Chapter 334: The Duel

Any man with normal preferences would be unable to remain unmoved when a stunning beauty like Li Yunxi voluntarily kissed him on the cheek. Lin Xiao was no exception.

Even without looking, he could feel the burning intensity of the gazes around him multiply in an instant.

“What are you doing?” Lin Xiao suppressed the emotions stirring within him.

“A reward for you,” Li Yunxi said with a cheeky grin. “You played the hero and saved the beauty. I can’t just let you do that for free, right?”

“Alright then.” As always, Lin Xiao found himself at a loss for words in front of Miss Li.

As the two exchanged words, the previously noisy rooftop suddenly fell silent.

After a brief pause, a clear and powerful male voice rang out, echoing across the building.

“I believe we’re all here for the same reason, so I won’t waste any words. The rules of this tournament are simple. There are no rules. Whoever remains standing in the ring until the end will win all of Hundred Seat Society’s territory and assets. Now, I declare the tournament officially open.”

As soon as the voice faded, the atmosphere turned tense.

No one spoke. No one chatted. All eyes locked onto the arena, waiting for the first challenger to step forward.

“If none of you have the guts to go first, then I’ll do it!”

A cocky voice erupted from the crowd, and a towering figure leaped onto the ring.

The man stood nearly 1.9 meters tall, clad in a black T-shirt, his muscular arms bearing a tattoo of a tiger’s head. His fists were heavily calloused, and his knuckles were flattened. It was a clear sign of rigorous training.

The moment he stepped onto the ring, a deafening cheer erupted from one corner of the rooftop.

“Tiger Lord! Go, Tiger Lord!”

The man called Tiger Lord folded his arms over his chest, his violent gaze sweeping across the crowd as he bellowed, “Who dares face me?”

“Quit boasting! I, Zhou Peng, will take you on!”

Before Tiger Lord’s words even finished echoing, another figure shot out from the crowd.

Three meters from the ring, the man leaped into the air and landed steadily before Tiger Lord.

He was a young man in his twenties, equally tall and well-built, but with pale skin, piercing eyes, bloodless lips, and a gold nose ring gleaming under the lights.

Without a word, Zhou Peng lunged at Tiger Lord, initiating the battle.

The two quickly became entangled in a fierce struggle, surprisingly evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand.

Lin Xiao, however, found the fight uninteresting.

For ordinary spectators, underground fights like these might be thrilling and adrenaline-pumping, but to Lin Xiao, they were as dull as plain water.

Behind him, Old Jin lowered his voice and explained, “Boss Lin, that Tiger Lord is the top enforcer of the Scarlet Tiger Gang. He’s infamous in Jiangnan’s underworld, known for his ruthless fighting style. As for Zhou Peng, he used to be a nobody, but after joining the Green River Gang, he proved himself in street fights and rose to become their third-in-command.”

Lin Xiao listened expressionlessly, hands tucked in his pockets. Though his eyes rested on the ring, his gaze was unfocused. His mind had already drifted elsewhere.

Li Yunxi, however, was thoroughly engaged, watching the fight while listening to Old Jin’s introduction.

Suddenly, she nudged Lin Xiao with her shoulder. “Lin Xiao, who do you think will win?”

Lin Xiao snapped out of his thoughts, glanced at the ring indifferently, and said, “Zhou Peng will win.”

“Why?” Li Yunxi asked, puzzled. “Tiger Lord looks stronger. He’s dominating right now, pushing Zhou Peng back.”

“Seeing isn’t always believing. Tiger Lord is only in control because Zhou Peng is letting him be.” Lin Xiao lowered his gaze slightly. “Watch closely. Zhou Peng is about to counterattack.”

Just as Lin Xiao finished speaking, the tide of battle suddenly shifted.

Tiger Lord had been pressing Zhou Peng back, nearly forcing him out of the ring. Convinced of his imminent victory, Tiger Lord laughed wildly, relentlessly attacking without conserving his strength, determined to finish Zhou Peng off.

But Zhou Peng, like a boat riding the waves, seemed on the verge of capsizing yet never actually went down.

Gradually, Tiger Lord’s stamina began to wane. His strikes slowed, and his attacks lost their initial ferocity.

“The time has come.”

Zhou Peng’s lips curled into a victorious smirk. A ruthless gleam flashed in his eyes as he abruptly ceased retreating, catching Tiger Lord’s now-sluggish fist.

Then—

A powerful punch struck Tiger Lord’s face, sending blood gushing from his nose and his vision spinning!

Caught off guard by the sudden counter, Tiger Lord’s rhythm shattered. Clutching his bleeding nose, he stumbled backward.

Zhou Peng seized the advantage, unleashing a flurry of fierce punches that pummeled Tiger Lord mercilessly. Finally, a savage kick sent Tiger Lord crashing to the ground.

“I… I give up!”

Tiger Lord curled up on the ground, shielding his head with both arms, his voice weak and muffled.

“Give up? You think this is some friendly match?”

Ignoring Tiger Lord’s plea, Zhou Peng’s expression twisted with cruelty. He grabbed Tiger Lord’s arm and—CRACK!—twisted it violently until it snapped.

Then, he stomped on Tiger Lord’s face.

Again and again.

Even after Tiger Lord lost consciousness, Zhou Peng continued, brutally trampling him until his face was an unrecognizable mess of blood and flesh.

“Tch! Useless.”

Zhou Peng spat on Tiger Lord’s ruined face before raising his hands in victory, basking in the Green River Gang’s cheers as he stepped off the ring.

Meanwhile, Tiger Lord’s lifeless form was carried away by the Scarlet Tiger Gang.

Having suffered such a devastating loss, they left without a word, too humiliated to even make threats.

Thus, the first match concluded, with the Green River Gang emerging victorious and the Scarlet Tiger Gang utterly defeated.

Not long after Zhou Peng stepped down, the crowd suddenly parted on its own.

A young man with piercing, eagle-like eyes and a well-proportioned physique strode toward the ring.

Dressed in a sleek black suit, his tie perfectly straight, and his leather shoes gleaming, he looked nothing like an underground fighter. If anything, he resembled a high-society elite. Yet the moment he stepped onto the ring, the once-noisy rooftop fell into complete silence.

All conversations ceased.

Not a single whisper remained.

Lin Xiao lifted his gaze, giving this man an uncharacteristic second look.

“Who’s that?” Li Yunxi asked Old Jin.

“Fu Ying,” Old Jin said, his voice tinged with caution.

“He’s the young master of the Mad Fang Gang. The second most powerful underground faction in Jiangnan, right behind Baixitang. The Mad Fang Gang controls 30% of Jiangnan’s criminal territory, operating numerous hotels and nightclubs, with over a thousand members under its command. Their leader is Fu Lei. I’m sure you’ve heard of him, Miss Li. And Fu Ying is his son.”