Building The Perfect Harem With My Heavenly Desire System-Chapter 9: A Tempting Offer
Chapter 9
Alex stopped in front of the medium casino, which was situated between a bar and a run down electronics store. He watched as people walked in and out of the building, yet not a single one of them looked proud to be there.
Alex stared at the entrance for a long moment before muttering under his breath, "...I really came to a place like this."
His jaw tightened. In his past life, he had always looked down on people who wasted their money gambling instead of working hard. Now the irony of it was that he was now going to become one of those people.
Just then, a middle-aged man with bloodshot eyes stumbled out through the door. His clothes were wrinkled and his footsteps were unsteady. He opened his wallet and froze when he saw it was empty. After a second, the man forced out a weak laugh. "...I’ll win it back tomorrow. Yeah I’ll win it back tomorrow."
After saying that the man looked sideways cautiously, then scurried off.
Alex’s hand slowly clenched at his side.
"...That’s pathetic."
Without any hesitation he turned away from the casino. It was not worth it.
The chibi tilted her head.
[Sure let’s go]
[Afterall it isn’t me that’s going to wake up broke tomorrow, then next week still broke, then a month later... angry at the world]
Alex froze, then his expression slowly hardened. The chibi’s word served as a wakeup call, if he refused to take this step now, then how was he any different from the weak version of himself that he had grown to despised from his past life? Refusing to be weak he turned back and pushed the casino doors open.
As Alex entered inside, the smell of cigarettes smoke mixed with cheap cologne and sweaty bodies immediately hit him first, causing him to frown and wrinkle his nose.
Deeper inside the sounds of chips clicking together and people laughing loudly after each win, while losers cursing under their breath after losing a game followed afterwards.
...The chibi that had been sitting on his shoulder with a wise expression earlier on, was now kicking her tiny legs around as her large cute eyes darted excitedly around the room.
[Oh! oh! Look Alex, we are finally inside a casino. You know I have always wanted to come here...]
But Alex couldn’t hear the chibi’s rambling, his thoughts was focused on one thing. Which game was going to be easier and not too complicated.
He glanced around;
Poker seemed too complicated, and it involved reading people’s face while controlling his expression.
Alex shifted his gaze towards the blackjack center. At first it seemed easier but then, he noticed that the house always had the edge no matter how smart you played.
He shifted his head and scanned the room again, this time slowly. That’s when he finally saw it...
What he had been looking for.
It was a long dice table covered in dark green cloth with various white markings that showed different numbers and symbols he didn’t fully understand yet.
On the table, two large white dice with black dots sat under a clear plastic dome-like object in the center.
"Alright, dice it is. And with my skill winning this should be a piece of cake."
[Yeah a piece of cake]
The little chibi mirrored, but Alex failed to see the mischievous smirk at her lips.
Alex moved closer and watched a few rounds to familiarize himself with the game. After all he knew that he just couldn’t go in blindly and play a game, even with the cheat skill. It was better if he learnt how the game worked.
The dealer pressed a button, causing the dice to rattle violently inside the dome before slowly settling.
"Five and three, it’s an eight" the dealer announced.
Immediately, gamblers that had won the bet cheered loudly while dragging their pile of chips over to themselves. While the losers cursed with frustration.
After watching for some rounds, Alex finally understood how the game worked. Betting on a lower range number between 2 to 6 meant higher reward while betting on a higher range number between 7 to 12 meant lower reward.
As the dealer called out to the players to place their bets, Alex glanced at his wallet and brought out the twenty dollars he had just withdrawn on his way here, with a wry smile.
"System,"
[Yes, broke one]
"Activate my profit instinct."
[Profit instinct has now been activated]
Immediately a dull pressure started to form between his eyes, it felt like his mind had just been opened up. Alex looked at the next game, but he had a feeling that this round felt wrong. So he decided to trust the instinct and watched the game.
As the dealer pressed the button again, the dice bounced and spun around the dome before stopping.
"One and one, it is a two." The dealer yelled.
Immediately, groans and curses moved across the table as everyone’s chips were swept away.
Alex smirked and muttered internally. ’Looks like the profit instinct really works.’
The next round started, Alex felt the familiar feeling, nudging him to choose nine. Even if the payout was going to be small due to the fact that it was a higher range number. He decided to use fifteen dollars out of twenty dollars to buy a pitiful amount of chips, and slowly slid it forward, while keeping the remaining five dollars and fifteen cents.
The dealer nodded once everyone had made their bets, then pressed the button, causing the dice to roll around the dice once more.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
"Four and five, it’s a nine" the dealer announced.
As his chips increased, Alex stared at them with joy. Even though it was small, it was still something. The next round felt similar, he had won again from a higher range bet like the previous one.
Then the next came,
"... Three and three, in total a six" the dealers voice rang out.
Alex heart speed up and this time he stared at his chips, he just got another win again but this time from a lower range number. His chips were now more than double of his earlier one.
The chibi excitedly clapped her fingers while bouncing in front of his face.
[Yay! We are going to get rich]
Yes that was true but at this rate, it looked like it was going to take him a long time to get the amount of money he needed.
As if reading his thoughts a thin voice suddenly spoke up besides him.
"You’re good kid... But with that amount of cash, I reckon it will take you forever to earn anything decent, but you know what? I’m willing to help."
Alex turned back, and noticed that the voice was coming from a tall thin man with slick black hair, dressed in a clean flashy suit. The man’s eyes looked sharp and calculating, but there was something about his monkey like face which made him feel a bit uneasy.
The chibi muttered while clutching his shirt tightly.
[Alex, I don’t trust this guy, he looks kinda sketchy]
Alex gave the stranger a weary look, and questioned.
"Who are you, and how exactly are you going to help me?"
The stranger chuckled,
"The name’s Victor, and you could call me something of a businessman. Anyway here’s the deal, I can help by lending you some quick bucks. Let’s say around fifty thousand, but you will pay me back the fifty thousand plus some interest if you win the game."
Alex immediately realize that Victor here was a loan shark.
Did he really look like someone who needed his help... Ok maybe he did look. And besides the offer that Victor was offering did seem really tempting.
The chibi reading his thoughts immediately scrunched her cute face.
[Are you crazy! That’s a loan shark, you of all people as an ex accountant, is supposed to know how much of a bad news this guy is]
[I forbid you from even thinking about this]
But Alex didn’t answer the system, instead he looked at his own small pile of chips. With the way he was playing... He might earn maybe around a few tens of thousands tonight. But if he could borrow from Victor, with the help of his profit instinct skill, he was sure that he was going to be able to make money reaching maybe a million and still have enough to pay back the debt.
No matter how he looked at it, this seemed like a good thing.
The chibi grabbed his collar and shook it frantically.
[Are you stupid! Don’t do it]
