Chapter 35   - Ill-Fated Relationship from a Past Life #6

Tae-hyuk looked down at the vitamin boxes, which had increased to a total of three boxes. The money that he first brought into the casino was 30 million won, the total amount of money that he had saved up. The total had now increased by five times.

The dealer and the players that he was playing with disappeared after someone called them away.

‘SY lost a lot of money, so it isn’t over yet.’

Han Sang-won’s ability was being able to stretch out the profits. For example, he had led Tae-hyuk to a table with four card cheats, who had been waiting for the appropriate target to appear. If there was a mixture of regular guests, then there wouldn’t be a large amount of profit. He was able to perfectly deceive them because they were card cheats.

A bellboy pushing a drinks cart passed by Tae-hyuk.

“Can I have a drink?”

“Of course, Guest-nim.”

As the lounge of a luxury hotel, it offered free drinks. There was whiskey with ice in it, cocktails made with sweet fruity liqueur, and Vodka with kahlua.

They were easy and quick drinks. Drinking two glasses would make a person’s self-control go away.

Tae-hyuk picked a cherry cocktail without any alcohol in it. He sipped it while watching the other tables before someone walked up behind him.

“Guest-nim, you are better than I thought."

"Ah, if it isn’t Han Sang-won. However, where did the people playing the game go? I wanted to play for longer.”

Han Sang-won smiled but his fingers were trembling.

"Everybody is busy. Um, I want to introduce you to another table. I don’t think there are any more empty seats. If you don’t mind, I have made a special place for you. How about it?”

"I don’t care who they are today. It doesn’t matter.”

Han Sang-won asked me again to confirm.

"Where is Detective Park?”

"Well, he became very drunk so I told him to go and rest.”

"Is that so? Then let’s go."

Tae-hyuk didn’t miss Han Sang-won’s mouth going up.

‘The protector is gone, so he can act as he like. But is that really the case?’

Han Sang-won led Tae-hyuk to the manager’s room.

There was a dealer with a bandage around his arm and a man with sharp eyes waiting for him.

“Guest-nim. This is Kim Shin-hyeong. He is someone with some knowledge about how to play poker. I think it will be a good game.”

"Han Sang-won, is this your idea? A one-on-one game is no fun unless the stakes are higher.”

“... Haha. Don’t worry. I will raise the basic bet to three million. Are you satisfied with that?”

It meant that he had no intention of drawing this out for a long time. In fact, Tae-hyuk was the same.

“The more the merrier.”

Han Sang-won gritted his teeth at Tae-hyuk’s appearance. He was a man who started at the bottom, and rose through the ranks to the position of manager of the branch office.

However, it was the first time he met a type like Seo Tae-hyuk. At first, he thought it was due to Park Jung-bae. However, that attitude didn’t change, even after he had disappeared. What caused such self confidence?

This was their territory. The opponent hadn’t realized that he walked into the mouth of a lion. If he just used a little strength, then he could kill this wannabe brat.

Han Sang-won trembled with a strange joy at the thought.

"Then let’s get started right away. It seems like the dealer isn’t feeling well, so I will deal the hands.”

Tae-hyuk greeted Kim Shin-hyeong, who he would be playing a big game with from now on.

“Please take care of me, Ajusshi.”

"Play well, child.”

Kim Shin-hyeong’s eyes were different from the other card cheats that Tae-hyuk had met so far. He seemed to relax after seeing Tae-hyuk’s appearance.

‘He has the eyes of a lion about to catch a rabbit.’

Tae-hyuk licked his lips.

Until now, it was just a simple massacre.

The game right now could be called the beginning of the fight.

The Seven Card Stud Poker game progressed quickly until the third hand. Tae-hyuk smoothly received the cards.

He had three cards in his hand, a pair of 7s and one Ace. In this situation, it was natural to open with the Ace and hide the pair. However he didn’t do just that. On the next turn, if he got an Ace and got two pairs, then it would be difficult to raise the pot. Tae-hyuk didn’t hesitate to reveal one of the 7s.

His eyes drifted over to Kim Shin-hyeong’s hands. The latter had revealed a 2 earlier than Tae-hyuk, so it was likely that he was in the same situation as Tae-hyuk. He was probably holding either an Ace, King, or Queen in his hand, and had only revealed one of the pair of 2s. Tae-hyuk guessed that he was probably aiming for a higher two pair.

Even so, it was too early in the hand to confidently say so. It was almost at the same time that he received the cards. No matter how skilled a card cheat Kim Shin-hyeong was, it wasn’t a judgement that could be made quickly.

Did he have a triple 2? Or, he might be making a bluff.

Tae-hyuk frowned. The opening hand alone could cause a psychological warfare. This was what the top-ranking professional gamblers were all about.

’Can I accept it as an acknowledgment of my abilities? Then, I am sorry, as I can see all of his cards.’

Tae-hyuk manipulated the Demon Revealing Mirror and used the ‘Spying’ skill. The cards that Kim Shin-hyeong currently had appeared on the mirror.

‘It is also a pair of 2s.’

The hand wasn’t that special, so he was probably trying to make it seem like a triple. Kim Shin-hyeong must have skills if Han Sang-won was so confident in bringing him to the table. Then Kim Shin-hyeong drew two successive 2s and took the victory.

Tae-hyuk’s first defeat.

Color started to return to Han Sang-won’s face. Tae-hyuk wasn’t as good as he thought. Just as he was thinking this,

"Let’s start the next hand.”

After that, Tae-hyuk kept on forfeiting. That’s how overwhelming Kim Shin-hyeong’s hands were. It was like his clothes were becoming wet with rain.

In no time, 50 million won of Tae-hyuk’s money had disappeared. The power of the default three million won bet was bigger than he thought.

Han Sang-won’s expression kept getting brighter and brighter. Now, the only thing left was to take away everything Tae-hyuk had left.

He quietly issued new instructions to Kim Shin-hyeong.

Tae-hyuk looked at the cards in his hand. A triple Ace had come on the fourth turn.

Compared to that, Kim Shin-hyeong just had random cards. It seemed like the best he could get was a pair.

‘It is a trick to make me think that I have good luck.’

Tae-hyuk grasped Han Sang-won’s plan at a glance. This could determine victory. Tae-hyuk couldn’t avoid the game.

“I will go half.”

"Uh huh. This kid is good. Still, I’m pretty tough. I will take it on. Call.”

The stakes on the table had become 30 million won.

On the sixth card, Tae-hyuk received another Ace and completed the four of a kind. Tae-hyuk had two Aces in front of him. It was a hand that he could bet all of his possessions on.

Kim Shin-hyeong had a 3, 10 and 4 exposed. Because the pattern of the 3 and 4 were the same, there was the possibility of a straight flush. However, for that to happen, all his hidden cards had to be a hit.

The probably was like winning the lotto. In a situation where only the last hidden card remained, Tae-hyuk confirmed his hand through Spying.

‘The 5 and 6 of spades... It is also a straight flush.’

However, the hidden card had to be a 2 or 7 of spades.

Kim Shin-hyeong said.

"In fact, I still haven’t completed my hand. Based on the showing cards though, you should have at least a triple. I will bet everything on the last hidden card and declare all-in.”

He declared all-in before receiving the hidden card. If Tae-hyuk accepted it, then the two people’s hands would be revealed and the hidden cards drawn.

Tae-hyuk bet 150 million won. With the 150 million won that Han Sang-won had prepared, the pot added up to a total of 300 million won. If he died here, then he would lose 30 million won. However, if he accepted then he would win 300 million won and would be a big winner.

Obviously, Tae-hyuk was in a favourable situation. Tae-hyuk already had four of a kind. On the other hand, Kim Shin-hyeong had to draw one of two cards to complete his hand.

Tae-hyuk immediately answered like it was a no-brainer.

“Call.”

"Hahahaha! Your face hasn’t changed despite possibly winning 300 million. It really is amazing. You have guts. I will pull out the last hidden card.”

Tae-hyuk said.

"Wait a minute. I don’t know what type of trick you might use, so put the card on the table. I will check the card first.”

Kim Shin-hyeong declared.

"It doesn’t matter."

Han Sang-won chuckled from where he was watching.

"Hahaha! Guest-nim! Surely you don’t think there will be a trick at the end? I heard that Guest-nim also enjoys tricks. Won’t you win even if you don’t use it? Uhahahahaha! Let’s see what will happen!”

In the end, their two hands were revealed. Kim Shin-hyeong had an unfinished hand, and needed to pull out a 2 or 7 of spades. Meanwhile, Tae-hyuk already had the Ace card that completed his hand.

Tae-hyuk pulled a card to stop any cheating and laid it out on the table. Kim Shin-hyeong then pulled out the next one on top and turned it over.

It was a 7 of spades! Kim Shin-hyeong completed the straight flush.

Han Sang-won started to laugh as he saw it.

"Bravo! As expected of Kim Shin-hyeong! Truly great to watch! Guest-nim, I’m truly sorry. This game seems to be our victory!”

Han Sang-won tried to gather the 300 million won that was piled on the table.

However, Tae-hyuk reached out and obstructed his actions.

“What? It’s surely over. What is this? Do you want to do this? Try it, you fucker!”

"No. I haven’t drawn my hidden card yet. The game isn’t over.”

"Kuhahahaha! What is this? Guest-nim! Your hand is a four of a kind! Four, of, a, kind! It has already been completed! Are you trying to draw a card to make a royal straight flush or something?”

"That still remains to be seen, so I’ll pull a card anyway.”

"Just try it! Even you can’t win, unless you are a god!”

Tae-hyuk said.

“A god. The god of gambling. I have something similar. Then I will choose my hidden card.”

Tae-hyuk pulled out a card and turned it over.

Then, he said.

"That reminds me, poker only uses 52 out of the 54 cards right? The two remaining ones are pitiful, so I mixed them in.”

He pulled out a card from his sleeve.

“......”

Tae-hyuk had chosen the joker card. It was a card with the potential to be anything.

"I will turn the joker into an ace. My hand will now have five aces, becoming the strongest hand. I think it is my victory.”

“T-This bastard! Playing a prank...!”

Han Sang-won cried out with agitation.

"Don’t think you can play around like this! Everybody, come in and pull out this crazy brat!”

Tae-hyuk shrugged.

Then he said.

"In fact, I already knew. It wouldn’t even matter if I won 300 million, or even three billion. Han Sang-won wouldn’t ever give me that money.”

"Of course! You are crazy if you think I will give money to you! Fuck. Do you have eyes? Are you looking down on me? I will throw you into the ocean today. Shit! What are they doing? Come in and drag this kid out!”

However, no one replied to his calls.

"There is one thing. I definitely came with Detective Park Jung-bae, but what is he doing right now?”

“... He went to rest after becoming drunk... Wait a minute. Perhaps...!”

Tae-hyuk laughed.

"You were so focused on the game that you didn’t even hear the fuss outside.”

“......”

“It seems that I should be the one say checkmate.”