Chapter 61: The Grand Sands Underground Casino
"By the way," Tenchi said, stopping on the first step and turning back to the woman at the front desk. A playful smirk was on his face. "What kind of... *games* do you have here?"
"Games? What kind of games?" the receptionist asked, genuinely confused by his vague question.
Tenchi was confused by her confusion. "You don't have them here? That can't be right."
A moment later, understanding dawned on her face, and her polite smile became strained. "Oh... *those* kinds of games. I see." She looked at him, and a hint of clear contempt entered her eyes. He hadn't seemed that type at first.
"I just want to go somewhere to play cards and gamble. What did you think I meant?" Tenchi said bluntly, a little annoyed by her judgmental look. He wanted to clear up her misunderstanding.
"I'm sorry, sir," she said, her voice cool. "This is a respectable establishment. We don't have those kinds of activities here." The contempt in her eyes didn't fade. *'A gambler. Just another lost soul. If I didn't need this job, I wouldn't even talk to people like him.'*
"Really?" Tenchi said, his tone challenging. "I don't think a big hotel like this makes enough money just from room rentals. I have plenty of cash. I wonder what your boss would say if he found out you turned away a wealthy customer. You might even lose your job." He finished speaking and turned to go upstairs again.
"This..." The woman was caught in a dilemma. She personally hated the casino and what it did to people, but she couldn't afford to lose her job.
"Wait, sir!" After a moment of internal struggle, she called out to him. "I... I will have someone take you there."
"I thought you said this was a respectable place and you didn't have 'those things'?" Tenchi said, walking back to the desk and looking at her with that same teasing smile.
"Sir, what can we do?" she replied, keeping her professional face on. "The town does not officially allow gambling or other... indecent activities." She stressed the word 'indecent.'
"Oh? Then aren't you afraid I'm an investigator, here to catch you in the act? What you're doing is very risky. Aren't you scared?" Tenchi asked. For some reason, he enjoyed teasing her like this.
"An investigator? We don't fish here," she said, looking genuinely puzzled.
"Uh... I mean, what if I'm pretending to be a customer to investigate you?" Tenchi explained, remembering that the phrase 'fishing for law enforcement' didn't exist here.
"Oh, that's what you mean," she said. "I was a little suspicious before, but you definitely don't act like an investigator." Her polite smile finally vanished, leaving only the undisguised contempt in her eyes.
"Whatever. I'm tired of explaining myself," Tenchi said, frustrated that she still saw him as a low-life. "Just find someone to take me there. Now."
"Fine. Someone! Please escort this gentleman to the members-only area," she called out, her voice laced with disdain.
A large man in a simple suit appeared. "This way, sir. Please follow me," he said to Tenchi.
As Tenchi was about to follow the man, he turned back to the woman at the front desk one last time. "Just so you know," he said, his voice serious. "I'm not the person you think I am. I never have been, and I never will be." Without waiting for her reply, he turned and followed the guide down a hidden hallway.
*'What a strange man,'* the receptionist thought, watching him leave. *'Did I really misjudge him? But... how can a gambler be a good person?'* She shook her head, dismissing the thought. She decided to stick with her first impression.
Tenchi followed the man to a service elevator, which descended deep underground. "So it's in the basement. No wonder I couldn't find anything when I was looking around outside."
"That's correct, sir," the man explained. "Since these activities are not permitted in the town, many establishments operate discreetly. You wouldn't find them without a guide."
"I've seen gambling in other towns. Why is it banned here?" Tenchi asked.
The man sighed. "Too many people became obsessed. They would lose all their money, then end up selling their family's land, even their children, to pay their debts. The town mayor couldn't stand to see it anymore and outlawed all gambling. So now, it only exists in places like this."
"So, the problem was that there were too many losers," Tenchi said, narrowing his eyes at the man. "And you're part of the reason why?"
"How could that be!" the man said, looking genuinely horrified. "Our establishment is completely fair! Winning or losing is purely a matter of luck. We would never, ever cheat our guests!" He promised fervently.
"I hope that's true," Tenchi replied, his voice full of doubt. He didn't believe that for a second. A casino that didn't cheat? That's how they made their money. Only a child would believe such nonsense.
The elevator door opened on the third sub-basement level.
"Whoa," Tenchi whispered, his eyes widening. The space was huge and lavishly decorated with golden trim and red velvet. The air was thick with smoke and the sounds of clinking chips and excited chatter. All kinds of gambling tables were spread out, surrounded by wealthy-looking patrons and waitresses carrying trays of drinks.
"This is more like it," he said, impressed.
"Guests here play with cash, sir. You..." the guide said, looking pointedly at Tenchi's empty hands.
"Who are you looking down on?" Tenchi said with a smirk. He turned slightly, and with a small, unnoticeable spatial ripple, he pulled a thick stack of ryo notes from his personal storage dimension. He fanned the money in front of the man's face. (Author's Note: I like using a personal dimension to store money. I hope you don't mind. Reader's Note: Sure, you're the author, you're the boss).
The guide's expression immediately became much more respectful. "Of course, sir. Please enjoy your time. I will take my leave." Seeing the money, he bowed slightly and left, relieved. If Tenchi had been broke, his job would have been to throw him out.
Tenchi wandered further in, getting a feel for the place. He stopped at a crowded table where people were shouting.
"Big! Come on, big!"
"Small! It has to be small!"
*'Dice. Guessing the number,'* Tenchi thought, peering at the game. *'If I had the Byakugan from the Hyuga clan, I could make a fortune here. I could see right through the cup.'*
*'But then again, a noble Hyuga would never lower themselves to something like this.'*
*'Wait a minute. The Sharingan can see chakra flow. I wonder if it can see through a dice cup? Let's try.'* He focused, and the three tomoe of his Sharingan spun to life in his eyes. He stared intently at the covered cup.
*'Dammit! I can't see through it. The Byakugan really is the ultimate peeking tool for a reason.'* Seeing that his plan had failed, he left the dice table and moved over to where people were playing cards.
*'Hmm, Blackjack. Another pure game of luck. This isn't what I'm looking for. I'm here to make money, not lose it.'* He scanned the other games. They all seemed to rely mostly on chance.
He wasn't pessimistic about his luck, but he was smart. In games of pure chance, the house always has an edge, and if the dealer was cheating, he could lose everything. His money hadn't come to him by chance, and he wasn't going to throw it away.
After looking around carefully, his eyes settled on two games that looked promising. One was roulette, and the other was a simple game where the dealer covered game pieces with cups.
With roulette, you could bet on a number, and the dealer would spin the wheel and throw a ball. If it landed on your number, you won a big payout. But you could also throw the ball yourself if you were confident. With the Sharingan's perfect depth perception and timing, and his own excellent control, he could practically guarantee where the ball would land.
The cup game was even simpler. The dealer would shuffle several cups, some hiding game pieces underneath. You just had to guess which cup held the piece. If you guessed right, you doubled your money. With the Sharingan's incredible dynamic vision, tracking the cup with the piece would be child's play.
A confident smile spread across Tenchi's face. *'Perfect. Time to make some real money.'*