Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

The morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Cheng Yu's face, dispelling any lingering sleepiness. He pushed open the door and happened to meet Qian Tu standing outside. "Father asked me to show you around the tribe," Qian Tu said, his tone as calm as ever.

Cheng Yu nodded and followed Qian Tu out of the wooden house. The Northern Wolf Clan's tribe was much larger than he had imagined. Rows of uniquely designed wooden houses were scattered across the vast grassland, wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, filling the air with the aroma of food. In the distance, groups of wolf-beastmen of various fur colors strolled and played leisurely, creating a strange and wonderful scene.

“Our territory is vast,” Qian Tu explained as they walked. “To the west are rolling mountains, to the east are rushing rivers, to the south are dense forests, and to the north is another tribe—the Black Dragon Tribe.”

No sooner had they finished speaking than they arrived at the edge of the tribe. Sure enough, a cluster of black buildings appeared in the distance, a stark contrast to the simple wooden huts of the northern wolf tribe. Just then, a tall figure came rushing from the direction of the Black Dragon tribe at an astonishing speed.

Before Cheng Yu could even see who it was, the other person hugged Qian Tu tightly, his voice filled with excitement: "Qian Tu! You're finally here! I thought you'd forgotten about me!"

This was a burly black dragon orc, his black scales shimmering in the sunlight, his golden eyes gleaming brightly. He held Qian Tu tightly, as if trying to meld him into his own body.

Qian Tu seemed a little uncomfortable with the other party's enthusiasm. He gently pushed the black dragon orc away, his tone slightly helpless: "Obsidian, calm down."

Obsidian then noticed Cheng Yu standing behind Qian Tu. He looked Cheng Yu up and down, a playful smile flashing in his golden eyes: "Oh, who is this? Never seen him before. Is this some good find you made outside? What? You want to enjoy it secretly, so you don't come to see me?"

Qian Tu glared at Hei Yao: "Don't talk nonsense. This is a guest I brought back from the south, named Cheng Yu."

Obsidian chuckled and patted Cheng Yu on the shoulder: "Hello, Cheng Yu, my name is Obsidian. I'm Qian Tu's friend, and the only male dragon who can make him submit." He deliberately emphasized the word "submit," his eyes filled with provocation.

Cheng Yu smiled awkwardly, unsure how to respond. He sensed that this black dragon orc named Obsidian seemed to be full of hostility towards him, but he didn't understand where this hostility came from.

“Alright, Obsidian, we have other things to do,” Qian Tu interrupted Obsidian. “We’ll talk next time.”

"No, it's been so long since we last met. We finally have a chance to get together. How can we not chat for a little longer?" Obsidian grabbed Qian Tu's arm, preventing him from leaving.

Qian Tu sighed helplessly: "Alright, then let's just wander around."

The three strolled along the edge of the tribe. Obsidian kept talking to Thousand Tu, their tone intimate and their behavior ambiguous, treating Cheng Yu as if he were an outsider. Cheng Yu silently followed behind them, his mind filled with doubt. He didn't know what the relationship between Thousand Tu and Obsidian was, but judging from their interaction, it seemed to be more than just ordinary friends.

Cheng Yu couldn't possibly think of them as ordinary friends.

Originally, the tribal tour was led by Qian Tu, but due to Hei Yao's arrival, it became a three-person trip. Hei Yao, with his outgoing and enthusiastic personality, quickly took the lead in the tour. He put his arm around Qian Tu's shoulder and suggested with great interest, "Instead of wandering around in your lousy place, why don't you come and visit our tribe! I'll take you to a great place!" Without waiting for Qian Tu and Cheng Yu's agreement, he pulled them towards the Black Dragon Tribe.

The "good place" Obsidian mentioned was the largest casino in the Black Dragon Tribe. This casino was enormous, resplendent in gold, brightly lit, bustling with activity, and offered every kind of gambling game imaginable. Cheng Yu was stunned by the lively scene as soon as he stepped inside. He had never seen such a luxurious place before and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Obsidian seemed to notice Cheng Yu's surprise. He laughed heartily, patted Cheng Yu on the shoulder, and said in a boastful tone, "How about it? Never seen such a big casino before? This is my territory! Just tell me what you want to play, and if you don't have money, I'll lend you some!" He puffed out his chest and proudly declared, "I'm the boss here, and I have more money than both of your tribes combined!"

Cheng Yu wasn't particularly interested in gambling, but he was still curious about the entertainment options in this world. He looked around, examining the various games in the casino, and asked, "What kinds of games are there here?"

Obsidian pointed to several gambling tables and introduced them one by one: "Dice rolling, comparing sizes, guessing numbers... all kinds of games are available, guaranteed to keep you entertained!"

Cheng Yu listened with little interest. These gambling methods were common in his original world and nothing new to him. He almost blurted out that this world had card games, but he swallowed the words back.

However, just as he was about to politely decline Obsidian's invitation, a sudden inspiration struck him. He remembered the deck of cards he always carried with him, and a bold idea ignited in his mind. "How about we bet on this?" Cheng Yu pulled a card with a playing card image from his pocket and tossed it high into the air.

The playing cards spun and danced in the air, shimmering with an eerie light. To the astonishment of Obsidian and Thousand Slaughter, a complete deck of cards appeared out of thin air in Cheng Yu's hand. He skillfully shuffled the cards several times, then smiled at Obsidian: "How about I teach you a new way to play?"

Obsidian was taken aback by Cheng Yu's sudden action. He squinted, carefully examining the playing cards in Cheng Yu's hand, his heart filled with curiosity. Cheng Yu began to explain the rules of playing cards, from simple comparisons to various complex variations. He explained things in a simple and easy-to-understand way, quickly piquing Obsidian's interest.

"Interesting! This sounds like a lot of fun!" Obsidian rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Come on, let's try it!" He couldn't wait to experience this novel gambling game.

Qian Tu watched quietly from the side. Although he wasn't interested in gambling, he was very curious about Cheng Yu's actions. He didn't know what Cheng Yu was planning, but he had a vague feeling that Cheng Yu seemed to be planning something.

The gambling began, with Cheng Yu, Hei Yao, and Qian Tu sitting around a gambling table. Cheng Yu skillfully dealt, shuffled, and cut the cards, his movements fluid and graceful, dazzling Hei Yao. While explaining the rules, Cheng Yu observed Hei Yao and Qian Tu's expressions, secretly plotting his next move. He knew this gambling game was more than just a game; it was a test, an opportunity. He wanted to use this game to uncover the secrets of the Black Dragon Tribe and find a way out for his own future.

"Can a casino grow this big just by gambling?" Cheng Yu looked around, puzzled by the opulent decorations and the constant stream of gamblers. He turned to Obsidian and asked curiously, "Can we gamble on other things here?"

Obsidian grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Of course, you can gamble here on anything you want. For example, your life." He paused, then added, "And slaves, for example. White dragon slaves are the most popular in our two tribes." Obsidian gave Cheng Yu a meaningful look. "If you win, I don't mind giving you a few." He spread his arms wide and said generously, "In short, in this casino, anything you want can be obtained through gambling."

Cheng Yu nodded and said confidently, "I will definitely win."

The game began, and Cheng Yu placed the coins he had brought on the table, only to find the amount pitifully small, utterly insignificant compared to Hei Yao's mountain of gold coins. Hei Yao smiled contemptuously: "You dare to offer such a paltry sum?"

Cheng Yu calmly put away the coins, his eyes resolute: "I don't need these. I'm gambling with my life."

Upon hearing this, Obsidian and Thousand Slaughter were both stunned. They hadn't expected Cheng Yu to be so bold, daring to gamble with his own life.

"Are you sure?" Obsidian narrowed his eyes, his tone tinged with doubt.

“Of course,” Cheng Yu answered without hesitation, “I believe in my ‘technology’.”

They chose bluffing, a card game that tests both psychology and skill. Cheng Yu shuffled, dealt, and placed bets with clean, decisive movements, radiating confidence. He knew this gamble wasn't just about money; it was about his life and his future.

Then, Cheng Yu pulled out a pistol and threw it on the gambling table, which immediately attracted the attention of the two men.

"This is a revolver. Its magazine can hold six bullets. I will only load one water bullet in a moment. Then I will rotate the magazine, which creates randomness. Whoever fails in the bluff will have to shoot themselves in the head."

Because I used water bombs, no one will die in this part, but whoever gets hit is the loser of this gamble.

Hei Yao nodded, understanding the rules. However, this was the first time he had ever seen such a novel thing. Even if he lost later, he would still have a good talk with Cheng Yu to see if he could buy some of these things from him.

"Alright, I understand. Let's skip the rest of the nonsense and get started."

Each player receives five cards. The rules for bluffing are simple: first, draw one real card from J to A from the deck, including the Jacks and Jokers. Then, the player holding the cards can play any number of cards from their five-card hand, which can be real or fake cards. The two Jokers can be played in place of a real card.

Then comes the most important part: the betting license.

After the previous player throws out their hand, the next player can choose to reveal their hand to see if it is real or fake. If all the cards played are real, the previous player wins and the next player loses, and the next player will be penalized, and vice versa.

In this game, you pull out a pistol and shoot yourself in the head.

This time, the real card drawn was an Ace. Cheng Yu looked at the cards in his hand. There wasn't a single Ace, but he did have a Joker. However, his expression remained calm.

At this moment, Obsidian actually had three Aces in his hand. It could be said that as long as he didn't do anything stupid, he would definitely be able to get Cheng Yu shot.

In the first round, Cheng Yu went first and played three cards directly, but he still had his Joker in his hand, so he played fake cards.

Hei Yao looked at the cards in his hand and a smile appeared on his lips. He thought that even if Cheng Yu was lucky, it was impossible for him to actually get two Jokers and one Ace at the same time. After all, there were only two Jokers out of a total of 18 cards, so the chance of drawing them was very low.

Therefore, Obsidian definitely wants to let the other party reveal their hand. He has seen too many fools who come in aggressively, trying to intimidate others with their aura and think they can make a quick buck. There is no shortage of such people in the casino.

But the moment the three cards were revealed, his world collapsed. It really was an Ace and two Kings.

Seeing the other person's shocked expression, Cheng Yu smiled disdainfully.

Pshaw! These are my cards, I can change them however I want. Even though I can't see your cards, judging from your expression, you don't have four Aces. You'd better get shot.

"What the hell? Did you cheat? How could that be?"

"A bet's a bet. Which eye of yours saw me cheat? Just obediently shoot yourself."

"Okay! You want to play like this? Then I'll try it too!"

Obsidian didn't care at all. In his opinion, anyone who dared to cheat in front of him was basically courting death. However, he really couldn't see through the other party's methods, which made him even more interested.

At this point, Obsidian could only fire one shot at itself, but it was a blank, so the probability of being hit by the next shot was 1/5.

"continue!"

"Yes, Boss Heilong!"

"It seems I need to get serious." Obsidian abandoned his contempt and began to take this gamble seriously.

But after two rounds, Obsidian's face grew even darker. Although he was Black Dragon and was naturally dark-skinned, he was now furious.

"Password! You still say you didn't cheat? Look at your cards! Damn it, you have a King every round. You have either three or four real cards. You better stop doing this, or I'll really get rough with you!"

"Hey, relax, don't rush, luck is also part of your skill!"

"Good! You're lucky, aren't you!" Hei Yao emphasized the word "luck".

The betting game reached its climax, with Cheng Yu and Hei Yao trading blows, neither giving an inch. The atmosphere in the casino was incredibly tense, with everyone's eyes focused on this life-or-death gamble.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Cheng Yu's forehead, but his eyes remained resolute, showing no sign of backing down. He knew he had no way out and could only fight with his back against the wall.

Holy crap, is this for real? Damn, how many real cards do you actually have? If you keep going like this, you'll have eight Queens by now!

Hei Yao will no longer expose Cheng Yu, because he knows that the opponent is definitely playing all his cards. Since the opponent is playing all his cards, why can't he also play all his cards? Let's see who exposes first.

In the end, Cheng Yu narrowly defeated Obsidian. He let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if all his strength had been drained away.

Fortunately, all the guns are mine. I can make him shoot whoever he wants.

Obsidian's face was ashen; he hadn't expected to lose to a newcomer, a mere wolf cub. Somewhat unwillingly, he said, "I'm a man of my word. Tell me, what do you want?"

Cheng Yu smiled and said, "I don't have anything I want right now. I'll tell you when I've thought it through." He paused and added, "However, I hope you can keep your promise and not try to take advantage of me again."

Obsidian snorted coldly and remained silent. He knew he had lost his chance to control Cheng Yu.

Qian Tu walked over to Cheng Yu, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a hint of praise, "You did a great job and avenged me."