"So... can we later manipulate your soul-dueling matches based on your strength?" The soul-arena manager's words sounded somewhat hesitant, as if the question was hard to voice.
Even with the thick skin of a man like him, saying those words so bluntly still made him blush a little.
Hearing this, Lang Lei could not help but be stunned. He inwardly marveled that this soul-arena manager really was direct enough!
Generally speaking, match-fixing of this sort was done behind the scenes; who would bring it up to someone's face like this? Could it be that he was so sure of his good temper and that he would not throw a fit on the spot?
"How do you mean? What kind of manipulation?" Lang Lei decided to hear out what the other party actually wanted to say first; after all, since the man had already laid his cards on the table, there was no need for him to put on airs anymore.
Seeing this, the soul-arena manager breathed a slight sigh of relief and went on to explain, "Your strength is now plain for the public to see—it's formidable. So, I plan to keep arranging opponents for you who seem unbeatable, but whom you actually have the ability to defeat. That way, we can spark the audience's desire to watch and get more people to follow your matches."
Hearing this, Lang Lei nodded in understanding. This kind of setup was not uncommon in the soul arena; using suspense and excitement to draw in crowds was indeed a standard tactic.
However, the soul-arena manager's next words made Lang Lei's expression change slightly.
"However, we also want to arrange some 'genius contestants' for you, and these fighters won't be too far off from your level. We hope you can pretend to lose in your matches against them, so that this too..." What the soul-arena manager wanted to say was that this would also increase the drama and watchability of the matches, but before he could finish, Lang Lei unceremoniously cut him off.
"I refuse." Lang Lei's voice was ice-cold, devoid of the slightest warmth, sending a chill through anyone who heard it. His words were brief and firm, leaving the other party no room for negotiation.
Listening to the first part, Lang Lei's face had remained calm; in fact, the suggestion the man put forward coincided with his own goals. However, upon hearing the latter part, his expression instantly shifted, as if struck by an invisible force—his brows furrowed tightly, and his eyes revealed an indescribable, resolute determination.
"I don't have the habit of becoming anyone's tool." Lang Lei's tone remained aloof, yet it contained an unshakable resolve. He knew his principles and bottom line well, and he would never easily compromise.
For Lang Lei, combat was not just a skill, but a form of self-respect and challenge. He never held back in a fight; no matter who the opponent was, he would go all out. This attitude was not only a demand he placed on himself, but also the key to maintaining his undefeated record.
Lang Lei had never viewed the power he brought from his past life as something special, but rather as a part of his own strength. As long as that power had no negative impact on him, he would use it without hesitation and without the slightest taboo.
He had seen too many comrades perish due to momentary carelessness, especially when holding back—their guard would unconsciously drop to its lowest point, and once an emergency occurred, it became difficult to react to danger in time. Lang Lei was determined never to repeat the mistakes of those comrades; he had to maintain a high level of vigilance to deal with any possible danger.
More importantly, the other party's proposal treated him entirely as a money-making tool, something Lang Lei could never accept. He had his own dignity and values, and he was utterly unwilling to be used like that.
"This..." The soul-arena manager looked at the booklet in his hand with a troubled expression, silently pondering the importance of this proposal. Its priority actually turned out to be higher than Lang Lei's previous agreement to cancel the bookmaking decision, leaving the manager feeling quite torn.
After all, if Lang Lei could agree to this condition, then even if he really continued to run the book, the soul-arena side could still secure generous profits by cleverly controlling the wins and losses of the matches. This was undoubtedly an extremely attractive option.
"Lang Lei, can we talk about it a bit more~?" Right at that moment, Elysia's voice sounded in Lang Lei's mind.
Lang Lei seemed somewhat hesitant; Elysia's suggestion was indeed a weighty bargaining chip, so he began to consider the feasibility of the proposal.
"Try getting the other party to agree to the first part of the conditions first. As for the rest, just leave it to you, Lang Lei, to improvise freely~?"
Lang Lei paused slightly, ultimately nodding and saying, "Like this... Fine then, I'll give it a try."
"I think we can talk further. I can agree to the previous conditions, but as for the latter part, I'll say it again: no."
Upon receiving Lang Lei's reply, a trace of joy instantly surfaced on the manager's face. He knew that as long as there was room for discussion, there was still a chance to reach an agreement.
Lang Lei continued, "There's no negotiating about holding back and intentionally losing, but the first half can be discussed. Of course, you're more than welcome to arrange opponents for me as much as you like—it's all the same to me."
Hearing these words from Lang Lei, the soul-arena manager's mood grew even more buoyant. He figured that as long as Lang Lei was willing to talk, there would be a way to get him to gradually accept more conditions.
He was only afraid that Lang Lei was the type whose attitude was so resolute that he wouldn't listen to anything at all; that would be the difficult part.
"But if we do it your way, wouldn't this... Pardon my bluntness, but we are in business after all, and you..."
"Don't tell me this does you no good at all. If it didn't, you wouldn't have taken the initiative to bring up this method," Lang Lei said with an unchanged expression. "My patience is limited. I'll say it again: I won't become what you want me to be, and you don't have the qualification to order me around."
Lang Lei's words were not pleasant to hear, but the soul-arena manager didn't mind this; instead, he began to think seriously.
Lang Lei didn't rush him either, picking up the juice in front of him and quietly taking a sip, suddenly remembering that he didn't seem to have paid attention to his tone and actions just now...
Fortunately though, the other party didn't care about that.
"How about this, little brother? Why don't you sign a gambling agreement with us?"
"A gambling agreement? Tell me about it."
"Next, we will continuously arrange opponents for the little brother. If the little brother can win the matches, then we'll execute the first part of my proposal," the soul-arena manager paused before continuing, "But if the little brother loses, then we kindly ask the little brother to agree to our request for the latter half."
"It looks like they treat Lang Lei like some hot-headed kid, doesn't it~?" Elysia's voice rang out in Lang Lei's mind. "Pretty interesting, right~?"
People don't get to be youths twice, you know. Since I've managed to be a youth again with such difficulty, just let me act arrogant for once.
"I can always be a pretty girl, you know~?"
Yes, yes, yes... Then...
"Alright, I agree!"
Smiles appeared on the faces of both Lang Lei and the soul-arena manager at the same time—a total win-win!
Before you continue