Imperial Crown

Even though he used many means to conceal his identity, such as wearing a fake headgear and a thick layer of fake beard, Raven still recognized Judra at a glance.

Compared to the last time they met, Judra looked more robust, with a physique similar to that of Vesdon, and even had fat on his cheeks, and his rosacea looked even bigger.

He held the cards in one hand, shook the wine glass with the other, and took a sip.

"Damn..." Judra muttered.

It was not because he didn't get a good hand, in fact, his hand was quite good. The reason he said that was because the wine provided by Bailetang was too good.

The "Lover" brand red wine produced in Monen City was 6.37 silver coins per bottle, and it was provided free of charge.

Judra's daily ration of wine was "Flowing Amber" at five silver coins per jar!

Being a gambler in Bailetang was more enjoyable than him as a baron!

After throwing down a hand of cards, Jude won a game of egg throwing. He picked up his own chips from the gambling pool, blew on them, stood up and left his seat.

Jude sighed as he looked at the magic lights flashing on the wall.

No wonder the business of Bailetang is so good.

Gambling is one of the most popular entertainment activities. Of course, there are casinos in his Tielu Territory, but they can't be compared with this place at all.

The scale is actually similar, but the casino environment in Tielu Town is very bad.

The air is turbid, mixed with low-quality wine, sweat and bad breath. It's okay in winter, but in summer, it can pickle people into salted fish.

In addition to air, hygiene is also a big problem. Bread corners, fruit peels, fruit cores, saliva and phlegm can often be seen on the ground. It's as dirty as it can be.

This is actually a common problem in most casinos in the current era.

But Bailetang is different. The air is fresh and the environment is clean-of course, this is not for nothing. In Jude's opinion, two measures are taken here at the same time.

First of all, it was the cleaning work. When Jude was at the gambling table before, he often saw the cleaners picking up the garbage on the ground.

They were obviously professionally trained, and their quality was no worse than that of the servants in the castle. They did a lot of things, but they would not make people feel disturbed.

Secondly, and what Jude admired most was the style of the entire casino.

Yes, it was the style.

Exaggerated decoration, flashing magic lights everywhere, the tables and chairs were all made of high-quality hardwood, covered with satin as soft as a girl's skin, and even the dominoes used as gambling tools were polished like jade.

As for the service staff, there was no need to say more. The men were dressed neatly, the maids were beautiful and generous, and the dealers were sexy and charming, and their clothes were all made of silk.

Although the Paramount Hall would not refuse anyone to enter, such an environment would make people unconsciously maintain a decent posture. People who came in in dishevel would have great psychological pressure. Therefore, even if they did not deliberately select customers, the quality of the customers here was quite excellent, and there were very few people who came here to cheat for food and drink.

The nobles generally have money and leisure, but limited entertainment. Gambling is a hobby of many nobles, but a good enough casino is quite rare. Jude believes that as time goes by, more and more nobles will come here to play.

In fact, Jude has met more than a dozen acquaintances in the few days he has been gambling here.

Shaking his head slightly, Jude sat down at the counter and threw out a 100-denomination chip as a tip. The waiter soon brought a plate with a food called "Eagle Castle".

Two slices of white bread, with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and two plump and juicy beef patties in the middle.

This portion of food would cost 6.99 silver coins in the Wallace Hotel next door, but it is not only provided free of charge here, but also without any cutting corners.

This is really a dish suitable for the casino. It is simple and convenient to eat, and it will not stain clothes. If you can't get away from gambling, you can just pick it up and eat it directly; of course, you can also cut it with a knife and fork like Jude is doing now and enjoy it slowly.

"Such a good casino, why is it not in my territory!" Jude sighed unwillingly.

He was really jealous of Raven's industry, but he also knew that even if he spent the same or even more money to build another Paradise, it would not be as good as Raven's.

The Arena, Wallace Hotel, Lion King's Pride Tavern, Crystal Palace, Paradise, this is a complete ecosystem, none of which can be missing.

When Eagle Town just started to rebuild, Jude felt that Raven had too much money to spend, but now it was too late to be jealous.

"Humph, so what?" Jude's mouth curled up a sneer.

Jude didn't know how much money Raven would make in the future, but after his observations over the past few days, Paradise would still lose money for a while.

And in the past few days, Jude has already earned a full 67 gold coins with a capital of 20 gold coins. Although the 8% commission of Paradise made him a little painful, he still got 61 gold coins!

Thinking of this, Judra's mood improved again:

"You open the casino, I make money!"

When Judra almost finished the food on the plate, Doug walked over to him and sat down: "Are you coming?"

Judra said: "Of course, I've warmed up my hands and waited for you to come."

Over the past few days, Judra and Doug have appreciated each other's gambling skills and have become a fixed partner. They are not invincible, but they are also invincible.

Compared to Jude, Doug is actually more knowledgeable and has more time to play outside. In his opinion, although the decoration and service of Bailetang are excellent, what really attracts him is the way to play the game of throwing eggs.

Gambling, after all, is about people's hearts, and there is no essential difference from politics, and the game of throwing eggs highlights this point in Doug's opinion.

Every time he sits on the card table of throwing eggs, he has a pleasure of maneuvering, as if he has really become an aristocrat.

After Jude finished eating, the two found a card table of throwing eggs and sat down, waiting for people to come to "challenge".

In the past few days, the two of them are considered "famous". Everyone knows that they are masters of throwing eggs. Of course, gambling is to win money, so many people bypass them, and no one sits down for a while.

Jude sipped the wine, and Doug, who had just drunk Angel's Tears, was not interested in it and began to observe the surrounding environment.

The casino is always noisy. The table for gambling on big or small is full of people. This dice game has no technical content and is purely a test of luck, so it is also the most exciting part. The people around shout "big" and "small". When the result comes out, some are overjoyed, while others are as sad as their parents.

The bridge table on the other side seems much calmer. The gamblers sit at the long table, rubbing the cards in their hands. They look calm, but the subtle expressions on their faces can still betray them, such as the bulging veins on their foreheads, the bulging muscles in their forearms due to the force, and the constantly shaking calves.

Doug can judge from these details which person has a good card, which person has a bad card, and who is unwilling to give up.

If he didn't have this meticulous observation ability, how could he be so powerful at the gambling table?

"Two gentlemen, I don't think you will refuse to play a game with us?"

A polite greeting sounded, and Doug turned his head to look.

He was a very gentlemanly young man. He wore a monocle on his left eye with a black pupil and his long hair was casually scattered behind his head. He looked very bookish, like a scholar who stayed in an ivory tower all day.

Next to him stood a silver-haired girl. Although she was quite calm, Doug could tell at a glance that she was pretending. The panic between her eyebrows could not be faked.

A pair of good fat sheep.

"Since you two want to play a game, then of course we will not refuse." Doug smiled gently: "But this is a high-stakes table. The bottom bet for each round is 10,000 chips, and a game of poker requires at least six or seven rounds."

Ten thousand chips is a gold coin.

"No problem, of course we have prepared enough chips." The black-haired young man smiled slightly, glanced at the girl, and took a seat.

Jude's brows were slightly frowned. Although the voice was different and the appearance was not much similar, he could still be sure that this young man must be Raven.

Even if Raven was burned to ashes, he would still recognize him!

However, he did not refuse, because it would be a great thing to be able to beat Raven at the gambling table and earn Raven's money in Raven's casino!

Of course, Fiona came with Raven, and her nervousness was not fake.

Since childhood, she has rarely participated in social activities due to her social phobia, and naturally she would not participate in gambling, let alone the game of throwing eggs, which she just learned the rules of!

Therefore, after three consecutive games, Raven and Fiona both lost badly.

To put it simply, throwing eggs is a combination of Landlord and Upgrade, and the winner is not decided in one game.

Having won three games in a row, Judea is far ahead. She is proud and says with a smile: "It's a bit boring for you two to play like this. It's good to make money, but playing cards is fun only when there is a give and take."

"I think you two should just fold your cards and admit defeat, and then go to other tables to practice. How about we wait for you?"

Doug is also a little bored and smacked his lips: "Yeah, I'm almost falling asleep from playing."

Hearing these words, Fiona's head is so ashamed that she wants to bury it in her legs.

"Winning first does not necessarily mean winning, and losing first does not necessarily mean losing. The one who laughs last is the winner." Raven said lightly: "Since you two feel bored, then let's raise the stakes. How about 50,000 chips per game?"

50,000 chips is five gold coins.

Doug thought about it and was about to agree, but Judra shook her head: "50,000 chips are meaningless. I think, let's just go for 100,000!"

Fiona's eyes widened, and she was a little at a loss for a moment. You know, her annual salary is only five gold coins. After receiving the red envelope from Raven, the gold coins in her small treasury have only reached double digits.

"Okay, 100,000 is 100,000." Raven spread his hands: "Let's continue!"

Four more rounds passed, and the situation improved a little.

In fact, even in the previous three rounds, Raven's performance was remarkable. It was all Fiona who dragged her down. But as she gradually became familiar with the rules, the pressure of money activated Fiona's academic attribute, and she began to play cards in a methodical way.

Occasionally, she would come up with some strange moves, which not only surprised Judra and Doug, but also exceeded Raven's expectations.

It can only be said that academic masters are academic masters, and they can quickly get started with anything they learn.

The two fierce counterattacks forced Jude and Doug to take it seriously, but even so, they gradually lost more than they won, and the score between the two sides was quickly tied.

The thirteenth game, the deciding game.

The chips in the gambling pool have swelled to 4.12 million, or 412 gold coins.

Which side wins will get all the money!

Looking at Jude and Doug again, they are no longer relaxed and comfortable as before.

Jude pulled open his collar, his face was as gloomy as water, and sweat flowed from his forehead, soaking his fake beard.

Doug also began to lick his lips frequently and drank the wine he originally looked down on, sip by sip, but he couldn't quench his thirst.

The girl still couldn't hide her emotions. She was happy when she got a good card, and her face fell when she got a bad card, but Doug couldn't get any advantage from her. Even if she got a bad hand, she could use it at the most appropriate time to minimize the loss.

As for the young man, he was even more confused. Whether he won or lost, he always had a faint smile on his face, which made people unable to see his emotional changes at all, let alone judge the cards in his hand.

Two freaks!

There are more than 400 gold coins in the gambling pool now, and Doug has invested more than 100 of them. You know, the funds he spent on this trip are only 500 gold coins. After this period of time, the consumption has dropped to less than 400. If he really loses more than 100 in one go, he will be really distressed!

Absolutely can't lose!

Doug took a breath lightly, glanced at Jude, and tapped the back of his hand with his little finger. This was a tacit signal between the two of them, and they began to connect each other's card patterns.

Jude nodded imperceptibly and responded.

Like Landlord, whoever plays all the cards in his hand first can win in the game of throwing eggs. In this game, both sides went back and forth, and soon all the cards in the hands of the four people were gone.

Jude's lips were already peeling. His desire for victory was no less than Doug's. Every gold coin in the Iron Furnace was precious. If he lost this game, he would not only lose all the money he earned before, but also lose more than 40!

Damn it, this can equip fifty militiamen with leather armor!

He stared at Doug. Next, as long as Doug played a card that Raven and Fiona could not control, he would be the first to be eliminated and lock in victory!

Doug played a card, and it was indeed a big card. Judra's mood was slightly calmer, because Fiona still looked worried and did not play a card, and Raven should have no cards to use.

But at this moment, he saw Raven leaning on the back of the chair. This was the first time Raven did this in the whole gambling game, which made Judra feel strongly uneasy.

Then the facts also confirmed his uneasiness. Raven raised his arm and casually slapped the remaining five cards in his hand on the table: "Sorry, this time, I have to leave first."

Then the right to play the cards naturally passed to Fiona.

When the last card in Fiona's hand fell to the ground, Doug collapsed on the chair, and the whole person seemed to be fished out of the water.

Judra's eyes were red. Money was of course important, but the most unbearable thing for him was that he couldn't beat Raven at the gambling table!

He stood up and pointed at Raven: "You, you must have cheated!!"

"You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want." Raven raised his eyebrows: "You said I cheated, and I said you cheated!"

Judra's breathing stagnated. After all, this was Raven's home court, and he himself was indeed not clean!

"Okay, okay, I admit it!" Throwing the cards in his hand on the table, Judra turned and left.

Raven grabbed the chips in the gambling pool and watched them flow away from his fingertips, with a satisfied smile on his lips.

This feeling of getting something for nothing is really... refreshing!

But Raven also had a bottom line in his heart. If this was not his place, he would not have come to the table anyway.

And, he did cheat, but it was also cheating that no one could see - his place, his croupier, his dealer, whatever cards he wanted, he would still get what cards he wanted?

"Here, yours." Raven took out half of the chips and pushed them in front of Fiona.

"This..." Fiona's eyes flashed with light. This money was completely beyond her expectations.

She was just here to help!

This feeling was like a pie in the sky!

"This money is not given to you for free." Looking at Fiona collecting the chips, Raven laughed: "Next, you have to spend some time in the casino."

The reason why Raven said this was because he found that Fiona was very sensitive to numbers. You know, in the past life, big casinos all had their own actuaries to calculate the odds to ensure that the casino would make a profit. This is what Raven wanted Fiona to do.

It was not until Raven left for a long time that Doug, who was slumped in the chair, stood up, with a trace of joy in his eyes as if he had just taken a bath!

Losing money is painful, but since you are at the gambling table, you have used all the cheating methods but still can't win, so of course you have to accept the loss.

And from this gambling fight, he got a real sense of excitement, which made his numb nerves excited again!

He really likes Eagle Town more and more!

It's time to pray every day.

To be honest, Doug didn't have much respect for the so-called God of Death, and the reason he prayed was just a formality.

But today the situation was a little different. He gathered people and took out the altar from the storage ring. Before he started praying, the withered big hand on the altar statue suddenly came alive, five fingers opened, holding up a gray-white light curtain, and then a cold voice came out from it:

"...Why are you still here!?"

Doug felt a little numb and was about to answer when Manda next to him said first: "Elder Rudolph, it's not that we don't want to leave. This is all Mr. Doug's order!"

"Doug, what's going on? You should know the significance of the Holy Emblem of Death to the Holy Cult. Why are you delaying so much?" The light screen was chaotic, and by chance, an old skeleton-like face could be seen: "You... Even a dog dares to disobey?"

I'm Doug, not dog! ! !

Doug roared in his heart, but did not dare to show any dissatisfaction: "Elder Rudolph, it's not that I refuse to leave, it's just that I have found clues to the 'Holy Emblem of Death'!"

The Holy Emblem of Death, which was previously left in the Nord province by the Order of the Hand of Death, contains millions of carefully selected souls.

"Are you telling the truth?" Elder Rudolph's voice sounded doubtful.

Doug said without hesitation: "Of course it's true. The reason why I go out every day these days is because I found a trace of a holy weapon on a bearded man!"

This is of course false. Doug found no trace of the Holy Emblem of Death at all.

He also has his own confidence in saying this.

Through the ceremony, the Order of the Hand of Death was able to confirm that the Holy Emblem of Death was located within the five northwest counties of Nord Province, but was unable to pinpoint the specific location.

Since it cannot be locked, it can appear anywhere. Even if someone finds traces of it elsewhere in the future, it cannot be said that Goge's discovery is of no value.

He was dedicated to doing things for the religious order, so he just went a little awry!

"Manda, is this true?" Rudolph asked.

Manda swallowed: "This... I have never heard of it?"

A cruel light flashed in Doug's eyes: "Elder Rudolph, I did not tell him, because his mouth is not strict enough. If he can complain to you without me today, he can betray the Holy Religion for profit tomorrow!"

After these words were spoken, Manda immediately knelt on the ground and begged loudly for mercy.

Rudolf was silent for a moment: "Okay, I understand. Since you are concentrating on doing things for the Holy Religion, I won't comment too much, but you have to remember that I want to see the results!"

After saying that, the gray-white mirror disappeared, and the rough hands slowly clenched into fists again.

Doug let out a sigh of relief, glanced at Manda who was sweating on the ground, turned around and walked out of the house.

Official business? Fuck official business.

The guy who can intercept the Holy Emblem is definitely not an easy person. It is not something that a second-level necromancer like him can handle.

Anyway, he’s not the only one coming out, so let others do the work!

He was ready to stay in this Eagle Town, and he could delay it as long as he could. Anyway, he didn't want to leave this comfort zone!

"Where should we go next?" Doug licked his lips, his eyes full of anticipation.

Crystal Palace, Paradise...

There are many fun places in Eagle Town!

Meanwhile, Raven rejects Fiona's offer to deal with Doug.

"Behind him is the Order of the Hand of Death. Although the purpose is unknown, it currently seems that it will not harm the Eagle Territory."

"It won't do much harm to keep him under your nose. Killing them will only cause more trouble. There's no need for that."

"Just let people keep an eye on it."

In the following days, as Raven had judged, Doug did nothing but enjoy himself every day. He was seen all over most of Eagle Town, but did not engage in any other suspicious activities.

More than half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and it was mid-October.

Green peaches are ripe.

…