Chapter 30: Betting on the Winner, Eve of the Storm

Brother Ze called me?

Qin Shi's heart skipped a beat; he still remembered this Beiguan Street boss asking if he was Lao Liang's disciple.

"A disciple, not a student. It seems Brother Ze knows the rules of Old Martial Arts well."

He pondered as he went up to the second floor via the staircase, and the lazy boxer Little Brother guarding the door stepped aside to let him pass.

Pushing open the door to the private room, Brother Ze stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, wearing a floral shirt and jeans with the top button undone, holding a square wine glass in his hand, his lips pressed tightly together.

Compared to the capable henchmen who worked for the Big Boss, his whole demeanor was more like a boxer from Beiguan Street.

Sharp and fierce, full of aggression!

"Shi, come over."

Cheng Ze beckoned with a friendly attitude.

"The main event is starting."

Qin Shi deliberately lagged behind by a body's length, not walking side by side with Brother Ze.

His eyelids twitched, and he suppressed the reckless thought of activating Inner Vision to probe the boss's strength.

Little Transparency wasn't open, but points could be earned depending on the occasion.

Just from listening to Brother Ze's breathing rhythm, he could detect that excessively steady breath.

Very shallow, very faint; unless one listened carefully, it was almost imperceptible.

At the same time, it was soothing and gentle, as if he were completely relaxed.

"Very fierce!"

Qin Shi evaluated that Brother Ze's Qi Life Force level and personal strength were definitely not low.

"It's also reasonable. In a place like Old Factory Street, you can't become a boss just by reasoning or relying on a boss."

"Who do you think is stronger between the two in the octagonal cage?"

Cheng Ze raised the hand holding his wine glass and pointed downward.

Hei Luoni and Ku Senglv had already entered the arena; the former raised both hands, like a boxing king in the world, asking for applause and cheers, while also performing a show of crushing watermelons and flattening steel plates.

Ku Senglv, on the other hand, closed his eyes to cultivate his spirit, as if in samadhi, completely unaware of the outside world; paired with his white headscarf and hemp robe, he looked extremely mysterious.

"Brother Yuan told me they aren't real Fighters."

Qin Shi maintained his honest kid persona.

He was just a part-time waiter and had no intention of joining a gang with underworld big brothers.

This kind of opportunity to show off should be given to Brother Yuan and Cheng Ge.

"Although they are hired actors, not real boxers, the audience paying to watch isn't stupid or blind; if it were really two ordinary people filming a martial arts movie, who would buy it?"

Cheng Ze laughed, then explained:

"They both got injections before going on stage; Hei Luoni's perception of pain becomes duller, and his spirit becomes more excited."

"Ku Senglv's adrenaline concentration is now several times that of an ordinary person, allowing him to burst out with strength stronger than usual."

They're striving too hard!

Qin Shi's mouth twitched; these injection shots were more damaging to the body than Old Martial Arts, and it was even possible to drop dead on stage from overexcitement.

"One fight can earn thirty thousand."

Cheng Ze added.

Qin Shi immediately felt relieved.

Setting aside high-risk gray industries and side hustles, the average salary on Old Factory Street was around three thousand, and most were hard jobs selling labor.

Fighting one match could earn the big money others make working themselves to death for half a year.

Very cost-effective!

As for possible injury or harm to the body, those factors were never within the consideration of the Bottom Layer.

"Ku Senglv should win."

Qin Shi watched the two seriously before the fight started and gave his answer solemnly.

"Why?"

Cheng Ze raised an eyebrow.

"Hei Luoni's physique is sturdier, his build is larger, and he doesn't fear pain; Ku Senglv can't hurt him."

Qin Shi enunciated clearly and said slowly:

"Precisely because of this, he bears a heavier burden and his stamina is consumed faster. Hei Luoni's overly bulky muscles restrict his movement and slow his reactions; every punch, run, and sprint squeezes his heart and lungs."

"On the contrary, Ku Senglv is more flexible; he knows how to wear down his opponent."

Cheng Ze tilted his head back and finished the amber-colored alcohol, praising:

"You're very good at observing details and judging strength, but you've overlooked something more important."

Qin Shi frowned, his gaze falling on the intense fight in the octagonal cage.

As he expected, Hei Luoni attacked fiercely at first, like a thick city wall, constantly squeezing the space, and several times forced Ku Senglv into a dead end.

But Ku Senglv was slippery like a rat, always escaping, causing the Spectator Stand to erupt in successive gasps.

When the timer reached around eight minutes, this furious bull Hei Luoni was panting from exhaustion, his steps heavy and slow.

Ku Senglv, however, was like an ancient matador, using a red cloth to toy with Hei Luoni, occasionally striking below his ribs or kicking his knee joints.

Finally, at eight minutes and forty-seven seconds, Ku Senglv used a sweep kick to knock Hei Luoni down, then pursued the advantage, consecutively striking several vital points.

Finally, he stomped hard on his forehead, stepping on him until his head was broken and blood flowed, and he fainted.

The audience who bet on Hei Luoni winning were greatly annoyed, with sporadic sounds of cups smashing.

The lucky ones who went all-in on the underdog Ku Senglv cheered and jumped for joy.

But before the referee could announce the result, the smug Ku Senglv, after removing his white headscarf, suddenly felt his ankle tighten, and then he was dragged down.

As the back of his head struck the ground, a pair of hands like palm fans seized his throat, hoisted him up, and slammed him down hard!

Boom! Boom! Boom—

After several dull impacts, the bitter monk fell completely unconscious, bright red blood trickling from his ears and mouth, a pitiful sight.

"Hei Luoni! Let's shout Hei Luoni's name! He is the winner of this match!"

The host's blood-pumping roar once again echoed through the lobby via the microphone.

The sudden change plunged the entire venue into a dead silence for a second or two.

Immediately after, a massive wave of cheers even more frenzied than before erupted!

Customers who had bet on Hei Luoni all stood up, clutching the vouchers issued by Midnight Palace, eager to exchange them for cash!

"A fixed match?"

Such a thought burst into Qin Shi's mind.

"There's no collusion; it's just that Xiao didn't tell the bitter monk that he had also injected Hei Luoni with a slow-acting central stimulant."

"Only then can it be performed convincingly, letting the customers enjoy themselves."

Cheng Ze set down his wine glass:

"An upset is certainly exciting, but an unexpected twist and a reasonable counter-kill leave a deeper impression on the audience."

Qin Shi remained silent; Brother Ze had gone from a hoodlum in the game halls of Old Factory Street to the most renowned social elder brother of Beiguan Street, and indeed relied on more than just his fists.

"Being a triad member indeed requires using one's brain; otherwise, one will be a 'fly' for a lifetime."

The bitter monk was dragged out of the octagonal cage and placed on a stretcher, likely suffering from severe concussion or similar injuries.

But Hei Luoni's body also swayed unsteadily, with multiple fractures of his sternum and ribs.

But the audience did not care, only immersed in revelry or dejection.

Qin Shi watched this scene, and Cheng Ze beside him spoke:

"To make big money on Old Factory Street without any skill, it's like this—one must risk one's life."

Qin Shi keenly sensed a trace of strangeness; as the behind-the-scenes manager of Midnight Palace and the person in charge of Beiguan Street, Brother Ze had no need to open his heart to him and build rapport.

But after entering the private room, Cheng Ze had consistently consciously dominated the topic.

"Brother Ze wants to take me in as a little brother?"

Qin Shi lowered his eyelids.

His future goals were the Ranking Examination, the Martial Artist certificate, and a top university.

He had no interest in joining a gang or fighting for the faucet staff.

"A Shi, I heard from A Yuan that your physical talent is outstanding, and you progress quickly in Old Martial Arts training."

"How about it, do you want to follow me and do things?"

As expected, Cheng Ze asked this question.

"Brother Ze, I am a student."

Qin Shi feigned difficulty.

"I promised Big Sister to study hard and get into university."

Cheng Ze seemed not surprised, merely speaking with regret:

"Sorry, I drank too much and got muddled; don't take it to heart."

"A worthless life becomes a boxer; listen to your big sister, getting into a good university is better than anything."

He shook his head, gazing at the octagonal cage being cleaned and slowly descending:

"Just now was the warm-up; this is the real underground fighting."

Two-thirds of the guests in the hall had left, with the audience who had won or lost their bets departing.

Only some regular customers who were VIP users remained, led by waiters to the "Dog Fighting Arena" on the underground floor.

"What striking physical intensity."

Qin Shi followed Brother Ze down the staircase, and two carefully cultivated fighters appeared before his eyes.

This time, he used Inner Vision State to peek at them, the red and white colors very bright, like torches burning fiercely.

"They fight one match for seventy thousand."

Cheng Ze said softly, then facing the two boxers who were willingly fighters.

"You two were selected by drawing Death Contracts; the old rules: whoever falls in the ring, their parents and family will be cared for by me, and the settlement fee will also be paid by the Yi Quan Society."

"Understood, Brother Ze!"

"Thank you, Brother Ze!"

The boxers, aged around twenty-five or twenty-six, had determined eyes and did not fear the brutal ring fight that would decide life and death ahead.

"Go."

Cheng Ze listlessly waved his hand, not entering the underground floor to watch the fighters slaughter each other.

He sat alone in the empty hall, had Qin Shi bring a bottle of strong liquor, and gulped it down cup after cup.

About forty minutes later, the wealthy patrons who had had their fill of spectacle returned upstairs, and were then sent off by Midnight Palace's manager.

"A Ze, your two little brothers are truly brave, truly desperate! One had his eye gouged out and could still stand; the other was even more extraordinary, biting his opponent's throat open with his teeth!"

A tall, thin man wearing gold-rimmed glasses came before Cheng Ze and said excitedly:

"Those few big bosses in Yincheng watched with great interest and were very satisfied with my hospitality; afterward, discussing how to invest and buy shares to run a fighting club should be a sure thing!"

"I had only heard before that the little brothers from your Yi Quan Society all dare to fight and can fight; today I finally witnessed it."

"With them around, the club's venue can definitely be propped up in the early stages!"

Cheng Ze kept his head down, his expression indiscernible:

"Luo Ge, the Yi Quan Society are all our own brothers; for things like fighting in the Life and Death Arena, let's find some outsiders from now on..."

The tall, thin man with gold-rimmed glasses stiffened in facial color, smiling without it reaching his eyes:

"Hao Ge didn't fail to pay the settlement fee; we're out here in the underworld, what brothers-not-brothers, making money is all that matters.

I'm still planning to get a few surgically modified killer dogs from the Urban Circle later, stage a man-vs-dog deathmatch!

If you ask me, Brother A Ze, you've been running the Yi Quan Society too loosely.

I checked the accounts recently — so many good-for-nothings eating dry rice for free.

The lame-legged, the missing-handed, the sickly... enormous expenses every year.

Brother A Ze, you value loyalty and that's not wrong, but taking Hao Ge's money to feed your own brothers — that's not right."

Qin Shi, seemingly invisible, sensed the tense atmosphere and quietly sized up the seemingly drunk Cheng Ze.

In his perception, Brother Ze's breathing and breath had always been extremely faint, extremely shallow.

That stable wave fluctuation curve suddenly shot upward, opening a massive gap in an instant.

Like a calm sea suddenly churning up wild billows, truly shocking!

After a moment of silence, Cheng Ze lifted his head and looked at the tall, thin man with gold-rimmed glasses:

"Luo Ge, they've all contributed to the Yi Quan Society; show them some consideration, just give me face."

The tall, thin man adjusted his glasses frame:

"Brother A Ze, I'm in a tough spot too; after all, the Yi Quan Society, the Club — at the end of the day they're all Hao Ge's business.

How about this: you find an opportunity to talk to Hao Ge, see if he agrees or not."

Afterward, he left swaggeringly with his bodyguards and driver.

Cheng Ze pressed his lips tight, then suddenly smiled at Qin Shi:

"A Shi, your sister's right — study hard, don't become a hoodlum.

Old Factory Street has too many hoodlums, their lives are cheap, no future."

(Chapter End)