"Seb, the money is in!" Zane shouted excitedly. "Oh, you're very lucky, Mr. Ballard. You earned 30 million as soon as you tried." Gunther was still smiling, but he looked very pained.As soon as the money was transferred, Hunter had also received a text. 30 million! It wasn't a small amount at all. Hunter had come to Sunway, Sartvale without his family's knowledge so that he could get things started with his business.Although he had some money, he only had around 200 million or so. The club was making money, but the investment required to start it up had also been huge. He only had less than 200 million left in his account!In the blink of an eye, 30 million had been taken by someone else. He felt as if his heart was bleeding. "Call Gunther back!" Hunter yelled angrily. He pushed the young model aside and grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist. "I've always been lucky," Sebastian said as he walked off the cement podium. He picked up a glass of water and took a sip. "M
Gareth was renowned in all six of the southeast states as a gemstone gambler, and he rarely met anyone who was a match for him. Many jewelry companies in the country hired him as a consultant. However, he had made too many enemies in the gemstone betting industry, so he no longer dared to show his face. After that, Gunther had introduced him to Hunter. Gareth was delighted to meet an ally as powerful as Hunter was, and the two of them had hit it off at once. Gemstone betting was about luck and experience. Both the players and the house itself were gambling. That was because no one could see what it was like inside a geode. Even suppliers didn't know which batch of stock would produce a full emerald and which batch were mere stones. That was why the Glam Club had come up with an even more thrilling way to bet on gemstones. They had to earn back the huge amounts of money that players sometimes won. The way they did it was to have one person representing the club bet on gemsto
Compared to Rose, the women that Gareth had toyed with in the past were all ugly country bumpkins who didn't even deserve a mention. That was why he was willing to lose tens of millions just to have a taste of her. "Alright!" Hunter gritted his teeth and said, "However, I get to have her for the first week." Hunter rubbed his palms together, his eyes alight with desire as he stared at the screen. "No! One day each!" Gareth negotiated shamelessly. They were acting as if Rose was already theirs. Beside them, Gunther felt his temper flaring. He should have been the one sharing with Hunter, but now that old man Gareth had popped up out of nowhere. He was almost 60! How could he be dominating women all day? Wasn't he afraid of dropping dead?Hunter clenched his teeth and said, "Deal! However, I get to have her on the first day."Gareth was dissatisfied, but when he saw the menacing look in Hunter's eyes, he backed down. "Make the arrangements, Gunther." Hunter waved a hand a
When Gunther saw that Sebastian had taken the bait, he was delighted. He immediately smiled ingratiatingly and said, "It's very simple. You need to win three out of five, so even if you get a full emerald while the other four are duds, you would still lose."Gunther paused for a moment and continued, "That means that what you'll have to pay is the total amount that the two of you bet multiplied by three." "What if I win?" Sebastian asked, smiling. "Of course, your winnings will be calculated in the same way. We don't cheat," Gunther smiled. "Let's start then. What are you waiting for?" Sebastian urged eagerly. He had come to make Hunter lose his money, after all. The 30 million he had just won was just an appetizer. The true show had yet to begin. Sebastian had been wondering how to win money faster, but Gunther had just delivered himself up on a platter. How could Sebastian give up such a great opportunity?"Alright! Mr. Ballard is as forthright as expected!" Gunther's exp
"I'm betting on Mr. Yadden!""Same here!""I bet that Sebastian will win!"Zane's brow was tightly furrowed as he weighed his bank card in his hand. He was hesitant. "What are you thinking about? Even if you don't place a bet, that bit of money won't be enough to pay for the entire thing." Gavin pushed Zane gently. Zane looked back at Gavin and said, "At least there's still 30 million! If I place the bet and lose it too, we won't be able to get out of here.""Trust him. You won't be mistaken." Rose looked firmly at Zane as she spoke. "Alright. Either we get rich overnight, or—""Shut up and don't jinx it!" Gavin said as he snatched the card away from Zane. He slammed it down on Sebastian's table and said, "I bet 30 million that Mr. Ballard will win!" "Wow! Things are getting insane today! People are betting in tens of millions!""There's going to be a good show tonight!" "Where did this Ballard spring from?""Who cares about that? Do you think he'll be a match for Gare
Hunter grabbed a teacup and smashed it into pieces. He pointed at Gareth on the screen and yelled, "You useless loser!" "Mr. Ballard will go first for the next round," Gunther said, looking very grim. Sebastian chuckled and pointed at a geode, which was about a foot in diameter. "I'll go with this one." The staff member didn't dare to dismiss Sebastian again. He looked serious as he carried the geode over to the geode slicer. Once it was open, it was revealed to be a half-emerald!Gareth broke out into a cold sweat. A half-emerald! If the geode he chose wasn't as good as Sebastian's, he would have lost twice in a row. That would make the third round the most critical round for him. At that thought, Gareth stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. He looked serious as he walked thrice around the geodes. "Things aren't looking good for Mr. Yadden.""That's right. If he loses this round, the next round will be hard.""This young man is really something else." Only t
If the news spread, he would bring embarrassment to the Sloane family's name!The status of his own family was declining rapidly as it was. If he embarrassed them any further, they would be one step closer to getting kicked out. "Call Ivan Galledin at once and tell him to send someone over to stop an illegal gambling operation!" Hunter suddenly thought of the perfect plan.If the state police department sent someone to arrest them, it would solve his problem without embarrassing the Sloane family's name. It would also get Sebastian arrested. If so, Hunter would be able to do as he pleased with him. "Good idea!" Gunther immediately said flatteringly, "You're so much smarter than us, Mr. Sloane. Why didn't I think of such a good plan?"Hunter spat at him and said angrily, "There's no thought in that dumb brain of yours because all you think about are women's hips!""Yes, yes! I'll call Ivan at once!" Gunther said. He pulled out his phone and called the newly instated chief of
About ten minutes later, Gareth and Gunther walked onto the gemstone betting podium one after the other. They both looked calm and confident."Mr. Ballard, it's your turn to go first," Gunther said to him, smiling. "I'll pick that one," Sebastian said, pointing to a mid-sized geode. Sebastian got another full emerald, while Gareth got nothing. There was not a speck of green to be seen in the entire geode."You win, young man! Congratulations!" Gareth stood up, chuckling. He looked in the direction of the entrance.Gunther laughed menacingly and got up. He clasped his hands behind his back, as if he was waiting for something. Minutes and seconds ticked by. However, instead of Ivan, a team of young men in suits and buzzcuts appeared. The man in the lead was a young soldier in uniform with a star on his shoulder!The young soldier hurried over to Gavin and saluted him. "Captain Horner, we have successfully completed our mission." Gavin nodded slightly at the soldier and then
As the man in the black robe yelled, the entire hall fell silent at once. The thin old man threw the black-robed old man a disgruntled look, but he returned obediently to his seat.Once the noise had died down, Preston stepped forward and swept an icy gaze over the crowd who were present. "You call yourself the elders of the family?"The monument of our ancestral dragon is right in front of you. How could you bully two young members of the family in front of it? Don't you feel any shame?"Besides, how dare you speak before Arnaud does?"After the harsh scolding they received from Preston, no one in the crowd dared to protest. Sebastian nodded involuntarily. It appeared that Preston did have influence in the Ballard family. At least no one had interrupted his scolding, including Arnaud and the man in the black robe.Preston huffed angrily and bowed to Arnaud, who sat in the middle. "Arnaud, I've brought Samson and Sebastian!"Preston went over to the chair next to the black-robe
"Sebastian, I won't be going in. Remember, don't say anything without being spoken to, and don't be impulsive!" Andreas said softly in Sebastian's ear when they reached the door to the hall. He then walked over to the crowd, which was packed on both sides of the hall.Samson and Preston walked into the hall without any change in expression. Sebastian hesitated for a moment before hurrying to catch up.When they reached the entrance, the two old men reached out to stop them and said to Preston, who was in the lead, "Preston, I'm afraid that it wouldn't be a good idea for you to go in. Everyone knows that you're biased toward Samson's family. If you get into an argument with Arnaud, then—""Nonsense!" Preston yelled furiously. He spoke in a menacing tone to the two old men. "Don't try those tricks with me. Today, I'm going to be the voice of reason. Who among you can do anything to me?"With that, he pushed them aside and strode into the hall.The two old men gazed after his ret
The Ballard Estate's resources were unfathomable as it was. Could Isabella's family be even more powerful than theirs?Sebastian clearly remembered that both he and Samson were under the Sacred Medicine Society. They even had the same mentor.The Sacred Medicine Society was above all the other mystic martial arts sects. Even the sect leaders of the Nine Sects were very respectful toward his mentor.If Samson really was from the same sect as Sebastian, then his mentor had clearly been unable to save him. Wouldn't that mean that the Sacred Medicine Society was no match for the Ballards?Wouldn't that mean that Isabella's family was an even greater entity?"If my mother's family is really that powerful, why couldn't they rescue my father? There would also be no reason to let me join the Sacred Medicine Society either, right?" Sebastian asked probingly. It seemed as if Andreas had never even thought about such questions. He smiled and shook his head. "You probably don't know about a
As they stepped out of the courtyard gate, Samson suddenly turned and lowered his voice as he said to Sebastian, "I didn't treat you and your mother well. Please don't hold it against me."Sebastian felt even more conflicted. After everything he had been through, he knew very well that there were times when one really had no choice. When Samson saw that Sebastian was looking at him with a conflicted expression, he patted him on the shoulder and gave him a warm smile. Then he took a token from Preston and walked out of the yard.They followed Preston as he walked toward the east, where there was a majestic-looking building."Why are you helping me?" Sebastian suddenly turned and asked Andreas in a low voice. Andreas glanced at him and gave him a long, cryptic smile. "Do you think I'm helping you? I'm helping myself while doing so!""Oh?" Sebastian looked at Andreas in confusion, his brow knitted. Even Rexton had mentioned that Andreas was in Arnaud's favor. Why would he need t
When Rexton and the others had gone, Preston turned to look at Samson and said irritatedly, "You little rascal. Would I ever hurt you?"Besides, you've been here in isolation for ten years. Why hasn't your temper changed at all? Couldn't you show me some respect in front of all those people?"Samson glanced at Preston but didn't answer.Preston huffed and ignored him. He turned and looked Sebastian up and down instead."Hey, kiddo. Over ten years have passed in just the blink of an eye. You've probably forgotten me. I even gave you candy back then! Come over here and call me Great Uncle Preston!"Sebastian looked at him in surprise. It was true that he didn't have much of an impression of what had happened over ten years ago. However, he could tell from what Preston had said and done that his attitude toward Sebastian's family was completely different from Rexton and the others.Beside Sebastian, Andreas kept shooting him meaningful looks. Sebastian finally smiled and said, "Hell
Although the old man looked as if he was over 60 years old, his expression was sharp and lively, and his skin was smooth as a baby's. It gave him a youthful air.Even the severely injured apprentices all scrambled up from the ground when they saw him. They hastily bowed and said, "Greetings, Great Uncle Preston!"Even Rexton had no choice but to suppress his anger. He bowed sullenly to the old man and said, "Greetings, Uncle Preston."Preston Ballard glanced at Rexton and turned to shout angrily at the apprentices, "If I hadn't come, were you planning to tear the Ballard Estate apart? Look at all of you! Get out of here right now!"Despite the scolding they had been subjected to, none of them dared to protest. They all lowered their heads and slunk out of the yard. Preston glared angrily at them as they went and snorted. "What an embarrassment to the family!"Then he smiled slightly and looked at Samson and Sebastian as he asked, "Samson, do you have anything to say?"Samson lo
Rexton's pupils constricted, and the muscles in his face twitched. He stared at Samson with a wary look in his eyes. He and Samson were two minor stages apart. It was no laughing matter. If the two of them began to fight, Rexton would be sure to die if he didn't have any external assistance."What's the matter? Are you scared?" Samson sneered as he asked in a cold, accusatory tone. That flipped a switch in Rexton's head. His expression changed instantly, and he turned a fierce look on Samson. "Afraid?" he asked through gritted teeth.As he spoke, Rexton seemed to make up his mind. He slowly reached into his pocket and took out a pale blue paper charm, which looked thicker than usual.The paper charm was oppressive to look at. Sebastian instinctively sensed a threatening energy approaching!Even Samson looked wary when he saw the paper charm."Uncle Rexton, this is a Soulcrush Charm. Great Uncle Arnaud has clearly said that no one in the Ballard Estate is allowed to use spiri
Sebastian immediately felt the pressure around him drop. The feeling of being pinned down disappeared as well."How dare you—"Before Rexton could finish, a shadow flashed past him, and Samson popped up right in front of him.Samson stuck out his finger as if it were a sword and tapped him on the chest. Although Samson hadn't used any strength, Rexton could see the murderous look in his eyes. There was a dot of scarlet light that swirled around Samson's finger. A crimson rune was gradually appearing, and there was a chilling, murderous sensation in the air. Sebastian gasped. He had finally realized how the mystic spells should be used, and he was in awe. It wasn't that Sebastian was unable to do it. It was just that up until then, he had only seen the mystic sect apprentices of the secular world. Perhaps their understanding of how to use mystic spells was too superficial, which was why Sebastian's perception had also been affected.Realization only dawned on him when he saw
At Rexton's roar of fury, everyone turned to look at Samson, who was still standing there quietly without moving."A traitor? Murder?"There was finally a flicker of emotion on Samson's face. A sudden glimmer of light flared in his eyes, which had been devoid of life for a long time."Rexton, you know very well how your father died!"As Samson spoke, he walked toward Rexton with a steady step as he said, "I admit that I've wronged Sebastian and his mother. I was just too soft-hearted back then. That's why I believed your lies and tried to keep the big picture in mind for the Ballards, but look at how you've treated me!"There was suddenly a cold glint in Samson's eyes, and he said in a thunderous tone, "You set up a series of traps and tried to kill and torture my wife and son!"You pursued them until the ends of the earth! If my mentor hadn't rescued Sebastian, do you think he'd still be alive today?"Did you just accuse me of murder? Did you ever think of the fact that we're f