Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 34 Gambling

Qingran frowned. "That’s not a lot left."

[It’s not,] Lingquan agreed. [Especially since weapons and ammunition alone will take up at least half of that.]

Qingran sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "I need to start stockpiling water and medical supplies tomorrow."

[You should have started yesterday,] Lingquan quipped. [Once the apocalypse starts, water will be worth more than gold.]

She nodded. Water, medical kits, antibiotics—she had to secure them all before the chaos began.

Lingquan’s tail curled smugly. [You still have a lot to do, Host.]

Qingran rolled her eyes. "I know."

Qingran frowned, tapping her fingers against her knee. "Would ¥600,000 be enough to buy the medical supplies I need?"

Lingquan’s golden eyes gleamed as he pulled up another screen.

[That depends on how much you’re planning to get.]

A list appeared before her, breaking down the estimated costs.

[Medical Supplies Cost Estimate]

• Basic First Aid Kits (Bandages, Disinfectants, Painkillers) – ¥50,000 (For long-term stock)

• Antibiotics & Prescription Medications (Broad-spectrum, anti-infectives, insulin, etc.) – ¥200,000

• Surgical & Emergency Trauma Kits (Sutures, tourniquets, hemostatic agents, etc.) – ¥120,000

• IV Fluids & Electrolytes (Saline, Ringer’s, glucose solutions, etc.) – ¥80,000

• Medical Equipment (Portable defibrillator, blood pressure monitors, oxygen tanks, etc.) – ¥150,000

Estimated Total: ¥600,000

Qingran stared at the numbers and let out a slow breath. "So I could just barely afford the essentials, but that would leave me completely broke."

[Pretty much,] Lingquan confirmed. [And you still haven’t started on water storage or backup power.]

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Then I need to either cut costs or get more money."

[Or prioritize,] Lingquan added. [Some of these things will still be available for a short time after the apocalypse starts. Prices will rise, but it’s a risk you could take.]

Qingran leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I need weapons first. Medical supplies won’t matter if I can’t defend myself to use them."

[Good choice.] Lingquan flicked his tail. [You’ll need to go to the black market for that.]

Qingran exhaled. "Then that’s my priority tomorrow."

Qingran tilted her head, a slow smirk curling her lips. "A little gambling never hurt, right?"

Lingquan flicked his tail, his golden eyes narrowing in interest. [Oh? And here I thought you were the cautious type.]

She let out a short laugh. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. You can help me cheat, right?"

[Host, are you suggesting fraud?]

"Fraud?" Qingran placed a hand over her heart, feigning innocence. "I’m just maximizing my chances of winning. It’s not cheating if no one catches me."

Lingquan snorted. [You really are embracing your villain arc, huh?]

She stretched lazily. "A quick ¥6 million would solve all our problems, wouldn’t it?"

[It’d cover weapons, medical supplies, water storage, backup power, and then some,] Lingquan agreed. [But gambling’s not foolproof, even with my help. You have to know when to walk away.]

Qingran smirked. "That’s what I have you for. Find me a high-stakes game, and I’ll take care of the rest."

Lingquan purred. [I like this plan.]

She stood, already pulling out her phone to check for underground gambling dens in Xi’an. If she was going to survive the apocalypse, she needed money.

And she wasn’t above stacking the odds in her favor.

Qingran leaned back against the plush couch, her fingers tapping against the armrest as she scrolled through potential gambling spots on her phone. High-stakes games weren’t exactly difficult to find in a city like Xi’an, but finding the right one—the kind where she could walk in, win big, and leave without drawing too much attention—was a different story.

Lingquan stretched out on the coffee table, his black fur gleaming under the soft lights of the suite. [So, what’s the plan? Walk into a casino and expect me to whisper winning numbers into your ear?]

Qingran arched a brow. "Isn’t that what I have you for?"

[Flattering,] he purred, [but even with me, you’ll need to be careful. If you win too fast, too obviously, someone will notice.]

She hummed, considering that. "Then I just have to lose a little first."

[Now you’re thinking like a real gambler,] Lingquan said approvingly. [Make it believable. Let them think you’re just another rich fool trying to chase a win.]

Qingran smirked. "Except I won’t be chasing anything. Just reeling them in before I clean them out."

She tapped her phone screen, pulling up an address. A high-end gambling den in the city’s business district—exclusive, discreet, and frequented by people who had more money than sense. Perfect.

"Here. This one should do."

Lingquan leaped onto her lap, peering at the screen. [Good choice. The bets here start at ¥100,000, so you’ll make your target quickly.]

Qingran rolled her shoulders, already planning her approach. "I’ll need ¥500,000 for the initial buy-in. Should be enough to get me a seat at the right table."

[Confident, aren’t you?]

She shrugged. "If I don’t win, we’ll just have to rob someone instead."

Lingquan let out a delighted laugh. [Oh, I’m really starting to like this side of you.]

Qingran pocketed her phone and stood, stretching. It was already late, but the gambling dens didn’t close. If she played her cards right, she could be done before dawn.

"Let’s go make some money."

Lingquan hopped onto her shoulder as she grabbed her coat. [Try not to get kicked out before we even start.]

Qingran smirked. "No promises."

Qingran left the suite without hesitation, her steps steady as she walked through the hotel’s dimly lit hallways. The air outside was cool, the city alive with neon lights and the distant hum of traffic. The streets weren’t empty—Xi’an never truly slept—but the crowds had thinned enough that she could move unnoticed.

Lingquan, perched lightly on her shoulder, flicked his tail. [So, are you planning on making an entrance, or are we slipping in quietly?]

Qingran smirked. "I don’t need attention. Just money." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

[Good. No dramatics, then.]

She hailed a cab, sliding into the backseat with practiced ease. The driver barely glanced at her as she gave the address, and they were off, weaving through the late-night streets toward the city’s business district. Qingran tapped her fingers against her thigh, mentally going over her approach.

Gambling wasn’t just about luck. It was about psychology.

You had to let them believe they could win, let them think they had you cornered—until they didn’t.