"With the single-side betting, it means those who think Wang Zhuo will lose are welcome to place their bets. Those who think he will win don't need to gamble, because your prediction is the same as the bookmaker's," Guan Yingying whispered to Ning Yao, suddenly realizing that the famous actress Ning's intelligence wasn't as high as she had imagined...

Hearing her explanation, Ning Yao instantly understood, "I get it now. Then I should have bet on the handicap where Wang Zhuo gives eighty points. That one pays out at one point seven for one, which is even more profitable than yours!"

"That's right, exactly," An Qi chimed in with a light laugh, "But that line has already closed for betting. It's too late for you to try now."

Ning Yao let out an 'oh,' a look of regret flashing across her face. Guan Yingying stole a glance at her, thinking, As expected of an actress who has been intimate with Wang Zhuo, she certainly understands his billiards skill.

An Qi, however, was oblivious to Guan Yingying's misunderstanding. She was curious why Ning Yao had suddenly started backing Wang Zhuo, pestering her with questions.

As they were whispering amongst themselves, Wang Zhuo took the table. After Wang Chaoqun cleared a few reds, the distribution of reds on the table became even more scattered. With fewer balls remaining, his X-ray vision allowed him to analyze the situation with even greater ease.

"How many points do you think he’ll score this time?"

"I bet he can definitely get one. Anyone want to wager?"

"Go to hell. If he can't even get one point, what’s the point of playing snooker? I think he’ll get at least one plus a color ball. I’m leaning towards the five-point blue."

"Pfft. After sinking the blue, a gentle nudge and the red ball near the pocket is sunk, right? After sinking that red, he can come back for the blue again, and there are still so many scattered reds left to play," someone argued.

"Do you think you’re playing Chinese Eight-Ball? Just sink it when you want? This is Snooker, okay? The pocket opening isn't even wider than a credit card. It's not as easy as you make it sound."

The pockets on a snooker table were obviously wider than a credit card—much wider, in fact—but this was no time for trivial debates, because Wang Zhuo had just executed a long pot on a red ball at the far end of the table, sending the cue ball into a perfect position for the seven-point black.

"Ah! He actually went for that red?"

"What the heck? Ignoring the nearby reds and deliberately taking the farthest one?"

"That shot was difficult, and his courage is immense."

"He hits exactly where he aims. What terrifying execution ability."

"If he missed that, Wang Chaoqun would definitely have a chance for a frame clearance."

Discussions erupted throughout the audience, forcing the referee to direct staff to maintain order. Wang Zhuo, meanwhile, was already at the cue ball, cleanly sinking the seven-point black.

After the referee restored order and reset the black ball for him, he didn't even look, using a gentle stroke to pocket a red ball lying close to the cushion, then rebounding off the black. He completely ignored the blue ball, which was easier to score reliably, focusing entirely on battling for the seven-point black ball.

This sequence repeated three times. At this point, the entire audience understood: Wang Zhuo's goal was no longer simply to win the match; he was using the black ball to rack up the score.

A player who hadn't even participated in an amateur tournament was treating a World Billiards Masters Final Eight player like practice fodder. This scene was utterly unbelievable. The audience held their breath, afraid that the slightest noise might distract him. Even the referee broke into a sweat, fumbling and dropping the cue ball onto the table when he tried to wipe chalk dust off it for Wang Zhuo.

Wang Chaoqun was stunned. He had originally planned to go easy, aiming for a moderate victory to save face for Wang Zhuo. He never expected Wang Zhuo's sudden explosion of form, revealing a level of skill matching his own when he was performing at his peak. For a snooker master, sinking balls is easy, but sinking them quickly is hard. And if one also has to plan the position for future shots while guaranteeing the precision of every stroke—these demanding conditions, combined, were nearly an impossible task.

Yet, Wang Zhuo had accomplished it, and done so with brilliance. Wang Chaoqun, who had started by watching with a furrowed brow, found himself standing up from his resting chair without realizing it. He watched Wang Zhuo's rhythmic footwork, his shots, and his cleaning of the cue, gradually entering a state of absolute focus where the world around him vanished. As Wang Zhuo's continuous scoring broke sixty, he entered full appreciation mode, as if observing a spectacular performance, completely forgetting that the performer was his actual opponent.

Thud.

The seven-point black ball dropped again. The referee signaled the point was valid. When he retrieved the black ball, he suddenly realized there were no reds left on the table. Wang Zhuo had, without anyone noticing, entered the final phase of the clearance.

The cue ball rested quietly in the "textbook" position. Wang Zhuo stood nearby, composed and relaxed, waiting for the referee to place the black ball back in its spot one last time...

"One hundred and seven to twenty-one points. Wang Zhuo wins the first frame."

The entire venue erupted.

How long had this frame taken? In retrospect, barely more than ten minutes. The efficiency of the ten-second fast play wasn't just hype, but in those ten minutes, Wang Zhuo had delivered a world-class spectacle to everyone.

The applause was thunderous. An Qi and An Qi jumped up, clapping wildly. Guan Yingying even put her fingers in her mouth and let out a loud whistle. So what if it’s a gentleman's sport? When in China, you follow the local customs. We don't have football hooligans here, but we certainly have pool hooligans.

Ning Yao also rose to applaud. She had attended many billiards matches before, but this was the first time she had seen one so thrilling. She had never been particularly fond of billiards, but perhaps out of shared affection, after watching Wang Zhuo play, not only did her ambiguous good feelings for him grow significantly, but she also started to enjoy the sport of billiards itself.

Jing Yunquan sat on his chair, looking utterly crestfallen. His view of the center stage was blocked by the backs of the applauding spectators standing in front of him.

But he had lost interest anyway. Wang Zhuo's sudden outbreak was like a dream. With the referee's announcement, he had lost over eight million.

Shen Kai quietly counted on his fingers, calculating Wang Zhuo’s net lead of eighty-six points. It wasn't a lack of intelligence or poor math skills; his brain was simply short-circuiting from the sudden turn of events...

"J-Jing Ge..." he forced the words out, swallowing hard, and said mournfully, "You saw it. Brother Chaoqun wasn't taking it easy... it’s just that Wang Zhuo is too formidable..."

Normally, even knowing the truth, Jing Yunquan would vent his anger first. Years of pampered living meant he always had to project a sense of dominance and superiority when dealing with subordinates. But now, he didn't have the mood for a spoiled rich boy's tantrum.

Because his mind was entirely occupied with one thought: My eight million plus...

By the time he remembered to add the Jaguar he had lost earlier, the total wasn't eight million but over ten million. The referee's bell had already sounded, signaling the start of the second frame.

This time it was Wang Zhuo's break. Although he potted a red and then the black seven off the break, and tried hard to achieve a 147 maximum break, the influence of the ten-second fast play rule forced him to switch to the three-point green on his fourth shot.

Moments later, he caused another blunder by running over the time limit...

Wang Chaoqun seized the opportunity and scored nineteen points, but only after the match concluded did everyone realize these nineteen points would be the last hurrah for the Masters Final Eight player.

Shen Kai didn't know whether to be happy or worried. Only now did he understand that Wang Zhuo’s claims about doubling the odds for a break over a hundred and quintupling the odds for a maximum break weren't just empty talk. He was worried because Wang Zhuo won, but happy because Wang Zhuo hadn't cleared a century break or a maximum.

In this frame, Wang Zhuo won by ninety-nine points. Consequently, the total amount Jing Yunquan lost gloriously broke the twenty-million mark—a devastating blow to the Jing family.

However, if he intended to default on this wager, there were debt collection agencies in this world that weren't just for show. Gambling debts are still debts, though the service fee for collection might be slightly higher. If he tried to skip payment, the price he would ultimately pay would be far more than the money owed.

Wang Chaoqun was facing the exact same problem. After two frames, he was suddenly in debt by 1.85 million, causing him to slump into despair. As a high-level professional player, he didn't have the luxury of pretending to be weak to earn a quick side income. He never imagined he’d be taken down by Wang Zhuo using such an ancient trick. Truly, fortune turns the wheel.

1.85 million. Wang Chaoqun’s heart was bleeding, yet he had to maintain his composure while shaking hands with Wang Zhuo, the referee, and the tournament chairman—handshake after handshake.

This professional player, who had just managed to secure a condominium in the outer suburbs, nearly cried, wondering where he would find 1.85 million to settle this debt. Would he have to sell the house he had just managed to pay for?

Just as the announcer prepared to invite Wang Zhuo onto the stage for an interview, they realized Wang Zhuo had vanished without a sound. Along with him gone were Guan Yingying, An Qi, and An Qi, and surprisingly, the special guest for the day, the esteemed actress Ning Yao.

"Hey, I say, why did those beautiful ladies slip away without a word? Haven't their single-side bets been settled yet?"

"Settled your head! They were betting on the single side where only those who thought Wang Chaoqun would win could place wagers. Now that Wang Chaoqun has lost everything, what payout are they expecting?"

"Today I finally opened my eyes. What is 'playing the pig to eat the tiger'? That is playing the pig to eat the tiger."

"Hey friend, get your facts straight, okay? That's Wang Zhuo of Shengshi Dynasty, a man worth billions. Do you think someone of his asset level needs to play 'playing the pig to eat the tiger' against some common pool player?"

"Billions? What ancient history are you quoting? Dynasty Unlimited just launched recently and it exploded in popularity. If Wang Zhuo's current worth isn't over ten billion, I’ll tear my head off."

"Over ten billion? So he might make this year's Rich List?"

"You’re clearly out of the loop. Only small fry make the Rich List. The truly wealthy are the hidden rich. If anyone dares to place those tycoons on the list, they can make the entire list disappear with a single phone call."

"Several of you, do you think Wang Zhuo has the power not to be on the list?"

Hearing this question, the few audience members engaged in heated discussion couldn't be sure. Finally, a small, unremarkable man quietly spoke the blunt truth.

"If he really manages to win over Qin Siqing, then he won't even be able to get on the list."