I Have 10 Trillion Dollars only Usable For Simping
Chapter 293 - 288 to see the world

Chapter 293: 288 to see the world

"Bang."

Drenched in sweat, Jiang Chen once again fell backwards onto the ground, panting as if he had completely run out of strength, spread-eagled on the boxing ring without getting up again.

After a short while, a hand reached out from midair.

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, grabbed the hand, and used it to stand up.

His bare upper body, now soaked in sweat, didn’t speak of bulkiness but the symmetrical and smooth muscle lines exuded a masculine charm just the same.

That a college student from a higher education institute could have such a physique was already commendable.

"You okay?"

Bai Haoran, wearing only a pair of sports shorts as well, got off the boxing ring and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Jiang Chen, who had been thoroughly beaten, shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Brother Bai, how come you’re so good at boxing? Have you trained before?"

He had told the other party not to go easy on him beforehand, and indeed, Bai Haoran had been earnest and gave it his all.

Initially, seeing Bai Haoran’s build, Jiang Chen thought that even if he wasn’t a match for him, the gap shouldn’t be too large, but it turned out he had vastly overestimated himself.

Perhaps Bai Haoran’s physique wasn’t much different from his, but boxing wasn’t just about the difference in strength; reaction speed and agility were equally crucial.

He had hardly managed to land a punch on Bai Haoran, effectively a human sandbag, completely on the receiving end.

"Young Master Jiang, people like us... if we didn’t have some skills, how could we have survived intact up to now? You did very well, don’t be disheartened," Bai Haoran said, trying to comfort him.

Jiang Chen was well aware that these were mere pleasantries but didn’t mind.

If he were so easily discouraged, then he wouldn’t be himself.

People like Bai Haoran who lived on the edge could sometimes face fatal consequences just for being a second too slow; one’s living environment shapes habits and abilities.

If he could be defeated by an ordinary student like him, that would be the real joke.

Still, not landing a single blow on his opponent was indeed quite a hit to his pride.

The two men climbed down from the boxing ring and sat down to drink some water.

"Brother Bai, how long do you think I would need to train to have skills like yours?"

Bai Haoran fell silent for a moment, apparently finding the question difficult to answer. After a while, he took a sip of water and said, "Young Master Jiang, you have a good physical foundation. As long as you are willing to endure the hardships, it shouldn’t be a problem to defeat me in a year or two."

He said it in such a way that Jiang Chen almost believed him.

"Brother Bai, are you sure you’re not just humoring me?"

"Even if you don’t reach that level, being able to exchange blows with me shouldn’t be too difficult," Bai Haoran added.

Looking at each other, both burst into laughter.

This gym was owned by a friend of Bai Haoran’s and served as a legitimate part of their otherwise shady dealings.

"Young Master Jiang, it’s okay to have a go, but I think you shouldn’t waste your energy on this. Nowadays, it’s not just about the fist," Bai Haoran said, squeezing the water bottle.

"You’re right, it’s not just about the fist in this era, but being physically strong is never a bad thing," Jiang Chen commented while watching the other patrons in the gym, his lips curling into a smile. "At least, the next time someone holds a knife to me and tells me not to move, I’ll have the confidence to give them some trouble, right?"

Bai Haoran couldn’t help but laugh softly, knowing that at this point in their relationship, he didn’t believe Jiang Chen was still holding a grudge over past events—understanding it was just a joke.

"That’s also true. Your body is always your greatest capital," Bai Haoran agreed.

Jiang Chen unscrewed the cap and took a sip of water.

Despite having been beaten up, he felt particularly refreshed and invigorated; it must be the so-called ’pain mingled with pleasure.’

"Brother Bai, I’d like to ask about someone, not sure if you’ve heard of them."

"Who?"

"Lan Peizhi."

The gaze of Bai Haoran sharpened, and he abruptly turned, "Bloody Guanyin?"

Jiang Chen nodded.

As a man from the underworld, if that woman was really as formidable as Shi Qianxi had said, there was no way Bai Haoran hadn’t heard of her.

"Young Master Jiang, why are you asking about her? You haven’t... run into conflict with her, have you?"

"No."

Jiang Chen keenly caught the trace of poorly concealed wariness in Bai Haoran’s demeanor.

They say a person’s reputation casts a long shadow.

Shi Qianxi was mostly insane in her antics, making her words dubious at best, but Bai Haoran’s reaction at this moment was enough to confirm that her claims at the opera house weren’t greatly exaggerated for artistic effect.

What kind of skills would a woman have to possess to command such immense authority?

"I just heard someone mentioning her recently and got curious," Jiang Chen explained.

On hearing this, Bai Haoran gradually relaxed.

"Young Master Jiang, I haven’t seen Bloody Guanyin myself; I’ve just heard many tales about her," Bai Haoran said.

"Tales."

Jiang Chen let out a reflective laugh, then said, "Let’s hear them."

"After Mr. Zhou was imprisoned, due to the lack of a commanding presence, the underground order in East Sea was in chaos for a long time. Everyone was at odds, battling fiercely, with frequent power struggles. Today you’d take my territory, tomorrow I’d smash your store—everyone was blinded by greed, and the atmosphere was so toxic that no one could conduct their business properly. That continued until Miss Lan’s arrival."

"This Mr. Zhou you’re talking about..."

"The former richest man of East Sea."

Jiang Chen nodded.

Although he and the person in question didn’t seem to be from the same era, he couldn’t help but be familiar with his reputation.

Just from the title of the richest man of East Sea, one could tell how splendid his days had been.

The rolling waves of the Pu River, ceaselessly flowing, washed away countless heroes into the tide of time.

"As you said, after Mr. Zhou went to prison, the situation turned to chaos. The underlings, like ’running snakes and wandering vipers’ lost their restraint, their ambitions swelled, and they attacked each other. Given their nature, how could they possibly end up submitting to a woman in the end?"

Jiang Chen asked with doubt.

"One word, kill."

Bai Haoran said succinctly.

Jiang Chen’s expression flickered.

"Those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me perish," said Lan Peizhi with these eight words and put an end to the chaos. It’s said that during that time, new corpses were fished out of the Pu River every day. Some say the river ran red."

Although he didn’t witness it himself, Jiang Chen believed that this last statement was most likely the artistic embellishment of some fervent fan.

Nevertheless, from these words alone, one can glimpse the danger and grandeur of the woman he had encountered twice before.

"It was from that time that the name ’Blood Guanyin’ began to resonate from the north to the south of the great river."

"Truly formidable."

Jiang Chen let out a breath, took another sip of water from his bottle, but then felt something peculiar.

Such a ruthlessly violent woman with blood-stained hands could actually be found at a place like the former residence of the Lanting Pavilion, listening to a lofty and solitary opera.

The thoughts of some people in the world are indeed unfathomable to the ordinary mind.

After all, Bai Haoran’s experience was limited and some things he knew only by hearsay. Even if it was just like listening to stories, Jiang Chen found them quite fascinating.

"I’ve heard a joke, though I don’t know if it’s true or not. During a certain period, and perhaps even now, many gang leaders would keep an antique or a calligraphy painting in their safes."

"Antiques and paintings?"

Jiang Chen puzzled, "Why?"

"Because Ms. Lan likes these things, so if ever they offended her one day, the antiques and paintings in the safe could potentially serve as a reprieve from death, saving their lives."

Jiang Chen chuckled.

The more they talked, the more esoteric it seemed.

But then.

He couldn’t laugh anymore.

Wait.

Wasn’t the body fished out from the Shaocheng Canal that of an artifact thief?

Could it be.

Possibly...

After returning from Shaocheng, Jiang Chen had been paying attention to that case, but until now, there had been no progress. Not only was the murderer still at large, but also the treasures that the thief had stolen before his death, such as Wang Xizhi’s "Seventeen Posts," had vanished with him.

Jiang Chen’s gaze flickered, deep in thought.

"Mr. Jiang, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

Jiang Chen shook his head nonchalantly.

Although he was well-educated, he was no fool. The thought of offending such a formidable figure over a mere hunch was something only an idiot would do.

Based on his current limited understanding, this woman known as ’Blood Guanyin’ might well be an even more remarkable person than Shi Zhenhua!

Considering nothing else, she was definitely more dangerous than Shi Zhenhua in terms of character!

After all, no matter what, Shi Zhenhua was a businessman and generally wouldn’t resort to extreme measures when dealing with problems.

But that woman was probably different.

"By the way, Mr. Jiang, if you are truly interested in fighting, today is indeed a good opportunity."

Bai Zheli suddenly said, as if he had just thought of something.

"What do you mean?"

"I remember, there seems to be an underground boxing match today. The fighters there are all genuine masters, much more formidable than me."

Underground boxing match?

Jiang Chen’s understanding was undoubtedly broadened.

He had only heard of such terms on television before.

"You mean, the kind that not only determines the winner but also life and death?"

In movies or novels, scenarios like these are common—different from regular boxing matches, these fights that existed in the shadows were more like brawls than competitions, filled with violence and bloodshed, with contestants walking in upright only to possibly be carried out horizontally.

"It’s not that exaggerated,"

Bai Haoran explained, "But the rate of severe injury is very high because it’s unrestricted fighting. Participants hit very hard to prevent any desperate counterattacks from their opponents, so on-site fatalities do occasionally occur. Those who participate are basically desperados."

"They still dare to join despite the risk to their lives?"

Jiang Chen’s question was very astute.

Bai Haoran fell silent for a moment.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. There are many things in this world more despairing than death. And winning a single match can yield a prize of millions."

Jiang Chen immediately realized how silly his question was, akin to the out-of-touch inquiry of "Why not eat mincemeat?"

As for why such brutal competitions could take place over a long period...

It was an even more juvenile question.

Not to mention the common news the public sees, how many events shatter general perceptions and are beyond belief?

Moreover, news often is just the tip of the iceberg.

"Time for a shower and a change of clothes."

Jiang Chen put down the water bottle.

"It’s time to witness the world for myself."