Chapter 47: Provocation

After several hours at sea, the ship finally reached the island. The scenery here was beautiful, known to all as the Nansha Islands. The vessel docked at a port on one of the islands. Once ashore, Du Bin and his companions were led by an official guide to a nearby hotel. To their surprise, Qin Ling was already waiting for them. She threw her arms around Ye Tang in an excited embrace. In Du Bin’s eyes, these two had never seen eye to eye, yet now they seemed to have become close friends. This made him question the very nature of reality.

Through Qin Ling’s introduction, Du Bin learned that their sponsor was her fiancé, Zeng Yilong. This news immediately triggered someone’s occupational instincts. Entering the hotel, they noticed many foreigners gathered in small groups, chatting animatedly.

Most people who glanced their way wore mocking expressions, whispering among themselves. The atmosphere made Du Bin distinctly uncomfortable.

“Rich people really do as they please,” muttered Hu Guozheng, clearly disgruntled.

A lobby manager soon greeted them, confirmed their identities, and led the group to a designated suite. Only then did Hu Guozheng, at last, sprawl contentedly on a sofa.

“These are the event materials for the tournament. If you need anything, feel free to ask me at any time.”

Du Bin took the tablet and sat beside Qin Ling, carefully reading the information. He frowned in confusion. “We’re scheduled for a qualifying match tomorrow. There are a total of thirty-two teams, and we’re Team One. Our match is at nine o’clock; our opponents are the Yamato Team.”

“It’s almost morning already,” Qin Ling said, sipping her milk tea and scrolling through her phone.

“So, thirty-two teams—that means tomorrow we’re competing for a spot in the top sixteen,” she mused.

Du Bin, having finished reading the details, accidentally glimpsed the betting odds. Curious, he clicked through and was shocked by what he saw. “Well, well, these rich folks are gambling here. If you bet on us to win, the odds are ten to one, but for Yamato it’s only three to one.”

“What the hell, we risk our lives while they rake in huge profits,” Hu Guozheng grumbled, gnawing on bread he’d pulled from his backpack.

“If no one bets on us, why not bet on ourselves?” Du Bin suddenly suggested. Hu Guozheng raised his foot in agreement. Sharing the same idea, they eagerly searched for the betting link. “Not a bad idea,” he said.

They found the link and clicked through to the official betting site, both men animated with anticipation. Unfortunately, when they tried to place a bet, a window popped up: Non-members not allowed. Their enthusiasm instantly deflated.

“Damn, you need a membership card to bet, so we’re out of luck.”

“Wait, look—Dragon Group,” Hu Guozheng exclaimed, spotting a particularly prominent team on the leaderboard. He clicked to see more.

In contrast, the information on the Hunting Team members was quite ordinary. Though their profiles were padded with embellishments, in reality, they were ranked dead last among the thirty-two teams.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. Du Bin went to open it and found a man in black standing there, wearing a hat. Puzzled, Du Bin asked, “Excuse me, can I help—?”

Before he could finish, the man abruptly kicked him. By the time Du Bin realized what was happening, he was already on the floor. The group instantly tensed, alert to danger.

“Du Bin, are you alright?” Ye Tang hurried to his side to help him up. The man in black ignored them, sauntering inside and surveying the room with a cold gaze.

“So, you’re the members of the Hunting Team? Just two useless men and the rest are either old women or pretty faces. What a motley crew.”

“You son of a—big talk for a small fry,” Hu Guozheng sprang off the sofa, ready to draw his Azure Dragon Blade, but Ye Lan stopped him with a sharp command.

“My name is Yamato Noki, captain of the Yamato Team. It seems we’re destined to be the ones advancing to the top sixteen. You’re nothing but fodder for us to showcase our strength. Tomorrow, you’ll be as shattered as this table.”

With those words, he slammed his palm onto the table, shattering it instantly. Yamato gave them the finger and left, his mocking laughter lingering behind. The provocation left Hu Guozheng flushed with rage.

Ye Tang only smiled in response to such blatant provocation, but beneath her smile lurked a murderous intent, a detail not lost on Ye Lan.

Returning to his own suite, Yamato ignored his teammates and lay on his bed, deep in thought. “With such humiliation, they should be furious, yet they remained calm. Are they really just ordinary people? Any team that makes it to the top thirty-two can’t be that weak. Looks like I’ll have to finish things quickly tomorrow.”

Fireworks burst one after another in the open grounds, dazzling colors swirling in the sky like a dream. Du Bin and his group, guided by staff, waited in the lounge while the crowd poured into the stadium, soon filling it to capacity.

Nearly ten thousand voices thundered through the arena. The stadium itself was a repurposed football field, with a massive marble square platform at its center. Dozens of spotlights illuminated the entire space, and eight pillars had been erected around the ring, reportedly as a protective measure to shield the audience from the contestants’ extraordinary abilities. The energy was powered by electricity, and all safety mechanisms were operated automatically from a central computer.

A crisp bell sounded throughout the stadium, sending waves of excitement through the crowd. Du Bin gazed out the window at the frenzied wealthy spectators; it was not victory or defeat that thrilled them, but the prospect of death.

Instantly, the roar diminished. A man in evening dress, holding a microphone, stepped onto the stage under the eyes of thousands. With a grave expression, he cleared his throat and began, “Today is the annual—”

For half an hour, he delivered his opening remarks. Once the ceremonies concluded, the contest officially began. “Victory is decided by a ten-count knockout or being thrown from the ring. All attack methods are permitted. Battles may be fought one-on-one in rotation, with the side achieving the most wins declared the victor. In disadvantageous situations, teams may opt for a four-on-four group battle.”

Two teams emerged from backstage, igniting a frenzy of cheers throughout the arena. Hu Guozheng hammed up the crowd, waving his arms, earning a chorus of boos wherever he went.

“Damn, not a soul’s betting on us to win. Just a pack of gamblers waiting to see us get beaten to death,” he muttered.

A sultry female referee took the stage, microphone in hand. “Hello, everyone. I’m Xiaoxue, this tournament’s official referee. In the audience, we also have our expert commentator, Professor Wan Jin. Now, will the team captains please come forward to discuss the battle format.”

Naturally, the Yamato Team was represented by their captain, Yamato Noki. As for the Hunting Team, their leader, Ye Tang, preferred to keep a low profile. She was about to delegate to Du Bin when Hu Guozheng interjected, “Old Du, I can’t stand that guy. Leave this small matter to me.”

“Alright,” Du Bin agreed, recognizing Hu Guozheng’s desire for a bit of limelight.

Hu Guozheng stepped into the ring, and after a round of steely glares, Yamato sneered, “Fierce eyes, but let’s see if you can maintain that bravado during the fight.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m more than capable—might just slap you against the wall in a second,” Hu Guozheng shot back, giving a thumbs-down. Both men burst out laughing.

Du Bin could only sigh helplessly, “What an idiot.”

“Fighting is only fun one-on-one. Anything else is dull,” Yamato said with a mischievous grin, as if it were all just a game.

“You’re right. I agree, single combat is best,” Hu Guozheng replied.

Xiaoxue, understanding their intent, announced to the crowd, “Both sides have agreed to decide the match through one-on-one duels.”