279: Reality is just that cruel.

Some people around immediately started jeering and egging them on.

"Su Cha! Hold on!"

"Don't back down! Su Cha! Be a man and take him on!"

"Exactly! Even if you have to borrow money, you must call! You can't let him be so smug!"

"Call! We all support you!"

Listening to Atapong's harsh provocations and the noisy jeering around him, Su Cha felt a surge of blood rush to his head.

He glared intently at Atapong.

"Atapong! You... how can you be so disgusting? Besides raising the stakes to pressure people and throwing money around, do you know how to do anything else? Is this your only trick?"

Atapong and Nala glanced at each other, both seeing the same pleasure and arrogance in the other's eyes.

They burst into laughter in unison, their laughter filled with irony and contempt.

"Hahahaha!"

Atapong laughed so hard he doubled over, as if he had heard the world's funniest joke.

After laughing, he abruptly stopped, leaning forward once more.

A fierce and cold light, like that of a venomous snake, shot from his eyes.

"Isn't this how the game is played?!"

Immediately after, he suddenly raised his voice, pointing a finger at Su Cha's forehead and roaring with all his might, his face contorted.

"I'm bullying you precisely because you have no money!!!"

"I'm going to raise the stakes to crush you!!!"

"So—what—?!"

"Are you unhappy about it? Huh!"

Being humiliated and provoked so blatantly by Atapong, Su Cha felt the fury in his chest was about to explode!

He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking from the excessive force, and his veins bulging.

So disgusting!

Atapong, that petty man!

That beast!

How could he be so shameless?

Relying on having a bit of filthy money, he trampled on others' dignity so recklessly!

A strong impulse for violence surged in Su Cha's heart.

He really wanted to lunge forward regardless of the consequences and smash Atapong's nauseating face with his fists!

If it weren't for his wedding today, if it weren't for so many relatives watching, if it weren't for... he would have acted long ago!

However, his remaining reason and the constraints of the law bound him like invisible chains.

He could only grit his teeth, feeling the anger burning in his chest without any outlet, a feeling that almost suffocated him.

Seeing Su Cha's frustrated look—furious yet not daring to act—Atapong felt incredibly satisfied!

This feeling of complete control over the other person and humiliating them at will made his spirits soar, nearly losing control.

He continued in a rasping, roaring voice, the veins on his neck standing out.

"If you have no money, get the hell off the table!"

"Useless coward! Poor wretch!"

"With your meager strength, you think you're worthy of competing with me?! Are—you—worthy?!!"

"You!!!"

Su Cha could no longer hold back; he stood up abruptly, sending his chair toppling backward.

His eyes were bloodshot like a thoroughly enraged lion, looking as if he were about to pounce.

Seeing him like this, Atapong was not afraid; instead, he became even more excited.

He had long seen through Su Cha's 'strong on the outside, weak on the inside' nature; this Younger Cousin Brother had never had the guts to fight him since they were children.

He directly interrupted Su Cha.

"What 'you' are you talking about?!"

"If you can't afford to call, then shut the hell up!"

"Leave the house, the car, and the three golds!"

He pointed forcefully at Su Cha again, his tone incredibly harsh:

"And then—get—the—hell—out—of—here—immediately!!!"

"Boom—" Su Cha felt as if something had exploded in his brain.

Extreme anger, humiliation, resentment... various emotions submerged him like a tsunami.

He stared fixedly at Atapong; if looks could kill, Atapong would have already been executed by a thousand cuts.

But... murder is a crime.

This realization was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing his impulse to act, but it made that pent-up frustration even more suffocating in his chest, burning his internal organs.

One point five million!

A full one point five million!

Where was he going to find this one point five million?!

He certainly couldn't count on his father's side, and all his own savings and assets had already been wagered.

Relatives and friends? Not to mention whether he could borrow it; even if he could, how would he pay it back?

Was he really going to shoulder a massive debt just for the sake of his pride?

But... if he didn't call?

That would mean admitting defeat.

It meant handing over the wedding house, the car, and his wife's three golds to his enemy, Atapong!

It meant the young couple might be homeless right after getting married, it meant his dignity as a man would be completely crushed, and it meant his entire family would become a laughingstock in the eyes of the whole village and all their relatives!

Lose? He couldn't lose!

Especially not to a petty person like Atapong!

That would feel worse than death!

But... how could he avoid losing?

Calling this one point five million bet was the only way.

Money... where would the money come from?

Su Cha fell into an unprecedented struggle and despair.

The 'sink or swim' momentum from just now seemed so pale and weak in front of the absolute barrier Atapong had built with money.

It was as if all the strength had been drained from his body; he slumped back into his chair, despondent, with his head down and his hands buried deep in his hair, letting out a groan of pain.

He was so unwilling... so truly unwilling... but... reality is just this cruel.

Without money, one doesn't even have the right to be at the card table.

Pinya felt as if a knife were piercing her heart as she watched her husband's suffering.

She was equally anxious, equally angry, and equally unwilling.

Seeing Su Cha forced into a corner and Atapong's insufferably arrogant manner, the discussions in the courtyard became even more chaotic.

"Holy crap! This Atapong is so punchable! Seeing that face makes me want to go up and give him two good hits!"

"This is too much! He's practically driving Su Cha to his death! Is he really a Younger Cousin Brother? They're like enemies!"

"There are no fathers or sons at the gambling table. Though cruel, that's reality. It's Su Cha's own fault for getting on the table and then not being able to afford to call. Although Atapong's methods are harsh, he hasn't broken any rules."

"Sigh, reality is just this cruel. Sometimes relatives turn on each other over money faster than flipping a page."

"I just can't stand Atapong's attitude! Is being rich that great? Bullying people like this, he'll get what's coming to him sooner or later! Hang in there, Su Cha! Find a way to take him down!"

"Right! Support Su Cha! Even if someone like Atapong wins, the money is dirty!"

"Hmph, easier said than done. One point five million—where is Su Cha going to get that?"

Atapong snorted coldly, not even bothering to pay attention to these discussions.

In his eyes, these people were all low-class poor wretches, only capable of chirping below him—purely noisy pests.

He directly tuned out the noise.

Having calmed down slightly, he began to analyze the situation.

By this point, what cards Su Cha actually held was no longer that important.

What mattered was that he couldn't produce one point five million!

As long as he couldn't call the bet, no matter how good his cards were, he was finished!

Those are the rules!

He was already in an invincible position!