The betting floor came alive the moment the match began.
Powerful families, rich heirs, industrial shadows—everyone was here. Bets flew in real time: Sora batting, Ivo bowling. Numbers escalated from lakhs to crores as if money had no weight. The highest bet PK noticed so far stood at two crores, and it was still climbing.
There was no ceiling here.
This was live betting—win, and you take three times the amount. Lose, and you pay on the spot. No delays. No excuses. That was precisely why this place was infamous and nearly impossible to access.
PK observed quietly, his gaze sharp, absorbing the rhythm of the room. Fear, greed, arrogance—he saw it all play out on people's faces.
Then a woman approached him.
She wore a sleek black mask, her presence refined and confident. She leaned slightly toward him and spoke softly.
"I'm surprised to see you here… and with another beauty."
PK turned, momentarily alert—then recognized the voice.
Eve.
Lana and Luna's aunt.
For a brief second, even PK was caught off guard.
She continued calmly, "I never imagined you had this kind of hobby. People recognize faces here—masks are mandatory for a reason."
A faint smile curved her lips. "The twins showed me your photo yesterday. I recognized you instantly. You look good in that suit. It suits you."
Before PK could respond, she straightened, gave him a knowing look, and walked away—disappearing back into the crowd like she had never been there.
Selene had noticed the interaction.
"Who was that?" she asked sharply.
PK replied evenly, "No one."
That single word irritated her more than an argument ever could.
Her expression hardened. "Fine. You're on your own," she said coldly, turning away and leaving him alone among sharks and kings.
PK didn't react.
He simply scanned the room again.
That's when he noticed him.
An old man, seated far from the betting tables, quietly arranging a chessboard. No entourage. No bets. Just him—and the board—waiting.
PK walked over without hesitation.
"Need a hand?" PK asked casually. "I'm quite bored."
The old man looked up, studying PK carefully—his posture, his eyes, his calm.
After a brief pause, he smiled faintly.
"Sure," the old man said. "Sit."
And in a room where crores were being gambled every second,
PK chose a different battlefield—
one where true power was decided long before money ever entered the game.