Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Useless Little Cai Long

Cai Long threw a Jab wrapped in a piercing chill, landing a precise blow on Monk’s abdomen. Even with taut muscles and True Qi protecting his body, Monk still let out a muffled grunt, his body hunching forward slightly.

He abruptly spun half-way around, as if reeling in pain and attempting to retreat.

"That’s not right!" Fang Chen’s gaze sharpened from the spectator area. "Logically, he should either brace for a counterattack or use the momentum to create distance and regroup. Even if he wanted to retreat, why would he turn around and completely expose his back? Is he baiting a trap?"

Just as these thoughts raced through his mind, the situation in the ring drastically changed!

Monk, who had appeared to be turning away in a panic, viciously whipped his neck around!

Infused with True Qi, the braid at the back of his head instantly snapped straight. With a sharp SWISH, it blurred into a streak of black light, sweeping directly toward the face of the pursuing Cai Long!

As the tip of the braid tore through the air, it actually emitted a faint, metallic hum!

Cai Long clearly sensed the danger, but his forward momentum was already locked in, and the braid’s angle of attack was incredibly tricky and vicious. His pupils contracted sharply. In the nick of time, he only managed to raise his left arm to shield the side of his head.

SMACK!

A crisp sound, underscored by a heavy, metallic crunch, exploded through the arena!

The braid viciously lashed against the guard on Cai Long’s left forearm, ringing out like clashing steel! The massive impact sent violent tremors up Cai Long’s entire arm. A searing, stinging pain and sudden numbness erupted through the flesh beneath the guard, his very bones seeming to buzz from the shock.

He couldn’t help but cry out in pain, his balance completely shattered by the sudden, heavy blow.

And this was exactly the opportunity Monk had been waiting for!

Using the torque from whipping his braid, he twisted his body back around. His right leg swept out like a fully charged battle-axe, delivering a brutally heavy sidekick that slammed squarely into Cai Long’s wide-open torso!

THUD!!!

The heavy, muffled impact made everyone’s hearts skip a beat.

Cai Long was sent flying off his feet, crashing heavily into the iron cage behind him with a deafening CLANG that sent violent shudders through the chain-link mesh. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth, and his face drained of color. Excruciating pain radiated from his sternum. His Aura scattered, leaving him completely powerless to continue the fight.

A vicious light flashed in Monk’s eyes. Without pausing, he closed the distance with massive strides, raising a fist the size of a sandbag high into the air, ready to smash it down onto the paralyzed Cai Long’s head!

"I yield!" Cai Long screamed, using the very last ounce of his strength.

DING!

The referee intervened just in time, ringing the bell to end the match.

The next moment, the arena erupted into absolute chaos.

"What?!"

"Little Cai Long lost?!"

"Damn it! You useless piece of trash, Little Cai Long! I bet my entire month’s salary on you!"

"Didn’t they say he broke through after his trip to Cyan Yang City? Huh?!"

"What a complete waste! Anyone could see there was something weird about that braid! How did he fall for it?!"

"Refund! Give me a refund!"

The crowd that had bet on Cai Long was completely enraged, showering the arena with curses and boos. A few even spat down at Cai Long as the staff helped him out of the cage. Meanwhile, the punters who had backed Monk erupted into fanatical cheers, celebrating their unexpected victory and massive windfall.

Monk raised both arms high, basking in the roaring adulation reserved for the victor.

Fang Chen withdrew his gaze, his brows furrowed slightly. "Something isn’t right..." he thought, his suspicions lingering.

He had watched several of Monk’s match recordings. In terms of sheer defense, the man was undeniably formidable—easily on par with Sea Dog from before. But since Cai Long had managed to crack Sea Dog’s defenses, there was no reason he should have struggled to break through Monk’s, let alone fall for such an obvious trap at the end.

Before fighting Sea Dog, Cai Long had specifically asked him for advice on how to handle the fight. He clearly wasn’t a reckless person. Could the confidence from his recent breakthrough really have made him so arrogant and careless?

As he pondered, the distinct feeling of being watched crept up his spine. Fang Chen instantly snapped back to reality and turned around. A staff member wearing a Geta Club uniform was walking toward him.

"Hello, Mr. Feng. It’s been a while," the staff member said, bowing slightly in a polite greeting. "President Zhao would like to see you."

"President Zhao?" Fang Chen raised an eyebrow. "But what about my match...?"

"Please rest assured," the staff member replied, his smile unwavering. "There are still two matches before yours, and since you’re in one of tonight’s main events, there is plenty of time left for the undercard and scheduled routines. President Zhao said it’ll just be a quick chat—ten minutes at most. It absolutely won’t interfere with your preparations."

Fang Chen considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Lead the way."

For Zhao Tianxiong to suddenly summon him now... it definitely wasn’t just for a pre-match pep talk. Even if the boss had some new arrangement in mind, it could have easily waited until after tonight’s fights.

He followed the staff member through the internal corridors, his mind racing.

"Could it be..." Fang Chen’s gaze darkened slightly. "He wants to dictate how my next match plays out? No... is he fixing the fight?"

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

That had to be it. Because of the martial arts exam, both his and Cai Long’s recent fight records at the Geta Club were completely blank. Combining that with the exam that had just captivated the entire city, anyone with half a brain could look at their ages and strength and figure out where they had been. It wouldn’t even be hard to verify—a quick trip to their schools or asking around would confirm it.

"It seems Zhao Tianxiong already knows we were admitted to the Cyan Yang Martial Arts Academy," he thought, his gaze turning icy. "He knows we’re leaving Jinchuan City soon, which means our value as long-term investments has instantly tanked. So, he plans to squeeze one last drop of value out of us. He wants to use our defeats as stepping stones to hype up Monk and Hong—fighters the club actually plans to invest in!"

"Cai Long’s loss just now... it was a little too convenient. Was he called in for a meeting beforehand too? Did he agree to throw the match so Monk could step over him and rise through the ranks?"

With the puzzle pieces falling into place, Fang Chen sneered inwardly, and his pace involuntarily quickened.

Before long, he followed the staff member down to the basement level, stopping outside Zhao Tianxiong’s office.

The staff member knocked lightly on the door. Zhao Tianxiong’s steady voice rang out from within, "Come in."

Fang Chen stepped inside, sweeping his gaze across the room. The office was softly lit, with two people seated on the sofas.

In the seat of honor sat the owner of the club, Zhao Tianxiong. Next to him, lounging on a single-seat sofa, was a woman dressed in a red leather jacket, casually holding a leather whip.

It was none other than Fang Chen’s opponent for the next match, codenamed "Hong."

Hearing him enter, she raised her eyes. Her gaze locked directly onto Fang Chen, the corners of her lips curling into a knowing half-smile.

Zhao Tianxiong let out a hearty chuckle and pointed to an empty sofa. "You’re here, Feng Yuxiu. Have a seat."

Fang Chen offered a brief response and strode over to one of the empty single seats.

Halfway there, however, Fang Chen’s Spiritual Power flared. His Perception picked up something alarming—there were quite a few people hiding in the adjacent back room!

Eight people!

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