From its name, the Central Gladiator Arena should be the centermost gladiator arena, but in reality, it was merely one of three large gladiator arenas in the Capital of Blood.
Due to poor management, the Central Gladiator Arena had already entered a state of decline. It was in constant danger of being surpassed by the two new arenas and might be tossed out of the ranks of the "Big Three" at any time.
However, it was precisely because of this that the Central Gladiator Arena began to prepare programs with lower and lower bottom lines in order to attract more customers, and the level of bloodshed here far exceeded that of its peers.
Over time, the Central Gladiator Arena really did create a new path.
Nowadays, not only were the onstage arena matches filled with all kinds of bloodshed and violence, but even the spectators came to blows.
But the arena's officials deliberately ignored such fights and tacitly allowed this behavior. They even secretly influenced public opinion, describing their own gladiator arena as the "men's battlefield."
The three of them had just arrived at the arena entrance when a burly man crashed down onto the ground in front of them, blood gushing out from a big gash in his abdomen.
"Is it interesting?" Gu Nan's expression didn't even change. Instead, he turned and asked Zhong Die.
Zhong Die shook her head with a disgusted look. "I only like pretty big sisters, preferably virgins."
"Oh, then this hobby of yours is indeed a bit like the vampire race." Gu Nan nodded. Disdaining men and only preferring the blood of young virgins was one of the characteristics of vampires.
Gu Nan unhurriedly stepped over the burly man while several people rushed out from the arena's entrance and pointed behind Gu Nan, shouting, "There! Cut him down!"
These men each carried an ax in their hands and had ferocious expressions on their faces. The ax blades still had obvious bloodstains on them.
Zhong Die and Du Ke, who'd fallen a step behind, were right next to the burly man at this time. Du Ke was so scared that his face paled, while little Zhong Die was watching with interest.
"Let's go," Gu Nan's calm voice rang out as he waved to the two, signaling for them to continue on their way.
"But…" Du Ke looked at the fierce ax wielders coming towards them, afraid that if he continued to move forward, they'd cut down him and Zhong Die as well.
However, what surprised him was that the group passed by him without even raising their heads and started hacking at the burly man on the ground.
When the burly man was mutilated to a bloody pulp and practically cut into mincemeat, these people finally jerked up and bowed in unison at Gu Nan and his companions. "Welcome to the Central Gladiator Arena!"
Du Ke was stunned, but Gu Nan went back and patted little Zhong Die's head. "This is a show unique to the Central Gladiator Arena. It's performed dozens of times every day."
"Ah, so it's a show," Du Ke let out a relieved sigh and said with a smile.
Although he came to the Undead Kingdom over ten years ago, this was actually his first time visiting the Capital of Blood. He usually worked in Skeleton City.
"But it's so realistic." Little Zhong Die studied the bloody mincemeat on the ground and even poked it twice with a tree branch.
"Of course it's realistic." Gu Nan burst into loud laughter. "Because this person was actually hacked to death!"
...
The realistic performance at the entrance to the Central Gladiator Arena probably scared poor Du Ke, who had a pale expression as he followed Zhong Die listlessly.
Little Zhong Die, however, seemed completely oblivious to this. She couldn't care less about violence and bloodshed and held no empathy for the loss of life.
"What are you doing here in the Capital of Blood?"
"To join the Ceremony of Blood, of course."
"Oh, do you want to be bitten and turned into a vampire?"
"Yes!" Zhong Die grinned so wide that her eyes curved into crescents. "That way, I'll have the perfect excuse to drink blood… I heard that sucking blood feels very comfortable to them, is it true?"
"It's true." Gu Nan nodded very earnestly.
Little Zhong Die smiled even more joyfully and didn't even ask Gu Nan how he knew. She just looked at the gladiator arena below with a smile.
A werewolf and a human were currently fighting to the death in the arena. Half of the werewolf's head was already split open, but he was still fighting to the end.
The human opponent, on the other hand, kept toying with him. Slash after slash, he left gashes all over the werewolf's body.
While attacking his opponent, the human was even waving his other hand at the spectators—he was mainly putting on a gory show for the audience patrons.
"They're too ugly." However the blood-splattered scene didn't seem to pique Zhong Die's interest too much.
"There are vampire gladiators here too, as long as you can afford to pay," Gu Nan said with a smile.
Zhong Die's eyes suddenly lit up, and her head swung around with a swish to look at Du Ke pleadingly, while a troubled smile began to appear on the latter's face.
...
Outside the city gates of the Capital of Blood, a black-robed man slowly appeared and walked to a shady corner.
"The target is in the Central Gladiator Arena," the black-robed man's voice seemed to echo far away when it reached the corner.
A long time later, a response traveled out from the shadowy corner, "There's a Legend Rank powerhouse in the Central Gladiator Arena. There's a change in plans. We will switch to assassination."
"Yes." The black-robed man was silent for a while, then asked, "My Lord, dare I ask which faction the Legend Rank powerhouse is from?"
"An outsider."
...
Inside the Central Gladiator Arena, two graceful vampires, one male and one female, were standing on the arena. They gazed at each other with clear worry in their eyes.
"Hurry up and fight! Hurry up and fight!"
"You damned vampires, hurry up and fight!"
"Blood-sucking monsters, you guys really are slow!"
The two stood across from each other in the arena, yet neither attacked. This already caused the audience below the stage to shout with great dissatisfaction.
"That's right! Fight now!" Little Zhong Die was also screaming with a frenzied look on her face, just like the most obsessive fan.
Only, no celebrity would be happy with a fan like her—this was a fan who wanted the celebrity's life.
But the excited Zhong Die didn't realize that a man and a woman were quickly walking over.
"Zhong Die, is this what you meant by liking vampires?" Lu Xinhuan's cold voice traveled over, while the person herself was already standing in front of Zhong Die.
Du Ke hurriedly stood up, looking like a great weight was lifted off his mind. "Miss Lu, you're finally here."
He wasn't faking his emotions. During this tortuous time, he was almost driven crazy by Gu Nan and Zhong Die.
It was precisely because of this that he secretly contacted Lu Xinhuan, hoping she would come over and handle things here.
Zhong Die's voice came to an abrupt halt, as if a good girl had come out to visit a bar one day and was caught red-handed when she suddenly ran into her family.
She somewhat sheepishly put her hands behind her back and mumbled, "I just like to watch vampires fight is all… Big Brother Gu Nan, save me!"
As soon as she said that, she quickly ran behind Gu Nan and only peeked her head out, making a face at Lu Xinhuan.
Lu Xinhuan was absolutely furious. After connecting the dots with Zhong Die's actions over the past few days, how could she still not realize she'd been tricked all along!
'Romance novels, wanting to see handsome vampire boys and beautiful vampire girls… Yeah right!'
"Lord Gu Nan, please hand Miss Zhong over to us." Lu Xinhuan took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.
Zhong Die looked up nervously, glancing at Gu Nan's profile. This was already the best chance she could think of to break away from Lu Xinhuan's control.
Gu Nan smiled as he patted little Zhong Die's head. "Nope."
He didn't give any reason, nor did he offer any exchange or compensation. A no was a no.
The corners of Lu Xinhuan's mouth twitched slightly. She, who was fully aware of Gu Nan's power, didn't know what to say for a while.
On the contrary, the middle-aged man who came along with her but never spoke until now revealed a smile.
"Miss Lu, do you require this humble one's help?" The middle-aged man smiled and said, "I can have these two companions of yours temporarily leave the Central Gladiator Arena."
"On what grounds? Who are you!" Zhong Die instantly exploded. She was still waiting to watch the fight between the vampires below!
The middle-aged man looked at Zhong Die as his smile grew wider. "One of the three owners of this gladiator arena. My name is No—"
His expression suddenly froze as a hand of shadow gripped his neck and slammed him hard onto the arena.
"You'll be dead soon, Classmate Noken." Gu Nan said with a smile, "As a sacrifice to start off the quest."