"You really have found some good friends, Malys… " Victor watched Li Feng, who was winning big in the crystal ball (surveillance), gritting his teeth.
How do casinos make money? Casinos make money in various ways, with their Core mechanism primarily relying on mathematical probability advantages (commonly known as "house edge"), as well as some operational strategies.
Each game has well-designed rules to ensure the casino maintains a certain probability advantage in the long run. For example:
Roulette: The house edge for European roulette is about 2.7%, while American roulette (with a double zero) reaches 5.26%.
Slot Machines: A small portion of each bet is "extracted" by the casino; generally, machines return about 85%-95% of the funds to players (payout rate), with the remaining portion becoming profit.
Card Games: For example, Blackjack, even if players use the best strategy, the house still has a slight advantage.
Although individual players might win large prizes, on the statistical basis of a large number of players and time, the casino will always profit. This is because the house edge will manifest in long-term play.
While individual players might win big, the casino is almost always the winner in the long run. This is why there's an old saying that mocks foolish people:
"Looking at him, he'd lose money even running a casino."
However, Li Feng is now winning every bet below, and he's earning money from whoever has it… So, who has the most money in the casino? Of course, it's the casino itself.
Malys picked up the bitter tea, took a small sip, her expression unperturbed, as if Victor's gnashing teeth and malice didn't exist at all.
She placed the teacup back on the table, her gaze still fixed on the crystal ball, which showed Li Feng smilingly pushing a pile of spirit stone chips towards the dealer.
"Victor, calm down." Malys's tone was flat, but carried a hint of an ambiguous smile, "You're right, he really is an… interesting friend."
Victor slammed his scepter heavily on the ground, the sound echoing in the VIP room:
"He's not a 'friend,' he's trouble! The gambling table is our territory, and now he's robbing us of our money on our own turf! Malys, you know how casinos make money? They rely on losers!"
He pointed at the crystal ball, almost clenching his knuckles white:
"But this guy… he's not a loser, he's a winner! He's winning big, and then he'll win all our money! You should know! You also have shares in this casino, so he's winning your money too!"
Malys chuckled softly, casually fiddling with the desserts on the table. The exquisite pastries were almost sickeningly sweet, but she bit off a small piece, savoring it unhurriedly:
"Victor, you're always so impatient. While I am a shareholder, you are the one in charge. If any problems arise, you're the one who has to 'fill the hole,' not me."
"Do you think your little trick will succeed?" Victor sneered, then walked up to Malys, who was savoring a cake from a small plate, and slapped the plate out of her hand, shattering it on the floor.
"Do you think! By letting a monkey cause trouble in my casino, you can drive me to ruin?!"
Malys did not get angry at Victor's outburst; instead, she leaned back slightly into the soft, wide sofa. This was the effect she wanted. From her transaction with the Laughing God, she had about 70% understanding of Li Feng's background.
No matter how one interprets Li Feng—whether as a "friend of the emperor," an "Imperial Prince," an "omnissiah," or an "Outer God"—one word is inseparable from him: "God."
Malys had her own ambitions, and they were quite inflated, which is why Victor abandoned Malys, this beautiful Aeldari woman.
She was a true "femme fatale," and what she truly wanted to do now was to pull her incessantly clamoring "ex-husband" from his position as the power broker of Commorragh.
"My dear Asdrubael, darling. If you feel angry, you can go down and confront him yourself, instead of being angry with me here. You've been 'King' in this city for too long; you've lost touch with everything outside. If you can't handle it anymore, I still hope you can retire and let someone who can truly lead Commorragh take over."
Victor now understood Malys's meaning; she had been waiting for him here. He straightened up, his previous furious demeanor once again becoming elegant.
"Oh, my Aurelia, my darling. If that is your goal, I can only say you're still thinking too optimistically. Don't forget… I am the Archon."
Malys chuckled softly, slowly stood up, and looked down into Victor's eyes, a meaningful smile playing on her lips:
"Of course, you are the Archon, Asdrubael. No one can deny that, but don't forget. The ruler of a city is not solely determined by a scepter and a throne."
She raised her hand and pointed to Victor's crystal ball, which still showed Li Feng pushing chips wave after wave towards the casino dealers, along with the complex expressions of the casino staff, subtly revealing a hint of recognition and fear.
"And now, your so-called 'territory' is having its situation controlled by him. Don't you find it laughable?"
Victor scoffed, resuming his elegant Archon-like posture, as if all his previous anger had merely been an act.
He turned and walked to the VIP room's holographic control panel, his finger swiping lightly across the panel to bring up a panoramic view of the casino surveillance, his gaze falling on Li Feng and his companions at the gambling table.
However, Victor noticed that one of Li Feng's red-skinned Ogryn companions seemed to have been placed in a "children's daycare" by Li Feng and the winged Greater Daemon, and the red-skinned Ogryn was watching Aeldari children's fairy tales with a look of utter despair.
"You're right, Malys. He is indeed a threat… but no mon-keigh, no matter how powerful, can run rampant in Commorragh. After all, this is our home turf."
Malys's lips curled into a cold smile: "Home turf? Asdrubael, don't overestimate yourself. Your 'home turf' has long become a sandcastle that could collapse at any moment. And that mon-keigh…"
She paused, a rare serious expression on her face, "He's no ordinary gambler. He's a 'game-changer.'"
Victor gave her a cold glance: "A game-changer? So what? Even the most skilled chess player is ultimately just a pawn."
No sooner had he spoken than the VIP room door suddenly burst open, and a subordinate dressed in typical Drukhari / Dark Aeldari attire rushed in, his expression panicked.
"Lord Archon, it's bad! That mon-keigh won again! He has already exchanged… exchanged three times the amount of spirit stones as before!"
Victor's brow twitched sharply. He suppressed the anger in his heart, waved his subordinate away, then turned to Malys, his voice low:
"You'd better pray this 'game-changer' doesn't drain my casino dry, otherwise…"
Malys gently raised her hand, interrupting him:
"Otherwise what? Asdrubael, with all due respect, if you can't even deal with a 'game-changer,' do you truly believe you are still fit to be the 'King' of this city?"
Victor's face suddenly darkened. He knew Malys was provoking him, but he had to admit she had a point. If things continued like this, he would not only lose control of the casino but possibly his authority in Commorragh.
"Very well, since you think so highly of this mon-keigh, I shall see what he is truly capable of."
Victor sneered, turned, and strode out of the VIP room, leaving Malys standing alone in the room. She watched Victor's retreating back, a complex light flashing in her eyes.
"Li Feng, I hope you won't disappoint me…" she murmured softly, then turned and sat back on the sofa, elegantly picking up the now-cold tea, as if everything that was about to unfold was merely a play unrelated to her.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right nobut who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/TripleCrown
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"