"Russian Roulette…"
Hagen was stunned for a moment; he hadn't expected Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to suggest playing this game.
The rules of Russian Roulette are simple: one or more bullets are placed in the six chambers of a revolver, and after multiple rotations, the cylinder is closed.
Then, the participants in the game take turns pointing the pistol at their own heads and pulling the trigger, with the last person remaining being the winner.
Completely different from games like poker or dice, this game is a gamble of life. Like the quick knife finger game, it's a game for the brave.
However, this game has nothing to do with skill, only with luck. If one's luck is bad, it will result in instant death.
Hagen was not unfamiliar with this game.
When he was a mercenary, his comrades often talked about this game, and some even participated under the instigation of others.
He had never participated in this game, but he had invested his earned money in the participants.
Sometimes he would win, sometimes he would lose.
He had witnessed the deaths of many teammates firsthand—not from enemy gunfire, but from their own guns.
He didn't think they were foolish; on the contrary, he felt these people were brave, and he admired them greatly.
However, admiration aside, he had never thought of participating in such a game.
He didn't want to entrust his life to luck.
"You want to play Russian Roulette with me?" Hagen scoffed, "Do you take me for an idiot? Why would I bet my life with you?"
Hagen felt Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's words were unreasonable.
Now his life was in his hands, and he still wanted to bet his life with him? Wasn't he a bit too naive to say such a thing?
"I didn't expect you to agree to such a thing. I'm not betting your life; I'm betting my own life."
Ayanokoji sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes calm: "There's no need to follow the original game rules. You originally wanted to kill me, right? So why not make a bet with my life now?
You put one bullet into the revolver, then close the cylinder. I'll bet on which chamber the bullet is in.
You can point the revolver at my head and fire shot after shot. When it's the chamber I named, you fire a blank.
If I guess correctly, you have to let us go. If I guess wrong… it will be exactly as you wish, and you can report back."
Hearing Ayanokoji say this, Hagen became curious: "What good is betting on this for you? A one-sixth chance, isn't that no different from being killed directly?"
"In the end, I hope I can end my life in a way I like. Is that not allowed?"
"...Of course." Hagen shrugged.
Ikishima Midari and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka were the two most unusual people he had ever seen facing death; one wanted to do something before dying, and the other hoped to bet his life with him...
The stake was fifty million US dollars, and the initiative was in his hands, so what if he made a bet with him?
A one-sixth chance, he really didn't believe Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could guess correctly.
Hagen replied, "I can bet with you, but how do you plan to give me the stake? If you die on the first shot, I won't be able to get the money even if I win."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already thought of this: "Do you have paper and a pen? I'll write down the bitcoin private key and address on a piece of paper, and that paper will be in Ikishima Midari's hand. I will intentionally omit a few numbers.
After the game ends, if you win, you take that piece of paper from her hand and let her go. Once she reaches a safe place, she will tell you the last few numbers."
As soon as he said this, Hagen laughed, "So that's it, you want me to let this girl go. If she's released, you're willing to die? Your feelings are truly deep."
"Hey… Ayanokoji, you're not trying to be cool at the end, are you!?"
When Ikishima Midari heard Ayanokoji Kiyotaka explain the game rules, she felt a sense of déjà vu—wasn't this the game she played with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka at the shooting range?
She used this "game" to play around with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
But at that time, she was using an airsoft gun and hadn't put any bullets into the gun; it was just for show.
But now, Hagen was going to use a real gun to aim at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's head.
Ikishima Midari felt Ayanokoji had gone crazy.
"Hey, Ayanokoji, why didn't you invite me to such a fun thing? I want to participate too!" Ikishima Midari shouted, unwilling to be outdone.
This game was so wild and exciting, a game she had always dreamed of participating in, yet these two wanted to exclude her from it!
It was such a pity!
However, Ayanokoji and Hagen both chose to ignore Ikishima Midari.
Hagen asked with interest, "Do you really trust the words of a bad guy like me? Even if I agree, do you think I'll actually keep my word and let this girl go? I am a bad guy, after all."
"I can only trust you now, after all, my life is in your hands," Ayanokoji said calmly.
"A one-sixth chance, do you think you won't be shot?"
"A one-sixth chance is better than being shot dead directly, isn't it? At least I hope to use my life to do something."
So that's it...
Hagen understood. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wanted to use his own life to buy Ikishima Midari a chance at survival.
"I'm just an unloved second son in my family. Ikishima Midari is different; she's the only daughter in her family. Killing me might not cause much trouble, but if you kill her, her father will absolutely not let you go. You will definitely regret it immensely."
Ayanokoji added, "Hagen, you're a smart man. I suggest you'd best leave yourself a way out."
Hagen hesitated.
Indeed, Ikishima Midari could be killed or not. She was just a girl, and even if she survived, she posed no threat to him.
Her father was a senator; if she died, her father would definitely investigate to the end, and he might not even be able to leave Japan safely...
"Alright, I promise you, win or lose, I will let this girl go."
Hagen agreed.
Originally, Ikishima Midari was not the target; she was just accidentally caught, so letting her go shouldn't be a big problem.
On the contrary, if he killed her, he might find it difficult to get away.
"Untie my hands, I'll write down the account for you." Ayanokoji extended his hands, speaking in a commanding tone.
Although Hagen was a bit annoyed, he still did as he was told, untying the ropes on his hands.
He wasn't worried that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would suddenly resist him; without a gun as a means, he couldn't subdue him.
Ayanokoji was a smart person and wouldn't do such a foolish thing.
He carried a pen and paper with him and handed them to Ayanokoji.
However, for safety's sake, he still took a small step back, pointing the gun at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: "Don't try anything, I believe the gun in my hand is faster than you."
"I know, beyond seven steps the gun is fast, within seven steps the gun is fast and accurate. Don't worry, I won't ambush you now."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka calmly replied to him, without turning his head, picked up the pen and paper, found an old table, and began to write.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"