At some point, the commotion outside the private room slowly died down, and Pei Buwan's voice reached his ears. "Time to go!"
Yang Kai opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.
The door was pushed open from outside, and a man stood in the doorway, cupping his fists. "Manager Pei, I'm here to escort the fighter in!"
Pei Buwan nodded and waved him forward. "Go ahead."
The man swept his gaze around the private room before locking onto Yang Kai. He stepped aside and gestured with an outstretched hand. "This way!"
"Master Yang, be careful!" Luo Haiyi called out from behind him.
Yang Kai didn't look back. He simply waved a hand and followed the man out.
After he left, Pei Buwan gave a sidelong glance to a nearby attendant, who swallowed nervously. "Manager, how much should we put down?"
"Everything!" Pei Buwan said in a low voice.
The attendant's face went pale upon hearing this. "Manager, please reconsider. That money was borrowed with great difficulty just to balance the books. If we lose, there'll be no way to explain things to headquarters."
"If that cursed mouth of yours runs any further, believe it or not, I'll rip it off your face!" Pei Buwan barked.
The attendant quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
"I told you to bet it all, so bet it all! Enough nonsense!"
The attendant loosened his fingers just enough to peek through, asking timidly, "Everything on Yang Kai?"
"Who else would I bet on, Jade Rakshasa?" Pei Buwan snarled, unable to contain his irritation. He kicked the attendant sending him stumbling out the door, then turned around and fixed his gaze on the arena below. His expression was ferocious, almost frightening, before he suddenly broke into a grin. He turned to look at Luo Haiyi, who was utterly bewildered, and said, "Whether I eat meat or eat shit from now on depends entirely on whether this kid can win this fight."
Though he served as manager of the Hundred Refinements Hall, he was no businessman by nature, and he had a gambling addiction. Being stationed at this Star Market had earned him nothing — in fact, he had lost a fair amount of money.
With headquarters scheduled to audit the books soon, if he couldn't fill this gap, he would certainly face punishment. Over the past while, he had borrowed money from everyone he could, even pawning off his own Artifact, but there was still a significant shortfall.
Time was running out, and he had come to the arena to try and make a quick fortune.
In the arena, the victors could earn a certain prize, but it was negligible compared to the bets placed from outside. Had that not been the case, why would Pei Buwan have gone out of his way to scout fighters for the arena? He had previously found a decent one, but Yang Kai had beaten him down in just a few punches and kicks. That, however, had shown Pei Buwan a potential path to profit.
As long as Yang Kai won this fight, he could not only cover the shortfall but also repay his debts. Forget about becoming wealthy — at the very least, he wouldn't have to live in constant anxiety anymore.
But if Yang Kai lost this match, then it truly would be the end. This gamble staked his entire future and destiny! He hadn't told Yang Kai any of this — partly because there was no point, and partly because he didn't want to put extra pressure on the young man.
Seeing that terrifying grin on Pei Buwan's face, Luo Haiyi couldn't help but feel a chill run through her, unsure of what to say in response.
Meanwhile, led by the man, Yang Kai entered a corridor and walked all the way to its end, where a massive gate blocked the path ahead.
Yang Kai turned to look at the man leading him. The man smiled. "Wait just a moment."
A roar of cheering washed over him like a tide. Even separated by the heavy gate, he could feel the fervent enthusiasm of the spectators inside the arena.
Beyond that gate should be the arena itself. Someone was introducing Jade Rakshasa in a voice designed to whip up the crowd. Despite the thunderous noise, Yang Kai could hear every word clearly. According to the announcer, Jade Rakshasa's record in the arena stood at one hundred and seventy-two wins, eight draws, and one loss. Such a record was nothing short of terrifying — the kind of record only a true powerhouse could boast.
As for Jade Rakshasa's opponents, sixty percent had died in the arena, thirty percent were crippled, and only a scant ten percent managed to survive with their bodies intact.
As the announcer's deep voice continued, the roar of the crowd grew ever louder.
Then the tone shifted, and the voice boomed: "Today's challenger is an unknown — Yang Kai!"
The moment the words fell, the massive gate before Yang Kai began to rise slowly. Light poured in, accompanied by deafening cheers, and the arena came into full view.
The announcer continued from within: "Is it the fearlessness of ignorance, or a dragon crossing into new waters? Let us find out!"
"Head in." The man standing beside Yang Kai smiled slightly.
"Much obliged!" Yang Kai cupped his fists, then strode forward.
Behind him, the man's voice rang out: "Kid, if you can't handle it, you can always surrender. Losing your life wouldn't be any fun."