NOVEL WEB Chapter 142: Game of Death (iii)
The casino buzzed with raw noise.
Cheers. Murmurs. Nervous laughter.
The second win in Ethan's pocket had thrown the crowd into chaos. The betting platforms were tilting. Odds were shifting. Streamers were making content mid-match.
[LIVE RIGHT NOW: CAN XAVIER MAKE A COMEBACK?!]
[BREAKING: Ethan's team just took 800M credits! Xavier's fans in shock.]
[WHO'S THE REAL PRODIGY NOW??]
Meanwhile, on Ethan's side, the mood was smug.
His crew had gathered close, sipping imported drinks, their posture finally loosened.
One of them leaned over. "Told you it would work. That grid-link software was genius."
Another grinned. "You sure no one picked it up?"
"Nah. We ran it through a dummy signal. It looked like part of the game system itself."
"Dude's face when he lost—priceless."
But not all of them were smiling.
One guy still stared at his credit screen. "Yeah, but if he had caught it…"
Ethan cut in. "He didn't. And he won't. We do the same in the last round. We already dented his reputation. Now we just need to bury it."
Their little huddle nodded. They'd come here to win, sure—but clout? Clout was better. And crushing Xavier in front of the world? That was priceless.
On the other side of the lounge, Xavier leaned against the marble bar counter.
He wasn't drinking. Wasn't talking.
Just watching the timer tick down.
Fifteen minutes until the third round.
Yelena stepped up beside him, quiet. She took a long sip from a blue cocktail. Then finally asked, "What's your plan?"
Xavier's gaze was distant.
"To win," he said.
Simple. Dry.
Yelena smiled, but it faded quick. "They outnumber you. Again."
"They won't be a problem."
She glanced at him sideways. "What do you think they will choose for the last game?"
Xavier finally turned his eyes to her. "You know, they cheated in the last round."
"What? That's not possible. The game system is completely isolated."
"I watched their hands. Their placements. The grid's response time. They were synced through an external system. Probably had dummy signals bouncing through the house AI."
She frowned, serious now. "How are you sure?"
"I just calculated the grid response time. It was a bit late by 0.43 seconds whenever it was their time."
"You have got to be kidding me. How can you calculate that?"
"They'll try it again," Xavier said. "But this time, I'll make sure everyone sees it."
He turned to face her fully.
"Go tell the officials to monitor this round. Full sensor calibration. Eye tracking. Brainwave response. Everything."
Yelena hesitated for a moment… then nodded. "On it."
She slipped off, blending into the casino staff like smoke in air.
Xavier stayed where he was.
Still. Calm. Smiling just a little.
[WHY IS HE SMILING]
[XAVIER ABOUT TO COOK. I FEEL IT.]
[Ethan better pray. That look says war.]
The casino lights dimmed. The floor beneath them rumbled.
A third platform emerged, unlike the others.
Sleek. Silent. Lit with blood-red rings.
The host voice echoed:
"Final Game Selected. Initiating Countdown."
"All players, take your positions."
Ethan cracked his knuckles.
Xavier walked up without a word.
[XAVIER LOOKS LIKE HE JUST WOKE UP FROM A NAP]
[THE GOAT HAS ARRIVED.]
[Five VS ONE. HE'S DOING IT SOLO?!?]
[WHERE IS THAT HOT GIRL FROM BEFORE? IS SHE NOT PARTICIPATING?]
Only one of them was ready for what was coming.
The host's voice hit like a cannon.
"FINAL ROUND INITIATED."
The crowd was louder than ever. Voices from every corner of the dome-like casino rumbled like thunder. Spotlights swirled across the ceiling, locking in on the center table—ten seats, gold trim, digital interfaces glowing with eerie blue. A sea of money, reputation, and bloodlust swirled around that single place. The final round of the Casino Wars was about to begin.
[Final Game: Hellfire Poker]
[THIS IS IT BOYS. EVERYTHING ON THE LINE.]
[BRO THIS AIN'T A GAME, THIS IS A WAR.]
[IF XAVIER LOSES, I'M SELLING MY KIDNEY.]
The host's voice cracked across the speakers, sharp and dramatic, "Ladies and gentlemen, players and predators—welcome to the third and final round! The game chosen by Ethan Sterling…is Hellfire Poker!"
The arena exploded in excitement. Cheers. Gasps. Some clapped. Some bit their lips. This wasn't just Poker. This was the most unforgiving variation banned in twelve nations.
The digital table flickered alive, displaying ten ultra-high-speed cameras, AI bluff detectors, and betting slots with no upper limit. Each player had their own private holographic screen. One mistake? You could lose everything. One god-tier play? You could end up in the legends.
Five on Ethan's side.
Just Xavier and Yelena on the other.
But this time, only one from each side could play at a time. Hellfire Poker was a gauntlet-style, rotating match. Every player had to fight their way through one-on-one rounds, betting against their opponent in a classic five-card draw, but with extreme rules:
[No folding allowed.
If you lose, you're replaced by your next team member.
Each turn, stakes double automatically.
Only the final winning team gets the pot.]
Starting Bid: 500 million.
[FIVE HUNDRED MIL OUT THE GATE????]
[I JUST LOST MY RENT IN A BLINK WTF.]
[CASINO WAR HISTORY IN THE MAKING.]
Ethan's group grinned like kings. He took the first seat, cracking his knuckles. His suit shimmered under the lights, his smug aura practically blinding.
Xavier sat down across from him, unfazed. Calm. Relaxed. As if the number flashing on the table didn't mean anything to him.
The cards were dealt. The first round began.
"First Turn – Xavier vs Ethan."
The atmosphere thickened like smoke. Ethan smirked, calling the bluff with full confidence. "Hope you brought something more than charm, mystery boy."
Xavier didn't reply. He glanced at his cards—4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of Hearts.
Straight flush.
He tapped the table gently.
Raise: 500 million → 1 billion.
The crowd lost it.
[No fucking way—who opens with a full billion raise?]
[This guy's insane! Wait, no—he's flexing. That's what this is.]
[I'm sweating and I'm not even playing!]
Ethan scoffed but called the raise anyway. "Let's make this interesting."
The turn revealed nothing helpful for either of them, but Xavier didn't blink.
Final call.
Xavier laid his cards. Ethan's grin cracked for a split-second—he had two pairs, nothing more.
"Round One: Xavier wins."
Pot now: 2 billion.
Ethan stepped away, furious but trying to play it off. "It's fine. Warm-up."
Next in line: one of Ethan's backup elites. A woman in a red dress with razor-sharp eyes.
"Second Turn – Xavier vs Ember."
This time, she played aggressive. Bluffs, raises, psychological tactics.
And she was good. For a moment, it looked like Xavier might fold. But then again… folding wasn't allowed here.
He called her 2-billion bluff with a full house.
Her face dropped.
Pot now: 4 billion.
[He's reading them like children's books.]
[That's two down. What the hell is happening?]
Yelena sat on the sidelines, lips tight, watching Xavier dominate without saying a word.
"Third Turn – Xavier vs Rayne."
This guy came in smug, cocky, laughing like a man who already won.
"You've been lucky, pal. But luck doesn't go three times in a row."
Rayne played quick and tried to stall Xavier with overblown bets. He dropped 5 billion like it was nothing, forcing the pot to 9 billion.
Xavier stared at him. Silent.
Then called.
And showed him four-of-a-kind.
Pot: 9 billion → 18 billion.
Three down. Only two of Ethan's group left.
The tension was insane.
[If he wins this next one, it's already the biggest game in casino history!]
[Bro, did you see Rayne's face? Man was ready to cry.]
[BRO THIS POT COULD BUY A DAMN STAR.]
[WE NEED COMMERCIAL BREAKS TO BREATHE WTF.]
Ethan smirked. "Are you sweating yet?"
Xavier didn't even look at him. "You're dancing on a wire."
Fourth Turn – Xavier vs Drake
This guy was the strategist. Calm, dangerous. His eyes flicked everywhere. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the table—he was definitely one of the cheaters.
Drake didn't speak. He let his chips talk. He raised it by 10 billion.
Then another.
Then another.
Xavier let it go on. He called.
Everyone held their breath.
Both flipped their cards.
Drake had five Kings.
Impossible.
The crowd erupted. Cheers, screams, confusion.
Xavier didn't even flinch.
[Wait. What? Five Kings? That's not even possible without cheating—]
[Shhh! They didn't catch it. Nobody saw it. The system didn't flag it. But…]
[That's dirty. There's no way—]
Xavier stood up, slowly. "All yours," he said, stepping back.
Yelena stepped forward for the first time, taking his place.
Pot: 18 billion → 36 billion.
"Fifth Turn – Yelena vs Ethan's Final."
The last player was Ethan's right-hand man—bald, scarred, brutal.
Yelena kept her head down, sharp, focused. She didn't win, but she made him bleed. Forced him to waste his strongest plays early.
She lost the round. But by the time Xavier stepped back in, Ethan's side was panicking.
Final Pot: 100 billion.
Ethan and his team were so sure that they would win the final round. They bet without care since they knew they will get double soon, but little did they know, Xavier had planned something interesting for them.
Final Round.
Xavier vs Ethan.
One last hand.
Cards shuffled. Chips pushed.
Ethan's glare was ice. "Let's end this. I'll take that smirk off your face before we walk out."
Xavier smiled. "You can try."
Ethan raised 10 billion.
Xavier matched.
Ethan raised again. 15 billion.
Xavier matched.
Then Ethan went all in. Everything. 50 billion.
The entire place went dead quiet. No sound. Just one match away from the biggest win in casino history.
Xavier stared at him.
Then pushed his own chips in. "Call."
Five cards down.
Ethan: Four Aces.
Xavier… stared.
Flipped.
Royal Flush.
The table exploded.
Fireworks. Confetti. Horns. Screams. The casino lost its mind.
[HE FUCKING DID IT—XAVIER JUST TOOK 50 BILLION!!!]
[BRO I'M CRYING. I'M FUCKING CRYING.]
[IS HE HUMAN? IS HE EVEN HUMAN???]
Xavier leaned back, arms stretched, smiling like a king.
Ethan's face went blank.
His group… silent. Some backed away. Some looked ready to kill.
But no one said anything yet.
Because Xavier didn't just win.
He destroyed them.
Ethan was frozen. Pale. His team stared in shock. One of them muttered, "Impossible…"
But Xavier stood. Calm. Dusting his hands. Not even smiling.
"That was fun," he said, turning around.
And as he walked past Ethan, he whispered, "Don't worry. We'll talk about how you cheated… real soon."