Chapter 193: Casino Incident
Just as he reached the entrance of the casino, two bodyguards in black suits immediately blocked Zhao Dong's path. "Sir, excuse us. We need to search you."
Zhao Dong's dark eyes narrowed. He glanced at the two men and raised his arms, allowing them to pat him down. After a thorough check, their eyes fell on Shen Zhuxin, who was standing behind him.
Instantly, a lustful fire ignited in their eyes. She's gorgeous! Her perfect, delicate features, combined with her pure aura, made it difficult for any man to look away.
Shen Zhuxin pressed her lips together tightly, her pretty face etched with undeniable nervousness. Looking at Zhao Dong, her expression was a clear plea for help. She really didn't want these men to take advantage of her.
Just as the two were about to lay their hands on her, Zhao Dong's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. "Keep your hands to yourselves. If you dare touch her inappropriately, I guarantee I'll cripple your hands right now."
His voice was so piercingly cold that it jolted them to their core. They shot Zhao Dong a strange look but ultimately didn't dare to make a move.
"Alright, go on in," one of them grumbled, clearly displeased.
Shen Zhuxin gave Zhao Dong a grateful look and followed him into the lavishly extravagant casino. Once inside, she was completely stunned.
The casino was immense, at least the size of a soccer field, and the air was thick with smoke. The pungent stench of sweat, feet, and cigarettes filled her nostrils, and a visible haze hung in the air. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling. Below, a dense and extremely noisy crowd churned, with shouts, furious roars, and curses echoing from all directions. Every gambler wore a savage, crazed expression, clutching their chips as if they were a poison that had driven them mad.
They pushed through the crowd, following the group of men from before down a long corridor and into an inner room. The room was about the size of a basketball court, with a few card tables and some smaller slot machines arranged around the perimeter. The atmosphere in here was a vast improvement over the main floor; at least the deafening noise was gone.
A man in a black suit with slicked-back, greasy hair stood by a pool table, holding a cue. He looked up as Zhao Dong's party approached, his expression calm to the point of indifference. The burly men who had led them here, however, looked at this greasy-faced man with the utmost respect.
"Brother Nine," one of the brutes said in a low voice, "we brought her. This is Shen Weiping's daughter, Shen Zhuxin."
PLOP!
The black ball dropped into a pocket, clearing the table. The greasy-faced man tossed his cue aside, and a subordinate deftly caught it. The underling then quickly pulled out a cigarette, respectfully handed it to the man, and lit it for him.
The man took a deep, satisfying drag before pulling out a chair, sitting down, and letting his gaze sweep over them. Zhao Dong looked back at him and felt a wave of nausea. The man was actually wearing makeup; the powder on his face was obvious, and his uneven skin tone looked bizarre. His lipsticked lips, in particular, were profoundly unnatural and enough to make one's skin crawl.
Shen Zhuxin's reaction was even stronger than Zhao Dong's. She couldn't help but clench the hem of her skirt, her body trembling slightly, her face as pale as a sheet. Still, her father's fate was on the line. After a moment's hesitation, she braced herself and asked in a wavering voice, "Excuse me... where is my dad now?"
The man let out a sudden, sharp laugh that sounded like the cackle of some animal, utterly unsettling. He spoke in a high-pitched voice, "You want to see your dad? Do you have any idea how much money he owes us?"
The color drained from Shen Zhuxin's beautiful face. She clenched her fists and challenged, "I don't believe my father would owe that much money! This must be a setup!"
A disturbing smile spread across the greasy-faced man's face. "It doesn't matter if it's a setup or not. And so what if it is? All it proves is that your father is too greedy. He has absolutely no skill, yet he runs around thinking he can strike it rich gambling. If he doesn't owe money, who does?"
"I... I can't come up with that much money," Shen Zhuxin said, her voice trembling.
The man looked her up and down, a lustful glint in his eyes. "Oh, but you can pay it back. As long as you're willing."
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice shaking.
The man snapped his fingers. Two of his subordinates immediately came forward, carrying a small safe. They placed it on the table in front of Shen Zhuxin and opened it.
She stared, dumbfounded. Inside were neat stacks of cash.
"There's five hundred thousand in here," the man said, his voice laced with a hypnotic quality that made her pupils contract. "Do what we say, and the 1.7 million your father owes us will be wiped clean. This five hundred thousand is just some extra spending money for you. How about it?"
The impact of seeing piles of real, hard cash was unlike anything else in the world.
Shen Zhuxin bit her lip. "What... what do you want me to do?"
The man smiled faintly. "It's simple. Our casino deals with all sorts of high-profile bosses every day. Your only job is to join our public relations team and entertain our guests. Your duties will include, but are not limited to, sleeping with them."
Shen Zhuxin froze, then stared at him in disbelief. "You... you want me to... sleep with people?"
"What else?" he retorted. "What else of value do you possibly have to offer?"
"You... you bastards!" Shen Zhuxin's eyes blazed with fury, and her whole body trembled with rage. It suddenly hit her that this was all a trap. I'm the target!
Beside her, Zhao Dong narrowed his eyes but remained silent. He had wanted to see how she would react, and her response was reassuring. He stroked his chin, then stepped forward. "I'll pay you the 1.7 million that's owed," he said calmly. "Now let them go."
The man started, his gaze falling on Zhao Dong. He frowned. "And who are you?"
"A friend of Shen Zhuxin's."
"A friend?" the man sneered, his voice turning sinister. "You have no right to speak here. Shut your mouth! Say one more word, and I'll cut your tongue out."
Just as Zhao Dong was about to reply, Shen Zhuxin reached out and placed her slender fingers on his lips. He paused. She had already turned back to the man, her voice hoarse and choked with emotion. "I... I want to see my dad first. Where is he?"
The man snapped his fingers again, and Shen Weiping was dragged out by several thugs. He was covered in bruises and his face was swollen, a miserable sight to behold. He barely managed to open his eyes, but when he saw Shen Zhuxin, they flew wide. "Daughter! You're here!"
Shen Zhuxin felt a wave of relief seeing that while her father was injured, he was not in critical condition. But her relief quickly turned to anger. "Shen Weiping, are you insane? How many times have I told you not to gamble? Why won't you ever listen!"
An embarrassed and awkward look crossed Shen Weiping's face. "Daughter, I was just trying to get rich!"
"Shame on you! You have no ability, yet you spend your days dreaming of getting rich. Can't you just get a proper job?" How did I end up with a father like this? The thought made her stomach churn.
Suddenly, the greasy-faced man sneered and kicked Shen Weiping in the face. Shen Weiping cried out in pain, falling to the ground and staring fearfully at Master Nine.
Master Nine spoke nonchalantly. "Shen Zhuxin, think carefully about your next move. I've already shown you a clear path. If you don't agree, we'll just have to chop off your dad's two hands!"
"I said I'd pay you back! I'll mortgage the house if I have to! What's the rush?" Shen Zhuxin cried, her face terrifyingly pale.
Master Nine shook his head. "Now, I've changed my mind. I don't want the money anymore. I want *you* to stay here. If you don't agree, I'll chop off your father's hands today."
"You... you animals!" Shen Zhuxin was on the verge of tears.
"Zhuxin," Shen Weiping pleaded fearfully, "what did they make you agree to? You have to save me, Dad! I don't want to lose my hands!"
With tears streaming down her face, Shen Zhuxin answered, "They want me to sleep with their clients!"
"What?" Shen Weiping's mouth twitched. Then, his expression shifted to one of surprise. "You can make over a million just by sleeping with people?"
Shen Zhuxin's body went rigid. She stared blankly at her father. "Dad... what are you trying to say?"
"N-nothing," Shen Weiping stammered awkwardly. "Daughter, you have to think of something! You can't just leave your dad here!"
"I don't have a choice!" she sobbed. "They want me to sleep with people! What do you want me to do?"
Shen Weiping sighed and turned to Master Nine. "Master Nine, can we find another way? My daughter is so beautiful, and she's still a virgin!"
"I only want her *because* she's a virgin," Master Nine replied coldly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be interested."
Shen Weiping fell silent. He looked at Shen Zhuxin, his eyes darting back and forth as he weighed his options.
Shaking his head, Zhao Dong finally decided he had seen enough. He flicked away his cigarette butt and spoke with cold indifference, "Don't push your luck. I'll have the money sent over shortly. Let them go now, and don't force me to get rough."
Master Nine's gaze turned icy, stabbing at Zhao Dong. "I hear you drive a Bentley. You think a little money lets you throw your weight around in my territory? Let me be perfectly clear. I could have you chopped into mincemeat right here, and no one would ever dare to investigate."
Zhao Dong stroked his chin, feigning surprise. "Oh? Sounds like you have some powerful backers."
Master Nine scoffed. "Far more powerful than you can imagine."
"Is that so? Then I'd really like to see for myself."
Master Nine's eyes grew steadily colder. He gave Zhao Dong a dark look and slowly snapped his fingers. The doors to the inner room swung open, and a line of hulking figures, each radiating a menacing aura, filed in. Within seconds, Zhao Dong was completely surrounded, with more than a dozen guns aimed at his head.
The air in the room grew thick and still, heavy with the smell of gunpowder.
Squinting, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, Master Nine looked at Zhao Dong with mockery and contempt. "An ant like you trying to act tough in here? Just die," he said flatly. He waved his hand. "Kill him!"
The men chambered their rounds, their fingers tightening on the triggers.
Suddenly, Shen Zhuxin trembled violently and dropped to her knees with a thud. "Master Nine, don't!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I'll do it! I agree! Just let him go! Let both him and my dad go!"
A shock went through Zhao Dong. "Zhuxin, get up! What are you doing?"