Lang walked away.

Zen folded his arms, trying to avoid Fuu’s gaze. It almost felt like the stare was borrowing into the side of his face.

He risked a sideway glance and she blew up on her.

“How dare you?! How dare you, Wang Zen?!” she shouted.

“What did I do?”

“How dare you interact with that piece of trash?! You’re his friend now?”

“I’m not his friend!” he said. “I dislike him as much as you do!”

“Dislike? Is that the word you used? Maybe after you dislike the man who beat up my brother you can go drink tea and eat briskets with the women in your knitting circle.”

“What?” Zen said.

“Yes. Cause I don’t ‘dislike’ him. I hate him, with a passion. He better pray that I don’t meet him in a match! And right about now, you better pray that I don’t meet you in a match!”

“Uh?”

“Because I’m going to hurt anyone who hhurt my brother or are friends with them!” she glared at him.

“Trust me, you won’t meet him in a match.”

“Why’s that?”

He looked at her directly for the first time since the conversation began. His voice full of determination. “Because I am going to beat him.”

“Jao Cong?” Deng AI said, looking at the boy. He was next to his seat.

“Deng Ai, nice to see you.” Jao Cong said. “You are sitting here?”

“Yes, Ao Li and I have reserved these seats for the remainder of the competition.” Deng Ai said as he sat next to the boy.

“Well, at least I will have company as I cheer on my sister and cousin.”

“Yes, at least we can cheer one of those people together.”

“Ah, yes, you’re cheering on Zen you’re roommate, right?”

“Well…” Deng Ai began blushing.

“Deng Ai! Jao Cong!” Xue Shaonu said from the stands, waving at them, almost dropping the food she held in her arms. She carefully made her way to them before dumping the food onto Deng Ai.

“Xue Shaonu, what’s with all this?” Deng Ai looked at the food on his lap.

“A thank you for having me yesterday.”

“Oh thanks! But this is a little too much for me.”

“Oh! I can help you finish it, then.” She said, plopping to the seat next to him. “You can also help us, Jao Cong.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Jao Cong said, reaching for a dumpling.

Lang stepped in the ring with his next opponent, a girl from a noble family.

“Lang,” Jao Cong said under his breath, gripping the seat of his chair tighter.

The referee explained the rules and then raised his hand. As soon as he dropped it, Lang dashed forward.

The noble girl opened her mouth, “I surr…” Her breath was driven out of her body by a knee to the abdomen.

Lang then grabbed her by the hair and pulled her mouth viciously into his knee, breaking some teeth from her mouth. He pulled her head off his knee and when she was about to speak, smashed it in again, he did this over and over again.

“This boy,” Xue Shaonu said between gritted teeth. “He’s a monster!”

“Maybe,” Deng Ai said.

“What do you mean?” Xue Shaonu said.

“Lang’s parents were part of the civil war. They were commoners who fought the nobles for their freedom.” Deng Ai said. “Many commoners are still angry, not outwardly but definitely inside. Some commoners are happy that he is doing this.”

Most of the crowd were staring in silence, the only sounds that could be heard was Lang smashing the girl’s face into his knee and her short cries. He finally stopped and smirked at the crowd.

“This was quite a beautiful noble!” he said aloud. “But all her beauty cannot hide the ugly face of a noble.”

He lifted her face so the crowd could see her broken nose, missing and chipped teeth and the red and purple bruises around her red face.

“Soon, I’ll make them all look like this!” He said.

The City Lord looked at this with worried eyes.

“This boy is a problem.” City Lord Xu said.

“We should take care of him now.” Hao Meng said. “Send a message out to these commoners.”

“Definitely! I’ll do it myself!” Xu Hau said.

“And what would that serve?” City Lord Xu said, sitting back on his seat. “It would only serve to rile up the commoners.”

“But it would put them in their place.” Hao Meng said.

“Yang, you are a commoner, correct?”

Everyone in booth kept quiet, realising that Yang was indeed a commoner. Hao Meng and Xu Hua looked very shameful of their statements.

“Yes sir,” Yang said. “I am.”

“Do you think us rushing the ring and beating this boy will put the commoners in their place.”

“Perhaps, Sir. But I don’t think it would last long.” Yang said.

“Yes, it will not work.” City Lord Xu said. “But there are other ways. Your friend, Chen Jian can handle this boy, correct?”

“Yes,” Xu Hua smiled, “He can. Yes, he’ll put this scum in his place.”

Back in the ring, Lang lifted the girl higher. “Speak, noble girl. Show these people the shame of the nobles. Show them how easy you lot give up when faced with real adversity!”

“I…” the girl weakly said, “surren…”

“SMASHING KNEE!” Lang slammed his knee into the woman’s abdomen, sending herflying outside of the ring and onto the ground outside the ring.

The referee declared him as the winner as he began walking out the ring. Some people booed, others clapped, everyone was confused.

Jao Cong looked at the match in sadness.

“What do you think, Deng Ai?” Jao Cong said.

“Excuse me?” Deng Ai said.

“You said some commoners were happy at what he was doing. What do you think of what he is doing?” Jao Cong said.

Xue Shaonu looked at him expectantly.

“I think what he is doing is cruel and ultimately useless.” Deng Ai said. “I don’t approve of it.”

Wang Zen walked to the ring. His opponent t had not walked out with him. As such, it was customary for him to wait in the ring for 10 minutes before his opponent was disqualified.

He stood in the ring, not moving a muscle but radiating power. After 10 minutes, he was declared the winner and left the ring. His next match would be against Lang.