Chapter 85: What, No Taste?

If Yin Zhi’s appearance on stage was a farce, then Li Jiu’s was a complete joke.

Before Chi Heng could even get near him, the handsome youth turned away in fear, squeezed his eyes shut, and clung desperately to the iron bars...

The terror on his face was unmistakable.

"How about you..."

Before Chi Heng could finish, Li Jiu’s body suddenly trembled violently.

The next second, the slender youth vanished with a POP, leaving only a small bird hovering in mid-air.

The crowd watched, wide-eyed, as the little bird slipped between the bars of the cage, flew straight into a girl’s embrace, and trembled, refusing to come out no matter what.

The crowd: "..."

What the hell was that?!

Did he just forfeit?

The men and women clutching betting chips turned pale and began stopping the nearby guides.

How could the Beast Fighting Arena have a match won without a fight...

And... two of them in a row!!

Even if that kid on the stage looks powerful, that doesn’t mean he can just cheat so blatantly!

Are there any normal Beastmen left in this thing?

The crowd instantly erupted, their shouts mixed with curses.

"Don’t overdo it..." Wen Qian rubbed her temples, warning Ling Xuan before she went on stage.

The Beast Fighting Arena’s management weren’t pushovers; they wouldn’t let them get away with this forever.

Ling Xuan nodded. "Got it."

To avoid causing too big of a scene and attracting unnecessary trouble, Ling Xuan deliberately put up a bit of a struggle with Chi Heng when she got on stage, making her defeat look less effortless.

Soon, it was Gu Mian’s turn to enter the arena.

Gu Mian’s identity was special, so he deliberately wore a mask to conceal it when he went on stage.

Seeing him in a suit, with the air of a frail scholar, the crowd couldn’t help but sweat for him.

But when they learned he was from the Snake Clan, they all got excited again.

The Snake Clan was a rare sight on Blue Star. They were cautious, rarely showed their faces, and were a very mysterious existence.

It was said that the saliva and blood of the Snake Clan contained a neurotoxin, and people wondered if they would get to see it in this match.

But soon, the crowd was greatly disappointed.

Although the man appeared to be locked in a struggle with Chi Heng, three full rounds went by without either of them landing a single touch.

Just as the audience was growing impatient, Chi Heng’s fist finally struck the man’s abdomen.

At the same time, the man stumbled back several steps, his eyes downcast as his back pressed against the railings, looking as if he’d been completely stunned.

After a long moment, he stood up straight, lowered his hand slightly toward the people outside the iron bars, and made a phantom gesture of tipping his hat... while bowing his body forward.

"I concede." The man’s voice was calm, and the silver mask covering half his face couldn’t hide his handsome features.

The corner of his mouth curved up slightly as he walked down the steps one by one, leaving behind the impression of a perfect gentleman.

This time, it was mostly the men in the crowd who were dissatisfied.

So boring...

But the women were screaming repeatedly, and some even offered money to get all of Gu Mian’s information.

How could someone look so good, so... noble and elegant, even in defeat?

Meanwhile, a look of displeasure appeared in Yin Zhi’s eyes.

"Seriously? They have no taste," the youth muttered resentfully, resting his chin on Wen Qian’s shoulder.

’I’m so handsome... why didn’t these people act like this when I made my entrance?’

Although he didn’t care what others thought, the feeling of being suddenly outshone still annoyed him.

"It’s probably because you fell down too fast. They didn’t get a clear look..." Wen Qian comforted him.

Yin Zhi’s eyes widened in disbelief, feeling as if he had suffered another heavy blow.

’I only did it to save that kid’s stamina, so how could she say... I was too fast?’

’Doesn’t she know that no man wants to be described as "fast"...’

A wronged look flashed in his eyes. In the dim light, his amber pupils were filled with silent reproach.

...

The series of farcical matches in the Beast Fighting Arena forced the manager to come down and restore order.

He turned up the lights, held the microphone high, and quickly flipped through the roster in his hand. "Everyone, please calm down! Coming up next is the contestant you’ve all been waiting for... from the fierce and brutal Wolf Clan!"

’Those last few Beastmen who popped up from god-knows-where were clearly just here to cause trouble...’

’I’d wanted to find a few new faces to give the audience something fresh, but I never expected every single one of them to act like it was all a game!’

’Who the fuck apologizes before a fight!’

’Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!’

’Whatever, I’ll play it safe this time... Picking a familiar name can’t go wrong, right?’

With that thought, the manager’s voice grew even louder. "As everyone knows, the Wolf Clan represents killing intent and ferocity, wildness and brutality! Their aura inspires fear! They are a symbol of absolute power among Beastmen... So what kind of scene will unfold when two powerful members of the Wolf Clan face off?"

Wen Qian frowned. "Who’s he talking about?"

’Don’t tell me Chi Ye didn’t manage to register...’

’Wildness and brutality? Fear-inspiring? Who, Chi Ye?’

Yin Zhi: "I don’t know. Isn’t the Wolf Clan a symbol of being love-struck?"

Ling Xuan: "Absolute power in pure, innocent love, you mean?"

Gu Mian: "Incomprehensible."

Chi Ye: "..."

After that whole introduction, Chi Ye couldn’t help but blush. It was the first time he’d ever been described like that in the Beast Fighting Arena; usually, they just announced his name.

As the crowd’s gaze focused on him, Chi Ye immediately ripped off his shirt to reveal his muscular chest, and then, with great flair, made a heart shape with his hands over his chest for the audience.

Screams rose and fell, and the crowd grew even more frenzied than before.

Finally, a familiar face.

The crowd, who had once been looking forward to new faces, now suddenly felt the urge to cry... A familiar face was so much more reassuring.

This wasn’t Chi Ye’s first time in the Beast Fighting Arena. The Wolf Clan’s formidable physique and strength had always been highly regarded.

Besides, Chi Ye had indeed defeated many powerful Beastmen in the past, drawing a great deal of attention.

With both fighters being from the Wolf Clan, who would win?

Everyone was waiting with bated breath.

Puffing out his chest, the man swaggered onto the stage, gave a flashy smirk, and stretched his muscles. The crowd held its breath, waiting for his next move. But to everyone’s surprise, the moment Chi Ye opened his mouth, he sent a chill through half their hearts: "Good nephew, go easy on me, ’kay..."

What’s going on?

Good nephew?

Don’t tell me these two are related!

Where’s the promised ferocity and brutality?

Where’s the promised gaze as sharp as a sword...

Where’s the promised inviolable dignity and awe-inspiring terror?

A scam! This is a blatant Beast Fighting Arena scam!!

But before the crowd could even begin to curse, Chi Heng had already charged forward. They couldn’t even see his movements clearly before he tossed the highly anticipated Wolf Clan contestant aside...

Followed by an elbow strike.

The man was knocked out cold...

KO.

And just like that... it was over?

"Refund! Refund!!!" Curses erupted from the crowd.

One after another, people started throwing things they were holding, angrily accusing the Beast Fighting Arena of being fixed.

But Wen Qian and the others couldn’t care less about that. With only one match left, the matter would be resolved...