Chapter 37: The Marks
"Kyle, I really feel like... you're oversimplifying this."
Killua put his hand to his forehead, his silver hair spilling through his fingers. His cat-like blue eyes flickered with helplessness and worry. He was leaning against the wall of a dark Yorknew alley, the distant neon signs casting one-half of his face in shadow.
"Perception isn't everything in gambling," Killua said, his voice low and calm. "The rules, the psychology, the traps... every single hand could be an elaborate setup."
A crafty smile touched Kyle's lips, as if he already knew all the angles.
"Killua, risk and reward always go hand-in-hand. Aren't you even a little curious? Don't you want to feel what it's like to be a 'God of Gamblers'?"
His gaze lingered on Killua, a hint of a taunt in his eyes.
Killua looked at Kyle's provocative expression and felt his own resolve slipping. He couldn't suppress the impulse. Who wouldn't want to go all-in on a massive gamble? He was just terrified that once his competitive streak was lit, he'd become more obsessed than anyone.
Gon stood between them, his dark eyes shining in the dim alley. He looked from one to the other, then took a firm step to Kyle's side. "Kyle's right! How will we know if we don't try? Even if we lose, at least we did it. No regrets!"
Killua looked at his two energized, reckless friends and let out a deep sigh.
When he looked up again, a smile that embraced the risk had taken over his face. His cat-eyes glittered with both caution and excitement. "Fine, fine. I'll join this crazy plan. Just don't come crying to me when you lose!"
"Haha, that's the spirit!" Kyle nearly jumped with excitement. "Let's go! Time to conquer the casino!"
After asking around, they quickly found Yorknew's largest and most infamous underground casino: The Black Market Chip House.
It was, in the truest sense, a place that "recognized money, not people."
The entrance was hidden behind a run-down bar, through three secret doors and two security pat-downs. Age, identity—none of it mattered. As long as you had the cash to buy chips, it was a paradise and a hell with its doors wide open.
The walls were covered in antique paintings of centuries-old, feverish gambling scenes. A massive crystal chandelier bathed the grand hall in a light as bright as day. The air was thick with the smells of cigars, expensive perfume, and the sickeningly sweet odor of pure, unadulterated desire.
This was a place where legends of men losing billions in an hour and men winning billions in an hour lived side-by-side. It was a massive vortex, devouring dreams and fortunes, and it radiated a fatal attraction.
"It feels... intense," Gon whispered, unconsciously adjusting his jacket. His sharp intuition could already feel the waves of desperation and greed in the air.
Killua narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping the room. "Interesting. Security's tight. I count at least a hundred cameras in this hall alone."
Kyle didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on a distant roulette table, a faint light swirling deep in his dark eyes.
Just then, a beautiful young woman approached them. She looked about eighteen, dressed in a perfectly tailored black uniform that accentuated her figure. She had soft, chestnut-brown hair and large, expressive eyes.
"Good evening, young gentlemen," she said, her voice laced with a practiced, professional charm. "My name is Mia, and I'll be your hostess. How may I help you?"
Kyle studied her. Her smile was a little too perfect, the kind of expression trained through a thousand repetitions.
"Yeah, we need to buy chips," Killua answered bluntly, not giving her a second look. His focus was on the room's layout.
Mia looked at Killua's cool, almost dismissive attitude, but her own smile never wavered. "Right this way, please."
She turned, her heels clicking on the marble floor, and led them through the main hall.
"So this is a real underground casino..." Killua muttered, his heart starting to pound, though he'd never let it show. "Kyle, what's the plan?"
"Simple," Kyle said, pulling out his bank card. "We cash out all our Jenny, split the chips three ways, and it's every man for himself. Whoever has the most at the end, wins."
The hostess, Mia, overheard this and had to suppress a sigh. They're not even considering the possibility of losing. Must be some rich kids, first time here. They have no idea this place eats people alive.
"Kyle, I've never gambled before," Gon said, scratching his spiky hair, embarrassed. "Maybe I should just give you guys my share?" He wanted to try, but his math skills weren't exactly his strong suit.
"It's easy," Kyle waved it off. "Just watch us for a few rounds. You'll get the hang of it."
"Yeah, Gon," Killua said with a confident smirk, as if he'd just figured out Kyle's angle. "This is actually a great place to train."
"Train?" Gon was even more confused, his eyes wide.
Before Killua could explain, Mia's sweet voice cut in. "Here we are, gentlemen. The cashier's cage."
She gestured to a counter enclosed in bulletproof glass.
"How many chips would you like to exchange? I can handle the transaction for you."
Kyle and Gon both handed her their cards. "Everything," Kyle said. "Convert it all. PIN is six sixes."
His casual, utterly unworried tone, as if he were ordering a drink, actually made Mia pause. She took the cards, noticing that the boy's hand was perfectly steady.
"Oh," Kyle added, "and can you put them in three separate cases? Equal amounts in all three."
"Of course, sir."
Mia walked to the window. When the teller ran the cards, she could barely maintain her professional smile. The total was 460,000,000 Jenny.
They really are rich, she thought. And so young. What perfect, fatted marks.