Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

Even in the afternoon, the atmosphere inside the building was still frenzied.

Men and women addicted to the violent secretion of hormones had no concept of time, though their silhouettes weren't as densely packed as in the evening.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The low-quality speakers blasted explosive waves of sound, and Bai E's body swayed gently with the rhythm.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, after all, one has to blend in with the crowd.

Stay connected with empire

Seeing that a familiar person had brought him, and considering the warrior before him was fit and imposing, the staff registering fighters instantly changed from slouching idly to sitting up straight and proper.

He had seen many such figures, and even if they might unfortunately die in some deathmatch later on, they were definitely the ones who could climb the ranks fastest here!

Thus, his gaze toward Bai E carried a noticeable reverence, "How may I address you?"

"White Ghost."

Bai E blurted out.

For some reason, this name surfaced in his mind first, like a shackle.

Without waiting for a response, Bai E directly pulled out ten notes of currency that looked like glassine paper and slapped them on the table, "A thousand, on myself."

Perhaps the average cyborg warrior had no money, but he was not average; there was no need to touch the 500 hard-earned dollars of Chavez, as the players had just handed him a thousand dollars.

Self-sufficient.

"Fine," said the staff member curtly, carefully taking the ten black paper bills worth 100 each, "Please go over there and rest for a bit. After this ongoing match and another one, it will be your turn."

"..."

Glancing at the figure heading toward the rest area with an imposing air, the staff member discreetly gestured to the waiting Black Goat, only asking in a hushed voice when he leaned closer, "What's the background of this guy? Never seen him before?"

"Over there..." Black Goat said with an air of mystery, tilting his chin in a certain direction.

The registrar instantly understood, "Turtle, turtle!"

One phrase instantly came to mind—Blood God!

He's from the same place as the Blood God!

Although there were quite a few who came to this arena from that place just for fun, this newcomer was entirely different from those taciturn and reserved soldiers; a single glance was all it took to see the stature of the Blood God.

They would have to arrange a sufficiently worthy opponent for him...

Sitting at the edge of the arena, Bai E spread his arms wide, majestically draping them over the backrests of the vacant seats on either side, his gaze fixed intently on the ongoing battle.

The fights in this place were about anything goes; there were no reservations about any dirty tricks one could think of—eye gouging, throat locking, groin kicking...

Do whatever you want, in any way that you can win.

Even if it wasn't a fight to the death, it was full of brutality meant to maim.

Victory was the only standard here.

Bai E's eyes sparkled, radiant with vitality.

He liked this feeling of being unrestrained, having suppressed himself for too long, it was always necessary to find an opportunity to vent.

Always cowering, always walking on eggshells in the barracks, it gets stifling after a while.

An opportunity to beat someone up without consequences, who wouldn't grasp it fiercely?

As for getting beaten to a pulp himself? First, the rules didn't allow killing, and someone would intervene in a dangerous moment; second, with the "resistance to death" trait, he wasn't afraid at all. As long as he could get back to the barracks, no injury was a concern.

Perhaps because of the constant wars with alien species in this era, medical technology was surprisingly advanced.

With the right equipment, even his level 2 first aid skills could snatch people back from the clutches of death, not to mention the professional medical department in the barracks.

He had almost been shattered by the Blood God before, and Rose had been battered by a mantis bug during the rookie trials, yet wasn't she bouncing around again within a day?

Watching the defeated contestant being dragged away bloody like a dead dog, and the winner raising his arms to embrace the audience's cheers.

Bai E felt...

Hardened!

His fists hardened!

The two matches didn't take long to finish, with staff members specially coming on stage to clean the bloodstains from the ring.

It was a perfunctory job, but it showed an attitude, often indicating that the next contestant to appear was rather extraordinary.

"Next match, by the all-destroying 'Tornado'..."

The host paused to let the audience's emotion ferment.

Only after the cheers erupted did he slowly read out the opponent's name.

"Facing off against our newcomer—Bai E!"

In an instant, confusion spread among the audience seats, "A newcomer?"

"A newcomer?"

"Tornado against a newcomer?"

"What's the deal with Bai E? Has the organizer lost their mind?"

Tornado himself was somewhat famous in this gladiatorial arena, his battles characterized by a storm-like barrage of combos that would devastate his opponents spectacularly, always highly praised by the audience.

Logically, such a well-known fighter should be matched with another high-level expert.

Yet unexpectedly, the opponent was merely a newcomer. Newcomers should have their own pool... so why appear in a match against Tornado?

The fact that the organizers had taken special care to clean the stage before the fight somewhat indicated the importance they placed on this match, a reverence reserved only for bouts featuring star fighters.

It was also a signal to the audience—prepare for the revelry!

The gladiator, wearing nothing but shorts, bounded into the vast arena from the tunnel, the unrestrained nature of the fight allowing ample room for tactical maneuvers.

He raised both hands, ready to receive the adoration and cheers of the fans, only to find the arena unusually silent, the sporadic mewling of a few kittens making it seem even quieter.

What had happened?

From the dimly lit corridor opposite, a figure gradually emerged from the shadows of the concrete floor, its outline becoming slowly clearer amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

Blood-red leather pants with jagged, wide-edged cuts, and two metallic chains hanging as ornaments on the legs, the black leather jacket was slightly tight, revealing a large expanse of muscle with the lithe grace of a leopard. Even the parts covered by the jacket outlined an indescribable power in the bulging muscles.

The mask on his face reflected a metallic sheen, planting a seed of mystery in the hearts of all the viewers.

"Ah~"

"So cool..."

A woman, craving madness, crossed her legs tightly, her eyes a haze of infatuation.

The men were nearly obsessed with that dream of a perfect body, not the exaggerated bulging muscles nor the frailness of a bamboo stalk that seemed like it could be blown over by a gust of wind.

Since when could Black Street produce such perfect forms? The unattainable is always the most desirable.

"Is it really worth giving him such fanfare?" the person in charge of the afternoon session, stroking his stubbled chin, asked, somewhat puzzled as he watched the figure emerge from the corridor on the monitor screen.

Every promotional effort had to whip up a sufficient frenzy of excitement; otherwise, it could be a blow to the reputation of the organizers.

The scruffy registrar cowered to one side, his tone feverish, "Boss, does this guy look like a rookie to you?"

His entrance was full of presence, impressively imposing.

This couldn't be anything but an expert's facade... it just couldn't be.

"Let's hope..."

The speaking manager glanced at another scene on the monitor screen... There sat a large figure quietly in a chair, eyes closed in wait.

When a star player steps onto the field, there needs to be matching hype.

Using a trivial preliminary to build up the atmosphere was a good choice.

The main event was still to come; this appetizer before it... hopefully would also reach a certain level.

...

Hearing those heavy breaths thick with desire, Bai E's eyes narrowed slightly.

The spectators' eyes were indeed keen; the clothes prepared for him totally matched their tastes...

But whether it was the players' own perverse aesthetic preferences or to cater to the tastes of Black Street's commoners was anybody's guess.

However, none of that mattered.

He was there to fight.

The muscular man opposite already had a visible fervor of murderous intent in his eyes.

Tornado could tolerate defeat, but not the theft of his glory by someone else.

Even in failure, he must be the most dazzling one!

Bai E's lips lightly curled, and he brought his index and middle finger together, tauntingly gesturing towards the other side—

"Come on."