Or perhaps, the old man was contemplating whether he should put the dagger back in its original place.

But upon further thought, he felt it was quite inappropriate. After all, even though his subordinates knew the previous location of the dagger, Lin Yi knew it as well. By then, it would be hard to say who would come out on top.

Hesitatingly, the old man decisively hardened his resolve, thinking that even if that guy slapped down his hand, it would have nothing to do with him. In any case, the one getting hurt wouldn’t be him, and that was enough.

Thus, he straightforwardly set up the dagger and picked up one of the paper bags beside, covering the dagger.

Simultaneously, he placed the other empty bags on both sides, and soon, the dagger’s position appeared slightly right of the center.

Clearly, it meant no one knew where the dagger was now.

Except for those present who were watching intently, neither Lin Yi nor that guy with the surname Wu had any clue.

However, Wu was not particularly worried, because he knew his brothers would never betray him and would find a way to aid him. That’s why he dared to play this game with Lin Yi.

Just like that, under the old man’s quick movements, all the paper bags were soon covered.

Looking at the line of paper bags in front of them, not only were Lin Yi and the others clueless, even the old man who had just arranged them wasn’t entirely sure.

Even though he knew which one should have the dagger, he couldn’t help but doubt his memory and whether what he had just done was actually real.

In short, for a moment, this task surprisingly filled the old man with an unprecedented excitement.

He internally vowed to spread this game, to use it to intimidate those who were more cowardly than him, making them fear and dread him more.

Then, by employing some small tactics, he might even use this to assert his authority in front of his subordinates.

Knowing where it wasn’t and slapping down hard, that kind of thrill was reminiscent of an adrenaline rush.

It also allowed his more timid subordinates to realize just how formidable his skills and mental fortitude were.

Of course, this was all for later; returning to the scene, after everything was set up, he had the two turn around.

Gazing at the paper bags before him, Lin Yi’s mouth involuntarily curled up slightly.

It wasn’t because he saw which bag held the knife and which didn’t. It simply didn’t matter anymore; it was a trivial thing to him. Regardless of where the knife was placed, it posed no danger to him. What he wanted to see now was the other’s performance.

Sure enough, as he had predicted, once they turned around, the guy beside him immediately looked at the crowd, his eyes filled with questioning.

But, since Lin Yi was staring at them intently, they didn’t dare to overtly speak or gesture.

Though they weren’t afraid of Lin Yi, playing this game and making this bet meant demonstrating one’s character and prestige.

Thus, they didn’t say a word. Moreover, it was important to note that regardless of who slapped first, the first few times wouldn’t pose any danger because the knife was in the fourth bag among the nine.

"Hehe, since you’re ready, let’s begin.

Will you go first, or should I?"

When Lin Yi asked, the other was visibly taken aback, plunging into thought, considering whether he should go first or let Lin Yi go first.

If he went first and the dagger was in the first bag, he’d be done for. But if it wasn’t, he’d be in even more danger, turning nine chances into eight, decreasing his odds with each slap.

Before he could respond, the old General suddenly chimed in:

"Against a mere fledgling, if we let you go first, it would be bullying. Let us go first this time."

With the old General’s words, Lin Yi immediately understood. Clearly, the dagger was in an even-positioned bag.

This meant that regardless of how the first hit went, the subsequent attempts were safe.

The old man’s little trick was instantly clear to Lin Yi. Perhaps in ancient times, they wouldn’t have suspected anything, attributing it to luck.

Yet, Lin Yi merely shrugged, expressing no objection, and straightforwardly said:

"If that’s the case, you go first."

The old General was instantly elated, secretly sneering at this young man who didn’t comprehend the nuances of a game he initiated.

Clearly, as the one who arranged everything, he knew exactly which position the dagger was in. It was easy to deduce who could go first without hitting it, but this young man hadn’t considered it, indicating he was just a naive youth, driven by courage rather than brains.

However, Wu, the adjutant, broke out in a sweat, not understanding why the old General would shoulder such a task.

But before he could speak, the old General glared at him and harshly rebuked:

"Step forward immediately! Don’t lose your authority. What’s there to hesitate about in front of this upstart?"

The rebuke made Wu shake instantly, seeing the old General’s eyes express something indescribable.

Though a bit simple-minded, Wu understood the old General wouldn’t harm one of his own.

So, gritting his teeth, he slapped down on the first paper bag.

[To be continued...]