Memoirs of the Returnee - Chapter 220



Only Krnovel

The Regressor’s Notepad 220

Setup (7)

When I returned to the intelligence agency, it was already morning. I went to the interrogation room to find Sonnet Reveal as an internal investigator.

I spoke to her, who still had a dry, squid-like face.

“Ms. Sonnet Revill will be released soon.”

“… … ?”

She raised her head. I calmly handed her the report.

“This evidence was found in the safe of the villa that Bendeck purchased under another person’s name.”

“……ah.”

Sonya grabbed it quickly, looking it up and down, breathing heavily.

“However, you will not be able to return to Lord Jedric’s command.”

“……under.”

Sonya laughed in vain. She understood what I meant immediately.

“This incident will be covered up.”

Saving Jedrick’s face meant not revealing all of Bendek’s sins.

Bendek’s punishment will simply be lumped together as ‘abuse of authority’.

Of course, the inside story will spread like a rumor… … .

“I know.”

Sonya can’t come back

You have to be kicked out, having everything taken away.

“Yes, you have to take responsibility, Miss Sonya.”

“What about Bendeck?”

She asked me about Bendek. I answered quietly.

“I will probably never meet anyone again.”

“… … .”

The corners of Sonya’s mouth twitched.

“I’m better off than that guy. Ha.”

“Please consider it a crime to dare to set up a collateral branch.”

“… … .”

Sonya looked at me. Her dry eyes were now filled with tears.

“Sure. You trusted me.”

“Of course.”

She snorted and picked up the lighter. She burned the report with it.

“The records will be covered up anyway, so if I keep looking at them, I’ll just get mad.”

I nodded at those words.

“However, most of Ms. Sonya’s assets will be seized.”

“… … .”

Sonya’s expression hardened for a moment.

“30,000 shares of Libra Station, 3% of Libra Industrial Complex-”

“All I have?”

“Not all of them.”

I handed over my bankbook.

“It’s ‘Risostellar.’ It’s an energy company that you started with Miss Jia.”

“… … Yeah. That’s how it was in the past.”

This is the hand that Zia extends to her.

An offer to be with oneself.

“What do you think?”

Sonya asked me what I meant.

I looked at Sonya.

“Now I have nothing left.”

A quiet, thin voice, as if exhausted.

I was a bit worried, but… … .

“I will follow your wishes this time too.”

Before the return, Sonya had great support for Jia. She played a big role in helping Jia seize power.

There is no reason to take the risk of excluding Sonya like that.

Besides, things have changed now.

“Because you’re the only one who believed in me.”

Because Sonya trusts me.

Because you trust me as much as, if not more than, Jia.

“If I receive this account, it will be because of you, not because of Gia.”

She can still be number two.

“Come with me, Mr. Sonnet Revill.”

As the number two to me, not to Jia.

[Charlangi the Snowman: Aren’t you curious about anything?]

The next morning.

The Mana app rang like a morning call.

My mentor seems to have a lot to teach me, but I don’t really want to ask for teachings.

[yes.]

I looked at other chat rooms in the regular messenger.

“… … I guess he hasn’t come yet

There was no reply from Soliet.

She’s probably going down to the basement of the tank with Javed Arkhne.

I hope that ‘adventure’ is enjoyable. Even though it may be physically and mentally tiring, you will create memories with loved ones.

[Snowman Charang: Huh~ Do whatever you want. But if you don’t give me 100 points for mentor satisfaction, I’ll find you and kill you.]

“… … .”

It’s brutal.

Anyway, this is a liberal arts class so it gets grades.

[Yes, I will do that. In return, please give me 100 points as well.]

[Charlangi the Snowman: Why me?]

“I see it’s here again.”

[Then let’s give each other 0 points.]

[Snowman Charang: What? Are you crazy?]

[I won’t reply anymore]

I just turned off the alarm.

This morning’s lecture is about article study… … This is also theory.

It’s about learning what patterns to use when dealing with which type of monster before going into actual combat.

To me, theories are chewed and annoying at the same time.

“Zion~~~”

As soon as I stepped out of the dorm, I heard a loud shout calling out to me.

It was Raye.

The guy ran up to me like a retriever and put on my bracelet.

“Good! Let’s have a good day today!”

“Okay. There’s only three hours left, so let’s finish quickly.”

“What is it, Zion? Your attitude is so petty.”

Raye narrowed her eyes. – –

“What is Zion’s lecture today?”

“Knight study.”

“Ah, then I guess I should audit the class too. Sion, you audit mine too. Then, we’ll fill up all our time this week, right? Let’s go eat together after we’re done. You know? Eating together and bonding over it is also really good for teamwork… .”

Raye talked about today’s schedule with a bright face.

Weekend. Sunday, when the [World Series of Poker: Finals] is held.

I arrived at the venue, ‘Bruman Casino Hotel’.

“There are a lot.”

There are a lot of people. However, it is not popular compared to the amount of money involved.

To be honest, when I won round 6, I was worried that the universities would recognize me.

But no one recognized me. Except for a few seniors who were occasionally interested in gambling.

“Zion Ascal player?”

“Oh, yes.”

The organizers’ staff came to me.

“I will guide you to the waiting room.”

“yes.”

They first pointed to the red carpet. There were quite a few reporters and people on both sides of the carpet.

“These are reporters from Golden Casino.”

The organizers described them.

For your information, Golden Casino is almost like a half-state. An autonomous state made up of gambling.

I’m probably a little famous there.

“You can just rest.”

The waiting room the staff guided me to was extremely luxurious. I sat on the sofa and let out a sigh of relief.

The air tastes a little different. The mana concentration is 0.

The area around this casino, including inside, is a no-mana-zone.

Ring ring ring ring

The phone in the waiting room rang. I picked up.

─Hey.

It was Jahanna’s voice.

─I heard a lot about how you handled things this time. It was a bit of a slap in the face to me.

“I thought it would be beneficial for Libra.”

─Ha! Well, I guess so. I don’t really care. It’s actually beneficial to me. Two of that guy Jedrick’s people were cut off. More than that.

Jahanna asked with a sly smile, “What the hell?”

─Are you sure? It starts in an hour.

“It’s quite a lot. The prize money is 60 million renminbi.”

60 million renminbi.

It’s a huge amount of money, but I won’t spend it.

If I win, I’ll leave everything to Jia.

It is an investment that does not expect anything in return.

─Oh. Right. If you win, I’ll give you everything. The original sponsor takes half, right? I don’t do that. So, for your sake, no, for Jia, try to win.

“yes.”

Jahanna hung up the phone.

I looked around, then put my ear to the wall on my right.

My hearing is as sensitive as an animal even in the no mana zone.

… … Just do it.

On the right, another participant’s voice was heard. There was nothing special to say.

This time I put my ear against the left wall.

… … Are you sure?

A woman’s voice asks, “Are you sure?”

… … Really? Then I guess you can’t say anything either.

A small man’s laughter mixed in with the answering voice.

… … Yes, I understand. Let me try to eat it.

It sounds like they’re plotting something.

I leaned back on the sofa without thinking much.

After all, Hold’em is a game where luck and skill are combined.

Entrance to the poker finals arena.

Outside the six-way entrance, I stand still, waiting for it to begin.

──We will now begin the finals of the World Series of Poker.

Just then, beyond the set, a speaker resonated magnificently.

But the final table where the match is actually played is deserted. There are no people, no furniture, just one table and chairs for six players.

The host announced the players’ positions.

──Let me introduce the players. The winner of Round 1, Roho!

Roho. He’s the guy wearing sunglasses.

It’s not a foul. Instead of other players not being able to read your eyes, you can’t bluff with your eyes either.

That’s why I don’t wear sunglasses.

I bluff with my eyes.

─Next, the winner of round 2, Eva!

Eva. A woman with long hair. A woman with a very alluring appearance.

─The winner of Round 3, Gallagher!

Gallagher looks like a homeless person.

He has long hair and a lot of beard.

Anyway, the winner of the 4th round was Billy the fat pig, and the winner of the 5th round was Sally, a girl who looked like a middle school student.

Four out of five players are sponsored by the mafia.

─The winner of the last 6 rounds, Zion!

Finally, I, Zion Ascal.

I strode over to the table and sat down. I faced the six players with a calm expression.

─Your sponsors, as well as countless tourists and poker fans, are watching on TV not far away.

The presenter said.

─Anything related to cheating other than electronic devices is not allowed on this table. Not only is it impossible to bring them in, but they won’t even work in this no-mana zone.

The chips were distributed. There were equal numbers of them all.

The final is a long-term battle, played over a single day.

A marathon where the leader with the most chips wins on a table that lasts 24 hours.

─Okay. Now, let’s start the finals of the World Series of Poker!

… … .

Patron waiting room at the Bruman Casino.

Jahanna watched him. She was nervous, but even more excited.

Is it because it’s been a long time since I’ve gambled?

Or maybe it’s the excitement of someone scamming me again.

There is no other reason why Jahanna took up gambling.

I have a feeling that they might try to scam me too.

It’s called a first strike, first win.

“……after.”

Jahanna watched with her men from her private waiting room. Beckman was there, of course, but also her secretary and butler.

[First game: Zion wins]

“Good start.”

Jahanna clenched her fist.

However, the finals were not as easy as the preliminaries or rounds.

[Second game: Eva wins]

[Game 3: Roho wins]

[Fourth Game: Zion Victory… …]

It was a horn tax.

Three hours had passed, and the chip gap was narrow, with Eva leading.

Zion is in second place.

However, three hours is still early.

You won’t know until it’s over.

… … .

Twelve hours later, I saw Eva at the poker table.

Call, raise, fold.

Her voice, which says only that word for twelve hours straight, feels somehow familiar.

right.

It was the voice of the participant on the right side of my waiting room.

‘… … Are you sure? Really? Then I guess you can’t say anything either. Yes. Okay. Let’s catch and eat it.’

The woman who said that.

I’d like to hear your voice a little more, can I talk to you?

“You’re doing well.”

I told her. She frowned slightly, but then shook her head with a hollow laugh.

Of course, it seems rude to talk to him.

“check.”

Roho checked.

Five community cards plus my hand make a full house.

I have no reason to give in.

“Raise.”

“… …fold.”

“die.”

The rest were all dead. I looked at Eva again as I swept the chips away. I whispered.

“You’re pretty. What’s your full name?”

“… …Can you be quiet?”

“Ah. It’s my first time. Would it be rude to talk to me?”

“Of course. It seems like you’re really excited since it’s your first time in the finals.”

Eva smiled brightly. I smiled too, seeing her smile.

Sure enough, it’s the voice from the room next to me.

“There’s boogers on your eyelashes. Are they potato chip crumbs?”

“… … ..”

Eva’s expression hardened. She played with her eyelashes and wiped the gunk from her eyes.

… … .

“What a funny guy.”

Jahanna even watched that sight with satisfaction.

This is acceptable humor for a player new to poker.

[1st place: Zion Ascal]

The chip leader is Zion Askar.

But the difference is very small, especially since the difference between first and second place is only one game.

Rather, it is good.

In a game this close, a single moment of ‘fraud’ can have a decisive effect.

Ah, perhaps the word ‘manipulated luck’ would be better than ‘fraud’.

Jahanna smiled and looked at her watch.

18 hours.

That time is approaching soon.

… …

I am the chip leader at the final table, but not by much.

A gap that could be narrowed with second place at any time.

So in this moment where each and every game is important… …

Suddenly.

[♠ 4], [♥ J], [♣ J].

Three community cards are dealt like this.

On the other hand, my hand cards that can be combined with this──

[♠ J] [◆ J]

It means ‘J four cards’.

A four of a kind is dealt before the two community cards are even turned face up.

In Hold’em, four of a kind is almost always a winning hand.

Even if it’s J, it’s a clan that can’t be defeated.

However, be careful not to go all-in hastily. You never know what might happen.

I kept my composure and bet.

“call.”

“call.”

The opponent also slowly built up the pot, and as the turn came, two more community cards were turned over.

[♠ 4],[♥ J], [♣ J], [♥ 9], [♥ 10]

I got 9 and 10 hearts.

In Texas Hold’em, the winner is the person who makes the highest hand by combining these five community cards with their own two cards.

My combination is J four cards.

It’s almost like a victory──

“All in.”

Suddenly, the opponent went all-in.

I saw her. It was ‘Eva.’

A woman with a captivating, slightly decadent beauty. A player who was having a meaningful conversation with someone in the room next to mine.

“Fold.”

“die.”

The rest of the players were all dead by then.

But it doesn’t matter.

I am a four card player.

Whether you are a pro or a sloppy player, if you have four of a kind, you have to push in all your chips.

I was about to do that too, but I stopped.

Community cards [♥ J], [♥ 9], [♥ 10]

The color is the same.

The pattern ♥ is also the same.

If the opponent has five consecutive numbers in the same pattern, such as [♥ 8], [♥ 7].

It’s a straight flush.

A four of a kind loses to a straight flush.

Of course, the probability of having a four of a kind and a straight flush appearing at the same time is extremely low.

But just now… …

The nursery rhyme that just happened to Eva

The little tremor that was shown when pushing all-in.

It was never ordinary.

A subtle excitement, as if this moment was the very moment, as if something had been ‘anticipated’.

“… … .”

I looked back at Eva in silence, my fingers clutching my card, staring intently into her face.

Eva maintained her composure without even seeing it.

“Okay.”

I smiled broadly and folded my cards.

“Fold. I’ll die.”

I gave up on four cards.