CHAPTER 388: YO YEON-BI, ONE GRAB THOUSAND GOLD MANOR (4)

Four hours can be considered long or short depending on one’s perspective.

How one spends that time will affect how it feels.

And Yi-gang spent those two hours very productively.

First, he went to find the workers by the riverbank.

Sky Shattering Island is an island located in the middle of a river.

How vast must the river be that swallows that huge island?

There are dozens of docks along Sky Shattering Island’s riverbank, each lined with numerous boats.

Yi-gang spent money to load several large bundles of straw onto a cart and transported them.

After delivering the straw bundles to five docks, he generously paid the boatmen and made a request.

“When dawn breaks tomorrow, please move my goods across the river.”

Many boatmen were curious about why he was moving straw bundles.

But once he handed them ample silver coins, no one complained.

At dawn or at noon.

If pursued by the Demon Cult’s trackers, some would prioritize searching boats heavily loaded and departing.

That was Yi-gang’s first precaution.

However, that method could not guarantee their safety.

So he devised another method.

And that method cost an enormous amount of money.

He spent more than half of the 700 nyang of gold he had obtained this time.

But what kind of situation was this?

“Ah…200 went to them.”

Yo Yeong-bi trembled with a very tense expression.

It seems this loafer still had some bare minimum sense of shame.

He had lost at least 200 nyang of gold.

He seemed to realize how big a mess he had made.

“What are you doing now?”

Yi-gang also put on a serious face.

When Yi-gang, who had been friendly until now, became serious, Yo Yeong-bi stiffened slightly.

“Didn’t I tell you to take it easy and play slowly?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Then why did you bet so much?”

Yo Yeong-bi and the gamblers were playing Sword Tiles.

It’s a game using thin bamboo pieces engraved with numbers, matching pairs and colors to compete.

Yo Yeong-bi stammered as he explained what had happened.

“At first, I bet small amounts, only six nyang each. It started well, but gradually I lost half my money…”

It wasn’t a particularly remarkable story.

After losing money little by little, he actually increased the stakes.

He seemed to recover the money but then lost three rounds in a row, leaving only 50 nyang of gold.

“From there, the tiles stuck to me like a ghost.”

That was the start of a great comeback.

He raised the stakes further and quickly held twice the principal: 400 nyang gold and 4,000 nyang silver.

“…So you lost it all at once there.”

“I, I got a Consecutive Sword.”

Consecutive Sword is a good hand with consecutive numbers.

Feeling the momentum, Yo Yeong-bi bet all his money.

He gradually lost all sense of money and probably didn’t realize how much he was betting.

Seeing Yo Yeong-bi’s frustrated expression, Yi-gang was certain at that moment.

“He’s been thoroughly fleeced.”

He was definitely targeted by professional gamblers.

Those sitting at the same round table as Yo Yeong-bi were those gamblers.

“Hey, boss. I don’t know your relationship with this Young Master Yo, but isn’t your attitude too arrogant?”

The man with a face as long as a horse smirked.

“You can’t act so high and mighty just because you lent him some money.”

They swaggered and tried to distance Yo Yeong-bi and Yi-gang.

But Yi-gang ignored their words.

He stood silently, examining their hands.

Calluses had formed on the second joint of their middle fingers and the tips of their thumbs.

Only gamblers get such calluses from handling and rubbing gambling tiles, causing friction there.

Even the gambling houses run by Low Down Sect secretly employ professional gamblers.

But they soak their calluses in vinegar water to smooth their hands and hide it.

Yi-gang had learned this from Jeong Gu of the Low Down Sect’s Western Branch.

Yi-gang thumped the table threateningly.

“If you had fun, that should be enough. How about stopping here and giving Yeong-bi a consolation?”

That way, they could recover 150 nyang of the 200 nyang gold.

The gambler with the horse-like face, Magum, scoffed.

“Why speak so harshly! A consolation? That insults Young Master Yo’s honor…”

Magum stopped speaking and froze.

For a moment, it felt like a blade was pressed under his throat.

Yi-gang was glaring at Magum.

“…Why aren’t you speaking? Did you understand?”

Magum broke out in a cold sweat from that icy gaze.

He wanted to protest but couldn’t utter a word.

Magum didn’t realize that was a sharply refined intangible energy technique.

“Thank you for understanding.”

Just as Yi-gang was about to collect the silver and gold coins on the table.

Bidon, standing beside Magum, blocked him in disbelief.

“Speak sensibly! Magum, what’s wrong with you?”

Yi-gang glared coldly at Bidon.

“Aren’t the only ones still alive me and Yeong-bi? Who are you to interfere?”

“Don’t be unreasonable… Magum!”

Magum soon came to his senses and shook his head.

Yi-gang clicked his tongue.

He couldn’t openly use his power, so he tried to let it slide, but it didn’t work.

But he couldn’t let the money be taken like this.

The 200 nyang was their travel money for their return. To buy horses and cross the Great Desert, they needed at least that.

Yi-gang’s eyes sparkled.

“I did prepare more money…”

He even took out another 100 nyang of gold from his bosom.

This was the remaining balance for a place he still had to pay.

Yi-gang handed it to Yo Yeong-bi.

“Take it. This is the promised military fund.”

“Uh, uh?”

Even Yo Yeong-bi couldn’t be purely happy about it.

There was a reason behind Yi-gang’s action.

“As expected…”

It was to gauge the reactions of the two gamblers.

A very brief flash of greed passed over them, barely noticeable without Yi-gang’s keen eyes.

They were in the middle of fleecing Yo Yeong-bi as a mark.

But Yi-gang had just increased the money they could fleece.

They would suspect his intention but couldn’t help being tempted.

Then Yi-gang made a proposal.

“Let’s not reveal these tiles. Instead, I’ll add 100 nyang gold. How about deciding the winner with another game?”

“T-two hundred, what are you doing?”

“Yeong-bi, you keep quiet.”

Yo Yeong-bi had no choice but to keep silent at this unprecedented insult.

Magum and Bidon stared blankly, rolling their eyes.

“What kind of sudden proposal is that…?”

“Nothing special. Let’s finish simply with the Red-White Spinning Plate. Yeong-bi throws it, or you can.”

“No… that…”

The Red-White Spinning Plate is a very simple gambling game.

A rotating round table used in inns is painted with red and white sections.

You spin it and throw a marble.

You guess whether the marble lands on red or white, a 50-50 chance.

“Still, it seems like we’ll be the ones losing out… there’s 6,000 nyang silver in the pot.”

“Even in the worst case, you’ll get 1,000 silver nyang. Don’t be too greedy.”

Yi-gang smiled and said to Magum.

Magum, pressured earlier by Yi-gang’s intangible energy, reluctantly nodded.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Yi-gang took the money and headed to the Red-White Spinning Plate.

On the way, Yo Yeong-bi tried to stop him, but Yi-gang ignored him.

Magum and Bidon followed behind.

They forced themselves to suppress smirks.

-That guy clearly seems confident in his martial arts.

-Stupid fool.

They thought Yi-gang would surely cheat.

Whether by controlling the throw or some trickery.

But the Red-White Spinning Plate had a secret.

There was a sure way to rig the game.

-I could retire today.

He was about to earn his retirement fund in a single day.

This is why gamblers can’t quit.

Magum sat at the round table first.

Then he prepared to spin the plate according to the rules.

“Young Master Yo must throw. I cannot throw.”

“What?”

Despite Yo Yeong-bi’s startled, comical voice, Magum didn’t smile.

“You know the rules don’t you?”

Then Yi-gang, saying it was okay, handed a marble the size of an acorn to Yo Yeong-bi.

It was a wooden marble painted black with lacquer.

“It’s fine. Just throw it quickly.”

Yi-gang showed no hesitation.

Magum scoffed and said.

“Which color will you choose?”

“R-Red.”

The Yo family traditionally favored red clothing.

“Then, I will spin it.”

Magum spun the plate forcefully.

Tarararararak—

The spinning plate made a loud noise as it spun.

The red and white colors mixed, making it dizzying.

Yo Yeong-bi hesitated briefly, then trembling, threw the black marble onto it.

The marble bounced and rolled across the spinning plate.

Tarararak—

The plate gradually slowed down.

The marble would roam wildly until the plate stopped.

In fact, predicting where the marble would stop is impossible.

The outcome is purely determined by luck.

But as with all gambling, gamblers have secret tricks unknown to others.

Tarararak—

The round table was covered with silk cloth.

Magum subtly extended one leg, unnoticed.

His upper body was tense, staring intently at the spinning plate.

A magnet was hidden in the tip of Magum’s shoe.

He spent quite a bit of money to get a small but strong magnet.

Tararak—

Inside the wooden-looking marble was actually a tiny metal piece.

He controlled the marble’s movement by placing his toe just under the table.

Moving the marble secretly to the desired spot is very difficult, but Magum was an expert.

“Oh, oh!”

The spinning nearly stopped, and the wildly rolling marble slowed.

“Ohhhh!”

Yo Yeong-bi groaned, pulling at his hair.

Degu-ru-ru.

The marble stopped in the white section.

“Waaaaah!”

Bidon roared fiercely.

It was the moment they secured victory and gained 6,000 nyang silver.

Magum smiled brightly but then suddenly froze.

The marble, which seemed stopped, was still spinning.

Then a miracle, or a natural disaster-like event occurred.

Thump.

The marble bounced slightly and moved into the adjacent red section.

“W-Waaaaah!”

Yo Yeong-bi raised both hands and stood up.

He saw it with his own eyes but couldn’t believe it.

“Aah! Waaah!”

A great comeback, winning 500 nyang gold after losing.

It was a huge victory, more than two and a half times the initial stake.

“Th-This is impossible!”

Magum jumped up.

He glared at Yi-gang, who nodded approvingly behind Yo Yeong-bi.

“What on earth, what did you…!”

Then Yi-gang stepped forward.

Press.

Stepping on Magum’s right foot, where the magnet was hidden.

“It was a good match.”

Yi-gang placed another 100 nyang into Magum’s pouch containing 100 nyang.

“There’s not only today. Play again next time.”

“…Y-Yes.”

Magum paled and retreated clutching the money.

His trick was exposed.

Though he sensed Yi-gang’s method, as a mere gambler he couldn’t understand it.

No one could imagine a Taoist priest capable of such delicate psychokinesis hiding his identity here in Sky Shattering Island.

Yi-gang gathered the heavy money pouch.

Still, he earned more gold. This would be more than enough for travel expenses.

“Let’s go into the room and rest for a while.”

“Hahaha! Of course! We earned money, so let’s go in and have a good drink!”

Yo Yeong-bi was deeply intoxicated with the joy of victory.

It seemed he wouldn’t quit gambling anytime soon.

Yi-gang smiled faintly and followed Yo Yeong-bi into the room.

Yo Yeong-bi grinned and looked around at the group inside the room.

“You all still here sitting around?”

Dam Hyun, Go Yo-ja, and Gal Dong-tak remained silent.

“You should have seen the historic big game outside… Anyway, everyone sit and listen to my exploits!”

At that moment, Yi-gang’s heel struck Yo Yeong-bi’s nape.

Thunk!

Yo Yeong-bi fainted cleanly and collapsed onto the soft bed beside him.

Yi-gang applied an additional pressure point technique to Yo Yeong-bi.

“Good, pressure points sealed.”

“Your pressure point method has become more aggressive.”

Dam Hyun chuckled.

“Are you ready?”

Dam Hyun revealed the wall that had been covered by a scroll.

“As you can see.”

There was a wide-open stone door revealing a dark passageway.