Chapter 118 - 116: Blair Golding
"Where are we going?"
Estelle Goodman asked hesitantly, her eyes subconsciously landing on the gym bag slung over Blair’s shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly. "The gym? That’s fine with me. I work out every day."
She could run ten kilometers in one go.
Cecilia Sterling, on the other hand, frowned. She had indeed started running recently, influenced by Estelle, but she could only manage three to five kilometers at most.
She couldn’t compare to Estelle, and from the looks of the strong lines of her legs, Blair was clearly even more formidable.
’Is this Blair Golding going to drag me to the gym and put me through the wringer?’
Cecilia started to have second thoughts. "Um, Estelle’s the one who’s more interested in getting to know you. You should just take her."
Estelle looked at Cecilia in shock. "Darling, you..."
"Don’t worry, we’re not going to the gym. I have five minutes left. I can’t be late," Blair said, glancing at the time.
Hearing they weren’t going to the gym, Cecilia let out a sigh of relief. She exchanged a glance with Estelle and nodded.
So mysterious. Cecilia was curious to see just what kind of person this nonconformist, Blair Golding, really was.
The three of them left through the south gate of the university and walked to a bus stop by the side of the road.
"The bus?"
Estelle asked, a look of surprise on her face.
Blair nodded, her expression impassive. "I usually ride a shared bike, but since you two are with me and it’s pretty hot, we’ll take the bus today."
Cecilia looked at Blair. She could tell Blair wasn’t a selfish person; otherwise, she wouldn’t have cleaned the entire dorm room by herself. Her choice to take the bus was also a subconscious act of consideration for the two of them.
"You’ll have to pay your own fares, though," Blair added.
Cecilia suddenly smiled, instantly grasping the charm of Blair’s personality.
She would subconsciously consider others, but she was very firm about her own principles, especially when it came to money.
This wasn’t being stingy. For someone short on cash, money is the most important thing. Cecilia had gone through a similar phase in her own life, but she hadn’t possessed Blair’s straightforward personality, which had often forced her into difficult predicaments.
One bus ride turned into another, and then another. An hour and a half later, the three of them found themselves in a desolate, undeveloped area.
Dusk was falling, and they were surrounded by wasteland. Not far off, there was something that looked like a sign. Estelle squinted at the rusty, mottled characters—"Westwell Wetlands Park."
A couple of bare sand dunes, and not a single tree over two meters tall in sight. ’This place has the nerve to call itself a wetlands park?’
Yet in this desolate spot, a Jinbei van was parked on the side of the road. Estelle stared at it, her imagination already running wild. She could picture five or six burly men sitting in the van, identifying her from a photograph. Tomorrow, the Lorcain Law and Order channel would run the headline: "Young Woman Brutally Murdered, Body Dumped in Wilderness."
At the thought, she couldn’t help but shiver and quickly grabbed onto Cecilia. "There isn’t a soul in sight. Why did she bring us here?"
Seeing her acting both scared and curious, Cecilia couldn’t help but chuckle. "Weren’t you the one who insisted on coming? We’re probably not there yet. Don’t be afraid."
Her calm demeanor helped Estelle relax a little. The two followed Blair to the van.
The driver’s side window rolled down, revealing a middle-aged man in sunglasses. His eyes instinctively fell on Estelle and Cecilia, and he frowned. "Who are these two?"
"They’re with me. They wanted to come and see what’s going on," Blair said.
The man seemed unconvinced. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, Cecilia could feel his scrutinizing gaze. Finally, he said, "No spectators. Anyone who goes in has to participate."
He then looked at Blair. "That’s the rule. You know that."
Blair nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ll talk to Bowman. I won’t make things difficult for you."
Only after hearing this did the man nod. "Get in."
Cecilia was completely baffled by their conversation, and Estelle was even more clueless. If anything, rather than gaining a better understanding of Blair Golding, they now found her even more mysterious.
The van drove on for a long time, only slowing to a stop as the sky began to darken.
After getting out, Cecilia looked around and discovered the area was packed with parked cars, including many luxury vehicles worth over a hundred thousand dollars.
In the center of the sandy expanse stood a massive structure. It looked like an abandoned factory, or maybe a giant warehouse. Neon lights were strung up everywhere, casting colorful glows that seemed utterly out of place.
Estelle was completely stunned by the scene before her. "What is this? Some kind of utopia?"
Cecilia shook her head. Although she could see people coming and going, she couldn’t figure out what was going on either.
"Stop wondering. You’ll find out once we’re inside." Blair walked up to them, said her piece, and then headed straight for the building.
Cecilia and Estelle hurried to follow. The closer they got to the building, the more their earlier unease faded, replaced by anticipation and excitement.
"Blair! You’re here!"
"Go, Blair! We’re rooting for you!"
As they neared the main entrance, people started recognizing Blair Golding and greeting her enthusiastically. For once, Blair Golding actually smiled and nodded back at them.
Estelle said in astonishment, "So she can smile after all."
The next second, as they stepped through the gate, a deafening wave of sound crashed over them, completely overwhelming the uninitiated Cecilia Sterling and Estelle Goodman.
The sound of music.
The sound of cheering.
The sound of shouting.
Even the sound of gongs and drums.
And yet, none of these sounds could be heard from outside, a testament to the advanced soundproofing materials used to renovate this seemingly abandoned building.
Ahead was a long, straight corridor lined with rooms behind closed doors. When Cecilia and Estelle followed Blair to the end of the corridor, they discovered what lay before them: a sunken fighting pit!
The stands on all four sides were packed with spectators—men and women, young and old.
Some were dressed casually, others in formal suits. Looking up, they could see private boxes made of glass at the very top. The glass was a special type, preventing anyone from seeing in, while those inside had a panoramic view of the entire scene below.
Estelle froze on the spot, her mouth and eyes equally wide in a state of shock. A sheltered good girl who had grown up in a wealthy family, she had never seen anything like this.
No, that wasn’t true. She had seen it in the movies.
Cecilia was naturally just as shocked. After scanning her surroundings, she fixed her gaze on Blair and asked in disbelief, "Blair, don’t tell me you’re here to fight in an illegal match?"