Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 64 The Sleeping Whale: Pirates' Stage
"Destiny is never fair, but it always tricks gamblers into thinking they have control over everything."

“When you win enough, everyone starts to wonder, who are you?”

Siming pushed open the door of the Sleeping Whale, and was greeted by the strong smell of rum and air mixed with the stench of damp sweat.

He frowned slightly, brushed off the dust on his body, and tried to make himself look less out of place.

The tavern had a bumpy floor and an oil lamp hung from the wooden ceiling, its wick almost burned out, flickering in and out.

In the middle of the oak bar, several dusty pirates were sitting on high stools, cursing loudly over their wine glasses.
Their palms are rough, their skin is tanned, and their faces are covered with traces of time and wind and waves.

As soon as Celian stepped over the threshold, she frowned suddenly, raised her hand to fan the air with a look of disgust, and a trace of disgust flashed in her red eyes.

"Ugh... Master, the smell here is so disgusting." She wrinkled her nose exaggeratedly, revealing a painful expression.

“Who would want to stay in such a filthy place?”

Siming took a sip of his drink without even looking up, then leaned towards the bar and said calmly, "For example, us."

Celian curled her lips, glanced around the tavern, and finally turned to Lilia:

"Take me somewhere else. This place is not suitable for a noble vampire like me."

Lilia couldn't help but chuckle, nodded slightly, and left with Celian.

Siming helplessly watched their backs disappear at the end of the street, and then his gaze fell back on his group of "not so noble" companions.

Rex had already sat down at the bar, propping his face up with one hand, and lazily cast a wink at the barmaid:

"A few cans of the strongest rum, and a large plate of grilled fish, will you join me for a drink, girl?"

The maid rolled her eyes and without hesitation slammed the wine glass in front of him, pushing a plate of steaming grilled fish over.

On the other side, Baroque rushed straight to the gambling table in the corner, where the stakes were not gold coins, but arm wrestling.

His opponent was an orc, his chest covered with thick black hair, his fangs half exposed, and his arms as thick as tree trunks. He looked like he was not an easy character to deal with.

Baroque grinned, stretched out his arm heroically, and slammed it hard on the table, making a dull sound. "Come, let's see who the real monster is."

Ian stood at one side of the pub, playing a game of darts.

He threw casually, one after another, and all the darts hit the bull's eye accurately. His movements were so leisurely that it seemed as if he was just killing time.

Si Ming sat at the bar, grabbed a handful of peanuts, casually threw them into his mouth, chewed them a few times, and took another sip of beer.
His brows furrowed slightly: "Is there nothing chilled here?"

The waiter rolled his eyes as he wiped his glass. "Do you think you can get that kind of stuff in a place like this?"

Siming shrugged and waved his hand casually: "Then have another drink."

The setting sun dyed the sky of Deep Tide Harbor dark red, and the oil lamps in the tavern were lit.

The warm yellow light casts a shadow on the rough wooden tables and chairs.

The door of the tavern was pushed open, and Alison and Calvino walked in one after another.

They don't look good.

Siming spun the wine glass in his hand while looking up at them. Then he raised his glass and said lazily:

"Oh? Is it because the price is too high, or is the seller asking for too much?"

Calvino didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked straight to the bar, ordered a glass of rum, drank it in one gulp, and then slowly said, "It's not that it's expensive, but that it's simply not available."

"Nightmare gold," Alison added.

Siming's brows furrowed even tighter: "What is that?"

Alison sighed softly and explained patiently:
"The core resource necessary for the ghost ship's voyage is a special kind of gold. Unlike ordinary gold, it cannot be seen or touched by ordinary people. Only the captain of the ghost ship can truly possess it."

She paused and continued, “Each piece of Nightmare Gold can sustain the ghost ship’s voyage for a month.

It is not just fuel, but also the most precious currency in the Dream Sea. Many ghost ship owners are willing to exchange large amounts of ordinary gold, or even weapons and crew members, for it.

Siming pondered for a moment, then held his chin and spoke slowly, "Sounds like the fuel used exclusively for ghost ships?"

Alison nodded. "But it's more than just fuel. It's the core of the Sea of ​​Dreams."

Siming put down his wine glass, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and glanced at Calvino: "So, we don't even have a piece?"

Calvino's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile: "How could that be? Of course I have one."

"But the thing is, we need at least two."

"Why?" Siming raised his eyebrows.

Calvino put down his glass and tapped his fingers twice on the table. His tone was calm but contained a hint of unquestionable meaning:

"The route of the Sea of ​​Dreams is unpredictable. Once we set sail, we can't return to land to refuel at any time."

He raised his head, his eyes as deep as the night sea: "If we can't sustain the voyage for at least two months, we will be lost in the sea of ​​dreams and will never be able to reach shore."

The atmosphere in the tavern became subtle the moment these words were spoken.

Ian put away his darts and leaned against the wall thoughtfully. Rex tapped his wine glass and chuckled, "It sounds like we have to find the second piece of Nightmare Gold as soon as possible."

Baroque flicked his wrist and grinned, "Either find someone to buy it, or rob it. Anyway, as long as there is a way, I'm willing to try."

Upon hearing this, Siming sighed deeply and glanced at the people present with a complicated look: "So, what are you going to do?"

Alison's expression changed slightly, and she seemed a little helpless. She whispered:

"The Black Amber Market is out of stock. The merchants on the black market told us that if we want Nightmare Gold, we should try our luck at the Sin Card Table."

"...Sin Poker Table?" Siming frowned and softly repeated the name, with a hint of uneasiness in his tone.

Calvino nodded slowly, his expression solemn:

"It's an underground gambling game. The stakes aren't limited to money. Sometimes it's alcohol, sometimes it's weapons. But the most precious stake is Nightmare Gold."

Upon hearing this, Siming rolled his eyes and said helplessly, "You want me to gamble again? Tsk, you were complaining about me being a freeloader just a few days ago."

Alison crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows and smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "This time it's not a free lunch, it's about saving the future of our entire ship."

Sima Ming snorted and said nothing, but casually touched the Thousand Faces card in his arms.

He could feel the temperature of the card's surface slowly rising, as if a hidden power was awakening. Then, a familiar whisper echoed in his mind—

"The game is set, the wheel is spinning, fate, will you dance with me?"

The One with a Thousand Faces is bewitching him.

Siming pursed his lips slightly, and stroked the edge of the card with his fingertips. The rhythm of his heartbeat seemed to resonate with some unknown rules.

He knew that this gamble was not simply a matter of winning or losing.

But he still smiled nonchalantly, adjusted his clothes casually, and shrugged his shoulders in a relaxed manner: "Well, since there is no way out..."

He raised his head, a gambler's glint flashing in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up into a confident arc.

"Take me with you and harvest the lottery pool."

(End of this chapter)