Volume One, Chapter 20: The Crisis Looms—Hong the Fat Is Courting Death!

“Ah Cheng, don’t you understand this?” Chang Huan winced as he rubbed his panda eyes and explained, “That foolish Ah Xi feels the gap between you two growing wider and wider. Sooner or later, there will be a day you part ways. He’s just feeling sentimental.”

Watching Chang Xi’s retreating figure, Ye Cheng felt a tinge of loss. So the words he spoke earlier that day were not idle remarks after all!

Just as he was about to go over and comfort him, he suddenly heard Chang Huan let out a sorrowful sigh.

“I treat you like my own son, you know? I lost big in the fistfight just now—lost so badly I even had to pull out my underwear. Should I tell you that?”

He spoke while sneaking a glance at Ye Cheng.

Ye Cheng chuckled to himself. “Treating me like his own son has nothing to do with losing money!”

Old Chang Huan knew that Ye Cheng had won money in the fight and was trying to swindle some back to cover his losses.

If that was how Chang Huan was, then what about Chang Xi?

Ye Cheng looked back at Chang Xi. He noticed that while the young man was busily wiping away his tears, he kept covertly glancing back to keep an eye on the situation here.

The sight was truly comical.

“Pfft!”

Ye Cheng burst out laughing.

“The two of them are colluding here, putting on a show for me! I almost fell for their trick!”

Though he thought this, Ye Cheng didn’t take the little father-and-son antics to heart.

Chang Xi’s brotherly affection for him was genuine. Otherwise, he wouldn’t bet on him to win every match.

Chang Huan wasn’t a bad man either—just fond of small gains.

Despite the odd way these two communicated, their bond was strong.

This often made Ye Cheng, who was orphaned, quite envious.

“Stop acting! I see right through you!”

Ye Cheng rolled his eyes and generously pulled out a one-million check, handing it to Chang Huan.

“Uncle Chang, if you hadn’t given me the ticket, I wouldn’t even have gotten in to fight, let alone make money. Even if you didn’t mention it, I’d have thanked you anyway. Please accept this.”

“Hehe, how can I accept this!” Chang Huan’s eyes sparkled as he awkwardly put the check into his pocket and patted it for reassurance.

“Let’s go!”

Ye Cheng glanced once more at Chang Xi, then turned and hailed a cab to leave.

After he left—

“Do you think it’s wrong to trick Ye Cheng like this?” Chang Xi walked up to Chang Huan.

“Hmm, it is a bit wrong.”

“Then… should we return the money to him?”

“Sure!”

“Do you think he’ll accept it?”

(End of page 1)

(Continuation page 2)

“Knowing him, he definitely would.”

“Then never mind… how should we split the money?”

“Ninety percent for me, ten percent for you.”

“Why?”

“Do you even need to ask? Your acting was so fake just now.”

“Impossible! I was fully committed!”

“The problem is, you acted like a dog putting in all the effort.”

“You’re the dog! Your whole family is dogs!”

“In any case, your acting was fake, fake, fake, fake! I felt no emotional collision with you whatsoever. You simply can’t act.”

“Damn you, Old Chang, you’re asking for a beating!”

*Crack! Crack!*

…

Sitting in the taxi, Ye Cheng pondered his next course of training.

“Only two weeks left until the practical combat assessment. Time is tight, and my cultivation level is still too low—I must work harder.”

“Otherwise, everyone taking the test at the Capital Martial University are elites. I’ve heard there are prodigies in the provincial city preparing to break into the Martial Sovereign realm. How can I compete with them?”

“Fortunately, I’ve unlocked the physique restriction. Tomorrow I’ll go to the Beast Forest to hunt more physique-type beasts. Training both strength and physique will greatly compensate for the gap in realms.”

“The underground boxing tournament is a good place to earn money and gain combat experience. I’ll go to the Beast Forest during the day and fight in the tournament at night.”

“Yes, that sounds like a pleasant plan.”

As he contemplated, Ye Cheng cast his gaze out the window, nearing home.

It was around midnight, and the streets were sparsely populated.

“Master, it’s just here…”

Ye Cheng was about to tell the driver to stop when he suddenly saw a hefty figure emerging from his alley.

The fat man was dressed in a suit and tie, maintaining his usual professional fake smile despite having no company.

“Manager Hong!”

Ye Cheng frowned and quickly shrank back into his seat, letting the car drive on.

His mind raced.

Why was Fat Hong here?

Judging by his direction, he was coming straight for me!

Had the matter of killing the three bearded men already been exposed?

Regardless of whether it had, Fat Hong was already suspecting me.

I showed a little skill at school today. If he had the will to investigate, he could definitely uncover my strength.

At least, killing those three bearded men is no problem.

It seemed the secret couldn’t be kept any longer. I should start planning early.

Ye Cheng’s eyes narrowed. He concluded that Fat Hong must be eliminated as soon as possible, within these next couple of days.

Otherwise, if he reported me to the higher-ups of the Devil Sect, it would bring great trouble.

…

(End of page 2)

(Continuation page 3)

The next morning.

Ye Cheng converted all the money earned last night into spirit stones and set out to hunt monsters outside the city.

As his realm advanced, he had progressed from fighting level-five beasts on the first day to attempting level-eight beasts yesterday.

After breaking through his realm again last night, today’s target was upgraded to level-nine beasts.

Entering the Beast Forest, he encountered many novice martial artists along the way.

Some were alone, others in groups.

There were fresh graduates hastening to improve their strength, as well as middle-aged warriors still pitifully lingering in the level-one or two beast zones.

Often, these were people with very low talent who refused to accept mediocrity.

“Foolish bitches! Look at your pathetic, hopeless faces!”

“Still fighting monsters in the low-level zones at your age, competing for resources with young people—aren’t you ashamed? Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

As Ye Cheng entered the forest, a loud, arrogant voice shattered the tense atmosphere nearby.

“Hethered?”

Ye Cheng looked over and saw the fake Western foreigner Hethered pointing at a few middle-aged warriors and mocking them loudly.

The sight was extremely irritating.

“Why is he everywhere? Does he love showing off that much?”

Ye Cheng clicked his tongue and slipped to the side to observe secretly.

Hethered was one of his rivals in the entrance exam.

Yesterday, this guy had shown a small display of skill at school and caused quite a stir.

He must have some unique talents.

Might as well observe him.

“I don’t even know you! What you’re doing here has nothing to do with me. Mind your own business.”

The accused middle-aged warrior was immediately embarrassed, scowling as he retorted to Hethered.

“It wouldn’t be my business if I weren’t bursting with a sense of justice, unable to stand your shameless behavior!”

Hethered replied lazily.

“If you have low talent, go home and feed your kids. Why embarrass yourself here?”

Hethered pointed his finger at everyone, a smirk pulling at his lips.

“And you lot! You’re useless to begin with, and you still cling to the ancient Huaxia martial arts—which are outdated and pathetic!”

“Only martial arts combined with genetic modification is the ultimate cultivation method—there’s no other!”

“While there’s still hope, give up your current methods and join my innovative system. I’m willing to be your life mentor for free!”

Hethered’s grandstanding drew the ire of all the warriors, who shouted and cursed.

“Hmph, such shameless arrogance at your young age! Huaxia traditional martial arts have been tested for five hundred years and are the best suited to the Huaxia physique. What right do you have to criticize?”

“Adding genetic modification turns people into monsters—not human nor beast! What’s the difference between that and the wild beasts outside?”

“Fake Westerner! If you’re so strong, then show us your power and prove you deserve to be my life mentor!”

A middle-aged warrior stepped forward with a stern face, his stride steady and his demeanor imposing.

(End of page 3)