Chapter 692 - 686: Luo Yu’s Purpose

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Shen Haoran set out and headed to the Underground Boxing Market alone. Today, he was going to meet the so-called Manager Luo.

He arrived early at the Underground Boxing Market, where the person in charge who had invited him yesterday was standing at the entrance, apparently waiting for his arrival. Upon seeing Shen Haoran, he immediately went up to greet him with a smile.

"Brother Leng, our manager has been waiting for you!" the man in charge said to Shen Haoran with a smile.

"Thank you. Lead the way." Shen Haoran nodded lightly and followed the man deeper into the Underground Boxing Market.

Upon reaching the depths of the Underground Boxing Market, Shen Haoran surveyed the small courtyard with interest. Here, the clamor of the outside world was completely imperceptible. Various flowers and plants grew freely in the yard, creating a sense of tranquility. It was nothing like the style of the Underground Boxing Market.

"Little Brother Leng, you’ve finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for some time!" As Shen Haoran was admiring the tranquil courtyard, a laugh rang out. A middle-aged man in lavish robes then emerged from one of the rooms in the courtyard.

The middle-aged man wore lavish robes, his long, purple hair casually draped over his back, with a few strands of white at his temples. His eyes shone with a sharp light, like an eagle’s, and a faint smile played on his lips. His exceptional demeanor compelled Shen Haoran’s gaze to linger on him for a few extra moments.

As Shen Haoran was sizing up the middle-aged man, the man was also sizing him up. He couldn’t help but feel a jolt of surprise upon seeing how young Shen Haoran was, and the smile on his face grew wider.

"Manager!" Seeing the middle-aged man, the guide who had brought Shen Haoran bowed respectfully.

"Mm, that will be all. You may go," the middle-aged man said with a light wave of his hand, his gaze never leaving Shen Haoran.

After the guide left, the middle-aged man invited Shen Haoran into a pavilion in the courtyard. He personally handed Shen Haoran a cup of fine tea and introduced himself, "My name is Luo Yu, and I am the manager of the Underground Boxing Market."

"Leng Feng." Shen Haoran replied, looking at the beaming Luo Yu and giving a slight nod.

"Little Brother Leng, you truly are one of a kind! To defeat the Beast King so easily at such a young age... The younger generation is truly formidable!" Luo Yu boomed with laughter, making no attempt to hide the praise in his voice.

"Manager Luo, let’s skip the pleasantries," Shen Haoran said, shaking his head at Luo Yu’s praise. "I prefer to be direct, so let’s get straight to the point. Why did you ask me to come here?"

Luo Yu was taken aback by Shen Haoran’s words, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. ’I originally thought someone his age would be wildly arrogant—and his fight with the Beast King certainly showed that. People like him love praise. If I could just make him conceited, I would have the upper hand in our discussion. But I never expected him to not fall for it. It seems this kid isn’t as simple as I thought.’

"Haha, Little Brother Leng, you certainly are direct! Fine," Luo Yu said, dropping his act. "I won’t beat around the bush either. I want you to join our Underground Boxing Market!"

"Give me a reason. Or, to put it another way, what’s in it for me if I join your Underground Boxing Market?" Shen Haoran asked coolly, raising an eyebrow at Luo Yu’s words.

Luo Yu froze on the spot, stunned by Shen Haoran’s question. ’Joining the Underground Boxing Market is arguably the highest honor in the City of Sin! It symbolizes a lofty status. All the restaurants, brothels, and slaves in the city would be yours for the taking! It’s the dream of every Martial Artist in the City of Sin, and now Shen Haoran is asking what’s in it for him? Isn’t his appetite a bit too big?’

Luo Yu’s brow furrowed. ’The reason I wanted Shen Haoran to join the Underground Boxing Market was because I saw his potential. He defeated the Beast King in three moves and was still hiding his true strength. The kid’s real combat power must be at the Spirit Emperor Level. For a nineteen or twenty-year-old to reach the Spirit Emperor Level, his Talent could only be described as excellent. If properly nurtured, he would definitely become a great asset to the Underground Boxing Market in the future! But it’s not like the Underground Boxing Market has to have Shen Haoran. There are plenty of people who want to join; they can afford to lose this one!’

"Leng Feng, isn’t your appetite a bit too big?" Luo Yu said in a low voice. "You should know that the Underground Boxing Market’s status in the City of Sin is no less than that of the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. You could even say the City of Sin only exists because we were here first. After joining us, aren’t power, money, and beautiful women enough? What other benefits could you possibly want?"

"Manager Luo, you should know I’m not interested in any of that," Shen Haoran said coolly, his eyes narrowing. "I want tangible benefits." His presence didn’t yield an inch.

"Hmph. Tangible benefits? Sorry, we don’t have any. The Underground Boxing Market isn’t short on people like you," Luo Yu snorted. "Men, see our guest out!" He had thought today’s conversation would be a pleasant one, but he never imagined it would fall apart before they’d even exchanged ten sentences. The thought left him fuming.

"Manager Luo, it doesn’t seem like you have any other options, do you?" Shen Haoran chuckled. "I believe your Underground Boxing Market is facing a crisis, which is why you’re so aggressively recruiting powerful individuals. And I’d guess this crisis has something to do with the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. Let me guess again... the King of the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave isn’t content with the City of Sin having two masters, so he’s planning to make a move against your Underground Boxing Market. Am I right?" After speaking, he stared directly at Luo Yu, studying his reaction.

The moment the Underground Boxing Market had extended their invitation, Shen Haoran knew they wanted to recruit him. He had been confused at first. He was just a greenhorn newly arrived in the City of Sin; why would he be received by the market’s manager, a man whose status was on par with the King of the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave? But after his conversation with Uncle Chang, combined with the tense atmosphere he had just witnessed in the Underground Boxing Market, Shen Haoran had put the pieces together. The Underground Boxing Market appeared to be preparing for war, and the only entities that could make them so anxious were the King of the City of Sin and the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave!

At this moment, Luo Yu’s face was a mask of utter shock. It wasn’t because Shen Haoran was wrong, but because he was completely right. Shen Haoran had accurately deduced the predicament the Underground Boxing Market was facing, and even the fact that Luo Yu was secretly recruiting forces to counter the Ten Thousand Snakes Cave. Luo Yu was certain this information hadn’t been leaked, which meant Shen Haoran had figured it all out through sheer deduction. ’This young man is terrifying!’

"Alright... let’s talk again," Luo Yu said after a long moment of shock. His imposing aura deflated, and he gave a bitter laugh, his gaze toward Shen Haoran now filled with helplessness...