As early as the middle of the 21st century, human beings had experienced an energy revolution. Clean energy, mainly based on safe nuclear energy, gradually replaced those energy supply methods that would damage the environment; even rigid demand products such as oil, coal mines and wood, the amount of mining has decreased a lot after the energy revolution.

By the 22nd century, in the decades when the federal government was initially determined, mankind experienced a relatively stable period of development.

It was a golden prosperous era that was rare in the history of the Fifth Kingdom. In those days, artists did not have to endure nonsense reviews, scientists were not restricted by positions and prejudice, excellent talents were no longer subject to mediocre people, and ordinary people did not need to use money or beliefs... they could gain enough security from the social system.

In those years, human military technology has almost stagnated, but the level of civilian technology has made many leaps; and one of the biggest breakthroughs among them is the miniaturization technology of energy/electronic equipment.

After entering the 23rd century, everything from aircraft engines to personal computers can be incredibly small...

If you open the hood of a car two hundred years ago, you will see 800-year-olds with a lot of pipes and machinery. However, when you open the hood, you will see a situation similar to opening the mainframe of a personal computer. Although the size of those drive devices has not changed much, the core power conversion part and the fuel tank have been made very fine and compact.

The high-end computers that require a full tower chassis to accommodate a two-hundred-year period can now achieve more than 90% of the functions with a mobile phone or even a pen; in addition, there are monitoring probes, streaming media, wireless power transmission technology, etc., which can all be "extremely miniaturized".

There is no doubt... the power system of the cruise ship can be.

Super luxury cruise ships like the Four-Leaf Crocodile can not only accurately control the speed and draft, but also turn on the spot and "turn the ship". To some extent, this ship is more flexible than the car... The most important point is that the space occupied by the cabin in the ship is minimized; on a cruise ship that is valuable in every inch of land, every reduction in the occupancy rate of the cabin is equivalent to adding a portion of the space for other facilities.

So, here there is a huge luxurious banquet hall that is as big as an opera house, with a height of five floors.

…………

"Hey! Look at who is here."

As soon as Ryunosuke and his friends walked into the banquet hall, a white man with a strong southern accent in the Seongjun shouted loudly.

The door they came in was the main door on the third floor. Although the game had not started yet, many people had already come in earlier than them with the mentality of "come first and take a look at the spot".

So, after this voice, everyone nearby turned their eyes to the door and fell on Ryunosuke and his three followers.

"Ha..." Ryunosuke was also a person who often attended various major occasions. Being the focus of everyone's attention did not make him feel uncomfortable. He just chuckled and looked at the white man and said, "Eric, long time no see." Before he finished speaking, he had already made a very enthusiastic look, walked forward, and greeted the other party.

"Hahaha..." Eric also smiled and met, and said in a tone that seemed to be very familiar with Ryunosuke, "I was at a class reunion last time. I remember you drank like a dead pig, hahahaha..."

"Haha... aren't you drinking like a dead dog?" Ryunosuke also replied with a smile on his face.

After the words came to the ground, the laughter of the two paused for two seconds at the same time, their eyes were correct, and then a more wild laugh broke out at the same time.

To others, this seems to be a joke between old classmates, but the two of them know in their hearts that this is a narrow road for enemies...

Eric is a descendant of the Douglas family of North American chaebol. His father, Alan Douglas, started as an ordinary member of parliament. With his family's strong financial resources and his strength in North America, he ascended the throne of the first speaker of the Federal Parliament in just ten years. He can be said to be one of the most powerful candidates for the "Ten Cabinet Auxiliary".

Although Alan Douglas is still lower than Shinichiro Arai, the gap between the two places, namely, capital, and Sakurano Mansion is self-evident. Over the years, the Douglas family has been thinking about Shinichiro Arai, wanting to drive this guy from a small place out of the cabinet and replace him with his own people.

Under this situation, the relationship between the descendants of both parties will inevitably become evil.

Of course, if one of Eric and Ryunosuke was a woman, maybe the story between them could go the way of Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, they were both men (yes, both men are OK, I know).

In short, the grudge between Eric and Ryunosuke has been around for a long time, and it was endless to talk about it all day and night...

They are indeed college classmates, but from the first day they entered the school, they have been fighting openly and secretly, and tit-for-tat.

Ryunosuke was fatter than he is now, and shorter, just like a ball; while Eric had a congenital disability (the family had an internal tradition of intermarriage from generation to generation), and had problems with the nervous system with legs.

One of these two calls each other a "stupid pig" and the other a "lame dog". They kept calling each other until graduation without changing their words.

Even after graduation, the two of them are in trouble with each other in politics and business...

If there is any unsolvable hatred in this world, the relationship between these two probably belongs to this; their youth is a history of fighting against each other. If it weren't for the fact that no one could do anything to each other, they would have devoured each other alive.

"I knew you would come to join in the fun." After laughing for a while, Eric took the lead in provoking, "Hmph, let me see... the partner you brought is..."

As he spoke, his eyes swept over Hanazuka, Suzu and Ah Xiu.

Obviously, Hanakazuka looks like a bodyguard, not a game partner, and among the remaining two, the calm Ah Xiu is more like a person in charge of the security work than the slightly frivolous Suga.

So, after a brief hesitation, Eric continued, "Well... it's this guy." He fixed his eyes on Suga and said with disdain, "It doesn't look amazing. Could it be the little cheat you just found on the roadside?"

Upon hearing this, Suo didn't even look at Eric. She just picked up the dirt in the cracks of her fingernails and chanted casually, "I am indeed not very conspicuous compared to the cripple..."

"You!" Eric was anxious at the time, and rushed forward and reached out to grab Sho's collar.

But because of his legs and feet, Suzuki took a step back a little, allowing him to catch a break.

This move... made Eric furious.

"Old classmate." Seeing this, Ryunosuke smiled proudly, "Many people are watching, pay attention to their demeanor."

After he reminded him, Eric's movements froze. He looked up and found that everyone around him was looking at him, and many people even showed a look of "watching the show".

"Hmph..." Eric quickly figured it out. It was his provocation first, and Suga's identity was far from his own. If he continued to get entangled, it would only make him more embarrassed. So he snorted coldly, gave up his plan to take action, and instead tidied up his tuxedo and continued, "I don't know who brought the uneducated things."

He was like he was pointing accusing him, but before Ryunosuke counterattacked, Suzuo said first: "Oh... not only is he lame, but he is also mentally retarded. He didn't know who he was with when he walked in front of him."

This kind of trash talk is easy to use; let’s talk about it... A rich man who is pampered and respected, cursing against a gambler who is scattered in a smoky gambling place all day long. It’s a hell that he can win.

After retorting this sentence, Eric was so angry that his whole face changed color.

Just then...

"Okay OK, Mr. Eric." A middle-aged man with long blond hair, sunglasses and wrinkles on his face came to Eric and put his hand on the latter's shoulder. "Everyone is here to play, why bother with a quarrel with someone he doesn't know?"

This man's words seemed to have magic, and immediately calmed down Eric down and squeezed out a sneer: "Ha... it's right, it's not worth it." After that, he looked at Ryunosuke again, "By the way, Ryunosuke, the opportunity is rare, I'll recommend it to you..." He suddenly changed to a show-off tone and pointed to the man beside him, "This... is the 'Star County Gambling King', Mr. Hopkins."

As soon as this said, a hint of surprise flashed in Ryunosuke's eyes, because... this Hopkins is very famous.

In that "Gambling World in the Sun", Hopkins won countless legends, and in the dark underground gambling world, he also left many legendary men...

When Eric introduced him, he did not add the word "personal name" before the title "Star County Gambling King". The reason is that... the title of this gambling king was obtained in an official certification competition, not a folk nickname or something.

"Uh... Hello." If it were private, Ryunosuke might have held the other party's hand excitedly and said, "I have long admired Daemon", but in front of Eric, he was in front of him for face and greeted Hopkins in a lukewarm tone.

"My honor, Mr. Arai." Hopkins seemed very amiable, and took the initiative to step forward and grasp Ryunosuke's right hand. "I hope you can have a good time today's game."

"Ha...haha...thank...thank...hahaha..." Ryunosuke laughed for some reason when he responded, and he laughed louder and louder, and even slowly burst into tears, staggering and about to fall.

At this moment, Hanazuka suddenly stepped forward and held Ryunosuke.

Then, Hanazuka stared at Hopkins with a cold look and said two words: "Stop."

Hopkins was quite happy to play, but Hanakazuka's eyes and words made him instinctively feel some danger.

He immediately withdrew his hand, Ryunosuke stopped laughing after he let go, and leaned against Hanazuka like he was exhausted.

"Hehe... Just a little joke, don't mind." When he came to his senses, Hopkins was already sweating in cold sweat, but he still had a calm smile on his face, and he said so.

"I don't mind." Hanakazuka spoke like a robot, "It's work." He paused and added, "but warning, just this time."

After saying that, Hanazuka held Ryunosuke and walked towards the rest area against the wall.

A man in his thirties, who was a fat man in his thirties, was as light as a woman under ninety pounds under the support of Huazuo.

Two minutes later, Ryunosuke, who was slumped on the curved sofa, calmed down and recovered.

"Gu...gu..." After his breathing was stable, he took two sips of ice water before saying, "What happened just now?"

"That Hopkins should be the ability person." Suzu responded without hesitation.

He knew that people of the level of Ryunosuke must be clear about the affairs of those who are capable, so he made his judgment straight to the point.

"Well, I think so too." Ah Xiu also echoed, "I guess... it is the ability to control other people's emotions through physical contact."

"This old ghost... dares to attack me, Ryunosuke Arai?" Ryunosuke gritted his teeth, "Damn... I'm embarrassed in public, no! I'm going to settle the score with him!"

"Please calm down, Mr. Arai." Ah Xiu was a sensible person. He immediately stopped Ryunosuke. "You have no evidence, so you rushed over and asked for a crime. The other party can deny it completely, and the result will only make you even more embarrassed."

"Don't let it go?" Ryunosuke was still angry and then looked at Hanazuka, "And... Hanazuka-kun, what if that guy's ability was electric shock or poisoning just now, wouldn't I be dead?"

"If he had murderous intentions, I would have taken action in advance, but I didn't." Hanakazuka replied coldly, "But his ability has caused some damage to your body after all, so I stopped him."

"Then can you help me hurt him?" Ryunosuke said again.

"My job is to protect your personal safety, not to act as a thug." Hanazuka said.

"Tsk...protect my safety..." Ryunosuke repeated this sentence in a complaining tone, "I was still cheated."

"It is indeed my negligence to cause you to be damaged." Hanakazuka continued, "There will not be another time. I have warned him."

"What if he ignores you?" Ryunosuke asked again.

Hanazuka didn't answer, but both Ah Xiu and Suzu knew the answer.

The "warning" of the noisy master is only once, and the next time he will speak with his fist; and those who have talked to his fist will basically rise again in a very short time.

…………

At 7:50 p.m.

More and more people came to the banquet hall, basically in groups of four, that is, a group of one guest with three followers.

Of course, there are also guys who choose not to bring bodyguards, but only one gambling assistant, and then two female companions on the boat; such people... not only can't win the game in front of them, but even in the outside world, they are destined to be no match for others.

By 8 o'clock, more than 500 people had gathered in the banquet hall on the upper and lower floors.

The guests chatted in groups of three or five as if they were attending a party, while the followers stood quietly not far from their respective owners, either adhering to their posts or leaving.

Just as the atmosphere in the venue was gradually getting warmer, a figure walked onto the circular stage on the bottom of the banquet hall.

Without words or lights, the crowd gradually moved to the railings and looked at him one after another.

He was a man in his forties and of medium size; from his walking and standing posture, he could tell that he often wore a suit, and the light-colored suit was as suitable as it was on him.

He had permed his hair, had powder on his face, and was very neatly picked up and tidy. He also held an electronic prompt card and a wireless microphone in his hand.

When 90% of the guests focused on the center of the stage, the man stood silently for a minute, raised his microphone and spoke: "Good evening, everyone."

Just seven words are enough to make people know that he is a professional host.

Although it showed a hint of tension, the extremely professional pronunciation, pronunciation, tone... was at least a tone that only the first-line news hosts of county-level TV stations had.

"I am the host of tonight." Strangely, he did not say his name, "Welcome to the venue of the 'highest game'." He paused, as if waiting for the subtitles of the prompt card in his hand to scroll. "Before starting tonight's game, I want to solve your doubts...that is, what exactly is the prize for the game."

This is indeed one of the things that guests are most interested in, because the confidentiality work of this party was done very well, and the final winner's prize has always been full of mystery. The organizer has not provided any other information except to emphasize that the prize is "unparalleled in the world".

At this moment, with the host's lines, several men in suits pushed a magnetic levitation transport board onto the stage; on the board was a cube covered with black cloth, about three meters in length, width and height.

When the cube came to the center of the stage, the host went over and uncovered the black cloth.

Under the black cloth is a transparent cage, and there is a person kneeling in the middle of the cage.

She was wearing a one-piece restraint suit of a mentally ill person, with two circles of iron chains wrapped around her body, and another iron mask was worn on her face, completely covering her face.
Chapter completed!