DSMC Chapter 114

Yan Jiyun toyed with the chip in his hand, appearing casual on the surface while actually listening carefully to the sounds inside the dice cup.

The dice had been changed, so the sounds they made when landing were different too.

Most people wouldn’t be able to hear anything clearly, but Yan Jiyun had sharp hearing. He could catch even the faintest sounds, distinguishing the subtle differences between the dice and the cup.

Ruan-ge really did have some skill. No wonder he insisted on competing.

His movements were faster, lighter, and more forceful than the middle-aged dealer outside, clearly more skilled.

But unfortunately, he wasn’t facing a human. He was facing a cat.

Still, in the first round, no matter how he listened, he couldn’t tell what the result would be.

So the first round still depended purely on luck.

Ruan-ge set the dice cup down and smiled, his thin mustache twitching slightly as he looked at Yan Jiyun.

“Did you hear anything?” he asked.

Yan Jiyun honestly shook his head. “I couldn’t.”

“Then say it, high or low?” 

Yan Jiyun guessed casually, “No idea… low.”

Ruan-ge lifted the cup. “Then how did you win ten rounds in a row?”

As expected, Yan Jiyun guessed wrong. He already knew luck had never really favored him.

“Maybe it really was just luck,” he said. “My luck has never been this good before.” Others came here to earn points, but none got invited by the boss to gamble with their life, only he had this “honor.”

Ruan-ge laughed loudly. “Let’s continue. I want to see how long your luck lasts.”

‘You know luck doesn’t last, so why won’t you just let me go?’ Yan Jiyun thought.

Though the atmosphere seemed relaxed, Ruan-ge didn’t believe him at all. No one could win ten rounds purely by luck, and no one had ever maintained a winning streak in his casino. Those who did were already dead. He reasonably suspected Yan Jiyun of cheating.

His actions showed suspicion, yet he didn’t say it outright.

Ruan-ge’s smile faded. He flicked his sleeve and raised the dice cup.

Second round.

The rattling sounds entered Yan Jiyun’s ears. Ruan-ge’s speed and technique remained unchanged, his sharp gaze fixed on Yan Jiyun’s expression. It was as if shaking dice was ingrained in his bones—he could produce any result he wanted.

‘Can this kid really hear it?’ Ruan-ge wondered. ‘He hasn’t even been betting exact numbers, just high or low.’

The cup landed with a click.

“Go on, guess.”

Last round had been 3, 4, 6—13 points, high.

This time, Yan Jiyun still couldn’t tell the result. He relied on luck again.

“High,” he said casually.

Ruan-ge lifted the cup. “Your luck doesn’t seem that great. Two 1s and a 5—7 points, low.”

Yan Jiyun didn’t panic. “See? I really am relying on luck.”

Ruan-ge stared at him, his tone turning unpleasant. “Are you unwilling to play? Or are you tired of living?”

There wasn’t a trace of nervousness on Yan Jiyun’s face. Instead, the man in the white shirt behind him was the one sweating.

‘That shouldn’t be right,’ the man thought. ‘He won ten rounds outside, so why lose two in a row here? Is he doing this on purpose?’

This time, Yan Jiyun acted a bit impatient. “Ruan-ge, I really am just lucky. I don’t believe my luck can be this bad next round.”

Ruan-ge lifted the dice cup again, starting to believe Yan Jiyun might actually just be lucky. His interest in shaking the dice even waned slightly.

But since he had initiated the bet, he had to continue.

Third round, different faces again. Yan Jiyun’s luck still didn’t save him. Wrong again.

Ruan-ge began to suspect he was deliberately picking the opposite. “What a pity. You have seven chances left.”

Though he said that, there was a hint of pleasure in his expression.

Yan Jiyun nodded, leaning forward, elbows on the table, fingers interlocked under his chin. “Yeah… Ruan-ge, why don’t you just cancel the bet? This is boring for you, and I don’t want to waste your time.”

Now Ruan-ge felt Yan Jiyun was getting nervous. “I always keep my word. Once I say something, I mean it.”

Yan Jiyun smiled faintly. “I hope you do.”

Ruan-ge said with little enthusiasm, “Let’s continue. No matter what, we’ll finish this bet. Your life will be mine soon enough. Actually, this is a bit dull with just the two of us. I’ll start a live broadcast so all the players in my casino tonight can watch your performance.”

He didn’t bother asking Yan Jiyun and directly instructed his assistant to start the livestream.

Yan Jiyun: “……” A live broadcast? Ever heard of respecting player privacy?

Behind him, the man in the white shirt grew even more anxious. Three losses already. What was going on? Was it really just luck?

The livestream began, and the fourth round started immediately.

The dice cup landed.

“Guess.”

Yan Jiyun hesitated slightly. “Low?”

Ruan-ge lifted the cup. 1, 4, 5.

He looked slightly pleased, more pleased than if he had guessed correctly himself. “Finally got one right.”

Yan Jiyun made a show of praying to the heavens. “Thank you, God of Luck, for saving my life.”

Ruan-ge looked at him like he was an idiot, thinking his earlier composure had all been an act. He found it even more boring now, but since the livestream had started, he might as well see how long this “luck” lasted.

“Let’s see how long your luck protects you.”

He grabbed the dice again, deliberately showing off this time, shaking them longer than before.

After four rounds, Yan Jiyun had already discerned the subtle differences between each face and number. He licked his lips. ‘Alright. Time to begin.’

As soon as the cup hit the table, Yan Jiyun decisively tossed his chip onto “high.”

“This round—high.”

Ruan-ge revealed the result, glanced at the numbers, and stroked his mustache. “Looks like luck is still on your side. Continue.”

Fifth round, Yan Jiyun wins.

Current record: three losses, two wins.

Ruan-ge suddenly grew excited. Was it his skill, or the other’s luck?

Sixth round.

“Go.”

“Low,” Yan Jiyun said lightly.

Seventh round.

Ruan-ge refused to believe it. “This time won’t be so simple.”

“High,” Yan Jiyun replied without hesitation.

Current record: three losses, four wins. Two more wins, and he could take everything in front of Ruan-ge, assuming the man kept his word.

But clearly, he didn’t need to wait that long. Ruan-ge had already begun making moves. He didn’t want Yan Jiyun to keep winning. Otherwise, the “Dice King” of Angel City would lose his title.

Seeing only three rounds left, Ruan-ge suddenly stopped. “Want to raise the stakes?”

Yan Jiyun wasn’t afraid. Ruan-ge clearly wasn’t someone who followed rules. He contradicted himself quickly. “Raise the stakes?”

Ruan-ge said, “If you can guess the exact numbers in the next round, I’ll double the chips. How about it?”

Yan Jiyun’s mind raced. Ruan-ge was wagering chips, but asking for his life. No matter how many chips he added, it wouldn’t change the fact that if Yan Jiyun lost, he’d have to pay with his life. Since that was the case, he might as well make a demand of his own.

Resting his chin on his hand, he said, “Ruan-ge, if I correctly guess the exact numbers in the next two rounds in a row, then your life will be mine. How about it?”

Ruan-ge turned and laughed with the NPCs behind him. “Xiao Jiang, that’s interesting. Since I opened this casino, plenty of people who lost money wanted my life. But you’re the first to gamble life against me, the Dice King.”

When it came to dice, he had already reached the pinnacle. No one dared challenge his authority face-to-face, and no one dared bet against him.

If an opponent beat him, it was usually just luck. But today, this “Xiao Jiang” really was a fearless calf unafraid of the tiger.

Yan Jiyun said, “I’m just thinking, if I’m betting my life, then shouldn’t you bet yours too? That would be fair.”

Ruan-ge laughed loudly. “Fine. I’ll bet my life with you. If we’re playing, let’s make it exciting. But for the next three rounds, you must call out the exact numbers every time. Otherwise, your life is still mine.”

Yan Jiyun didn’t care about the size of the wager. “I trust in your sense of fairness, Ruan-ge.”

In truth, no matter what conditions he proposed, Ruan-ge would agree. The dice were in Ruan-ge’s hands. Even if Yan Jiyun guessed correctly, the result could still be altered at the moment of reveal.

This was Ruan-ge’s territory. Yan Jiyun had no real say. No matter how many rounds he won, the end result could still be Ruan-ge taking his life. So he might as well make the process more thrilling, letting the adrenaline surge.

The man in the white shirt had been as calm as Yan Jiyun before, but now that the stakes had risen, even he began to frown.

He had come in to look for clues. Who would’ve thought this player would be so reckless?

The eighth round began.

Ruan-ge rose to his feet, one foot planted on his chair. The new betting format had stimulated him, and he was now in an excited state.

Yan Jiyun, meanwhile, still rested his chin on one hand, not moving at all. The previous three winning rounds had basically confirmed his understanding of the three dice. The only way to defeat him now would be for Ruan-ge to switch the dice. But Ruan-ge clearly hadn’t thought of that yet.

The dice clattered rapidly against the cup’s inner walls. After Ruan-ge finished his flashy shaking technique, the dice settled back into stillness, covered by the cup.

“Xiao Jiang, it’s not too late to admit defeat,” Ruan-ge said.

Yan Jiyun lowered his hand slightly onto the table. “But if I admit defeat, you’ll still take my life.”

Ruan-ge laughed. “If I’m in a good mood, I might spare you. But I like your hand. Maybe you can give me that instead.”

Yan Jiyun had long realized that NPCs favored blood and cruelty. He refused to play along and directly called out, “The numbers are 5, 5, 6. High.”

Ruan-ge froze for a moment. His expression subtly changed, a cruel glint appearing in his eyes. “That’s not luck.”

Yan Jiyun smiled lightly. “Why not open it and take a look?”

Ruan-ge himself had shaken the dice. There was no way he didn’t know the result.

At this moment, the only thing worth noting was that he hadn’t tampered with the dice when revealing them. No sliding them along the edge of the cup, no tricks inside.

Ruan-ge didn’t open the cup. He admitted defeat. “Fine. You win this round. Continue.”

Two rounds remained.

The atmosphere in the room surged.

At some point, several more people had entered the VVVIP room: regular high-tier members and Ruan-ge’s acquaintances. Hearing he was gambling with someone over life and death, they had come to watch. Since there was already a livestream, they figured it was better to watch in person, and Ruan-ge had no objection to showing off.

Though now, that “showing off” was starting to lose its shine.

The VVVIP room doors were open, and the number of spectators kept growing.

Even more interestingly, Ruan-ge’s assistant had actively opened the livestream. Everyone in the casino, both players and NPCs, could now watch the match.

Outside, players watching the broadcast said:

“Isn’t that the guy who was with Qi Feng earlier?”

“Who’s the one sitting across from him? I’ve never been in that room.”

“I just asked an NPC. That’s the casino owner. I remember reading about him in the lounge. He’s the Dice King of Angel City. Almost no one can judge his dice. Years ago, he beat a big shot here and won this casino.”

[Want to be Human] livestream channel: 

“Holy shit, this is intense! How good are Kitty Baby’s ears to guess the exact numbers?! That’s insane!”

“Same here. I’ve been holding in my pee, scared I’ll miss it if I go! Mimi, come on, take down the boss!”

“Ahhhh, Kitty Baby, you’ve got this! I don’t want to see you get your paws chopped off!”

“But now that it’s livestreamed, everyone can see the match. If Ruan-ge wins, Kitty Baby might actually survive. But if Kitty Baby wins, his chances of dying might be higher.”

“This is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Two rounds left, he has to get it right!”

“I bet Ruan-ge will cheat. No way he lets Mimi guess correctly again.”

“So what now? Can he handle it?”

“I checked the surroundings from a third-person view. There’s almost no chance he can transform into a cat and escape. Too many players, and the livestream blocks him completely.”

Now, the pressure had shifted onto Ruan-ge.

Every move he made was being watched by the entire casino. He couldn’t afford to lose—so the only outcome could be Yan Jiyun losing.

The smile had vanished from Ruan-ge’s face. His movements were faster now, though still steady—after all, he was the recognized Dice King.

Clack. The dice cup hit the table. The dice lay quietly inside.

He looked at Yan Jiyun. “Xiao Jiang, you won’t be able to guess this one, right? If you lose, your life is mine. Or you can choose not to guess and admit defeat.”

Yan Jiyun could tell that Ruan-ge was no longer as confident as before. Ever since the rules changed, his mindset had shifted.

The pressure was now on Ruan-ge. Yan Jiyun felt even more relaxed than him.

Calmly, he said, “Ruan-ge, it’s three 3s inside. Arranged in a straight line.”

Since this was now a one-on-one bet, the “triple” rule didn’t apply. There was no house sweeping all bets.

Yan Jiyun even threw in an extra detail.

Ruan-ge’s fingers pressed slightly heavier against the cup. He had considered tampering with the result when opening it. But this time, he didn’t.

One of his friends grew impatient. “Lao Ruan, why not open it? Let’s see if the kid’s right.”

Everyone present was experienced. They knew exactly what kind of person Ruan-ge was. With Yan Jiyun’s earlier performance, many already believed in his ability. If he turned out wrong now, it would definitely mean Ruan-ge had cheated.

Ruan-ge regretted letting his assistant livestream everything. He had thought it would reinforce his status, but now it was backfiring. He had expected to dominate like before, but instead ran into a tough opponent.

Yan Jiyun added fuel to the fire, gesturing politely. “Ruan-ge, please.”

Grinding his teeth, Ruan-ge lifted the cup.

The room erupted in shock!

Only one round remained.

This seemingly delicate young man was about to finish a life-and-death gamble with the casino boss.

All the players in the casino stopped what they were doing, staring at the big screens.

“Can he actually beat an NPC?” someone asked.

“Who knows? That’s the casino boss. Probably a mini-boss at least.”

In this game, even NPCs who weren’t bosses could be as dangerous as instance bosses. One wrong move and they’d die.

When it came to battles between players and NPCs, no one understood the stakes better than them. Every instance run was a near-death experience.

As the player inside, his attitude was even more arrogant than the NPC’s.

More than a few people were sweating on his behalf.

Hidden in a corner, Qi Feng was also watching the giant screen.

After deducing earlier that Caramel was in the same instance, he actually felt more at ease. He didn’t rush out to look for the cat. Nighttime was the best cover for a cat.

After resting enough, he took a walk outside but didn’t find any trace of Caramel. He knew there was no point in rushing; small animals were far better at hiding than humans. He could only wait for Caramel to come out on its own.

Then he entered the casino’s “Tiger Door.” He had already earned quite a bit there and even won an information card from another player. Just as he was about to stop and continue searching for clues, he saw Jiang You on the big screen, currently facing off against an NPC.

The young man on the screen was confident without being arrogant, but Qi Feng was certain that he was a newcomer. A talented newcomer at that. Smart and bold.

Not far from where he stood, a sharp-looking player had set up a side bet among players.

“Anyone want to place a bet? Guess whether the player wins or the NPC wins. Player odds are 1:10, NPC odds are 1:2. Max bet 5000. Let’s do it just for fun.”

A chance to earn without relying on the system? Of course people were interested.

More cautious players leaned toward the NPC. In this game, they didn’t believe a lone player could defeat an NPC.

“I bet 100 points on the NPC.”

“200 on NPC.”

“500 on NPC.”

Almost everyone was betting on the NPC.

Suddenly someone called out, “3,000 points. I bet on the player.”

Qi Feng, who had just taken a step forward, saw the bettor. It was Chu Mo, his temporary teammate from the Demon Forest.

“I’ll put 5,000 points on the player,” Qi Feng said.

A group of players turned toward the voice. Not many could casually bet 5,000 points. When they looked closely, they saw it was Qi Feng, who was far ahead on the leaderboard.

That handsome and cold face was already recognizable, but his ranking made him even more unmistakable.

The bookmaker forced a smile. “Alright…” He had a bad feeling he was going to lose big.

Chu Mo nodded at Qi Feng in greeting. Then Qi Feng disappeared, his whereabouts unknown.

Yan Jiyun had no idea he had become the subject of a side bet. He had no mind for anything else right now.

The final round.

He had to defeat Ruan-ge.

After taking a deep breath, Ruan-ge suddenly said, “How about we take a break first? Eat something, then finish the last round.”

Yan Jiyun glanced at Ruan-ge’s right hand. He noticed it trembling slightly.

In total, it had only been about 15 minutes. Each shake of the dice took 5–10 seconds. Across nine rounds, even at 10 seconds each, that was only 90 seconds, less than 2 minutes of motion. And yet he needed a break?

Was Ruan-ge nervous… or was there something wrong with his hand?

Yan Jiyun hadn’t had time to investigate this character before being thrown into this situation.

He deliberately set a limit. “Then let’s rest for 5 minutes, Ruan-ge.”

“Sure. 5 minutes for you.”

Although Yan Jiyun appeared to be the weaker party, any smart person could see that the pressure was on Ruan-ge, while the initiative had shifted to Yan Jiyun.

Suddenly, Yan Jiyun grabbed the white-shirt man’s sleeve. “Could you grab me something to eat? I’m so nervous I’m hungry.”

As he spoke, he traced two words on the man’s arm: [Investigate Ruan-ge].

“Alright, wait a moment,” the man replied.

With the livestream on, every movement in the room was under scrutiny. Ruan-ge had wanted to show off, but now he was stuck in an awkward position.

He sat in his chair with eyes closed, resting, while his assistant brought him a drink.

Three minutes later, the white-shirt man returned. Ruan-ge’s people didn’t stop him.

He set a salad in front of Yan Jiyun and whispered, “Just found out, his right hand was injured in a shooting incident half a year ago.”

Yan Jiyun understood. “Fast work.”

The man took the opportunity to bargain. “That information has value.”

“Deal.”

Yan Jiyun picked up a slice of cucumber and forced himself to eat it with a dead expression inside. ‘No sense at all. Why not bring me some braised beef?’

The 5 minute break ended.

Ruan-ge opened his eyes. During the break, Yan Jiyun had noticed him occasionally rubbing his fingers.

Ruan-ge stood once more at the table. “Let’s begin, Xiao Jiang.”

Yan Jiyun had already set down his fork. He smiled faintly. “Alright.”

He knew, it wasn’t that Ruan-ge didn’t want to cheat. It was that he couldn’t anymore.

The final round—

The dice cup hit the table.

Yan Jiyun immediately stood up and called out, “6, 6, 6. Vertical line. Ruan-ge, you’ve lost.”

Then he suddenly burst into exaggerated excitement, circling the table like he’d gone mad. “Ruan-ge, you lost! The chips are mine, your life is mine too!”

Ruan-ge slowly lifted the dice cup, stroking his mustache. As he revealed the dice, he deliberately knocked over the vertical arrangement.

Seeing Yan Jiyun’s “crazy” behavior, he assumed the young man had gone mad with greed.

Ruan-ge looked at him. “Xiao Jiang, you’re the one who lost.”

But the moment he finished speaking, Yan Jiyun had already moved toward the door—

—and bolted!

He had known from the start it was impossible to truly win. The mustached boss would definitely cheat.

Only now did Ruan-ge realize he’d been played.

“Bring him back!” he roared.