Ace the Old Fox said that eight people challenged me, but I could guess that the number is several times larger.
It's definitely not less than 30 people.
Boss Ning said that Ace the Old Fox increased the entry fee tenfold to make more money. So, if anyone from Pathun or Black Ghost's friends wants to challenge me, they have to pay $100,000 just to qualify.
This fee is just to enter the competition, not to fight me directly.
After they sign up, there will be a preliminary round where the losers are immediately eliminated.
The entry fee is non-refundable.
People also place bets and watch the preliminary rounds.
Do you think this is like Chinese martial arts shows or scripted boxing matches?
Naive!
Here, it's a life-and-death battle where you sign a death waiver and fight to the death! The survivor gets to fight me in the final match on Mid-Autumn Festival!
The losers get thrown into the river to feed the crocodiles.
I couldn't help but take a deep breath. This old fox is exploiting me for all I'm worth, hyping me up like I'm a rare, hundred-year-old Pu-erh tea.
If the truth comes out, I'll have to pay for his gambling debts with my life, and it might even involve Yanzi and Chen Weiqiang.
I think I understand now why Boss Ning suddenly took Yanzi away.
Liu Shiyi trained Yanzi, maybe planning to give her to some important person, but Boss Ning intercepted.
Ha, surprises happen every day; it's just the main characters that change.
Ace the Old Fox's brainwashing was like passing gas to me. After half an hour, I left his luxurious office.
Before I left, he gave me $20,000 in cash as a reward, subtly suggesting I get information about Boss Ning from Yanzi.
I pretended to agree, gratefully took the money, and quickly went downstairs.
Seeing the bustling, lavish casino, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness.
At the casino's first-floor staircase, I leaned against the wall, quietly smoking, trying to calm my turbulent emotions.
"What's wrong? You look awful." Wrench had been waiting at the entrance, and when he saw me, he immediately walked over with concern.
I exhaled a smoke ring and suddenly said, "What if I suddenly die? What will you guys do?"
"…What nonsense are you talking about? We're going back to the park."
Wrench was stunned, took the cigarette from my hand, and dragged me outside.
Liu Shiyi had won a lot and was sitting in the lounge drinking coffee.
Mao Dinglun was holding two cash boxes and calmly watching my dejected state.
Wrench walked over and said, "Supervisor, he's here."
Liu Shiyi put down his coffee cup, stood up, and said, "Good, let's go back to the park."
I tried to control my near-breakdown emotions, patted the leather bag in my hand, and smiled, "Supervisor, Professor rewarded me with $20,000."
"He didn't make things difficult for you, right?" Liu Shiyi naturally hooked his arm around mine and walked toward the parking spot.
I was getting used to his touch.
"No, just talked about the matches."
"Don't worry too much, underground boxing matches change every day. Brother Ning won't let you get trapped, understand?"
Liu Shiyi meant I could pretend to be sick or get pulled out by Boss Ning during those days to play missing.
This way, they could shift the blame to Professor Ace and let him clean up the mess.
As for the details, Liu Shiyi didn't disclose, saying I just needed to wait for orders from Boss Ning...
We didn't talk much.
After safely returning to the park, Liu Shiyi and Mao Dinglun went to his villa.
Wrench and I, carrying a bunch of stuff, stood there dazed.
With all the shopping bags and shoe boxes, we had to grab a few piglets on the way to help carry everything to the dorm.
Of course, to show gratitude, I gave them some food.
Seeing their grateful expressions made me feel uneasy...
After putting our things in the dorm, Baiyi and the others got off work, and as soon as they entered, they smelled the food from Yanmo's place, making the foodie drool.
Chen Weiqiang, who ate at the high-end cafeteria daily, didn't show much interest.
Only Li Jianguo, who had been in the basement for days, ate heartily.
The food I brought was mostly eaten by him, with Screwdriver symbolically eating some and then giving it all to him.
After dinner, the six of us sat around the old wooden table, whispering.
I first talked about Boss Ning's double-dealing, then briefly mentioned Yanmo's situation, and finally took out the confiscated gun.
...making Screwdriver excited again.
"It's yours."
Screwdriver couldn't believe it, "Really, really?"
I nodded, "A promise is a promise. I have one; this one's for you for self-defense. But hide it well; don't let it be discovered."
Screwdriver was overjoyed, wanting to kiss me but I pushed him away in disgust, so he kissed the gun several times instead.
Chen Weiqiang asked skeptically, "Can you trust this Old Mo?"
"Whether trustworthy or not, we'll know in a week. I've spread the news, so if Boss Ning investigates, Professor Ace will take the fall.
Besides, with so many competitors, someone might already know. They won't suspect me."
I smiled, fully trusting Yanmo. Whether we can escape depends on Yan Yun's power.
Wrench said, "Actually, KK Park has always been unstable, frequently clashing with a mysterious local force. If this rebellion succeeds, we'll have a chance to escape."
Piglets dreaming of freedom seem to have only rebellion or natural disasters as options.
Though slim, there is always a chance.
"Fighting in the tournament is a dead end, risking my life for Ace's profit. So before Mid-Autumn Festival, I'll try my best to escape. Are you willing to come with me?
If not, there's no need to join our meetings anymore. Those willing to escape, no matter the outcome, don't regret it.
If we get caught, whoever has the strength should kill the others and then themselves!" I said seriously.
These two guns might also be the death knell of our fate.
No more delays, we must negotiate with Yang Lianting, never pinning our hopes on Boss Ning.
He's a wanted criminal, a big scammer, how could he protect me?
If he doesn't sell me out, it would be a blessing.
"I'm willing!"
"I'm willing too!"
Wrench, Baiyi, and Screwdriver all said in unison.
Chen Weiqiang was a given; he unconditionally supported any decision I made.
Li Jianguo stared at us and said, "If we escape, can you avenge my wife?"
I shook my head, "You'll have to ask Liu Shiyi about your wife's whereabouts; I don't know where she was taken."
"Then I won't go! As a man, if I can't avenge my wife and children, what's the point of living?"