Volume One, Chapter 11: The Nine-Ball Queen Shocks the Entire Arena

The crowd instantly fell silent for a moment, then erupted into incredulous cheers.

“Holy crap! A break and run on the first shot?”

“This beauty’s amazing!”

“Must be a fluke, right?”

The man in the floral shirt, who had just looked relaxed moments ago, suddenly grew serious, his eyes darkening with intensity.

Gu Xingnian seemed oblivious to the chatter around her. She moved to the next shot, bent down again, and took aim.

Her movements were fluid, precise, without the slightest hesitation.

Thud! Thud! Thud! One after another, the colored balls rolled smoothly into the pockets as if following a pre-programmed course.

Effortless and seamless!

Six shots, and the table was cleared perfectly! As the last golden nine ball dropped in, the entire billiards area fell completely silent, save for the soft music drifting from the speakers.

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the aloof beauty, as if seeing her for the first time.

After a few seconds, the cheers and screams exploded like a tidal wave, nearly shaking the roof off!

“Incredible! A six-shot clearance!”

“No way! She’s a pro!”

The atmosphere ignited tenfold, far more intense than before.

Upstairs, in a spacious, prestigious VIP room with an expansive view.

Several men in suits stood by the large floor-to-ceiling windows, exuding power and wealth.

At the forefront stood a tall, imposing man, radiating an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.

He held a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid gently swirling, reflecting the depths of his inscrutable eyes.

His gaze pierced through the noisy crowd downstairs and fixed precisely on the figure bent over the billiards table.

Watching her calm, focused profile; her nimble, accurate strokes; the moment she electrified the room.

Fu Beichen’s expression was complicated, laced with a curiosity and admiration he hadn’t realized he felt.

So this woman had this side too—

Bold, confident, radiant.

Completely different from the quiet, obedient Gu Xingnian in his memories.

Had he never noticed before, or had she always hidden it so well?

Downstairs, the gambling continued.

The man in the floral shirt now had fine beads of sweat on his temple.

He knew he’d met his match.

It was his turn to break first.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself calm, aimed carefully, determined to be precise without any carelessness.

Bang!

A good break, sinking one ball.

He played steadily, painstakingly ensuring each shot was accurate, avoiding mistakes.

One by one, the balls found their pockets.

In the end, he cleared the table in eight shots.

Not bad, but compared to Gu Xingnian’s six-shot clearance, the difference was clear.

Sheng Weiwei crossed her arms, smiling slyly like a mischievous cat.

“Handsome guy, you lost. Time to keep your promise, right?”

She made a polite beckoning gesture toward the small makeshift stage nearby.

The crowd erupted again.

“Get on stage! Get on stage!”

“Strip! Strip! Strip!”

The man’s face turned pale and flushed by turns. He hadn’t expected to lose, let alone that the other side would be so relentless.

Dancing a striptease in public? That would be social suicide!

He gritted his teeth, unwilling to admit defeat.

“Wait! I was careless just now! Let’s play another round!”

Pointing at Gu Xingnian, he shouted, “If I lose again this round, I’ll cover everyone’s expenses here tonight!”

His words sent the crowd into a frenzy.

“No way! The boss is generous!”

“One more round! One more round!”

“Beauty, say yes! Help us get some perks!”

Cheers filled the air, with people eager to play on Gu Xingnian’s behalf.

Sheng Weiwei looked at Gu Xingnian, silently asking.

Gu Xingnian didn’t mind and nodded.

Sheng Weiwei immediately decided, “Alright! One more chance! But no cheating if you lose this time!”

Gu Xingnian raised her hand, gesturing, “Gentlemen first.”

This time, the man in the floral shirt no longer pretended to be humble.

He stepped up to the table, wearing an expression of unprecedented seriousness and focus.

Bang!

The break shot!

The power and angle were perfect.

Three balls sank!

The onlookers gasped; it seemed he was really bringing his A-game.

Next shot!

He held his breath, calculated precisely, and struck.

He cleared the table in six shots!

This time, he matched the level of the beauty’s first round, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Everyone thought this stunning woman wouldn’t be easy to beat. If she wanted to win, she had to sink four balls on the break.

A task as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

The man’s eyes locked onto Gu Xingnian, a mixture of pride and challenge in his gaze.

Now it was Gu Xingnian’s turn to break. All eyes in the room focused on her.

She calmly approached the cue rack and switched to a heavier cue.

Walking to the table, she picked up the cue ball, her fingertips gently caressing its smooth surface. Her eyes were serene and steady, as if this high-stakes game was nothing more than a routine practice.

She didn’t place the ball immediately, instead circling the table slowly, as if searching for the perfect angle.

Her composure was strikingly at odds with the raucous surroundings.

Finally, she stopped and placed the cue ball in the break area.

She bent slightly, her posture elegant and concentrated.

Her hand gripping the cue was steady and strong; the other formed a classic bridge on the dark green cloth.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she took aim.

In that instant, the world seemed to fall silent, leaving only her and the balls.

Whizz—bang!

The cue struck fiercely, powerful yet perfectly controlled!

The cue ball shot forward like an arrow, striking the apex of the diamond formation precisely!

And then, the unbelievable happened!

The colored balls burst apart as if enchanted!

But instead of scattering randomly, they curved in strange, precise arcs.

One, two, three... nine balls in total, as if magnetically drawn, rolled one after another into different pockets!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sounds of the balls dropping echoed clearly, striking every heart in the room.

One shot—

Nine balls pocketed!

The legendary “Golden Break”!

The entire club fell deathly silent; even the music stopped abruptly.

Not a sound could be heard.

Everyone’s eyes widened, mouths agape, as if witnessing a fairy tale come to life.

Those who had just been cheering the man’s two-shot clearance now seemed frozen, as if paused mid-breath.

Three seconds later—

“Holy crap!!!”

“Did I see that right? One shot, all nine balls in?”

“My god! What kind of godlike skill is this?”

“The Nine-Ball Queen! She’s definitely the Nine-Ball Queen! Forever the greatest!”

“Ah, amazing! Is this a hallucination?”

“I’m stunned, really, I’m about to crack open on the spot!”

Screams, gasps, and disbelief exploded like a tsunami, almost lifting the roof off the club!

The atmosphere blazed hotter than ever before, by at least ten times.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the VIP lounge.

Those sharp eyes, long hidden in shadow, clearly reflected the astonishing scene below.

A flash of surprise flickered across them.

He watched the woman who had just performed a miracle, observed her serene side profile as she lowered the cue, a faint, nearly imperceptible smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

“Damn, that woman really is... Gu... Mrs. Gu?” Gu Shaoheng couldn’t help but blurt out.

If not for seeing Sheng Weiwei, he wouldn’t have believed his own eyes.

Fu Beichen set down his whiskey glass, the slight clink as it met the table drawing attention.

Then, he strode decisively, turning and heading downstairs without hesitation.

Gu Shaoheng followed closely behind.