manynovel Chapter 167 The Land of Gold and Cards
Chapter 167 The Land of Gold and Cards
Chapter 177 The Kingdom of Gold and Cards
Let's rewind to the night five days ago.
The Royal Caribbean cruise ship, moored on the east side of Highway 16, received an unexpected guest.
Route 16 in the Unova region is a tree-lined pedestrian path that connects Unova's most famous entertainment city, Raven City, which is brightly lit and shines all night long, to a strange bridge called the Fantasy Bridge.
The wonder of the Fantasy Bridge lies in the fact that its two ends don't directly connect to the land on either side, but rather to elevators that ascend to the mountaintop bridge. This bridge, connecting two cliffs blocked by a river, is constructed using the latest building materials and is truly a miracle bridge. It's also said that ghosts and paranormal events have occurred on it…
On this night, under the city's shimmering neon lights, a hooded guest silently walked through the dimly lit woods and arrived at the reception room at the bridge entrance.
Instead of taking the elevator to the upper-level fantasy bridge, the person descended directly to the bottom of the coastal cliff and found a secluded little pier.
At the dock, a liaison officer who looked like a waiter was waiting, with a yellow Electric-type Pokémon standing next to him.
After the hooded visitor presented his invitation, the waiter gestured to the electric dragon beside him. The dragon's tail tip lit up red, and it waved as if making some kind of symbol, standing out like a lighthouse on the dim riverbank.
A short while later, a small motorboat used for shuttle service came toward them.
Looking towards where the shuttle boat came from, guests could see a magnificent building on the water in the distance, which, shrouded in the night mist, resembled a brightly lit illusion—that was the Royal Caribbean, the gambling cruise ship that had recently become a hot topic in the United States' social circles.
The reason why the boarding procedures are so complicated is that this floating casino is not only a thorn in the side of Team Plasma, but also an illegal entity that should be banned by the Pokémon League, which manages the Unova region.
If it weren't for the fact that the cruise ship's route was completely unpredictable and that it always kept its distance from the United States' landmass, allowing it to escape at the first sign of trouble, this money-grubbing den on the water would have been rounded up and brought to justice by Officer Jenny and her team long ago.
Therefore, this gambling ship could not sail into the port normally like an ordinary ship, but could only stop far away in the waters, with small tourist boats picking up passengers who wanted to board.
However, in a sense, this ritualistic procedure also enhances the mystique of casinos—secrets are often associated with class.
As for the daily maintenance of the gambling cruise ship, it relies entirely on the constant flow of supply ships. As the casino's cash flow becomes more and more abundant, these supply ships are also constantly expanding in size, and now they have almost formed an escort fleet surrounding the Royal Union.
They connect suppliers across the United States, providing casinos with a continuous supply of food, fuel, fresh water, and other resources, and ensuring that all goods entering the ships are of the highest quality.
After disembarking from the shuttle boat, hooded guests passed through security screening equipment and entered the casino.
The moment you step through the cabin door of the Royal United, a wide corridor that seems to be paved with gold comes into view. The dark red high-end carpet contrasts with the black Gothic oil paintings on the walls, effectively neutralizing the frivolous feeling brought by the golden color.
A casino employee dressed as a bunny girl greeted the customer with a smile—her revealing attire showcasing the graceful figure of a young woman, creating a stark contrast with the customer who was completely covered by a hooded cape.
"Guest, you hold the highest-tier admission ticket, granting you free access to all casinos on the cruise ship, except for the special arena. Deck one through three houses the general casinos, which cover almost all forms of gambling available on the market. There are no minimum bets on these three decks, so new guests are welcome to gamble here for fun and test their luck."
The waitress's black rabbit ears, for some unknown reason, seemed to actually grow, trembling and bending naturally with every smile and frown—making the guests unable to help but glance at them a few more times.
"Floors four through six are dedicated casinos, open only to guests holding special tickets or those who have acquired at least 500 regular chips on the lower three floors. These floors offer more spacious areas, and each table is staffed with dedicated personnel, aiming to provide guests with the purest gambling experience. Furthermore, minimum bets are now limited here, with different standards for different game types; guests are encouraged to discover the fun within."
The customer nodded noncommittally, his gaze drifting elsewhere—to the left and right of the end of the casino's main aisle were the exchange counters for cash to chips and the withdrawal counters for chips to cash. Both areas clearly displayed the chip exchange rules.
A single white, ordinary chip is worth one thousand yuan.
One blue super chip is worth 10,000 yuan.
A single black premium chip is worth 100,000 yuan.
Commemorative balls, super balls, and premium balls—the guest instantly understood the design pattern of the chips.
"In addition, there are purple master chips representing one million dollars," the bunny girl sweetly reminded the customer, noticing his gaze.
"Guests with a betting amount of five Master Chips can enter the cruise ship space on floors seven to nine. The hospitality here is no different from that on the lower floors, except that each bet must be at least five blue chips, which is 50,000 yuan. Guests seeking high returns will eventually come there to compete with other guests who share the same goal."
"What's this 'special gaming room' thing? I remember there was another level on the cruise ship from the outside, right?"
The hooded guest spoke for the first time since boarding the ship, and surprisingly, it was a woman's voice.
"You are very perceptive, sir."
The bunny girl was clearly stunned for a second, but her strong professionalism allowed her to remain calm. She blinked and continued her explanation with a smile—
"The special gambling room is a gambling space exclusively for the casino owner, Mr. Yueju. In theory, any prepared guest can apply to face him in a duel. If the challenger wins the bet, he will unconditionally gain ownership of the entire Royal Union."
"Wow—" the guest whistled. "That sounds tempting. What happens if the challenger loses?"
"The loser must pay up all the assets he promised before the bet began. If he is still insolvent, he will become an employee of the ship and work hard until he pays off his debts—but of course, within the standards of labor law."
"It seems the owner of this casino is really confident. Isn't he worried about losing due to bad luck?" The customer smirked, which made the other person suddenly wary.
"Our casino owner has never lost a game so far."
The bunny girl raised her index finger to her cheek, revealing a mischievous smile that perfectly suited her image: "Esteemed guest, as a casino employee, we do not recommend that you directly challenge the boss. I already have several excellent colleagues with superb gambling skills around me."
"Okay, in that case, I'll just explore around here. No need for further guidance."
"Okay, sir. Please feel free to call if you need anything else."
The guests were surprisingly accommodating, which naturally made things easier for the waiters.
"Please also note that you should not leave your Pokémon outside during gambling, as this may upset other guests. We have a dedicated Pokémon breeding area near the deck where you can place any Pokémon that needs care."
The hooded visitor strode ahead, leaving the bunny girl behind, and made an OK sign with his hand.
.
"How about we start with poker?"
The customer, still hiding his face in his hood, muttered to himself, carrying a heavy basket of white chips.
The visitor's intrigued gaze fell upon the gambling table in front of him, where a gambling game called "Blackjack" was being played.
Square cards moved back and forth within their small space, changing the patterns on the center and opposite corners. On the table, chips piled up like small mountains, sometimes high and sometimes low, each change causing a stir among the crowd.
The mire of fate is filled with desire, and those trapped in it are addicted to its sweetness, unable to extricate themselves.
Suddenly, a cat meowed from behind, a low, meowing sound that seemed like a pleading cry.
The gambler who was dominating the card table across from him heard the Pokémon's call. He first looked up in displeasure, but after seeing the newcomer over the other guests' shoulders, he lowered his head again as if nothing had happened and continued gambling with his head covered.
The hooded guest didn't turn around; her intuition already told her who the newcomer was.
"I suggest that guests join the betting at this time."
A male voice, completely different from the bunny girl's, entered her ears, and the person had already stood behind her.
"Starting from the next round, the bookmaker is going to have a tough time..."
Before the person behind him could finish speaking, the impatient gambler urged the dealer to reveal the last card—followed by a burst of maniacal laughter that sounded like ghosts howling.
It is clear that the gamblers have won.
"That's insightful, almost like a superpower." Upon hearing the suggestion, the guest didn't join the card game but instead started chatting with the person behind him.
"Haha, please stop joking. How can such a little trick be compared to real precognitive ability?"
Without making a sound, the man took another step forward and came to the guest—it was none other than the casino owner, Yueju, dressed in a navy blue suit.
A green cat was yawning and lying on his hand.
"Is this a Pokémon from the Padina region?" The guest immediately noticed this Pokémon, which was quite eye-catching in Unova, and asked curiously.
"Yes, it's a beginner Pokémon named Newleaf Meow. I adopted this clingy little guy through the Order's channels. I have to say, Team Plasma's treatment is so generous that it's hard to find fault with it."
"It's a bit enviable. Casinos, cruise ships, and cute kittens. When can I join a villainous organization and enjoy this kind of treatment?"
"A villainous organization? That's a very funny pun." Yueju smiled, her eyes narrowed.
"Didn't you just play the most important ultimate villain in the newly released movie 'The Magical Door to the Magic Kingdom'? Miss Sabrina, the 'Magic Queen' from Goldenrod City in the Kanto region."