Chapter 389 - 355: Casino, Lucky Ayaka Sanji

"O" by Cirque du Soleil is a timeless masterpiece, a surreal and graceful dance woven into a vibrant tapestry.

The performance unfolds before the audience in the water, in the air, and on the ground—a romantic fusion of art and stagecraft.

This was Wu Yun’s first time seeing such a performance. He had seen circuses, acrobatics, and dances before, but they were all separate. None had combined them like "O" to create such a visual feast.

Throughout the entire two-hour performance, aside from the occasional whisper and the audience’s applause, everyone was completely immersed in the show.

Even after it ended, the crowd’s excitement lingered.

"Let’s go! Off to the restaurant!"

At LAGO by Julian Serrano, an Italian restaurant, the decor, the ambiance, and the perfect view of the fountains made the women exclaim how romantic it was.

They couldn’t resist taking turns snapping photos.

Although it was a Michelin two-star restaurant, Wu Yun felt the food wasn’t much different from other Western cuisine. After all, the Michelin rankings were based on foreigners’ tastes; for Huaxia People, they were merely a reference.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Wu Yun and the others returned to their hotel.

At the entrance of the Venetian Hotel, Wu Yun said, "Are you heading back to your rooms to rest, or are you ready for the next round?"

Ayaka Sanji replied, "We’re planning to get some rest. We’ll check out the Paris Hotel tomorrow. It’s probably best if we don’t stay out too late tonight."

Wu Yun nodded. "That’s a good idea. I’m meeting someone, so I plan to go down to the casino for a bit."

Ayaka Sanji was tempted. She realized that whenever she was with Wu Yun, she felt completely relaxed and happy.

’I’m single, after all,’ she thought. ’Even if this can’t turn into a relationship with Wu Yun, it wouldn’t be so bad to treat it as a holiday romance.’

And so, Ayaka Sanji boldly asked, "Wu Yunsang, could I go with you to check out the casino?"

Ayaka Sanji’s three friends looked at her in astonishment, but they understood in an instant. One after another, they claimed they were tired from the day and wanted to go back and rest.

Seeing that it was just Ayaka Sanji, Wu Yun thought for a moment and agreed to her request.

Ayaka Sanji then exchanged a few whispers with her friends before following Wu Yun into the lobby.

He had only taken a dozen or so steps inside when a Caucasian man in his thirties, formally dressed and beaming, walked over. "Mr. Wu, good evening! I’m Nick. Charlie arranged for me to be your host tonight and guide you through the casino. If there are any games you’d like to play, I can explain the rules for you."

Though he called himself a host, Nick was dressed like a Wall Street elite—handsome and with an extraordinary air about him.

"Mr. Wu, shall we head straight to the casino now?" Nick asked.

Wu Yun nodded for Nick to lead the way.

As they walked, Nick explained, "Here at the hotel, no staff member will proactively suggest that guests visit the casino, unless a guest like yourself, Mr. Wu, specifically requests that we arrange it."

"Even though everyone knows we have a world-class casino, everything depends on a person’s own free will. After all, a penchant for gambling is human nature, and not everyone can stick to just gambling for fun. For many, what starts as a small bet turns into a serious problem."

He finished, then deliberately pointed to a few people talking in a nearby corner. "The hotel has many promoters. They aren’t our employees; some work for other casinos. They just befriend tourists and then steer them toward gambling. Whether they choose to go, or even go to a casino next door, is entirely up to them."

Hearing Nick’s explanation, Wu Yun immediately understood that this group was his competition. Within the hotel, Nick was an official promoter, and he likely earned a commission as well.

Wu Yun listened to Nick’s various explanations and couldn’t help but nod. Unlike the countless people who desperately chase the dream of getting rich overnight in a casino, he didn’t really care for it. He was only going to the casino tonight to experience the atmosphere; winning or losing was unimportant to him.

Arriving in a large hall on the first basement level, Wu Yun saw an area filled with rows of small lockers, much like those in a supermarket.

In front of the lockers was a counter, surrounded by a large circle of people checking in or retrieving their belongings.

Nick pointed to several walk-through security scanners at the entrance. "According to the rules, no one is allowed to bring in weapons. Violators will be ejected from the hotel, and in serious cases, the police will be called."

"Mr. Wu, is there anything you or your party need to check?"

Wu Yun himself had no weapons, just his phone.

Wei Wu and the others, however, each had a handgun holstered under their arm, concealed so well it wouldn’t be noticed under normal circumstances.

Wu Yun nodded at his men, then turned to Ayaka Sanji and asked, "Do you have anything to check? No weapons are allowed inside."

Ayaka Sanji said, "In that case, I’d better check my bag."

Nick led the group to the VIP lane.

The staff member at the counter saw the large group approaching and gave Nick a subtle smile. "Nick! Not taking a break? You’ve been working all day!"

Nick joked, "Jenny, you know how it is. I’m a lonely bachelor. I’d just be messing around at home anyway, so I might as well be here at the casino with the guests."

"Alright, well, I’ll take you to a movie when you get a day off! This is my VIP client, Mr. Wu. His bodyguards need to check some items."

Jenny smiled from behind the counter. "Gentlemen, please present your items for registration. There is a Fifty Dollar fee to use a locker."