Chapter 494

Thinking of this, the anger in Honda Takashi’s heart flared up again, and he glared fiercely at the distracted Morimoto Yūki.

He just felt that this guy was a burden who was purely embarrassing their Private Private Private Tianhao.

However...

This trash wasn't entirely useless.

At least, he had provided him with a key piece of information:

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was willing to accept these kinds of betting games.

Then...

The evil smile on Honda Takashi’s face could no longer be hidden and bloomed completely.

A vicious plan quickly took shape in his mind.

He had already quietly inquired with a few people who might know about Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s background.

Sure enough, he had obtained the information he wanted:

Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s family was poor, and he had a young sister he needed to support.

The primary purpose of him participating in this competition was for that generous prize money.

It was so that he and his sister could survive together here in Tokyo.

"Very good..."

Honda Takashi almost laughed out loud, but his eyes were filled with cold cruelty.

As long as he could set up a similar bet with Xia Xia Xia Mujun when the time came...

And then, in front of everyone, win all of this guy’s prize money.

In this Tokyo, where every inch of land is worth gold and the cost of living is high...

What kind of ending would await Xia Xia Xia Mujun and his sister?

Nothing more than an even deeper, bottomless abyss of despair.

Imagining that moment, when Xia Xia Xia Mujun fell from the clouds of hope into hell, what kind of wonderful expression would appear on that face...

Imagining those siblings, after losing their only source of income, how their already dim lives would fall into even deeper darkness...

Honda Takashi felt a morbid sense of excitement rush to his head.

That scene...

"It will definitely be very, very interesting!"

He licked his somewhat dry lips, as if he had already tasted that twisted sweetness.

Referee Kishida Mineisuke said to the two:

"The match is over, please follow me."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun nodded slightly, said nothing more, and followed silently behind Kishida Mineisuke.

Suzuki Takayuki’s face was still somewhat pale, like faded paper.

He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, as if trying to force his full daze and unwillingness into the bottom of his heart.

Afterward, he started walking.

As soon as the three of them walked out, they were intercepted by the host Sawada Rika and the camera crew waiting at the corner of the corridor.

The camera was silently aimed at the two boys who had just escaped from the fierce battle.

Sawada Rika held a black microphone, a professional yet warm smile blooming on her face.

Her gaze first fell on Suzuki Takayuki, who looked dejected and somewhat unfocused.

After lingering for a moment, she turned to Xia Xia Xia Mujun, who was calm to the point of abnormality.

"Thank you for your hard work, both of you."

Her voice was amplified through the microphone, clear and soft, not only spreading to this corner of the arena but also diffusing through the on-site sound system.

At the same time, the huge screen hanging above them also synchronized the real-time footage of the two being interviewed.

"The match just now was very exciting and gripping."

"On behalf of the organizers and all the spectators, I would like to express our sincere gratitude."

"Thank you for contributing such a high-quality duel, full of tactical depth and a battle of wills."

She paused slightly, letting her gaze fall more gently and focusedly on Suzuki Takayuki.

"Player Suzuki, although the result is regrettable, the solid foundation and keen judgment you displayed on the board were witnessed by everyone."

"The road to becoming a professional is never easy; one setback is by no means the end."

"Please be sure to cherish this persistence for victory."

"It will surely become the cornerstone for you to cross higher mountains in the future."

Suzuki Takayuki’s Adam’s apple rolled.

He raised his eyes, meeting Sawada Rika’s gaze, and although his mood was still as heavy as lead, he still tried to pull at the corners of his mouth, revealing a forced but polite arc.

"Thank you."

Next, Sawada Rika smoothly turned her body toward Xia Xia Xia Mujun.

The smile on her face remained unchanged, but there was clearly more amazement and sincere congratulations in her eyes.

"And Player Xia, congratulations on your victory!"

"From the steady response in the opening, to the keenness in capturing opportunities in the middle game, all the way to the calm implementation in the endgame..."

She said, nodding gently as she spoke, as if savoring the brilliance of the game.

"The strength and mindset you displayed today are impressive."

"As the biggest surprise of this tournament, your progress has undoubtedly become the focus of everyone’s attention."

"I hope you can perform even better in the subsequent matches and reach a higher level."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s expression barely changed.

He just calmly met the gaze of the camera and the host, nodding slightly.

"Thank you."

His response was brief and indifferent.

Sawada Rika skillfully turned the microphone back to Suzuki Takayuki.

She maintained a professional smile and asked a question that was both routine and difficult to avoid.

"Player Suzuki, what do you think is the biggest reason for your loss in this match?"

Suzuki Takayuki’s face instantly became even more complex.

He pursed his lips, his gaze lowered.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke slowly, his voice carrying the calmness of a post-game review, but also unable to hide a hint of regret.

"I think... it should be that I didn't notice the trap Xia had set in advance and stepped into it."

He raised his eyes, his gaze somewhat unfocused, as if he had traveled through time, returning to a key node in the match.

"If it weren't for... thinking about being considerate of his situation with my good friend Akatsuki, wanting to strike first, and trying to use that 'drop' before he could 'drop'..."

He shook his head.

"I don't think the advantage I accumulated at the beginning would have been caught up so easily."

His tone was full of the bitterness of "if."

"In the end... I was just too greedy."

He concluded, with deep self-reflection.

"If I had played steadily, I wouldn't have ended up in this situation."

"The final result of the match might have also been different."

Sawada Rika blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering under the lights.

She showed an understanding expression and nodded with a smile.

"I see."

Her tone was soft, indicating she had received the other party’s explanation.

Then, she turned her wrist and steadily handed the microphone to Xia Xia Xia Mujun.

Her gaze was inquisitive as she asked:

"Regarding what Player Suzuki said, do you agree, Player Xia?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun nodded without almost any hesitation.