Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 795

Once you get involved, you may fall into an endless abyss from which you cannot extricate yourself.

He recalled some inside stories he had heard about casinos, about gamblers who lost everything, some even to the point of losing their families and being separated from their spouses.

In order to control the game, some casinos resort to all sorts of despicable means to lure gamblers into traps without their knowledge.

In that world of gambling, full of temptations and deceptions, the methods to influence the outcome of a game are varied and constantly evolving.

Some criminals secretly pour mercury into dice, causing them to roll in a way they pre-determine, thus easily controlling the outcome of the game; others carefully make markings on the back of playing cards that only they can recognize, using these markings to clearly know the suit and rank of each card, thereby controlling the course of the game.

Not to mention those who use modern technology to cheat, which are even more difficult to guard against.

For example, some people install hidden cameras in casinos to monitor the situation at the poker table in real time and transmit the information to cheaters via wireless devices; others use specially made playing cards to obtain information about the cards through special light or magnetic field sensing.

For the average person, winning big in a casino and taking away a huge fortune is harder than climbing to heaven.

Even if one or two lucky individuals occasionally manage to swindle a large sum of cash from the casino, who can guarantee that they aren't shills deliberately planted by the casino?

These so-called winners may just be bait used by casinos to lure more people into the game.

Moreover, even if someone does win money through luck or skill, casinos have ways to make them fall back into a trap.

After all, human greed is often hard to control, and once one has tasted the sweetness, it is difficult to resist the temptation to continue gambling.

Ultimately, all the money won will be returned to the casino.

“That’s right. Throughout history, very few casino owners have ever lost money,” Huo Yingdong said with a sigh. “But the reputation of this industry is just too bad. If you get involved in it, you’ll probably be implicated if you try to run other legitimate businesses in the future.”

Indeed, in comparison, Ho Hung-sam's business focus was mainly on the Macau area, while Fok Ying-tung's businesses were mostly rooted in Hong Kong.

Due to differences in location and business focus, the two naturally had different attitudes toward the casino business.

If Ho Hung-sam successfully secures the gaming license, it will not only not have a negative impact on his businesses in Macau, but may even have a positive effect.

In the land of Haojiang, the gambling industry has become one of the important pillars of economic development. Owning a gambling license means having huge business opportunities and a source of wealth.

However, if Fok Ying-tung were to obtain the gambling license, his business in Hong Kong would likely face numerous difficulties.

The reason is that a person's energy is ultimately limited, making it difficult to manage affairs in two places at the same time.

Moreover, the four renowned trading companies always harbored deep suspicion towards those who could obtain gambling licenses, and their relationship with each other was tense and extremely disharmonious.

The four major trading companies held a pivotal position in Hong Kong's business community. They colluded with each other to form a powerful force, and would ruthlessly suppress any emerging forces that might threaten their interests.

If Fok Ying-tung were to get involved in the casino business, the four major trading companies would likely join forces to exclude him, creating numerous obstacles in areas such as business cooperation and loans.

After careful consideration, Huo Yingdong slowly walked to the window, his gaze passing through the mottled window frame to the brightly lit night view of the Pearl River Delta.

Neon lights flashed, and cars streamed by, but his eyes were full of caution and contemplation.

After a long silence, he sighed softly, slowly shook his head, his tone carrying a mixture of resolve and acceptance:

"Forget it, the gambling industry is too murky and unpredictable. I really don't want to devote too much energy to it. Besides, the area of ​​Macau is small. Compared with the bustling Hong Kong, its development potential is like a star compared to the sun. If I insist on getting this gambling license, the four major trading companies will definitely see me as a thorn in their side, incurring their resentment and disgust. Doing so is really not worth it! In comparison, continuing to stay in Hong Kong and carry out construction projects is a more stable and long-term plan."

Chapter 568

He Yuzhu listened quietly to Huo Yingdong's analysis. Although he felt some regret, he also knew that what Huo said made sense.

He nodded slightly and said no more.

Since even Huo Yingdong had made it clear that he had no intention of getting involved in the gambling industry, He Yuzhu naturally stopped trying to persuade him.

The two said goodbye to each other and wished each other goodnight. Huo Yingdong then walked steadily back to his room to rest.

After Huo Yingdong's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, Du Guanghe, who had been standing silently to the side, slowly walked forward, his expression somewhat solemn, and said, "Brother Zhu, I've been asking around all night, whether it's Fu Laorong or Gao Kening, they've all vanished as if they've evaporated from the face of the earth. We have no way of finding them now."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu frowned and asked, "Disappeared? How could they suddenly disappear? This is suspicious."

Du Guanghe nodded solemnly and replied, "That's right, Brother Zhu. From what I've gathered so far, it seems these two have been planning this all along, hiding themselves away for a long time. I've asked many people who usually associate with them, and they all say they haven't seen them recently at all, giving us absolutely no chance to contact them. Those I questioned either stammered and avoided eye contact, clearly knowing something but afraid to speak; or they insisted that they really had no clue and knew nothing about their whereabouts."

In fact, He Yuzhu had already guessed as early as yesterday. How could people like Gao Kening and Fu Laorong, who had been in the underworld for many years, let others find their whereabouts so easily?

You know, if anyone were faced with such a thorny situation as sending someone to assassinate their opponent, they would probably try to find a safe place to hide temporarily.

Who would be foolish enough to send an assassin to kill their opponent, only to then brazenly appear in public, offering the opponent a perfect opportunity to strike again?

Therefore, the reason why He Yuzhu ordered Du Guanghe to investigate was simply to confirm his suspicions.

Now that it was confirmed that the other party was indeed difficult to find, He Yuzhu appeared quite calm and composed. After thinking for a moment, he decisively said, "In that case, let's just forget about it. Whether they show up or not won't have a significant impact on the subsequent development of the situation. We have more important things to do, so there's no need to waste too much energy on them."

He Yuzhu's anger towards Gao Kening, the person behind it all, was so intense it could burn an entire forest. If he could catch him, he would want to tear him to pieces to vent his anger!

However, they could not find any trace of this person at the moment, and had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.

Afterwards, He Yuzhu instructed Du Guanghe to leave first.

After Du Guanghe left, He Yuzhu turned and went into the bedroom.

The sight before him as soon as he stepped into the room made him burst out laughing.

The beautiful and charming Lin Wanting was tightly bound to the bed with ropes, and a dirty sock was stuffed in her mouth.

Her hair was a little messy, her face showed a mix of panic and anger, and her body was slightly red from struggling.

When Lin Wanting caught sight of He Yuzhu entering the room, her already wide eyes widened even more, filled with anger and resentment. She made continuous whimpering sounds and began to twist and struggle violently, trying to break free from the ropes.

Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was pulling hard on the ropes. Faint red marks had appeared on her wrists, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from her forehead. Her hair was soaked with sweat and stuck to her cheeks, making her look even more disheveled.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu calmly closed the door, then walked over with a smile and said softly, "Baby, did you miss me?"

His tone was somewhat teasing, as if everything before him was just a fun game.

Before he finished speaking, he reached out and gently pulled the sock out of Lin Wanting's mouth.

Once free, Lin Wanting angrily shouted, "What the hell are you talking about! Let me go right now, I need to go to the toilet, I can't hold it anymore!"

His voice was somewhat shrill due to anger and anxiety.

Hearing this, He Yuzhu showed no sign of panic. Instead, he teased with a grin, "Oh dear, yesterday you were so stubborn and refused to admit that you were a little slut, but today I took your virginity and you're already missing my big-headed ghost so impatiently?"

His expression and tone were exactly like those of a rogue.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanting was furious!

She cursed inwardly at this guy for being so shameless and vulgar; the "big-headed ghost" she mentioned was not what he understood it to mean at all!

But her feet were still firmly bound, and the urgency of losing control of her bladder grew stronger and stronger, as if it would burst at any moment. She felt like her bladder was about to explode.

At this moment, there was no time to continue chatting with He Yuzhu. She anxiously shouted, "Quickly let go of my foot! I really can't hold it in anymore, I need to go to the toilet right away!"

There was a hint of pleading in her voice.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat. He was genuinely worried that Lin Wanting might lose control and urinate in bed.

Not only would we have to buy a brand new set of bedding, but the servants in the house would probably also spread some unpleasant gossip.

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu didn't dare to delay at all. He quickly reached out and pulled hard, quickly untying the knot that bound Lin Wanting's feet.

Lin Wanting was quick and nimble; she kicked off the ropes wrapped around her feet in no time.

Immediately afterwards, she dashed into the bathroom like a gust of wind, almost bumping into the door frame in her haste.

Not long after, a series of splashing sounds came from the bathroom, which meant that Lin Wanting was probably taking a good, easy defecation.

However, the sound only lasted for a short while, and then the sound of rushing water was heard again—it turned out that Lin Wanting had taken the opportunity to take a bath inside.

Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu frowned, wondering why this woman was so carefree.

So he stood up and walked toward the bathroom.

Upon getting closer, he discovered that the bathroom door had been locked from the inside.

Left with no other choice, He Yuzhu raised his hand and gently knocked on the door, saying, "Hey, Lin Wanting, open the door."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

To his surprise, Lin Wanting inside completely ignored him and even refused, saying, "I won't open it! Do you think I'm stupid? If I open the door, you'll bully me to death."

His tone was full of vigilance.

She leaned against the bathroom wall, her eyes fixed on the closed door, her hands unconsciously clutching her thin clothes, as if that would give her a little more sense of security.

Hey, this little thing is no problem for the clever and resourceful He Yuzhu.

He smiled slightly, and with a swift flick of his right hand, a cardboard sign appeared in his hand as if by magic.

This card is a small tool he uses to unlock things; it always comes in handy in crucial moments.

Then, he carefully slipped the cardboard into the crack in the door, fiddled with it a few times, and with a soft "click," the bathroom door lock was easily opened.

The sudden turn of events clearly startled Lin Wanting. She screamed and instinctively covered her private parts with her hands.

At the same time, he was yelling, "My goodness, what are you doing? You're acting like a thief!"

His face was full of horror.

"Hmph, how can being a thief compare to being an assassin? Especially a female assassin like me with a clear target!" Lin Wanting shouted indignantly, her eyes slightly red and tears welling up.

She recalled her first assassin mission, and her heart was filled with regret and resentment.

At the time, in order to ensure that nothing went wrong, she even went so far as to abandon her dignity and sacrifice her sexuality to get close to her target.

In the dim light, she forced a smile as she maneuvered around her target, every move fraught with danger and uncertainty.

She accompanied her target to various occasions, enduring his frivolous words and wanton touching, all in preparation for the opportune moment to deliver the fatal blow.

But who could have imagined that he would eventually be captured?