The fact that Algae's hole card was an A and not a T or some other high card was a rather unexpected situation for Lin Yu.

Because this meant... essentially, Algae didn't actually need to exchange cards—an A could be counted as either 1 or 11.

But why did Algae choose not to hit just now?

Lin Yu understood this point after a brief moment of thought.

Because the cards in Fern's hand were a 2 and a 7, while Algae's hand was an A and a 3—if you considered the four cards between the two of them as a whole, then the A and the 2 were interchangeable.

And...

The strategy the three of them pursued was absolutely to maximize the probability of *everyone* winning, not just "themselves" winning.

Therefore, Fern not hitting and Algae hitting was the completely optimal solution.

Because Algae's 3 couldn't be exchanged, so he was definitely going to hit.

This strategy most likely wasn't something Algae came up with on his own.

Although, from the result, it increased the possibility of everyone winning and perfectly utilized the "card exchange" mechanism proposed by Twenty.

But Lin Yu always felt this move had another fatal flaw.

Just like why Twenty would add the "card exchange" mechanism, which was clearly advantageous to the four of them.

Twenty's motive was also easy to explain. Lin Yu reasoned that for Twenty...

Rather than wanting to kill them in this game, he was more about "confirming."

Confirming what the suddenly appearing "dissociative identity" situation was.

This mechanism was more like testing the level of tacit understanding between them.

But precisely because Twenty's motive could be explained this way, the situation where Moss and Fern arranged the strategy like this seemed strange.

"This is like actively telling the other party, we're cheating."

If it were Lin Yu, he definitely had a better solution.

Right now, it was like Twenty set up a trap, and Fern and Moss just stepped right into it.

"However, this point isn't a big problem."

Lin Yu pondered and quickly decided to temporarily set this point aside.

After all, what he needed to do now was integrate himself among the three...

Since Fern and Moss were already smart enough, he'd just choose to trust them!

As if they really were a part of himself.

"Show your cards, friend."

Lin Yu knocked on the table and looked at Twenty.

Twenty also flipped over his hole card.

9, 4...

The final hole card was the Four of Diamonds.

He had 17 points.

"What a shame, I lost to all of you."

Twenty said with a half-smile.

Although he lost to four people in one go, he didn't seem to feel dejected.

This also matched Lin Yu's speculation: Twenty concocted this game, essentially as a kind of probe.

He didn't care about winning or losing—after all, he did the same thing last time!

Algae and Fern both seemed somewhat excited.

After all, everyone just needed to win one more round to leave the dream!

"Continue."

Algae said, crossing his arms.

Twenty naturally had no objections and began shuffling the cards again.

A new round of cards was dealt to everyone.

The cards Lin Yu got this round were a face-up 6 and a hole card 7.

This starting hand could be called downright awful—a 13-point hand, which was simply very awkward.

Hitting might bust, not hitting made it hard to win.

Most importantly, the value of this hole card 7 was very subtle.

Fortunately, they were cheating now, so Lin Yu wasn't too worried.

It's just that the number 6 didn't have a universal simplified short code, so Lin Yu had to honestly exhale five times this time.

The others were still looking at their cards, so Lin Yu pretended to have a slight headache and quickly completed the signal.

Then, he also successively received signals from the others.

Fern's face-up card was a 9, hole card was a 3—adding up to 12 points, also slightly awkward.

After all, it could also be 5 points.

Algae's cards were very good, a face-up Q, and the hole card was also a T-card. A double T-card opening, 20 points already placed him in a nearly natural unbeatable position.

Finally, Moss.

Moss had a face-up 2, and the hole card was... another A.

"Everyone's luck is good again this round," Lin Yu said thoughtfully. "It's just, if we exchange cards, how should we exchange..."

The dealer Twenty's face-up card was a 5.

If we still considered the highest probability of everyone winning as the thinking method, excluding himself, the remaining three actually had an optimal solution.

One movable A, one movable T could create an unbeatable 21-point hand for Algae plus a 19-point hand for Fern—then give Fern's hole card 3 to Moss, so Moss would have a safe two-card starting total of 5 points and could confidently continue to hit.

But if he included himself...

Lin Yu felt that his own hole card 7, no matter who it went to, would be a difficult-to-handle negative gain.

Fern and Algae were also clearly troubled by Lin Yu's card.

However—

Lin Yu had absolutely no worries at all.

Because he had already thought of the optimal operational move he could make.

Also the method to break the situation.

Twenty looked at Lin Yu: "Then, let's start hitting—do you want a hit?"

Lin Yu nodded with a smile.

"Of course."

A 4 was placed in front of Lin Yu. Now the total of his hand became an even more awkward 17 points.

On the surface, it was also 10 points now.

And at this moment, Lin Yu still spoke.

"I still want a hit."

Algae couldn't help but look at Lin Yu.

Although Algae was very restrained, Lin Yu knew what he was expressing.

Clearly, the best thing for Lin Yu to do now was to stop hitting.

Because although 17 points was awkward from an individual perspective, Lin Yu now had a better choice. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

That was to later take the A from Moss's hand during the hole card exchange.

Then he would have 21 points.

At the same time, the next player Fern could take Algae's hole card T-card, forming 19 points.

And Algae could try hitting, deciding whether to take the 2 or the 7 hole card later based on the size of the drawn card—if it was less than or equal to 4, he could take the 7 card, otherwise take the 2.

The worst result would be drawing another T-card, then Algae would have to take that A, but in turn he could give his own T-card to Lin Yu.

So... in summary, in Algae's view, it was best for "Grass" to stop hitting now.

For no reason, Algae remembered what Fern told him about Grass suddenly taking Moss away.

This guy called himself "special circumstances, special measures," was evaluated by Fern as radical... Now it seems, Fern's judgment of people was really accurate!

A new card was placed on the table, it was a...

Seven of Hearts.

Now the total points of the cards in Lin Yu's hand had reached 23—busted.

But this was actually good. Now Lin Yu's face-up cards only totaled 17.

As long as he exchanged his hole card for Fern's 2, he could even get 19 points!

With such an exchange strategy, Moss might end up hitting somewhat uncomfortably later...

Algae was thinking, and Fern beside him also prepared to speak.

Most importantly, the value of this hole card 7 was very subtle.

"Do you still want a hit?"

Lin Yu shook his head with a smile, then made a decision that left both Algae and Fern stunned.

"No more—because I busted."

He flipped over his hole card, announcing the fact that he had lost this round.