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"Uh—why do they call Nick Carter the General?" Shawn Young whispered to Longhair.
"Oh! Around the Mai Zayan Special Economic Zone, Nick Carter's influence is the strongest. He commands a private army of over a thousand men and employs a formidable group of mercenaries. That's why he calls himself the General. Every casino in the area pays him a secret monthly dividend. He made his fortune from drugs, and now that there’s less drug cultivation in the Golden Triangle, he’s built a massive drug lab deep in his territory’s mountains, producing ecstasy, stimulants, crystal meth, and other new drugs! He’s insanely rich and powerful—a true local tyrant, practically a king!" Longhair explained, leading Shawn into the casino.
Golden Mountain Casino truly deserves its reputation as the most luxurious gambling spot. The décor is extravagant—marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and a dazzling golden glow. The hostesses are all young and stunning, wearing stylish casino uniforms as they weave busily among the gamblers.
Most of the casino staff nodded respectfully when they saw Longhair. Shawn noticed that people kept greeting him, which meant Longhair was doing pretty well here—and had some real clout.
The casino was huge, but surprisingly quiet—almost like a study hall at school. People chatted in hushed voices, with no loud commotion. In the main hall, there was a manager’s desk where two sharply dressed men sat, ties on and badges identifying them as lobby managers.
Longhair led Shawn on a tour around the casino, explaining, "Here we have baccarat, Twenty-Eight, roulette, Sic Bo, and Dragon-Tiger Duel. The bets in the main hall are all small. You have to exchange chips before you play—the smallest is five bucks. There are private rooms inside, and there’s a VIP lounge upstairs, but that only opens for big money days. If it’s open, you know the casino’s making a killing."
Shawn didn’t gamble, but he’d seen plenty of scenes like this in movies and TV dramas—though nothing as direct or as lavish as this. There were so many games, and new betting styles popping up everywhere. After all, this was overseas, where gambling is legal. Back in China, it’s all done in secret; you’d never see anything like this.
Shawn stopped at a Dragon-Tiger Duel table packed with gamblers, watching the pretty female dealer deal the cards. The table was crowded; some folks looked totally unfazed, others stared intensely at the dealer’s hands, and a few wore headphones, muttering to themselves now and then.
Longhair came over, noticing Shawn’s curiosity, and quietly explained, "Those guys with headphones? They’re gambling on someone else’s behalf. It’s not their money—they win, it’s for the other guy; they lose, same deal."
"Huh? Gambling with someone else’s money? Why?" Shawn was confused. Longhair patiently explained, "Some of these guys are back in China and can’t come here, and some are officials or people with sensitive identities. They call their underlings here and direct them to bet over the phone—whatever they want to gamble on, they just say it. Still plenty thrilling!"
"Oh! So that’s how it works!" Shawn finally understood. Turns out there’s more than one way to gamble, though he figured it’s less exciting if you’re not there in person to see it all.
At the Dragon-Tiger Duel table, some gamblers even had pen and paper in front of them, scribbling away with intense focus—more serious than college entrance exams! No wonder, since their bets were tens of thousands at a time. Anyone would be nervous!
The pretty female dealer looked exhausted. She glanced at Longhair, then at Shawn beside him, but said nothing—just kept dealing and announcing cards. She was clearly working hard.
After showing Shawn around the casino, Longhair said, "Mr. Shawn, let’s head to my place!"
"Sure!" Shawn replied. They’d arrived, and although he hadn’t run into Goldtooth or Nick Carter yet—which was a bit disappointing—at least he could get familiar with the place and prepare. Not a bad deal. Shawn and Longhair left the casino lounge through a back door leading outside.
Outside the back door, just around the corner, was an apartment building. Longhair led Shawn upstairs, unlocked the door, and they entered a three-bedroom place. In the living room, three burly young men lounged on the sofa, feet up on the coffee table watching TV. When the door opened, two of them glanced back.
Longhair led Shawn into the living room and introduced the two guys: "Sam Strong, Tony Major, Eddie Evil—these are my new brothers from back home. His surname’s Xiao, but you can just call him Shawn."
He added to Shawn, "This is Sam Strong, that’s Tony Major, and here’s Eddie Evil. They were all Sanda athletes with me on the Provincial Sports Corps, so I brought them over from China myself. They’re also internal security for the casino!"
Sam, Tony, and Eddie stood up, each offering Shawn a cigarette. "We’re all brothers with Longhair. If Longhair brought you here himself, you’re one of us now, Shawn."
Shawn nodded and accepted the cigarette, looking at the three of them. He noticed that Sam Strong and Tony Major were about his size, while Eddie Evil was stockier and more muscular. All three were in great shape, with skin tanned from years of working under the sun.
Shawn noticed their haircuts matched Longhair’s—very short buzz cuts. Longhair grinned and explained, "It’s because we’re security. Sometimes guests lose big or get heated and start fights, so we have to keep order and deal with rowdy gamblers. Short hair means no one can grab you in a fight. If someone grabs your hair, not only do you get beaten, but you’re at their mercy—and that’s just embarrassing! Haha—"
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"Oh! You guys were Sanda athletes with the Provincial Sports Corps, so you must’ve had jobs. Why come out here to chase the big bucks?" Shawn asked curiously.
Eddie Evil shook his head and said, "Sigh—unless there’s a competition with prize money, our dead-end salary from the Provincial Sports Corps barely covers our own expenses. Saving up is nearly impossible! We thought about working as private bodyguards, but couldn’t stand the hassle. Luckily, Longhair had connections here, so he brought us over. The job’s pretty chill! As long as the casino keeps running, I’ll stick around, save up, then head home, marry a country girl, and open a little shop!"
Sam Strong said, "I want to make enough to go to Hong Kong and join those underground boxing matches. If I’m lucky, a few fights will set me up to open a restaurant back home. Haha—"
Tony Major sighed and added, "Yeah, the casino pays well, but it’s still the underworld—not a long-term gig. If I can save up ten grand, I’ll go back to my hometown and start a pig farm with my dad!"
Longhair nodded and reminded them, "Haha—we’re all brothers here, but keep these plans to ourselves. Don’t let anyone else or Goldtooth hear! If something goes wrong, I can’t protect you. Remember, we all came from the Provincial Sports Corps together, and you guys snuck off to Myanmar with me. If anything happens, I’ll have a hard time explaining to your families!"
"Got it, Longhair!" the three replied in unison, nodding quickly.
By now, it was getting late. Longhair glanced outside and smiled at Shawn, "Hey! It’s getting dark, Shawn—you just arrived from China. Tonight, I’ll play host. Let’s all go out, have some drinks, and have some fun!"
Happy New Year to all our readers! Wishing you success and happiness!