Although I had advanced to the next round ahead of schedule, I couldn't feel happy at all.
This was because I clearly sensed that Isabella had started to hold back after I went all-in with my hole cards in that round.
At first, I thought she was just trying to pace herself, but as the game progressed, I realized…
She was deliberately letting me win!
The fact that Isabella could intentionally go easy on me and let me win, even when I couldn't figure out her hand, was a testament to her formidable strength!
Of course, everyone has their specialty.
Texas Hold'em, more than other mainstream card games, was the first to develop the profession of a poker player and quickly gain global popularity, all due to its strong logical and deductive nature.
No matter how difficult or daunting a task may seem, as long as one is willing to invest time and immerse themselves in it, success is inevitable.
Therefore, Isabella was an ace player in Texas Hold'em!
I concluded that her ability to control her play and let me win was based on her accurate prediction of the subsequent cards.
Another participant at the table also noticed this issue.
Not only that, but as soon as the game ended, this participant complained to the dealer, claiming that Isabella and I were in cahoots and strongly demanding a rematch.
Naturally, the dealer paid no attention to such baseless accusations and decisively rejected the request.
After this minor incident, as the event was drawing to a close, Isabella suddenly called out to me, saying, "See you in the finals!"
Honestly, I had no idea what Isabella's purpose was in deliberately letting me win.
Of course, if she hadn't let me win, I could have advanced to the top three on my own merits, it would have just taken more time and effort.
Now, it had saved both time and effort.
If she was choosing a strong opponent for the final showdown, why did she specifically pick me?
I believed I had concealed my identity as a cheat very well, leaving no trace of any flaws.
A windfall from the sky can be fatal!
Without knowing whether the other party was friend or foe, accepting such a favor could lead to unforeseen consequences, good or bad…
Therefore, I ignored Isabella's words and instead asked her, "Why did you let me win?"
Upon hearing this, a look of disbelief flashed in Isabella's bright and clear eyes, and she replied in surprise, "You could tell I was letting you win!?"
"As expected, my intuition was correct!"
"You… are not simple!"
Hearing Isabella's words and seeing the slightly exaggerated surprise on her face, my mind was filled with endless doubts.
Why did Isabella seem so unfathomable, like a free-spirited, unconventional player from a movie or TV show?
If she were a professional player who registered for the competition herself, she shouldn't be playing at her strongest and letting others have a chance by going easy.
And if she were affiliated with the casino, it would be even more impossible, as there would be no reason for her to give up so many chips.
I was beginning to suspect that Isabella was making a deliberate overture towards me with ulterior motives.
As I was lost in thought, Isabella, seeing that I hadn't responded, smiled and walked towards me.
As she passed by, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear, "Stop guessing about my reasons for letting you win."
"So, I'll see you directly in the finals."
With that, Isabella walked away, leaving me standing there in a daze.
It wasn't until I felt a hand on my shoulder from behind that I somewhat came back to my senses.
And at that moment…
"Chen Xiang, what are you spacing out about?"
Cheng Minglang, who had appeared out of nowhere, was looking at me curiously.
The moment I heard his voice, I snapped back to reality and asked, "What's wrong?"
After a slight frown, Cheng Minglang leaned closer to me and whispered, "I think I saw Xiang Tianhua!"
Xiang Tianhua!?
The instant I heard the name, I immediately retorted, "Where is he? How many people are with him?"
Since I had promised Cheng Minglang that I would help Zhu Wenjing retrieve her IOUs and ID card, I needed to know Xiang Tianhua's whereabouts to facilitate future actions.
After a brief pause, Cheng Minglang replied, "On the fifth floor of the cruise ship, in the leisure and entertainment area! As for how many people, I didn't get a clear look!"
Hearing this, I frowned and said sternly, "Keep a close eye on Xiang Tianhua for me! I have a feeling that his presence on the cruise ship is not that simple."
"He's either here to compete or has some other agenda!"
After Cheng Minglang agreed, we didn't chat any further and left the competition area together.
...
That evening, during the break before the final round.
Watching the vast blue sea from the open-air restaurant, my somewhat vexed mood gradually became more relaxed.
Regardless of Isabella's intentions in deliberately letting me win, as the finals drew nearer, if she had ulterior motives, I was certain… she would come to find me!
As expected!
Just as this thought crossed my mind, a familiar female voice came from behind.
"Hi, Han Jinlun! We meet again!"
Following the sound, I saw Isabella leaning against the railing of the deck with her arms crossed, greeting me.
I didn't speak, but responded with a slight nod.
After the greeting, without any pleasantries, Isabella got straight to the point and said, "Do you mind cooperating with me in the final showdown?"
"What do you mean?" I asked in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Isabella was slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered and smiled, saying, "Don't you know that the eighteen of us who have reached the final showdown have had odds set by the casino?"
The moment I heard the word "odds," a flash of inspiration struck my mind.
Following that, the previous unresolved matters flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern, as if they were about to fall into place.
But unfortunately, before the inspiration could fully connect, I failed to seize the opportunity to clarify my thoughts.
Cursing inwardly, I could only follow Isabella's lead and asked, "Odds? What are the rates?"
This time, Isabella didn't answer my question but directly took out a check from her shoulder bag and handed it to me.
"Let me be clear, Han Jinlun! Your performance in the roulette game… I saw it all!"
"I know you're definitely not an ordinary person!"
"So earlier, when I saw that your progress in Texas Hold'em wasn't going very smoothly, I thought I'd do you a favor to build a good relationship for our future cooperation."