Whispering Verse

"Mr. Hamilton's fourth Rhodes card from the founding series finally appears!"

Baron Lavender's face turned red with excitement, and he almost stood up to look at the cards in Shade's hand. Although he had seen this card in the Prophet Association a long time ago, his emotions were still uncontrollable:

"If the total points when this card is drawn exceeds 21, select one of the cards that has been used and exchange it with this card. The special effects of the selected card are invalid."

He told the effect of this card. Shade nodded and revealed the hole card:

"The hole card is Sun 2, so my first three cards are 18. Then, I swap the Sun 6 from the first round with the Flower 3 from the first round, and now it's 21."

"Wonderful!"

Baron Rwanda behind Baron Lavender clapped his hands and said, and the noisy voice had already conveyed the appearance of [Creation and Death] to the ears of almost everyone present. After Shade obtained [Origin·Death], of course he would not publish this card in the newspaper to show off to everyone, so this was the first time that this card officially appeared in people's eyes.

The [Original] series of Rhodes cards are the origin of all Rhodes cards in people's perception, and the meaning they represent is priceless in the eyes of Rhodes card players. The appearance of [Origin·Death] is even more important than the Rhodes Tournament in Lakeview Manor. Shade is very confident that by this time tomorrow, every Rhodes player in the city will probably know that he has another card from the [Original] series in his hand.

"I'm very lucky. I found this in an old book some time ago."

Shade explained softly, the noise completely suppressing his voice. In this lively atmosphere, Viscount Glenn's eyes widened and he looked at the cards in Shade's hand in surprise as if his eyeballs were flying out, but his expression quickly returned to normal:

"Mr. Hamilton, you are truly worthy of your reputation."

"What about your points?"

"My fourth card is the 3 of stars, and the last three cards are 16 points."

He arranged the three cards together and put his finger on his hole card.

"Have the cards been changed?"

Shade asked in his heart.

[Yes, when you pick up the impermanence of all things and death and show it to people. 】

Shade's expression remained unchanged, and then he looked at "Miss Werther". He just took a lot of trouble to draw [Origin·Death] just to create a brief moment of people's attention, so that Viscount Glenn, who cheated in the first game, would have time to cheat again.

He knew that the six-ring sorceress must have seen the opponent's tactics, and he was quite sure that with the character "Miss Pavo" showed on the rooftop on Saturday night, it was impossible not to do something.

It turned out that Shade guessed correctly. Before Viscount Glenn turned over the trump card, the sorceress tapped her fingers on the table a few times.

Invisible traces of thaumaturgy affected the table. Shade still kept smiling and said nothing, and then saw Viscount Glenn turning over his trump card:

"What a coincidence. I have 5 points, and the total is 21 points. Knight, although [Creation·Death] is amazing, we are tied."

He picked up the opened cards and placed them next to his face. Licking his lips that were dry due to nervousness, he said to Shade with a smile.

But Viscount Glenn was suddenly startled again. He looked at the trump card in his hand again, with an incredible expression on his face:

"Sun 5?!"

"Sun 5?"

Baron Lavender frowned:

"Are there two Sun 5s in the same deck of cards?"

Viscount Glenn had already drawn a Sun 5 in the first game.

The originally lively crowd also gradually lowered their voices. Cheating in the Rhodes poker game is a very serious matter. If it is really judged as cheating by the Prophet Association, it will be a small matter not to be allowed to participate in any official competitions for ten years. The most important thing is that the face and reputation will never be lost again.

"I'm not......"

Before the Viscount could argue, the card in his hand was snatched away by the referee, Mr. Justin from the Prophet Association. The latter found another "Sun 5" from the cards on the table that Viscount Glenn had already used, and asked in a stern tone:

"Viscount, you need to explain."

"No, not me!"

The middle-aged man slapped the table and stood up. He was not panicked, but showed an angry look:

"Who is it? Who is wronging me?"

The one he should have replaced was Moon 5.

Shade immediately smoothed things over:

"Viscount, don't be so excited. We also want to believe that you are not actively cheating."

Hearing the term "active cheating," Tifa continued to watch the scene while suppressing a smile.

"How about this, let me say something fair. We cannot wrong any upright gentleman. Gentlemen and ladies, please keep your voice down."

Shade raised his voice a little louder, and his status as "Big City Players Champion of 1853" was indeed very appealing. People also stopped discussing and looked at Shade who stood up:

"I heard that the only way to cheat is to hide replacement cards in the soles of shoes or hats. We might as well check whether Viscount Glenn has replacement Rhodes cards on his body."

"this is a good idea."

"Miss Werther", who is also a card player, immediately whispered, and the last person at the table, Baron Lavender, asked:

"Mr. Hamilton, what should be checked?"

"We're all decent people, so we don't have to check our shoes and hats."

Shade said, looking at Viscount Glenn standing in the light:

"Viscount, how about taking off your coat and handing it to me?"

Viscount Glenn's expression changed drastically:

"It's really degrading to play cards with you, yes, you are insulting me!"

He turned around to leave, but the crowd blocked his way, and Shade had already reached out and grabbed him:

"Viscount, where do you want to go?"

"My reputation has been insulted. It's okay not to participate in this kind of competition!"

As he spoke, he still wanted to break away, but Shade still pulled his sleeves and kindly persuaded him:

"If you leave now, your reputation is really insulted."

"Knight, I command you to let me go!"

The middle-aged man yelled loudly, trying to cover up the panic in his heart with his voice. He wanted to forcefully break away from Shade's hand, but he felt that the force holding him was stronger than a mountain.

"Viscount Glen, take off your coat and this matter will be settled."

Shade said again, and Baron Lavender stood up and tried to stop him. The onlookers all saw something was wrong at this time, and the human wall formed completely blocked the road Viscount Glenn left.

The middle-aged man was frightened and panicked. He tried to pry off Xia De's right hand with his free left hand, but couldn't do anything.

"oh!"

In desperation, Viscount Glenn suddenly punched Shade in the chest. Amid people's exclamations, Shade accurately grasped his fist with his left hand. As Shade turned his wrist, Viscount Glenn let out a startling cry:

"My wrist is about to break, let go."

"Have you forgotten, Viscount, that my main profession is detective? Do you think you are the first person to cheat at cards in front of me?"

Shade said somewhat seriously, Viscount Glenn gasped and looked at him in horror. The onlookers did not feel that what Shade did was wrong. Although this was a civilized era, Shade still won applause for his neat skills in self-defense.

Shade continued to ask:

"Viscount, guess what I saw when I was hanging out in underground casinos, how the people there dealt with the guys who cheated at cards?"

Viscount Glenn seemed to squeeze out a scream from his throat:

"Don't cut off my fingers!"

Shade didn't know where Viscount Glenn heard this statement. He shook his head and released Viscount Glenn's fist and hand. The Viscount wanted to slip back, but the human wall still blocked his way.

Shade took off his coat and threw it to Tifa, then hooked his hand to Viscount Glenn:

"Everyone sees that you want to attack me. How about this, I also punch you, and then you can leave? According to the regulations, the cheater's deck must be handed over to his opponent. As long as you agree, I You don’t have to have your special card.”

"I have no opinion!"

Baron Lavender said.

"I don't have any objection either."

"Miss Werther" also said.

Viscount Glenn forced himself to calm down:

"I wouldn't do such a barbaric thing."

There were boos all around, and people consciously stepped back to make way for the two of them under the grape trellis. While playing Rhodes is fun, it's equally fun to watch two men boxing under a grape trellis.

"Glenn, you have already lost your honor once, don't lose it a second time!"

Some people even shouted, but the Viscount refused verbally, but he was obviously reluctant to part with his deck. He raised his arms and made a very professional blocking posture, which he had obviously practiced.

"Please pay attention."

Shade reminded, stepping forward with both feet. Viscount Glenn also hunched his neck and moved his body, his leather shoes tapping on the ground to create a rhythm.

Both of them are quite well-proportioned. Although Viscount Glenn is older, his figure does not look old at all, but has the vitality of a mature man.

Under the grape trellis, the two circled each other in a half circle in the light of the gas lamp. As Shade suddenly stretched his head forward, Viscount Glenn immediately swung his right fist towards his chest.

Shade was waiting for this opportunity. He blocked with his left arm and took advantage of the gap in the opponent's defense to punch out. His right fist hit Viscount Glenn's left eye firmly and hard. Of course, he held back his strength.

"oh!"

Viscount Glenn staggered and fell backwards, but fortunately he was supported by someone so he didn't really fall. He yelled and covered his left eye. After taking his hand away, there was an obvious dark circle there.

"Viscount, you can find some ice cubes for cold compress."

Xia De reminded kindly, and people finally gave way. Viscount Glenn's face turned red and he walked away through the gap without saying a word. It was obvious that he would not appear again tonight.

He didn't even collect his own deck, so a gentleman who was familiar with Viscount Glenn helped him put the deck away.

"What do you think now?"

When the noise ended, Shade smiled and took his coat from Tifa and sat down again. He moved his wrist and asked the referee. Mr. Justin shrugged:

"I will report Viscount Glenn's matter to the association. As for the card game, he is automatically out. Miss Witte, Baron Lavender, please show your points in the second game."

Miss Witte is still at 20 points, and Baron Lavender is at 17 points. But people no longer pay attention to the card game itself. Someone openly cheated under the referees of the Prophet Association, and even beat people after being exposed. This is already big news. And Shade Hamilton's victory in boxing was even more surprising than winning cards.

It was common for Xia De to win cards, but a fist fight between two men at a noble banquet was something that happened only a few times a year.

Although violence is wrong, it is indeed an attractive topic. In order to prove himself, Shade will do a lot of things tonight that he was too lazy to do before. After all, for the sake of divinity, it is all worth it.

He glanced at "Miss Werther" quietly. He had just clashed with the Baron in order to tell the other party that he and the Baron were opponents of the same level, so that the sorceress would not doubt him. Including showing off one's own strength, this is truly a killing two birds with one stone.

[Sande, don’t you really want to punish that guy who cheated? 】

"She" really understands Shade.

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