Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 281 - 253: Funds Turnover

Chapter 281: Chapter 253: Funds Turnover

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"How cheeky," Xu Yang said helplessly. "Why not just let it win fair and square?"

"But A40 doesn’t have a 100% chance of winning," Shallow Dream said seriously. "Maybe there’s a 95% chance of winning, but if we bet on it and it encounters the 5% chance of losing, wouldn’t our efforts be in vain?"

"Yes, it would be like a dream," Xu Yang smiled. "Then you shouldn’t have started gambling in the first place. Your entire mindset shifts once you place a bet."

"But, but," Shallow Dream was anxious, "At 3.44 times the odds, if A40 wins, 100,000 can turn into 340,000!"

"If you lose, 100,000 turns into 0," Xu Yang said. "That would be an entirely different experience. Who knows if you might want to beat it up after it returns."

"Didn’t it undergo many upgrades? If it still loses in the first round, that would be too annoying! Too weak!" Shallow Dream was worried.

"It’s enough to do what we can," Xu Yang said nonchalantly.

"I’m scared, I don’t dare bet," 102 touched the cash card in her pocket, which still had 500,000 funds left.

As the group matches concluded one after another, the official match between A40 and Li Si was about to begin, and the odds were still fluctuating. Even though they weren’t the ones fighting, the tense atmosphere spread.

"Let’s also manipulate the game," Shallow Dream begged. "Let A40 throw a match, lose one, and we’ll all make more money."

"A40 will win," Xu Yang said.

"That’s what I’ve been waiting to hear! I’m going in," Shallow Dream impulsively placed 200,000 funds on A40. If A40 won, she’d make nearly 500,000 in profits. "Who’s with me?"

"3.44 times the odds," Miyazato Kazama had to seriously consider. This might be the only chance in her life. If she could multiply her money several times over, maybe she could even get Xiao Ai out of the research facility and pay for her treatment.

After much hesitation, Miyazato Kazama still put 100,000 funds on A40. Mizuiro Yoshioka placed 5,000, just for fun. 101 didn’t move; she was very indifferent to such activities. 102 also didn’t move; she was afraid it was just a dream.

"Boss, you should bet too," Shallow Dream looked at Xu Yang. "You can put out tens of millions."

"Money will spoil the competition," Xu Yang shook his head. "Besides, your tens of thousands are still okay, but if I really play with hundreds of millions of funds, the bookmaker will lower the odds. Then there won’t be as much as 3.44 times."

The odds continued to fluctuate until the final odds locked in, with A40 at 3.13 times and Li Si’s at 2.05 times.

"Fight well, really fight well," Shallow Dream sat on the ground, looking forward eagerly. "Can’t lose this one, a loss means tens of thousands gone."

In the first round of the official competition, from 64 to 32, only one between A40 and Li Si could advance to the next round. They took turns entering the arena, and commercials for both sides were played. Li Si represented The East Industrial Company, and the commercial promoted their latest product line—a brand-new personal safety solution, including the Energy Shield Belt, an automatic aiming pistol, and a bulletproof vest set. The youth edition cost 98,000, while the standard edition cost 198,000, and came with accident insurance.

A40 represented New World Mechanism with its commercial featuring the Synthetic Human from Tanaka Intelligence. Taro Tanaka, not skilled in marketing, could only introduce the A-type highly intelligent Synthetic Human from his company. A40 was one of the leading units in his inventory, possessing excellent combat logic and emotional quotients, making it an excellent choice for companionship to alleviate boredom. However, that was all; so far, he had only sold 10 A-type robots, and the rest were gathering dust in the warehouse.

Entering the arena, A40 held Fury in its hands, while Li Si gripped the long Ion Axe. Compared to Li Si, A40 appeared particularly slim.

Elsewhere, in Bibo City.

Huang Feng was eating tomato beef brisket flavored instant noodles, lounging on a worn-out sofa at Black Fire Camp, watching the live broadcast of the combat event. When A40 appeared in the arena, she flung the bowl of noodles onto the table.

"A40!" she yelled passionately, throwing herself in front of the smart screen, her eyes glued to A40 standing at one side of the field.

"Stupid robot, attracting so much of your attention," Rolo pulled over a stool.

"If you don’t like it, don’t watch," Huang Feng spread her arms, embracing the sides of the screen, her eyes almost pressing against the LCD.

"I don’t need that," Rolo took out his phone and entered the live stream.

"It’s ignoring me because it has to fight!" Huang Feng was happy. "It must be!

"I envy your ability for self-comfort," Rolo’s hoarse voice said. "It’s going to be chopped in half by the man opposite it. That man, Li Si, is a killer, a brutal company security captain, the most powerful warrior of The East Industrial Company."

"There are odds," Huang Feng turned towards Rolo. "I bet on A40, you on that idiot opposite. Let’s bet this month’s bonus."

"Funds mean nothing to me," Rolo breathed roughly.

"You’re so boring!" Huang Feng yelled. "Forget it, you understand that A40 will definitely win, right? It’s your apprentice! You taught it so many skills!"

"A40 is still an ordinary combat robot," Rolo laughed hoarsely. "How can it win? Li Si has participated in 75 operations to hunt witches and warlocks. He’s a natural war machine, more belligerent than A40, more maniacal."

"Not listening, not listening," Huang Feng stared at the screen. "Bet all the money in my wage account on A40."

"Hiss..." Rolo glanced at Huang Feng’s account, which had a pitiful 30,000 funds. He quietly took out 130,000 from his own retirement fund, making it 160,000, and placed the bet on A40 through a third party.

All attention was focused on this battle.

Kojima Kanako flipped through the day’s schedule and laughed when she saw A40. Wasn’t this the little piece that Pan Ruiyi punched away before? Now it was in the Colosseum, making her take extra notice.

A40 stood in the arena, its judgment as a Synthetic Human colder, focusing solely on its blade and the combat models in its chip.

The Electronic Referee announced the start of the match, but A40 and Li Si still made no move.

```

A40 was waiting.

"You cur!" Li Si bellowed, "My..."

This was the opportunity A40 had been waiting for. It dashed forward, leaving only an afterimage, and in an instant appeared behind Li Si. Fury had already slashed across Li Si’s chest, breaking through the energy plating, and leaving a shocking wound through the armor.

"Hahaha——" Huang Feng laughed maniacally at the sight of A40’s successful surprise attack.

"The money’s in the bag!" In Shijin Mansion, Shallow Dream excitedly hugged 102.

"If only I’d bet too." 102 exclaimed, deeply engaged.

"You’ve become so strong." Kanako, on the scene, could see all the details.

She still remembered how A40 had cheated the young master, looking clueless at first but now having become astutely competent, which deeply impressed her.

Enraged by A40’s fierce attack, Li Si flew into a rage.

His weapon, previously severed, was now repaired and as good as new, with its ion blade shimmering with energy. He roared and swung the axe at A40 like a charging bear, while A40 nimbly dodged, often retreating directly out of Li Si’s attack range.

A40 gripped Fury tightly, and during a brief pause in Li Si’s furious assault, it thrust out, "aiming straight for Li Si’s throat. With his extensive battle experience, Li Si instantly swung his great axe in defense.

Bang!

A collision resounded, and Fury was blasted out of A40’s hand. Li Si laughed out loud and took big strides towards A40, chopping down as he went.

A40 stepped back and leaped using the jet propulsion device on its back, shooting up towards the ceiling of the arena and nearly reaching the top before plummeting back down, aiming Fury straight at Li Si’s head.

Li Si shouted, trying to create distance, as an unprecedented feeling of dizziness assaulted his brain. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground. As he lay there, the wound A40 had inflicted through its surprise attack bled more profusely due to the vigorous movement. Glancing down at it, Li Si noticed the color of the blood was wrong, and by the time he looked up, the whole world seemed submerged in colorful bubbles.

"You bastard..." Li Si immediately used the Power Armor’s antidote. The built-in potent antidote could neutralize 103 types of toxins and counter 7 different toxicological mechanisms, but he felt no improvement.

Li Si took deep breaths, his extraordinary endurance making it difficult to knock him down; he dragged his armored body to stand.

A40 shouted and closed in again, engaging Li Si in a high-frequency melee. The wound he had previously caused was too superficial; the toxin administered wasn’t sufficient.

"I slash!" Li Si swung his ion axe; the blade barely grazed A40’s upper body, instantly severing half of A40’s torso, with its legs losing support and falling to the ground.

Having lost its legs, A40 showed no surprise, nor did it feel pain or fear like sentient beings. It simply took the opportunity to grab Li Si’s outstretched arm with its left hand while its right hand swung the sword at Li Si.

Damn!

Li Si had never before encountered a warrior as spectral as A40. He shook his arm vigorously, trying to throw A40 off, but it didn’t budge and kept closing in on his face, almost to the point of touching.

Watching the red light tubes flicker madly in A40’s eyes, Li Si felt that losing his life here was inconsequential. Moreover, the opponent had some mysterious poison that posed a threat to his life if the fight continued.

"I surrender!" he said helplessly.

"The winner of this round, New World Mechanism’s Samurai, A40!" the Electronic Referee announced.

A40 let go and fell off Li Si, who still felt dizzy and staggered off the field. Staff gathered A40’s upper and lower parts and carried them away.

"We’re rich!" Shallow Dream sprang up from in front of the screen.

"Ah! Cunning!" 102 felt she missed a golden opportunity, yet also felt it inappropriate to link such a manic fight with worldly financial transactions. Chainsaw Angel had told her to respect the fight.

In Bibo City, Huang Feng was even more ecstatic, collapsing to the ground. She already had cancer, and now felt both pain and joy.

"Take more medicine." Rolo brought out some experimental drugs for her, as no one had experienced so many different ailments in their own body quite like Huang Feng.

"How much did we earn?"

"It’s up to 480,000." Rolo looked at the new messages on the platform.

"A40 had odds of 12 to 1?" Huang Feng was astonished.

"Yes," Rolo nodded, "it made you money, hiss... it did what a boyfriend is supposed to do."

Huang Feng was silent for a moment.

"Advancing to the next round, it can keep fighting," she said. "Keep betting on it all the way, put all the money on it; it’s going to keep winning anyway."

Rolo started to worry about his retirement savings.

"There are too many strong ones," Rolo scoffed, "how could it stand a chance, plus it’s been cut in half, wounded so seriously in its first fight that it’s uncertain if it could even make it to the next round in time, which is the day after tomorrow."

"A40 will win the championship," Huang Feng muttered, "’A40 will win’ is also five characters, right?"