Chapter 686 - 680: Entering the Competition

"Here are some of the rules for the Underground Boxing Market. There aren’t many, but please take a look. You can decide whether you want to compete after you’ve read them," the man in charge said, handing a pamphlet to Shen Haoran.

Shen Haoran, however, didn’t take the pamphlet. With a faint smile, he said, "Don’t bother. Just sign me up now."

Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, the man in charge froze for a moment. He glanced at the confident smile on Shen Haoran’s face, then shrugged and began processing his registration. He didn’t care if Shen Haoran actually understood the rules of the Underground Boxing Market; he was just following procedure. ’In my eyes,’ he thought, ’Shen Haoran is just another scion from some great family here to get some experience. He probably got interested in the Underground Boxing Market and rushed in hot-headed.’ Dozens of young masters like him died here every month. It was nothing new. Coincidentally, one had died just yesterday—and this same man had been the one to register him.

After quickly handling Shen Haoran’s registration, the man led him backstage. "This is the waiting room," he instructed. "Unfortunately for you all, your opponent is the Beast King. You will challenge him along with the others. Whoever wins can take the Beast King’s place as the reigning champion. Only the last one standing can earn Points from the Underground Boxing Market and upgrade your Identity Token. With that said, I wish you the best of luck!"

After he finished speaking, the man shot Shen Haoran a sympathetic look, then turned and left. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. ’Such a fine young master from a great family, about to be slaughtered by the Beast King,’ he thought. ’How pathetic.’

After the man left, Shen Haoran surveyed the waiting room. Some thirty-odd men were seated there, every one of them powerfully built. Their massive muscles pulsed with formidable strength, and they radiated a thick, murderous aura. A single glance told him these men lived dangerous lives, constantly on the brink of death. ’Someone like me, with my tidy clothes and scholarly air, really stands out like a sore thumb here.’

As Shen Haoran sized up the thirty or so men in the room, they were doing the same to him. When they saw his expensive-looking clothes and his resemblance to a neighborhood kid, their eyes filled with disdain. Who among them hadn’t killed someone? Who hadn’t stared death in the face? A scholar-type like Shen Haoran was just here to die. And they never wasted courtesy on a dead man.

Shen Haoran felt their disdain but paid it no mind. He found a spot for himself and closed his eyes to rest. ’Although their killing intent is strong, they’re mostly just a bunch of brutes,’ he thought. ’Not worth my attention.’

"Hey, kid, do you have any idea what you’re doing? Why aren’t you focusing on your Cultivation at your age? Did you really have to come here looking to die?" Just as Shen Haoran was settling down, a thin, middle-aged man walked over and nudged his arm.

Shen Haoran opened his eyes and looked at the Martial Artist beside him. He was a middle-aged man. Although he also carried a murderous air, it was much weaker than that of the surrounding Martial Artists. His eyes were clear, a stark contrast to the others who had lost themselves to the slaughter. ’Simply put,’ Shen Haoran concluded, ’this Martial Artist is probably like me—not a criminal.’

"Looking to die? Why would competing in the Underground Boxing Market be looking to die?" Shen Haoran asked softly, the corners of his mouth curving into a slight smile.

"Sigh, you just don’t get it. Our opponent this time is the Beast King! He’s a Silver Level Martial Artist, and he’s incredibly brutal. I can’t even count how many Silver Martial Artists have died at his hands. Even some fighters with Golden Tokens refuse to face him. Everyone in the Underground Boxing Market knows his name. Don’t mind the thirty-odd men in this room; in my opinion, not a single one of us can take a punch from the Beast King. So you tell me, what are you doing here if not looking to die?" the thin Martial Artist said, looking at Shen Haoran with a wry smile.

"Oh? Then if you know it’s a death sentence, why did you come?" Shen Haoran retorted.

"Sigh, life forced my hand. I was framed and became known as a murderous demon that everyone outside the City of Sin wanted dead. I had no choice but to flee into the City of Sin with my wife and child. To make sure they have enough to eat, I have to come to the Underground Boxing Market to scrape some money together. I’ve been lucky in the past—I could handle the opponents I was matched with. But my luck ran out today. I can’t believe I was put in the same group as the Beast King. Sigh, it seems my lucky streak is over," the middle-aged man said, his face a mask of despair.

Hearing the man’s story, Shen Haoran took another look at him. He couldn’t help but sigh internally. ’I never would have guessed he’d gone through something like that. But he’s a man of principle, willing to risk his life for his family. That’s something to be admired.’

"Don’t worry, Uncle. It’s not as bad as all that. Who knows, maybe we’ll both make it out alive today," Shen Haoran said comfortingly, gently patting the man’s shoulder.

"I hope so," the middle-aged man sighed. At this point, all he could do was leave it to fate.

Time ticked by. One by one, the men in the waiting room were called out. From the arena, scream after scream echoed back. Just by listening to the ever-loudening cheers from outside, the remaining men knew that every Martial Artist who had been called out was killed by the Beast King.

"Beast King! Beast King! Beast King!"

The cheers grew louder, and the resolve of the men in the waiting room began to crumble. Terror crept onto their faces, but with no way to escape, they could only await their turn to die. The only one who remained perfectly calm was Shen Haoran.

"Alright! Our Beast King has already won twenty-five consecutive matches! If he wins the next five, he’ll be promoted to a Gold Level Martial Artist—the highest symbol of honor in our Underground Boxing Market! Look at our Beast King, his fighting spirit is soaring! I’m sure he’ll win the next five matches with absolute dominance! Let’s hear it for him! And now, for challenger number twenty-six... Uncle Chang from the Southwest District!"

"ROAR! Get out here! Come out and face the Beast King’s wrath!"

"Hurry, hurry! I want to see the Beast King slaughter those Martial Artists! I want to see him tear them limb from limb!"

"Beast King! Beast King! Beast King!"

The roars from outside the waiting room continued to pour in, and the face of the middle-aged man beside Shen Haoran grew pale.

"I’m up, young man. I wish you luck," the middle-aged Martial Artist said as he stood up. With a bitter smile, he started walking toward the door, but just as he was about to step out, someone grabbed him from behind.

"Uncle, why don’t you let me go first?" Shen Haoran said with a soft laugh. "You should stay here and think about your wife and son. Who knows? I might just take care of that Beast King for you." The smile on his lips left the middle-aged man in a daze.

Without waiting for the middle-aged Martial Artist to respond, Shen Haoran walked straight out of the waiting room and onto the Martial Arts Arena. When the crowd saw him appear, the Heaven-Shaking roars died down. All eyes focused on Shen Haoran, their faces filled with confusion. ’The one who came out... is just a boy?’