"Isn't it the kind of big bird with black feathers and a terrible call? ”

“......”

Indeed, misunderstandings can easily occur.

Arvin and Eric looked at each other and decided to ask a different question.

"No, I mean... Another kind of "crow". It's not a bird, it's not some kind of animal, it's something else. Do you understand?"

The manager scratched his head, but still scratched his head: "No, I don't understand what you're talking about. What could a crow be but a bird?"

Due to the existence of the spell, it is impossible for the manager to lie in the face of Yawen's questioning. So it can be seen that he really doesn't know about the Raven Organization.

Well...... Maybe not every casino manager is a crow's person.

Disappointment crept up on everyone's faces. But Eric didn't give up, and he asked the next question through the mouth of Aven.

"That'...... Are you doing anything illegal here?"

"No, sir. You're kidding. What are we doing on the Gold Coast? It's been working hard for the prosperity of Pelos......"

"Okay, I see. Please stop. Eric told the manager to shut up.

Although it is true, the testimony of the manager does not prove the complete innocence of the Gold Coast. Because that's just the answer within his own knowing. Maybe all those illegal things happened in places he couldn't see.

In short, it seems that there is no valuable information asked from this manager.

Eric put away the thought of continuing to investigate.

Next, in order to move on, the four of them picked out their masks.

Coincidentally, they're all animal-shaped. Eric picks the wolf, Arvin is the cat, Newsom is the fox, and Bell picks the bear.

So Arwin said to Bell: "I have already guessed what you will pick, what a guy who will not surprise anyone." ”

The bear warrior picked the bear mask. It's a simple choice.

"Give me a reason not to choose it! I love this mask, don't you think it looks cool. ”

Bell shook the bear mask in his hand and showed it to everyone.

"Honestly, you're the only one who thinks so. ”

Eric said as he looked at the bear's face, which was a little silly.

Bell didn't bother with this, and put it on contentedly.

Seeing that the men were masked, the manager walked to the side door of the room and opened a crack just enough to allow a single person through.

As soon as everyone entered, the light dimmed. Eric took a few more steps and used his hand to remove the black silk curtain that was blocking the way in front of him, so that he could truly enter the space of the fifth layer.

An atrium, isolated from the noisy world of the previous four floors.

As far as the eye can see, the lights are dim. With the exception of the staff, all the guests wore masks. Although they were in groups, they had a good conversation. But I believe that if you don't know each other very well, you won't be able to recognize each other's identity. It seems that as the manager said, it is very sensitive to identity.

However, in it, Eric immediately recognized the two big guys who had just won the challenge game not long ago. At this time, they were scurrying around the field, followed by a few waiters who were obviously unable to run.

Eric couldn't help but wonder, it seemed that the two of them had caused a lot of trouble here.

Suddenly, several beams of light hit the field. This made Eric and the others, who were about to move on, stop. The crowd, who knew what was about to happen, was suddenly excited.

"You're just in the right place. It looks like the show is about to start. ”

The manager said to Eric and the others.

"Watch the show, what are you performing?"

"I don't know the specifics, because the content of the show is different every time, but the genre is very similar. This is the only item on the fifth floor, so everyone who comes here is here to see it. ”

The reaction of the crowd also confirmed the manager's words, and they all focused their eyes on the center of the field. There was a table that the security guard had just brought up.

It is a game table, but the style is different from the common ones, and there is something special.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a tense and exciting 21-point showdown. ”

A deep voice echoed through the room.

21 o'clock, also a classic game of the casino. Even people like Eric who haven't actually played at the tables know the rules.

A deck of playing cards, using 52 cards other than the king, the player's goal is to make the sum of the cards in the hand not exceed 21 points and be as high as possible.

Poker points are calculated as follows: 2 to 9 cards are counted according to their original value, K, Queen, Jack and 10 cards all count as 10 points, and Ace cards can count as either 1 or 11 points, as determined by the player.

At the beginning of the game, each player is dealt with two cards, one face up and one face down (face down, only they know the number).

This is followed by the normal process of drawing: the first player chooses to take a card, stand or surrender. In the process of dealing cards, if the sum of the player's cards exceeds 21, the player loses - called a bust, and if the player does not blow after taking the card, he decides not to play again. It is the next player's turn to choose.

If one player blows, then he loses and the other player wins, otherwise it is a big win by the number of points. All blows, or the same number of points is a tie.

At this time, the manager stared at the dealer who was about to appear from the shadows on the stage and said, "You guys are really lucky, today the manager actually hosted the show himself." It seems that he is in a bad mood. ”

Before Eric could think about it, he saw the light deflect, and the manager in the all-black trench coat was illuminated by a beam of light in an instant, and he appeared perfectly.

The sudden glare makes it difficult for the eye to adapt immediately. Eric wiped his eyes before he slowly saw the appearance of the "manager".

But he couldn't see his face, because the man was wearing a mask. It is worth mentioning that the slightly metallic black mask has a long beak on it.

Animal masks.

Crow.

The four were shocked. They are very sensitive to this animal. The manager next to him looked at the four guests who were full of excitement and said in surprise: "What's the matter, my guest?"

But he was ignored, and no one would answer him seriously.

Is the appearance of the Raven Mask a coincidence? After all, it was the chief manager of the Gold Coast who wore the mask, so it was really very particular to choose a mask in this way.

"It's a crow. Arwin muttered quietly, and could hear his voice getting nervous.

Thanks to this mask, the four of them have a sense of realism in infiltrating the enemy's lair. At least let people know they're in the wrong place.

But the more at this time, the more Eric knew that he must not act rashly at this time, and he decided to let everyone wait and see what happened in the audience first.

Next, two guys wearing iron helmets and shackles were escorted to the stage from the backcourt one after another. They walked with a limp, and it was not difficult to guess what kind of shocking wounds were hidden beneath the shabby clothes.

"These two are the protagonists of today's show, the two players who are going to play the game. They will play one-on-one here at 21 points. Give them a round of applause!"

The crowd clapped their hands.

The two were pressed to two chairs facing each other and held in place by rope to keep them seated. The iron clasp on the table held their left hand in place, stuck in a strangely patterned metal prop. From the outside, it was impossible to tell what it was for, but soon the answer was revealed.

"Now, announce the special rule for tonight: if any player loses a game, he will lose a finger of his own!"

If you lose, chop off your fingers.

That prop was originally used to cut fingers!

Hearing this terrible rule, some people in the crowd couldn't stop howling. A few people heard the news and slowly stepped back, turned around and left the casino through the black curtain. Judging by the body type, women are the majority. It is not difficult to imagine that under those masks, there are all iron-green faces.

Some of the do-gooders cheered on those who left.

"Please respect those who are leaving, guests. "The stewards on the stage are keeping order.

"Are you really not thinking about leaving? This is the last chance. ”

The manager suggested to Arwen again. But in the next second, he was grabbed by the collar.

"I remember you just said that there is nothing illegal here, and as far as I know, this torturous bastard game is not legal. ”

Wrath.

Eric understood. The VIP casino on the fifth floor of the casino turned out to be a terrifying game of this type of torture. Those pampered upper-class people come here to watch it in pursuit of excitement to satisfy their perverted psychology. But how can a regular casino offer this kind of game?

It does look like the handiwork of a crow.

The poor manager said sorry several times before Eric let go slightly.

“...... Not what you think. These participants are death row inmates sent from prison, and they are people who have no human rights. These nominally dead guys are not protected by the law. After all, the law doesn't say you can't abuse the dead. ”

But in Eric's mind, the condemned prisoner should be the one who died under the punishment of beheading, hanging, shooting, etc. How could a condemned prisoner be sent here?

In the face of Eric's questioning, the manager had to confide in the truth: "Sir, this is not something that can be told to you... Well, I say, I say.

In fact, our casino has a contract with the prison, and most of the prisoners sentenced to death will be sent here. And we'll provide them with funding. It's a win-win business. Instead of letting them die in vain, let them create more value.

Specifically, they will bet on the games here that ordinary people would not dare to bet on. Doing so will both attract customers and provide them with an extra gamble to bet on. If you think about it, it's actually recycling...... After a few games and they are dying, his death sentence will be carried out by the casino. So it's harmless..."

Hearing this, Eric threw the manager to the ground. The latter gulps fresh air to the apparatus.

Casinos and prisons have become business partners? This is clearly a frightening new business model. I have to say that the person who came up with it must have a good mind.

Indeed, Eric, who was well versed in the law, could not find a legal provision in his memory that prohibited the sale of death row prisoners in prisons.

There is no violation of the law. It's no wonder that the manager says they don't have any illegal activities here.

Indeed, as the manager said, this is waste utilization, which really creates value.

But the dehumanization of this is something that makes Eric sick. He even recalled the underground gladiatorial arena of St. Duod, and the two places were almost identical.

And he, as a detective at the Pelos Police Station, must not sit idly by.

Bell on the side said urgently, "We can't waste any more time, Eric. Don't worry about the game, go find Io!"

Bear Warrior cares a lot about his leader.

Eric patted his head, blaming him for almost forgetting the purpose of being here. Fortunately, there was still Eric who was about to arrange for the personnel to be divided into two ways, but the next moment Yawen's words saved him from this superfluous thought.

"Hey, Eric. Look!"

Bell and Newsom watched as Arvin's fingers froze in midair, not understanding what it meant.

And Eric saw the goblin. It was flying towards one of the "death row inmates" at the table in the middle of the field.

He knew what that meant—the guy with the iron helmet was Io.

To make matters worse, it looks like he's going to be forced to participate in this gambling game.