Chapter 683

A crisp sound rang out.

A small pile of glittering gold coins appeared in Zhao Chi's system space.

Adding the 22 gold coins left over from before, Zhao Chi's cash now broke through a thousand, reaching 1,782 gold coins directly!

From an ordinary person's perspective, this already counted as getting rich.

Striking it rich, big time.

For a normal life, two lifetimes wouldn't be enough to spend it all.

But if these 1,782 gold coins were in a peaceful world, Zhao Chi would definitely choose to lie flat.

He didn't have any grand ambitions.

Earning enough money to spend was his greatest wish.

Unfortunately, this world was not a peaceful one.

Gold coins in hand were only a burden.

Only by exchanging gold coins for strength could one ensure the ability to keep on living — that was the proper path.

Ordinary people could survive too, but their death rate from various accidents was not low.

Moreover, they were bullied and oppressed everywhere, living in constant fear.

Even playboys like Cao Feng and Xiao Rui could be like a great mountain, firmly pressing down on the fate of commoners.

Zhao Chi would not choose such a life.

He'd go to the exchange in the county tomorrow to look around, and spend all these gold coins.

Exchange them all for props or supplies, to boost his strength.

If he saw a cheap racial bloodline, he could buy that too.

But 1,782 gold coins would probably only buy one racial bloodline, and a fairly ordinary one at that.

Tomorrow's problem.

Zhao Chi had no time to think it through.

Because the system sent a notification:

【Please teleport to the First Battlefield immediately, the award ceremony is about to begin】

The moment had finally arrived.

Zhao Chi pulled off the cloth covering his head and teleported into the battlefield.

Five people had already arrived inside.

Lang Hu and Jiang Die were both there, along with some other top-ten contestants, but Yuan Zhao was nowhere to be seen.

The current battlefield had shrunk considerably.

The surrounding terrain had disappeared, and the ground had become hard earth.

After all, it was a virtual space, so transformations were very free.

Because of this, all the spectators sat more compactly, and could directly see the situation inside the arena.

Of course, Zhao Chi and the others could also see the audience.

The audience was silent.

Seemingly waiting for Yuan Zhao to appear.

But even if Yuan Zhao appeared, their losses could not be recovered.

Moreover, this actually had little to do with Yuan Zhao.

Even if he forfeited, it was his own choice.

And Yuan Zhao hadn't led the audience to bet on him.

Lang Hu walked over.

"Zhao Chi, congratulations — you're really the champion!"

Zhao Chi nodded: "I didn't expect this to be the final result either."

"Pfft~ If Yuan Zhao hadn't forfeited, you'd be at most the runner-up!" Jiang Die said, arms crossed, looking at Zhao Chi with a sidelong glance.

Zhao Chi said: "You defeated loser, stop farting around. Even as runner-up I'd still be far stronger than you — absolute trash."

"What did you say?" Jiang Die said furiously.

Although Jiang Die had lost the battle, she was very unreconciled.

She always felt it was because she hadn't performed well that Zhao Chi had seized the opportunity.

If they fought again, she still had considerable confidence in beating Zhao Chi.

And even though the match was lost, the Jiang family's foundation was something the Zhao family currently couldn't compare to.

Zhao Chi said: "What did I say? Can't you hear clearly? Did I beat your brains out?"

"You bastard, do you dare to duel? Sign a vassal agreement!" Jiang Die rushed over, roaring at Zhao Chi.

"Heh, a duel?" Zhao Chi smiled lightly: "A duel is fine, but if you're signing a duel agreement with me, it has to be a single-life-or-death duel agreement. I won't sign some low-class vassal agreement."

Lang Hu advised: "Zhao Chi, a life-or-death agreement is no joke. For an ordinary duel, just signing a vassal agreement is enough."

Before a personal duel, both sides had to sign an agreement.

The main purpose was to prove that both parties were willing, and that it wasn't one side invading the other.

This was a kind of liability waiver, not subject to legal punishment.

There were many types of agreements.

Among them, compensation agreements and vassal agreements were very common.

A compensation agreement was the kind signed with Cao Feng earlier — if one side won, they would compensate with the agreed-upon supplies or props.

A vassal agreement was heavier.

If one side wins, the losing side becomes the other's vassal.

Usually for a period of one year.

There are also longer terms, even permanent ones.

Vassal agreements have different terms; some are almost like slavery, some only require regular tribute of money, personnel, or supplies.

It mainly depends on the terms.

And the life-and-death agreement is one of the heaviest agreements.

Compensation agreements and vassal agreements, although they may also involve combat.

But one cannot kill the other side.

If one kills the other side, it counts as a crime of murder and will be subject to trial and punishment.

But the life-and-death agreement has no restrictions whatsoever.

One may kill the other side at will.

Everything in the other side's territory may be plundered.

Even the other side's lord may be spared and enslaved instead.

It can be said that once a life-and-death agreement is signed, one is completely outside the protection of the law.

Although this law is merely a token gesture to the nobility, it still holds considerable binding force among people of the same rank.

So Lang Hu coming to advise Zhao Chi was indeed out of good intentions.

Zhao Chi also knew this.

But he had to sign the life-and-death agreement.

None of the other agreements would do.