Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 969: Who Wins, Who Loses

Chapter 969: Chapter 969: Who Wins, Who Loses

Gu Fan remained out of sight, leading many to speculate that he had chickened out, knowing he couldn’t win and had run away. This raised the question: would that mean Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong had won by default, and could he just go collect his money? If so, that would be an incredibly easy victory.

Encouraged by many, some people felt a tickle of temptation and consequently, more and more people placed their bets on Iron Arm Fist’s victory, with several even increasing their stakes, believing the outcome was virtually certain.

Lu Bei and Jin Yi, observing the surging enthusiasm around them, became worried once more. Lu Bei was no simpleton; he sensed something was amiss.

Jin Yi, somewhat excited, suggested, "Why don’t we place a bet too? Wouldn’t it be great to win more money?"

To this, Lu Bei shook his head, "Don’t you find it strange? Why would the bookmaker allow such betting if it’s just giving money away?"

Surprised by this comment, Jin Yi agreed, "Yes, normally, a directly promoted expert facing a sub-level martial arts competition promoted expert would have a higher chance of winning. Everyone should simply bet on the directly promoted expert, surely making a surefire profit. Why would the bookmaker make such a foolish move?"

"That’s what I don’t understand," said Lu Bei, who had been through a lot and knew that bookmakers would only allow betting if the situation was to their advantage, but this time, it simply didn’t make sense—unless...

Just as many had placed their bets on Iron Arm Fist, someone rushed in, claiming to have seen someone coaching Gu Fan in his training and that Gu Fan’s martial arts seemed to have improved, bringing him close to becoming a second-rate master.

Hearing this news shocked many people who had bet on Iron Arm Fist. Could it be they had placed their bets incorrectly? What were they to do now?

Nonetheless, many analyzed the situation rationally. As martial artists themselves, they understood that it was easy to progress from a third-rate to a second-rate master, but exceedingly difficult to become a first-rate expert. They believed that no matter how hard Gu Fan trained, acquiring the ability to defeat Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong in such a short time would be as challenging as ascension to heaven.

Following this analysis, most felt reassured and more confident in betting on Iron Arm Fist. It was unlikely that another Jin Yi would emerge so soon after the former, right?

Speaking of Jin Yi, many cast unfriendly glances his way, blaming him for holding back during the sub-level martial arts competition and causing them to misjudge and lose their bets, leading to significant losses.

Owing to Jin Yi’s performance, people now doubted that a directly promoted expert was guaranteed to beat an opponent who had come up through the sub-level martial arts competition, making them more cautious when placing bets.

However, this time, everyone was clear on Gu Fan’s capabilities—he stood no chance against a first-rate expert. So, they eagerly placed their bets, ready to make a hefty profit.

Not long after, another person came running, shouting, "Trouble! The person coaching Gu Fan seems to have also revealed Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong’s weakness!"

"What?" Many began to panic. They had wagered a lot of money on Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong, and the last thing they wanted was to lose everything.

At that moment, Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong stepped forward, calling out with authority, "Fear not, every martial artist has weaknesses in their martial arts—it’s normal. Even if that kid knows the weak point of my technique, he still needs the strength to exploit it. Does he possess that strength?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, as it was unheard of for a second-rate master to defeat a first-rate expert, at least up until now.

Iron Arm Fist Gu Tong’s words served as the best encouragement for the crowd, who resolutely placed their bets on him. The majority still had little faith in Gu Fan, disbelieving that a few days of training could bring any substantial improvement.

With the current analysis in mind, Jin Yi asked Lu Bei, "What do you think? Can Gu Fan win tomorrow?"

"I also think Gu Fan doesn’t stand a chance, but I know for certain he can win. It’s my intuition," Lu Bei said, becoming more convinced as he saw more people rushing to place bets.

Jin Yi asked another question, "Why do you have such faith in Gu Fan’s victory? Is it because he’s associated with the Devil Cult?"

Lu Bei shook his head, "No, if Gu Fan loses, then the bookmaker might end up bankrupt, which would make them the most foolish bookmaker I’ve seen. But anyone capable of running a bookmaking operation is definitely not a fool."

Hearing Lu Bei’s words left Jin Yi half-understanding, feeling as if he had grasped some critical information but still unable to comprehend the underlying issue.

"Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s head back and rest. Everything depends on Gu Fan’s performance tomorrow," said Lu Bei, patting Jin Yi’s shoulder as they walked away together.

Late into the night, when Gu Fan finished his training, he returned to his residence, where Mo Yun and Lord Xiong had been waiting for a long while.

"Sorry for being late. I was so engrossed in my training that I lost track of time. I didn’t mean to worry you," Gu Fan apologized just as Mo Yun threw cold water on his excuse, "What are you talking about? Who’s worried about you? Don’t flatter yourself."

"You’re really not holding back, are you, Master?" Gu Fan said, shaking his head in feigned disappointment.

Mo Yun offered a word of comfort, "Okay, okay, I believe you can win, alright? Even if the whole world doesn’t believe in you, I’d still blindly trust you. Are you satisfied now?"

"Thank you, Master. I believe in myself too," Gu Fan said. Mo Yun and Lord Xiong looked at him with puzzled expressions. "Please, we were just saying that. We didn’t expect you to take it so seriously and have such blind faith in yourself."

"When have you ever seen me blindly confident after knowing me for so long?" Gu Fan said with a confident smile, suggesting that his confidence stemmed from his skills.

Mo Yun frowned, "Don’t tell me, what kind of martial arts did those people teach you that made you think you can win tomorrow?"

Gu Fan shook his head, "It’s not about any martial arts technique. It’s just a pretext, a setup."

"What pretext? What setup?" Mo Yun was confused about what Gu Fan was implying, but Lord Xiong seemed to catch on, barely able to contain his laughter, and remarked, "It looks like it’s just as I suspected; sometimes being underpowered has its advantages."

"Indeed, I didn’t expect things to turn out this way. At first, I didn’t think I had any chance of competing for the Martial Arts Alliance Leader’s position, but with the way things are going, I feel like I have a great chance," Gu Fan said, his eyes filled with longing.

Mo Yun grew more baffled, "Could you two please speak plainly? What are you talking about?"

"Master, you’ll understand everything tomorrow," Gu Fan said as he sat down, an air of fatigue about him. "I’m sorry, but I’m a bit tired. Do you mind if I rest a bit earlier?"