The outcome of the side bet was a mutual destruction, and Uncle Tuo was even severely injured to the point where he could no longer continue the competition.
The finals of the Thousand Kings Tournament concluded with Young Master He successfully seizing victory and claiming the top spot.
The finals of the Thousand Kings Tournament that year completely altered the destinies of two individuals.
One was Uncle Tuo, and the other was the man who refused to be subordinate to anyone else.
After suffering severe injuries, Uncle Tuo was immediately abandoned by the discerning Young Master He, who casually awarded him a consolation prize – the Thousand Kings Token.
Following this, Young Master He shifted his focus and decisively recruited the man who refused to be subordinate, entrusting him with a crucial role.
That man, who refused to be subordinate, was once a member of Uncle Tuo's team, a close brother who had shared hardships and faced dangers alongside Uncle Tuo.
Of course, that was his former identity.
Now, he had become the most trusted confidant of the ambitious Young Master He, or perhaps… a house slave!
This information was all gathered overnight after I pried it out of Xiao Tianci's mouth and had Gao Jing spend a considerable sum to inquire from people in the gambling world.
According to the intelligence, that person's original name was Huang Chenguang, and he had now changed it to He Chenguang.
In addition to being Young Master He's most loyal henchman, He Chenguang was also the person in charge of Wynn Macau.
Before the Grand Lisboa opened, Wynn Macau was an undisputed landmark building in Macau.
This illustrates just how influential and powerful He Chenguang had become.
This was also why everyone, from Helian Shan to Lin Zhenbei, then Yun Jin, Fan Yixin, and Hua Liang – Uncle Tuo's friends, rivals, and companions – remained tight-lipped about this name.
For no other reason than He Chenguang had undergone a transformation, leaping the dragon gate to become a prominent figure in the upper echelons of society.
As the person in charge of Wynn Macau, a landmark building in Macau, known as the "Las Vegas of Asia," his status and position were simply beyond the reach of influential figures in the mainland's gambling circles.
Given He Chenguang's current status, he was not someone an ordinary person could afford to offend.
Gossiping behind his back was akin to an old man hanging himself – he was tired of living!
To be honest, when I heard this news from Gao Jing early in the morning, I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of unreality.
Earlier, I hadn't ruled out the possibility that Uncle Tuo's enemy might be a grand master of the Thousand Gates, a ruler of the gambling world, but…
The emergence of He Chenguang, with his identity and background, truly startled me!
Because he now bore the surname He and was the house slave of that Young Master He!
To move against He Chenguang was to slap Young Master He in the face!
It was no exaggeration to say that Young Master He's background and status were comparable to the arch-villains in those brainless soldier novels.
In the virtual world, challenging and confronting someone like Young Master He was common, as the protagonist had the support of a hundred thousand "heavenly soldiers."
But in real life, let alone confronting Young Master He himself, very few people had the courage and ability to even lay a hand on his henchmen!
As the saying goes, even when beating a dog, one must consider its master!
If it were just an ordinary dog, it would be one thing, but this dog, Huang Chenguang, had not only climbed the ranks but had also adopted the surname He.
If one were to truly make a move against him, it wouldn't be a matter of weighing the pros and cons; one would simply need to arrange their affairs beforehand…
After leaving the small fishing village, I had Camel drive me directly to the Grand Lisboa.
According to rumors, the farce of coercion and power seizure that occurred at the Grand Lisboa last night was orchestrated by He Chenguang.
Without even needing to guess, I knew that He Chenguang must have been acting under the instructions of that Young Master He.
I wanted to use this opportunity to gauge Mr. He's stance and see what his opinion and attitude were towards He Chenguang.
As long as Mr. He did not object, I could proceed with my revenge with peace of mind. The worst outcome would be a life for a life.
If I could glean some information from Mr. He, or even gain his support, perhaps we could both achieve our objectives.
Mr. He could then reclaim his authority, and I could take the opportunity to avenge Uncle Tuo without any repercussions!
I pondered in my mind, these rumors were now circulating widely, causing a stir throughout the city. Could Mr. He possibly be unaware? Or was Mr. He fully aware but had lost the will to fight back?
I absolutely refused to believe that Mr. He had become timid with age.
Even a tiger without teeth was still a tiger!
Let's see how things unfold.
……
In the manager's office of the Grand Lisboa casino.
After I directly stated my purpose, Mr. He smiled faintly and said, "Let's set aside the old grudges you mentioned for now."
"First, let's talk about the rumors circulating about the Grand Lisboa. I am aware of them."
"However, even with my awareness, there is one prerequisite: even if my He family's house slaves are wicked and heinous, only members of the He family have the right to discipline them. Outsiders are not even permitted to speak about it!"
Upon hearing this, I immediately realized that Mr. He was taking the opportunity to warn me that outsiders had no right to interfere in his family affairs, regardless of any external matters involved.
Just as I was feeling disheartened and preparing to leave…
Changing the subject, Mr. He suddenly spoke again, "I have heard of the name Lu Mingtai. I had also extended an invitation to him during the Thousand Kings Tournament in '99."
"Since you are Lu Mingtai's disciple, I presume you have learned most of his skills?"
"If you are willing to stay and work for me, I can consider doing you a favor!"
Upon hearing this, I readily agreed without hesitation, "No problem!"
Facing a formidable enemy, I was well aware that relying solely on my own strength would not only be insufficient to deal with He Chenguang but could also lead to my own demise.
Therefore, I decisively accepted Mr. He's proposition.
"No rush!" Mr. He said casually, waving his hand. "Let me finish speaking first."
"Although my He family is vast and prosperous, we have always adhered to the principle of not keeping incompetent or useless individuals!"
"Therefore, to prove that you are neither incompetent nor useless, show me some real skill!"
"May I ask how you would like me to prove myself, Mr. He?" I inquired.
Mr. He pointed to the premises of the Grand Lisboa and replied word by word, "The Thousand Kings Tournament!"
"As long as you can reach the final round like your master, I will agree to your request. Furthermore…"
"If you can outshine all your competitors and win the Thousand Kings crown, I will fulfill one wish of yours unconditionally!"