Betting

"Brother Yuan, you were shouting at the door just now, wanting money to bet, and you said it would be a huge loss if you missed out. It seems like you know who is guaranteed to win."

Xu Yi reached out and picked up the copper pot, refilling Master Zhou's tea. He asked with a smile.

Yuan Qinghua said, "Master, you might not know this, but Gao Pan, who is competing this time, is no ordinary person. He's a powerhouse who has been on the Purple Flag Arena eight times. You must know that this is a Death Arena. Being able to go on the stage eight times and survive is enough to prove Gao Pan's formidable strength. On the other hand, Gao Pan's opponent, that unknown Divine Constable Yi, though rumored to be god-like, who has actually seen him fight..."

"Spreading rumors about Divine Constable Yi? What's the meaning of this?"

Xu Yi interrupted. He guessed that Divine Constable Yi was himself, but he couldn't understand why he, while operating in Guang'an incognito, would suddenly gain the halo of a Divine Constable.

Yuan Qinghua said, "Master, you've asked the right person. If you asked anyone else, they'd probably be clueless. Only an old hand like me, who has mingled in Guang'an's underworld for countless years, knows the truth."

"Stop the nonsense!" Xu Yi said sternly.

Yuan Qinghua said sheepishly, "Master, you might not know this, but these are actually smoke bombs and illusions released by the betting houses. For this match, since Gao Pan is competing, the outcome is almost certain. The betting houses fear betting on a predetermined outcome the most because they are almost certain to lose. However, they can't refuse to take bets, or their reputation would be ruined. In such a situation, the betting houses are left with two options."

"One is to desperately lower Gao Pan's odds. For this match, the highest odds offered for Gao Pan to win by any betting house are only ten to one. The other is to continuously build up the weaker party's reputation, spreading false information everywhere about how powerful and how hidden their abilities are, to confuse people. Of course, these tricks are not entirely useless. They can't fool veterans, but they can cause widespread public opinion chaos and make those who don't understand the situation lose their composure. After all, there are still quite a few secluded young ladies and noblewomen who enjoy this kind of thing but lack judgment and betting skills. They are lured by this false information and bet on the big prize, and there are not a few of them."

As he listened, a smile appeared on Xu Yi's face. "What are Divine Constable Yi's odds?"

"Two to one!"

"What? How can that be? Gao Pan's odds are ten to one, which means everyone favors Gao Pan to win. If that's the case, shouldn't Divine Constable Yi's odds be dozens to one? Why is it only two to one? Besides, aren't the betting houses being too greedy by offering such low odds for both sides?"

Xu Yi was very displeased. He had intended to make a fortune at the betting houses, but little did he know he had run into unscrupulous merchants, dashing his dreams.

Yuan Qinghua said, "Betting houses are already biting the bullet to accept bets in such a sure-win scenario. How can the gamblers dare to complain about the betting houses being greedy? As for Divine Constable Yi's odds, the reason the betting houses didn't offer dozens to one to attract desperate gamblers is simply to support the rumors they themselves spread."

"Think about it, if Divine Constable Yi's odds were dozens to one, it would clearly show that the market doesn't favor Divine Constable Yi. The rumors spread would not last long, and they wouldn't be able to hook any big fish. Conversely, if they were dozens to one, it would seem like too much exaggeration, and the rumors would easily be exposed. After all, Divine Constable Yi is just a fabrication, while Gao Pan is a real powerhouse. For the rumors fabricated by the betting houses to seem plausible and spread truthfully, they cannot be too outrageous. Therefore, odds of two to one are the most reasonable."

Yuan Qinghua had been mingling in East City for years, was resourceful, and worked hard, yet he hadn't saved any money. The reason for this was precisely his involvement in gambling. Most of his hard-earned monthly income, after covering living expenses, was all spent on gambling.

Although he lost more than he won, he had gained experience and could see through all the flashy tricks of the betting houses like a clear mirror.

After hearing Yuan Qinghua's analysis, Xu Yi cursed the unscrupulous merchants in his heart and could only lament his bad luck.

Xu Yi pondered in silence, but Yuan Qinghua was impatient. He exclaimed, "Master, we can't afford to delay! We need to bet early. If this trend continues, Gao Pan's odds might be lowered further. In a while, it might be forty to one, or even fifty to one. Besides, I've already bet myself. Why are you still hesitating, Master? Look, this is my betting slip. My ten gold earned today, plus my other twenty gold of savings, are all on the line!" As he spoke, he pulled out a bright red, palm-sized stiff paper.

"Alright, stop spitting saliva. I'll place the bet!"

Xu Yi hired Yuan Qinghua precisely for this task. He took out a stack of gold notes from his waist pouch and placed them on the stone table. "A total of one thousand gold, all on the bet."

With the nine hundred gold extorted from Jiang Shaohuan, plus his original three hundred and fifty gold, Xu Yi's assets totaled one thousand two hundred and fifty gold. Using one thousand gold was a full-on gamble.

Yuan Qinghua had always known his master was generous, but he didn't expect him to be this generous. A bet of one thousand gold was something even few noble sons in the city would dare to do.

"Great! Master, don't worry. I'll be back soon and try to get you the bet at thirty to one."

Fearing the odds would change, Yuan Qinghua grabbed the gold notes tightly and was about to flee.

"Wait, I haven't said who to bet on yet. Bet it all on Divine Constable Yi. Whichever place has the highest odds, bet there."

Xu Yi grabbed Yuan Qinghua's wrist and instructed him in a deep voice.

"What!"

Yuan Qinghua was so shocked his hair almost stood on end. "Master, are you sure! This is like throwing money into the water! If you think the money is too hot to handle, you can give it to me!"

"Stop the nonsense! Do you know who Divine Constable Yi is?"

"Could it be that Master knows him!"

"It is precisely your master!"

Yuan Qinghua's eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. He suddenly remembered his master's name and the sign hanging outside the door: "Furong Town Constabulary Office Branch Office in Guang'an." Everything suddenly became clear.

"This, this, how..."

Yuan Qinghua stammered.

He truly didn't know what to say. He wanted to advise his master to flee quickly, but he knew that the house they were in was under strict surveillance from the moment the betting odds were released. He wanted to comfort his master by saying that Gao Pan was not invincible, but those words, meant to comfort, were difficult to utter. Even more frustrating was that he had just been hired, had even canceled his lease in East City before coming, and had his luggage moved over. He was about to officially start working, and now his master's life was in danger. Wasn't this heaven playing a joke on him?

Xu Yi, with his sharp mind, knew what he was thinking. He smiled and said, "Stop standing there like a fool. I know my own capabilities. Hurry up and place the bet for me. Don't worry, even if I die on the stage, your commission for the year will be paid."

Yuan Qinghua's expression changed, and he said urgently, "Master! Am I the kind of person who would act like this for a mere commission! Fine, fine. I've been entrusted with this task, and I will see it through. Master, please wait!" With that, he disappeared into the darkness.