Whispering Verse

After bidding farewell to Priest August, Shade first went to the Black Raven Library to inquire about detoxification and thaumaturgy and spells. After failing to find a target with a suitable price, he went to Old John's Pawn Shop and the Seven Broomsticks Tavern in Coldwater Port respectively, and put up a commission to "acquire the blood of rare creatures".

Although when he got the first time key, Shade couldn't even bring the potion materials to the past. But this time, since God asked him to bring blood, I believe that the blood can be brought to the reception.

In this way, Shade had no other important things to do before the end of the Big City Players Rhodes Competition.

On Wednesday, the second phase officially begins for Ayutthaya players. This morning, Shade took Mia to the Prophet's Association. He first went to Luvia to explain the "God's Drinking Party", and then found Vice President Mark.

After the start of this Rhodes tournament, which attracted the attention of players all over the world, Vice President Mark was not as busy as during the preparation stage.

The flow of people in the Prophet's Association today was at least twice as large as usual. People crowded in the lobby on the first floor, watching the more detailed rules about the second stage of the game on the bulletin board, or talking to each other about interesting things from the first stage of the game.

The expansion of the card base will cause some rare card games to appear. And people are very happy to talk about these card games. Even regular newspapers and tabloids in recent days like to fill the back pages of the newspapers with interesting anecdotes from the Rhodes game.

Shade found the vice president on the third floor and explained what he wanted to know.

"How many people will enter the second phase?"

Vice President Mark stood at the stairs of the third floor with his hands on his chest and looked at Shade with some surprise:

"No, no, this cannot be said. Regarding the competition data, internal personnel of the association are strictly prohibited from disclosing it."

He shook his head and emphasized:

"Even if we are friends, we can never talk about it."

In fact, even if this kind of data is revealed, it will not affect the result of the game. But for the sake of fairness and the fun of the game, we want people to win as many copper coins as possible in the rematch. Therefore, all game data will not be disclosed until the final champion emerges.

"Three digits?"

Shade asked in a low voice. Vice President Mark looked around carefully and then nodded.

He didn't "say" the answer, so it didn't violate the charter.

"115?"

The gentleman in formal clothes lowered his head a little.

"108?"

He raised his head slightly again.

"Hmm 112?"

"I didn't say anything."

The vice president said very decently, and Xia De couldn't help but praise:

"You are very strict with your mouth. It seems that I can no longer get answers from you."

He came to the Prophet's Association, in addition to seeking information, he also wanted to get the special invitation fee, which was the final payment for inviting him, a player who holds the Founding Series Rhodes card, to participate in the competition.

Of course, the formal term is not the invitation fee, but the work delay fee, clothing fee and transportation fee.

Mr. Mark took Shade to the accounting office to withdraw money. When he saw Shade with the cat, he curiously asked him if he brought the cat for luck.

"Yes, my friend Baron Lavender has also entered the second stage. He invited me to play cards in the east and south of the city today."

Since the second stage is a multiplayer game, Baron Lavender naturally wants to play with the holders of the three [Foundation] series cards.

"People say cats bring luck."

When taking the envelope from Vice President Mark, Shade said with a smile, and then patted the head of the well-behaved cat on his shoulder:

"I believe that my ahem, this cat I raise should also bring luck."

"Meow!"

The cat rubbed Shade's hand and stared at the envelope in Shade's hand.

The second stage of the big city players lasts from Wednesday to Sunday, a total of five days, but they must play a game in all six venues in the East, West, South, North, Central and University Districts before the final number of copper coins can be counted. Since he was invited by Baron Lavender today, Shade planned to play two games today, and then one game a day. It can not only make the trip easier, but also fully enjoy the fun of "big city players".

After leaving the Prophet's Association, Shade played his first card game in the "1853 Big City Players Rhodes Contest" on Wednesday morning at the Marquis Martinez's mansion in the east of the city.

In the five-person card game, in addition to Baron Lavender and his friend Sir Thoral, a garden artist who worked as a garden manager at Cold Spring Palace, there were two other gentlemen who happened to be waiting to form a card game.

They were also excited to hear that they could play against Shade, who had three Founding Series cards in his deck. In addition to the contestants, after the card game started, almost all the players in the entire mansion gathered around.

Even until the end, Shade only drew [Original Silver Moon], and even though he did not use the special effect of adjusting the numbers and won with 25 copper coins in his hand, people were still very excited.

The owner of the playing field, the Marquis Martinez, arrived after Shade and his friends finished their card game. He shook hands with Shade enthusiastically and asked about Shade's game schedule for the next few days.

It seemed that the Marquis also wanted to play with Shade.

After the morning's card game, Baron Lavender and Sir Solar invited Shade to have lunch together in the east of the city. The east side of Tobesk is an area where rich people gather, and the living conditions and infrastructure here are very favorable.

After lunch, little Mia, who was forcibly taken out by Shade, immediately began to feel sleepy, but because she was held by Shade all the time, she did not lose her temper because she could not lie down on the windowsill at home to bask in the sun and sleep.

In the afternoon, Shade, Baron Lavender and Sir Solar did not immediately go to Hall 3 of the King Delrayon Opera House in the south of the city. The city's six competition venues have different opening hours, while the opening hours of the King's Opera House are the same as those of the Opera House itself.

This means that people who play Rhodes here can listen to the opera and play cards.

So Shade was invited to the "Rochester Rhodes Club" where Baron Lavender and Sir Solar belonged. This is a quite high-end aristocratic club, which contains bars, restaurants, libraries and casinos for members to have fun and socialize here.

Schade's arrival was warmly welcomed by the people, because it coincided with the "Big City Players" held in Tobesk City, and people in the club who had qualified for the semi-finals gathered to discuss the situation of this year's competition.

In addition to Shade as a guest, there are also some invited foreign Rhodes players in the club. Among them were not only the people of Kasenric, but also the nobles of the small principalities affiliated with Delarion.

"Is that Virgil Cameron?"

Sitting in the soft booths next to the round table in the corner, Shade and Baron Lavender exchanged decks and looked at each other's cards. Hearing the conversation not far away, Shade quietly looked to the side.

Three fashionably dressed men with a bit of flamboyance were holding wine glasses and exchanging opinions on Tobesk's artistic style. It can be heard that they highly admire the Cavendish family's decoration style with gold as the main color, but they also think that the urban layout of Tobesk is too square and a bit too monotonous.

Just now, Shade heard the man sitting with his back facing him called "Virgil Cameron". Although Director Anlos showed a frontal photo at the time, Shan Shade was definitely this person.

Virgil Cameron was not only the person who asked Shade to monitor the Big City players in the finals in MI6's mission, but he was also the person who asked Carson Rick to ask for the secret message from Gray Eagle in the mission.

"Cameron? Yes, I heard that he is the lover of Archduke Seth."

Baron Lavender said sarcastically, but thinking of the rumors about Shade, he did not dwell on the topic of "lover".

"This Mr. Cameron is a real master of Rhodes cards. There are 6 special rules cards in his deck. Although many of them were obtained by Archduke Set for him, his skills in the preliminary stage The record is quite astonishing.”

"Do you think he can make it to the finals?"

Shade asked curiously. Baron Lavender thought Shade was evaluating his opponent, so he thought about it carefully:

"According to the odds in underground casinos, he has a good chance of making it to the finals."

"Underground Casino"

Shade sat on the chair and leaned back slightly, letting his entire head enter the darkness. But his hand was stroking the cat in the light of the table. Mia was very familiar with his appearance, which meant that Shade was considering the issue of living expenses at home.

"Baron, do you understand my odds?"

“One to one if you make it to the finals, twenty to one if you don’t.”

If Shad gave up his dignity as a Rhodes player, he could probably become rich in no time.

"What about the championship odds?"

"The championship is around 1.7. You are the favorite this year. However, this is what I learned yesterday. You just won the first semi-final game in Chengdong, and the odds of winning will definitely be lower. Wait until you are sure to win. list, the odds will be even lower.”

As he spoke, Baron Lavender looked around and lowered his voice:

"I bought you to win the championship. If you really win, the [Ancient Fairy Tale Flower Girl] temporarily entrusted to you can be given to you as a gift to congratulate you on winning the championship."

It seems that Baron Lavender bought a lot.

The Prophet Association itself will not open gambling games for players in big cities, but this does not mean that others will not do so. However, this kind of underground gambling is risky. Even after Baron Lavender introduced it, Shade was still worried that he would lose all his principal.

He recently needed to prepare a large amount of cash for two special bloods—three bloods if he looked further ahead. But Shade still needs to think carefully about whether he should bet on himself to win the 1853 Ayutthaya Players Championship just because he has prepared funds (note).

[Foreigner, don’t you not gamble? 】

"This can't be considered gambling. I'm not betting out of greed, but to make a living. Moreover, if I really bet, half of the winnings can be donated to the children's welfare home. After all, there are several Moon, winter is coming.”

Shade thought in his mind.

Because he and Baron Lavender were discussing the odds in underground casinos and the Rhodes masters competing this year, Shade did not pay too much attention to Mr. Virgil Cameron.

But when they had dinner together at the club and headed to the Opera House in the south of the city, Shade actually saw Mr. Cameron again in Hall 3 of the Opera House.

Since they were acquaintances and heard that Shade was the rumored player who held three Founding Series cards, Mr. Cameron formed a multiplayer game with them.

To be honest, it is indeed a good enjoyment to listen to the opera and play Rhodes in a dignified and elegant environment like the opera hall, where everyone is wearing formal clothes.

The opera performance was also arranged by the Prophets Association, and the play was "Tiffany Sedilda". It tells the story of a child who grew up in a casino and disguised himself as a man. His grudges and resentments as adults are very consistent with the atmosphere of "big city players".