Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 398 The Gambler of Destiny
The "Golden Cod" casino is located two blocks east of the "Three-Legged Sea Dog" tavern, close to the heart of the Saltwater District.

Although it's called a casino, "Golden Cod" looks incredibly rudimentary compared to the magnificent, castle-like gambling venues Xia Nan remembered from his previous life.

Nestled in the cramped space between densely packed buildings, it was converted from an old shipyard.

The building itself is utterly devoid of aesthetic appeal; it is a low, wide, single-story longhouse with thick wooden walls coated with unsightly anti-corrosion paint. The roof is covered with several layers of mottled canvas, devoid of any decoration. Only a huge sign hanging above the door—a codfish painted in gold—signifies its identity.

Rather than calling it a "casino," the term "gambling den" would be more appropriate.

The air was thick with a complex stench of tobacco, sweat, cheap ale, and cloyingly sweet spices; the crackling of dice, the clatter of chips being roughly swept away, short curses, maniacal laughter, shouts, and the sounds of fighting...

Even before entering the gambling den, just standing on the street outside, one can already feel the almost tangible greed emanating from it.

The heavy curtain at the entrance was suddenly lifted, and a thin, malnourished young sailor was shoved out, staggered a few steps, and fell into the mud in front of the door.

He struggled to his feet, his thin shirt soaked with filthy mud, his pouch empty, but he clutched a few copper coins tightly in his hand, as if they were his only hope for a better life.

He slowly raised his head, his cheeks covered in mud and water, his eyes slightly red, but he didn't shed a tear. There was only an empty blankness in his eyes, as if he had no sense of reality that he had lost all the money he had earned from working hard on the ship for two months in just half a night.

He instinctively wanted to turn back and re-enter the gambling den, but after taking only two steps forward, he was intimidated by the menacing thugs standing on both sides of the entrance.

After hesitating for a moment, he finally turned around and walked dejectedly to the other side of the street.

Xia Nan withdrew his gaze from the other person's back and frowned, having never been fond of such places.

He keenly noticed the change in the expression of the black-haired adventurer beside him.

Knowing that it was the other person's first time visiting Suyu Bay and that they were unfamiliar with the area, I was also worried that this would give them a bad impression of me.

Hera took the initiative to explain to Xia Nan:

"That's how it is in Suoyu Bay. They eat people without spitting out the bones, just like the misty forests over there."

“People with weak wills who can’t resist temptation will definitely not be able to save money in an environment like Suyu Bay, even if they don’t leave their money in casinos. It’s only a matter of time before they are emptied out.”

"What's more, our 'Golden Cod' is actually quite good. At least if you lose everything, they really let you leave. If it were other casinos in town, they would take the opportunity to offer some 'refunds,' with terrifyingly high interest rates. They would use the income from future voyages or even their own bodies as collateral. You wouldn't be able to leave this house without being skinned alive."

"Since we're going to get scammed anyway, we might as well pay our dues here. Maybe we'll learn our lesson and stop gambling in the future."

"I'll be debt-free then, and I can start over anytime."

Xia Nan neither confirmed nor denied this.

Hearing Hera say this, the bald, burly man beside them showed a surprised expression.

He wasn't surprised by the information Hera revealed; his main job was dealing with gambling dens, so how could he not know the actual situation there?

What truly surprised him was that his boss, Hera, would actually take the initiative to explain things to others.

It seems that this unusually young-looking adventurer is not the new henchman that the boss originally thought he was.

Unconsciously, she had raised her regard for Xia Nan even higher, and even began to recall whether she had offended him along the way.

In this world with extraordinary powers, the differences between individuals are magnified, and there are clear distinctions in terms of status and position.

Hera, a professional herself and who controls a portion of the underground forces within Barracuda Bay, values ​​Xia Nan because of his unexpected potential. The bald, burly man, who speaks in a low voice to show respect in front of her, can make the two fierce-looking guards at the gate not dare to raise their heads.

He respectfully lifted the curtain of the gambling den for the three of them.

Upon entering "Golden Cod," the first thing that catches the eye is the thick, hazy smoke filling the air. The entire gambling den is packed with people, and the tables are usually almost invisible. Only occasionally, during moments of focused silence followed by bursts of cheers and wails, can one catch a glimpse of a corner of a card table through the gaps in the crowd.

River Valley Town also has similar venues, perhaps with some differences in environment and rules, but the gamblers' behavior is basically the same. Those who lose money either stagger out or slide to the ground against the wall with empty eyes, while those who win money have red eyes, wave their money bags, and loudly call on their companions to buy alcohol and spend money in a show of wild joy.

But strangely, the scene in "Golden Cod" is different from usual.

The card tables, which were usually surrounded by gamblers, were now strangely empty, with only a few tables remaining, leaving the dealer standing alone in place; the air, which was usually filled with noise and commotion, was now thick with a tense atmosphere made up of whispers and mutterings.

However, the number of people in the "Golden Cod" casino has not decreased compared to the past; in fact, it has increased.

The reason for the current scene is...

This is because at this moment, a large portion of the gamblers in the casino are densely gathered around a certain card table.

Even as a bystander, one should witness firsthand this legendary night that is destined to leave an indelible mark on the history of the "Golden Cod".

The crowd surrounding the card table was so dense that it completely blocked the view from the outside.

Standing at the entrance, even though Xia Nan had noticed something amiss, he still couldn't see exactly what was happening there.

Only amidst the intermittent cheers of gamblers around the tables and the hustle and bustle of the crowd could one glimpse the towering pile of chips at the far end, like a small mountain.

"Boss Hera, it's that table!"

In contrast to his burly physique and the ferocious tattoos on his head, the bald, strong man's behavior at this moment was quite striking, like a student tattling to the teacher, pointing towards the card table where the crowd was gathered.

“I asked around, and he came to the casino this afternoon.”

"It's been at least three or four hours now, but..."

"It's either a draw or a win; we haven't lost a single game!"

Hera didn't speak, but frowned, a glint of light flashing in her blue eyes, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate the crowd and see into the card table inside.

"I called all the masters on duty today to come and check, and they found no trace of cheating or any signs of magical particles being activated."

"It's like... he was just pure luck."

"We've been winning since this afternoon." Luck—whether in my past life or now on the continent of Aifara, which possesses supernatural powers, is an inexplicable phenomenon.

Often, it may just be an excuse, but for a very small number of people involved, it may be affirmed with a tone of longing or even awe.

However, for casinos in Fish Bay, and even throughout the Southern Islands, the word "casino" has become taboo and something to be avoided because of a legendary figure from many years ago.

Even today, in the corners of taverns strewn with empty bottles, in the depths of shadowy alleys, gamblers still speak of that legendary figure with reverence and fervor:
—【The Gambler's Fate】·【Temora's Eyebrows】·Arlene

He is also the only person in history to have a complete blacklist of all 32 large casinos in the three districts of Suyu Bay.

No one knows where she came from, nor what her purpose was, that she, as a gambler, would use such humiliating and devastatingly cruel methods to break down the psychological defenses of every casino manager.

That dark period, which seemed like an eternal night, has become a nightmare for all casino workers in the entire Barracuda Bay.

Even though she had never been involved in such matters before, after taking over "Golden Cod" from its former owner not long ago, Hera was reminded of this secret in an extremely subtle way.

He even developed a bit of interest and used his own channels to conduct in-depth investigations, but unfortunately, he ended up gathering very little information.

And that's why she understood her subordinate's hint almost immediately.

"You mean, that person... has returned?"

"No, no, no!" The bald, burly man shook his head like a rattle-drum, his face unconsciously showing fear. "Many years have passed since then, and there are hardly any survivors left in Suckerfish Bay, but powerful forces are always keeping an eye on things at the town entrance."

"If that person really comes back, the casinos in the city, especially those in Baiya District, will definitely make a move!"

"I just feel that the person in our casino now has some similar methods to the legendary one."

Upon hearing this, Hera immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But he only relaxed halfway before suddenly remembering something and holding his breath back.

His face was gloomy and unpleasant.

Standing to the side, Xia Nan looked somewhat puzzled.

He could tell that the root of the problem was that a particularly lucky gambler had come to "Golden Cod" and hadn't lost a single game since the afternoon.

But being new to the place, they were completely baffled by the "that person" mentioned in the two people's subsequent conversation and the cryptic remarks they made.

It is unknown what kind of being it is, so much so that people dare not even mention its name.

Without holding back, seeing Hera and the bald, burly man standing there without making a move, he directly asked them his question.

Perhaps out of a desire to escape reality, and with a delaying mentality that prevented them from going forward to check, Hera and the bald, burly man initially acted evasively, but after being pressed for details, they eventually began to explain things to him in a roundabout way.

After listening, Xia Nan's expression suddenly turned strange.

【The Gambler of Destiny】Ah Lin, putting everything else aside, just the name itself... he had actually seen it before.

The note on the [Fate Coin] attribute panel comes from the other party.

I used to pay special attention to it because of its title "Temora's Eyebrows," but I gradually forgot about it due to various things that happened in the real world, and it was buried deep in my memory.

But to my surprise, more than a year later, I actually came to Suyu Bay and heard the name of this legendary figure again.

I couldn't help but feel the wonder of fate.

The glorious deeds left by the other party in Suoyu Bay made Xia Nan, who had just advanced to level 3 and obtained the future part-time path from the attribute panel, involuntarily think about it.

It's as if one needs to perform a large-scale ritual for fear and intimidation, and needs to "light a spark" in order to meet the requirements for part-time work.

Could it be that Arlene's actions at various casinos in the Southern Islands were also to meet the promotion requirements for a certain profession?
However, given the exaggerated commotion that the other party caused, which still makes the locals talk about it with fear and panic many years later, it must have been at least an "extraordinary," or even more "legendary," level of professional advancement ceremony.

They probably know that standing here and delaying is just a slow death.

Hera took a deep breath, a resolute glint flashing deep within her emerald eyes.

He gestured to the bald, burly man beside him to have someone part the crowd, and with a few strides, he was already walking towards the card table.

Xia Nan followed closely behind.

The two were positioned to the side and behind the card table. Even though the bald, burly man and his men pushed the crowd of gamblers in front of them to the sides, they still couldn't fully see the face of the gambler who made Hera feel like she was facing a formidable enemy.

The first thing Xia Nan saw was a small mountain made of chips, which looked particularly spectacular in the casino.

The chips that gamblers had risked their lives for with bloodshot eyes were now piled up haphazardly, like pebbles found on the roadside, teetering on the verge of collapse.

The chips at the very top swayed slightly with the collision of the table and the dice cup, attracting the gamblers' attention. Some even took advantage of the celebration to shout loudly or stomp their feet, hoping that the small mountain of chips would collapse so they could take advantage of the chaos and pick up a few.

The gambler who had attracted everyone's attention had his face obscured by the crowd and chips; all that could be seen was a pointed soft hat decorated with white feathers peeking out from behind the mountain of chips.

A pair of exquisite high-top leather boots embroidered with clover patterns swayed back and forth beside the chair leg, seemingly reflecting their owner's current high spirits and pleasant mood.

Xia Nan suddenly felt that this outfit looked somewhat familiar.

As he was pondering this, the commotion of Hera's men parting the onlookers around the table also caught the gambler's attention.

The white feathers swayed gently, and the pointed soft cap atop the mountain of chips moved to the side, revealing a fair face with a slight reddish tinge peeking out from behind the chips.

The tawny, crystalline eyes shifted slightly, fixing their gaze on the young adventurer's face.

A familiar voice rang out at the card table:
"Xia Nan!?"

(End of this chapter)