"Five hundred yuan. This one is made from top-grade cold jade, and the craftsmanship is extremely exquisite."
Shi Aotian's heart stirred. So expensive—much pricier than the one I used to have. Ten years have passed, and prices have completely changed.
"Sorry, I'll come back to buy it next time."
With not a penny to his name, Shi Aotian set the jade pendant down and walked away.
He kept wandering aimlessly. Passing through the crowd, he came to an underpass beneath a pedestrian bridge. Seeing beggars lying all over the ground, he sighed to himself:
What's the difference between me and these beggars? If it weren't for Bai Xue and Dongfang Qing's help, I'd probably be one of them. Let alone talk about revenge…
Feeling the harsh reality of society weighing on him, he sat down against a wall.
"Hey buddy, want to make some money?"
A voice came from nearby. Shi Aotian looked up to see two young men in flashy clothes and sunglasses standing in front of him.
The two crouched down, and one of them patted Shi Aotian's shoulder.
"Why so quiet? If you want to make money, brother, I can point you to a good path."
Shi Aotian did want to make money, but it depended on how, so he replied coldly, "How?"
The man grinned. "Fighting pays really well. As long as you can win, there's money."
Shi Aotian's heart jolted. "Fighting?"
"Yeah, there are lots of underground boxing matches. As long as you win, you can make money." After saying this, the two men stood up.
A spark of hope lit in Shi Aotian's heart. He sprang to his feet. He might not be able to do other things, but when it came to killing or combat skills—that was easy.
"Alright," Shi Aotian replied coldly.
"Good. Come with us now, we'll show you the place," one of the men said.
With that, Shi Aotian followed them.
These two were subordinates of Yue San. In order to bring fresh blood into the fights, they often had to recruit large numbers of new participants. Because the matches were excessively brutal, it was easy for the police to notice if they targeted ordinary people. So Yue San had his men wander the city, looking for young beggars or strong men who seemed eager to make money. Once lured in, the recruits would be put under tight control, never allowed to leave—until the day they died in the ring. By following them now, Shi Aotian was slowly walking right into Yue San's trap.
The two men brought Shi Aotian to a grand hotel. As he looked around, he thought in confusion,
Can there really be a boxing ring here?
The three of them kept walking. Instead of taking the elevator, they went down the stairs to the second basement level. One of the men slipped into a narrow passageway and whispered something to someone inside. Then he beckoned to Shi Aotian to come over.
At the end of the passage was a small door—so small that only one person could pass through at a time.
"Follow me. I'll take you in for a look right now," one of them said as he opened the little door. Instantly, the sound of shouting rushed toward them from afar, growing louder and louder.
Shi Aotian was secretly startled. The soundproofing here is really good—once that door is closed, an ordinary person wouldn't hear a thing.
The man, long accustomed to such looks of surprise, explained mechanically, "Don't be amazed. The walls in here are made of special soundproof materials. No sound leaks outside—otherwise, the police would've shown up long ago."
With that, he led Shi Aotian inside, while the other two stayed behind to guard the door.
The moment he stepped in, Shi Aotian was met with a scene of surging crowds, flashing lights, and deafening shouts. The entire arena was sunken in a trapezoid shape, with stairways packed full of people. At the very bottom was a rectangular ring where two men were currently fighting. The edges of the ring were crowded with spectators, waving cash in their hands, shouting and cheering at the top of their lungs. The noise was thunderous. Around the venue, many staff members were keeping order to ensure the matches ran smoothly.
"What do you think?" the man who brought Shi Aotian in asked proudly.
Shi Aotian studied the match intently, not answering. The man assumed he was too shocked to speak and chuckled before adding, "Don't be scared. That's how the matches are—danger and wealth go hand in hand. Sacrifices are inevitable. See that bunch of lunatics? People nowadays love violence and bloodshed—it gives them a thrill. That's what makes them willing to spend money for entertainment."
Shi Aotian replied coldly, "I want to get in the ring now. How much can you give me?"
The man was stunned. The fighters in the ring had all undergone short-term training—that was the only way to make the matches thrilling for the audience. Going in without training was practically suicide. Thinking of this, he said, "No need to rush. We'll give you some quick training first. Heh… no need to be impatient. You see those fighters? They're brutal, and they've survived many victories to make it this far. If you go in now, I can't guarantee you'll make it out alive."
"Just tell me how much you can give me, and spare me the chatter," Shi Aotian said coldly.
A chill ran through the man's heart. "If you really want to go, fine—but I'll have to discuss it with the boss first. If you win, we'll see how much the boss is willing to give you. But if you lose, the outcome is death—that's the rule of the ring. Think about it. Wait here, I'll be right back." With that, he turned and left.
Shi Aotian didn't pay him any attention. He knew that even if there were a hundred fighters like the ones in the ring, they wouldn't be his match. There was nothing to worry about. The only thing that mattered now was making money.
"Boss, just now Golden Hair and Monkey brought in some fresh meat. I'm down here watching the match with him. He says he wants to get in the ring right now and asked how much we can pay him," the man reported after entering an office, speaking to Yue San, who was seated on a sofa.
"Oh? Heh heh… so we've got someone like that? Since he's looking for death, we'll oblige him. Tell him—if he wins, he gets fifty yuan. Send Big Bear into the ring, let him give the audience a real show, and tear that kid apart right there. Heh heh." Yue San smiled coldly.
"Yes, sir." The man withdrew.
Shi Aotian was still staring intently at the fight in the ring.
"Hey, the boss says if you win, you get fifty yuan. You going in or not?" the man asked, walking over.
"Fifty yuan?" Shi Aotian muttered, then said firmly, "Alright." He pushed his way through the crowd and headed down.
The man followed him to the front of the ring, whispered a few words to the person in charge, then stepped back to Shi Aotian's side. "Wait here, it'll start soon. Please take off your shirt—that's the rule."
Shi Aotian glanced at him, then casually pulled off his shirt, revealing a solid, muscular build. Tossing the shirt to the man, he said, "Don't lose it. I'll need it later."
The man looked at the shirt in his hands and sneered inwardly: Whether you'll even get the chance to put it back on is the real question.
The official immediately struck the match bell, and the two fighters in the ring mechanically separated. The crowd let out a wave of disappointed groans. The official took the microphone, stepped onto the ring, and shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet! Due to certain circumstances, this match will be stopped. But next, we'll bring you an even more intense and bloody fight! All bets for the previous match can be refunded, and you can now place your wagers again!"
The disappointed murmurs instantly turned into a roar of excitement.
"Ready?" the man beside Shi Aotian asked.
"Ready," Shi Aotian replied, and with that, he leapt onto the ring on his own.
"Now, let's welcome Big Bear to the ring!" the official shouted.
At the sound of "Big Bear," the crowd's enthusiasm exploded, with people screaming and cheering wildly.
Big Bear was the star of this arena—a towering American over two meters tall, as strong as his namesake. No opponent had ever walked away alive from a fight with him. Their deaths were horrific—most were torn apart like rag dolls. Just hearing his name was enough to send the audience into a frenzy. Blood and violence drove them mad with excitement.
Shi Aotian stood in the ring, calm as still water, as if deaf to the roaring crowd. Then a massive, bald foreigner strode in, arms raised, flexing his muscles for the audience. His frame was at least a third larger than Shi Aotian's, and he stood a head taller.
The official pointed at Shi Aotian and shouted, "This will be our new challenger!" Since he didn't know Shi Aotian's name, he kept the introduction vague. It didn't matter anyway—the audience couldn't care less about the name of a man about to die.
Almost everyone placed their bets on Big Bear. To them, he was unbeatable.
The crisp sound of the bell marked the start of the fight. Outside the ring, the crowd chanted in unison, "Kill him! Kill him!" The noise inside was deafening, though outside, nothing could be heard—proof of the arena's soundproofing.
Big Bear stood before Shi Aotian and growled in broken Chinese, "I'm going to twist your head off."
Shi Aotian stood just as still and expressionless in the center of the ring, replying coldly, "Cut the crap. Come on." He wanted to test the strength of this so-called crowd favorite first, so he had already decided not to move right away—he would gauge Big Bear's fighting power before making his move.
When Big Bear saw that his opponent was not only unafraid but also dared to talk back, he flew into a rage and lashed out, throwing a punch straight at Shi Aotian's cheek. The crowd, seeing Big Bear make a move, roared even louder, certain that this single blow would be enough to shatter his opponent's skull.
But after the punch landed, Big Bear was stunned. The audience was shocked. Even Yue San, watching through the office glass, was left gaping. Everyone had just witnessed the biggest surprise of the night.
Shi Aotian hadn't dodged at all—he had taken the punch head-on. The only result was his head turning slightly to the side. He was still standing exactly where he had been, not even stepping back half a pace. Instead, he stepped forward toward Big Bear with a cold smirk. "Is that all you've got?"
The entire arena fell silent. The result was too shocking. Not only had Big Bear failed to kill his opponent with one punch, but the man could still speak with ease.
Even Big Bear himself was taken aback, thinking for a moment that his eyes were playing tricks on him. But when he heard Shi Aotian's words, he snapped out of it, his rage boiling over. He lunged forward, grabbed Shi Aotian with both hands, and slammed him heavily onto the ground.
The arena went quiet again—until someone shouted, "Big Bear is unbeatable!" The crowd snapped out of their daze, erupting into cheers and shouts. They thought they had just witnessed a thrilling fight and won their bets.
Soaking in the applause, Big Bear strutted around the ring, raising his arms in triumph.
"Big guy, you think you've won?" A cold voice came from the ground.
Shi Aotian stood up calmly, brushed the dust from his clothes, and let a wicked smile curl his lips. "The match has just begun."
After taking two hits, he had already sized up his opponent—such power wasn't even worth mentioning in his eyes, let alone enough to harm him.
Big Bear's shock deepened. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. His opponent's words were like a knife stabbing into his chest, stirring an unfamiliar fear in the heart of this battle-hardened fighter.
The crowd's cheers died instantly when they saw Shi Aotian back on his feet. The shock was so great that they could only whisper among themselves.
Shi Aotian walked toward Big Bear slowly. Big Bear didn't attack—he actually stepped back without realizing it. Shi Aotian raised his right hand and made a "V" gesture, then moved it slowly toward Big Bear's chin. Big Bear froze, confused. He had no idea what it meant and simply stared at the approaching hand. The audience was just as puzzled—what was going on?
Shi Aotian stopped his "V"-shaped hand about one centimeter from Big Bear's chin. Cold sweat was already streaming down Big Bear's face. Not knowing what would happen next, he didn't dare to move.
"You can lie down now," Shi Aotian said coldly.
The moment the words left his mouth, his index finger snapped out from the "V" and flicked Big Bear's chin sharply. Big Bear felt a jolt of pain shoot through his jaw, his body instantly losing balance. He toppled backward, hitting the ground with a loud thud, and passed out cold.
Everyone present who witnessed this scene was utterly shocked. Their eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. The crowd had completely forgotten about cheering or applauding; they simply stared blankly at Shi Aotian and the giant bear lying on the ground.
With a graceful turn, Shi Aotian looked at the organizer and said, "He took my hit, but he's fine. He'll wake up in three hours. No need to start counting."
After saying this, he jumped down from the ring, took his clothes from the man, and began putting them on. "The money."
It was as if the man had suddenly been awakened from a dream. He hurriedly pulled out the money and placed it in Shi Aotian's hand. Exactly how much it was, no one knew. Shi Aotian frowned at it, then casually tossed the extra bills back into the man's hand.
"I only want what's mine. I'll be back. You make the arrangements."
With that, he walked away under the gaze of everyone present. He was also the first person ever to leave here so easily—because no one dared to stop him.
When the man heard that Shi Aotian would return that night, he felt reassured. Once someone became prey here, they were never allowed to leave—this was the rule. But Shi Aotian was an exception, because he had long surpassed the limits of an ordinary "prey."
Shi Aotian understood well that he was here to make money. That was why he spared the bear's life. Besides, he had no desire to kill in front of a crowd—that would only hasten the exposure of his identity.
Only after Shi Aotian was far gone did the arena erupt into an uproar. The man who had brought him here snapped out of his daze, rushed into Yue San's office, and said in disbelief,
"Boss, did you see that? What do you think? That blond kid really has skills—he found such a formidable guy."
Yue San thought for a moment and said, "This man is definitely no ordinary person. Just by looking at the power he showed with one finger, you can tell he's no creature meant for a small pond."
"Boss, you mean…" The man didn't quite follow.
"Find out what he's about. There's a good chance he's not prey." Yue San's mind drifted to the Black List… and to Liu Tian. Even if he were either one of them, it could mean Yue San's death. That was why he dared not label Shi Aotian as prey. Of course, another possibility also crossed his mind—that Shi Aotian had nothing to do with either. In that case… how could he recruit this man to his side?
"Yes, I'll go now," the man said, preparing to leave.
"Wait—send Xiao Wu in. I have something for him." Yue San ordered.
"Got it," the man replied, closing the door as he left.
A moment later, a young man in a suit stepped into Yue San's office.
"Boss, what is it?" he asked. This was Xiao Wu—the one Yue San had sent to meet with the assassin broker, Ba Dao.
"How's the matter I assigned you going?" Yue San asked.
"It's been quiet lately. Liu Tian still hasn't found the killer, and on the surface, he hasn't made any big moves. Also, our drug operations have been slowly seeping into their market. I think it won't be long before we can take over their entire drug market." Xiao Wu said proudly.
"Don't get too cocky," Yue San said, exhaling smoke. "Liu Tian's been running wild here for so many years for a reason. Don't underestimate him. Knocking him down is easy—but swallowing his whole operation is not."
"Boss, I don't understand what you're saying," Xiao Wu said in confusion.
Yue San gave a cold smile and said, "Do you know Longteng Enterprises?"
"I know. It's that foreign trade company, Longteng Group. The chairman is Long Haotian. I've heard his net worth has already exceeded a billion." Xiao Wu still looked puzzled. "But what does he have to do with this?"
"Of course it has something to do with it," Yue San said, taking another drag of his cigarette. "Long Haotian isn't just a businessman. Back when he was making a name for himself on the streets, you were still wearing split-crotch pants. In those days, he was a dominant figure in the underworld. Liu Tian back then was just one of his insignificant little underlings. Ten years ago, Long Haotian washed his hands of the underworld and divided his criminal operations into four sectors, handing each over to one of his trusted men. Since then, he's rarely interfered in underworld affairs. He also laundered his businesses, and now he's a highly successful entrepreneur. But even now, his influence remains vast — both the black and white sides of society have to show him respect."