Seeing Chu Tian's expression, Ma Deju naturally understood what he meant.
He chuckled again, "Brother Tian, this price is absolutely worth it. It guarantees you a spot in the top fifty, or even the top ten!"
"Deal!" Chu Tian gritted his teeth and continued, "Five million? So what? As long as you guarantee I get into the top fifty, it's all good!"
"Five... Five million? Cough cough... Alright, I, Ma Deju, swear on the honor of a Ma family man that Brother Tian, you are already a confirmed top fifty contender!"
Ma Deju's eyes almost bulged out. He withdrew the five fingers he had extended and patted his chest to guarantee it.
Chu Tian was also stunned. It seemed…
He had been foolish. The price this guy quoted was clearly not five million, maybe it was five hundred thousand, or fifty thousand?
Would this guy care about such a small amount of money?
Forget it, what was five million? As long as he could see Luoluo.
What did it matter if he emptied out the Inverse God Alliance and the "Everything Has It" chain store?
Ma Deju and Chu Tian had made an agreement, though no formal contract was signed.
They immediately got to work.
Seeing him walk to the very end of the chess area,
With a wave of his hand, he conjured a long table.
Chu Tian paused. Was this spatial storage?
He hadn't expected such a thing to exist in the real world!
The martial world had once again refreshed Chu Tian's understanding.
Ma Deju's action immediately caught the attention of the onlookers.
People in twos and threes curiously gathered around.
"Come, come, come... step right up, don't miss out!"
"Go chess betting, fair, open, and just. High odds, quick wins. Take a gamble, and a bicycle can turn into a motorcycle!"
With his booming voice, he attracted everyone's attention.
Some people stared with wide eyes and open mouths, utterly stunned.
Many others' eyes lit up, and they crowded over.
Even more people, like Chu Tian, who knew nothing about traditional arts like chess, Go, calligraphy, or painting, slapped their thighs and exclaimed, "Why didn't I think of that!"
However, was opening bookmaking allowed here?
It was better to wait and see for now.
Thus, in front of Ma Deju's table, a group of people gathered around the large round table, their spirits high and the atmosphere lively.
For a time, there were even more people than those watching the matches.
Ma Deju even jumped onto the large table.
Standing in the center, he gesticulated wildly, his words flowing like a torrent!
He pointed to a chess table closest to his own.
Two players had just taken their seats and hadn't started yet.
Both exuded an air of mastery. After sitting down, they closed their eyes to rest.
One of them was Qi Shu Shu, who had previously defeated someone.
Chu Tian wondered how he came up with such a name.
For a chess player, wasn't it too inauspicious!
Chu Tian mused inwardly.
Ma Deju pointed to their table and shouted, "For our first match, let's bet on this table!"
"I'm sure you all know the Young Master of the Qi family, Qi Shu Shu! I don't need to introduce him further!"
"As for the other player... uh... I don't know him either."
Ma Deju didn't feel ashamed when he said this.
Under the murmurs from below, he continued, "Who cares who he is? Anyone who dares to challenge Qi Shu Shu, who is known as the national chess master, must not be ordinary."
"If anyone fancies this brother, hurry up and place your bets. Time is limited, bets are closed!"
As he shouted, people immediately started placing their bets.
The bets were naturally placed on Qi Shu Shu winning.
A small number of people, wanting to take a risk, bet on the unknown player.
These onlookers were all people holding only one card.
If they won, they would become rich instantly; if they lost, they would leave immediately.
However, as time passed, the odds gradually changed from an initial one-to-one to a ratio of 0.1 to 10.
With too many people betting on Qi Shu Shu, the odds naturally decreased.
Not to mention, Ma Deju was indeed skilled in this matter.
He could calculate the odds just by glancing at the number of people betting.
Finally, someone raised a doubt and asked, "If Qi Shu Shu wins, how will the cards be distributed? Will they be cut into ten pieces?"
"Yeah, I think you're a fraud!"
Someone voiced an opinion, and others quickly followed suit.
Ma Deju narrowed his eyes, waved his hand, and a bag appeared.
He scooped out a pile of cash.
Chu Tian looked over; the cash amounted to over a million.
This guy was rich to carry so much cash around.
Chu Tian hadn't seen real money in years. Who would carry cash when going out these days?
"Each card counts as ten thousand yuan. For any amounts that don't add up to a whole card, cash will be used to make up the difference."
"If anyone has extra cards, they can come to me to exchange them for cash."
Good heavens, he was even offering exchanges.
When the crowd heard this, they found one card for ten thousand yuan to be reasonable.
However, at this point, more people started betting on the unnamed chess player.
Soon, Qi Shu Shu and the unnamed chess player simultaneously opened their eyes.
Ma Deju seized the opportunity and shouted, "The players are about to make their move, betting is closed, no more bets!"
*Snap…*
The unnamed chess player won the advantage of the first move in a stone toss.
As the first chess piece was placed, Ma Deju waved his hand, and a large pot lid appeared, directly covering the tabletop.
It covered all the cards used as chips.
After the betting window closed, everyone's attention shifted to the match, focusing on the scene of the two players' game.
After some time, judging by the board, Qi Shu Shu was suppressing the unnamed chess player.
He was pressing forward step by step, his moves constantly throttling his opponent's throat.
Watching this scene, everyone's hearts were filled with tension.
Qi Shu Shu's supporters grew increasingly delighted.
The opposing side, naturally, felt anxious and fearful.
Ma Deju, as the bookmaker, was also constantly monitoring the situation.
His nervous expression seemed to indicate that he was deeply concerned about the unfolding events on the board.
However, Chu Tian noticed a hint of triumph flashing deep within Ma Deju's eyes!
If Qi Shu Shu won, he wouldn't just fail to profit, he would also have to pay out in cash.
Even if the unnamed chess player won, he wouldn't gain much.
His odds were too high.
After deducting what was owed to the bettors and taking his commission,
He probably wouldn't have many cards left.
Qi Shu Shu and the unnamed chess player played very slowly.
The audience could also see that this unnamed chess player was indeed a master. Although he was being suppressed by Qi Shu Shu, he was still advancing steadily and stubbornly persevering.
For a time, everyone watched with rapt attention, forgetting the passage of time.
The unnamed chess player, continuously pressured by Qi Shu Shu, had reached a desperate situation, sweat beading on his forehead.
Everyone began to cry out, some excited, some worried.
A top-tier battle in the Go world was about to conclude.
Those who came to the chess matches were all enthusiasts.
They all felt that witnessing this battle was worth it.
Just as everyone thought the match was about to end,
At this very moment, the unnamed chess player, who had previously looked solemn, suddenly his expression stiffened.
Immediately, as if he had gained a cheat, his hands moved like illusions, placing pieces rapidly.
The situation on the board rapidly reversed.
The unnamed chess player seemed to have broken through at a crucial moment, ascending to immortality.
He managed to stabilize the situation at a critical juncture, engaging in a fierce struggle with the attacking Qi Shu Shu.
Finally, the unnamed chess player placed a final piece.
Qi Shu Shu's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly stood up!
He stared intently at the chessboard, then took a deep breath.
He extended his hand and shook the unnamed chess player's hand in gratitude.
No one expected that after a fiercely contested battle, back and forth, the match would end in a draw!
"Roar roar roar... A draw, all bets are void, hahahaha..."
Ma Deju let out a howl of surprise and ecstatic laughter as everyone else stood stunned.