The Path to Wealth

Chen Nan, lying in bed, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. He couldn't quite tell if his current situation was a blessing or a curse.

If possible, he thought, couldn't he just say, "Auntie, I don't want to work hard anymore"?

But that was impossible; it was just a joke.

What should he do now?

"Ring ring..."

Chen Nan's phone rang. He sat up and saw an unfamiliar number. After a moment's thought, he answered out of curiosity.

A seductive female voice on the other end said, "Little hero, why are you bothering Chen Xiao?"

Chen Nan realized who it was but still asked, "Who are you? What's your relationship with Chen Xiao?"

The woman giggled, "I'm Chen Xiao's sister. My name is Feng Wu. I overheard some of your conversation with Chen Xiao. If you need any help, I can offer it."

Chen Nan slapped his forehead. After considering for a moment, he said resolutely, "Okay, I just hope you can take me to an underground casino, the kind that doesn't restrict children from entering."

Feng Wu was slightly surprised, then said softly, "That's easy. Our Wu City looks good on the surface, but there are plenty of places full of filth and corruption. I know pretty much all of them.

But what's in it for me if I take you?"

Hearing this, Chen Nan felt relieved. Problems that could be solved with money weren't really problems. He smiled and said, "That's simple. If I win money, I'll give you a ten percent commission."

Feng Wu sneered, "How can you be so sure you'll win?"

Chen Nan replied, "I can't guarantee it, of course. That's why I need to check it out first. If I have a way, I'll gamble; otherwise, I'll just stay away from gambling.

This is also a gamble for you, so you decide."

It was obvious that women like Feng Wu, accustomed to counting money in bed, found it hard to get up and earn a living. Since "Immortal Realm" had been shut down, her avenues for making money had dwindled.

Now, she just wanted to use Chen Nan.

Of course, her calling Chen Nan back was just a scattershot tactic; she hadn't fully heard his conversation with Chen Xiao.

However, borrowing Chen Xiao's phone to make a call and jotting down Chen Nan's number was very convenient.

Since the danger had completely passed, Chen Xiao had no defenses in this regard.

After thinking for a while, Feng Wu decided to invest in Chen Nan. To her, Chen Nan was a legendary figure.

She had been cultivated by the Wang Clan, so she naturally understood their deep foundations. The fact that he could uproot such a powerful and deeply entrenched evil force showed just how terrifying Chen Nan was.

She believed Chen Nan possessed extraordinary means, so she made her decision: "Very well, I'll cooperate with you."

Chen Nan breathed a sigh of relief and arranged to meet Feng Wu the next day. They naturally exchanged contact information.

The next day, Chen Nan met Feng Wu at the designated location.

She was a woman whose figure possessed "S" curves from every angle. The clothes she wore not only didn't detract from her S-shape but actually enhanced it.

Of course, in certain areas, it could be described as "pushing the waves."

She had the usual cynical look of such women. The curve of her lips, while conveying charm, also held an arrogance that saw through the pettiness of the world.

Her fingernails were adorned with colorful decals, making her exquisite hands appear rather gaudy. She held a slender cigarette between her index and middle fingers. Seeing Chen Nan arrive, she took a gentle puff and blew the smoke towards him.

This was a common tactic. If a man inhaled the smoke from her mouth, it was considered a form of physical communion through the smoke.

Moreover, smoking itself was a spiritual need, which could be seen as an indirect union of spirit and flesh.

However, Chen Nan clearly didn't want any of that. He held his breath, letting the natural breeze disperse the smoke, before taking a breath and asking, "Are you Feng Wu?"

Feng Wu appraised Chen Nan from head to toe, her eyes seeming to possess X-ray capabilities, making Chen Nan feel as if his clothes were merely for show.

Transparent and heartless women always made men uncomfortable, but a woman's transparency and heartlessness were often caused by men themselves, a case of reaping what they sow.

Facing Chen Nan's feigned composure, Feng Wu merely sneered inwardly. Many had pretended to be gentlemen in front of her, but she wouldn't stoop to making sarcastic remarks to a child.

She nodded slightly and said, "Yes, I am Feng Wu. The underground casinos you want to go to only open after 10 PM and close at 5 AM.

You can't get in without me. These kinds of casinos don't allow entry without an introduction from a regular."

Chen Nan was somewhat skeptical, as the latter part seemed to emphasize her importance.

But it didn't matter. He had already agreed to certain conditions and couldn't go back on his word.

At this point, Chen Nan's suspicion was as keen as a worried father's about his daughter's boyfriend; if he suspected something, he was usually right.

The underground casino Feng Wu intended to take Chen Nan to naturally didn't require any introductions. It was a casino that operated openly at night, welcoming everyone from infants still on milk to the dying on life support.

The reason was that the owner of this casino had a significant background.

His name was Yang Wankun, and the director of the Wu City Patrol Bureau was Yang Wangan. They were full brothers, born of the same parents.

The names "Qian" and "Kun" were very meaningful. They not only represented that the brothers would achieve great things as adults but also contained profound philosophical principles.

"Gan" contains "Kun," and "Kun" contains "Gan."

"Gan" containing "Kun" represented darkness within light; "Kun" containing "Gan" represented light within darkness.

To put it plainly, the cooperation between these two brothers meant they controlled both the underworld and the legitimate world, making them extremely formidable.

Precisely because of this, what in this "Qian Kun" world did these brothers dare not do?

The underground casino, being able to evade taxes and operate without any restrictions, was almost like a treasure trove, apart from the need to grease some palms.

Therefore, this place, as long as you know which way its entrance faces, you can boldly walk right in. Many people, however, end up like the saying goes: entering upright and leaving sideways, which is quite contrary to how one is born.

Chen Nan's intention to go there was actually fraught with immense risk, but to achieve sudden wealth, such risks had to be taken.

However, the timing was wrong. Even though Chen Nan was anxious, he couldn't just barge in. After Feng Wu agreed on a time and place with him again, they each went their separate ways.

Returning home, Chen Nan began to make preparations.

Even if he hadn't personally experienced what a casino was, he had seen enough in various movies and TV shows.

It was like watching countless educational films starring famous directors with simple scenes; even without practical experience in intimate relationships, most people would feel confident.

A more sophisticated saying goes: "After reading three hundred Tang poems, you can recite them even if you can't write them."

This shows that whether it's human nature or spiritual elevation, the principles are interconnected.

It was precisely this principle that led Chen Nan to imagine what it would be like to enter a casino, what abilities he could use, and what dangers he might encounter.

According to the AI System's previous prompts, it seemed to only affect the nerve impulses of his body's various organs.

He had a general understanding of this.

For instance, during his fight with Ghost Head, it was the AI System's effect on his motor system that allowed him to deal with him so perfectly.

If that was the case, his visual system, auditory system, and so on should also have undergone similar changes.

It was just that he hadn't paid attention to these aspects, so there hadn't been any prominent manifestations. But when he went to the casino, what would he need?

As the saying goes, "Be prepared for danger in times of peace." Before thinking about how to win money, Chen Nan decided to first consider whether he had any self-preservation abilities.

As soon as he thought of it, the AI System began to display a series of self-preservation plans for him.

The first thing listed was various traditional martial arts.

In a society with high-tech weaponry, these had completely devolved into exercises for fitness and performance. In actual close combat, they were in no way comparable to disciplines like free combat.

However, free combat requires a physical foundation; you must have sufficient strength, physique, and resilience to blows, among other things.

For Chen Nan, a ten-year-old child, these were all unattainable.

It was for this reason that the AI System listed traditional martial arts.

Chen Nan, however, was completely resistant to this. What use was this kind of flashy, impractical stuff?

But after considering it, it seemed like this was all he had to fill the gap. It was like those hypocrites in storybooks who put on a brave face; they would smear cooking oil on their lips instead of using it to cook, pretending to be wealthy.

After making his choice, Chen Nan suddenly felt as if his body had been electrocuted. He convulsed, his eyes rolled back, and he foamed at the mouth, succumbing to an epileptic fit.

Fortunately, Jiang Lili was not home from work at the time, so his embarrassing state went unnoticed.

After a long while, Chen Nan finally regained consciousness. He managed to drink an injection of glucose, which made him feel a bit better.

"Sigh, when will this situation of mine ever end!" Chen Nan lamented.

With his current abilities, using the AI System still had repercussions. Fortunately, he now understood that these were effects of the AI System, not that his body was sick, so he didn't feel too uncomfortable.