Chapter 75. The King of Duel Gambling 2

The arena where the duels take place is sunken below ground level.

The fighters are down below.

The gamblers who bet money and watch are up above.

In other words, those who engage in duel gambling fight in the sunken area.

I don't know when the arena became like this.

However, dividing it into upper and lower sections has a clear meaning.

First, if the fighters try to run away, they are in an easy position to be attacked by the gamblers. This means they are forced to fight in a disadvantageous position. Even gamblers who don't know martial arts throw stones or daggers, meaning, "I bet on you, so why are you running away?"

This applies to cockfights and dogfights as well.

The higher the stakes, the higher the spectators are compared to the fighters.

Second, to make it easier to detect cheating, the spectators sit in higher places. In duels, which are purely about physical strength, the use of poison is prohibited. Winning through human strength is what duels are about, and winning through poison is considered a foul.

Third, the architectural structure shows that the gamblers who bet money are above the fighters, even if it's not actually the case.

Fourth, those up above have various tricks to maintain their power and guide the outcome as they wish.

Duel gambling not only involves primitive fighting but, on a larger scale, also includes the political struggles of powerful gamblers.

This is what I know.

So, Dongfang Lian, who is undefeated, became the King of Duel Gambling through his own martial prowess, but he maintains his position because he has the secret organization of wealthy gamblers on his side.

It's hard to explain in words, but...

Anyway, as you fight, you gradually realize these corruptions. And if you realize these corruptions but don't belong to the privileged class, you are bound to meet your end.

That's why this place is a duel arena.

Because it's a place where humans fight each other.

I went to the gamblers' area and placed a silk bag containing more than ten thousand taels of silver.

A duel was already in progress below.

Even if I threw ten thousand taels down there right now, Dongfang Lian wouldn't come out immediately. I need to meet the gamblers here and get their permission, and it takes time to organize the event.

In other words, I need to fight a preliminary match for the gamblers to gauge my potential.

Fighting Dongfang Lian for ten thousand taels is my part, but the gamblers will make money from the bets on the outcome.

After I arrived, the customers who had been watching me from the inn gathered in the arena and filled the seats. Among them was the waiter Yibo.

Yibo, who had been a waiter here for a long time, reported to the arena manager about the duel I had at the inn.

After a match between cripples ended, someone with an internal energy-infused voice announced to the crowd:

"Amazing news. Someone has challenged Dongfang Lian?"

It sounded like a casual, friendly tone.

The speaker is the arena manager, Ping Junshi. The name Ping Junshi literally means "ordinary military strategist," but calling himself ordinary is almost a form of excessive arrogance. In reality, he is an arrogant person.

After hearing the explanation from the waiter Yibo, Ping Junshi pointed at me accurately.

"Is the challenger you?"

The spectators and gamblers in the audience seats all turned to look at me. Since a match involving Dongfang Lian is a big money-making opportunity, everyone's eyes were gleaming.

I briefly replied to Ping Junshi's question.

"I am the challenger."

Ping Junshi pointed at me and said,

"Another inexperienced young man has come to throw away his money. Let's give him a round of applause for his foolishness."

When no applause came, Ping Junshi continued,

"Who knows? This guy might be an incredible master, and today Dongfang Lian's undefeated record might be broken."

Boos came from the audience.

"Ping Junshi, stop your boring talk and get on with it."

Of course, the gamblers want to see the skills and judge for themselves.

Ping Junshi continued, explaining to me,

"To bring out Dongfang Lian, you need to show something. There's nothing better than a duel to confirm your skills. Don't call him out too aggressively, or no one will challenge you. Think of it as a warm-up. How about a one-thousand tael duel? The stakes are one-to-one."

Win and you get one thousand taels; lose and you lose one thousand taels.

It's a simple form of duel gambling.

I nodded.

"Arrange it."

Ping Junshi scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"I don't understand why young people these days are so brief. The world is truly... Alright, everyone, did you hear? Who will challenge this man who wants to fight Dongfang Lian? The stake is one thousand taels. It can be a bare-handed or weapon duel. No one? Oh, come on. There must be someone."

Three figures from the audience seats simultaneously moved and descended to the arena floor.

Ping Junshi said to the three men,

"Who will take on the three-on-one challenge? You three, have a staring contest and the two who lose should leave."

The three men confirmed each other, and the strongest one remained while the other two returned to the audience seats, licking their lips.

Ping Junshi introduced the remaining man.

"As everyone knows, but the newcomer might not, this is Fang Ke, who often participates in one-thousand tael duels. Anyone who doesn't know Fang Ke? Only the newcomer, it seems."

Of course, the newcomer is me.

I know Fang Ke well. I've even been beaten by him and had my money taken, so I can't not know him.

Ping Junshi introduces Fang Ke again to incite more gambling. Every word and action here is related to money.

"Is there such a thing as a 'shield' in the martial world? But when you see Fang Ke fight, it makes sense. As everyone knows, Fang Ke was defeated by Dongfang Lian in the past. In other words, he is a man who silently trains to seek revenge. Let's start with a simple bet on the outcome. Fang Ke is White, and the newcomer challenger is Black."

The attendants began to circulate, and the gambling started.

Ping Junshi didn't call me out to keep my information hidden.

Yet, a large amount of money was bet from the audience seats. This time, the attendants collected the money while writing it down in a ledger.

Only then did Ping Junshi call me out.

"Country bumpkin, come down. Leave your money there and come down. We'll take care of the money, so don't worry."

That's true.

I handed the silk bag to the approaching attendant. The attendant, who seemed to have trained in the art of collecting money, took out the silver and matched it to one thousand taels. I placed the bag and slowly descended to the arena.

Ping Junshi chattered,

"You're quite composed. Alright, we'll close the bets soon, so those who want to bet on this composed man, put in more money. You're about to be robbed."

Even with such blatant talk, these gambling addicts readily open their wallets.

I walked to the center and looked at Fang Ke for the first time in a while.

He is in his mid-thirties, with a large iron shield on his back like a turtle shell and a broadsword at his waist.

I looked at Fang Ke, momentarily confused whether this was a dream or reality. I couldn't help but laugh.

Fang Ke, being a calm man, observed me without speaking, seeing me laugh.

In my previous life, I did lose to Fang Ke, but I didn't have strong feelings towards him, so I didn't make any remarks as usual.

After checking the audience, Ping Junshi said,

"Both of you, get ready. Let's wrap up the bets. I'll count to ten."

After the final call, the entire audience fell silent.

Ping Junshi stood between Fang Ke and me and declared the start of the duel.

"One-thousand tael duel, let's begin. If you die in the fight, it's your bad luck. The winner gets one thousand taels to buy a drink today. Please, both of you, don't die and keep fighting until you're old. Duel gambling..."

Ping Junshi took out a fan and drew a vertical line in the air, saying,

"Begin."

Fang Ke took out his shield and gripped his broadsword.

While shields are sometimes considered unorthodox in the martial world, in the arena, they are not. Shields are efficient fighting tools. This man learned to use a shield on the battlefield. He can easily toy with mediocre martial artists. However, he has never challenged Dongfang Lian, and he is in a position where he occasionally earns one thousand taels. He is also a man who is far below my current level.

I drew my sword, Hei Miao, and said,

"Let's go easy, Mr. Turtle."

Fang Ke narrowed his brows and advanced, swinging his broadsword. I deflected the broadsword with Hei Miao and immediately kicked the shield with a front kick.

With a thud, Fang Ke was pushed back.

Thinking my kick was weak, Fang Ke smirked.

I also laughed with Fang Ke.

"Quite amusing."

"Huh."

Fang Ke let out a low laugh and charged again. This time, I infused my sword with Mu Qi and used the same front kick, but this time with internal energy.

Bang!

Fang Ke, who tried to block with his shield, was thrown back in a straight line, losing his balance and rolling on the ground several times.

When Fang Ke got up, his forehead was torn and bleeding.

I closed the distance again and knocked his broadsword away with Hei Miao, then, like a clumsy drunk in a street fight, I kept stomping on his shield.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Bang! Thud!

I stomped with external energy, then with internal energy, doing as I pleased.

The key to this match was to show a level of kicking that was so low that it couldn't be considered the skill of a hidden martial master.

Fang Ke was holding the shield with both hands, hiding like a turtle to block the kicks.

I stomped on the shield and muttered,

"This guy, he's really become a turtle."

Bang!

After infusing internal energy and stomping again, Fang Ke's desperate voice finally came out.

"I surrender!"

I sheathed Hei Miao and looked at Ping Junshi.

"Give me the money."

Ping Junshi stared at me.

"..."

"One thousand taels."

Ping Junshi approached me, pointed at me, and lectured,

"What are you doing? You need to show your true skills to make the event exciting."

I glared at Ping Junshi and whispered,

"Ping Junshi, if you don't want to get slapped on both cheeks, announce the result."

Ping Junshi glared at me with a frown.

"..."

When I raised my right hand, Ping Junshi took a defensive stance with his fan and shouted,

"Newcomer wins! Fang Ke loses!"

After announcing the victory, I had a brief staring contest with Ping Junshi and then spoke.

"What? Why?"

Ping Junshi snorted and turned away.

A few gamblers who had boldly bet on me all shouted. Among them was the waiter Yibo, who clenched his fists and let out a roar.

The future of the young gambler was clear to me.

'Being a waiter is a promising job, but what a fool.'

On the other hand, the promising job only applied to me, so I felt a bit bitter.

Ping Junshi fanned himself and looked at me.

"Look, you must be eager to fight Dongfang Lian right away, but today we need to call more gamblers to build up the excitement. We'll treat you well today, so rest. We'll organize the match for tomorrow. Got it?"

I nodded at Ping Junshi and replied,

"Let's do it."

"And you, a young man, can't you change your tone a bit?"

I pointed at Ping Junshi.

"If you want to change my tone, it'll cost you two thousand taels. I'm giving you a discount because you seem older than me."

Ping Junshi turned his head sharply, spat on the ground, and ordered the attendant,

"Escort the challenger to the Phoenix VIP room."

"Yes."

As Ping Junshi fanned himself and disappeared, Fang Ke, who had been dusting himself off, called out to me.

"Hey, young man."

I turned to look at Fang Ke.

"What?"

Fang Ke said with a calm expression,

"Be careful with Ping Junshi. Why are you so hostile?"

I looked around and replied to Fang Ke,

"Why? Is Ping Junshi going to use a beauty trap or some trick?"

Fang Ke looked at me in surprise.

"Have you... been here before?"

"Have you seen me here before?"

"No, I haven't."

Fang Ke tilted his head. I took a silver ingot from the silk bag the attendant brought and threw it to Fang Ke.

Fang Ke, who had never received a silver ingot after losing in the arena, looked at me with a puzzled expression.

I pointed at Fang Ke and smirked,

"You must be frustrated. Go eat some rice soup. Don't wave a shield if you don't have the skills."

This was what Fang Ke had said to me in the past.

Back then, he probably said, "Don't wave a sickle if you don't have the skills."

I chuckled, collected Fang Ke's one thousand taels, put it in the silk bag, and headed to the Phoenix VIP room.

I was also curious whether the beauty trap I had only heard about would happen today.