Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Dice Game (3)
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In prison, there was a different kind of learning from the outside world.
Grappling techniques for survival struggles that no one else would teach.
It didn’t matter if they were illegal, or lurking somewhere between illegal and legal. That place was an isolated island, cut off from the world.
“1! 3! 2! The total for our angel-masked customer’s numbers is 6!”
The casino dealer’s voice carried a cautious inflection. With such a low roll, she was clearly watching her tone to avoid ruffling feathers.
And beneath my mask, my lips curled up in secret amusement, unseen by the others.
‘Just as I planned… it came out.’
False hope.
The deliberately low number created a shimmering mirage right before former President Lee Taek-gyu’s eyes, fueled by his burning greed.
“O… oh! Y-yeah! Hyung-nim, anything over 6 is fine, kid!”
“Heh heh heh. Just watch and wait. Back in school, I hit the neighborhood houses a bit, you know.”
A mere illusion, an eye-trick with no substance.
Yet the flickering temptation was enough to steal his soul.
The goat-masked former President Lee Taek-gyu placed his hoof firmly on the solid-looking mirage.
“Here we go! Hup!”
His neck flushed beet red.
As the dice clattered to a stop, the throats of the two men opposite bobbed nervously before freezing.
A roar of cheers erupted, shaking the heavens.
* * * *
Like a priest ascending the altar to pray to the sun, one man gazed up at the chandelier on the underground casino ceiling and let out a guttural howl.
Having offered everything he had as sacrifice, desperately wishing for his desire, he beheld pure ecstasy.
“Uwaaaah! 9! I got a 9! 9!”
“Hyung-nim! A real big brother is born with luck! This is how you live life, kid!”
At the moment his cheeks swelled with a grin threatening to burst through his skin, the goat-masked high priest embraced the offerings before the altar with both arms.
Ten rows of ten red chips each.
A total of 1 billion won in value.
“Oh man! Oh man! Thank you! We went all in, but sorry, we’ll have to take it.”
Former President Lee Taek-gyu made a huge fuss. He probably wanted to cash those chips into bills right then and there.
But now… he was no different from a fish with a hook firmly lodged in the roof of its mouth.
The spark of desire igniting in his heart would soon become an unstoppable blaze, consuming him whole.
“Congratulations. Several guests have received a kiss from the goddess of luck tonight.”
“Ahem… well, we’ll be off then.”
Former President Lee Taek-gyu awkwardly bowed, pretending to leave.
Ignoring his farewell entirely, I raised a hand to summon the dealer.
“600 more. In red chips.”
He froze in place, like a pillar of salt.
What expression hid beneath his mask?
Gripping the door handle to leave, he muttered under his breath.
“600… pieces. How much is that with those bright red ones? Let’s… calculate.”
“Oh dear, Hyung-nim. You hit it so big earlier, you can’t even math anymore. Roughly 6 billion won! Come on, let’s go eat.”
Baek Deok-gyu, satisfied and ready to leave the dice room.
Grabbing former President Lee Taek-gyu’s shoulders and whining, his gestures seemed to scream one last thread of reason.
Luck has limits—know when to quit.
“Wait a sec, hold on.”
Of course… words lost on one enchanted by sweet temptation.
“Um, our angel customer. Thinking of playing more, perhaps?”
Finally… he was hooked.
Oblivious to the thick hook in his mouth, former President Lee Taek-gyu’s tail began to wag.
Now was the time to loosen the line, slowly reeling in and out.
Gently, so he wouldn’t realize he was being pulled to the surface.
“The night is long, and the fun must continue, no?”
“Then… how much more?”
“Who knows. I can’t say for sure. But at least…”
Just then, the dealer brought the 600 red chips.
A wall of 60 stacks, ten chips high. Former President Lee Taek-gyu’s reddened eyes fixed on nothing but my fingertips.
Toying with the top chip, my tempting gesture.
“Until I’ve used every last one here. I plan to keep enjoying it that long.”
Gulp. In the silent room, the sound of greed sliding down his throat shattered the quiet.
The delusion that he could devour all 600 red chips.
The horned goat decided to stomp his hoof into the illusion once more, unable to forget that previous thrilling sweetness.
“Heh heh heh, getting old means digestion goes bad and your gut just churns for nothing.”
“H-Hyung-nim? Wh-what are you… doing right now?”
“Oh, the night is long and the fun keeps going, he says. So we should… we should too.”
Thud. Former President Lee Taek-gyu plopped back into his chair. Gesturing for the dealer, he canceled the cash-out and opened his trembling mouth.
“Just a little more, just a bit more. Let’s enjoy this lucky night.”
* * * *
Round after round of dice.
By the eighth round’s end, I suddenly recalled Uncle Kim Won-cheol’s words from that Yangpyeong fishing spot, boiling up spicy fish stew.
‘Chairman, with fish, when you’re in a tug-of-war, always think of it like dating a married woman.’
‘What’s that got to do with stew?’
‘Listen up. Get close, they push away; push away, they come close. You gotta push-pull like crazy, got it?’
Uncle Kim Won-cheol, who push-pulled too well and ended up divorced.
His bullshit philosophy concluded with stew overflowing onto the burner.
“Uwaaaah! Here it comes, comes, comes!”
For now, engraving those words deep in my chest seemed to be working.
Former President Lee Taek-gyu, unable to control his shaking hand, slammed the dice onto the table.
In the past eight games, I’d recouped the 500 million I’d let him win earlier. Plus, his original 500 million was now fully in my grasp.
“4! 6! 2! The goat-masked customer’s dice total is… 12!”
“Ah… just a bit higher and it would’ve been perfect, really.”
After the first round, through push-pull, I neither lost big nor won big.
Like clothes soaking in a drizzle, slowly, ever so slowly, I raised his temperature and melted away his stakes.
And finally… the turning point in this drawn-out power struggle approached.
Yoo Se-na, the aide, mixed the dice with dance-like grace. With a glance, I signaled her to raise the stakes.
“The game’s getting a bit loose. If you fine gentlemen don’t mind, shall we up the betting a notch?”
“Ah, music to my ears! Heh… pretty ladies really know their stuff.”
Former President Lee Taek-gyu, eyes hollow.
Trapped in the swamp I’d designed, his patience had worn thin from repeated small losses.
Roughly calculating, his net profit so far was about 200 million won.
I subtly raised five fingers for Yoo Se-na aide alone to see.
“…500 million each. Can you handle it?”
“Heh heh, what do you take me for? 500 million? Let’s do it! Call!”
His ears heard Lee Taek-gyu, but her gaze stayed on me.
I scratched my right knee with my pinky—a signal for a close win, as pre-arranged.
“Then we begin.”
Slowly five times, quickly three, then slamming the dice down from above like a strike from heaven—Yoo Se-na aide.
Soon, the ecstatic result unfolded before my eyes, tracing her dress’s curves.
“5! 5! 4! The rabbit-masked customer’s dice total is… 14!”
“Uwaaaah! Damn it! Whenever I’m up against that rabbit sister, I just get wrecked!”
Former President Lee Taek-gyu clutched his head in agony.
The horned goat had stepped wrong somewhere. The cliff edge he’d leaped onto with vigorous hooves now held only teasing mist.
In the hazy fog appeared an angel, swaying before him, speaking.
“Oh dear, you’ve already blown all your winnings? No, looks like a solid loss. About 300 million won?”
“…….”
“My hands are still itching, so I had high hopes for the next game… what a shame.”
Clink. Casually toying with the mountain of chips.
I picked up one red chip from the top and called the dealer.
“Dealer? Please guide these gentlemen out. Since they’re leaving broke, here.”
Tossing one chip like charity.
In the most insulting tone imaginable, I chose words to maximally offend.
“Enjoy a nice meal at least. It’ll be hard to afford one soon.”
Clutching the single red chip in his fist, former President Lee Taek-gyu trembled.
Now… push-pull was over. Time to apply the final pull with full force.
Staring into the depths below, rod gripped tight on a greed-dominated prey, a resolved voice leaked from beneath the horned goat mask.
“…Stakes. Does it have to be cash?”
“Hyung-nim! What the hell are you thinking? Don’t tell me… you’re not thinking of playing with promissory notes, are you?”
“It’s 6 billion worth. Liquidate it, and after fees, at least 5 billion.”
“Don’t talk crazy! If you lose, what the hell do we say to that bitch Seo Yun-ji!”
Former President Lee Taek-gyu’s eyes burned with madness.
Seeing it, Baek Deok-gyu even grabbed at his pant leg.
“Sigh, Deok-gyu. Listen close. I’m only saying this once.”
Stepping closer to Baek Deok-gyu.
This line from him today held magical power for me, ensuring I’d never overplay my hand.
“Bounce it and pay it back.”
“You’re insane…”
“Started with 500 million, made a billion. But now? Minus 300 million, 300!”
He lifted his mask slightly, slipping a cigarette into the gap.
After chain-smoking several, he seemed to calm a bit.
Pointing his thumb at me, he continued.
“And… this round’s banker is that angel mask. The guy sucks ass, I’m telling you.”
“That’s true, but…!”
“So we reverse our lives this round. I won’t ask you for money, so shut up and watch me work!”
He viciously crushed the cigarette butt.
Finally… the horned goat ascended the altar on his own hooves.
Never imagining the knife he wielded would pierce his own heart.
“Come on! Dice already! This round, I call first!”