Raise the Stakes, Raise Them Again

Luo Zhiguo's fists looked somewhat heavy, but they were not slow. When they came flying in, they stirred up a gust of wind.

Combined with Luo Zhiguo's massive build, when he charged at Xiao Wang, it was like a tiger pouncing on a kitten.

"It's over. Fifty Federation Credits in the bag."

Watching Luo Zhiguo's stance, the person who had just bet 1,000 Federation Credits on Luo Zhiguo said casually.

The others thought much the same.

Inside the second-floor office.

Watching Luo Zhiguo throw his punch, Fish Brother said, "Luo Zhiguo isn't holding back at all. He's using full force right from the start."

Watching Luo Zhiguo's punch, Xiao Wang saw that it was indeed fast—faster than Cheng Hu's, though still not as fast as Linghu Ke's. As it came at him, he did not defend at all. Instead, he circulated his breathing technique, mobilized the energy throughout his body, and let Luo Zhiguo's punch slam viciously into his abdomen.

Boom!

The punch sent Xiao Wang staggering back seven or eight steps. His whole body lurched into the ring railing. Without the railing, he would have been knocked straight out of the ring.

"Whoa!"

The crowd watching let out cries of surprise at that punch.

They looked at Luo Zhiguo, then at Xiao Wang.

They all thought Xiao Wang would surely collapse next.

Yet to their surprise, Xiao Wang merely stumbled twice before standing upright again.

There was no pain on his face at all. Instead, the corners of his lips curled up in a faint smile.

Everyone present was left utterly baffled.

"Hm? He's fine after that?" Fish Brother, watching from the second floor, was also quite surprised. "Interesting."

Xiao Wang looked at the bead in his mind. After taking that punch, it had turned dark gray.

That's all?

Before, Cheng Hu's punch had turned it deep red. Compared to that, this was far weaker.

The reason he had neither dodged nor defended just now was to test the strength of his opponent's punch.

Now he knew.

With a better grasp of the situation, things would be easier from here on.

Luo Zhiguo had not underestimated him from the start, which was why he had used nearly all his strength in the first strike.

Seeing Xiao Wang get blasted so far away by his punch, he had thought the match was already over.

But to his surprise, Xiao Wang was completely fine after taking that blow.

It would have been one thing if he looked uninjured.

But what was with that smile?

Luo Zhiguo felt as if he were being toyed with. He immediately adjusted his footing and charged at Xiao Wang again. This time, he attacked with both hands, swinging them from either side toward Xiao Wang's temples.

Xiao Wang did not dodge in the slightest.

He lowered his body slightly, planted force through his right foot, and fixed his eyes on Luo Zhiguo's steps. When Luo Zhiguo was nearly upon him, he sprang into the air, clenched his right hand into a fist, and drove his elbow down at Luo Zhiguo's face.

He was incredibly fast, clearly a full level faster than Luo Zhiguo.

Seeing this, Luo Zhiguo immediately pulled back his attacking fists and crossed them above his head in a defensive stance.

Without losing any momentum, Xiao Wang circulated his breathing technique and smashed down with his elbow.

Boom!

The elbow strike had originally been aimed squarely at Luo Zhiguo's face.

But Luo Zhiguo forcibly redirected Xiao Wang's elbow strike onto his shoulder with his crossed arms.

Elbow and shoulder collided once again.

Another dull impact rang out.

Boom!

Right after that.

Luo Zhiguo felt a dense, continuous force travel down from Xiao Wang's elbow.

His legs trembled, and he nearly dropped to his knees.

But in the end, he managed to hold on.

Xiao Wang's attack did not stop there. The moment his elbow came down, he immediately unleashed the Tiger Guard Fist, hammering Luo Zhiguo's abdomen and chest with one punch after another.

When Luo Zhiguo saw Xiao Wang attacking his abdomen and chest.

At first, he did not think much of it. He was big and strong, his muscles knotted like steel.

Ordinary punches could hardly hurt him.

But after taking Xiao Wang's first punch, he realized something was wrong.

Xiao Wang's fists were like iron hammers. Their force seemed to pierce through his flesh and strike directly against his bones.

After only a few hits, he was already struggling to endure it.

Still, he did not retreat. He continued attacking, landing a solid left hook against Xiao Wang's right waist.

Xiao Wang's right waist visibly caved inward beneath the punch.

His whole body tilted to the side from the force as well.

But he quickly recovered and glanced at the bead in his mind. It had already turned pink.

Clearly, this punch had caused more damage than the last one.

Luo Zhiguo seized the opportunity and launched a continuous barrage of attacks at Xiao Wang.

Xiao Wang did not evade at all, meeting his blows head-on.

The spectators beside them were dumbfounded.

"What kind of fighting style is this? He doesn't dodge at all."

"This kid's body is pretty tough. He took two solid punches from Luo Zhiguo and is somehow completely fine."

Fish Brother, watching from the second floor, was also stunned. "This kid fights hard."

You Feng, standing beside him, replied, "Hard, sure. But he'll die easily."

On the ring.

Xiao Wang almost completely ignored Luo Zhiguo's attacks, focusing solely on his own offense and allowing Luo Zhiguo's fists to rain down on him.

After exchanging dozens of punches, bruises of varying severity had appeared on both their faces. Luo Zhiguo kept sucking in cold breaths to ease the pain even as he threw punches.

But Xiao Wang seemed completely unaffected.

He continued attacking desperately, as if he did not care for his life. At the instant Luo Zhiguo lost focus, Xiao Wang planted one hand on the ground and launched his entire body into the air. One foot struck Luo Zhiguo in the chest, while the other kicked him squarely in the face.

Unable to keep his balance, Luo Zhiguo fell backward and hit the ground hard.

It was not over yet. Xiao Wang immediately pounced on him, straddled his body, and began raining punches down on his face.

Only three spectators cheered wildly and shouted at the top of their lungs.

"Good!"

"Beat him to death!"

"Hahaha, I've got this win in the bag!"

Everyone else was silent as mice.

Inside the second-floor room.

Watching the ring, Fish Brother said to You Feng, "This kid has potential. Don't let it end like this. Go raise Luo Zhiguo's reward by 5,000 Federation Credits."

"Yes."

Xiao Wang's fists were still raining down fiercely when a voice sounded over the broadcast. "If Luo Zhiguo wins, he will receive an additional 5,000 Federation Credits."

Hearing that, Luo Zhiguo, who had been ready to admit defeat, suddenly felt his strength surge through his body again. He could still fight.

Sure enough, money could reignite a man's fighting spirit.

He abruptly raised his upper body and smashed his head viciously into Xiao Wang's ribs.

Xiao Wang felt the tremendous impact. If he did not retreat to disperse the force, his ribs might break.

Although the bead would allow him to heal quickly, there could be unexpected complications afterward.

So he had no choice but to retreat several steps.

Seeing this, Luo Zhiguo immediately got to his feet.

Watching him, Xiao Wang thought, Money really can make the dead pull a millstone.

Watching from the second floor, Fish Brother immediately instructed You Feng again, "Add 5,000 Federation Credits to this kid's reward too."

"Fish Brother, this isn't a death match. Is that really necessary?"

"Just do it when I tell you to. I want to see this kid's potential."

"Yes."

Just as Xiao Wang and Luo Zhiguo returned to their standoff, the broadcast sounded again. "An additional 5,000 Federation Credits have been added to Xiao Wang's reward. If he wins, he will receive an additional 5,000 Federation Credits."

Xiao Wang froze for a moment upon hearing it.

They raised my reward?

What does that mean?

They don't think I can win?

But that was fine.

He could win 5,000 more Federation Credits.

Thinking that, Xiao Wang smiled.

And when Luo Zhiguo saw that smile, his fighting spirit surged as well.