Chapter 123: A Gathering of Masters

"I find that rather strange. By the sound of it, the relationship between your two major clans is not exactly amicable. Why then, would you bother protecting the Black Dragon Society? I truly don't understand!" Long Fei wanted to get to the bottom of this; he felt that if he could clarify this point, he might be able to exploit the conflict between the two families later on.

"Technically, the Koga clan is the only authentic ninja family in Japan; the Iga clan only relies on their sheer numbers. Ha! I’ve never been able to stand those people. One day, I will make them realize the true power of the Koga style!" The old man seemed to boil with rage whenever the Iga family was mentioned.

Long Fei felt a spark of joy but decided not to press further. He smiled and asked, "Then you must be the head of the Koga clan? Koga Tanida?"

"Ha! It seems you have some knowledge to recognize my name. However, you killed three of my chunin, and our Koga clan will settle that debt with you sooner or later. Now, answer me: what are you doing here?"

Koga Tanida was reluctant to engage in a fight with Long Fei right there. Firstly, he had an agreement with Iga Seijun of the Iga clan: each family would protect the Black Dragon Society for one year, and this year happened to be the Koga clan's turn. If he were to fight a master like Long Fei now, he would inevitably offend the forces behind him. Even if he won, his own strength would be severely depleted, potentially giving Iga Seijun the perfect opportunity to strike back. Furthermore, he did not have many Koga masters stationed here, and having just lost three, he could not afford to divide his forces. That was why he had maintained a civil tone with Long Fei.

Long Fei laughed, "Fine, I’ll be waiting for you then. Just make sure you aren't wiped out by the Iga clan before you get the chance. Now, back to business—I came here to gamble. I heard there was a high-stakes game going on tonight, and I wanted to see it for myself. Who would have thought your people would try to end my life? Ha! They were just asking for it. Anyway, I’ve said my piece. Can you let me in now?"

Koga Tanida’s expression shifted repeatedly before he finally relented. He gestured toward a small room nearby and said, "Fine, you may enter."

"Many thanks!" Long Fei tossed his katana onto the ground and strode toward the room. Two men in black stood by the door but did not stop him.

Long Fei pushed the door open and felt a surge of excitement, followed immediately by a sense of caution. There were quite a few acquaintances here, but also a significant number of experts.

Sitting near the entrance was Jenny, with Jack and Sid standing behind her. Long Fei did not recognize the man sitting next to her, who had a feather stuck in his hair. He looked somewhat like a man from Xinjiang, but when he turned his head, the chill in his gaze made Long Fei quite uncomfortable.

Sitting next to him was a tall, thin white European. Long Fei recognized him; he had crossed paths with him more than once. Dressed in the traditional red attire of the Vatican, anyone with a bit of knowledge could identify him as a member of the Vatican Cabinet. Most people might not know it, but this man, known as John Paul, was the Holy See’s famous "Golden Right Hand," a man whose terrifying strength often made Long Fei wary.

Long Fei remembered that a year ago, when he successfully assassinated a certain European head of state, John Paul had hunted him for three days and nights. They had clashed countless times during that pursuit, and although Long Fei eventually escaped, he still felt a sense of dread whenever he heard the name John Paul.

In truth, Long Fei wasn't afraid of a direct fight. What he feared was John Paul’s innate supernatural ability—a terrifying, mysterious power that could make Long Fei’s movements incredibly slow. Since Long Fei’s fighting style relied on speed, having his pace hindered made things difficult. Fortunately, Long Fei had been disguised at the time, so he wasn't worried about being recognized now.

As Long Fei entered, John Paul frowned and thought for a moment, but eventually shook his head.

Sitting next to John Paul was the head of the Black Dragon Society, Uchida Ichiro. Long Fei recognized him instantly, as there were few Asians in the room. Plus, Uchida Ichiro had two men in black standing behind him, dressed exactly like those outside. He had to admit, however, that Uchida Ichiro was quite handsome—or, in Long Fei’s words, "a little bit pretty."

Next to him was the Indian Dragon Lady, who caught Long Fei’s eye instantly. She wore a pure white robe that perfectly accentuated the curves of her body without being overly revealing. She possessed a beauty that could only be described as celestial, with a cascade of raven-black hair tied back with a floral ornament. Her presence was so holy and angelic that one could hardly look her in the eye.

She nodded at Long Fei, and the tenderness and warmth in her eyes were something only he understood.

Sitting beside the Dragon Lady was an American man with a hooked nose and blue eyes. His neck, wrists, fingers, and ears were adorned with as much expensive diamond jewelry as possible, making him look like a total nouveau riche. But anyone capable of reaching the sixth floor could not be that simple.

Everyone present was a person of great renown, and for the most part, they were aware of each other. They all shared a common, unspoken goal, yet no one dared to break the silence, continuing to play their games as if nothing were amiss. Long Fei’s arrival, however, shattered the calm.

The host, Uchida Ichiro, frowned and stared at Long Fei, asking, "Who are you? How did you get in?"

"Ha! I wanted to play cards. Isn't this a casino? Or are you not welcoming me?" Long Fei said with a grin. He scanned the table; it seemed the Dragon Lady had the largest pile of chips, and she was smiling the sweetest.

"If you want to play cards, can't you do that on the fourth floor?" Uchida Ichiro was anxious. He signaled the men in black behind him, and one of them quickly retreated.

Long Fei remained unbothered, chuckling, "I could, but I lost all my money down there, so I came up to see if I could play for higher stakes and win it back!"

Everyone here knew that if Long Fei could reach this floor so easily, it meant he had bypassed the Koga ninjas outside; he was clearly no ordinary person. So, they were happy to sit back and watch the show.

Jenny smiled seductively, "Say, President Uchida, since he’s already here, why not let him sit down and play a few hands?"

Before Uchida Ichiro could speak, the man in black who had left to check the situation returned and whispered something into his ear. Uchida Ichiro’s expression changed. He gave Long Fei a long, deep look before saying, "I never expected this. I never expected that old fox Ye Wentian would play this game with me. Very well, since you are here, sit down and play. But do you have the money for it? This isn't the fourth floor. If you don't have at least one billion in chips, you aren't allowed to participate. That is the rule. I hope you don't think I'm intentionally making things difficult for you!"

Long Fei looked dejected. "But I lost all my money downstairs. Could you have someone bring some chips up for me?"

"You can go down and exchange them yourself!" Uchida Ichiro said with a cold face.

"Forget it. He is my friend, and I’m not really in the mood to play anymore anyway. Let him take my seat, and he can use my chips!" The Dragon Lady finally spoke; her voice was as melodious as ever.

Uchida Ichiro was stunned. He felt a bit nervous; he knew who the Dragon Lady was. As the spiritual leader of Hinduism in India, she held more power than a king, and the Black Dragon Society dared not offend her. He immediately nodded in agreement. The people at the table began to cast strange looks toward Long Fei—it was clear they all knew the Dragon Lady’s status and were quite wary of her.

"Kid, you're something else, being friends with a woman like her," the man with the feather in his hair remarked with a hint of jealousy.

Long Fei chuckled and walked over to take the Dragon Lady’s seat. At Uchida Ichiro’s gesture, two men in black hurriedly brought over a chair for the Dragon Lady to sit beside him.

Long Fei felt quite smug. *I’m just that charming,* he thought. *They think I’m just friends with her? I’ve conquered her heart and soul! Ha! I’ll make you all die of envy!* Of course, he could only boast like this in his mind; he wouldn't dare say it out loud. He didn't want to die; he suspected the followers of Hinduism would drown him in spit if he did.

He exchanged a look with the Dragon Lady and used internal energy to transmit his voice: "My dear wife, I don't actually know how to play. My luck hasn't been great today. If I lose it all, don't come after me for the money!"

The Dragon Lady replied via telepathy with a smile: "Do you want to win or lose? In any case, I won these chips for you. If you want to win, listen to me. If you want to lose, go right ahead!"

Long Fei certainly didn't want to lose. He felt that no self-respecting gambler ever wanted to lose, so he sent back: "Of course I want to win. You tell me when to bet, and I'll bet. You tell me to pass, and I'll pass."

The Dragon Lady nodded. She possessed an innate, miraculous ability to predict the outcome. Before the cards were even dealt, she could basically confirm who would win the hand. If it was her turn and she had the high hand, she would stay in; if someone else had a better hand, she would naturally pass. It was no wonder she had won so much money.

Long Fei knew of her ability and felt confident. While the dealer was shuffling, he took a rough look at the pile of chips in front of him. Good heavens, he hadn't realized it until now, but there was definitely over ten billion here. That was over eight hundred million in RMB. He couldn't help but sigh; someone was right—money on a gambling table isn't money anymore; it’s just paper. He wondered how many pairs of underwear that could buy. If he bought underwear, how many would that be?