Chapter 187 - 102: Subduing the Entire Training Camp on the First Day
Just then.
From Lin Yi’s right, Li Hao’s voice abruptly sounded.
It was laced with a deliberately low, provocative tone:
"Lin Yi, how about it? Want to have a little fun?"
He turned sideways, his sharp gaze fixed on Lin Yi.
Lin Yi turned at the sound of his voice, his calm gaze meeting Li Hao’s.
"Play what?"
A brash smirk played on Li Hao’s lips. He deliberately raised his voice, drawing the attention of several nearby trainees:
"What else? A points wager, of course! In this entire training camp, only the three of us have any points. Everyone else is broke! As for Lu Xue..."
He shot a flippant, disdainful glance at the aloof girl nearby:
"She’s a girl, and a real man like me doesn’t hit girls! So, how about it? Just the two of us. One match? Let’s not make it too high-stakes. Just a friendly little wager... say, one hundred points?"
"A wager match?" Lin Yi looked at Li Hao’s confident, provocative expression. His eyes flickered as he seemed to weigh his options.
Seeing this, Li Hao assumed Lin Yi was getting cold feet. A wave of smugness washed over him, and the smile on his face vanished, replaced by open contempt. His voice grew cold:
"What? Scared? The training camp ranked you ahead of me, and I’m not happy about it! Of course, if you’re really going to chicken out, that’s fine too..."
"All you have to do is say it out loud, right here in front of everyone. Admit—clearly—that you, Lin Yi, are not as good as me, Li Hao! If you do that, I guarantee I’ll never bother you again!"
Faced with Li Hao’s arrogant, overbearing demeanor,
Lin Yi didn’t get angry. Instead, he looked as if he’d just heard something highly amusing.
"Heh... A wager match? That does sound rather interesting."
He paused, then his tone shifted.
"However, a hundred points? Li Hao, who are you looking down on? Is this charity for a beggar? If we’re going to do this, let’s make it big. All in! You dare? One thousand points. Everything on the line. So, I’m asking you: are you in?"
"A thousand?!" Li Hao’s arrogant expression froze on his face. His pupils contracted.
He had never imagined Lin Yi’s counter would be so ruthless.
To go all in right from the start!
This was completely different from the script he had imagined!
Lin Yi saw the momentary hesitation and shock in Li Hao’s eyes and immediately pressed his advantage, his voice taking on an openly mocking tone:
"Oh? Scared? Tsk, tsk... If you don’t have the guts, then let’s just forget it. My mistake."
He made a show of turning away, feigning a complete lack of interest.
That one simple word, "scared," was the spark that lit the powder keg.
Blood rushed to Li Hao’s head. His face flushed crimson, and a vein throbbed at his temple.
To have the tables turned on him so publicly by Lin Yi, especially right after his own bravado, was a blatant slap in the face!
When had he, Li Hao, ever suffered such humiliation?
"Bullshit! Who’s scared?! Trying to turn my own trick against me? Fine! Just fine! Lin Yi, you’ve got some nerve!"
Li Hao practically snarled,
"A thousand it is! You think I’m scared of you?! I’m sending the challenge request right now. You’d better not be the one to back down!"
The words were barely out of his mouth.
Li Hao was already impatiently tapping at the communicator on his wrist.
His fingers flew across the screen, jabbing furiously.
He moved so fast his fingers were a blur.
"BEEP BEEP BEEP—"
A moment later,
Lin Yi’s communicator began to chime urgently.
The screen lit up with a piercing red glow.
[Li Hao has challenged you. Wager: 1000 Points! Do you accept?]
Lin Yi didn’t even look closely.
He merely glanced at the challenger’s name and the glaring number for the wager: [1000 Points].
A nearly imperceptible smirk touched his lips.
His finger didn’t hesitate for a second.
He decisively pressed the enormous button—
YES!
[You have accepted Li Hao’s challenge! Please proceed to Ring Area 1 within twenty minutes. Failure to arrive on time will result in an automatic forfeit!]
The cold system prompt sounded.
Lin Yi closed his communicator and looked up at Li Hao’s livid face, his tone as casual as if he were asking to go for lunch:
"All set. Let’s go."
"Hmph! Let’s go!"
Li Hao slammed his hand on the desk as he shot to his feet, then stormed out of the classroom.
Lu Xue, sitting nearby, had been close enough to overhear every single word.
A look of clear surprise appeared in her usually aloof eyes for the first time. Her gaze swept between their retreating backs, and she couldn’t help but ask:
"Are you... serious? A thousand points? The whole pot?"
Even she was stunned by the stakes.
Lin Yi turned back and grinned at her:
"Well, I was bored anyway. Think of it as a good way to stretch my legs and warm up!"
His tone was light as he strode after Li Hao, his steps brisk.
At that moment,
Inwardly, Lin Yi was ecstatic.
’Isn’t this guy just falling over himself to give me free points?’
’Could there be a better deal than this?’
’He had been worrying about being a full 2,000 points short for the "Flaming Brilliance Spear" manual!’
’Heh, and just like that, I’ve made up half the difference!’
’Talk about a godsend!’
One after the other, Lin Yi and Li Hao left the classroom, their auras a study in contrasts.
Lu Xue watched their backs disappear through the doorway. Her elegant brows furrowed in thought for a few seconds before she decisively stood up and hurried after them.
She was going to watch the fight!
This was the first-ever clash between the training camp’s first and second-ranked trainees.
’This is the perfect chance to see what the two guys ranked above me are really made of!’
She might be a woman, but as a Martial Artist, she was just as competitive as anyone.
The camp had ranked her third, and she was not entirely at peace with that.
If...
’If those two aren’t as strong as their ranks suggest...’