Chapter Forty-Two: The Championship Prize is a Six-Fold Gate Pass and Five Hundred Reincarnation Points.

Underworld Card Games: From Dou Dizhu to Six-Deck Challenge
Volume II
Chapter 42: The Four-Deck Champion: The Prize is a "Six-Deck Ticket" + "500 Reincarnation Points"

The stone table in the center of the City God Temple drifted higher and higher, nearly a foot off the ground—an effect triggered by King Yama’s recently played "4-to-10 straight." The longer the sequence, the more violent the table’s levitation. Wang Er-ma gripped the table leg with one hand and clutched his cards with the other, nearly crinkling them. "Your Majesty, is this straight of yours a possessed 'sky-rocket'? If it drifts any higher, we’ll have to stand on stools to play!"

King Yama laughed triumphantly, the yellow paper of his card scores rattling in the wind. "This is the 'King of Scrolls Straight.' I practiced for three days and nights; I don't believe you can beat this!" Xiao Hei quickly chimed in, "Exactly! Your Majesty’s straight is the best in the world; the Master Ma team surely can't top that!" But Xiao Bai suddenly pointed at Xiao Hei’s hat: "He’s hiding cards again! I just saw him stuff a 2 into his hat, just like he did for His Majesty last time!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Xiao Hei reached up to cover his hat in a panic, but his hand slipped, the hat fell to the floor, and a piece of paper with a '2' drawn on it fluttered out—another decoy card drawn by King Yama. King Yama’s face darkened, and he kicked Xiao Hei. "I told you to help me keep track of the cards, not to hide this garbage!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Wang Er-ma decided to take a wild guess. "Old Zhou, do you have four 2s in your hand? You broke a set of 6s to win last time; if you drop four 2s as a bomb now, you’re sure to win!" Old Zhou’s hand tightened—he actually did have four 2s, picked up during the last draw. In the past, he would have hoarded them until the very end, but things were different now; he had learned that "a bomb is meant to be dropped."

"I-I have four 2s!" Old Zhou shouted, neck stiff, slamming the cards onto the table. The four 2s were laid out perfectly, sending a few sunflower seed shells spilling from his blue cloth bag. "Master Ma is right, a bomb is meant to be dropped!"

As the cards hit the wood, the stone table shook with a thud and sank half an inch—the bomb effect of the four-deck game; the larger the bomb, the steadier the table. King Yama’s smile froze, his hand trembling so hard his cards nearly dropped. "Old Zhou, how dare you bomb me? Last time you split your four 2s into singles, and even Master Ma called you a 'home-wrecker'!"

"I’ve grown!" Old Zhou puffed out his chest, looking even prouder than when he had split the 6s. "Master Ma taught me that bombs are for exploding, not for hoarding!" Wang Er-ma patted his shoulder. "Well said! Old Zhou is a 'Bomb Warrior' now!"

Xiao Li seized the moment to recite a poem: "Old Zhou’s bomb is played with grace, four 2s put the foe in their place, the King’s straight is countered and done, Master Ma’s team has clearly won!" He waved his yellow paper notebook as he finished, and the surrounding ghosts cheered. Even Granny Meng, holding her sweet soup, shouted, "Go Team Ma! I'll give you triple the sugar if you win!"

King Yama had no choice but to draw. Just as he was about to toss out a pair of Kings, the Earth God suddenly cried, "Wait! I’m playing the Earth Card!" He slammed it down, but the card immediately started burrowing into the ground. The Earth God scrambled to dig it out, his fingernails caked with dirt. "My card is infused with earth energy; why is it trying to dig itself into the floor?"

Wang Er-ma seized the chance to discard his final 3 and shouted, "I’m out! I won!" The entire hall went silent for a heartbeat, then erupted in cheers. The minor ghosts danced on the table legs, Old Zhou hugged his blue bag and laughed, and even Xiao Hei forgot his feud with Xiao Bai, joining in the applause—he had been kicked by King Yama earlier and was secretly happy to see the King lose.

The stone table slowly settled back to the floor as the white mist dissipated. Granny Meng hurried over with bowls of sweet soup for everyone. "You won! Drink up and celebrate!" Old Zhou took a sip and his eyes lit up. "Did you put sunflower seeds in this? It’s even better than last time!" Granny Meng smiled. "Special treatment for the 'Bomb Warrior'!"

King Yama drank his soup with a sour face; it was so cloyingly sweet he couldn't help but cough. "Granny Meng, you used triple the sugar again!" Granny Meng blinked. "It’s comfort soup; it has to be sweet!" The Queen of Hell walked over and patted King Yama’s shoulder. "A loss is a loss. Don't get worked up over the old timers; just win it back next time."

She reached into her sleeve, pulled out a small booklet made of gold foil, and handed it to Wang Er-ma. "This is your ticket to the Six-Deck Challenge. It’s gold-foiled, so it won’t get lost. There are also 500 reincarnation points credited to your Book of Life and Death. Once you win the Six-Deck Challenge and have enough points, you can be reborn into a neighborhood that has its own card tables."

Wang Er-ma took the ticket. It was golden and glittery, printed with the words "Six-Deck Peak Tournament" and a pattern of spider lilies; it was far more exquisite than the Four-Deck entry pass. He flipped it over and over, then suddenly laughed. "Six decks? We’ll be shuffling until next year, won't we? In our neighborhood, it takes three people taking turns just to shuffle two decks; don't we need to hire someone to shuffle six?"

King Yama snorted. "The Six-Deck Challenge is the highest level of card game in the Underworld. With six decks, you'll get a headache just trying to keep track of the cards. Your 'Blind Guessing Technique' definitely won't work!" Wang Er-ma smiled. "Whether it works or not, we’ll see. Besides, we have Old Zhou’s 'Bomb Technique' and Xiao Li’s 'Poetry Technique'—we might just beat you yet!"

Old Zhou leaned in, staring at the Six-Deck ticket. "Can I drop bombs in the Six-Deck game too? I’m really good at it now!" Wang Er-ma patted his shoulder. "You sure can! The bombs in a six-deck game are even bigger and more majestic!" Old Zhou’s eyes shone as he tucked the ticket into his blue bag, afraid of losing it. "I’m going to practice my six-deck bombs; I’m going to bomb His Majesty again next time!"

Xiao Li pulled out his yellow notebook, his brush flying across the page. Before long, he recited: "Four-deck final, the King is beat, golden ticket is a prize so sweet, see you at the Six-Deck fray, Team Ma will lead the way!" He held the notebook up for King Yama to see. King Yama, defeated, could only wave his hand. "I know, I know. Next time, in the Six-Deck Challenge, I’ll definitely win!"

Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai approached. Xiao Hei scratched his head. "Master Ma, can I help you shuffle next time? I turned four decks into a 'card-ball' last time, but I’ve practiced; I can definitely handle six!" Xiao Bai immediately added, "And I’ll be your scout! If the King tries to hide any cards, I’ll tell you right away!"

Wang Er-ma laughed. "Deal! Next time, you two are the 'Shuffle and Scout Squad'!" The two impermanence spirits were so happy they nearly knocked over Granny Meng’s soup bowl. The Earth God also shuffled over, still clutching the card that was two-thirds buried in the floor. "Master Ma, let me guest-star in the next one too! My Earth Card definitely won't burrow next time!"

Everyone laughed. Sunlight spilled through the lattice windows of the City God Temple, catching the gold-foiled ticket and making it shimmer. Old Zhou stroked his bag, Xiao Li clutched his fresh poem, Granny Meng tidied her bowls, and Wang Er-ma looked at the ticket in his hand, thinking: Six decks it is. With such interesting friends to play with, even if I shuffle until my hands fall off, it’ll be worth it!

The Four-Deck finals were over, and the gates to the Six-Deck Challenge had just swung open. The card tables of the Underworld were about to get lively again—after all, whether it’s Dou Dizhu, Four-Deck, or Six-Deck, as long as there are cards to play and friends to share them with, that is true happiness.