Winning Streak

After leaving the martial arts school, Lin Mu headed toward the Virtual Duel Hall.

It was one of the most popular places in Li City.

There, martial artists could engage in virtual duels.

Some gamblers could place bets as well.

Such betting was restricted, and the Virtual Duel Hall also took a cut.

Even so, people still became addicted to it.

Upon arriving at the Virtual Duel Hall, Lin Mu saw quite a few people staring at the large screens, while some gamblers shouted at the top of their lungs.

Lin Mu walked to the side, completed a simple registration, and was led to the rear of the Virtual Duel Hall.

He entered a private room, where a Virtual Pod stood inside.

Lin Mu lay down inside it, and a series of mechanical sounds rang out.

Before long, Lin Mu entered the virtual space.

According to the rules of virtual duels,

newcomers received subsidies, earning 10 points for every victory.

One point could be exchanged for 100 dollars.

If they reached the 1-star rank, they could also receive a 20,000-dollar reward.

That was why so many people enjoyed coming here.

After Lin Mu chose his name and adjusted his appearance, he was teleported onto an Arena.

Before him, a burly man standing over six feet tall materialized.

Numbers also rolled continuously across the distant large screen.

Before long, the number on the burly man's side reached around 40,000.

Lin Mu was slightly taken aback. He knew that was the amount the gamblers had bet.

"Didn't expect you to be a newbie. No wonder no one bet on you!"

the burly man said coldly.

"They can see my information?"

"Of course! Otherwise, how would these people place bets?" the burly man replied coldly.

"Then can I bet on myself?"

"Of course you can! But you're just a rookie. There's no way you can be my opponent." Disdain showed on the burly man's face as he tapped a finger.

The 40,000 wager instantly became 50,000.

Clearly, he had placed another 10,000 on himself.

Lin Mu fell into thought. With a flicker of his mind, a display screen appeared, and he made a few adjustments on it.

5,000 dollars was placed under his name.

The bets on both sides became 5,000 to 50,000.

A cold smirk curled across the burly man's lips. "You're really not afraid of death."

"Shouldn't I have confidence in myself?" Lin Mu asked in return.

"Then I'll let you know just how hard it is to earn money here!" the burly man barked. As the signal announcing the start of the match sounded, he appeared before Lin Mu.

Hundreds of fist shadows blasted toward Lin Mu.

Lin Mu retreated.

But before he could evade the burly man's attack, an exceptionally tricky and vicious fist shadow shot toward his face.

Dragon's Roar rang out from Lin Mu's body.

His figure moved like a flood dragon, and a terrifying punch blasted forward.

Boom!

A tremendous roar erupted.

The burly man's figure staggered back again and again.

A flash of surprise appeared in his eyes.

He was a veteran of the dueling grounds and had already participated in dozens of battles.

His combat experience was abundant.

According to the rules of the duel, neither side's Blood Qi Value could fall below 0.05.

Yet under such circumstances, Lin Mu had actually forced him back.

Excitement appeared on Lin Mu's face.

He knew the burly man had rich practical combat experience, but his skill was inferior to Lin Mu's.

Moreover, just as he forced the burly man back, the system's voice sounded in his mind.

"Completed one practical combat spar. Obtained 73 times efficiency."

For a moment, countless thoughts surfaced in his mind—the analysis he had made of that exchange.

It looked as though he had only traded blows with the burly man once.

But in truth, he had already done so seventy or eighty times.

He had completely seen through several of the burly man's attack methods.

His practical combat experience had also improved noticeably.

Interesting! Lin Mu thought to himself.

His figure moved, like a tiger or leopard descending from the mountains, arriving before the burly man almost instantly.

The burly man clenched both hands into fists, and streams of fist shadows surged forth.

But at that moment, Dragon's Roar rang out from Lin Mu's body.

A fist shadow emerged, bursting with immense power in an instant as it struck toward the burly man from an extraordinarily tricky angle.

It instantly shattered the burly man's fist shadows and slammed viciously into him.

The burly man staggered back repeatedly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

The Fist Technique he cultivated created fist shadows both real and illusory, its methods exceedingly profound.

Yet before Lin Mu, all of it was as good as nothing.

If this had not been the Virtual Duel Hall, he might have thought that the young man before him was a martial arts grandmaster.

Before he could recover his senses, Lin Mu pounced before him once more, his fists rumbling like thunder, a flood dragon bursting from the sea.

A heavy blow landed on his chest.

The burly man's figure flew backward and fell beyond the Arena.

A mechanical voice rang out at that moment.

"Winner, Lin Ying!"

Lin Mu was teleported back to his own virtual space.

And 9,500 dollars appeared in his account.

The deducted 500 dollars had been taken by the Virtual Duel Hall as its cut.

Lin Mu's points also increased by 10.

He looked at his virtual avatar.

"Virtual nickname: Lin Ying."

"Current rank: None."

"Points: 10 (Note: After the newbie protection period, each match requires the payment of corresponding points. If points are insufficient, they must be purchased with money.)"

"..."

"Continue!"

Lin Mu shouted.

Not long afterward, his figure was teleported once again.

A young man in his twenties appeared opposite him.

Numbers rolled across the distant large screen.

There was still no one betting on Lin Mu's side.

Because he was only a newcomer. Although he had one win, everyone still trusted veterans more.

Lin Mu waved one hand and directly bet 9,500 on himself.

But just then, a notification appeared.

"Insufficient privileges. During the newbie period, you may bet at most three times per day, with a maximum of 5,000 per bet."

Lin Mu was somewhat helpless. He changed the amount, and the number on his side increased by 5,000.

"Betting on yourself? You're pretty confident, huh!"

The young man standing opposite Lin Mu smiled faintly.

"Giving myself a little encouragement," Lin Mu said.

"Fine! Since you're a newcomer, I'll make sure you don't lose too badly," the young man said.

"No problem," Lin Mu said.

As the mechanical sound rang out, the young man charged toward Lin Mu.

He was extremely fast, and his leg techniques were exceptionally refined.

But after exchanging fewer than a few moves with Lin Mu, he was struck in a vital spot, and his figure flew backward.

A mechanical voice sounded once more.

"Winner, Lin Ying!"

After leaving the Arena again, the money in Lin Mu's account became 14,000 dollars.

His points also increased by another 10.

Sure enough, money comes quickly here. But unfortunately, the newbie period only lasts ten matches. And after obtaining a rank, the restrictions on Blood Qi Value will gradually disappear, while the opponents I encounter will grow stronger and stronger.

Lin Mu thought to himself.

With the system, those with the same Blood Qi Value were simply no match for him.