Lu Hao's arrangements were indeed for a lavish feast. The venue was the renowned Governor's Mansion in Hancheng. The name sounded imposing, but it was actually a high-end hotel, boasting top-tier decor and ingredients in Hancheng.
Yang Rui and her fellow impoverished students were entering such a luxurious establishment for the first time. Amidst their timidity, they marveled at a wealthy lifestyle that far surpassed their comprehension.
"Wow, this vermicelli is delicious! Waiter, bring me another bowl."
In the private room on the second floor, the first dish served to each person was a small bowl of something resembling vermicelli soup. Zhang Zihan finished it in a few spoonfuls, still wanting more.
A waitress smiled and whispered, "Miss, this isn't vermicelli, it's shark fin. This bowl costs three hundred and eighty yuan. Are you sure you want another one?"
"Clatter."
Zhang Zihan's hand trembled, and the small bowl fell onto the dining table. Fortunately, it didn't break.
"You, you said this is what? Three hundred and eighty for one bowl?"
Zhang Zihan's voice quivered with disbelief.
The waitress had to explain again, "It's shark fin, processed from a shark's body. Three hundred and eighty per bowl."
Everyone except Lu Hao stopped eating. Even Yang Jian was eating shark fin for the first time and was taken aback by its exorbitant price.
"My goodness, this is the legendary shark fin! Three hundred and eighty for this tiny bowl, that's way too expensive."
"Of course it's expensive. I read an article about shark fin. It said shark fin is the fin of a shark, and there are only four on its body. Fishermen, after catching them, only cut off the fins and then release the shark back into the sea. Because sharks lack swim bladders, they rely on their fins to move and breathe. So, most species of sharks die shortly after their fins are cut off."
"No purchase, no killing. That's what the TV commercials always say about shark fin, right? Oh my god, have we eaten one or several sharks just with us few people?"
After hearing the waitress's explanation, Yang Rui and the other girls started discussing, and no longer ate the remaining shark fin in their bowls.
Lu Hao felt a mix of amusement and helplessness. "Ladies, I know you have compassion, but you should at least finish what's left in your bowls. It's too wasteful. You just don't have to eat it again."
Yang Jian downed the shark fin in his bowl in one gulp. "Brother Hao, please don't arrange such extravagant things. We're not used to such luxury, and it makes the meal feel awkward."
"Ahem, I just thought I'd let you try some rare delicacies. I didn't expect such a reaction. I had actually ordered bear paws, but they are hard to come by, and the hotel didn't have them today."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zihan quickly waved her hands. "No, no, no, Mr. Lu. Everything you've ordered is from protected animals. We don't dare to eat them, nor will we. What else did you order? Tell us quickly, or none of us will eat."
"I also ordered a ten-pound giant salamander, a pufferfish for each person, and abalone, sea cucumber, and Australian lobster."
"Stop, stop, stop, Mr. Lu. Giant salamanders are also Class II protected animals. Please cancel it. We won't eat it. Pufferfish is poisonous, we dare not eat it."
"It's alright. The giant salamander is artificially farmed and has a permit. The pufferfish has been processed by a professional chef and is not poisonous. You can eat them. Would I harm you?"
"No, I've seen the giant salamander you mentioned. It cries like a baby, which is very eerie. Just thinking about it makes me not want to eat it. Please cancel it."
"Alright then, waiter, please inform the kitchen that we won't have the giant salamander. The rest can be served."
Lu Hao reluctantly made the adjustment.
The subsequent dishes of pufferfish, abalone, and sea cucumber were not opposed by anyone. Everyone wanted to try these high-end foods they had only heard about.
After satisfying their appetites, Lu Hao led them out of the Governor's Mansion and to a hot spring town over a hundred kilometers away from Hancheng to soak in the hot springs. This was also something Yang Jian and the others had never experienced.
"Xiao Yang, my visit to your casino today wasn't just because of my gambling addiction, nor was it solely to boost your stakes. It was to assess the scale of the casino."
In the open-air hot spring bath at the hot spring hotel, Lu Hao and Yang Jian were chatting in a small pool.
"It definitely can't compare to the casinos you've played in."
Yang Jian didn't grasp the implication of his words.
"Xiao Yang, compared to casinos in the gambling cities or coastal cities, your establishment is indeed insignificant. But in Hancheng, it's a major casino, and it can't continue to operate."
Yang Jian sat up straight. "Brother Hao, can you be more explicit?"
"Did you feel that my father's words this morning were meddling and made you uncomfortable?"
"No, no. The old man means well for me. I have that much judgment. Precisely because I listened to the old man, my brothers and I made a decision this afternoon. On the tenth of this month, all my people will withdraw from the casino."
"Yes, that's a very wise decision. If you can withdraw earlier, the sooner the better, to avoid unforeseen complications."
There was a hidden meaning in his words, and Yang Jian knew he couldn't skirt around the sensitive topic any longer. "Brother Hao, forgive my presumption, but what does the old man do?"
"My father is the Executive Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Security Department. He will soon be promoted to Director and transferred to the Beijing Public Security Headquarters. This is not a secret. You can ask any police officer, and they will know my father's name. He is Lu Jinsong."
Lu Hao's statement left Yang Jian utterly stunned, even making him want to call Biao Biao and the others immediately to withdraw from the casino.
This news was too shocking. A warning from a deputy director of the public security department was no trivial matter.
Yang Jian clearly remembered Lin Nan mentioning that all casino organizers had been blacklisted by the police. However, the level of monitoring by law enforcement agencies varied according to the casino's scale.
For instance, Old Pan's casino was monitored by the Municipal Bureau or higher. Once sufficient evidence was gathered, the order to arrest the casino operators would be issued directly from these agencies. Lower-level sub-bureaus and police stations would not be aware of it, let alone participate.
And the scale of his current casino was already comparable to Old Pan's. This meant the casino had already come to the attention of the Municipal Bureau, the Provincial Department, and even the Public Security Headquarters. His name had also entered the blacklists of these units, and arrest was only a matter of time.
This was terrifying. Yang Jian felt a chill run through his entire body, making even the hot spring water feel inadequate.
"Xiao Yang, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? The sulfur smell here is a bit strong. If you're not accustomed to it, we can move elsewhere."
Lu Hao noticed Yang Jian's pale face and assumed it was due to the hot springs.
"Brother Hao, if I withdraw from the casino now, will the police retaliate and arrest or issue a warrant for me?"
This was Yang Jian's biggest concern. If that were the case, there would be no difference between withdrawing late or early. Since he was going to be arrested anyway, he might as well hold on a little longer, earn more money, and use it to grease the wheels.