Chapter 219: Underground Deathmatch
Complete intelligence consultation, after getting addresses of several Recycled Oil factories from the boss, Yuan Zhu greeted his former ‘colleagues’ along the way and staggered out of the company’s two-story building.
Then he turned a corner and walked toward a small bar not far away that had five or six pool tables set up on the street side.
Unlike A Miao, who had seen the world in Taixi City and specially returned to her hometown in Running City to open a ‘nightclub bar’ on Cat Street. The style of local Running ‘bars’ was more like urban-rural fringe areas.
The former Yuan Zhu didn’t think there was any problem, but the current Yuan Zhu looked from afar and saw several ‘township spirit lads’ gathered two or three at a time by the pool tables, taking turns hitting the balls. He immediately recalled the eye-searing ‘Mohican hairstyle + wasteland kill-matt mob styling’ when he first met Lu Rang.
The development and aesthetic level of Running City was indeed at least 30 years behind Taixi! People in Taixi had entered the ‘idol era’, while his hometown was still at the level of urban-rural street food stalls.
He skillfully dodged several spirit lads, one of whom seemed to recognize Yuan Zhu’s identity. Even though he had eyeliner and a lip ring, he still politely and obediently lowered his head slightly in greeting, calling out: “Brother Yuan.”
This apparent leading big brother’s sudden submissive reaction led the more flamboyant spirit bros around him to actively cool down, all staring as Yuan Zhu walked into the small bar with its awning tarp.
Then they lowered their voices and whispered to each other.
Seeing this, Snake Snake said in surprise: “Boss, it seems this body of yours was no simple thing in the past. However, I didn’t find any traces of tattoos, lip rings, or nose rings on you. However, your right ear once had an earring, which has now been completely repaired under the Tiger Demon’s healing nourishment.”
Yuan Zhu reached up to touch his earlobe, smooth and fleshy, feeling nice: “Earring? I shouldn’t be a township ghost fire boy, right?”
“Based on the sorting of memory fragments from the predecessor: You briefly considered buying an element motorcycle to bomb the streets at age 15, but it was quickly overcome by the sense of responsibility to raise your younger brother. Ultimately, you put all your energy into the lifelong dream of seizing the Lamp Factory to become the factory director. As for why these little punks revere you, it’s because you fought amateur black fist here in this street district. You’re still somewhat famous in this area.”
Listening to Snake Snake’s introduction (assisted recall), a large amount of scattered and broken memories surged in the depths of Yuan Zhu’s brain, gradually merging into his ‘false’ life memories, further completing himself.
“Ha! I remember now. When I was young, I learned free Red Port Fist at a martial arts hall. During high school, I connected with the owner of this pool hall, signed a broker contract, and under his arrangement, first fought amateur-type matches.”
A large number of unimportant childhood memories quickly surfaced. White Port Fist was the most widely spread folk fighting technique on the New Continent West Coast, with a status similar to Earth hometown’s ‘Bajiquan, Hong Fist, Taichi’.
The so-called ‘White Port’ was an important island supply port on the vast sea when going from Geng Continent to New Continent. The island named White Island was very large, a key hub connecting the two continents, a mixed place hiding many black households, immigrants, criminals… and pirates.
During the great immigration period, a large number of Xi State remnants entrenched here, martial arts schools from all over collided and fused here. Ultimately forming a simple and efficient pirate fist specialized in killing, called White Port Fist, suitable for fighting on rocking decks.
Later on, White Port Fist spread rapidly on the West Coast, was secondarily optimized by folk experts, and modified in different directions. More brutal and cruel Black Port, Red Port suitable for ground street fights, Green Port evolved toward health preservation.
But it is said that every variant of White Port Fist from different systems also has more profound and mysterious ‘internal refining secret techniques’. And they can also match with different Supernatural Pollutions.
Not active fusion, but subduing, suppressing, and removing ‘internal pollution’, reducing deviation, striving toward the direction of ‘pure humans’. While resisting pollution erosion, also cultivating stronger power to contend with supernaturals?
In any case, the legends are very mysterious, but the current Yuan Zhu, who has touched the ‘truth of pollution’, still hasn’t seen a ‘strong one’ who is ‘pure human’ while contending with supernaturals.
As for folk non-supernatural system ‘martial arts’, how exactly they break human limits? Yuan Zhu isn’t very clear either.
In any case, his cultivation of Red Port Fist only forged a healthy physique. Continuing to cultivate wouldn’t make him stronger, only accumulating rich street fighting and fighting experience.
He fought black fist here at this ‘pool table + bar’ for about a year and a half, honing rich experience and acting skills, becoming more adept at self-protection, performing wonderful and beautiful ‘fixed matches’ without letting vitals get hurt, gradually building reputation and influence.
As wished, becoming a ‘combat power unit’ to measure other folk amateur fighters. Relying on a body of flashy yet non-damaging ‘pretty techniques’, sending one willing newcomer after another who privately stuffed him money onto the ‘promotion match arena’.
And those unwilling to give extra money, yet lacking strength. Were all hammered down by young Yuan Zhu’s pair of iron fists. If not for the sacrifice ritual causing soul transmigration, the predecessor probably would have continued.
Roughly from half a year ago, his reputation was established. His ‘peak fixed match’ career had entered a stable profit phase, 3-5 matches per month, steadily making money, and not hurting the body much.
As for fighting experience and physical fitness, all entered bottleneck period, or rather ‘peak period’. Without fortuitous encounters, he’d probably stop here for life, unable to improve even a bit.
Unless taking banned drugs, accepting mysterious ‘pollution modification’, or buying expensive Body Tempering Fluid, signing with some pharmaceutical company institutions, using resources to become ‘drug human test subjects’.
Looking back now, the ‘folk amateur fighting circle’ he contacted was long filled with traces of supernatural elements. But because of lifelong exposure, he didn’t feel anything wrong, instead going to Fire Fang to chase even higher-end secret ‘supernatural powers’.
Speaking of which, before entering Cicada City and meeting ‘Younger Brother’, Yuan Zhu always thought he had some talent and ability in the ‘fighting’ field.
Otherwise, he couldn’t have smoothly cleared Amateur Level Boxing Matches in just one year, without any serious injuries, already adeptly switching to ‘acting school fixed match fighter’, gaining unanimous audience recognition, becoming the ‘touchstone’ to test boxer strength.
Unfortunately, Younger Brother’s appearance cruelly shattered his ‘fighting dream’. Finally understanding his level was just ‘folk mortal fighter’ level. These Red Port Fist experiences also increasingly couldn’t keep up with Holy Light’s supernatural power improvement.
Instead, the ‘muscle memory’ mastered through massive practice gradually became erroneous force habits that needed to be overcome and corrected.
Snake Snake: “Holy Light needs to develop matching combat techniques, can consider purchasing from the Exchange List; Tiger Demon also needs to modify the former Demonic Monster Spiritual Root recorded hunting memories, ‘demonic energy’ and Shadow Pollution are two different things.”
Yuan Zhu: “Do you think I need to collect the advanced secret techniques matching Red Port Fist? Suddenly feel this legend isn’t fake. Don’t know if the ‘pure human’ ancient martial route has prospects?”
Snake Snake shook head in denial: “Not recommended. You fundamentally have no possibility of walking the ‘pure blood human route’. Besides, I don’t think pure humans have any prospects? Otherwise, this world wouldn’t have ‘deities rampant, pollution rampant’, never heard of ‘pure blood strong ones’.”
Yuan Zhu: “Next time I see Captain or Zhou Chu, remember to remind me to ask.”
……
In the efficient intracranial exchange, Yuan Zhu had already arrived at the flat-roofed interior of the pool hall. Hanging from the roof were ‘alchemy element lamps’ produced by the Lamp Factory where he once worked, emitting bright light, illuminating the interior brightly.
He walked to a wooden counter like a ‘goods cabinet + bar’, raised his hand to knock on the glass surface, startling the shop owner who was closing his eyes listening to a Miniature Broadcast. Also his former ‘broker’? All his matches were selected and arranged by the other, taking 20% commission per match.
Bang bang bang!
The man with a beard suddenly opened his eyes, staring at him in surprise: “Yuan kid? Long time no see! You’ve been gone nearly two months, what happened? My business here has worsened without you, many old audience don’t buy it, costing me a lot of money. How have you been this time? I see your essence, qi, spirit greatly changed, short on money to spend, here to have me arrange some matches?”
Once, Yuan Zhu had some wariness and reverence toward this boss. Not fearing his power, but vigilant of his methods, power, and influence.
But meeting again now, those past ‘false memories’ couldn’t affect his mentality and judgment, plus with surging strength, Yuan Zhu faced him with level or even overlooking attitude.
He shook his head: “This time, not fighting fists. But to respond to your former ‘cooperation invitation’.”
The bar boss showed a puzzled expression, thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up, spirit invigorated. Joyfully said: “You mean, decided to quit your job to work here, formally join the Fighting Club I’m building? You’ve finally come around, kid!”
Yuan Zhu shook head: “Not that. I want to change to another cooperation mode, I be your partner. You introduce and lead for me, I also want to sign some potential newcomers, act as broker, personally train and cultivate a batch of fighters.”
Beard tilted his head, making an incredulous sound: “Huh?”
Yuan Zhu continued on his own: “I plan to divide the ‘fighters’ in hand into two groups, select those mediocre in strength but quick-witted, we’ll together build a new underground boxing match brand, to throw matches! No, accurately speaking Performance matches, the kind you once wanted to pull me into. As for the stronger fighters, you help arrange them into ‘underground fighting circle’, to fight real Death Matches!”
The bar boss sat up straight, raised hand to turn off the radio, seriously said: “How did you get this idea? You know, Death Matches aren’t something you can casually qualify for.”
Yuan Zhu nodded: “I understand, the threshold is ‘supernaturals’ right? Contestants with deviation at least ≥40% qualify for preliminaries. And the organizers not only require Deviation, but also ensure contestant mental state stable, enough rational communication. Plus, master at least three fighting techniques, fighting moves pretty, with spectacle… Cultivating such a fighter is costly, and death, severe injury, disability risks extremely high… Very easy to lose money.”
The bar boss showed satisfaction, confirming this Yuan Zhu didn’t decide on a whim: “Looks like you get it. Even I don’t want to get involved in that circle (underground death matches). I once spent money to hire a supernatural willing to fight Death Matches, and supported him, providing cultivation resources and daily enjoyment. Result, not only did he demand exorbitantly, blackmailing me for constant tribute, but also dragged feet on matches, even deliberately lost. Ultimately a series of operations angered the organizers, who directly sent people to kill him, costing me a total loss.”
“Damn it! Now I get it too, I just want to make money. So earn hard money within ability, though little, at least safe. Whereas Underground Death Matches, whether hiring fighters with money or cultivating yourself, costs are sky-high, easy to lose control and backfire, or directly get killed, investment totally down the drain.”
Saying this, boss looked depressed, suggested: “Young man don’t always think shortcuts, cultivating ordinary fighters is also consuming. Why not first work for me, accumulate enough experience, when the model matures later, I’ll let you go solo, and provide more resources and connections.”
Yuan Zhu sneered disdainfully in his heart, wait till I build everything for you, model runs mature, you directly kill me off, even save this base salary, wouldn’t that be better?
So he raised one finger, said: “See what this is?”
“What? —Hiss, so painful!”
The bar boss looked at his fingertip, instantly bursting with Holy Light at mobile phone lighting mode intensity, dazzling the other’s eyes painfully, causing brief blindness and light spots.
Feeling that ineffable yet soul-penetrating ‘warmth’ and ‘shudder (destruction and purification)’, he blurted out: “Holy Light?! You kid mastered Holy Light? No, you became a ability user, Holy Cultivator?!”
“Right! Now, do I have the qualification to cooperate with you?” Yuan Zhu asked.
Boss narrowed his eyes, signaled Yuan Zhu to turn off the glaring Holy Light, then pondered: “You becoming ability user changes your status greatly, qualified to stand equal with me. However, this Holy Light isn’t suitable for cultivating fighters. You want to sign newcomers, still need more ‘resources’ for cultivation. Besides, what identity are you cooperating with me as now? Any other background behind you?”
Yuan Zhu: “No one behind me, just representing myself. Cooperating with you is sincere, I also have a batch of resources in hand, so want to try cultivating some ‘death match fighters’. Even if cultivation fails, can rent to you, we cooperate to hold a ‘performance (throw match) match brand’, like those theaters, song and dance performances, set scripts, regular ticket sales, perform shows.”
Shop boss looked at confident Yuan Zhu, ideas somewhat shaken: “What kind of people do you want to sign?”
Yuan Zhu grinned: “Naturally the ‘big guys’ that once appeared in ‘warehouse (underground arena)’. You must have stock right? I once saw you secretly selling these to other ‘underground arenas’. Only by buying your goods, qualify to sign up for Death Matches right?”
Boss suddenly laughed: “You kid have sharp eyes, I specially hid it… 1 for 20,000 yuan, no guarantee on condition. Better condition, higher price, accept? 5, you buy five, I’ll introduce you. Rest depends on your own luck, how?”
Yuan Zhu quickly calculated, mere 100,000 threshold fee, not only buys entry opportunity, but comes with five freebies, not expensive. So he nodded: “Fine, but I want inspection.”
Boss pushed back his chair, stood from backstage, then grabbed a hat from the hook behind, put it on his somewhat balding head: “Then follow me.”
