Chapter 540: Place Your Bets!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ye Chong took a look at Sun Sieha, saw him nod, and released the man in his grasp. Once George was released, he immediately fell kneeling to the ground, coughing violently with his hands to his throat. As Ye Chong had suffocated him for too long, his face looked purplish due to the lack of oxygen.
He threw a hateful look at Ye Chong for having embarrassing him so greatly in front of all the other nobles.
Ming Xiao saw the look George gave Ye Chong, and frowned. He thought to himself, "What a foolish boy! Can he not see where the wind is blowing? This is not a man he can afford to be enemies with!" Ming Xiao and Aliz were close, so Ming Xiao decided to warn his friend about his son, and hope that George would not cause further incidents.
Some of the important figures in the government were disappointed as they watched the handsome young man react inappropriately. George had seemed to be a smart man, but in the end he proved that his was little more than his looks.
As George coughed violently against the silent background, all the other guests looked at Ye Chong in surprise. The noble ladies who had stared at him with hatred now squirmed in their own corners, looking very afraid. The others who had tried to advise him or scold him were now terribly regretful of their actions.
"Haha," Sun Sieha laughed, but the coldness behind his voice reminded all the guests of the rumours of their King's severity and willingness to kill. All the guests turned fearful, including Ming Xiao, Prince Desnio and Duke Warren.
Ye Chong stood where he was with an air of nonchalance. He was more wary than afraid of Sun Sieha. He understood that his relationship with Sun Sieha was one of equals. While he may seem to be under many restrictions imposed by Sun Sieha, the truth was in fact the opposite. Ye Chong did not need Sun Sieha, but Sun Sieha needed Ye Chong. From this perspective, Sun Sieha was the one who was more restricted, instead of Ye Chong.
Besides, with the recent breakthrough, Ye Chong was now feeling at his best. He had nothing to be afraid of. This did not mean that he would act carelessly, however. Staying calm was second nature to him, even now.
For example, he was now trying to figure out the reason for Sun Sieha's invitation to this evening ball, and would even visit his manor just to do that.
Sun Sieha must have some good reason for this.
The truth was, Ye Chong had no experience in politics. He could only figure things out through careful thinking. He could not be confident of the results of his deductions, but he was sure that he would one day understand what it was all about. When that day came, he would be able to conduct himself more appropriately. He would become better, and stronger! Growth was achieved through accumulation of knowledge and skills over time.
Never stop thinking, never stop trying – that was Ye Chong's belief.
"I've only been King for a while, and seldom had time to see you all. It's nice to see all of you having a good time," Sun Sieha said, but his plain words were full of authority. No one dared to raise their heads. Of course, the notable exception was Ye Chong.
"Haha, enjoy yourselves to your heart's content, no need to be nervous. Well, as long as your work is finished, the occasional indulgence in leisure is not a bad pastime. However …" Sun Sieha raised his voice at the end, building suspense in his audience. Some of the guests shuddered.
Sun Sieha looked around him, satisfied with the response that he invoked, and continued slowly, "As long as you have completed your duties, it is fine. If anyone were to overindulge and neglect their duties … Haha, well, I suppose I need not elaborate," Sun Sieha said with a pleasant face, but the guests were all terrified.
"Oh, by the way, let me introduce to you," Sun Sieha motioned to Ye Chong, "This is Master Ye Chong, Eastern Cloud's most remarkable weaponsmith. With Master Karu's recommendation and my approval, the man will be appointed as our country's Chief Weaponsmith."
The nobles know now who the young man really was! Some of them thought of how Master Karu, their former Chief Weaponsmith, was willing to pass on his title to this young man. It meant that Master Karu approved of the young man's capabilities.
There were also nobles from other countries amongst the guests. They immediately felt wary – did this mean that Eastern Cloud was having a huge cabinet changeover?
"You may not know this, but Master Ye Chong is also a close range combat expert. I believe you've seen his demonstration," Sun Sieha said with a smile, "In fact, before I met Master Ye Chong, I never thought that anyone could possibly pose a threat to shooters. However, not too long ago, I saw someone who could. This was when I first saw Master Ye Chong. He was fighting against 12 Level 6 shooters! The shooters suffered seven casualties!" Sun Sieha dropped the bomb in the evening ball. The guests huddled together in quiet discussion, giving Ye Chong looks of fear and wariness. George, who had just straightened himself, looked terrible. He now knew how strong his opponent was.
Only someone as strong as a Level 8 shooter could hope to fight against a dozen Level 6 shooters all at once. Even a Level 7 shooter could barey manage it. Moreover, this young man had injured or killed seven of the 12. That itself was shocking. Could this young man actually be as strong as a Level 8 shooter?
The taciturn young man suddenly became an enigma to his bewildered audience. He was like a huge beast that came out of the wild, staring down at his prey.
Sun Sieha was happy with the guests' reaction of curiosity mixed with fear. He wanted this to happen. As a member of the Royal family, he knew the power of the nobility. He also knew that tonight's evening ball would cause a huge uproar amongst the nobles.
"Your Majesty, I don't believe it!" Someone uttered suddenly. This bold and loud voice drew stares from the other guests. The ones who knew the voice chuckled quietly to themselves. They were in for a good show.
The man who spoke was more than six feet tall. He had broad shoulders, muscular arms and large hands. His square face had a pair of bushy eyebrows, under which two eyes shone brightly.
"You don't believe it? Do you question my words?" Sun Sieha's face immediately turned dark. His gaze sharpened with threat.
"Mang, you idiot, how dare you? Apologize to His Majesty!" Ming Xiao, who had remained passive throughout, finally spoke up. Mang was one of his soldiers. At a tender age of 18, he was physically impressive and had above average skills in parapsychic control. He was already a Level 6 shooter. Ming Xiao liked his straightforward nature, and frequently had him by his side. However, the man was poised to cause trouble tonight.
Sun Sieha waved at Ming Xiao to silence him. He eyes locked onto Mang sharply. The atmosphere in the function room tensed up. All the guests held their breath. The new King was known to be unmerciful. Who would dare to disagree with the King openly? Many of them were worried about Mang. It would not surprise them if the King ordered for the man to be executed right then.
The young King was long known for his violent tendencies. When he was Crown Prince, the previous King had ordered his son to first serve as Brigade Commander as part of his training. Once, when his subordinates were late for a meeting, the then Crown Prince had killed 18 soldiers with his own hands. From then onwards, everyone knew that Sun Sieha was not to be messed with. As His Majesty roamed the land in search for talents, his ruthless nature showed. Many shooters died in his hands. The King did not have a good reputation amongst the independent shooters out there.
However, no one doubted the power of the Royal Family. The military force was under his command, while the government officials had expressed their loyalty to him. Besides, with Prince Desnio's full support and his own ability as a Level 8 shooter, the present King had even more supporters than his father before him. With a competent and fair ruler, everyone knew that Eastern Cloud was about to rise above her rivals.
Their King had absolute power in Eastern Cloud!
If anyone dared to speak against His Majesty, it would be an act of suicide!
Time seemed to slow down in the evening ball. The guests sweated nervously. Mang seemed to realize that he had made a mistake, but still he straightened himself despite his flushed cheeks and kept his mouth shut.
"You don't believe me?" Suddenly, the King softened, as though he was only asking something inconsequential.
Mang was taken by surprise, but he replied on instinct, "I – Of course I don't! Only a Level 8 shooter can hold himself against a dozen Level 6 shooters. This young man is strong, but how can he be more powerful than a Level 8 shooter?" The guests agreed quietly with Mang. They had the same suspicion, but not the imprudence to simply voice it out.
The King continued, "How can I make you believe me?"
"Unless – Unless …" Mang was stuck with the question. He panicked, but quickly figured out something, "Unless he can defeat a dozen Level 6 shooters again, right before our eyes!"
When the guests heard Mang's suggestion, they all shook their heads inside. Things were not quite so simple. Every battle was different, and there were many reasons for the outcome to go one way or the other. In a different location, against the same number of opponents, the result would surely be different.
Sun Sieha smiled coldly and said, "That's a bit unreasonable, don't you think?"
Mang blushed even deeper. He also realized the holes in his reasoning.
"However," Sun Sieha continued with a cold smile, "I think it's a wonderful idea." He suddenly turned to Ye Chong and asked, "Ye Chong, what do you think?"
Ye Chong finally realized why Sun Sieha wanted him at the evening ball. Since it was part of the agreement they had last time, Ye Chong had no reason to reject the idea. He nodded and said, "Sure!"
Was this guy crazy?
The nobles looked at Ye Chong with disbelief. They never imagined that Ye Chong would agree to such an unreasonable request!
Sun Sieha looked at the nobles and smiled, "I've heard that there are many Level 6 shooters amongst you. Choose any 12 of them. Let us witness a demonstration of this lesser known form of combat. However, it's a little dull to simply enjoy the battle. We should have a betting pool, with no limits on the betting amount. Hmm, let's have the Prince be the organizer."
The sensible Prince Desnio stood forward and bowed to his guests, "Since His Majesty requested it, well, let me organize this round of betting. Don't worry, we have top notch facilities for combat, and a great variety of weapons to choose from. There will also be pre-match massage services and snacks for everyone. Of course, special services will also be seen to, if you're interested."
The guests chuckled at Prince Desnio's introduction. Even Sun Sieha smiled.
Soon, 12 Level 6 shooters were named. They include experienced combatants from the military, like Mang, but most of them were young nobles. George was one of the better known young nobles, and his prowess as a shooter was also widely recognized. The most surprising candidate was Shu Man'er. No one expected the seemingly fragile young woman to be a Level 6 shooter.
The experienced shooters threw careful looks at Ye Chong. They saw how quick the young man was earlier. Nevertheless, they were confidence of themselves. An experienced Level 6 shooter was much stronger than their less experienced counterpart. The veterans felt that Ye Chong could only stand a chance against a dozen newly promoted Level 6 shooters.
As the young nobles, they were all eager to jump straight into battle. They did not believe that Ye Chong could defeat 12 Level 6 shooters all by himself. Some of the noble families chose their strongest disciples to represent them, hoping to draw favourable attention from the King.
Sun Sieha smiled almost imperceptibly, seeing how eager the nobles were. He started by saying, "Well, since we're betting and I actually suggested it, I'll place my bet on Ye Chong. How much should it be? Let's go with a 10 million."
Duke Warren was keeping a close watch on the King's behaviour. He caught the smile on the King's face, and looked at the hesitant nobles in the function room. Duke Warren had an inkling of what to do next. He smiled and said, "Since we're betting, I will make my bet too. I bet 10 million that the 12 shooters will win." He then stood to the side quietly. He was happy to see a quick glance from the King towards him, but kept it to himself.
Ming Xiao stroked his chin and grinned, "Your Majesty, I'll place my bet as well. 10 million against Master Ye Chong. I believe that Master Ye Chong is capable, but a dozen Level 6 shooters is still quite a challenge." The Legate's eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Place your bets now! You can only place one bet. No changes in the betting amount!" Prince Desnio announced loudly to his guests.
With Duke Warren and Ming Xiao taking lead, the rest of the nobles no longer hesitated. They did no bet a lot, but all of them wanted the chance to win a bet against their King. It did not matter how much they win in the end. After all, how many people can boast about winning a bet against His Majesty?
Ye Chong suddenly spoke up from beside Sun Sieha, "50 million on myself." Sun Sieha's smile froze awkwardly. Ye Chong placed a bet of 50 million, but he only betted 10 million. Even if he won, he could only get a sixth of the betting pool. He was about to raise his bet, then remembered that Prince Desnio said the amount cannot be changed. The King felt the loss acutely.
Just then, George spoke up as well, "I bet 50 million! The shooters will win!" George threw a vengeful glare at Ye Chong. Ming Xiao frowned again, thinking about how insensible the young man was.
As expected, Ming Xiao saw His Majesty's eyes narrowed a little. This was bad. The boy was about to cause trouble. When the match was over, he will send people to drag the young man back to Aliz.
The rest of the nobles were excited by the bets from Ye Chong and George. Shu Man'er spoke up with her clear voice, "I bet 20 million."
"10 million from me!"
"10 million!"
…
The nobles who had someone representing them in the shooters team placed the most bets to show their support. Each of them contributed no less than 10 million in the betting pool. 10 million was a negligible sum to them. It would not do well for their reputation to bet too little, but betting to much would be an offence to the King. They were not as foolish as George.
In the end, the total amount in the betting pool surprised even Prince Desnio. "Well well, this is great. Let me announce the betting amount in the pool. We have 60 million betting for Master Ye Chong. As for the 12 shooters," he looked around at his guests and continued, "they have 160 million going for them. Haha, it's a spectacular betting pool."
Sun Sieha calculated his winnings and threw a bitter glance at Ye Chong. All that easy money was snatched away from him, but there was nothing he could do about it. He felt miserable just thinking about it.