Chapter 41 A 10 Billion Yuan Gamble: Everyone Thought I'd Gone Mad
Imperial Capital Martial Arts University, Central Arena.
The stands, capable of holding fifty thousand people, were packed. The roar of the crowd was like wave after wave of a tsunami, almost flipping the massive dome.
Today was the opening ceremony of the Freshman Tournament, but everyone's focus was no longer on the regular schedule; instead, it was fixed on the earth-shattering "Fifty Billion Gamble."
The betting booth was swarming with people.
"Bet on Wang Teng! Definitely bet on Wang Teng! The odds might be low, but it's as steady as an old dog!"
"Exactly, Wang Teng is a monster who has suppressed his Realm for two years. It's said that the 'Imperial Supreme Book' has already reached the second level! That Jiang Chen might be a bit weird, but he's just a freshman after all."
Just as everyone was frantically placing bets on Wang Teng, a crisp and firm voice rang out.
"I want to place a bet!"
Su Qingyue squeezed to the front of the booth with great effort, her beautiful, delicate face filled with determination. She slammed a black gold card onto the table.
"Fifty million! All on Jiang Chen to win!"
The surrounding crowd went silent for a second, then erupted into laughter.
"Yo, isn't this Su, the Campus Belle? Did you take out your entire dowry for this?"
"Is it worth it for a pretty boy?"
Su Qingyue bit her lip, ignoring the surrounding mockery.
These fifty million were all her savings from childhood, and she had even secretly sold a few pieces of jewelry.
She didn't know if Jiang Chen could win, but she had to stand here and tell everyone that Jiang Chen was not alone.
"Count me in too!"
Little Fatty Chen tremblingly took out a crumpled card, "I... I have two million, it's what my dad gave me to marry a wife... I'm betting on Brother Chen too!"
Just then, a wave of fragrance wafted over.
The crowd parted automatically, and a mature woman wearing a purple cheongsam with a voluptuous figure walked over gracefully.
She was waving a sandalwood fan in her hand. With every step she took, her snow-white legs, visible through the high slit, made it impossible for people to look away. A captivating, mature charm instantly permeated the air.
"It's the Pavilion Master of the 'Treasure Pavilion', Su Manyu!"
"The queen of the Imperial Capital's black market! Why is she here?"
Su Manyu ignored the greedy gazes around her and walked straight to Su Qingyue. Her beautiful eyes scanned her up and down, a playful smile curling on her lips.
"Little sister, you have good taste. However..."
Su Manyu leaned in slightly, close to Su Qingyue's ear, her breath like orchids, "As for that little man's 'bottom line', big sister has felt it more thoroughly than you."
After speaking, she turned and threw a Storage Ring to the dumbfounded bookmaker.
"There is one billion in funds inside, plus the agency rights for the Medicinal Pill of the Treasure Pavilion for the next quarter. All on Jiang Chen."
Boom!
The whole arena exploded.
One billion?!
Su Manyu looked at the shocked faces around her, lightly waving her folding fan, her voice lazy yet domineering: "In business, I only invest in deals that are guaranteed to make a profit. Besides..."
She glanced at the figure sleeping soundly in the waiting area in the distance, a flash of brilliance in her eyes, "I have seen his 'endurance', and it is indeed... very strong."
...
Waiting Area.
Unlike the heated atmosphere outside, it was eerily quiet here.
Jiang Chen was covered by his school jacket, lying on the bench, sleeping soundly.
"Snore... snore..."
The slight snoring sounded particularly jarring in the tense waiting area.
"Please, the first group of contestants, enter the arena! Weaponry Department Class 1, Li Kuangdao! Versus... Elemental Department Class 3, Jiang Chen!"
The broadcast sounded.
Li Kuangdao was a burly man who wielded a saber with great skill. He had long been on the arena, rubbing his hands and looking fierce.
However, on the other side of the passage, there was no sign of anyone for a long time.
"Jiang Chen! Jiang Chen!"
Su Qingyue rushed to the waiting area and sure enough, saw this guy still sleeping. She stomped her feet in anger, but remembering Jiang Chen's quirks, she could only lean into his ear and shout:
"Dinner time! Braised pork! Big pork knuckle!"
Jiang Chen, who usually wouldn't budge even if thunder struck, twitched his ears slightly.
"Pork knuckle? Where?"
He sat up abruptly, opening his eyes in a daze, with a suspicious trail of drool still hanging from the corner of his mouth.
【 Ding! Deep dream (munching on pork knuckle) was forcibly interrupted by external noise. 】
【 Sleep evaluation: Interrupted. 】
【 Waking Up Anger is accumulating... Current Rage Value: 200%. 】
【 Status: Extremely annoyed. Suggestion: Find a punching bag. 】
"What the heck, no food..." Jiang Chen looked disappointed, glanced around, "Oh, time to fight?"
He yawned, dragged his feet, and wobbled toward the arena.
On the arena, Li Kuangdao had already waited impatiently. Seeing Jiang Chen's sloppy appearance, he was even more furious.
"Jiang Chen! How dare you look down on me!"
Li Kuangdao roared, the nine-ring broadsword in his hand buzzing, his blood and energy erupting. He looked like a fierce tiger descending from a mountain, hacking toward Jiang Chen with fierce Saber Qi.
"Raging Wind Saber Technique — Breaking the Water Flow!"
This strike had an astonishing Aura, enough to split rocks.
However, facing this fierce strike, Jiang Chen acted as if he didn't see it, standing there dazed with his eyelids drooping.
"Die!"
A flash of ruthlessness crossed Li Kuangdao's eyes, the blade edge closing in on Jiang Chen's shoulder.
Just at the moment the blade was about to touch Jiang Chen's clothes.
【 System hosting mode activated: Sleepwalking Steps (Great Perfection). 】
Jiang Chen's body suddenly became like a weightless feather, drifting gently backward along the airflow of the blade.
Rip —
The blade didn't hit him, but the sharp Saber Qi slashed a small corner of the pillow Jiang Chen was holding, and a few duck feathers floated out.
At this moment, time seemed to stand still.
Jiang Chen's originally half-closed eyes suddenly opened a slit.
What kind of eyes were those? Deep, dark, filled with a touch of brutality from having his dream disturbed.
"So noisy..."
Jiang Chen muttered, looking at the floating duck feathers, his brows furrowing, "And... you ruined my pillow."
"What?" Li Kuangdao was stunned.
Before he could react, Jiang Chen raised his hand seemingly casually.
【 Waking Up Anger · Violent Strike (Activated). 】
【 Strength bonus: 300%. Mental shock: Included. 】
"This is called... Good morning!"
Slap!
A crisp, extremely loud slap sound instantly drowned out the noise of the entire arena.
Jiang Chen's palm didn't touch Li Kuangdao's face, but slapped the air directly from half a meter away.
But a terrifying purple ripple erupted instantly!
Boom!
Li Kuangdao, who was originally as sturdy as an ox and covered in Protective Aura, was hit like a high-speed train.
His Protective Aura shattered like paper, his whole body spinning 3600 degrees in the air, his facial muscles twisted and deformed under the immense impact, and he was sent flying like a spun top, drawing a beautiful parabola before smashing heavily off the arena.
Bang!
A human-shaped crater was smashed into the ground. Li Kuangdao didn't even have time to scream before he passed out on the spot, half of his face swollen like a steamed bun.
The whole arena was dead silent.
Even Chief Instructor Shen Yan, who was sitting on the rostrum drinking tea, spat out his tea with a "pfft" sound.
This is... a slap?
You call this a martial arts match? This is clearly an adult beating a child!
On the arena, Jiang Chen retracted his hand, looked at his palm, and yawned again.
"Referee, are we done? Can I go back to catch up on sleep? That pork knuckle from just now... I haven't eaten it yet."
He picked up the floating duck feather and carefully stuffed it back into the pillow, looking heartbroken.
In the stands, Su Manyu's hand, which was lightly waving her folding fan, paused slightly, then she laughed until she was trembling.
"Oh my, this little man's Waking Up Anger... Big sister likes it more and more."
And in the Wang family's private box, the teacup in Wang Teng's hand had been crushed into powder, his face so gloomy that water could drip from it.
"Good! Very good! Playing the pig to eat the tiger, right? Jiang Chen, I will let you know that in the face of absolute strength, any cleverness is a joke!"