Chapter Five: Kowloon City Arena
1682 Words
Starting with the Guhuoniao
As the speaker entered the arena, the crowd on both sides parted like water.
It was a young man, probably in his early twenties, wearing a leather jacket, tall and slender, with a somewhat baby face, handsome enough to be a student.
Hua Shan Jiu leaned back in his seat and said casually, "Red Ghost, you scared me! What? Old Ghost Wu has broken ties with us? Even the people from the Wo Luen Shing are being driven away from watching boxing matches in Kowloon City like this?"
The young man called Red Ghost walked over to Hua Shan Jiu, sat down next to him, lit a cigarette, and said indistinctly, "The feud between Wo Luen Shing and Mr. Wu has nothing to do with us boxers who make a living in the ring. We're all under the same roof. But you're treating my ring like a playground, coming and going as you please. Isn't that breaking our rules? Does that mean anyone who comes to watch the boxing matches can just walk onto the stage? How are we supposed to collect bets and place bets then? Don't you think so?"
Hua Shan Jiu chuckled. He pointed to Li Yan on the boxing ring.
"I'll be frank. My son, Xiao Zhou, has been wanting to spar with a Baguazhang master for a long time, as you've probably heard. It's not that I, Hua Shan Jiu, am causing trouble, but I'm afraid that once we leave here, your people won't even see me. After all, Wu Laogui and Tai Sui work together in the Longcheng Committee; we'll run into each other all the time. I understand you don't want to get involved with me. Let's be clear, I don't want to break Longcheng's rules. I just want my man to fight your fighter. If you won't even agree to this, then let's make our intentions clear."
Hong Gui crossed his arms and slowly shook his head.
"Rules are rules. I can't control other things, but today, your man stepping onto the stage is causing trouble in Longcheng."
Hua Shan Jiu laughed angrily: "Fine, then there's nothing to talk about..."
"Brother Jiu!" Xiao Zhou jumped off the ring, calling out to Hua Shan Jiu. He then spoke to Hong Gui.
"You just said I joined Dragon City Stableman. Does that mean that as long as I follow the rules and fight in the boxing ring, I can fight him?"
Red Ghost lowered his eyelids.
"Then you'll have to start from the first ring. If the committee deems your records similar, and someone's willing to place a big bet, of course, there's no problem."
"Okay, then I'll start from the beginning in the Dragon City ring."
Red Ghost nodded, his indifferent face turning to Flower Shirt Nine.
"What did Ninth Brother say?"
Flower Shirt Nine's face was frightening; he didn't speak.
Little Zhou walked to Flower Shirt Nine's side and stammered, "Ninth Brother."
Flower Shirt Nine glanced at him sideways: "What kind of boss doesn't care about their own horse?"
Little Zhou smiled a little embarrassedly.
"Ninth Brother, I can handle this myself."
Flower Shirt Nine muttered something, probably cursing.
"Let's go."
Hua Shan Jiu stood up from his seat, and with a whoosh, he walked out towards the forty or fifty people who had also stood up. A few thugs gave the composed Red Ghost a few defiant glances before leaving, but Red Ghost pretended not to see them.
Before leaving, Xiao Zhou approached Li Yan.
"Master Li, there aren't many traditional martial arts fighters on the Kowloon Walled City boxing ring. It wasn't satisfying today. Once I've established myself on the Kowloon Walled City boxing ring, we'll have a proper fight."
Li Yan nodded and said,
"Hey, Master Zhou, is the fifty thousand dollars your Ninth Brother mentioned still valid?"
Xiao Zhou hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a strange expression.
"Calculate..."
...
"You have gained five Yama Points. You have activated additional purchase permissions (0/1) during this Yama event."
"Your purchase limit is as follows:
1. A Glimpse of Beauty
Category: Skill Scroll
Quality: Common
Allows you to obtain others' personal information, with a certain chance to discover their weaknesses.
You can use this skill directly, consuming one Yama Point each time you obtain information. You can also choose to spend ten Yama Points to purchase this skill. After purchase, you can use this skill freely.
2. ES Cell Enhancer
Category: Consumable
Quality: Good
Origin: Big Ben Research Institute
It has a strong therapeutic effect on the mechanism of damage caused by cell mutations. It can also enhance the user's vitality. Ordinary users have a very small chance of learning the skill: Activation.
Baku's message: Although it can't cure your illness, it won't force you to fight with an injured body.
You can obtain it by spending ten Yama Points.
3. ES Cell Repair Agent
Category: Consumable
Quality: Rare! ... Cellular mutations possess extremely powerful healing effects and can also enhance the user's vitality. Those with normal bodily functions will learn the skill: Activation after consuming it.
You can obtain it for 300 Yama Points.
Please note that the additional purchase license granted to you by the Baku can be activated once per Yama Event. After three Yama Events, the gift will disappear.
Baku's comment: Newbie, I think I've been very generous.
After reading this information, Li Yan suddenly had a moment of clarity.
ES Cellular Completion Agent!
This is the... The fat man promised something that could cure his illness.
And what he needed to do was obtain enough Yanfu Points!
Only now did Li Yan seriously consider how to secure ownership. After all, this determined how Li Yan acquired money, and after all, there were too many ways to make quick money in this world.
Li Yan sat in a corner, pretending to be lost in thought, calculating in his mind. A figure walked up to him, looking down at him.
It was Red Ghost.
"You, Li Yan, right? How long have you been in Hong Kong?"
Li Yan looked up, feigning indifference.
"Just recently."
The young man being called Red Ghost squatted down.
"From now on, you'll follow me, boxing under me. I won't mistreat you in terms of money or your strength, understand?"
Li Yan nodded coldly.
Red Ghost smiled.
"Come with me."
With that, he turned and walked upstairs. Li Yan stood up without a word, secretly sizing up the kind-looking young man before him, known as Red Ghost.
Even Li Yan himself didn't notice that after staring at Red Ghost for a short while, a dark ripple appeared in his pupils!
"You have obtained some information. Viewing it will cost one Yanfu Point. View?"
Li Yan considered for a moment, but ultimately chose not to view Red Ghost's information, and simply followed him up the stairs.
The two walked one after the other to the rooftop. A jumble of antennas stood on the concrete roof, making it difficult to find a place to step.
As far as the eye could see, there were buildings crammed together, crookedly constructed, simple, dilapidated, and crowded. But they were also bustling, magnificent, and full of vibrant life.
"Kowloon Walled City, people say it's terrifying, but it's actually not bad here. Sometime I'll take you to eat dog hotpot. I guarantee you'll swallow your tongue," Red Ghost said.
"Longcheng is a notorious enclave, nobody cares. Every year, countless wanted criminals from Malaysia, Macau, and Taiwan flee here with nowhere else to go. They either become henchmen for triads, or most end up in Kowloon City's boxing ring, like you."
He paused, then continued:
"The 'white ladies' of Hong Kong's Kowloon Walled City come from here. Half the population has been involved in drugs, arms dealing, smuggling, human trafficking, casinos, brothels, orgies, and gangs like the Wo Shing, 14K, and Hung Yee On."
He pointed a finger.
"But in Longcheng, the committee doesn't allow it. Nobody dares to cause trouble. If the committee says something, not a single triad dares to disagree. Here, even the Governor of Hong Kong isn't as powerful as the committee, you understand?"
Red Ghost didn't expect Li Yan to answer, continuing on his own.
"You fight in Lung Shing because you're working for Tai Sui. Tai Sui is the executive member of the Lung Shing Executive Committee. He's the behind-the-scenes boss of all the boxing ring businesses in Lung Shing, big and small. I heard about you from Bo. You were unusually fierce today, taking down Chatchai in just two moves? Even Bo said he misjudged you."
"When I first came to Hong Kong, I had trouble adjusting to the environment and fell seriously ill. I'm only just getting better."
Red Ghost nodded noncommittally. Without pressing further, he lit a cigarette and said,
"Tai Sui admires young men with sharp punches. You have potential."
Li Yan stared at the dilapidated buildings in front of him, seemingly casually asking,
"Brother Red Ghost, I heard I fought in the fourth ring. How much do the higher rings pay?"
Red Ghost sneered.
"The fourth arena is small; usually only factory workers and workshop owners from Longcheng come to watch after work. You get five thousand dollars for a win, and a thousand for a loss. The first five arenas are open every day; as long as someone sells you a fight, you can earn money. The sixth arena isn't open every day; there aren't many fighters, so it's about three or four times a week. A fighter can get thirty thousand dollars for a win and five thousand for a loss. There are many variations; if you're willing to pay more, you can fight in a cage, fight soldiers—anything goes. You can earn hundreds of thousands in one night. However, people often die."
Red Ghost spoke casually, but Li Yan could imagine two people wielding sharp blades, risking their lives on the arena, blood everywhere, while the spectators roared even more frantically…
Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Li Yan's eyes.
- Writer
