Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot
Chapter 284 - 266: Strange Bet

Chapter 284: Chapter 266: Strange Bet

"Congratulations on entering the game?"

Meng Qianqian contemplated and said, "So everything that just happened was simply a test for me? I had to deal with all the assassins and then find this scrap of paper to qualify for entering the game?"

Bai Yuwei looked at the bodies scattered on the ground. Listening to Meng Qianqian, she couldn’t help but feel a chill down her spine: "Who’s that sick? Their brains must be broken!"

The other party, seemingly worried Meng Qianqian might lose her way, had even attached a map to the back of the paper. However, due to getting a bit wet earlier, some parts of the map were smudged.

Meng Qianqian tucked the paper away and said to Bai Yuwei, "Let’s go."

Bai Yuwei asked, "Where to?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Send you back to your mansion."

"You’re not letting me go with you to find the person?"

"Your task is done."

"I’ll go with you!" Bai Yuwei seemed afraid of being denied and explained, "I’m worried you won’t keep your word!"

Meng Qianqian said flatly, "Let me make it clear upfront: if you and Bao Shu both encounter danger, I’ll save Bao Shu first."

"Alright."

Bai Yuwei agreed without hesitation.

Suddenly struck by a thought, Meng Qianqian asked, "Why didn’t you use your Gu earlier?"

Bai Yuwei muttered, "I wanted to! Didn’t get the chance!"

How was she supposed to anticipate they’d attack with kill intent right away? Her martial arts skills were strong, but purely due to her masters spoon-feeding her techniques; in reality, she severely lacked battle experience.

A moment ago, she was an absolute mess.

Meng Qianqian nodded lightly: "If we encounter another fight later, make sure to use your Gu on them."

Bai Yuwei begrudgingly muttered, "Noted."

Strange—why didn’t she mock her?

Shouldn’t she take the chance to ridicule her a bit?

"So this is the great Bai Yuwei, famed for taking on ten at once in Miaojiang. Turns out it’s nothing special; others were just going easy on you, weren’t they?"

Or something along those lines.

The two mounted their horses.

Bai Yuwei finally voiced the doubt lingering in her heart: "Why didn’t you laugh at me?"

Meng Qianqian said calmly, "No matter how skilled your martial arts are, a kitchen knife cuts just the same. You’ve just never killed anyone before—do it a few more times, and you’ll adapt."

Bai Yuwei felt choked by her words.

Meng Qianqian led Bai Yuwei, arriving at Ten Miles Pavilion before the hour of Zi.

The rain had stopped, and silence blanketed the world.

A solitary pavilion perched atop a small hill. No one guarded its exterior. Wooden blinds with intricate carvings hung around the pavilion, and a warm yellow candlelight seeped through the cracks.

At the southeastern corner sat a carriage guarded by four people, with one person inside.

Night obscured her vision, but Meng Qianqian deduced all this by her acute hearing.

"Since you’re here, why not come in and join me?"

A young, refined male voice emerged from the pavilion.

Bai Yuwei shook her head at Meng Qianqian, signaling that during her days at the Prime Minister’s Mansion, she’d never heard this person’s voice.

"Returning to the capital, yet not picking a day of clear skies and gentle breezes?"

Meng Qianqian ascended the steps without hurry or pause.

Bai Yuwei puzzled—what was going on? How did she know this person had just returned to the capital? Did she know him?

The man smiled, "Better today than never."

Meng Qianqian lifted the blinds and entered the pavilion.

Her gaze landed directly upon him, sweeping from head to toe—blunt and unabashed in her appraisal.

Clad in azure, the man was delicate and handsome, with a striking cinnabar mark between his brows that gave him an air of distinguished elegance.

What truly caught Meng Qianqian’s attention were his eyes—they had the same hue as the Si Snake’s.

"Sit," he said.

The man allowed Meng Qianqian’s scrutinizing gaze without irritation, instead extending a warm invitation for her to take a seat.

Meng Qianqian sat across from him.

"Miss Bai, you too," he said to Bai Yuwei.

Bai Yuwei found it odd that he recognized her, but refrained from asking questions. After all, this situation was playing out between him and Meng Qianqian—she was utterly clueless and didn’t want to appear foolish.

Without a word, she sat down.

On the stone table were a pot of hot tea, a pot of strong liquor, a box of Osmanthus Cake, and a plate of fresh fruits.

The man asked, "Liquor or tea?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "Tea."

The man turned to Bai Yuwei, "And you, Miss Bai?"

Meng Qianqian interjected, "She’ll have tea as well."

Bai Yuwei thought bitterly: Who died and made you my boss?

The man chuckled and poured them each a cup of hot tea.

Meng Qianqian cut straight to the point: "You’ve gone to great lengths to lure me here—is it just to toy with me for fun?"

The man set down the teapot and clapped his hands.

From the direction of the carriage came sudden commotion. Momentarily, two figures dressed in black brought forth Qing Shuang, who was unconscious and bound, and entered the pavilion.

They placed Qing Shuang on the floor before retreating to the carriage.

Bai Yuwei almost cried out, but seeing Meng Qianqian’s composure as steady as an ancient well, she forcibly suppressed her emotions.

The man smiled, "Your Hidden Guard wasn’t an easy target. It took over ten doses of knockout drugs and the most potent Soft Bone Powder to finally put her to sleep. I’m curious—are you as formidable as her?"

Meng Qianqian replied, "I’m standing before you completely unharmed. What do you think?"

The man stroked his chin thoughtfully, "So the seductive fragrance in the Wang Family’s carriage didn’t work on you, huh."

Bai Yuwei thought to herself, she harbors the Golden Silkworm Gu. Not even the toxic miasma of our Miaojiang mountains could faze her—so what chance does mere seductive fragrance have?

The man glanced at Qing Shuang and remarked, "This woman is my show of goodwill. Regardless of the outcome, she’ll be returned to you."

Meng Qianqian said, "What’s your condition?"

The man smiled, "I’ve heard you’re skilled at gambling—do you dare bet with me? If you win, your child and that little maid will be returned to you. If you lose—you or Miss Bai must stay."

Meng Qianqian proposed, "How about I stay directly and you release all of them?"

The man stroked his chin again, "That price isn’t terribly enticing. How about... instead, you leave me one of your hands?"

Bai Yuwei exclaimed in shock, "Lose, and you have to give up a hand?"

The man smiled, "Correct."

Meng Qianqian’s gaze locked onto him without blinking, "And my daughter?"

The man’s smile remained warm, "She’s perfectly safe for the moment. But if you refuse to gamble, I can’t promise her continued well-being."

Meng Qianqian said, "What’s the wager?"

The man replied, "Chess."

As he finished speaking, the man clapped again. A black-clad individual entered, carrying a large tray.

On the tray were two containers, one holding white chess pieces, the other holding black ones. There was also an empty container and a strip of black cloth, though conspicuously absent was a chessboard.

The individual placed the tray down on the stone table.

The man explained, "The rules are simple. Each of us selects ten black pieces and ten white pieces, placing them into the empty container. We’ll take turns asking questions. After answering a question, the respondent may take any number of pieces from the container. But the one retrieving pieces won’t be you or me—it’ll be a third party, blindfolded. Whoever collects all the opponent’s pieces first wins."

Such a bizarre wager.

By his description, only the third person would be blindfolded. The two opponents would have full visibility of how many pieces, belonging to themselves or their adversary, remained in the container.

Yet, they wouldn’t be able to predict which side’s pieces the third party would take.

Thus, no amount of calculation would help; the game hinged entirely on luck.

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