Macau, known as the City of Gambling, is called one of the three major gambling cities in the world alongside Monte Carlo and Las Vegas.
The casinos here are resplendent with gold and jade, offering top-notch facilities with the scent of luxury perfumes wafting through the air. Opulence doesn't quite capture it.
Anyone stepping into a casino for the first time is bound to feel both awestruck and a bit feverish, even more so than watching Las Vegas casinos in films. You'll immediately feel that gambling is a sophisticated pleasure.
Is gambling truly a sophisticated pleasure? Russell had never tried before and couldn't claim to know. However, he knew what his task was in Asia's gambling hub today.
A million!
Indeed, his goal was to win a million in a short period. Perhaps for wealthy heirs, this is just their nightly stake, but for Russell, it was the first step towards cultivating his path.
Interstellar Galaxy was one of Macau's numerous officially licensed casinos and one of the few high-end gambling venues.
Choosing it wasn't based on much reasoning, just a preference for its sci-fi-inspired name.
Macau's casinos have a unique feature: a single red feng shui lamp. This red light is the only red lamp within the casino.
During construction, casinos invite feng shui masters to select the best location to hang this feng shui lamp, typically a spot avoided by most people, deemed the source of the entire casino's prosperity.
Therefore, a legitimate casino, even one relying on tactics, depends on the host's advantage and the feng shui to easily achieve profitable operations. However, today, Interstellar Galaxy was destined to meet someone beyond fate: Russell.
Upon entering the casino, the clamor hit him, and those alluring hostesses in the lobby, who were mostly from Thailand, were actually transvestites. This unique feature might just make this casino stand out amid fierce competition.
Russell felt no particular interest in the ladyboys, even if they were more seductive than real women. He headed straight to the counter with his entourage.
Dressed head-to-toe in luxurious branded goods, they didn't stand out much here where wealth was common. True figures of power and influence rarely wore common brands, preferring bespoke garments from renowned designers. However, Kaiser's Western physique and robust presence certainly turned heads wherever he went.
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Before reaching the counter, a few young men eagerly approached, "Sir, how much would you like to exchange for chips?"
The staff members stared in astonishment at Kaiser and the suitcase in his hand.
"Bang." Kaiser slammed the suitcase onto the counter, producing a heavy thud.
"Exchange it all," he said coldly. His fluent Chinese and his aura akin to a ferocious beast immediately dispelled any notion of him being just another nouveau riche.
In a casino, though they were just cogs in the machine, dealing daily with various patrons, the staff felt the fierce aura from this foreign bodyguard. They instantly knew they were in the presence of a genuine elite bodyguard.
To date, Kaiser was the third such formidable man they had encountered, and the previous patrons with such elite bodyguards were all figures of immense status and influence.
The staff's gaze towards Russell rapidly shifted from courteous to reverent, realizing that someone capable of employing such a bodyguard was beyond mere wealth.
Though many nouveau riche no longer bother carrying huge sums of cash for gambling.
"Alright, please wait a moment." Bowing repeatedly, the staff quickly scurried to work, unnerved by the Western man’s intimidating glare that seemed ready to devour them.
When Russell and Kaiser left with fifty thousand in chips, the staff's shirts were soaked with sweat. The lead attendant took a deep breath and immediately lifted a landline from beneath the counter to report Russell's presence.
Naturally, by doing so, Russell achieved his desired effect. Taking into account the clothing purchases, money sent home, and the expensive arrangements for Kaiser's "visa," Russell had only seventy thousand left.
Thus, he brought fifty thousand in cash in a suitcase. Why not use a card?
Because a plain UnionPay card would blow his cover. Even pretending to be nouveau riche had its use—he trusted that Kaiser's presence would lead to intriguing speculation from the casino's personnel.
In the hall, the most popular game was undoubtedly baccarat, a common choice across Asia, followed by blackjack, sic bo, and roulette, which also attracted many players. Slot machines, too, were abundant with their simple rules, catering to the masses.
Sic bo, commonly referred to as "big or small," is a dice game. Players bet against the house, with the dealer shaking three dice in a covered container. Once all bets are placed, the dealer opens the container and pays out accordingly.
The most common bets are based on the dice's total: 4-10 counts as small, 11-17 as big, excluding triples, hence the name "big or small."
This game is among the least skill-dependent, relying mostly on luck, which is why seasoned gamblers rarely play it. The tables are often surrounded by newcomers or tourists.
Though there's the risk of losing everything to a full house, some players hope to win big on a lucky roll.
But Russell wasn't relying on luck. He intended to use a pet beast worth 5 points from the system store. He accessed the store and redeemed the pet beast as planned.
Immediately, the system voice notified him: "You have spent 5 points to redeem a beast-type pet beast from the planet Gondorg. Please receive it. You currently have 220 points remaining."
Subtly, in front of the crowd, he unobtrusively took out the pet seed from the beast backpack space, holding it in his palm.
To the naked eye, his palm appeared empty, but only Russell, possessing a special connection to the pet seed, sensed a faint, minuscule pulse of life.
"Shen Yuan Feeding." Activating a host skill to feed it towards the sensed direction, Russell realized within three seconds that the pet seed had hatched and quickly matured.