Guanglie held the cups and defended eight times, while his die was discerned twice.
And while Tang Do-gyeong held the cups, he won six out of ten rounds.
‘He’s shaken.’
Tang Do-gyeong continuously made changes to his techniques.
Tang Do-gyeong also intuitively knew.
If he couldn’t successfully defend while holding the cups, he had no choice but to lose.
‘Hoho, Do-gyeong, you lack theory.’
Tang Guanglie recalled Ho Cheon-an’s words as he watched Tang Do-gyeong.
At first, the Family Head thought it would be enough to just supplement hand techniques.
However, even if you master emergency techniques without knowing when to use them, what’s the point if you can’t discern the opportunity to save your life?
Tang Do-gyeong had learned Ho Cheon-an’s gambling solely by imitating Ho Cheon-an’s hand techniques.
After that, he had supplemented his gambling sense through actual combat experience with the direct line members in the Tang family, but his wild instincts alone couldn’t surpass the systematic theories ingrained in Tang Guanglie’s mind.
‘If I had been stubborn, I would have only followed Do-gyeong’s shadow all my life.’
He had thought that Ho Cheon-an had mercilessly finger flicked him just to assert his authority as a teacher and held a grudge, but as the confrontation grew longer, Tang Guanglie acknowledged that Ho Cheon-an’s judgment had been correct.
Tang Do-gyeong’s wild judgment in seeing the flow of gambling was a few moves ahead of Tang Guanglie.
His actions of immediately throwing away even his own advantage to find a way out as soon as he sensed the tightening noose were enough to make Tang Guanglie’s neck feel chilly.
What if he had gambled solely based on instinct?
Tang Guanglie had no confidence in suppressing Tang Do-gyeong, a young and energetic tiger.
If he had tried to overpower Tang Do-gyeong with his body instead of a well-woven loose net, he would have definitely let him escape.
Half a shichen passed.
Tang Do-gyeong and Tang Guanglie continued to exchange the shell game.
However, the outcome started to become evident.
Tang Do-gyeong’s numerous secret weapons were all placed on Tang Guanglie’s side, and only seven secret weapons remained with Tang Do-gyeong.
It was a situation where Tang Guanglie held the cups.
Tang Do-gyeong suddenly closed his eyes.
And he didn’t open his eyes until the cups stopped.
Neither Tang Guanglie nor the watching Feng Ying Hall Master could hide their tension.
Because all seven secret weapons were in Tang Do-gyeong’s hands.
Originally, the number of secret weapons wagered was free, but the two had been betting only one secret weapon at a time as if there was a rule.
Not only the result of the bet but today’s match was truly a showdown to determine the superiority between the two.
“Do you intend to have a showdown?”
“Yes. Family Head, you possess much more outstanding gambling skills than me.”
Tang Do-gyeong had tried to break through Tang Guanglie’s net using all the moves he could.
When Tang Guanglie held the cups, he had tried to induce Tang Guanglie’s agitation by repeatedly making big and small bets, relying on luck.
And when he held the cups, he had used all the techniques he knew as basics and even replicated the techniques Tang Guanglie used on the spot.
However, despite employing all means, he ultimately couldn’t break through the net Tang Guanglie had cast.
Tang Do-gyeong had no choice but to acknowledge Tang Guanglie’s superiority in the face of the net that seemed like it would break but didn’t.
“But I can’t give up like this, so I have no choice but to rely on luck.”
As Tang Do-gyeong’s eyes started to examine the three cups, Tang Guanglie also closed his eyes.
Because he was afraid that he might give Tang Do-gyeong a clue as to which cup the die was in, unable to endure the tension.
It was truly a match of luck.
Although the probability of him winning was higher, the probability of Tang Do-gyeong winning was also one-third.
Tang Do-gyeong was saying that he had lost, but Tang Guanglie realized that this match was actually a close call.
Tang Do-gyeong’s struggles didn’t tear the net, but they had reached the point of almost tearing it.
‘If luck favors Do-gyeong…’
Then Tang Guanglie had no confidence in maintaining the current flow.
If the tiger he had barely trapped in the net tore the net and escaped?
Tang Guanglie felt as if the two characters ‘defeat’ were placed right in front of him.
Tang Guanglie, the Feng Ying Hall Master, and even Ho Cheon-an focused on Tang Do-gyeong’s choice.
Luck was also a part of gambling.
Would Tang Do-gyeong really grasp good fortune and lay the foundation for a comeback?
Because no one could predict luck, everyone in the Tang family held their breath and waited for Tang Do-gyeong’s choice.
Tang Do-gyeong’s final choice was to tear through the net Tang Guanglie had cast and escape.
Tap.
Tang Guanglie spoke without opening his eyes.
“If you’ve bet, open it.”
Tang Do-gyeong also silently opened the cup. And quietly spoke.
“I lost.”
Tang Guanglie’s eyes snapped open. Tang Do-gyeong had chosen the first cup.
The die wasn’t in that first cup.
Tang Guanglie let out a sigh of relief to calm his pounding heart, but he didn’t let his guard down.
“Don’t you still have a secret weapon booklet in your bosom?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
As expected of the Family Head.
You saw through even the secret weapon booklet I didn’t take out.
Tang Do-gyeong thought as he took out a large secret weapon booklet.
There were several secret weapons in Tang Do-gyeong’s linked secret weapon booklet.
Among them, one caught Tang Guanglie’s eye.
“Isn’t that the Throwing Bridge Dagger?”
“Yes.”
Tang Do-gyeong smiled and stroked the Throwing Bridge Dagger.
“This was given to me by Ryeo-ah. When I said I was training in secret weapon techniques again, she closed her eyes tightly and held it out. How could I, as her older brother, refuse such a child’s heart?”
“…I see.”
“This one was given to me by my father. This one was given to me by my uncle, and this one was handed to me by Do-yeon. How could I put such items on the gambling table?”
“Hoho. Hohoho…”
Tang Guanglie closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the shame that rushed over him.
Compared to himself, who had even handed over the Family Head’s personal secret weapons that he shouldn’t have wagered as the Family Head, what about Tang Do-gyeong’s attitude?
Ho Cheon-an was right.
“I was really addicted to the poison of gambling.”
Tang Guanglie tried to shake off the overwhelming shame and moved his hand.
A secret weapon booklet was placed in front of Tang Do-gyeong.
“This is…?”
“This is what I’m giving to you. They are not the Family Head’s personal secret weapons, but high-grade secret weapons that you can fully train with.”
“How can the loser of a gamble receive such a thing?”
“No, no. This is a gift and an apology from Tang Guanglie, the head of the Sichuan Tang family, to Tang Do-gyeong, a branch member of the Tang family.”
Tang Guanglie patted Tang Do-gyeong’s shoulder.
“According to the rules, you are still a branch member, Do-gyeong. But if the family operates solely based on rules, what’s the point of having a Family Head? If one is learning secret weapon techniques, I should have naturally given them secret weapons, but I only regarded you as remarkable and didn’t look after your difficulties.”
“Family Head…!”
“You suffered because of an incompetent Family Head, and it led to discord with the direct line members, so I should apologize to you.”
“No, Family Head! Just your heart alone is enough to make this Tang Do-gyeong deeply moved!”
Tang Do-gyeong showed a fist salute with teary eyes, and Tang Guanglie repeatedly patted his shoulder.
“Congratulations, Family Head!”
The Feng Ying Hall Master congratulated Tang Guanglie in an excited tone.
The Feng Ying Hall Master was someone who had shared the heartache with Tang Guanglie for a week, so his heart was now filled with joy.
“Thank you…! The Feng Ying Hall Master has also worked hard!”
“Hahaha! How can it compare to the Family Head’s efforts?”
Tang Guanglie looked at Ho Cheon-an, who was standing beyond the Feng Ying Hall Master.
Seeing Ho Cheon-an’s smile, Tang Guanglie was engulfed in complex emotions.
It was true that he had been finger flicked by Ho Cheon-an, and even now, when he recalled the memory of that day, his forehead throbbed involuntarily.
Ho Cheon-an’s lectures were truly deserving of being called the culmination of gambling.
Tang Guanglie had felt that fact to his bones during the week-long lectures.
Although the request fee was quite substantial, even that money was made insignificant by the lectures.
However, finger flicking was too much, no matter what, so the desire to pay back at least one flick hadn’t disappeared.
But after experiencing today’s confrontation, his thoughts changed again.
If he hadn’t let go of everything after being finger flicked, if he hadn’t resolved to absorb all of Ho Cheon-an’s teachings and pay back the finger flicks, could he have achieved victory over Tang Do-gyeong today?
The victory itself was overwhelming, but the turning point of the victory was truly a hair’s breadth.
If he hadn’t had the strong driving force to redeem the humiliation, could he have truly achieved victory?
‘Yes, I admit it. Teacher’s judgments were all correct.’
“Congratulations, Family Head.”
“Thank you, Teacher Ya. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to acquire the skills to defeat Do-gyeong in such a short time. And this Tang Do-gyeong would have lived his entire life not knowing that he was just a frog in a well.”
Tang Guanglie decided in his heart to acknowledge Ho Cheon-an as his benefactor.
Both as an individual named Tang Guanglie and as Tang Guanglie, the head of the Tang family.
Openly sharing his secret techniques without restraint for the sake of Tang Do-gyeong’s ‘Tang Family Fierce Tiger Dark Dragon Fighting Technique’ was more than enough to be considered a benefactor of the entire Tang family.
And as an individual, he had cured Tang Guanglie’s own narrow-mindedness and gambling addiction, so he could be called a benefactor among benefactors.
‘Still…! I have to pay back the finger flicks!’
Despite knowing that it wasn’t something he should do to his benefactor, Tang Guanglie couldn’t ignore the urge rising from deep within his heart to finger flick Ho Cheon-an.
Even if he had to endure dozens of flicks in return, just one!
He wanted to pay back just one flick!
With that resolve, he was about to open his mouth.
Instead, Ho Cheon-an’s mouth opened first.
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