Chapter 59: The Illusion That I Can Counterkill

"A counterattack?" Chu Chuyan was startled. "You call this gambling a counterattack?"

"Exactly," Zu An replied, as if it were the most obvious thing. "I initially thought that with the Chu family's power, dealing with a small gang would be simple. Who knew you only looked good on the surface? So, I have to handle it myself. You can't expect me not to take action when you yourselves can't help me, can you?"

"So how do you plan to take action?" Chu Chuyan asked.

"By winning all their money, of course," Zu An replied with a straight face.

Xue'er, standing nearby, scoffed, "And you say that's not gambling?"

Zu An replied, "It's called gambling when there's winning and losing. If you only win and never lose, it's not gambling; it's simply collecting money. The previous Chu family patriarch established that rule out of fear that his descendants would repeat past mistakes, which is why gambling was forbidden. If he knew his descendants would find a 'god of gamblers' like me, who only wins and never loses, as a husband, he would surely have approved."

Chu Chuyan scoffed, "Every gambler in this world believes they'll win more than they lose, but countless have ended up losing everything they own."

Zu An pulled out the silver pouch he had previously acquired. "Don't worry, I won't use the Chu family's money. This is what I got from Plum Blossom Thirteen. If I really lose, it will simply be returned to its rightful owner. What do you say?"

Seeing her still silent, Zu An gave her a deep look. "As a wife, you should trust your husband."

Chu Chuyan was taken aback. In that moment, his aura seemed subtly different. "Huh, why am I having such an absurd feeling?"

Just then, Xue'er stood on tiptoe and whispered into her ear, "Young Mistress, this fellow is clearly set on gambling. Even if you don't agree now, he'll come by himself later. It's better to let him lose this money under your supervision than to let him get ideas about buying houses, keeping concubines, or beautiful maids outside."

Chu Chuyan nodded slightly; Xue'er's words had struck a chord. Especially the part about him getting arrogant with a bit of money, wanting to buy houses and pretty girls outside. If he really did that, what would become of the Chu family's reputation?

No wonder Mother always said that men tend to go astray when they have money.

"Alright then, it's a deal," Chu Chuyan said coolly. "If you lose this, we leave. Otherwise, don't blame me for resorting to force."

Zu An said with a bashful expression, "Actually, you don't need to use force on me. You can approach me anytime; I won't resist."

Chu Chuyan scoffed. He was always so frivolous.

Just as they were about to enter, Xue'er suddenly clutched her stomach and let out a small cry. Chu Chuyan turned back. "What's wrong?"

Xue'er, her face flushed, whispered something into Chu Chuyan's ear. Chu Chuyan nodded. "Go ahead, come find us inside later."

"Understood, thank you, Young Mistress."

Watching her jog away, Zu An asked, "What's wrong with her?"

Chu Chuyan gave him an irritated glare. "It's a girl's business; don't pry."

"I won't pry, I won't pry," Zu An said with a slight smile, as if things were becoming increasingly clear.

As they entered, they quickly drew many eyes. Naturally, this was primarily due to Chu Chuyan's extraordinary appearance: her flawlessly beautiful face, tall and graceful figure, and impeccably cool and elegant demeanor stood out sharply against the boisterous atmosphere of the casino.

Few of the gamblers inside were good-natured individuals. Upon seeing a peerless beauty like Chu Chuyan, many men's hearts stirred, and some couldn't resist whistling flirtatiously.

Yet, some recognized her identity and quickly restrained their companions:

"Do you have a death wish? That's the Chu family's Young Mistress!"

"Wow, no wonder she's so beautiful. Hey, who's that smug-looking fellow beside the Chu Young Mistress?"

"It must be the Chu Young Mistress's husband, that useless son-in-law."

"He looks so ordinary. How did he gain the Chu Young Mistress's favor?"

"Exactly, just average. He's only a bit handsome and fair-skinned. He's nowhere near as manly as us."

"Damn it!"

A considerable number of people harbored such thoughts. Zu An, however, was secretly delighted as he watched a large stream of Rage points accumulate in his system. He mused that he'd never have to worry about Rage points again if he simply took his "cheap wife" out for a stroll more often.

If Chu Chuyan knew his current thoughts, even with her excellent composure, she would likely not be able to resist beating him to a pulp.

"Young Mistress Chu, what brings you to our humble establishment?" The casino manager, Plum Blossom Seven, had been alerted by his subordinates and hurried out from the inner room. He greeted Chu Chuyan with a professional smile, though his heart was filled with apprehension. What was Young Mistress Chu doing here?

Was she here to cause trouble for the Plum Blossom Gang? He had already sent someone to inform the gang leader, but he wasn't sure if he'd arrive in time.

He didn't believe he could stop a dignified Fifth Rank master, especially not the Chu family's Young Mistress, whom he couldn't assault or even scold. This was clearly beyond his jurisdiction.

Chu Chuyan was clearly unaccustomed to the smoky, chaotic environment. She gently fanned the air in front of her nose before replying, "You don't need to mind me; I'm simply accompanying him."

Only then did Plum Blossom Seven notice Zu An beside her. In the presence of such breathtaking beauty, anyone would instinctively overlook the ordinary-looking man standing next to her.

"Oh, it's Young Master Zu. May I inquire what brings you here this time?" Though Plum Blossom Seven's face was wreathed in smiles, he was cursing inwardly. This fellow was previously known throughout Brightmoon City as an utterly useless good-for-nothing, who had only managed to latch onto a powerful family thanks to his handsome appearance.

In the past, he wouldn't even bother acknowledging someone like him, yet now he had to feign deference. *Damn it*, it almost made him want to live off a woman himself.

Rage points from Plum Blossom Seven +200!

Seeing the system's intake, Zu An smiled and said, "Are you cursing me in your heart right now?"

Plum Blossom Seven's heart skipped a beat, and he hastily denied, "No, no, how could I dare? You're the Chu family's son-in-law." The unspoken implication was clear: If you weren't the Chu family's son-in-law, who the hell would care about you?

"Young Master Zu, are you planning…?" Seeing him glance around, Plum Blossom Seven cautiously asked.

"Am I here to watch a show if I come to your establishment and don't gamble?" Zu An said irritably.

Plum Blossom Seven couldn't help but curse inwardly. This good-for-nothing truly displayed the arrogance of a petty scoundrel who'd suddenly gained power. Would he have dared speak to him like that before?

Rage points from Plum Blossom Seven +300!

Wait, gambling?

Plum Blossom Seven suddenly grasped the implication and looked at Chu Chuyan in disbelief. "Did I hear that right? Someone from the Chu family actually came to gamble, and even brought Young Mistress Chu along."

Chu Chuyan said coolly, "As I said, I'm just accompanying him. There's no need to look at me."

Plum Blossom Seven couldn't help but confirm with Zu An again. "Did you just say you came here to gamble?"

"Are you deaf? Do I need to repeat myself?" Zu An shot him a disdainful look. "What, not welcome?"

Rage points from Plum Blossom Seven +99!

However, Plum Blossom Seven's anger was quickly replaced by wild delight. "Welcome! Of course, welcome! Come, Young Master Zu, please come upstairs to the VIP lounge."

He had heard about the gang leader's previous plans to deal with Zu An. Plum Blossom Thirteen's arrangement was supposed to be foolproof, yet today, not only was the IOU taken, but his legs were also broken. However, since it was Lu De from Brightmoon Academy who was responsible, they had no way to retaliate.

Now, Zu An was not only the Chu family's son-in-law but also a student of Brightmoon Academy. Neither party was someone the Plum Blossom Gang could afford to offend. They had been fretting over how to deal with this fellow, and now he had practically delivered himself to their doorstep!

He came to gamble?

What kind of place was a casino? Even with immense wealth, it could make you lose everything overnight!

Everyone knew the Chu family deeply abhorred gambling among their members. Although he didn't know why Young Mistress Chu was here today, this casino had countless ways to ensure that fellow Zu accumulated a massive gambling debt.

Then, they could send people to publicize it throughout the city. Where would Duke Brightmoon hide his face then? His days as the Chu family's son-in-law would be numbered. Besides, Brightmoon Academy's rules surely had clauses prohibiting gambling, didn't they?

Without the protection of the Chu family and the academy, I'd definitely chop this guy into pieces and feed him to the dogs!

Oh, wait, it might not even be my turn. Brother Thirteen would surely rush to do it.

If I had known it was a false alarm, I shouldn't have sent someone to inform the gang leader just now. Wouldn't it be much more satisfying to report the good news to the gang leader after I've made this fellow lose tens of thousands of taels?

Zu An raised a hand to stop him. "No need. I prefer the lively atmosphere down here." His plan later would require a crowd, so he naturally didn't want to be in a quiet VIP room.

Meanwhile, at the Plum Blossom Gang's main headquarters, Mei Chaofeng, feared by all in the gang, was currently smiling obsequiously before a young girl in green. "Young Miss Qiao, what brings you here so suddenly today?"

If Zu An were present, he would surely recognize the girl in green as Xue'er, who was always at odds with him.

Xue'er cast a disdainful glance at the woman nearby, who was hastily trying to cover herself with clothes. "You should have some limits when toying with women," she said coldly. "You killed her husband and still keep her around? Aren't you afraid of retaliation?"

This woman was the wife of Tan Wei, who had been lured and killed by Plum Blossom Twelve outside the city earlier.

Mei Chaofeng chuckled heartily. "Rest assured, Young Miss Qiao, I have completely conquered this woman, both physically and psychologically."

The woman nearby clutched her clothes to her chest, her head bowed as if in shyness.

Xue'er's delicate brows furrowed; she clearly didn't wish to discuss such topics. "I came to warn you that Zu An has already arrived at the Silver Hook Casino."

Mei Chaofeng was startled. "What is he doing at the casino?"

"Have you played with women so much that your brain has turned to mush?" Xue'er shot him a disdainful look. "Of course he went to the casino to gamble."

Being scolded like this, Mei Chaofeng was secretly enraged. He thought, "If you weren't the Young Master's favorite, wielding his An Yang token, if you dared to speak to me like that, I'd make you regret it so much you couldn't stand straight!"

Of course, while he thought this, he didn't dare show the slightest hint of it on his face. "Is that Zu An an idiot? He just lost a thousand taels here last time, and now he's back again?"

Xue'er shook her head. "You shouldn't be careless. From what he said, he's very confident this time. According to him, he's here to 'collect money'."

"Hahahahaha!" Mei Chaofeng threw his head back and roared with laughter, making the roof tiles tremble. "What does he think our Silver Hook Casino is? No matter how vast his family fortune, I can make him lose every last bit of it."

Xue'er was clearly somewhat dissatisfied with his attitude. "It's always better to be cautious. Chu Chuyan and I were out of town for two days, and when we returned, I suddenly noticed he was a bit different. I can't quite pinpoint how, but since he dared to boast in front of Chu Chuyan, he's likely not making empty claims."

Mei Chaofeng wagged a finger. "Young Miss Qiao, you don't understand the ways of a casino. Those gamblers who've lost their minds all harbor the illusion, 'I can turn this around.' Unfortunately, one by one, they end up losing everything, even their wives."