"Get her out of here."
Xiao Zeyan issued the cold command before turning to leave. Tonight's event was about to begin, and he had no time to play games with this crazy woman.
Tan Zhuo gave Su Miao a long, hard look before following in Xiao Zeyan's footsteps.
"Miss Su, what'll it be? Will you leave on your own, or do you need our assistance?" Yan Zhuo made a gesture of invitation.
Caring for the mentally challenged was everyone's responsibility, after all. He prided himself on his civic-mindedness and didn't want to use force on someone with apparent cognitive issues.
"Are you serious?" Su Miao asked.
"You heard the boss, didn't you? He told me to get you out of here. You'd better leave now, or our boss might set the dogs on you to bite your bottom." Yan Zhuo tried to intimidate Su Miao using tactics typically reserved for scaring children.
What a shame, he thought. So beautiful, yet not quite right in the head.
Su Miao: "..."
What an idiot.
Why couldn't he just speak normally instead of suddenly switching to baby talk? Did he think she was a child?
.
"What did you say? Injured and can't fight?" Xiao Zeyan hadn't even made it back to his office when he received a phone call.
Whatever was said on the other end made Xiao Zeyan stop in his tracks. He angrily kicked the wall. "Do you have any idea how much money is riding on tonight? Of all times to get injured, you choose now?"
Hearing Xiao Zeyan's words, Tan Zhuo furrowed his brow.
"What good does saying sorry do? Will your apology bring back my five million?" Xiao Zeyan shouted.
Moreover, this wasn't just about money. It was about his reputation, about the competition between two venues.
The call ended, and Xiao Zeyan hurled his phone against the wall, shattering it. "Damn it!"
"We have no choice but to replace him. We still have an hour before the match starts, so we should make it in time," Tan Zhuo said, checking his watch.
Xiao Zeyan ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "The opponent is a famous foreign fighter with a nine-match winning streak. Which of our guys stands a chance of winning?"
Jin Wu had been their best hope, but now he was injured.
Tan Zhuo fell silent. He had a point.
Xiao Zeyan punched the wall a few times. "This is beyond embarrassing."
Suffering a major loss in his own venue - if that wasn't the height of humiliation, what was?
"No, I'll do it," Tan Zhuo said, a lollipop stick protruding from his mouth. The collar of his black shirt was slightly open, revealing sharp, chiseled features beneath his crew cut.
"Don't be ridiculous. It's out of the question," Xiao Zeyan rejected the idea without a second thought.
Tan Zhuo had indeed been involved in fighting for a couple of years, but he hadn't stepped into the ring since his injury a year ago. It wasn't that Xiao Zeyan didn't trust Tan Zhuo's abilities; rather, he valued his friend more than five million dollars or his reputation.
"But..." Tan Zhuo's words were cut short.
A subordinate came hobbling over, holding his head and dragging one leg. "Young Master Xiao, we've got trouble."
"Thanks to you, I'm doing just fine," Xiao Zeyan said through gritted teeth. His already gloomy face darkened further. "Spit it out. What other bad news do you have?"
Seeing the subordinate's sorry state, Xiao Zeyan jumped to conclusions. "Has someone come to challenge us?"
"Who are they?" Tan Zhuo's demeanor also turned serious.
The subordinate shook his head. "No... no, that's not it."
"What do you mean, 'that's not it'?"
"It's not a challenge."
"If it's not a challenge, how did you end up like this?" Xiao Zeyan asked. "Did you fall?"
The subordinate took a few deep breaths to steady himself. "It was Miss Su."
"That crazy woman from earlier?"
"Yes."
Ten minutes later.
Su Miao sat cross-legged on the sofa in Xiao Zeyan's office. Yan Zhuo and a group of bruised and battered subordinates hovered around her, serving tea and attending to her needs.
The office's owner and Tan Zhuo were crouched in front of a computer, reviewing security footage.
After watching the playback, they both had only one thought: this woman really did seem to be here to make money.
"How did you do that?" Xiao Zeyan looked up and asked Su Miao, his tone no longer impatient.
Su Miao smirked, relaxing against the sofa. Her beautiful eyes narrowed, exuding a mix of charm and wildness. "Now you know I'm not here to put on a show, don't you?"
Seeing Su Miao's cocky attitude, Xiao Zeyan didn't get angry. "You've got some skills."
"So, can I make money here or not?" Su Miao tilted her chin up, exuding confidence.
"Of course."
.
The area around the ring was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. The VIP boxes on the second floor were also filling up quickly.
Even before the match began, the air was filled with chatter.
"Have you heard? Yueting Club has made a last-minute fighter swap."
"No need to ask. They've already taken down Jin Wu's poster at the entrance."
"Who's the replacement?"
"No idea. Yueting Club is being very secretive. They haven't announced anything yet."
Due to Yueting Club's sudden change, the previously even odds had shifted dramatically. The betting ratio now stood at 8:2.
The buzz of conversation from downstairs was clearly audible in the second-floor VIP boxes.
Listening to the speculation and lack of confidence from below, Xiao Zeyan grew increasingly impatient.
The stage slowly rose, and everyone craned their necks, eager to see who Yueting Club had sent out to fight.
When the crowd caught sight of Yueting's fighter, they were stunned.
A woman?
Yueting had sent a woman to fight Joker? Everyone knew Joker was on a nine-match winning streak. Even if Jin Wu had fought, he might have struggled to win. What were they thinking, sending out a woman? Were they trying to throw the match?
It wasn't just the spectators who were shocked. Even Wu Shao, who had placed a bet against Xiao Zeyan, was stunned. "Has Xiao Zeyan gone mad from playing with women?"
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into a chorus of criticism and mockery.
"Sending a woman to fight Joker? Is Yueting trying to insult us?"
"Why don't they just forfeit and get out of Hai City? What's the point of sending a woman to fight?"
"..."
Hearing the increasingly offensive comments from below, Xiao Zeyan gritted his teeth in anger. "What do they mean, 'I've gone mad from playing with women'? What do they mean, 'throwing the match'? They don't know shit."
Just look at the state of his subordinates - and that was the result of Su Miao using only one hand.
"Calm down. Their reaction is normal," Tan Zhuo said, handing over a glass of chilled alcohol. "Weren't you reacting the same way an hour ago?"
Xiao Zeyan: "..."
The match began, and both fighters entered the ring.
Just before the start, Joker gave Su Miao a contemptuous smile. "Women should go home and nurse."
Joker had the typical build of a fighter, with muscles bulging even when relaxed. His prominently muscled arms were covered in tattoos, and every aspect of his appearance, from the corner of his eyes to the arch of his eyebrows, exuded an air of danger.
Su Miao looked at him, a cold intensity stirring beneath her calm expression. The corners of her mouth curled into a subtle arc, a sinister smile hidden beneath her half-concealing mask.
The two stood facing each other, their contrast now even more apparent.
The Joker's voice carried, naturally reaching the second floor as well.
Xiao Zeyan turned his head to look at Tan Zhuo. "What did he say?"
"Women should go home to... nurse," Tan Zhuo repeated expressionlessly.