Chapter 51: Divine Winning Streak

“Li Xin, I—”

Wang Xiaoqian, dressed in a strikingly seductive outfit, gently pushed open the door and stepped inside. Her sentence hung unfinished in the air, her eyes flickering with astonishment.

Li Xin sat at his computer, headphones on, playing Landlord. The moment she entered, a dazzling “20 consecutive wins” banner flashed across the game screen.

Wang Xiaoqian was dumbfounded.

In other games—say CrossFire, League of Legends, Hearthstone, or Speed Racer—a streak of twenty wins wouldn’t be so unusual. But this was Landlord, a game where, though extraordinary memory and strategic thinking are essential, the outcome is ultimately dictated by chance. One round you might hold a hand stacked with wild cards, kings, and twos; the next, you’re dealt an abysmal set no one could possibly win with. Imagine: you’re left with a hopeless hand, and your opponent sweeps the table in a few moves with cards that seem heaven-sent—what’s the point of playing then?

Landlord was Wang Xiaoqian’s favorite pastime. She’d seen her fair share of skilled players, even reaching the rank of Grand Landlord herself. Yet, she had never witnessed anyone achieve a streak of twenty consecutive victories.

She drew a deep breath, stifling her original intentions. Quiet as a shadow, she crossed the room and settled onto the double sofa behind the computer desk, intent on seeing just how far this man’s luck could defy the heavens, to win twenty rounds in a row with godlike hands.

But what she saw next stunned her even more. Her eyes widened, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, thrown into utter confusion.

Li Xin, having achieved twenty straight wins, remained perfectly composed—no hint of pride or impatience on his face. He sipped his water unhurriedly, calmly clicking the mouse to begin the next round. Yet the moment the game started, his previously indifferent gaze sharpened, radiating a focused, commanding intensity.

It was him. It really was him.

Wang Xiaoqian silently confirmed her suspicion. Who else could possess such formidable gaming skills and ironclad composure?

She glanced at his opponents: the two farmers, their IDs reading “Ghost Third” and “Noble Fifth.”

Caught between shock and amusement, Wang Xiaoqian let out a soft laugh, her eyes tinged with helplessness and a flash of anger. These two were nothing special—she, a wealthy heiress, wouldn’t normally give them a second thought. But in the Jiangyang Netcom channel of Happy Landlord, these two were notorious figures.

Not for their winning streaks, but for their infamous reputation as the “Double Ghosts.”

The story dated back to the previous year, when QQ Game underwent a revision. Previously, Happy Landlord’s “Happy Beans” could only be bought and used by the player. After the update, a new feature was added: gifting. Now, players could purchase items or send Happy Beans directly to others, essentially turning the in-game currency into real money.

A new profession sprang up overnight: Happy Bean Suppliers.

From the official game store, one yuan bought you a thousand Happy Beans. On the black market, you could get anywhere from twelve hundred to fourteen hundred for the same price.

Many would scoff—what kind of money could there be in a simple card game? But only players truly understood: Landlord’s player base was far larger than that of so-called professional e-sports. Action-packed competitive games might attract those aged ten to thirty, but a casual, relaxing game like this was suitable for all ages.

With the integration of PC and mobile platforms, the player count soared. Men and women, young and old, all found themselves playing a few rounds after meals, to pass the time. The game’s developers, ever shrewd, seized the opportunity, expanding Landlord into a multifunctional social platform. Here, you could make friends, stroll along a virtual beach, brag, flirt, and even get married within the game.

Finding companionship, playing games, seeking comfort—why not?

All these factors combined made Happy Bean suppliers fabulously profitable.

The “Double Ghosts” were the most infamous suppliers in the Jiangyang Netcom region. Their methods for amassing Happy Beans were so varied and ingenious as to inspire both awe and envy; their ability to exchange virtual currency for cash was the envy of all.

Their most common trick was colluding to cheat unsuspecting players.

Over time, everyone grew wise to their schemes, and the Double Ghosts were shunned like the plague. Forced to open new accounts, they continued their cons. Today, perhaps they were on their main accounts conducting business, which was how Li Xin, the unlucky soul, had crossed paths with them.

But judging by the current state of things, it seemed the unlucky ones were the Double Ghosts.

Wang Xiaoqian’s lips curled in amusement. She recalled how she’d once lost forty consecutive rounds to these two, losing nearly a million Happy Beans. Watching Li Xin defeat them so thoroughly, she couldn’t help but feel a vicarious thrill, as if she herself were the victor.

Her excitement only grew.

She playfully flicked out her slender, scarlet tongue, leaned back against the broad sofa, and watched in silence.

Twenty-five consecutive wins.

In the twenty-sixth round, Li Xin was dealt a truly abysmal hand. Even playing at his absolute best, he was left with two cards he couldn’t play, and lost in the end.

He shook his head and smiled wryly, frowning in apparent contemplation, but soon rejoined the fray.

Wang Xiaoqian, thinking he must be exhausted, was all the more impressed when he continued. Little did she know that Li Xin was facing the very first grueling challenge of his newly upgraded Game King status. If he won, he’d level up; if he lost, penalties and cooldowns might await.

As she watched, Wang Xiaoqian gradually drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke, dawn was breaking outside. Her head heavy with sleep, she glanced over to find Li Xin slumped over the computer desk, snoring loudly, two dried streaks of drool at the corner of his mouth.

He was so broad-shouldered that he blocked half the screen. Frowning, Wang Xiaoqian tried to recall the events of the previous night, curiosity about the outcome gnawing at her. In her mind, after twenty-five consecutive wins, Li Xin’s luck must have run out; at most, he could have managed another streak of ten.

She got up, slipped on her shoes, and called his name softly. No response—the snoring continued.

She couldn’t help but smile, and with a gentle shove, tilted Li Xin’s head aside to see the computer screen. What she saw left her utterly speechless.

The LCD monitor was frozen on a single image. In the center, several large, blood-red characters proclaimed: “50 Consecutive Wins.” All around, virtual fireworks exploded in a dazzling display of congratulations.

“F-fifty consecutive wins…”

Wang Xiaoqian muttered in disbelief, struggling to accept what she saw. The Double Ghosts, shrewd and cunning as they were, experts at collusion and cheating, had been utterly routed by Li Xin. This wasn’t just an achievement—it was divine.

Yes, truly godlike.

Wang Xiaoqian even felt that, if this record were captured and submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records, it would have a real shot.

After a long while, she came to her senses, picked up the mouse, and closed the game window to return to the battle lobby. The Double Ghosts had already fled, leaving only the chat log in the right-hand window.

Ghost Third: Master, I bow to you.
Noble Fifth: Impressive, truly impressive. I concede!

Wang Xiaoqian felt as if thunder had struck her heart—she was stunned yet again. Others might not know Noble Fifth’s true identity, but she, as the renowned heiress of Gaoyou, a lady of both beauty and wealth, and a heroine in her own right—how could she not know?