Chapter 332: Underground Arena

“If you want to go, then go. I have things to do, so I won’t be joining you.”

Lin Xiao pulled his arm out of Li Yunxi’s grasp and turned to leave.

But before he could take a few steps, Li Yunxi grabbed his arm again. “You have things to do? What things?”

Lin Xiao thought for a moment, then casually replied, “Training.”

Li Yunxi’s almond-shaped eyes widened in anger, her delicate eyebrows furrowing. “I finally came looking for you, and you’re ditching me to go train? Do you even consider me a real friend?”

Faced with Li Yunxi’s questioning, Lin Xiao found himself momentarily speechless.

“See? You’ve got nothing to say.” Li Yunxi smirked triumphantly. “Tonight, we’re going together. I want to see what this underground tournament is all about.”

Lin Xiao sighed in resignation and nodded.

“Alright, let’s find a place to eat first. I remember there’s a good restaurant nearby with some amazing signature dishes.”

Li Yunxi grabbed Lin Xiao’s arm and led him outside. After taking a few steps, she turned back and instructed Old Jin, “Oh, right! Make sure to send me the address later.”

Old Jin didn’t feel the least bit insulted by her tone. He was well aware of Li Yunxi’s status.

She was the daughter of Li Liancheng, the wealthiest man in Jinghai City—a notorious troublemaker feared by both the legal and illegal worlds alike. She roamed freely through Jinghai without a single person daring to cross her.

That wasn’t even the main reason for his caution. While he wouldn’t want to offend Li Liancheng, as a major underground figure, he wasn’t exactly afraid of him either.

The key reason was that Li Yunxi was Lin Xiao’s close confidante. Even if she called him Little Jin instead of Old Jin, he would gladly accept it.

“Don’t worry, Miss Li! I’ll send it right away,” Old Jin pounded his chest in assurance.

But Li Yunxi didn’t even hear his reply. She was already dragging Lin Xiao away, linking arms with him and excitedly sharing the latest gossip.

“Lin Xiao, did you hear? Le Fangyun is completely finished,” Li Yunxi said gleefully.

“…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I already knew.”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“If I told you Le Fangyun got ruined because he crossed me, would you believe it?”

“As if! Not a chance!”

“…”

***

Night fell.

In Zhenjiang District, near the highway, stood an abandoned building. It was located in a desolate area and had been an unfinished construction project for years. Tall weeds surrounded it, and normally, the place was devoid of people.

But tonight, it was bustling with activity. Spotlights had been set up at some point, illuminating the building brightly as if it were daytime.

Starting from 6 PM, cars began arriving one after another, parking in the open space in front of the building. From these vehicles, large men in black suits or black T-shirts emerged, making their way inside.

By 8 PM, as the sky fully darkened, the parking area in front of the building was packed with cars—everything from ordinary vans and SUVs to luxury sedans and high-end sports cars.

Old Jin stepped out of his black Mercedes and stared at the building for a long moment. Then, he scanned the area around him, but unsurprisingly, there was no sign of Lin Xiao or Li Yunxi.

“Why aren’t Boss Lin and Miss Li here yet?” Old Jin felt a bit anxious.

Behind him stood Ding Hong, wearing his eerie white mask that glowed faintly under the dim lights.

This young man, personally chosen by Lin Xiao, was no ordinary fighter.

With a brutal battle awaiting him, Ding Hong showed no signs of nervousness. Instead, his eyes, hidden behind the mask, gleamed faintly red, like a beast lurking in the darkness.

“Oh? Isn’t that Little Jin? What’s the matter? Waiting for someone?”

A coarse voice suddenly called out from behind Old Jin.

Old Jin immediately turned around, his expression darkening with rage.

Little Jin—that was a nickname from his days as an underling under Wang Lin. Ever since he became the underground boss of Jinghai City, no one had dared to call him that.

Yet now, someone had openly used that name to address him. It was a blatant provocation.

A group of burly men emerged from the shadows.

Leading them was a man just as tall as Old Jin, a cigar clenched between his teeth, walking with a slouching, casual gait as he eyed Old Jin with a sideways glance.

“What’s the matter, Little Jin? Mad?” The man smirked. “You become a boss and suddenly don’t recognize your elders anymore?” Then, his smirk widened mockingly. “I also heard you’ve turned over a new leaf. If that’s the case, why are you here at an underground tournament?”

Old Jin’s gaze turned icy, but he suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Oh, it’s you, Boss Wang of the Sand Soil Gang. What, do you have a problem with me?”

“Damn right, I do. I can’t stand traitors who backstab their bosses.”

Boss Wang took the cigar out of his mouth and spat on the ground. “Old Jin, just because you stepped on your boss’s corpse to climb up doesn’t mean you’re a real boss. Watch your back when walking at night.”

After speaking, he raised a hand and made a throat-slitting gesture before swaggering off, treating Old Jin as if he were nothing.

Old Jin ground his teeth and spat on the ground as well. “Hmph! We’ll see who’s laughing in the end.”

A few minutes later, a silver-black Porsche Cayenne drove up and stopped in front of Old Jin.

The car doors opened on both sides, and Lin Xiao and Li Yunxi stepped out simultaneously.

“Boss Lin, Miss Li, you’re here,” Old Jin greeted them with a smile.

Lin Xiao instinctively scanned the surroundings, quickly taking in the entire scene before turning his gaze toward the building.

From inside, a cacophony of voices echoed out, making it clear that the place was already packed.

“Let’s go inside.” Li Yunxi grabbed Lin Xiao’s hand impatiently and pulled him toward the entrance.

Lin Xiao let her drag him along, nodding briefly at Old Jin before glancing at Ding Hong. Then, he walked forward alongside Li Yunxi.

Li Yunxi, wearing high heels, struggled to walk on the uneven ground. She practically leaned her entire weight against Lin Xiao, her full chest pressing against his arm with every step.

To the onlookers, this scene was unbearably enviable.

Once inside, the group climbed the old, worn-out staircase all the way to the top floor.

By now, over a hundred people had gathered there, forming a massive circle.

In the center stood a raised platform, about half a meter high, surrounded by wire mesh fencing.

The fights hadn’t even started yet, but the air was already thick with tension as if the scent of blood was lingering in the atmosphere.

Lin Xiao’s arrival instantly drew everyone’s attention.

To be more precise, it was Li Yunxi beside him who captured their gazes.

There was no shortage of women in the crowd. Many were scantily dressed, wearing heavy makeup, exuding a sultry and provocative aura meant to lure men. But in comparison to Li Yunxi, these women looked like mere pheasants beside a phoenix. Their beauty and presence were worlds apart.

In this crowd of rogues and outlaws, Li Yunxi stood out as dazzling as the moon in the night sky. She was impossible to ignore.

“Shit!” someone blurted out in awe.

“What a stunning babe!”