After sending off Chen Jiaxing, Jiang Mo walked towards the address his mother had given him.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, he arrived at a dimly lit street.
Piles of garbage emitted a nauseating stench, and several Rattata scurried around, foraging for food; their purple figures appeared particularly out of place in the gloomy environment.
This was Star City’s slum, a place where the lowest-tier people of the Alliance lived. People here had to work tirelessly just to earn their daily bread, unlike the wealthy district across the river; this was a place where the sun could not shine.
Jiang Mo’s brows furrowed tightly. He quickened his pace, and finally, after turning a corner, a resplendently decorated clubhouse abruptly appeared before his eyes.
The luxurious building formed a stark contrast with the surrounding dilapidated environment, as if two completely different worlds were colliding here.
Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the clubhouse. Jiang Mo looked up and saw several burly security guards roughly dragging a middle-aged man.
The man’s face was haggard, his hair was as messy as straw, his clothes were so ragged they barely covered him, yet his eyes held a hint of madness.
“No, no! I’ll make my money back soon, I’ll turn it around soon!” the middle-aged man screamed hoarsely, his hands flailing in the air.
The security guards were clearly accustomed to this; their faces were indifferent, and their actions showed no mercy.
One of the security guards’ fists rained down on the middle-aged man’s body, each punch carrying undisguised annoyance and contempt.
Jiang Mo stood quietly not far away, coldly observing the farce.
He watched as the middle-aged man, after being heavily thrown to the ground, instantly scrambled back up, desperately hugging a security guard’s leg and pleading bitterly, “Brother, please, just lend me a little more, just a tiny bit is fine. I’ve already mortgaged my house, it’s just that my luck was too bad today. Give me another chance, I can definitely win it back!”
The security guard looked disgusted, forcefully shook off his hand, and cursed, “You old geezer, still want to borrow? Look at yourself, what else do you have to mortgage now? Your house is gone, all that’s left is your old bones, how much are they worth? Get lost, don’t make a fool of yourself here!”
The middle-aged man seemed to have completely ignored the security guard’s scolding and stumbled towards another security guard, his eyes bloodshot, tears welling up in his eyes: “Please, I can’t lose everything like this. I still have a wife and children at home waiting for me to support them. I’ve been playing at this clubhouse for so long, and a while ago I even invited you upstairs for fun twice. We’re practically brothers, can’t you just make an exception?”
The security guard sneered, lifted his leg, and kicked him hard, “Screw you, who’s your brother! If you play here, you have to accept your losses. If you don’t have money, don’t spout nonsense here. I’ve seen plenty of people like you who try to renege after losing; there’s no way!”
After speaking, several security guards jointly kicked him to the roadside, then turned and walked into the clubhouse without looking back.
The middle-aged man’s body stiffened abruptly, and then a hint of determination flashed in his eyes.
He stood in place, hesitating for a long time, and finally, as if he had made a desperate decision, suddenly shouted, “Bet… bet my life! I’ll bet my life! My life must be worth something, right!”
Upon hearing this, the security guards were first stunned, then looked at each other, their faces filled with surprise and bewilderment.
After a moment, one of the security guards came to his senses and hurried into the clubhouse.
Soon after, he returned with a well-dressed, distinguished-looking manager.
The manager walked over with steady steps, frowning, and indifferently sized up the middle-aged man, asking in a neutral tone, “Are you sure you want to bet your life? In your current state, how much do you think your life is worth?”
The middle-aged man gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully: “I’m sure. As long as I get one more chance to turn things around, I’ll do anything.”
The manager let out a soft hum, seemingly unfazed by such a scene.
He was silent for a moment, then slowly waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to lead the middle-aged man back inside.
Jiang Mo watched this scene with no ripple in his heart; whether in his past life or this one, gamblers were not worthy of sympathy.
Jiang Mo took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the clubhouse. As soon as he entered, he was astonished by the extremely luxurious decor.
Brilliant Chandelure chandeliers shone like stars, the marble floor was so polished it reflected people, and the walls were adorned with valuable paintings and magnificent tapestries.
Jiang Mo carefully observed everything around him and only then realized that those dazzling Chandelure chandeliers were actually made from Chandelure!
And those marble floors were all taken from the smoothest section of an Onix’s body. This unique choice of materials made Jiang Mo sigh at the ingenuity and ruthless methods of the people behind this clubhouse.
The gambling tables were neatly arranged in the hall, one after another, surrounded by gamblers with bloodshot eyes and frenzied expressions.
The air was filled with a strong smell of tobacco, and that pungent odor, mixed with the despair emanating from the gamblers, made people feel incredibly oppressive and stifling.
As Jiang Mo stood there somewhat at a loss, a voluptuous, scantily clad young woman walked over with light steps, swaying gracefully.
A professional smile was on her face, but her eyes held a hint of scrutiny: “Sir, welcome. What would you like to play?”
Jiang Mo steadied himself, trying to calm down, and said, “I’m not here to play. I’m here to find someone. I’m looking for Zhen Yu.”
The young woman was visibly startled when she heard the name, and a flicker of panic instantly crossed her face.
She dared not delay for a moment and quickly said, “Please wait a moment, I will go report this now.” With that, she turned abruptly and walked quickly towards the back hall to find the manager.
Jiang Mo took advantage of this interval to carefully observe everything around him.
He saw some gamblers collapse on the floor after losing everything, their eyes hollow and lifeless, as if their souls had been pulled from their bodies.
Others were still betting frantically, their eyes filled with a kind of madness and obsession, as if they had staked their very souls on those piles of chips, desperately wanting to win everything back.
Before long, the manager Jiang Mo had seen at the entrance earlier hurried over, followed by two burly bodyguards with stern expressions.
The manager walked up to Jiang Mo, his eyes showing a hint of respect, and bowed slightly, saying, “Esteemed guest, please follow me.”
Jiang Mo followed the manager up the stairs. As soon as they reached the second floor, a strong scent of perfume wafted over.
What greeted their eyes was a scene of astonishing debauchery.
Scantily clad men and women moved between the various rooms, their laughter and Play Rough sounds intertwined, filling the entire second floor.
In the main hall, many people were also freely joking around, completely shamelessly.
“Hmph, I lost everything again today, but this girl is good, making me happy is worth it.” A gambler with a full beard and hazy eyes, embracing a heavily made-up, scantily clad woman, his hand roamed freely over her body.
“Master, be gentle.” The woman said coquettishly, yet her body was still rubbing against the gambler, her small hands subtly reaching downwards.
In another room nearby, a fierce argument broke out: “You stinking whore, I only came to find you after winning money downstairs, and you still dare to give me attitude!”
“Master, it’s my fault, but you were too rough just now, and it hurts.” A woman responded with a tearful voice, full of grievance and fear.
Some gamblers looked utterly dejected, trying to numb themselves with carnal desires after losing all their money, while those who had temporarily won money were full of arrogance and triumph, wantonly squandering their money and energy.
Jiang Mo, who had received nine years of compulsory education, frowned; everything before his eyes was drastically challenging his worldview.
He quickened his pace, wanting to leave this murky place as soon as possible.
The manager seemed to notice Jiang Mo’s discomfort and slightly turned to the side, saying, “Sir, this second floor is for guests to unwind and relax. If you are interested, you can come and experience it later.”
Jiang Mo gave him a cold look, his eyes filled with disdain and dislike, and did not respond to his words.
The group continued upwards, finally reaching the third floor. The decor on the third floor was slightly more subdued compared to the second floor, but still exuded an air of luxury and elegance.
The manager led Jiang Mo to a door. He gently knocked and said respectfully, “Lord Zhen Yu, the person you wished to see has arrived.”