293: That's insane!

"Should we... call the police? The stakes are too high, someone might die!"

"Call the police? If we call them now, what about the online loans Su Cha borrowed? Would Atapong let him off? It'll just make things messier! Let's wait and see..."

"Damn, this is intense... Most intense card game I've seen in my life..."

Lei Jun hadn't expected Su Cha to be so bold.

Su Cha trusted her too much, didn't he? What if she lost?

Atapong was trembling with rage from Su Cha's repeated defiance. He pointed at Su Cha, his lips quivering, unable to speak clearly.

"You... you... you lunatic! A complete and utter lunatic!"

Seeing Atapong like this, Su Cha finally felt a bit of his pent-up anger dissipate. He sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

"What? Can't take it? Weren't you acting all high and mighty just now? If you don't dare to follow, or can't afford to, then you can..."

He paused deliberately, mimicking Atapong's previous tone.

"Put down another bet of no less than 1.5 million and call my hand! Rules are rules, fair and square!"

This was literally throwing back the same tactic Atapong had used to pressure him with money!

Atapong's eyes were practically spitting fire. He suddenly grabbed Su Cha by the collar and pulled him close, their faces almost touching.

"Hmph! You think I don't know what you're up to? Trying to copy me and pressure people by raising the stakes? You're bluffing! You don't have a damn cent to follow the next round! You're just trying to scare me into folding so you can take all this money for free! In your dreams!"

Su Cha didn't struggle while held by the collar; he simply glared back with the same ferocity.

"So what if I am? Aren't you supposed to be rich? Didn't you look down on us poor relatives? What's wrong? Is a mere 1.5 million call too much for you? Where's your money? Bring it out!"

Provoked by Su Cha, Atapong's temper completely exploded. He let go of Su Cha's collar, shoved him away violently, and then pointed at Su Cha's nose, roaring.

"Stop fucking baiting me! You poor bastard, you've bet everything you have and even took out online loans, yet you still dare to be so arrogant! If I really put down another 1.5 million to follow, can a little brat like you even handle it? What would you use to pay? Sell a kidney?!"

Su Cha steadied himself, straightened his messy collar, and roared back.

"That's my business! You don't need to worry about it! I'm telling you clearly right now: I'm not calling! If you don't have the money to follow or don't dare to, then fold like a good boy! Leave this million-plus behind!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Nala screamed. She was also getting anxious; the stakes had far exceeded her initial expectations and the psychological limit of what she could easily bear.

"How can someone be so shameless! 1.5 million and you still won't call? What right do you have to make us follow another round? You're just being a rogue!"

Su Cha suddenly turned to Nala.

"You have the nerve to ask me what right I have? I'll tell you! Because I followed that 1.5 million bet! I matched it! That's how the rules are set!"

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance! What I said before still stands!"

He looked around the room, his gaze finally landing on Atapong's face, emphasizing every word.

"Today, I'm here to fight for my pride! For the dignity of my father, whom you trampled on in public! Atapong, as long as you! Now! In front of everyone! Bow to my father! And apologize!"

"Say you were wrong, that you shouldn't have insulted an elder! Then, today's stakes, all this money on the table—I don't want any of it! Consider it the cost of a lesson, the price for you to speak like a human being for once!"

"Choose! Apologize, or keep following and bet even more!"

Su Cha's condition caused another uproar among the crowd.

"What? Just an apology? He's giving up all that money???"

"He's crazy... truly crazy... giving it up for pride, this idiot!"

"Good! Well said! He's got spine! A man lives for his pride, just as a Buddha lives for his incense! What's money? If you lose it, you can earn it back, but once dignity is gone, it's gone forever!"

"Now that's a man! If Atapong has any guts, he should apologize! Anyway, he has a strong hand; apologizing won't cost him a limb, and he'd get millions for free. What a deal!"

"A deal? You think someone like Atapong would bow and apologize? Especially to the uncle he's always looked down on? That's harder than killing him! If he apologizes in front of so many people, how will he ever act like a big shot in the village again?"

"I don't think Su Cha really wants the money either. He's backing Atapong into a corner—either lose money or lose face! It depends on which one Atapong is more unwilling to part with."

"That's a ruthless move! Using retreat as a means of advance! Atapong is in a tough spot now!"

"Do you think Atapong will get so angry he'll just start a fight?"

Atapong's face turned extremely ugly the moment Su Cha mentioned an apology.

It turned pale and then flushed red, his temples throbbing.

"Apologize? Apologize to that useless Wenchalong?"

"Bow in public? Say he was wrong? This..."

"...was even harder to accept than losing another 1.5 million!"

He glared at Su Cha, squeezing the words out from between his teeth: "You motherfucker... you're serious!"

Su Cha didn't back down; instead, he sneered with mockery.

"You were the one who placed heavy bets to force me to fold! I followed, and you're the one who's unhappy! You're the one who refused to call and demanded more betting, then called me a rogue! What? Does the logic only work for your family? Only wanting to win and refusing to lose? How can there be people like you... hypocrites who want to have it both ways!"

Nala trembled with rage at Su Cha's words and shrieked, "You... you bastard! Who are you calling a hypocrite?!"

Su Cha didn't bother wasting more breath on her and waved her off. "Whatever! It's the same choice: either bet, fold, or apologize! Stop with all the nonsense! Give me a straight answer!"

Atapong's chest heaved violently, his breathing heavy.

He was completely enraged by Su Cha and pushed to a dead end.

"Apologize? Impossible!"

"Fold? Losing millions would hurt, but losing face would be worse!"

That left only one path: follow the bet!

Use even more money to completely crush Su Cha!

He didn't believe Su Cha could conjure up any more money!

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Atapong laughed out of sheer anger, repeating the word "fine" three times, a ruthless determination flashing in his eyes.

"Su Cha! You're something else! You've got guts! Today, I'm going all in! I'll play this game with you to the end! Let's see how long you can stay so arrogant!"

Saying that, he turned abruptly, his gaze falling on Nala nearby.

Without any hesitation, he stepped forward and reached out to grab the bag in Nala's hand!

Nala was startled and instinctively hugged it tight. "Atapong! What are you doing! This is my bag!"

"Give it to me!" Atapong roared, pulling with force. Ignoring Nala's struggles and screams, he violently snatched the handbag from her arms!