The Real Clown

Before long, the bat-headed waiter brought over a takeout container.

An enormous transparent plastic box.

Liu Zheng placed the little girl inside the plastic box, her pale little face turned toward him.

She seemed to be smiling, yet also seemed to be crying.

He silently took off the clown outfit and draped it over the container.

"Lucky Clown Card has expired."

The system's cold voice rang out.

"Now we're screwed. How are we supposed to win without the Lucky Clown?"

Cow-Horse lamented.

"Who says you have to wear a clown suit to be a clown?"

Liu Zheng smiled.

"Hey, you there. Bring me a knife and some needle and thread."

He called out to the jellyfish-headed waiter.

"My fucking name is Softfloat."

The jellyfish-headed waiter finally snapped.

"Yeah, yeah, you there. Hurry up."

Liu Zheng picked up a red chip and tossed it over.

"Right away, sir. Just leave it to me."

Softfloat immediately floated away.

Before long, it returned with a dinner knife and a box of needle and thread.

"A beautiful woman like you must carry a Mirror around, right?"

Liu Zheng asked the Succubus Dealer.

"Very clever."

The Succubus Dealer smiled and pulled a silver Mirror set with rubies from her cleavage.

He looked into the silver Mirror. The face reflected there was uglier than last time.

Every use of Flesh Rebirth took him further from being human.

Liu Zheng smiled and shoved the dinner knife into his mouth.

One cut, then another.

He cleanly sliced open his healed mouthparts again.

Then, he drove the needle through the roof of his mouth and into his temple.

After tying a dead knot, he pulled the corners of his mouth high.

His grin was maniacal.

"Still not enough?"

Liu Zheng muttered to himself.

He did not hear a system notification.

With another cut, he slit open one of his tentacles, blood gushing out.

The tentacle rolled across his face several times until his entire face was dyed blood-red.

Except for his mouthparts.

"Beauty, let me borrow your foundation."

Liu Zheng tossed over another red chip.

"It's yours."

The Succubus Dealer generously pushed a box toward him.

It was also set with rubies and clearly worth a fortune.

Liu Zheng opened the box and raised an eyebrow.

It was filled to the brim with white metallic powder.

"Lead powder? That works."

He directly buried his mouthparts in the lead powder.

A sour, astringent taste irritated his taste buds.

Liu Zheng wiped away the excess lead powder and looked into the Mirror.

A blood-red face, a deathly white mouth, and a grin stretched to his ears.

"Lucky Clown Card has taken effect."

The system notification sounded.

"I'm fucking awesome."

He nodded in satisfaction.

Cow-Horse, meanwhile, looked at him as if he were insane.

"Deal."

The Succubus Dealer glanced at Liu Zheng and dealt the fifth community card.

The ten of diamonds.

Leavened Dough looked at its cards, its doughy skin gently rippling.

There were already four diamonds on the table. As long as that human had a diamond, he could make a flush.

Although it had three queens, its chances of making four queens were very low.

But Leavened Dough was reluctant to fold.

It had already thrown in six black chips. Folding now would mean they had all gone down the drain.

"Hurry it up. I've waited so long my dough's gone flat."

Liu Zheng said indistinctly.

"I fold."

After hesitating for a long time, Leavened Dough ultimately chose to fold.

It did not have a full house. It had only been bluffing Liu Zheng earlier.

"You're this chicken and you still make pancakes? Go make buns instead."

Liu Zheng said disdainfully.

"I—"

"Were you about to say you had a straight flush?"

Cow-Horse cut in.

"You fucking stealing my line?"

Liu Zheng flew into a rage.

"The moment you open your mouth, I know exactly what bullshit you're about to spew."

Cow-Horse laughed loudly.

"When we get back, I'll spew it right into your mouth. All in."

Liu Zheng shoved all his chips forward.

"I fold."

A gambler in a hooded sweatshirt, whose entire face was shrouded in mist, discarded his cards.

Leavened Dough, Doghead, Screwhead, and Mist Man all folded. Now only Eel Head remained.

"Ace of diamonds. Is in my hand. I don't believe. You're higher."

If both hands were flushes, the higher card won. With an ace, it had the highest hand.

Unless Liu Zheng truly had a straight flush.

But Eel Head was not worried at all, because it still had another card that could shut Liu Zheng down completely.

"Tomorrow, I will order takeout."

Eel Head's gaze was as cold and vicious as a snake's.

After winning so much money, it had enough to request a specific delivery person.

"I'm afraid you'll choke to death."

Liu Zheng shot back.

But everyone could hear that this time, he was putting on a brave front.

"I want to raise."

"This handsome guy has already gone all in."

The Succubus Dealer shook her head.

"He still has chips."

Eel Head looked at Liu Zheng.

"I wager your flesh."

Eel Head opened its mouthparts, drool dripping down.

Tomorrow, it would be able to eat Liu Zheng, but not necessarily his "flesh."

"Then put up some money."

Liu Zheng sneered.

"Fine."

Eel Head pushed out another thirty black chips.

"Handsome, are you calling?"

The Succubus Dealer asked.

When Liu Zheng saw that Eel Head had actually raised, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Weren't you so cocky? Keep being cocky."

Leavened Dough mocked him.

"You already folded, so what the fuck are you talking for?"

He snapped back.

"You're so awesome, then call him."

"Call!"

"Call!"

The other gamblers began shouting as well.

Their overt and hidden gazes were fixed tightly on Liu Zheng, as if they were staring at a piece of rotten meat.

"Maybe forget it. Being broke is still better than being dead."

Cow-Horse advised.

"I want money, not my life. I call!"

Liu Zheng said viciously.

"Your flesh is mine."

Eel Head shrieked with laughter and flipped over its hole cards.

The ace of diamonds and the nine of diamonds.

Cow-Horse's expression darkened.

With that nine of diamonds revealed, Liu Zheng no longer had any chance of making a straight flush.

"I can't save you this time, but I can help carry that coffin out and bury it."

Cow-Horse pointed at the takeout container by Liu Zheng's feet.

"Thanks."

Liu Zheng was somewhat touched.

"You did call me boss, after all."

Cow-Horse patted his shoulder pityingly.

"But there's really no need."

Liu Zheng shook off Cow-Horse's hoof.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a straight flush!"

He laughed wildly and slapped his hole cards onto the table.

The gamblers all laughed disdainfully.

Everyone knew it was impossible for him to have a straight flush.

But then, their laughter vanished as if someone had grabbed them by the throat.

Liu Zheng's hole cards were, shockingly—

The eight of hearts and the eight of clubs.

"You fucking did it again!"

Cow-Horse slammed the table and shot to his feet.

"Hey, you knocked the chips down."

Liu Zheng said unhappily.

"Oh, sorry, sorry."

Cow-Horse hurriedly bent down to pick up the chips.

"Stupid fucking human."

The other gamblers cursed as they left the table.

Playing cards with a lunatic like this, even winning would not feel good.

And losing would feel even worse.

"I'll be waiting for you."

Eel Head gave Liu Zheng a long, deep look, then left as well.

"Hahaha, we struck it rich, we struck it rich!"

Cow-Horse stared at the mountain of chips and laughed even more unpleasantly than they cried.

Although it still wasn't enough for retirement, it was enough for them to run away from the restaurant.

"Impressive, impressive."

Applause sounded from nearby.

The demon holding a wineglass walked over and sat across from Liu Zheng.

"Let's have a gamble."

It said with a smile.

This time, Cow-Horse cried even louder than they had laughed.