"Stop playing games here. Say what you need to say and then get out!"
I didn't follow He Guan's lead in the conversation. Instead, I impatiently told him to leave.
Frankly speaking, He Guan's skill wasn't bad, much better than an average cheat, which was why Xiao Tianci had approached him.
But no matter how strong he was, it couldn't change the fact that we had been opponents in a life-or-death gamble.
What was even more outrageous was that this guy actually treated me as a scapegoat in his setup. This was something I absolutely could not tolerate.
Despite my clear stance, He Guan still acted like a shameless rogue, looking at me and smiling, "Don't be so hot-tempered, Brother Chen Xiang!"
"Listen to me patiently first, and then you can decide whether you want me to stay!"
I remained silent, my brow furrowed.
Seeing that I hadn't refused, He Guan started speaking on his own, "Xiao Tianci said you invited two waves of helpers with both strength and background. Is that true?"
Without answering He Guan's question, I pointed at him with my right hand, which was holding the steel plate, and asked with a frown, "What the hell do you want to say!?"
"Don't rush, brother!" He Guan replied in an unhurried tone. "Give me your answer, and then I'll give you mine!"
Annoyed by He Guan's evasiveness, I stopped pretending and nodded, "Yes! I invited helpers from outside. So what?"
Upon hearing this, the dealer suddenly stiffened his face and looked at me, saying word by word, "What if I told you that among the two waves of helpers you invited, someone has already secretly contacted Xiao Tianci?"
As soon as He Guan finished speaking, a thunderclap sounded in my mind!
Boom, boom, boom...
Unbelievable! Even more incredible!
The moment I recovered, I immediately retorted, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Don't try to sow discord here!"
"Heh heh~"
With a noncommittal cold laugh, He Guan shook his head and looked at me, asking, "Tell me, what would be my purpose in lying to you?"
Before I could respond, He Guan continued, "If it were just to stay, wouldn't it be better for me to remain in the shadows? Why would I foolishly reveal myself?"
That's right!
Since it was already stated as a scapegoat setup, the correct way for He Guan to save his life should have been to stick close to me and continue hiding in the shadows.
By revealing himself so abruptly now, wasn't the scapegoat setup self-defeating?
After some thought, I already believed five-tenths of what He Guan had said.
With a mixture of belief and doubt, I stared at He Guan with wide eyes and said, "Tell me everything you saw, heard, and know!"
Even a fire at the city gate could affect the fish in the moat. If the rear base camp caught fire, what then!?
Seeing my determined attitude to get to the bottom of it, He Guan lit a cigarette he had asked for and began to narrate the events that had transpired...
According to He Guan, before the gamble with me began, he had asked Xiao Tianci how to ensure that if I lost, I wouldn't be able to counterattack and would be trapped without escape.
Xiao Tianci's answer was: timing, advantage of the terrain, and human support!
When he said the words "human support," Xiao Tianci had specifically emphasized them.
This almost explicit hint made He Guan immediately realize what it meant.
He then pressed Xiao Tianci, asking if "human support" referred to people around me.
Xiao Tianci didn't answer directly but subtly told He Guan that someone from my side had approached him beforehand to discuss matters after the gamble ended that night, and he had promised to keep it confidential.
To completely remove any reservations He Guan might have about going all out, Xiao Tianci told him that the answer to "human support" would be revealed when I lost the gamble and began my final desperate struggle.
Hearing this, I didn't need to listen any further.
In an instant, my expression turned grim, and I stood there motionless. The steel plate in my hand tightened its grip.
Within the two factions led by Jiang Xiaowan and Yu Shuang, one side had... betrayed me!
Heh heh~ I never expected that before I could make a final decision regarding the ownership of that half of the Gambling King's Token, someone was already impatient and wanted to settle things quickly.
For this purpose, that person had secretly colluded with Xiao Tianci!
If, two nights ago, I had been the one to lose the gamble and prepared to fight Xiao Tianci to the death...
Only one side from Jiang Xiaowan and Yu Shuang would have accompanied me to the end.
At that time, that ugly face would have conveniently appeared.
It's a pity that the outcome disappointed that person!
As for who that person was, I neither needed to know nor wanted to know.
Although I was in the open and that person was in the shadows, as long as I delayed making a decision and continued to hide from Xiao Tianci...
I had every reason to believe that person would eventually be forced to reveal themselves!
From today onwards, between Jiang Xiaowan and Yu Shuang, whoever couldn't resist calling me to ask where I was first would be the most suspicious!
Of course, this conclusion wasn't absolute, but it was based on the deduction above.
...
It seems that outsiders are ultimately outsiders.
To build a truly solid and reliable relationship, one must discover it oneself...
After He Guan provided the crucial intelligence, and after weighing and considering various factors, I ultimately decided to agree to let him join my team.
There was no other way! As soon as dawn broke, I had to find a way to send Cheng Minglang and Zhu Wenjing away, leaving only Camel and Little Dragon in my team.
Both of them were typical reckless disciples, excellent fighters but not good at strategizing.
With a shortage of personnel, I couldn't possibly handle every major and minor issue myself.
As for whether He Guan was a spy sent by Xiao Tianci or was employing some stratagem, I absolutely wouldn't believe it.
Because there was no need for it!
My agreement to participate in the gamble had already given Xiao Tianci a legitimate opportunity for revenge. He wouldn't need to instruct He Guan to deliberately lose to me and then resort to a feigned injury.
My only concern was whether He Guan had ulterior motives.
Or, perhaps, he was a mole planted by either Jiang Xiaowan or Yu Shuang when they came to support me in Longxi?
Whichever of these two possibilities was true, I couldn't trust He Guan at this stage.
For now, I'll just let him be a tool (cannon fodder) in the team.