I'm so damned broke right now. Even ten yuan a head would be big money!
Forget ten yuan. Even a single cent catches my eye!
Long Yusheng thought it over, then said carefully, "I'll pick ten people at random. Before their matches, you predict whether each of them will win or lose. If you get all ten right, I'll pay you two yuan a head, out of my own pocket. But if you get even one wrong, not only do you get nothing, all ten of us get to beat you up. How about it?"
"Two yuan?!"
Zuo Xiaoduo cried out, "That's a full hundred times less than I expected! Just two yuan, and you want a chance to beat me up?"
"Just tell me whether you're doing it or not." Long Yusheng smiled. "Actually, you should think of it this way: even without those two yuan, you're still getting a beating. Did you think what I said in class was just empty talk?!"
Zuo Xiaoduo looked indignant. "I'm in! Once words scatter on the wind, regret comes too late. Classmate Long, you're the ceiling of our class's fighting strength. Surely you won't welch on a bet!"
Someone's face twitched, but inwardly, flowers of joy were blooming.
Two yuan a head, ten people-that's twenty yuan!
Twenty yuan-isn't that money too? Doesn't that smell sweet?!
Zuo Xiaoduo grew serious. Looking at the ten people Long Yusheng had picked, he first asked their names one by one, then asked who their opponents were. Only then did he pronounce solemnly, "Long Yusheng, a rosy glow shines through the crown of your head, and you're brimming with confidence. You'll win. Wan Lixiu, bad luck hangs over your face. You're bound to lose. Jia Junwen, you'll win. Wang Juan'er, you'll lose. Xie Kuangwen, you'll lose... Lastly, Li Chenglong, why don't you just sit this one out? Bad luck hangs over your head today. You're certain to suffer a crushing defeat!"
Off to one side.
Qin Fangyang tilted his head slightly, listening to their discussion, and gave a faint smile.
Long Yusheng laughed heartily. "Mine's practically a free point for you, but the others aren't necessarily so."
Of the others Zuo Xiaoduo had predicted would win, three were challengers taking on the person ranked immediately above them. Generally speaking, their chances of victory were not very high.
Zuo Xiaoduo once again scrutinized everyone's faces carefully. "Time will bear out my predictions. We'll know soon enough... Oh, and refusing to pay isn't the conduct of a gentleman."
He was first making sure he had firm footing. What if Long Yusheng refused to pay?
Qin Fangyang gave the order. "Stop dawdling. Begin!"
With a roar, the whole class scattered.
Zuo Xiaoduo's opponent was none other than the little fatty, Li Chenglong.
Over on the other side, a clear, ringing cry sounded as Long Yusheng and Wan Lixiu joined battle. From their very first exchange, they clashed fiercely, needlepoint against wheat awn.
Li Chenglong rolled his neck and chuckled. "Classmate Zuo Xiaoduo, although you're older than me..."
"Mm, which means I'm stronger than you too."
"Not necessarily."
Li Chenglong snorted. "You want to trample me underfoot on your very first day? All I can say is, you're dreaming. The one who'll suffer a crushing defeat in a moment will definitely be you..."
Zuo Xiaoduo was about to reply when he suddenly felt a fierce gust of force rushing at his face.
Before Li Chenglong had even finished his last sentence, he had seized the opening to strike, sweeping a whip kick toward him like an iron rod.
A sneak attack!
"Shit, so that's how you're playing it!"
Faced with his opponent's fierce assault, Zuo Xiaoduo let out a strange cry. Without yielding in the slightest, he turned sideways and met it head-on with his fully tempered right leg, without the least feint!
The two legs collided in midair with a boom, actually producing a sound like cast iron striking cast iron.
Zuo Xiaoduo felt a pain in his right leg, followed by a slight numbness, but a little movement cleared it up.
Li Chenglong, however, let out a scream. He felt as though his shin had slammed straight into a steel reinforcing bar. Heart-piercing pain surged through him, and he staggered back seven or eight steps, his expression changing. "How is your leg so hard?!"
Zuo Xiaoduo proudly waggled his right leg. "Hard? I've got other places that are even harder!"
Chapter 17: All correct! Welcome!
Li Chenglong planted one hand on the ground and sprang up. "You think you've already won?"
He had only just sprung up when Zuo Xiaoduo was already before him. While waggling his right leg, Zuo Xiaoduo had already leaned forward and charged. His foot now planted itself squarely against Li Chenglong's chest. "No, what I predicted was that you were certain to lose-a crushing defeat!"
With a boom, Li Chenglong's body slid straight backward along the ground as though he were riding a slide, a flush of red flashing across his face.
Qin Fangyang abruptly appeared before Zuo Xiaoduo. "The match is decided! Zuo Xiaoduo wins!"
And now, as he looked at Zuo Xiaoduo again, a rather unusual light shone in his eyes.
This student who had just transferred in from the Martial Disciple level... was very unusual.
His defeating Li Chenglong in their first sparring match had not surprised Qin Fangyang in the least.
After all, if his cultivation had not been sufficiently advanced, Hu Ruoyun would not have allowed him to transfer into the class.
But that brief exchange had already revealed several aspects of Zuo Xiaoduo's combat awareness, enough to startle and move Qin Fangyang.
Normally, a martial artist who had only just completed the Martial Disciple realm had practically zero combat experience.
This was basic common knowledge. Generally, those in the Martial Disciple realm were not allowed to fight. This held true even in great Lineages and major sects.
But that common knowledge did not apply to Zuo Xiaoduo.
He had faced Li Chenglong's sneak attack right from the start. Although he had made a show of crying out in surprise, his response had not dragged through mud or water in the slightest. Clearly, he had been prepared.
And the fighting that followed had been even more one-sided.
Before Li Chenglong had even stood up, Zuo Xiaoduo was already in front of him and attacking, striking his exposed opening in a single blow. He had completely disregarded the defense Li Chenglong had formed with both hands. Clearly, he had anticipated every possible response his opponent could make after his strike; only then could he have succeeded in one blow.
How could a novice possess combat awareness like that? How could Qin Fangyang not be inwardly astonished?
Qin Fangyang watched the other battles on the field, pondering inwardly, while his expression and manner remained unchanged.