Where the Chips Fall, also called Chapter 116, is the one hundred seventeenth chapter of the Black Lagoon manga. It was originally released on August 19, 2023.
Plot[]
At the Lagoon Company office, Le Majeur, who is suffering from a hangover, remarks in exhaustion to Revy and Rock that she does not want to go, but Revy smilingly reminds her that she must go to Balalaika's new casino on Yatchalaya Street on her orders. As Revy comments that Balalaika wanted Majeur to help lighten up the place, Majeur again wants an excuse to stay home, but Revy simply advises her to be herself and she should get lots of tips. Once again, Majeur complains about her job as a bouncer, nonetheless the three get dressed and go to the casino.
That night, many men and women in their best elegant clothing enter the casino, and Revy, Rock and Majeur themselves adhere to the dress code by respectively wearing a strapless dress, a black suit, and a Playboy Bunny outfit. Because it is the unveiling, only special guests like crime lords, the police chief, and other designated people are allowed to attend, with Rock adding that casually-dressed tourists will be frequenting the place in the future. Saying that three people have grabbed her buttocks while she has been acting as a bouncer, Majeur tells the laughing Revy that she does not know how much more trouble she can take. The three then walk together, with Majeur complimenting Revy's dress and the latter woman confirming that the dress is super tight.
Conversing with Balalaika, Mister Chang compliments the retro theme that she chose for opening night. Enjoying herself and clad in expensive jewelry, the Hotel Moscow leader elaborates that she brought in people from the United Kingdom to design the building, adding that weapons will be of course checked for at the entrance. Having been at the joint for a bit, Chang wonders where Ronnie the Jaws has been. Balalaika answers that Ronnie is not attending despite an invitation, whereas his captains and lieutenants are present. Smirking, Chang claims that Ronnie is not the social type, and Balalaika replies that she is glad that Chang is at least present. Wearing his sunglasses as always, Chang in turn reciprocates her sentiment and reminds themselves that they go way back.
At that moment, Revy's group greets Chang and Balalaika, congratulating the latter for her new business. Thanking them, Balalaika advises them to enjoy themselves. Greeting Rock in turn, Chang claims that he has not seen Rock since certain people were trying to hunt the "Black guy" (La Mouche). Relaxed, Rock merely responds that he and his company have only done the usual shipment jobs since then. Looking at Rock, Chang asks him if he still has a penchant for gambling on various things, to which Balalaika advises Chang to be nice. Apologizing for his comment, the Triad leader stands silent as Revy commends the beauty of Balalaika's casino. Smiling, Balalaika tells everyone to play whatever games they want, be it craps, slots, or roulette. Hearing that Revy wishes to play slots, Majeur agrees to guide her to the slot machines while Rock agrees to play roulette with Chang. At the roulette table, the croupier welcomes the two and wishes them luck in playing, and Chang and Rock agree to start off with small bets. Spinning in the wheel, the white pill lands on red 25 in Chang's favor. Returning a smile to him, Rock replies that the beginning is not where the action is. With a poker face, Chang converses with the croupier, who admits that it is his first time in Roanapur and that he came from Macao. The Triad leader commends the croupier's skill, and Rock suddenly comments that the casino can be great for Roanapur but such attention may not be good for the city.
Although he agrees with the ex-salaryman, Chang comments that the crime lords need to move away from shady dealings to increase their profits. Sharing his seriousness, Rock declares that people enjoy the daylight. As the croupier asks them to place their next bets, Chang replies that it may be a good or bad thing that Rock is continuing to take an interest in Roanapur. Additionally, he rhetorically asks Rock if he has resolve since he is confident in his own convictions. As the pill spins on the roulette wheel, Rock clasps his wrists and thinks about how he once had a client who deduced that he was in his new life to see people's fates play out. Chang then asks him if he plans on being the judge of everyone, but Rock disagrees and clarifies that with his own help, he can possibly go somewhere beyond people's fates. Advising him not to get arrogant, Chang proclaims that such a place is God's domain, though Rock in turn claims that the domain in question is the good outcome itself. Trying to change the framing, Chang warns that changing someone's fate can result in the person being swallowed up by the same fate and become part of their lives.
Lighting his own cigarette, Rock explains that his own bets are more cautious than that, summing up that one can only change people's fates in a good way by getting up close and personal. Chang jokes that he seems to fancy himself the troubleshooter of Roanapur, but Rock nonchalantly declares that he truly likes Roanapur. Elaborating, he reminds the Triad leader that their city has exiles, scumbags, the abandoned, and other misfits, proclaiming that his own guidance can save people who share his own history of being cast aside and even save Roanapur itself. While the croupier waits for the two men to place their bets, Chang coldly replies that his analysis is a sentimental lie, sternly saying that the bloodshed that both of them have seen will absolutely result in their fate to purgatory. As the room fills with their mutual cigarette smoke, Rock rebuffs his answer and states that they still have a chance of receiving a different ending. Firm in his disagreement, Chang explicates that his answer is based on the laws of nature rather than virtue.
The ex-salaryman calmly retorts that they will only truly know until the end of their lives, betting more chips and telling Chang that he will continue extending his hand to others. Agreeing with Chang's next analysis, Rock answers that he will have a good view from the hilltop of the far side of good and evil. Chang then asserts that he believes in predestination and warns Rock that his desire for changing fates will be in vain. Putting up all his chips on one gamble, Rock pushes his chips forward. Genuinely surprised at the move, the Triad leader grins in contrast to the hesitant croupier. Blowing out cigarette smoke, Rock claims that his straightforward bet is his way of seeing the beyond. Also smoking, Chang comments that he also had Rock's going-for-broke mindset in his own youth, and the sangfroid Rock announces that going for broke will allow them to see beyond their world and truly allow Rock to get satisfaction.
Rolling into four black, the pill favors Rock, giving him a 35-to-1 payout, impressing Chang enough to call it devil's luck. Thinking that Rock's analysis may have some ground after all, Chang tells Rock that he will remove the latter's obstacles as an offer if he can accomplish showing the "beyond" to him.
Notes[]
- Chapter 116 is the first chapter since Chapter 01 (released in April 2002) that an arc has only been one chapter long.