“What the hell…?” Earth-Monkey’s brow furrowed instantly. “You’re using this to bet with me?”

“Why not?” Chen Junnan asked with a completely serious expression. “Monkey Brother, I’m being completely sincere with you here. Why aren’t you taking this seriously? Many people wanted these socks but I didn’t give them any.”

“I don’t want them either!” Earth-Monkey said. “We’re all betting ‘Dao,’ what are you doing betting with a pair of broken socks?!”

“It’s not allowed?!” Chen Junnan shouted back without backing down. “I’ve seen it done this way in Hong Kong films—besides the chips on the table, you can bet a hand, an eye, a leg, or even a life. I’m betting a pair of socks, so you can match it with a pair of socks.”

“I… I match it with a pair of socks?!”

“Can’t match it?” Chen Junnan raised his eyebrows with a completely sleazy expression. “Admitting defeat, right?”

Before Earth-Monkey could respond, Chen Junnan quickly exchanged glances with Qiao Jiajin on his left. “Old Qiao, he’s admitting defeat. Collect the money.”

“Right!”

Qiao Jiajin lunged toward all the “Dao” on the table with lightning speed. The two men’s exquisite coordination almost left Earth-Monkey stunned.

“Wait a moment!”

But an Earth-level was still an Earth-level. He immediately protected the chips on the table and stared at the two men for several seconds before frowning and asking, “Are you two here to wreck the place?”

“What?” After hearing this, Chen Junnan showed a peculiar smile. “Monkey Brother, make it clear now—can things other than ‘Dao’ be bet or not?”

Only then did Earth-Monkey understand the true intention behind this obnoxiously sleazy man suddenly throwing out two socks.

He wanted to completely establish the rules of the gambling table here and now.

The appearance of the two socks came at just the right moment, putting Earth-Monkey in a difficult position. If he stipulated that things other than “Dao” couldn’t be bet, it would be quite troublesome later in the game when he wanted to make everyone’s lives a living hell. But if he agreed to the opponent’s bet here, this man would truly get through the first round with just a pair of socks.

“Admitting defeat, right?” Chen Junnan continued to add fuel to the fire. “If you can’t match the bet, just say so openly. What’s the matter, didn’t wear socks today? Can’t match it?”

Earth-Monkey covered the chips on the table and thought for a while, then suddenly showed a slight smile.

Got it.

“Young man… this gambling match can include things other than ‘Dao,’ but there’s a condition…” Earth-Monkey said.

“If you have conditions, just state them freely. I’m only worried if you don’t have conditions.”

Earth-Monkey pondered for a moment, then said, “Once someone puts down chips other than ‘Dao,’ all remaining people must also produce the same chip or an ‘item’ of higher value than this chip. As long as one person doesn’t possess the same or more valuable ‘item,’ the first person’s bet of that ‘item’ is considered invalid.”

“Not appropriate.” Qi Xia covered his forehead and immediately spoke up in denial. “Those who have ‘Dao’ can bet ‘Dao,’ and only those without ‘Dao’ should put up items as collateral. It’s not reasonable to require putting out the same items as the opponent even when you have ‘Dao.'”

After hearing this, Earth-Monkey turned to look at Qi Xia, slowly raising the corners of his mouth as the wrinkles on his face relaxed somewhat.

“I know what you’re thinking, but that’s impossible…” He pushed Chen Junnan aside and said to Qi Xia, “These are my casino’s rules. You can bet any items, and for the sake of fairness, I and all of you will put out the same items—everyone is the same, no exceptions. Since it wasn’t mentioned in advance for this round, we can’t use this rule for betting yet. It starts from the next round.”

After hearing this, Qi Xia’s brow slowly furrowed.

Using items to replace “Dao” was indeed a problem that had to be faced, but requiring everyone to produce the same items cut off many escape routes.

If one person prepared to bet their “life,” the remaining people would have no other choice—if they wanted to continue gambling, they could only follow by betting their own “lives.”

“Too dangerous…” Qi Xia frowned and shook his head. He felt that not only were the rules dangerous, but even his brain was now in danger.

He needed to get it working immediately…

He closed his eyes and carefully considered Earth-Monkey’s proposal. Everyone betting the same thing—would it really have no effect on him?

Even he himself had to “match the bet,” so why was he so calm about it?

Being able to bet “items” also had a major drawback for everyone. Their purpose for being here was different from ordinary gamblers—winning “wealth” didn’t mean much to them. What they needed more now was to gather sixty “Dao” to buy back their lives.

If Earth-Monkey started betting “items” every round, everyone might not earn any “Dao” for eight consecutive rounds.

“If you don’t accept, then all of us will take back our ‘items.’ After all, I have a large amount of ‘capital’ on hand.”

Qi Xia thought quickly for a few seconds, then said, “We can agree. Starting from the next round, ‘items’ can be included.”

“Oh…?” Earth-Monkey slowly narrowed his eyes. “You’ve got guts.”

After hearing this, Chen Junnan also took back his socks. After putting them on, he threw down a “Dao” on the table. It didn’t matter which round it started from—his purpose was only psychological warfare.

Seeing Chen Junnan bet, Earth-Monkey couldn’t help but sneer coldly. “You have ‘Start of Spring,’ are you really going to raise?”

“I have ‘Start of Spring’ and can’t raise?” Chen Junnan also smiled wickedly. “Does this game stipulate that ‘Start of Spring’ must lose?”

After hearing this, Earth-Monkey nodded slightly and turned to Qi Xia. “Your teammate isn’t bad either.”

Qi Xia didn’t speak. Qiao Jiajin beside him held the “Major Heat” card in his hand, thought for a while, and decisively also chose to “raise.”

Now Qi Xia looked at the “Qixi Festival” in his hand, the “Zhongyuan” in the center of the table, and the “Summer Solstice” in front of Earth-Monkey, beginning to deduce various possibilities.

After his brain spun rapidly for a while, it actually became sluggish again. He clearly remembered reading knowledge about “Lunar Phases” and the “Twenty-Four Solar Terms,” but those memories were all hidden deep in his brain. At this moment they were covered by layers of fog, and he couldn’t recall them no matter what.

“I’ll also… I’ll also raise…” Qi Xia said while touching his forehead.

Earth-Monkey nodded expressionlessly. After watching Qi Xia throw a “Dao” onto the table, he also reached out and threw down one.

Next was Zheng Yingxiong.

He was holding a “Frost’s Descent” card.

Everyone couldn’t help but break a sweat for him. This child was at most first or second grade elementary school age. It went without saying that he shouldn’t be participating in “gambling”—he might even have difficulty recognizing the two characters for “Frost’s Descent.” In this situation, although no one said it explicitly, Zheng Yingxiong was indeed “cannon fodder.” His existence was merely to give everyone more opportunities to make mistakes.

“I have ‘Frost’s Descent.'” Zheng Yingxiong looked at Earth-Monkey with a completely serious expression. “Uncle, I’ll follow too.”