After bidding farewell to Priest Augustus, Shade first went to the Black Raven Library to inquire about detoxification magic and spells. After failing to find a target with a suitable price, he went to Old John's Pawn Shop and the Seven Broomsticks Tavern in Coldwater Harbor and posted a commission to "purchase the blood of rare creatures."
Although Shade couldn't even bring the potion ingredients to the past with the first time key, this time since the gods asked him to bring blood, he believed that the blood could be brought to the party.
Just like that, Shade had nothing else important to do before the end of the Big City Players Rod Card Tournament.
On Wednesday, the second phase of the Big City players officially began. That morning, Shade took Mia to the Prophet Association. He first went to Luvia to explain the matter of the "God's Wine Party", and then found Vice President Mark.
After the start of the Rhodes Card Tournament, which attracted the attention of players all over the world, Vice President Mark was not as busy as he was during the preparation stage.
The flow of people in the Prophet Association today was at least twice as large as usual. People crowded into the first floor lobby, looking at the more detailed rules of the second stage of the competition on the bulletin board, or talking to each other about the interesting things that happened during the first stage of the competition.
The expansion of the card-playing base will lead to the emergence of some rare card games. People are very happy to talk about these card games. Even in recent days, regular newspapers and tabloids like to use interesting events during Rhodes card games to fill the back pages of newspapers.
Xia De found the vice president on the third floor and explained the issue he wanted to know.
“How many people enter the second stage?”
Vice President Mark stood at the third floor stairs with his hands folded across his chest, looking at Xia De with some surprise:
"No, no, you can't tell me that. The association's internal personnel are strictly prohibited from revealing any data about the game."
He shook his head and emphasized:
"Even if we are friends, we must never tell."
In fact, even if this kind of data is disclosed, it will not affect the result of the game. However, for the sake of fairness and the fun of the game, so that people can win as many copper coins as possible in the semi-finals, all the game data will not be disclosed before the final champion emerges.
“Three digits?”
Xia De asked in a low voice. Vice President Mark looked around carefully and nodded.
He didn't "say" the answer, so it didn't count as a violation of the rules.
"115?"
The gentleman in formal attire lowered his head slightly.
"108?"
He raised his head slightly again.
"Hmm... 112?"
"I didn't say anything."
The vice president said very decently, and Xia De couldn't help but praise him:
"You are very tight-lipped. I don't think I can get an answer from you."
In addition to gathering intelligence, he came to the Prophet Association to get the special invitation fee, which was the balance of the invitation for him, a player holding the founding series Rhodes card, to participate in the competition.
Of course, the formal terminology is not invitation fee, but loss of work wages, clothing expenses and transportation expenses.
Mr. Mark took Shad to the accounting office to withdraw money. When he saw Shad with the cat, he curiously asked him if he brought the cat with him for good luck.
"Yes, my friend Baron Lavender has also entered the second stage. He invited me to play cards in the East and South of the City today."
Since the second stage is a multiplayer game, Baron Lavender naturally wants to play cards with the holders of the three founding series cards.
"People say cats bring luck."
When Shade received the envelope from Vice President Mark, he smiled and patted the well-behaved cat on his shoulder:
"I believe that my... ahem, this cat I raise should also bring luck."
"Meow!"
The cat rubbed against Shad's hand and stared at the envelope in Shad's hand.
The second phase of the Big City Players lasts from Wednesday to Sunday, a total of five days, but you must play a game in all six venues in the East, West, South, North, Central and University Districts before the final copper coins can be counted. Since Baron Lavender invited him today, Shade plans to play two games today, and one game a day thereafter. This will make the trip easier and allow you to fully enjoy the fun of "Big City Players".
After leaving the Prophet's Association, Shad played his first card game in the "1853 Great City Players Rhodes Tournament" at the Marquis Martinez's mansion in the east of the city on Wednesday morning.
In addition to Baron Lavender and his friend Sir Solar, a horticultural artist who had worked as a garden manager at Cold Spring Palace, there were two other gentlemen who happened to be waiting to form a card game.
They were also very excited to hear that they could compete with Shade, who had three founding series cards in his deck. In addition to the contestants, almost all the players in the mansion gathered around after the game started.
Even though until the end, Shade only drew the Founding Silver Moon, and even though he won with 25 copper coins in his hand without using the special effect of adjusting the numbers, people were still very excited.
The owner of the competition venue, Marquis Martinez, arrived after Shade and his friends finished their card game. He shook hands with Shade enthusiastically and asked about Shade's schedule for the next few days.
It seems that the Marquis also wants to play a game with Xia De.
After the morning card game, Baron Lavender and Sir Solar invited Shade to have lunch together in the east of the city. The east of Tobesk was originally an area where rich people gathered, and the living conditions and infrastructure here were very good.
After lunch, Mia, who was forced to go out by Xia De, immediately began to feel sleepy, but because she was always held in Xia De's arms, she did not get angry because she could not lie on the windowsill at home to sleep in the sun.
In the afternoon, Shad, Baron Lavender, and Sir Solar did not immediately go to Hall 3 of the King's Opera House in the south of the city. The six competition venues in the city have different opening hours, and the opening hours of the King's Opera House are the same as the opening hours of the opera house itself.
This means that people who play Rhodes here can play cards while listening to opera.
So Shade was invited to the Rochester Rod Club, which Baron Lavender and Sir Solar belonged to. This is a very high-end aristocratic club, which includes a bar, restaurant, library and casino for members to entertain and socialize.
Shad's arrival was warmly welcomed by the people, because Tobysk was hosting the "Big City Players" at that time, and those who had qualified for the rematch in the club gathered together to discuss the situation of this year's competition.
In addition to the guest Shade, there were also some invited Rhodes card players from other places in the club, including not only people from Carsenrick, but also nobles from the small principality affiliated with Delarion.
"That's Virgil Cameron?"
Sitting in a soft booth next to a round table in the corner, Shad and Baron Lavender exchanged decks and looked at each other's cards. Hearing the conversation not far away, Shad quietly looked to the side.
Three fashionable and somewhat flamboyant men were holding glasses of wine and exchanging opinions on the artistic style of Tobesk. It was obvious that they admired the Cavendish family's gold-based decoration style, but they also thought that Tobesk's urban layout was too square and monotonous.
Just now, Shade heard the man sitting with his back to him being called "Virgil Cameron." Although Director Anros showed a frontal photo, Shade was almost certain that it was this person.
Virgil Cameron was not only the person who was required by MI6 to monitor Shad during the final stage of the Big City Players, but also the person who was required by Carsenrick to ask for a secret letter from the Grey Eagle in the mission given by him.
"Cameron? Yes, I heard that he is the lover of Grand Duke Set."
Baron Lavender said sarcastically, but thinking of the rumors about Shade, he did not say more on the topic of "lover".
"Mr. Cameron is a genuine Rhodes master. His deck contains six special rule cards. Although many of them were obtained for him by Grand Duke Set, his performance in the preliminary round was quite amazing."
"Do you think he can make it to the finals?"
Shade asked curiously. Baron Lavender thought Shade was evaluating his opponent, so he thought about it carefully:
"According to the odds from the underground casinos, there is a high chance that he will make it to the finals."
"Underground casino..."
Shad sat on the chair, leaning back slightly, letting his head go into the darkness. But his hand was stroking the cat under the light of the table. Mia was very familiar with his look, which meant that Shad was thinking about the living expenses of his family.
"Baron, do you understand my odds?"
"One to one if we get into the finals, twenty to one if we don't."
If Shad gave up his dignity as a Rhodes player, he would probably become rich overnight.
"So what are the odds for the championship?"
"The odds of winning are around 1.7. You are the favorite this year. However, this is the market I learned yesterday. You just won the first rematch game in Chengdong. The odds of winning will definitely be lower. Once the list of winners is confirmed, the odds will be even lower."
As he spoke, Baron Lavender looked around and lowered his voice:
"I bet on you to win. If you really win, I'll give you the ancient fairy tale "Flower Girl" that I'm temporarily entrusting to you as a gift to celebrate your victory."
It seems that Baron Lavender bought a lot.
The Prophet Association itself would not open gambling games for players from big cities, but that didn't mean others wouldn't do it. However, this kind of underground gambling game was risky, and even with the introduction of Baron Lavender, Shade was still worried that his capital would be lost.
He recently needed to prepare a large amount of cash for two special bloods - or three bloods if you look further ahead. But whether he should bet on himself to win the 1853 Grand City Players Championship just to prepare the funds, Shade still needed to think carefully (note).
Stranger, don’t you not gamble
"This can't be considered gambling. I'm not betting out of greed, but for a living. Moreover, if I really bet, maybe half of the winnings can be donated to the children's welfare home. After all, winter is coming in a few months."
Xia De thought to himself.
Because he was discussing the odds of the underground casino and the Rhodes card masters participating in this year's competition with Baron Lavender, Shad did not pay too much attention to Mr. Virgil Cameron.
But when they had dinner together at the club and set off for the opera house in the south of the city, Xia De actually saw Mr. Cameron again in Hall 3 of the opera house.
Since they were acquaintances, and since he had heard that Shad was the player who was rumored to hold three founding series cards, Mr. Cameron formed a multiplayer card game with them.
To be honest, it is indeed a great enjoyment to listen to opera and play Rhodes cards in such a dignified and elegant environment as the opera house where everyone is dressed in formal attire.
The opera performance was also arranged by the Prophet Association, and the play was "Tiffany Cedeida". It tells the story of a girl who grew up in a casino and disguised herself as a boy, and the grievances and hatreds she experienced in adulthood, which is very consistent with the atmosphere of "Big City Players".