I have gathered basic information to collect over 1000 coins at the physical casino.
All preparations are complete, so now it's time to try.
"...Hoo."
The sound of low-quality jazz music echoes in the underground casino.
Visitors to the physical casino take a breath and move their steps.
[It has begun.]
Right.
"Hello, dealer!"
First, sit at the table in the dealer room.
However, the selected table was not the one with Assistant Lee Seonghae's head, but rather a dealer with a different unfamiliar face.
I could feel the gaze of Assistant Lee Seonghae from afar, but I must ignore it.
"Hello, visitor. Would you like to start betting?"
The visitor smiles brightly at the unfamiliar dealer.
"Yes. Let's bet. Will the game be the card game that was introduced at the very beginning? It was about guessing what kind of card it was."
"Of course. I will proceed with the 'Clairvoyance Game'."
The dealer kindly speaks to the visitor sitting at the table, then flamboyantly shuffles the playing cards and presents them.
"Oh, I'll go with this."
And the person seated picks a card from it.
A simple game where you guess what shape it is or what number it is.
"I will bet 3 coins on hearts."
"Yes. I will check."
However, the visitor's attempt failed.
The card is the seven of spades.
3 coins flew away.
"So close. One more game?"
"Yes. Bet confirmed."
And so the game continued.
The visitor placed a minimum bet, winning moderately and losing moderately.
Then... once in a while.
“This time I’ll bet thirty coins. I’ve got a good feeling.”
The guest bet big.
And.
“You have lost the bet.”
“Argh!”
Lost big.
But once every three or four times, they succeed in betting and win money.
"Nice!"
In that way, the amount of the coin is cleverly adjusted.
The fluctuating win rate and betting amount of the visitors went up and down chaotically, moving between high points and low points without any clear rules.
The table was piled high with at least a hundred coins, but the visitor's 'funds' had already been reduced to half of what they started with.
Then...
At some moment more than an hour has passed.
[Now]
"Will you place a bet?"
"Hmm..."
The visitor, as if completely immersed, reached out...
And pushed all the coins on the table forward.
Clinkclinkclink...
Tap.
The coins shine in the light of the old light bulb.
The dealer from the ghost story, who kindly caught even the rolling coins, asks with shining eyes.
"Would you like to bet a total of 113 coins?"
[Oho!]
"Yes, let's go for it."
"Then please choose a card."
Once again, the visitor reached out in a graceful manner and pointed to one of the cards lined up on the table.
"This one."
"Confirmed."
The dealer picks up the card chosen by the visitor.
The gaze of the visitor watching it shone strangely and then quickly subdued.
And.
"...I will bet on number 7.""
"...!"
The dealer's expression did not change, but strangely, their movements became slower.
"Confirmed."
The dealer flipped the card...
"Spade 7."
Jackpot.
"...You have successfully placed your bet.""
"…!!"
"Here is your prize."
A tremendous amount of coins comes out from under the table and went to the winner.
"This is 904 coins."
The visitor briefly clenched and then opened their fist under the table.
He earned an amount close to 999 coins in one go.
[Oh, congratulations friend. It's a success!]
Right.
And of course, this was not a coincidence.
‘He chose it knowing what it was.’
Spade 7.
Because he already knew what numbers and pictures were printed on the front of that card.
Of course, it's not like He's developed any abilities like clairvoyance. We played under the conditions provided by this casino without using any tricks.
However.
There is a loophole in that condition.That is...
It was thanks to a certain element that you could see as soon as you entered this casino.
Outdated facilities!
‘It's seriously old.’
The wall, light bulbs, slot machines, and even the tables in the dealer room have already worn out. It looks so poorly maintained that one might mistake it for an almost abandoned casino.
While it did evoke a more chilling atmosphere as a horror story, it also created conditions that were fundamentally different from a typical casino.
Right... the things used in the game are outdated.
For example.
‘The playing cards.’
The back of a standard playing card is all the same appearance, making them indistinguishable from each other as mass-produced items.
But as time goes by, things change.
A dividing point is created. Fine stains, scratches, wrinkles.
The 'wear' that is briefly revealed when reflected in the light creates elements that allow each card to be distinguished.
So we decided.
-In the first game, choose the card with the back that has the most noticeable 'traces'.
This time it was the seven of spades.
He noticed that the two scratches on the back glimmered slightly in the light.
Then, after checking the information on the front side, the seven of spades, He waited.
And...
-After enough time has passed to avoid suspicion, you can find that card again and place your bet.
Hitting the jackpot.
Of course, the scratch marks are very fine, and in fact, they are extremely difficult to distinguish with the naked eye, making it hard for the average person.
However, surprisingly, there was a perfect candidate among this group.
"Hahaha, jackpot again!"
‘Agent Choi.’
He possesses the observation skills and memory to distinguish human bodies solely by their veins and skeleton.
Since he already has the habit of memorizing, there is nothing more to add.
-Ah~ Normally, a good public servant shouldn't engage in gambling, but... it can't be helped. Okay. Just leave it to me.
And truly, without any concern, maintaining composure and nonchalance, he sat at the table and gambled until now.
So.
"Ah~ that felt good."
It succeeded.
[Oh, there have actually been cases where similar methods were used to win a fortune at the casino.]
[Of course, in that case, it seems you were reading the printing error on the back pattern of the card!]
Right. In a real casino, they probably use new cards every day to prevent such things from happening.
However, in this ghost story where 'oldness' is a characteristic, such methods can also work.
"Current holdings... 924 pieces.""
"…Okay."
It proceeds smoothly like that.
I sat next to Agent Choi as he played, and watched intently as if I were observing the thrilling moment when the stakes were getting higher.
‘Just one more round, carefully, like this.’
To earn without being noticed, we had created the most natural scenario possible up until now.
"Since we've got momentum, let's keep going like this..."
"Visitor."
...
I turned my stiff neck.
"You're using an interesting method, aren't you?"
The face of Assistant Lee Seonghae, who approached the table, was looking at us.
Staring straight at us.
She smiled gently.
"This is the method I used when I was a visitor.""
"...!"
"Remembering the scratches on the back of the card to figure out the numbers and suits, right?"
The dealer brushed the back of the cards with unfamiliar hands that belonged to different people, with their ring and middle fingers touching.
My hair stands on end.
"And once a loophole is discovered, it can no longer be exploited."
‘Damn.’
[I just remembered the unfortunate backstory of that incident.]
[The professional gambler was sued and had all 16 billion won collected without a penny missing. Oh, the cunning of the casino!]
"...I don't quite understand what you’re saying. Do you have evidence?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Grapes-ie! This casino is really scary. They’re trying to frame it as if I used underhanded methods just because I made some money. How can anyone play the game if it's this scary? My back is all sweaty now, seriously."
"..."
"You have no evidence, right?"
The dealer takes her hand off the back of the card.
"That’s correct."
But I couldn't feel completely at ease.
Because...
"Shall we continue the game?"
A dealer with Lee Seonghae's hairstyle pushes away the dealer at our table and takes his place.
As a host.
"You won't run away, will you? That would make you look suspicious."
"..."
"Good! Then from now on, I will continue to assist you as the dealer."
She then took out a new card deck from her pocket.
Old, but a completely different set from before.
"Well then..."
The smiling face speaks.
"Please place a bet."
We're screwed
"I’ll do it."
"Oh."
"Grapes-ie."
"It's public funds. Luck usually spreads out to an average, so if you've had a lot of fun and won a lot, it might be better for you to stop here and let me take over."
I spoke while looking at Assistant Lee Seonghae's remaining eye.
"It should be fine, right?"
"Of course!"
And whispered to Agent Choi.
"This time, I want to experience the fun of betting too. Just a moment."
"..."
"I have a feeling that I will win for some reason."
Agent Choi’s gaze was heavy, but in the end, he let it go.
And I, for a brief moment...
...
[Oh, it's not difficult at all, Friend!]
"Visitor?"
Ah.
I raised my head.
"Is it possible to go to the table that you originally used? It feels like I've already used up all my luck here."
"Of course!"
The dealer with Lee Seonghae's head gladly guided me to her table. I hurriedly gathered all the coins and moved to Lee Seonghae's table to hear the questions again.
"So how much will you bet?"
I pushed the coins I had brought to the table...
All 924.
"…!!"
"Do you really want to bet 924?"
"...Yes."
"Confirmed."
Then...Assistant Lee Seonghae spread the cards on the table again. I reached out my hand to choose a card...
"Wait a moment."
The hand was caught.
"Dear visitor, you shouldn't touch the selected card, right?""
"..."
"You were trying to remember the card by leaving fingerprints on the back, right?"
"No. And there’s a misunderstanding."
"Oh?"
"I have bet all my possessions, so if I don't win this round, there will be no next game. So what good would it do to remember the cards from this round? I’ll have already lost."
...
"Oh."
The dealer relaxed her grip.
"That’s correct. Then I will proceed."
"Yes."
I chose the card that I originally intended to choose.
Thud.
Cold sweat dripped onto the table.
"Okay."
...
"What suit or number would you like to bet on?"
I barely lifted my eyes.
"...hearts."
This will do.
"I won with hearts the first time I placed a bet, so I plan to bet on that again this time.""
...The dealer, who was looking at the cards, quickly turned her head.
There were no people around the table signaling or reading this dealer's cards, nor was there anything like a suddenly placed mirror.
There was only Section Chief Lee Jaheon leaning against the nearby back wall.
No dealer is restrained.
This means that he did not engage in any behavior that could be considered suspicious.
"..."
"Ms. Dealer?"
The dealer flipped the card...
"Congratulations. Four of hearts."
"I will award you 2772 coins."
A tremendous amount of coins begins to spill onto the table.
"…!!"
‘It worked.’
I clenched and unclenched my fist tightly under the table.
Cold sweat gathered and made me feel damp.
"This is amazing, hahaha!! Wow, it's a coin windfall, isn't it?"
Agent Choi excitedly patted my back like a gambler who just hit the jackpot, but his eyes were calm.
Because he had no idea how I got this right.
'Right.’
It was understandable. Because...
I didn't use a loophole; I committed outright fraud.
‘Hoo.’
The reason for suddenly moving to this table.
-Braun, could you possibly tell the lizard manager to lean against the wall behind Dolphin's table?
[Yes.]
It was a table that was leaning against a wall where Manager Lee Jaheon could naturally lean back and stand.
The reason why Manager Lee Ja-hun was needed is simple.
‘Because it looks like a lizard's head to me!’
And the eyes on the head of the lizard, which was the size of a person, were larger than those of a human and the lenses were thicker.
That is.
The card held by the dealer is reflected.There was no need to read something as detailed as a number.
Even just colors and a very faint silhouette is a success.
‘...and it worked.’
I succeeded in my bet by looking at the front of the card reflected in Manager Lee Ja-hun's eyes.
[It was excellent agility, Mr. Roe Deer!]
Thank you.
...and the best part is.
‘No one knows what method I used.’
Because Manager Lee Jaheon appears to others as a human being.
That was no exception to the ghost stories experienced so far, so if we take Section Chief Lee Jaheon, who has the head of a human, as a reference...
‘There's no way the card would reflect in his eyes.’
In the end, it became a signal that only I could recognize.
Perhaps he doesn't even know himself.
[Oh, that was quite thrilling!]
[Of course, a broadcaster cannot be involved in something like casino fraud, but this could be seen as a pleasant kind of superpower.]
[If a man can be treated as a psychic for guessing what piece of music is recorded by looking at the label of a record, isn't what my friend did somewhat similar? Ha ha!I don't know.]
Although it's something only I can check, if we just look at the mechanism...
"It's undeniably a scam."
But the only certain way to make money at a casino, aside from scams, was the same loophole mentioned earlier, and since it had already been blocked by someone who had tried it, there was no other option.
I used it impulsively, and in such a roundabout way, but just in case…
“...”
Did she notice?
I was sitting at the table as calmly as possible, sharing congratulations and laughing with Agent Choi, but the dealer was silent.
I couldn't bear to look.
And...
A little later.
"Congratulations. You've passed 999 coins."
"…!!"
"You can now enter the VIP area! Shall I guide you now?"
"...Yes."
‘It worked.’
I clenched my fist tightly and carefully got up from the table.
***
"Only groups with more than 999 coins can enter the VIP room, and at this time, the group can include up to 2 additional people besides the main member."
The lively-voiced dealer explained as the six of us walked through the casino’s public area.
And soon, our footsteps stop.
VIP ACCESS
"Then, I will open it."
The dealer grabbed the golden iron door and pulled it to the side...
The VIP room has been opened.
"…!!"
Inside it was surprisingly...
It was a maze.
[Oh, it hasn't worn out.]
It seemed as if a luxurious space for whispered conversations was endlessly lined up beyond the drawn curtains. A space connected as if two mirrors are facing each other.
It was as if to show that it was a place fundamentally different from the old and worn-out physical casino outside.
There is only one thing that is alien.
~■■ CITY ROYAL CASINO~
The subway advertisement was attached to a frame on the wall instead of being a picture. I felt a strange sensation.
Struggling not to listen to the whispers coming from beyond the curtain, we stepped in front of the door.
"Would you like to come inside? Please sit comfortably. You can enjoy gambling privately in a designated area."
The group entered quietly. Baek Saheon tried to sneak away from the very back, but he was caught by Agent Bronze and entered as is.
But I felt a foreboding rising within me.
"This way, please."The dealer pulls back the curtain and enters.
What appeared beyond was similar each time. Velvet sofas, a table, refreshments, and…
A silver pistol.
"The game prepared for today is..."
Step, step.
The dealer who walked over picks up the gun placed on the luxurious wooden table and cocks it to load.
"Russian roulette."
‘Damn.’
"It’s famous, so you might already know, but to explain, it is a game where one bullet is loaded into a .38 caliber revolver, and two people take turns shooting!"
Clack, clack, clack.
The dealer's hand pulling the trigger was steady.
As the tense people reflexively fidget, the dealer smiles and holds up a gun that has not yet been fired.
"If this continues, the side that gives up will lose."
"Ha."
"But! If you're scared of shooting, there are other options."
The dealer scans us.
"You have to give up one body part."
"…!"
"Then you can pass your turn and give the opponent the gun."
"Just a moment."
I asked urgently.
"Who are we competing against?"
"Another visitor, of course!"
"…!"
"You play Russian roulette against each other, and the winner takes all the coins that were bet. However, right now in this VIP room..."
The dealer smiled gently.
"Are there no other visitors besides you all?"
"..."
"If we wait, could other visitors come?"
"Well. I'm not sure."
"When was the last time a guest visited the VIP Room?"
"Hmm, that's something I can't tell you, but…"
"…Have you seen it yourself?"
"No."
"..."
Damn it.
"Hold on. Then the 'special purpose' body parts from the pawn shop..."
"Ah, you already know about that too."
Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae's lips curved into a smile.
"If a visitor pulls the trigger three times in a row, they can receive one body part as a prize!"
"…!"
"Cool, right? It's a prize fitting for an exciting game."
The picture that had been covering the subway advertisement slid down, revealing the freight elevator within.
No, not an elevator… it's a rail.
'Body parts.'
Various limbs and organs from multiple people are visible, hanging side-by-side on the rail...
Among them, there will be Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae's.
"..."
To rescue Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae, there's no choice but to participate in this game and obtain a body part.
"So, then..."
The dealer looked at us with a smile.
"Who will play?"
Discussion