As Russell's pet beast matured, even he struggled to see it with the naked eye, let alone those around him. Moreover, the people crowded around the gaming table were focused intently on the game.
These gamblers continually expressed excitement or disappointment, depending on their luck.
Focusing his thoughts, Russell received information about the beast, too small to perceive: "Gondorg Flea, an invisible flea-like assassin, a dangerous parasitic pest carrying venomous spikes. Its presence, though minuscule, is not to be underestimated."
This was the pre-selected "Gondorg Flea" Russell had prepared. It is smaller than dust and, under the bright casino lights, quite impossible to spot. Its innate cloaking ability adds to its stealth, while its venom-coated spikes, according to the store's detailed notes, could take down a small amphibian like a frog with a mere prick.
Certainly, the venom is potent enough to pose a lethal threat to small creatures. Moreover, its invisibility and tiny size contribute to its deadliness, rivaling Earth's most dangerous insects.
Of course, Russell's purchase wasn't for harming anyone but to cheat—an extraordinary method indeed.
“Go,” he quietly commanded, raising his hand slightly. Russell sensed the Gondorg Flea jump off his palm. Swiftly, it managed to slip into the dice cup before the dealer could cover it, attaching itself to the interior lid.
With this done discreetly, Russell inhaled deeply to steady his nerves, transitioning his vision to match the Gondorg Flea's perspective.
“Please don't fail me...” Even with a plan in mind and a deep understanding of the Gondorg Flea, Russell couldn't be certain it would reveal the dice’s numbers inside the cup.
Once the dice were covered, he feared it might be dark. When he switched his vision, indeed, a pitch-black image filled his mind—nothing visible.
“Did it fail?” Anxiety spiked as he considered that the Gondorg Flea might lack night vision, which seemed implausible given that most Earth insects are equipped with such abilities.
Just as despair started creeping in, a transformation occurred—the darkness gradually turned to a soft green glow. The shift surprised Russell, as it made everything suddenly clear.
Turns out that due to the intense casino lighting, even night-vision-capable creatures experience a slight delay when adjusting to darkness.
The Gondorg Flea, praised as an unmatched flea-like assassin, naturally possessed basic night vision. As time passed, the green vision brightened, revealing the numbers on the three dice.
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“Wow, 3, 3, 2...it's 8, small...” Russell felt a rush of joy overwhelming his senses, his excitement comparable to being a gambling god.
Suppressing his excitement, Russell didn’t rush to place his bet. Observing several rounds, he confirmed the dealer wasn't cheating before quietly placing ten black crystal chips on “Even” in the betting area.
The casino chips come in various types, with green, yellow, and red plastic chips being slightly larger than silver coins—representing ten, one hundred, and one thousand units respectively.
Russell had none of these chips, only 50 black crystal chips worth ten thousand each, commonly referred to as black crystal cards—roughly the size of a slightly oversized bank card.
People playing with stacks of black crystal cards weren't common in the public gaming area, and those placing bets of 100,000 were rare, though not unheard of.
Russell’s bet was on even.
In simple games of big or small, odd or even, the odds in Interstellar Galaxy were 1:1. This rate is standard across casinos—anything else wouldn't garner interest.
Beyond these simple bets, there are higher odds for “Point Bet,” “Single Throw,” “All Throws,” and “Three Armies,” among other betting formats.
These are slightly more complex than the simple even-odd, big-small bets, with variable odds depending on the casino, though differences are typically minor.
Russell didn’t bother with these complexities. He prioritized simplicity to minimize exposing his secret.
The dealer rang the bell, signifying no more bets, announcing the dice roll with a cry of “Open” before lifting the cover: “4, 4, 6, 14, Big!”
Which meant it was also even—predictably. With the Gondorg Flea’s visual insights, Russell couldn't have lost.
Russell smoothly gained 100,000 in his first round, a process so simple, it spanned only a few minutes—a once unimaginable scenario turned reality.
With the first win secured, the subsequent rounds were straightforward. Russell, aware not to overplay his hand, maintained his bets between 100k and 300k, winning six rounds to four losses without drawing undue attention. Yet, this doubled his pile of black crystal cards, reaching over a million in under half an hour.
Snapping his fingers, Russell called over a chip exchange staff member, opting to convert the black crystal cards into seventeen silver crystal chips, each worth 100,000.
“Wow, that rich kid already won over a million...”
“Yeah, he doesn’t always win, but when he bets big, he almost always wins. Is he just this lucky, or is he secretly a master?”
“Come on, he’s not short of money, probably just messing around in the public area. What’s a million? Look at his white bodyguard, and that outfit probably costs tens of thousands.”
“You’re wrong. I know that Rolex watch, a 1974 limited edition. Few are left, and if it’s genuine, just the watch alone fetches 700,000 now.”
Listening to the crowd's whispers, Russell felt relieved he hadn’t sold the “hot” item. He also realized that dressing as a wealthy young man brought the desired effect. Had they entered in cheap attire, they might have attracted unwanted attention. Being a wealthy “young master” allowed people to feel balanced, while Kaiser’s quiet guard duty deterred potential troublemakers in the casino.
However, a new problem emerged. Some sharper players began following Russell's bets. Initially, there were few, but as he continued winning, nearly 80% of the table mirrored his bets.
“Damn it!” Frustrated by this development, Russell cursed silently. He had envisioned the start and foreseen the result, but couldn't predict this process.