[Could Director Topaz finally be making her move?]
[Probably. After all, Topaz is one of the Ten Stonehearts—no one plays off-ring tricks better than the IPC.]
[Main thing is they have money. In capital's game, capital is king.]
[Hope Director Topaz can lower my blood pressure a bit.]
— —
This is an invitation to a press conference. Topaz came specifically to invite Luka to attend in person, promising that this is the perfect chance for a turnaround.
Before leaving, she also specially gifted Luka a brand-new mechanical arm.
The next day.
Accompanied by powerful background music, Owlbert makes a dazzling entrance.
First off, Owlbert's attitude has done a complete 180 from yesterday—he's now full of malice toward Luka.
He then announces a bombshell: To align with public sentiment, a revival match between Shuojin and Luka has been specially arranged.
But before the match, there's an announcement to make—the new spokesperson for the latest IPC mechs: Shuojin.
What the—?!
The crowd is instantly stunned.
What's going on?
Where did this go wrong?
Shuojin's entire persona was built around classical Xianzhou martial-hero vibes—fists to flesh, pure kung fu.
But now he's endorsing IPC mechs and planning to fight in one?
The audience erupts into heated discussion.
"This... is this right?"
"Yeah, is this right?"
Suddenly, some unknown IPC subordinate (likely one of the Ten Stonehearts' underlings) steps forward with their brilliant insight. "I get it now. Shuojin's original plan was always to land an IPC endorsement. How much can you really earn from fighting? But partnering with the company? Just the endorsement deal alone sets you up for life."
"So that's it! Holy crap!"
"The whole drama was just to snag an IPC endorsement?"
"Why pick Shuojin for the endorsement? Weren't they talking to Luka before?"
"Idiot. Shuojin's internet popularity is through the roof right now. Of course they'd pick someone with good rep. You think everyone's like those Beijing dogs who can't even choose decent spokespeople?"
The crowd turns on Shuojin with verbal floggings.
[Feels good—but only a little.]
[Director Topaz, well done!]
Still, Shuojin tries a few lame excuses—utterly ridiculous.
But in his heart he's just thinking: Screw it. The contract is black-and-white—as long as I finish this press conference, I'll have wealth raining from the sky!
Martial Exhibition Ceremony? Matches? Championship? Never heard of 'em!
Only credits are truly dear.
Seeing the wind shifting, Owlbert announces the match officially beginning.
Shuojin struts straight into the mech, completely abandoning the persona he'd painstakingly built.
Luka glances over. "Ready to fight?"
Stelle clenches both fists in a cheering gesture. "Beat the crap out of him for me."
Luka bumps his fists together. "Don't mind if I do!"
He steps onto the stage once more.
But the crowd's tone has changed—no more vicious insults, or rather, the viciousness has simply shifted to Shuojin.
Different voices emerge.
"Go Luka! Smash that IPC mech dog for me!"
"You toyed with my feelings—eliminate him!"
"Get him, Luka!"
Luka looks up at the stands and feels strangely alienated for the first time.
He can't figure out the logic: one moment cursing him out, the next cheering him on?
Still, he doesn't dwell on it. He charges Shuojin with swinging iron fists.
Though Shuojin is suited up in a full mech, he has virtually no counter against Luka's assault.
His defense crumbles almost immediately.
In just a few exchanges, Luka rips Shuojin straight out of the mech.
Then Luka smiles faintly. "Hello, Shuojin…"
Cold sweat pours down Shuojin's face. "Can you... go easy?"
"Sure thing!"
The next instant, Luka grabs Shuojin one-handed and hurls him skyward, then unleashes a devastating right hook.
BOOM—
A sonic boom erupts.
No question—Shuojin loses again.
After rolling across the ground a dozen times, Shuojin forces himself up with sheer willpower. "Impossible! My mech is this thick—how could I lose? How could he beat me so easily? Luka must be cheating—it's all match-fixing, all of it!"
The audience isn't stupid—they won't fall for it twice.
Their words are pure condemnation of Shuojin, plus greetings to his family.
Luka sweeps away the earlier gloom. "Looks like the tables have turned on public opinion this time."
At some point, Owlbert has stepped up beside Luka.
He raises Luka's right arm high. "Let me congratulate Player Luka on his victory!"
But then he pivots. "Do you know why Player Luka has kept winning? It's because he's using the very latest IPC-developed mechanical arm—the 17 Pro Plus!"
Owlbert launches into an enthusiastic sales pitch for the mechanical arm.
Meanwhile Shuojin is fuming. "Isn't this my press conference? How did it turn into his?"
"Or what?" Topaz strolls casually up to the group. "The contract clearly states that only after completing the press conference would you have fulfilled your obligations. Due to your poor performance and loss to Player Luka, public trust in IPC mechs has plummeted. I had no choice but to pivot to making this Luka's press conference, right?"
"You—! This can't be how—"
Topaz scoffs. "Security, remove him."
Several IPC employees instantly appear, grab Shuojin by both arms, and haul him away.
[Holy crap!]
[Sorry Director Topaz—I underestimated you.]
[This really is killing multiple birds with one stone: calmed the public opinion storm for Luka, dealt with Shuojin, promoted their mechanical arm—and didn't even have to pay him. Hahaha.]
[Damn, as expected of the IPC!]
[Feels good—this time it really feels good.]
[So he actually became the spokesperson after all. Respect, Topaz!]
[I have to admit—I really did underestimate Topaz.]
[The Ten Stonehearts are joking around with you?]
[Topaz never loses.]
[Feels like Topaz has everything under total control!]
[Come on everyone—one line each: Topaz is awesome!]
[Topaz is awesome!]
[Topaz is awesome!]
[Topaz is awesome!]
[…]
Thanks to Topaz's decisive intervention—not that it took much effort; dealing with Shuojin was probably easier than dealing with her own employees—the public opinion storm finally subsides.
In the following days, after winning several more qualifier matches and earning enough points, Luka's next opponent is Boothill.
— —
Luka stands in front of the promotional poster for his match against Boothill. "Looks like I have enough points now. What do you say, Trailblazer Coach? Ready to take on the next tough opponent?"
Stelle nods. "Yeah. Let's head back to the waiting room and prep for the match!"
"Alright! Time to get fired up! Let's hurry back!"
The two chat and laugh as they return to the waiting room.
At that moment, after some hesitation, Carmella speaks up. "Player Luka... your next opponent, Boothill... you really need to be careful. He's an extremely volatile and dangerous individual!"
Stelle shakes her head. "He just has a personal grudge against the IPC."
"Among those who hold grudges against the company, he's one of the especially dangerous ones."
Luka recalls something. "I heard he's a Galaxy Ranger? What kind of group is that?"
Carmella explains, "The Galaxy Rangers are a loose band of Lan-worshipping vigilantes—every kind of person you can imagine. Some are relatively reasonable; others are blood-soaked wanted criminals like Boothill."
Luka scratches his head. "Lan followers? So they're like the Xianzhou people? No matter how dangerous he is, he wouldn't cause trouble on the turf of his fellow believers, right?"
Stelle raises an eyebrow. "The IPC and Belobog both follow Preservation…"
Luka suddenly understands. "I get what you mean."
"Exactly." Carmella catches on, then corrects herself. "Wait—no! The IPC never did anything bad to Belobog! Anyway, just be careful, Player Luka. An IPC most-wanted criminal isn't someone to take lightly."
Luka bumps his fists together. "Haha, what's there to fear! Back when I followed Master keeping order in the Underworld, I dealt with plenty of vicious criminals! I personally captured the 'Rock Town Black Widower' myself!"
Just then, a staff announcement broadcasts through the waiting room. "Player Luka, please proceed to the arena. The match is about to begin!"
Luka mutters inwardly, "Boothill… IPC most-wanted… Sorry to say this in front of Miss Carmella, but… somehow I feel like an 'IPC most-wanted' might not actually be a bad guy.
After all, the Xianzhou Alliance hasn't put a bounty on him and even let him enter the Martial Exhibition Ceremony.
Of course, if he is a bad guy, I'm not scared either. These iron fists were made precisely to smash bad guys!"
[Sharp eye!]
[Anyone Lan takes notice of… you know what that means.]
Stelle: "Luka, ready to face Boothill?"
Luka nods solemnly. "Time to meet this IPC most-wanted criminal!"
"Be careful, okay!"
— —
In the blink of an eye, Luka and Stelle are standing in the ring.
Owlbert is hosting the event. "The highly anticipated Player Luka is about to face another brutal battle!
In the blue corner—the star of Belobog, the Fist King of the Underworld—'Iron Arm' Luka!
In the red corner—none other than the Interastral Peace Corporation's most-wanted fugitive—the Galaxy Ranger Boothill!
Go get him, Luka! Beat Boothill and hand him over to me—we'll split the bounty 50-50!"
Luka glances at Boothill inside the ring, then at Owlbert. "You little cutie! One day I'll stew you!"
Then he flashes a grin. "Sis! Holy crap—didn't expect to see you here! You competing too?"
Stelle wags her finger. "I'm not competing. Afraid I'd accidentally kill you."
"Hahahaha." Boothill bursts out laughing. "Meow your ****! Sounds like you're scared I'll one-shot you with love!"
Luka looks back and forth between them. "You two know each other pretty well?"
Boothill waves it off. "Not that well—just life-on-the-line kind of bond. But don't expect me to go easy on you, kid."
"I won't go easy on you either."
But Boothill's tone suddenly shifts. "Kid, serious advice—retire. You're no match for me."
"The match hasn't even started—how do you know I can't beat you? My iron fists might not be slower than your bullets." Luka is full of question marks.
"Because we ain't on the same damn path, that's why! You fight for victory. I fight for vengeance. You fight for honor—but honor ain't worth shit to me.
Also, quit yappin' about your precious iron fists. Just seein' that company-sponsored junk makes me sick! I'll mod it for you later! I want every news outlet in the galaxy screamin'—'IPC's most-wanted became the brightest star of the Martial Exhibition Ceremony. He loves it so much he sent the IPC dogs here on business runnin' home with their tails between their legs.'"
"Mr. Boothill, I don't know what grudge you have with the IPC… but I feel like we're not so different. Don't we both just want the whole galaxy watching?"
Boothill quickly shuts down the topic—he's seen too many hot-headed kids like this. "Alright, alright, I ain't arguin' with ya. Since you're so eager for my bullets, I won't refuse, right? Heh. Before comin' here, I went to Jian Yao Pavilion and drew six lucky lots from the Reignbow Arbiter."
He draws his revolver and aims it straight at Luka's chest. "Here's the deal… If all six of my shots jam next, you win. But if they don't… tsk tsk, this ring floor's gonna be a mess to clean up~"
Luka gives a wry smile—he knows taking a couple peanuts would probably kill him. "Uh, Mr. Boothill, we're just sparring. Let's keep it friendly—no need to go all out with our lives on the line…"
Boothill still doesn't lower the gun. "Someone's playin' around with ya—I ain't. I insist on goin' all out. If you ain't got the guts, why'd you even show up?"
"I…" Luka thinks to himself—nobody said the Martial Exhibition Ceremony was a fight to the death.
"Come on. Look down my barrel. Walk over here and punch me. You dare?" Boothill beckons with a finger.
Stelle, unable to stand by, intervenes. "You're scaring him!"
Boothill glances at Stelle. "I'm talkin' to little bro Luka! Let him answer for himself! Luka! Walk over! Punch me! You dare?!"
Luka: "…"
"Speak!!!"
After a moment of silence, Luka suddenly looks up. "Bring it, Boothill. I'll defeat you."
"Hahahahaha! Damn, got some guts! Bullets got no eyes—don't blame me for bein' ruthless!" Boothill's thumb cocks the hammer. One light pull of the trigger and a gleaming bullet will fly.
Luka's breathing quickens involuntarily. In all previous matches—even against Shuojin—there was never real mortal danger. This time, Luka truly feels the pressure of death.
[This part feels kinda fake.]
[Yeah, a bit fake. Belobog's so dangerous—especially the Underworld. I remember Luka even lost an arm saving someone. Why would he fear death?]
[He's human—shouldn't he fear death? And you really think Oleg wouldn't protect his own disciple?]
[Luka mostly boxed. Oleg's Wildfire's second-in-command—probably not that much real danger.]
[Could just be intimidated by Boothill's aura. That's normal too.]
— —
Luka's vision blurs. He blinks, and Boothill has changed—transformed into a massive monster, into Gallagher's pet—Something Unto Death.
"Oh no… my hallucinations seem even worse now."
At that moment, the creature speaks. "Run, Luka. Don't go near him—you'll die."