157: Shouldn't you try it first?

He Ming's lips curled into a sneer. "Don't dare? Then continue."

Chris gritted his back teeth, forcing himself to remain calm.

"Fifty points is purely a game of luck, it's boring. Let's play something where skill decides the winner!"

"What do you want to play?"

"Dice!"

He Ming: "Boring, I'm not playing."

"Chris, who doesn't know you're a master at rolling dice? Isn't that just bullying people?"

"Exactly."

Chris clenched his fists, feeling a tightness in his chest. His face grew even redder, and veins throbbed on his forehead.

He Ming wasn't being soft-hearted. If he really won two Star Marrow Mines from Chris in one go, things would truly escalate.

With a thought, he communicated with the omniscient notebook.

"If I win another Star Marrow Mine, will my identity be exposed?"

"Yes."

"Specific risks?"

"Chris loses two Star Marrow Mines, launches a war to attack the Luol Star System, the Star Empire's Sector Lord descends, discovers your disguise, and you are killed."

"So as long as it doesn't cause a war, there's no risk of exposure?"

"Yes."

"Chris, just admit defeat. If you want to continue gambling, let's do it another day."

He Ming continued to embrace Shui Meng and left the crowd.

Chris's face completely darkened. He had no face left to stay, so he pushed through the crowd and hurried towards the upper-level lounge area.

He Ming's gaze swept across the entire venue, communicating with the omniscient notebook in his inner universe.

"Are there any governors here who want to exchange Star Marrow Ore for cash?"

"Governor Wanxing Ying."

He Ming's gaze swept across the entire venue. Information about the people present appeared on his special pupil membrane, and he quickly found his target.

She wore fiery red armor, with long brown hair cascading to her waist. Her figure was curvaceous, and there was a diagonal scar on her right eye, running from her eyebrow down to her cheek.

Her face was stunningly beautiful, and the scar actually added a touch of heroism, not detracting from her overall appearance at all.

"Let's go."

Shui Meng: "Going to gamble again?"

"No, to talk business."

He Ming arrived at a card table in the corner. The rules were simple: draw cards and compare values, 1-100, with the Crown being the highest and the Scepter second highest. There were also 102 cards.

There were five people at the table: four men and one woman.

He Ming looked at Wanxing Ying, his gaze sweeping over the panel in front of her table. Her balance was less than two hundred billion.

"Bad luck."

Her balance was zeroed out.

"How much money is left in Governor Wanxing Ying's account?"

"Three hundred billion."

He Ming's mouth twitched. This was a bit too tragic.

A governor who commanded a star system only had three hundred billion left in her account...

"How much did she lose today?"

"One trillion."

He Ming's brows furrowed.

One trillion, the minimum standard.

This was an unwritten rule of the Star Empire's ten-year gathering.

If a governor didn't leave one trillion in assets, she had to keep playing.

Of course, if she could win one trillion, that was also acceptable.

Or, if she spent over one trillion in Star City.

She only lost one trillion, and her account balance was only three hundred billion left...

"Where's her money?"

"Used for developing her territory and increasing per capita income."

He Ming was speechless for a moment, truly not expecting that answer.

Wanxing Ying seemed to have completed a task. After losing her money, she dusted her hands and left, without a hint of reluctance.

"Governor Wanxing Ying."

Wanxing Ying turned and looked at He Ming.

"Wang Chao, do you need something from me?"

"I want to discuss a business deal with you."

Wanxing Ying cupped her hands to her chest, examining Wang Chao with interest.

"It's hard to tell, do you also do business?"

He Ming: "Why?"

Wanxing Ying: "Isn't your specialty exploiting the people of your territory? Doing business, are you capable of that?"

He Ming heard sarcasm and disapproval in her words. After a moment's thought, he understood.

A governor who loved her people like children meeting a governor who only knew how to exploit the lower classes, indeed, this attitude was to be expected.

He Ming: "Capable or not, won't you know if you try?"

Wanxing Ying's eyes turned cold, realizing she had been teased...

"Try it then, let's go somewhere else."

The three left the casino and took the elevator directly to the 27th floor.

Room 2707.

Wanxing Ying turned around, looking at He Ming provocatively: "What, are we going to talk with three people?"

He Ming tightened his embrace around Shui Meng, chuckling, "I like talking with three people."

"Come in."

Wanxing Ying opened the door, let the two in, then locked the door with her terminal.

"Please, make yourselves at home."

He Ming released Shui Meng and quietly said, "Go find something to do."

Shui Meng: "?"

After sending Shui Meng away, a good idea for a shortcut suddenly arose in He Ming's mind.

"How far is Governor Wanxing Ying's star system from the Luol Star System, and what is the satisfaction level of her people?"

"The Wan Star System is 20 light-years from the Luol Star System, and the satisfaction level of its people is 97.9%."

He Ming's heart skipped a beat. This satisfaction level was truly outrageous.

And it was even named after Wanxing Ying...

"What is Earth's satisfaction level with me?"

"80.2%."

He Ming...

"Is Governor Wanxing Ying married?"

"No."

"If I become her husband, what percentage of the Wan Star System's luck can I take?"

"10%."

"Can this percentage be increased?"

"Yes."

He Ming understood. As long as he won Wanxing Ying over, the Wan Star System would gain a free 10% luck bonus due to the 'love the house, love the dog' effect.

"There's potential..."

"What is the approximate total population of the Wan Star System?"

"120 billion."

He Ming thought to himself, "So many people!"

"The Luol Star System, including slaves, only has 87 billion people. A 10% share would be a total luck value of 12 billion people, which is even more than Earth's total population!"

"What are you thinking about?"

Wanxing Ying sat on the sofa opposite He Ming, her expression of distaste undisguised.

He Ming smiled calmly: "Nothing. Let's talk business."

"Speak. What do you want?"

"Star Marrow Ore."

Wanxing Ying flatly refused: "That's impossible."

He Ming: "Everything has its own value. You can also state what you want. If it feels appropriate, then the deal is done, right?"

Wanxing Ying carefully observed He Ming's expression. He didn't seem to be joking.

"Cash, food, population."

He Ming: "Why do you need so many people?"

Wanxing Ying looked at him with an undisguised expression like he was an idiot.

"Surely you know that developing a star system requires a large population, right?"

"For war?"

Wanxing Ying glanced at He Ming and snorted lightly.

"It seems you're not stupid, you've noticed."

He Ming was a bit confused for a moment. Noticed what?

"Noticed what, specifically?"

"The Star Empire is about to go to war with the neighboring Radiant Empire."

"How many days left?"

"370."

He Ming secretly thought: "A year later... War is good, war means I'll have time to develop slowly."

No!

He Ming realized the crucial problem.

If the Star Empire and the Radiant Empire went to war, as a governor of the Star Empire, he would be sent to the front lines to participate, right!?

"After the war starts, will I be sent to the front lines?"

"Yes."

He Ming scratched his slightly itchy scalp. He just wanted to develop steadily now, but there wasn't much he could do about this kind of situation.

The Wang Chao identity was very useful, and it wasn't time to shed it yet. This war really couldn't be avoided.