對方年紀輕輕,謀略、應變能力、心理質素卻明顯比我更勝一籌。208Please respect copyright.PENANAEAiSgX3iQa
208Please respect copyright.PENANAffXgiaS0gu
我深感不妙,冷汗直冒。不過賭枱之上,氣勢甚為重要,絕不能露出半分怯懦。我假裝輕鬆,提出一個該會對他極為吸引的建議:「Side bet,有興趣嗎?以左手尾指作賭注。我賭你下一局共有五張『梅花』和三張『紅心』在手。」208Please respect copyright.PENANAFMQQaaKVt1
208Please respect copyright.PENANAvGqOoE5bck
他鄙夷瞄我一眼,冷笑:「明明手上獎金足夠你這窮鬼好好度過下半輩子,為何你要提出毫無意義的side bet?」208Please respect copyright.PENANAAa7mmiTcIa
208Please respect copyright.PENANAtj8oGaLFhf
「你不敢?」我繼續挑釁。只消對方答應side bet,我就有方法令他泥足深陷。208Please respect copyright.PENANAWlPsUNHQLY
208Please respect copyright.PENANA23RkqUwus4
「好。輸家要立即切下左手尾指,不得接受旁人治療,直至所有賭局完結。」沒料到他提出的條件比我更辛辣:我們尚有六場賭局!208Please respect copyright.PENANAkoMATlY1Jq
208Please respect copyright.PENANAYpiUZqpkXk
「成交。」我欣然接受。如他所講,我就是個窮鬼,活得失意潦倒,根本不怕死,何況僅是區區一隻尾指。208Please respect copyright.PENANA0MGLT7mK60
208Please respect copyright.PENANApV0SkqBa7p
十分鐘後,此局完。208Please respect copyright.PENANAvMjAObtP9H
208Please respect copyright.PENANAEot9slDC5A
「真的要繼續side bet?」一如之前九十四局,他總會在小休時間與我閒聊幾句。208Please respect copyright.PENANA76KQRN5u9s
208Please respect copyright.PENANA8zVWDOL3xX
「要!」我早在心裡計算過,這side bet穩賺不賠。208Please respect copyright.PENANAdKW1VychRC
208Please respect copyright.PENANAI3qWEGwXlc
每局嬴家可獲得一百萬獎金,共有一百局。完成所有賭局後,最終勝出總局數較多的人,還可以額外得到一億大獎。208Please respect copyright.PENANAQcGGApyhU1
208Please respect copyright.PENANAMB9ZWVRGce
目前我四十七勝、四十七負,有四千七百萬獎金在手。這金額足夠養活一個缺少一隻尾指的人。不過如果尾指被斬的人是他,絕對會影響他在賭局的發揮,增加我得到一億大獎的機會。208Please respect copyright.PENANA4hN1dXVEwh
208Please respect copyright.PENANA2ELjD7rfBA
十分鐘過去,第九十五局已進行一半。我留意到他經常偷瞥我,眼神比之前鬼祟。這可能是他的故意設計,想誤導我對他心理狀態的判斷,也可能是他真的感覺緊張,因為受到side bet影響。208Please respect copyright.PENANACjDUi6Au9w
208Please respect copyright.PENANA7lF2X0h5wy
第九十五局完,我負他勝。不過翻開牌底,他果真共有五張『梅花』和三張『紅心』在手,換言之他要立即切下左手尾指。208Please respect copyright.PENANA4cUOCfsimV
208Please respect copyright.PENANASHkCd3cykZ
我不禁嘴角上揚。以為他會恐懼求饒,或是借故推搪,豈料他從容接過裁判遞來的一柄小刀,利落斬下尾指,血流如注。208Please respect copyright.PENANAwuGy0bsq15
208Please respect copyright.PENANAQQzejlstei
「Side bet,有興趣嗎?賭我下一局共有五張『梅花』和三張『紅心』在手。」他痛得冒汗,解下領帶簡單包紥傷口:「我以自己左手手掌作賭注,你要以兒子的左手手掌作賭注。」208Please respect copyright.PENANAh6B0kkAxkI
208Please respect copyright.PENANA6Oa7Z91h1G
我暗笑:傻瓜!我兒早在十五年前死去!當年我欠賭債二百多萬,為求活命,只好與債主合謀將兒子誘騙黑市診所,活摘器官。208Please respect copyright.PENANAijLP0FqTdI
208Please respect copyright.PENANAcYqBTDuiV3
「成交。」我裝出一副猶豫表情,艱難點頭。208Please respect copyright.PENANApNKitrxxzc
208Please respect copyright.PENANAsjArIwHHjU
第九十六局完,我勝他負。翻開牌底,他有五張『梅花』和三張『紅心』在手,換言之我兒將要「遭殃」。208Please respect copyright.PENANA5OfAaetxxS
208Please respect copyright.PENANAhReDGHDXjS
「你不為兒子心疼?」他得戚邪笑,毫不察覺自己當了大傻瓜。208Please respect copyright.PENANATHvs0ksVb4
208Please respect copyright.PENANAKMQDtOT2ir
「不會心疼。」為打擊他的心理防線,我直接告訴他真相:「因為我的獨子早在十五年前離世。」208Please respect copyright.PENANAZZa1j3hsy7
208Please respect copyright.PENANA3gM98M2hBL
「真的嗎?」他的傷口仍然冒血,臉色蒼白的他忽爾露出一絲詭秘笑容。208Please respect copyright.PENANAz20zuz1Ggx
208Please respect copyright.PENANAAKn2IPhGhj
這是他的故意設計嗎?抑或是我敏感多慮?208Please respect copyright.PENANAxgf9AplWhA
208Please respect copyright.PENANAIkjYdDJ6FV
第九十七局(我勝他負)、第九十八局(我勝他負)、第九十九局(我勝他負),我倆都有進行side bet。結果我輸掉自己的左手手掌和容顏,他輸掉左上肢。208Please respect copyright.PENANA3CagAYjR5z
208Please respect copyright.PENANAyygeIoxNDZ
「我們即將要迎來最後一局。有興趣繼續side bet嗎?」大量失血的他虛弱得軟癱椅上,氣若柔絲。208Please respect copyright.PENANAYZPBUZGlML
208Please respect copyright.PENANAwLCwzKrOuI
「我五十一勝,鐵定會得到一億大獎,無需要與你再次side bet。」我洋洋得意,忘記痛感。208Please respect copyright.PENANA7SF1Cbqdu6
208Please respect copyright.PENANAlsCB8qpsp6
「我押上所有獎金,共四千八百萬。」他似乎打算拼死一搏:「如果你輸了,務必找到我爸,用盡一切方法令他無法再賭。」208Please respect copyright.PENANAXSVQnRPK0s
208Please respect copyright.PENANABLMdXuTR32
憾動。我的目光無法移離他堅定倔強的眼神。208Please respect copyright.PENANAaQmtPUleC2
208Please respect copyright.PENANAaHxiCwZgdZ
我的父親也是賭徒。當年我和媽媽屢勸無效,眼巴巴看著他在黑市賣血還債。後來他在賣血過程中染上愛滋病,病逝榻上。年紀輕輕的我不明白賭博有何吸引力。長大以後,在社會浮沉一段日子,發現無論自己有多努力工作亦無法改善生活質素,反而買彩票才是致富希望。每期花十元買彩票、買希望,不知不覺間亦開始留意足球博彩,然後是外圍賭博、地下賭場……208Please respect copyright.PENANAst2InvCJXw
208Please respect copyright.PENANAgBOUcWpTvp
「要賭徒放棄賭博是沒可能的事……」作為過來人,我可憐他。208Please respect copyright.PENANAVtQnuOyFb6
208Please respect copyright.PENANATJ65lzHD7D
「有可能……」他眼神逐漸失去焦點,展露出由衷笑容:「相信我……」208Please respect copyright.PENANAPlFa8cySOB
208Please respect copyright.PENANAtfMXJ0nc7J
在我愣住失神之際,工作人員紛紛意識到事態不妙,上前為他急救,可惜搶救無效。208Please respect copyright.PENANA8Y6QsLiL4h
208Please respect copyright.PENANAxHEWAIPXvV
由於第一百局未開始,算不上完成所有賭局,根據比賽規則,我無法取得一億大獎。而我亦沒有答應對手的side bet建議,所以無法得到他的四千八百萬獎金。208Please respect copyright.PENANACYKIYDGYFV
208Please respect copyright.PENANAygoG5VzDve
我帶著五千一百萬獎金回到城市,享受了好一段風光日子。習慣以後,內心若有所失,失去生活激情,開始想要重返賭枱。我驀地憶起他臨終遺願:他希望父親無法再賭。208Please respect copyright.PENANAKtbuxhD85Q
208Please respect copyright.PENANAh7tfKDSuTt
聘請私家偵探調查他的身世以及尋找他爸。208Please respect copyright.PENANAZpblYE0xq5
208Please respect copyright.PENANACXmHHSv8Py
「十五年前,他被人誘騙到黑市診所活摘器官,但成功逃脫。為避開追殺,他整容易名,重過新生。在同事耳濡目染下,染上賭癮……」208Please respect copyright.PENANABEnwS2BpJz
註:此故會收錄於短篇小說集《雜念集》
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