The private elevator went directly to the entertainment area on the basement level.
Inside the stainless steel elevator car, the mirrored walls reflected the pale, ghastly faces of the group. Lu Jianmin pushed Lu Bingkun’s wheelchair, followed by her two brothers, both in their forties.
No one spoke in the cramped space; even their breathing was kept extremely light. The elevator descended at a steady pace as the floor indicator ticked down: 3, 2, 1, B1.
With every jump of the numbers, their hearts leaped a bit higher. Master Zhang hadn’t come down with them, but he had stuffed a handful of yellow talismans into everyone’s hands, claiming they could save their lives. Only then did Lu Jianmin feel a slight sense of relief.
...
Ding—
With a crisp chime, the elevator doors slowly slid open. A bone-chilling cold rushed toward them.
Despite the entertainment area being fully covered by the constant-temperature system, the temperature here was more than ten degrees lower than upstairs. The cold air crawled up their legs, freezing their knees until they ached; every breath they exhaled turned into white mist.
The hallway was covered in thick carpeting that should have absorbed sound, but their footsteps produced dull, echoing thuds. The doors to the entertainment room were tightly shut, the heavy solid wood carved with intricate patterns.
Just moments ago, the sounds of shuffling mahjong tiles and laughter had drifted from behind these doors. But now, there was only dead silence.
The group stood at the entrance, exchanging looks, but no one dared to reach out and push the door. The fear from earlier had not dissipated, and it felt as if a room full of invisible things was hidden behind the wood—things that were staring at them, waiting for them to walk right in.
Lu Bingkun didn't waste words. He lifted his chin and gestured. “Open the door.”
Lu Jianye, standing at the front, gritted his teeth and reached for the handle. The metal was freezing to the touch, like a block of ice. He took a deep breath and pressed down.
With a soft click, the door opened.
...
...
...
The room was brightly lit. The crystal chandeliers were dazzlingly bright, illuminating every inch of the several-hundred-square-meter entertainment room.
Despite the room having been noisy for nearly the entire night, it was now perfectly tidy. Dust covers were over the mahjong machines, and all tables and chairs were back in their places.
Wine glasses were neatly stacked on the bar, and all audio-visual equipment was on black-screen standby. There wasn't a single trace of anything having been touched.
As they pushed the wheelchair inside, they could smell the faint scent of paper ash and incense lingering in the air. There was also a subtle, indistinct musty smell—the kind found in old houses that haven't seen sunlight for years.
Lu Jianmin instinctively gripped the yellow talisman in her pocket. Invisible things were always the most terrifying. You never knew if it was standing to your left or right, facing you directly, or crouching on your shoulder.
Screech—creak!
A harsh grinding sound suddenly erupted. Right before their eyes, the neatly arranged leather sofas and solid wood tables began to move on their own, as if dragged by invisible hands.
Sofas slammed against the walls, the coffee table crashed into a corner with a thud, and the gambling and billiard tables were pushed to the sides. It was as if a massive, invisible hand was clearing the floor.
The hair on the four people's bodies stood on end.
Screech, screech, screech—
The sound of table legs scraping the floor echoed one after another. As if following a pre-planned layout, the center of the entertainment room was completely cleared, leaving only a large, solid wood gambling table.
Its dark brown surface was polished to a shine, and the edges were reinforced with copper. It was a Texas Hold'em table the Lu family had specially customized from Las Vegas.
A leather chair was placed on each side of the table, facing each other. It looked like a setup that had been arranged long ago, waiting for a living person to take a seat.
An empty room, bright lights, a self-arranging gambling table, and an empty seat opposite. Everything signaled that the underworld messenger was waiting for Lu Bingkun to play a round.
Lu Bingkun narrowed his eyes. Instead of fear, a hint of excitement flashed in his gaze. A gambling table? Good.
In his entire life, the thing he feared least was gambling. In his early years in the Hong Kong underground casinos, he had started as a low-level lackey—serving tea, standing guard, and cheating at cards. What kind of stakes hadn't he seen?
Dice, Pai Gow, poker, mahjong—he was proficient in all of them. He was especially skilled at listening to dice; he had practiced for years and had incredibly accurate hearing.
He could guess the numbers and suits with his eyes closed. It was this skill that allowed him to make a name for himself in the casinos and earn the appreciation of the Chen family, which gave him the chance to climb the ladder.
Gambling with him? That was playing right into his strengths.
However, Lu Bingkun was in no hurry to step forward. Instead, he signaled his three children with his eyes. “You go first. Test the waters.”
He was wily and never fought a battle he wasn't prepared for. He would let his children pave the way first to figure out the opponent's style, preferences, and rules. Once he felt confident, he would step in himself.
The three siblings looked at each other and shrank back. Sitting across from an invisible underworld messenger to gamble? Were they insane?
It would be fine if they won, but what if... they lost? Would their souls be hooked away on the spot? Lu Bingkun didn't want to die, and neither did they!
...
...
Lu Jiancheng, who was the most timid, immediately refused. “Dad, I can’t do it. I don’t know how to gamble. I don’t even know how to shake the dice cup. Going up there would just cause trouble for you.”
Lu Jianye quickly chimed in beside him. “Yeah, Dad. My luck has always been terrible; I lose every time I gamble. I shouldn't ruin your big plans. Let Eldest Sister go. She’s capable and has good luck. She’ll definitely be fine.”
The Lu children had never acknowledged Chen Jianhua—who shared Chen Shulan's surname—as their eldest sister. This was clear from the way they addressed her. But at this moment, they were pushing the mess onto Lu Jianmin.
Lu Jianmin’s face turned pale. She was afraid too. But she knew better than anyone that this was an opportunity.
Last night, Lu Bingkun had privately promised her that regardless of the outcome tonight, he would increase her stake in the group by five percent. What did five percent mean?
Kunsheng Group had a market value of hundreds of billions; five percent was five billion. This was enough for her to completely solidify her footing, surpass all her siblings, and become the true second-in-command of the group.
The risk was high, but so was the reward.
After thinking it through, Lu Jianmin took a deep breath and stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
Lu Bingkun nodded with satisfaction.
...
...
...
Lu Jianmin walked to the gambling table and pulled out the chair to sit down slowly. The leather seat was freezing. Through her thin clothing, the invisible chill seeped directly into her skin.
She forced herself to look across the table. It was empty. No person, no shadow, no silhouette. There was nothing.
Yet she could feel a “person” sitting there. An invisible pressure weighed down on her, making her chest feel tight and her breathing ragged. It felt as if a cold gaze was fixed on her face.
Lu Jianmin didn't dare to look. Just then, the tabletop vibrated slightly.
Thump.
It sounded like someone had tapped the table, urging her to place a bet. “Oh, right. The bet. I need to bet.”
Lu Jianmin shuddered as she realized she hadn't brought any cash or bank cards. She had no choice but to take off the diamond studs from both ears and place them on the table.
They were million-dollar pink diamonds of excellent quality. “These... take these as chips for now.”
But as soon as she spoke, there was a sharp smack. The studs were swiped away by an invisible hand, slamming into the distant marble floor with a crisp shattering sound. The diamonds went flying, and the settings were deformed.
Clearly, the underworld messenger looked down on such a bet.
Lu Jianmin forced herself to pull off the custom Swiss watch from her right wrist and placed it gently on the table. “This one is worth twelve million. It’s a limited edition.”
Smack!
The watch was swiped away again.
Lu Jianmin then pulled out her car keys—a limited-edition Ferrari worth nearly ten million. “The keys to my car. It’s brand new; I’ve only driven it a few times.”
Smack!
The keys were swiped straight into a corner, and the plastic casing cracked.
Lu Jianmin began to panic. Jewelry, luxury watches, supercars—the underworld messenger didn't want any of them? Then what did it want?
She looked up helplessly at Lu Bingkun nearby. Lu Bingkun’s face was grim. He didn't speak, but his eyes shifted to her neck and wrist, signaling her.
Lu Jianmin froze for a moment before realizing what he meant. She was wearing a full-green emperor green jadeite necklace, and on her left wrist was a matching bangle from the same stone. The jade was old-pit material with high transparency and a rich green color, possessing a jelly-like luster—it was true heirloom-quality jadeite.
This set of jewelry wasn't just a regular luxury item. Back then, when Old Mr. Chen—Lu Bingkun’s original father-in-law—had his daughter Chen Shulan, he had personally bought a jade mine in Myanmar. This was the first top-tier material extracted from it.
The entire set—hairpin, bangle, collar, necklace, and ring—was Chen Shulan’s dowry. Later, when the Chen family fell and Lu Bingkun took over the estate, the set changed hands several times through auctions and buybacks. In reality, it was just a way to launder the items into the Lu family’s private collection.
When Lu Bingkun was courting Lu Jianmin’s mother, he had given this set as a token of his love. Later, it naturally fell into Lu Jianmin’s hands.
Lu Jianmin hesitated. This set was her favorite possession and a symbol of her status as the “eldest daughter of the Lu family.” She usually cherished it so much that even a tiny scratch would break her heart.
But given the current situation, she couldn't afford to be stingy. After all, if her life was almost gone, what use was jewelry? She gritted her teeth, took off the necklace and bangle, and placed them on the table.
This time, there was no reaction from the underworld messenger. The messenger had accepted them.
The two pieces of top-tier jadeite served as the first stake. Lu Jianmin didn't dare ask what the other side had bet or what the game was; she could only look at Lu Bingkun.
Lu Bingkun’s face was dark as he gave a slight nod in one direction. It meant that if they were betting on Big or Small, she should choose Small.
Lu Bingkun had been observing, but since the dice hadn't been shaken yet, he couldn't get a read on things. He had to be conservative and test the waters with Small.
Lu Jianmin understood. She retracted her gaze and stared at the table, her voice trembling. “I... I choose Small.”
As the words left her mouth...
Rattle, rattle, rattle—
The dice cup on the table floated into the air. It looked as if an invisible hand was gripping the cup and shaking it gently. The sound of the dice hitting the walls of the cup was crisp, rapid, and rhythmic.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the floating dice cup.
After shaking for about half a minute...
Thud.
The dice cup landed steadily on the table and stopped moving. The moment to reveal the dice had come.
Lu Jianmin took a deep breath. Her palms were covered in sweat, and her fingers were shaking. She reached out, gripped the lid, paused for a few seconds, and then suddenly lifted it.
One, two, three. A total of six points. Small.
She had won.
Instantly, Lu Jianmin’s tense nerves snapped. She slumped into the chair, but then a wave of wild joy surged in her heart. Her face lit up as she turned to Lu Bingkun, her eyes full of excitement.
She won! She had won the very first round!
Lu Bingkun also let out a small sigh of relief, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. Good luck was a fine omen.
Just then, something suddenly appeared out of thin air on the table. It was a fruit the size of a baby’s fist. It was pure white, emitting a faint, soft glow, and its skin was smooth and delicate.
It looked like a peach, yet also like a pear. It was a variety none of them had ever seen, and it possessed an indescribable mystical aura. Clearly, this was the stake provided by the underworld messenger—the prize Lu Jianmin had won.
Lu Jianmin looked at Lu Bingkun, questioning him with her eyes. Lu Bingkun nodded slightly, signaling her to eat it first.
Lu Jianmin felt a bit uncomfortable, but she didn't dare to disobey. She picked up the fruit, brought it to her mouth, and ate it. The flesh was sweet and juicy, melting the moment it touched her tongue.
A cool current slid down her throat, instantly spreading to every part of her body. She felt an indescribable comfort, as if she were soaking in warm water; every pore on her body seemed to open up.
Lu Jianmin instinctively touched her face. Her skin had tightened significantly. The nasolabial folds from staying up late had faded quite a bit, and even the fine lines around her eyes were shallower.
This effect was far better than any hundred-thousand-dollar skin booster or million-dollar anti-aging treatment.
...
...
“Dad, it’s fine. It’s good stuff.” Lu Jianmin’s face carried an unconcealable joy.
Lu Bingkun could no longer restrain himself. He signaled his sons to push him over to examine his daughter’s changes closely. The more he looked, the more the joy on his face intensified.
It was real. The stakes provided by the underworld messenger were real treasures that could prolong life and strengthen the body.
His eyes grew brighter and brighter as the fanatical greed in his heart was completely ignited. It seemed this underworld messenger was just as the master said—greedy for wealth, fond of gambling, and a follower of the rules.
“My turn,” he squeezed out a few words. He stared at the empty seat opposite him, his tone filled with excitement.
“I... I will... gamble with you.”
It didn't matter. Everyone was just a gambler here, relying on their own skills. He had spent his whole life at the gambling table and had never once failed. This time would surely be the same.
Rate on N.U.
