Changdao Sheng really didn't want to go back on his word. Licking the shoe was too painful—how could he face anyone after that?
But if he did renege, the consequences would be severe. As the King of Gamblers, his word had always been his bond. Going back on it would shatter his reputation. Damaging his reputation was one thing, but what terrified him most were the curses and scathing words from people all over the world.
There's a saying: "Pointed at by a thousand fingers, one can die without illness." It described an unseen force, a kind of cosmic destiny. If he didn't die from this, he was bound to suffer from terrible luck. For an expert in the gambling profession, bad luck was the most terrifying thing imaginable.
Between two evils, one must choose the lesser. Therefore, in the end, he felt that licking the shoe was the better bargain.
