I instantly understood what he meant. This old fox wasn't just anyone; he had to squeeze out every bit of value from me before he'd save me.
"No, no, no, not fighting for me. It's a fight for your own life and death."
Ace casually adjusted his glasses. "So, do you dare to take on the challenge?"
"I do, but I have a condition too."
What choice did I have? Could I say no?
I had to feign calmness and agree, figuring I'd make plans later.
"Oh?"
Ace looked genuinely surprised that I dared to set a condition. He was curious, wondering what kind of ridiculous demand I might make.
"You don't want to lose, right?"
Pointing to my injuries, I smiled bitterly. "My condition is that before the fight, I want to eat well, sleep well, and receive timely medical support."
Ace stared at me for three seconds, then suddenly removed his glasses and burst into laughter. "Ha ha ha, someone, take him to the hospital for treatment."
With that, he turned and left.
I knew he was going to talk to Liu Shiyi.
Even if Liu Shiyi was reluctant, she would have to agree with a forced smile.
"Ahhh."
As soon as Ace left, the weight lifted off my chest, and my legs gave way, making me collapse to the ground, nearly dead from exhaustion.
Ace's two bodyguards lifted my battered body and carried me to the parking lot.
As we passed the girls' cages, I could see the longing and sorrow in their eyes...
There were doctors in the camp, but the conditions were poor.
Since I was Ace's designated money-maker, they took me to a major hospital in the city for treatment.
Even though Myawaddy's hospital wasn't as good as small hospitals back home, they treated my injuries earnestly.
After a series of checks, I was moved to a private room for infusion therapy.
They even brought in a hearty lunch.
Beef, milk, eggs, vegetables, and clear soup—everything was there.
And it wasn't any worse than the food back home.
Ha, once a person has immense value, unexpected benefits come their way.
However, I hadn't even been resting for half a day when Ace walked in with a MacBook.
"The doctor says you have no fatal injuries, no broken limbs, just severe external injuries, and a cold with a cough. Don't worry; you can be treated here. I'll make sure they use the best medicine so you recover quickly. You should be discharged in about half a month."
Ace placed the laptop in my hands and spoke calmly.
"Thank you, Professor. Without you..."
"Stop. I'm not a philanthropist. No need to thank me. From today on, our relationship is purely business. As for the agreement, a verbal one will do. I trust you won't go back on your word?"
Ace cut me off, sitting down on the worn sofa beside me.
Holding the laptop, I leaned back against the bed and said earnestly, "I'll remember your kindness, Professor. I will do my best. What do you want me to do next?"
"While you're in the hospital, you need to complete a five-million-dollar task.
When you're discharged, you'll go straight to the camp's training arena. I've already talked to Liu Shiyi. I'll borrow you for over a month, and after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I'll decide on your position."
I understood his meaning. If I won after the Mid-Autumn Festival, I'd continue to be valuable. If I lost, there'd only be one outcome.
No remains.
"While you're in the hospital, I'll ensure you have good food, and no one will disturb you. Just focus on making money for me."
Ace stood up, patted my bandaged shoulder, and walked out of the room with a smile.
He left two of his bodyguards with AK-47s to watch me 24/7.
I opened the MacBook and found a list of targets for a scam he left for me.
It seemed he had planned this all along. No wonder he could move freely in a warlord's house.
I casually picked an American and European list, added them, and started chatting with them...
I knew if I couldn't scam five million within a week, Ace wouldn't let me off.
And the Mid-Autumn Festival duel would go to someone else.
So, my top priority was to complete the five-million-dollar task.
To do this, I pretended to be a Korean or Japanese beauty and a Dubai tycoon, using different identities to flirt with wealthy women and men on the list...
Some might say, with Ace gone, I could use the computer to call the police or do something else.
That's a huge mistake. Anything you can think of, he already thought of. If any sensitive words appeared in the chat, his phone would alert him, and the bodyguards would send me to see Buddha.
Some might say, aren't you good at fighting? Just kill your way out!
That's just naive keyboard warrior talk. Come over and try killing one. Before you even get out of the hospital, you'd be swarmed and shot dead.
The only option was to heal and stay alive.
So, my daily work was to cultivate these overseas targets, waiting to pull in some big orders.
Ace kept his word. The food provided daily was very Chinese, arranged according to an athlete's diet.
I suspected the chef was Chinese, but I had no proof.
The nurses were flirty, often ogling my muscles and groping my abs when changing bandages.
At first, the bodyguards watched, but later, they probably got seduced. When the nurse came in, they stood guard outside.
Annoyed by her harassment, I complained to Ace, and she never appeared again...
In a blink, six days passed.
One hour left to reel them in, my palms were sweaty, my body trembling.
My hands shook uncontrollably as I typed.
Luckily, I was typing in English letters, not Chinese characters, or I'd be making mistakes.
Ace, legs crossed, sat on the worn sofa, smoking a cigar, waiting for good news.
This was my first solo overseas scam, my first big independent order.
So, I was particularly excited.
Seconds ticked by, and still no news.
Ace seemed uneasy, switching to cigarettes, chain-smoking one after another.
Smoke filled the room, obscuring his face, but I felt his sinister eyes watching my hands on the keyboard.
I held my breath. Every keystroke made my heart tremble.
Whether I could survive until the Mid-Autumn Festival depended on this order.
As night fell, Ace, who had been smoking for three hours, finally lost patience.
Irritated, he stood and walked towards my bed, face dark...
"Ding."
A clear sound suddenly rang out.
"Professor, it's here! The money's in!"
I grabbed the laptop and held it up to him, shouting excitedly.