334: Open competition!

"Luck?" Long Qingcheng raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly," Li Shengyuan nodded.

"Junior Brother Song possesses an extremely rare and peculiar talent or fate. When he participates in a gamble, especially when using stake provided by others, he appears to lose every bet. In reality, he uses his own 'gambling fortune' and the lost assets as bait, mysteriously 'exchanging' them for a portion of the winner's Luck."

He emphasized, "And the most crucial point is, this 'exchanged' Luck, mostly impure and mixed, does not all remain with him. Instead, it follows some profound Karmic connection and transfers to the person who provided the stake, or the one most deeply associated with his gamble."

"Today, most of that Luck converged upon me."

Long Qingcheng listened quietly. Initially somewhat dismissive, as Li Shengyuan's narration continued, her eyes gradually brightened. The lazy expression on her face faded, replaced by the sharpness and deep thought of a ruler.

"Such a strange thing exists?" she murmured, her fingers unconsciously tapping the edge of the couch. "Using money and resources as bait to hook the Luck of others... No wonder that old fellow the Chancellor took him in."

"This ability seems absurd, but if applied skillfully, it's simply... unfathomable."

She looked at Li Shengyuan, her gaze sharp: "You came specifically to tell Us this. What is your intention? Surely not just to broaden Our horizons?"

Li Shengyuan met her gaze, the smile fading from his face, a flash of cold, fierce intensity passing through his eyes:

"Your Majesty is discerning. I, Li, do indeed have a purpose."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowered, yet carrying a resolute decisiveness:

"I want to pull off a big one."

"Taking advantage of this gathering of 'heroes' in the Demon Domain, where followers of the Demonic Sect may also be lurking, I want to set a trap."

"A trap that allows Junior Brother Song to 'give full play' and 'exchange' away as much Luck as possible from those rebellious Yao Race members and the Demonic Sect scum!"

His gaze burned as he looked at Long Qingcheng: "For this to succeed, we need the right timing, location, and people. Holy Dragon City is Your Majesty's domain. The upcoming 'grand event' is also led by Your Majesty. Therefore..."

Li Shengyuan paused, his tone solemn: "I need Your Majesty's assistance. I need you to provide a suitable 'casino,' create the right 'opportunities,' and even..."

"If necessary, use your name and prestige to promote a 'staggering high-stakes gamble' compelling enough to draw everyone in!"

Silence filled the warm chamber, only the faint blue smoke of the calming incense slowly rising.

Long Qingcheng leaned back on the soft couch, her eyes deep as an abyss, quietly gazing at Li Shengyuan as if weighing the significance of his words, the risks hidden behind this insane plan, and... its immensely tempting potential rewards.

After a long moment, her red lips parted as she slowly uttered a sentence:

"Elaborate."

The lamps in the warm chamber flickered, illuminating their solemn faces.

Li Shengyuan laid out his entire plan, his voice low and clear.

Long Qingcheng listened attentively, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes with a gleam of sharp light flashing in her eyes, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the soft couch.

Li Shengyuan's concept was bold yet meticulous.

He did not intend for Song Zhen to gamble for money directly against those rebels and demonic disciples; that would be too conspicuous and inefficient.

Moreover, they couldn't fully identify the rebels yet.

What Li Shengyuan wanted was to use an 'open gambit,' seemingly fair, reasonable, and offering immense benefits, personally initiated by the Dragon Emperor, to draw all the targets into it!