King of Gamblers: Growing from a Student to a Jade King

Upon hearing Qian Guang's words, I furrowed my brow. Qian Guang had a vast ambition, one that could not be ignored. Although he had mentioned only once his desire to become the top in Ruili, I knew that truly important matters are rarely spoken aloud; they are concealed deep within the heart. The existence of Seventh Master was undoubtedly the greatest obstacle for Qian Guang, and if Seventh Master were to fall, Qian Guang would be the one with the most to gain.

It was clear that Qian Guang most desired the downfall of Seventh Master. But now, his words that "Seventh Master cannot die yet" indicated that he had a plan...

Qian Guang was a man of power, unyielding ambition, and boldness, one who thrived in darkness. Whatever schemes he devised would undoubtedly be of immense importance, and though he did not share his thoughts with me, I would not press him for answers.

I said, "Tonight, I will meet with Four Eyes. It's already arranged. I'll gather some information before making a move."

Qian Guang nodded, and I stood up to leave his office. As I stepped into the car, Wang Gui spoke up, "Brother Guang's wary of the Little Monkey. He's definitely planning something. Damn, there are at least fifty men in his crew. It's impressive. When can we have that many brothers?"

I glanced at Wang Gui and smiled. "It'll come, and when it does, it'll surpass Qian Guang's. In Myanmar, Lao Wu's men are half mine. He has guns too, which I bought for him. If we were in Myanmar, I'd have my own private militia."

"Would you want to develop in Myanmar?" Wang Gui asked.

I smirked. "Of course not. That place is too poor. Hell, it's worse than rural China. The only thing worth doing there is stone gambling. Living there? No thanks. Unless it's in the wealthy districts, but even those are overpriced. The wealth disparity is too great—it's not a good place."

We arrived back at the Border Trade Street bar. After entering, I saw a few of our men flirting with women, drinking, and smoking. The women were unfamiliar to me, which made me suspicious.

"Brother Fei, you're back..." Laizi walked over, clearly excited.

I gave him a glance and asked, "Where did these women come from?"

Laizi replied, "Brother Fei, weren't they for you? They said they were just here to sit. They're quite beautiful and bold."

I was surprised. I glanced at Wang Gui, recalling that he had mentioned bringing women, but Wang Gui had been hospitalized these past few days. How could he have arranged this?

Wang Gui, noticing my gaze, turned to Laizi and asked, "Laizi, do you even know anything about them?"

Laizi laughed excitedly, "Aren't they the ones you asked for?"

We were taken aback. What the hell was going on? Just then, I noticed the women, dressed provocatively, walking toward us. One of them flirtatiously pulled out a pack of cigarettes and shoved it into Laizi's pocket, saying, "Little brother, I'll see you later tonight..."

I was stunned, trying to control my rising anger. As the women walked past us, I grabbed one by the arm and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

The woman screamed in terror, "Help! Help! Is anyone there?"

The other women joined in, panicking, and I quickly let go of the one I had grabbed. We stood frozen as they fled out the door. I cursed under my breath, "There's something wrong here..."

Suddenly, a crowd of people, all dressed in black, appeared outside. They moved in from all directions, converging in front of the bar. The leader was dressed in a black leather jacket, boots, and holding a cigarette, his face expressionless yet arrogant.

"Brother Fei, it's the Little Monkey. This doesn't look good..." Zhao Kui whispered.

I furrowed my brows. The Little Monkey was brazen enough to bring this many men here, which could only mean one thing—there was a conspiracy. Otherwise, he wouldn't act so openly. "Call Brother Guang," I ordered.

As I stepped out the door, I found myself with a dozen of our men, but in the face of such a large group, we seemed insignificant.

My phone rang, and I answered it. Four Eyes' voice came through urgently, "Hurry, you've been baited..."

The call ended abruptly. My hand dropped, and I swallowed hard. Damn, I knew this bastard wouldn't let me off easy, and what Qian Guang had warned about was finally coming true. The Little Monkey was after me.

I made no move to flee. If I ran, I would only prove my guilt.

The crowd surrounded my bar but made no move, merely standing at the entrance. Their mere presence was oppressive.

Just then, I saw the Little Monkey step forward, cigarette in mouth, taking a long drag. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and looked at me without a word. Our men were tense, but nobody moved.

"The Little Monkey, what's your game?" Wang Gui asked coldly.

The Little Monkey tilted his head. "Trash. You're lucky you weren't buried in Myanmar. Get lost, I need to talk to your boss."

Wang Gui was furious and ready to retort, but I immediately stopped him. No point in wasting words. I stepped forward and asked, "Little Monkey, what do you want?"

"You were lucky to escape in Myanmar. This time, your luck's run out," the Little Monkey sneered. "Last time I was greedy, wanting money and your life. This time, all I want is your hand."

My brows knitted in confusion. The Little Monkey signaled, and his men rushed in. My men tried to resist, but there were too many of them. We were pushed back, forced into the bar.

The Little Monkey followed. Our anger boiled over. Wang Gui cursed, "Little Monkey, try me!"

The Little Monkey laughed derisively. "Shut up. Seventh Master said that anyone who raises a hand will be dealt with. You think I'm stupid?"

I stood still, not moving, knowing this was a setup. The Little Monkey was leading me into his trap. I watched him approach the bar, where several packs of cigarettes lay on the counter. My brow furrowed as I saw him pick up a pack. When he opened it, I froze—inside wasn't tobacco, but small packets of powder, long and thin, the kind I recognized instantly.

Shit, those women...

The Little Monkey took out a pack, walked over to me, and swung it in front of my face. "Zhao Fei, you're ruthless. You're doing this kind of business and don't want to cooperate with me? Why frame me? If I hadn't caught you red-handed, your hand would have been cut off for no reason."

I swallowed hard, ready to snatch the powder from him, but he pulled it away quickly. "What's the matter? Trying to destroy the evidence?"

I glared at the Little Monkey. "Don't try to act all high and mighty. You planted this stuff in my bar and brought these women. I never did anything. The heavens can witness that I'm not afraid of you."

The Little Monkey grinned widely. "You think I'm a fool? Everyone saw what was found in your bar. You even had it out in the open on the counter, right there with your men, getting high. I'm not wrong, am I?"

"Yes..."

His men echoed, and we all stared at the Little Monkey, fury rising. The taste of being framed was bitter.

Suddenly, the Little Monkey grabbed Laizi, pulling him in front of me. Laizi was shaking his head, his body trembling with excitement. I frowned. What was he playing at?

The Little Monkey sneered. "Still not admitting it? Look at him, his head's shaking. You say he's not on drugs? I don't believe you, Zhao Fei. What do you have to say now?"

I looked at Laizi, whose face had grown pale. Fear seeped into his voice. "Brother Fei, I swear, I didn't— I didn't know. I couldn't control myself."

Wang Gui marched over, slapping Laizi across the face twice. "What the hell did you take?"

"I don't know. That woman gave me a cigarette. I swear, I don't know anything," Laizi stammered.

I clenched my fists, but before I could react, the Little Monkey spoke again. "Zhao Fei, I've been in this business, lost a hand to Seventh Master. He warned everyone on his turf: no one can sell this stuff or there'll be consequences. Grab him! Cut off his hands!"

I watched as dozens of men closed in on us. The pressure of being surrounded intensified. Wang Gui and Zhao Kui stood in front of me, but the enemy's numbers only grew, tightening the noose.

Soon, we were overwhelmed. I watched helplessly as we were forced down, realizing that when you're trapped, there's no escape.

The Little Monkey wasn't here for Seventh Master—he was here for me. He was using the same tactics I had used against him, but this time, his methods were even more despicable.

Suddenly, the Little Monkey pulled out a knife, and I saw several men tackle Wang Gui. Zhao Kui, despite his immense strength, was overpowered. In no time, they had him pinned to the ground.

"Ah!" Zhao Kui struggled to rise, but more people piled on top of him, keeping him down with overwhelming force. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't break free.

The Little Monkey walked over with a cold grin on his face. He grabbed me by the arm, and two of his men shoved me roughly against the bar counter. My blood boiled with anger, but I stood still, refusing to show weakness. I stared at the Little Monkey, my fists clenched, knowing that whatever happened next, I had to stay calm.

"You're already a dead man, Zhao Fei," the Little Monkey sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "You thought you could outsmart me, huh? Now, you're going to pay for it."

My mind raced. I had been set up, played for a fool, and now I was about to lose everything—my hands, my freedom, maybe even my life. But I wasn't about to let this bastard take it all without a fight.

The Little Monkey raised the knife, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. The sharp edge gleamed under the dim light of the bar, and I knew it would be over in a second if I didn't act.

Suddenly, a shout broke through the tension.

"Stop!"

A figure barged through the door, followed by several men in black suits. It was Four Eyes, and behind him were some of our most trusted men. They stormed into the bar, weapons in hand, and the Little Monkey's men hesitated for a moment, their expressions shifting from confidence to uncertainty.

"Four Eyes!" I called out, relief flooding through me. "Get these bastards off me!"

Four Eyes nodded, signaling his men to move. In an instant, chaos erupted. My men surged forward, clashing with the Little Monkey's gang. The sound of fists hitting flesh and the clatter of bottles and chairs filled the room. The Little Monkey cursed, taking a step back, clearly caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

"Retreat!" he barked, but his voice was already shaky.

His men hesitated for just a moment longer, but that was all we needed. In seconds, they were scattered, fleeing from the bar as our men fought back with renewed vigor. The Little Monkey's plan had backfired.

I shoved the last of his men away, stepping forward and locking eyes with the Little Monkey. He glared at me, fury burning in his eyes, but he didn't dare make a move. He knew he had been beaten—at least for today.

"You think this is over, Zhao Fei?" he spat, backing away slowly. "I'll be back. And next time, you won't be so lucky."

I didn't respond. Instead, I stepped over to Wang Gui and Zhao Kui, who were both struggling to their feet, battered but alive.

"You alright?" I asked them.

Wang Gui grinned, though his face was bruised. "We're fine, Boss. Just a few bumps and bruises."

Zhao Kui nodded, wincing slightly but still determined. "It'll take more than that to take us down."

I turned to Four Eyes, who had just finished checking on the last of the injured. "Nice timing," I said, clapping him on the back.

Four Eyes gave a small smile. "I've got your back, always."

I sighed in relief, but the weight of what had just happened was starting to sink in. The Little Monkey had been trying to frame me, using his underhanded tactics to turn my men against me, but I had managed to turn the tables—this time.

"Keep an eye on those women," I ordered Laizi, who had come to his senses after the chaos. "I'm sure they're part of the setup."

Laizi nodded, his face pale but resolute. "Got it, Boss. I'll make sure they're watched."

We cleaned up the bar, making sure there were no more surprises lurking in the shadows. But I knew this wasn't the end. The Little Monkey would be back, and next time, he wouldn't be so easy to deal with.

As the last of his men disappeared into the night, I looked out the window, my thoughts racing. This was just the beginning of the war, and I wasn't about to lose it now.