Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 215 - 135: Equivalent Exchange

Chapter 215: Chapter 135: Equivalent Exchange

The casino contained all the most common games, the only difference being that the chips each gambler wagered were their own brooches, and the countdown on those brooches represented their entire life’s stakes.

There was never a shortage of overnight-riches stories here, despite the continuous failure of many, still drawing people like moths to a flame.

What they had in common was that most of the gamblers had little life left, Zheng Liu and Xing’s 6 hours and 50 minutes were even considered lenient here; along the way, Duan Mingyuan encountered many whose countdowns had less than five minutes left, b ut still their eyes were bloodshot, convinced they could turn things around.

Unfortunately, the odds of turning things around were not favorable; he roamed the casino for a while, not encountering anyone who had successfully changed their fate, but he did see five or six people like that man who had been drained of Life Energy and dragged away.

"These people are all insane."

Xing whispered.

Even with less than 7 hours left to her, she would never fall into madness like these people.

"The people here are different from you; they’ve dwindled from decades down to this point,"

A female voice suddenly emanated from Xing’s brooch, continuing, "Life and Time are fair to everyone, the majority of people start off with the same stakes, but their destinies take remarkably different paths. As for you, 7 hours is the chip I have bestowed upon you. You may use it to win back your life or enjoy the last 7 hours of it to the fullest. You can experience pleasures you’ve never known before, casting aside all worries and marching towards the end of your life amidst ultimate joy.

"However, if you wish to win back your lives, the next seven hours may become the most torturous of your lives. The casino represents luck, the Chamber of Commerce represents wisdom. Changing lives boils down to this— and I am very eager to see your performance."

As the voice ceased, Zheng Liu and Xing were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

The three went to an area opposite the casino. Compared to the noisy and maddening casino, the environment here was much more elegant. The Chamber of Commerce had set up a grand networking banquet; attendees wore masks, dressed variously, but no matter their former statuses, here they were all merchants.

What they had to do was skillfully negotiate deals and then exchange the acquired chips for whatever they desired.

The Chamber of Commerce also had its share of inspiring stories. Over the past decades, many people had used their insight and intelligence to cross social strata and become members of high society.

However, Zheng Liu and Xing, with just 14 hours of chips combined, weren’t of interest to the attendees, who walked away as soon as they saw the countdown on their brooches.

It was clear that 14 hours did not carry much purchasing power in this area.

Zheng Liu and Xing awkwardly made their way to a corner of the area, quite aware that this was not where they belonged.

The voice from the brooch had spoken of two ways to change one’s fate, but actually, they were left with only one choice.

It seemed nothing about them was of interest to others.

Yet they knew all too well that so-called luck only led people to the abyss; once trapped, their fate would be no different from the red-eyed gamblers.

Win or lose, staying away from gambling was their only choice to preserve dignity.

"Old Duan, let’s go downstairs and have a look,"

Zheng Liu didn’t want to stay here any longer, planning to use his limited time to investigate every nook of the underground marketplace.

The bunny girl who had led them said the banquet hall on the first floor and the casino were places to earn chips. If they got tired, they could go downstairs and use the chips they had won to purchase any service they wanted at very low prices.

The bunny girl specifically emphasized to them that any kind of service could be bought, even the deepest fantasies hidden in their hearts could be fulfilled downstairs.

"What do you plan to do?"

Zheng Liu asked Duan Mingyuan.

"I don’t have any plans, I hit a bug."

Duan Mingyuan felt out of place in this underground trading exchange; even the brooch on his chest, representing his remaining chips, was absent. Although he had little interest in gambling or business, he was quite curious about how much time he had left on his countdown.

Unfortunately, the Shanqi Commerce Association seemed unable to satisfy his curiosity.

Just as the three were about to leave, a young man holding a goblet blocked their path, staring straight at Xing, saying, "Miss, are you a member of the Hunter Association?"

Business had come knocking.

Even behind masks, the trio could feel the heat in the young man’s eyes.

He didn’t intend to explain how he recognized Xing or to introduce himself. In this place, relationships between people were purely based on the exchange of interests. He had his eye on a valuable item and said, "I’ve heard that the Hunter Association has recruited many individuals with strange abilities, all possessing special superpowers. Do you, miss, also possess an ability awakened like theirs?"

Xing nodded.

She noticed the young man’s gaze; when he saw the countdown of less than 7 hours on the brooch, the smile on his face became more confident.

"I want to buy your superpower for 10 years of life; what do you think?"

The young man knew that for someone on the brink of death, a windfall of 10 years was as good as a life-saving straw. He said, "If you die, your ability will vanish as well. These ten years are enough for you to do many things; maybe you can use it to win more chips."

"Abilities... can also be traded?"

Xing was taken aback.

"Of course, as long as it goes through the Chamber of Commerce’s fairness, they will transfer your ability to me under the Goddess’s witness, and you can use these ten years to resolve your urgent needs."

The young man seemed very experienced; the countdown on his chest displayed 172 years and five months, clearly indicating that he was a successful businessman.

As they spoke, the young man turned to Zheng Liu and said, "I can also split these ten years into two parts. That way, both you and your friend can catch a breath."

"Don’t trust that swindler!"

An old woman intervened loudly in the conversation, clutching Xing’s hands tightly and saying, "Your gift is quite rare here. You should contact the Chamber of Commerce and go through the official auction process. Even though it’s a bit troublesome, the price you get will definitely be much higher than ten years!"

"You old hag, always ruining my business!"

The young man cursed angrily, "I’ve said it before, these deals have the nature of gambling; you win some, you lose some. Yet, because you ended up with a worthless ability, you’re harboring resentment!"

"Pah, you damn swindler!"

The old woman shielded Xing behind her, glaring fiercely at the young man, not letting him come a step closer.

Her brooch pointed to 3 days and 4 hours.

The young man evidently noticed the number too, and with a cold laugh, said, "Well, it doesn’t matter; you won’t live for much longer anyway."

Having said that, he still seemed somewhat reluctant to give up on Xing and shouted, "I’m always here. If you change your mind, come find me. The auction procedures are very troublesome, and you might not even last until then."

"Get lost!"

The old woman cursed, driving the young man away, then turned to explain to the three, "That swindler always targets people like you, buying things off you at a low price and then reselling them for a high price. Don’t you be fooled by him!"