Chapter 53: Facing the Judge Team – The Judge Steps Onto the Pitch with the Rulebook

Underworld Card Games: From Fight the Landlord to Six-Chong
Volume 3, Chapter 53: Facing the "Judge Team": The Judge Takes the Field with the "Rulebook"

The melon seed shells from the joint practice session had not yet been swept clean when Little Black rushed into the City God Temple, waving a piece of Lycoris radiata paper, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Master Ma! Master Ma! The group stage schedule for the Six-Chong is out! Our very first match is against the 'Judge Team'!" Little White followed closely behind, still clutching half a leftover stir-fried melon seed in his hand. "I heard that for this tournament, the Judge spent three whole days trying to memorize his Detailed Rules of Six-Chong—though he couldn't memorize it, he actually tied the book to his back!"

Wang Erma was helping Little Zhang tidy up the card-counting ledger. Upon hearing "Judge Team," he burst out laughing, "Splendid! I've been dying to meet this 'rule-obsessed mule'! During the Four-Chong, he miscalculated his cards yet refused to admit defeat. This time in the Six-Chong, I'm going to show him that card games aren't won by flipping through books!" He patted Little Zhang on the shoulder. "Little Zhang, counting cards this time rests entirely on you. Don't 'glitch' on us—no matter how thick the Judge's rulebook is, it can't hold a candle to the cards you keep track of!"

Little Zhang pushed his small glasses up his nose and nodded earnestly, "Master Ma, rest assured! I practiced counting cards for half the night yesterday; even the single cards old Zhou hides in his melon seed bag don't escape my memory!" Old Zhou hastily shoved the blue cloth bag behind his back. "I didn't hide any! Those are stir-fried melon seeds Ah Xiang stuffed in there, not single cards!" Ah Xiang poked her head out from the kitchen, "What? Old Zhou, are you hiding cards again? The moment the match starts, I'm standing right beside you. For every card you hide, I'm tossing a cabbage!"

The match venue was set at the "Wrongful Death City Card Arena"—a place usually used for Underworld variety shows. Today, a large wooden table capable of accommodating six decks of cards had been specially set up, with "Rules First, Card Skill Second" carved into the table legs by the Judge himself. Throngs of ghosts crowded in three layers deep inside and outside. Meng Po set up a sweet soup stall, while Ah Xiang erected a small stove to stir-fry "lucky melon seeds" on the spot, shouting, "If Master Ma's team wins, melon seeds are all you can eat!"

Before long, the Judge arrived leisurely with three minor ghosts. He wore a brand-new official robe, with the Detailed Rules of Six-Chong strapped to his back. It was as thick as a door panel, making a "rustling" sound with every step he took, resembling someone carrying a bundle of firewood on his back. The three minor ghosts followed behind: one cradled an abacus for counting cards, one held up the Judge's reading glasses, and one carried an inkstone filled with dark ink. The pomp and circumstance surpassed even King Yama's processions.

"Wang Erma, let this judge give you a piece of advice," the Judge declared the moment he stood firm, pulling out three pairs of reading glasses, putting them on, and squinting as he sized up Master Ma's team. "The Six-Chong rules are intricate. Before playing your cards later, this judge will verify the rules. Don't even think about pulling any 'neighborhood street stunts'!" He patted the manual on his back. "It's written in plain black and white here, even specifying whether the 'Supreme Card can substitute for a single card'. If you dare violate the rules, this judge will sentence you to wash the cards for three days!"

Wang Erma stood with his hands on his hips and chuckled, "Judge, don't try to scare us with a 'brick' of a book! In our neighborhood card games, the rules are made by the people—last time you said Little King couldn't beat a 2, but even King Yama followed my rules in the end! Later on, if you're too slow at turning pages, we won't wait for you!"

Little Li seized the opportunity to pull out his book of poetry, lifting his voice to recite:
"The Judge packs books like bricks of clay,
With every step he clanks away.
Three thousand pages rules define,
Yet Master Ma's tongue beats him in time!"
After reciting, he cupped his fists toward the surrounding ghosts and asked, "Everyone, wouldn't you say that's the truth?" The ghosts roared in unison, "Yes!", turning the Judge's face green with anger.

The match began. No sooner had the six decks of cards been dealt than the Judge unstrapped the manual from his back and slammed it onto the table with a loud *thwack*, startling old Zhou so badly he dropped two cards from his hand. "Wait!" The Judge flipped open the manual, his finger tracing back and forth between the lines. "Let this judge see first how the dealer should be determined for the first round of Six-Chong—ah, it's written right here: 'Roll the dice to decide the dealer, the higher number wins.' Which of you will roll the dice?"

Wang Erma pointed at Little Black. "Let him do it! Last time he rolled the dice, he tossed them straight into Meng Po's soup. His luck is fantastic!" Little Black hurriedly waved his hands. "I'm not rolling! Those dice sank to the bottom of the soup last time, and the Judge made me fish them out for ages!" In the end, Little White volunteered, rolled a six, and Master Ma's team became the dealer.

In the first round, Wang Erma played a "Hearts 3-7 consecutive run" (which he called a "candied hawthorn string"). The moment he laid the cards on the table, the Judge yelled, "Stop!" He leafed through the manual, failing to find the reference for a long time while muttering under his breath, "Do consecutive runs in Six-Chong require one card from each of the six decks? Or is a five-card flush enough? I recall it's on page three hundred and twenty-four..."

"I've already finished playing my hand, and you still haven't found it?" Wang Erma laughed merrily. "In my neighborhood games, a consecutive run only needs five cards of the same suit to beat the previous play. Since when are there so many rules?" Little Zhang hurriedly added, "Page three hundred and twenty-four of the manual states: 'Five or more cards of the same suit can form a consecutive run, with no restriction on the number of cards across the six decks.' Judge, you turned to the wrong page; that's the 'Bomb Rules' on page three hundred and twenty-five!"

The Judge looked down and saw he had indeed turned to the wrong page. His face flushed red, and he hurriedly flipped further back. "This judge... this judge was intentionally testing whether you remember the rules!" Just as he wanted to continue, old Zhou suddenly played a "Spade Ace." The Judge yelled "Stop!" once more. "The Spade Ace is a high card. Playing it at this moment, does it comply with the rule of 'high cards played later'? Let this judge check..."

"I'm not playing anymore!" old Zhou blurted out anxiously. "By the time you finish checking, my melon seeds will be cold!" He tossed the Spade Ace onto the table. "I'm playing this, do whatever you like!" Ah Xiang called out from the side, "Old Zhou is right! Judge, if you keep flipping books, I'm going to dump these stir-fried melon seeds right onto your manual!"

The three minor ghosts proved equally useless—the first minor ghost played a "Diamond 2" but forgot to declare his cards, earning a penalty from the Judge: "Forbidden from playing in the next round"; the second minor ghost tried to imitate the Judge flipping through pages, only to knock an abacus bead loose, sending it rolling straight into the pile of cards; the third minor ghost simply zoned out, staring longingly at Ah Xiang's stir-fried melon seeds and drooling. When his turn to play finally arrived, he actually blurted out, "I want to eat melon seeds," drawing roaring laughter from the surrounding ghosts.

The funniest part of all was the Judge himself—he pulled too hard while leafing through the manual, tearing off a page that drifted right down into Ah Xiang's frying pan. Ah Xiang scooped it up in a flash, shouting, "Judge, don't waste paper! This paper can be used to wrap melon seeds!" The Judge slammed the table in fury, "My rulebook! You actually used it to wrap melon seeds?!"

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Erma played a "four Diamonds 10 bomb" (which he called "setting off firecrackers for the New Year"). Little Zhang immediately reported the score: "The Judge Team only has three cards left: the Heart King, Spade Queen, and a single Club 5. They have no bombs and cannot beat this!" Even as the Judge attempted to flip through the book to check whether "bombs can override consecutive runs," Wang Erma had already cleared his hand. "We win! Judge, stop turning pages; if you keep flipping, the next round will have already started!"

The Judge stared blankly at the cards on the table, then at the manual in his hand, before finally squeezing out a sentence: "It doesn't count! You played your cards too fast, this judge hasn't had time to verify the rules!" No sooner had those words left his mouth than Lady Yama walked past carrying King Yama's pillow (having just finished confiscating King Yama's late-night card-counting tools). She placed her hands on her hips and bellowed, "Judge! The tournament rules clearly state 'a single stick of incense time limit per play.' You spent two sticks of incense flipping through books—you've already violated the rules! If you keep causing trouble and muddying the waters, this lady will sentence you to copy the manual ten times!"

Hearing Lady Yama's words, the Judge instantly deflated. He hastily strapped the manual back onto his back and muttered, "Fine... fine, you win! In the next round, this judge will not flip a single page!" He glared daggers at the three minor ghosts. "And you lot, stop spacing out! If any of you dare stare at those melon seeds again, this judge will make you wash the rulebook!"

Old Zhou stealthily fished a melon seed out of his blue cloth bag, popped it into his mouth, chewed, and whispered, "Lady Yama is still the most effective. A single shout put the Judge right in his place!" Little Li began composing another verse:
"The Judge backs books and gets a scolding roar,
While Master Ma's team wins round number one.
Try flipping through those dusty pages more,
And poems will mock your foolishness, each one!"

Wang Erma patted Little Zhang on the shoulder, laughing heartily. "Little Zhang, this card-counting skill of yours is truly an 'Underworld cheat code'! Keep it up for the next round, and let the Judge understand what 'tacit understanding beats rules' really means!" Ah Xiang walked over carrying a fresh batch of stir-fried melon seeds, shoving a handful into everyone's hands. "Eat some melon seeds. Win the next round, and I'll stew up some cabbage soup for you all!"

The surrounding ghosts burst into cheers. A long line formed in front of Meng Po's sweet soup stall. The Judge, bearing his rulebook on his back, squatted in a corner and secretly flipped through the pages, while the three minor ghosts hovered near Ah Xiang's wok, quietly begging, "Please give us just one melon seed..." The first group stage match of the Six-Chong concluded with Master Ma's team emerging victorious amid this lively contest between "rules and street-smart tactics," while the Judge's journey as a "rule-obsessed mule" was clearly far from over.