"Awesome, college student! I support you! I bet a hundred bucks on your win!"

"Wow! Is that college student even human?"

"He knocked down Great White Shark Bing!"

"No~ The winner isn't decided yet!"

"Get up! Great White Shark, I bet my whole savings on you!"

Both fighters collapsed simultaneously. What a dramatic twist! The ring’s so-called king, Great White Shark, was actually felled by a college student!

The crowd screamed! The arena went wild! Everyone saw them fighting like their lives depended on it. Absolutely thrilling!

"One! Two!" The referee slapped the mat between them.

"Get up! Get up!" The audience roared.

"Three! Four! Five!" Both lay utterly still.

"Rise! Great White Shark, get up now!"

"Six! Seven!"

Hmm~ I think I blacked out again.

"Eight!" the referee shouted.

"Someone moved!"

"It’s the college student!"

"Nine!" the referee called.

I struggled to my feet. Great White Shark Bing remained down.

"Ten! The winner is Dongchuan Guang University’s number one mysterious expert, Awesome!" The countdown ended. The referee raised my arm, shouting.

I won! My body felt shattered, but I won!

"I won!" I raised my other hand, shouting to the crowd.

"Awesome! Awesome!"

"The college student won?!"

"Unbelievable!"

"My entire fortune!?"

I scanned the roaring stands. A strange feeling stirred in my chest.

Passion? Excitement? Joy? Thrill? Indescribable emotion!

A primal, masculine pride! The triumph of crushing a stronger foe—a sensation locked away in our peaceful modern world.

"Not bad. Come down, Xiaobai." Coldsmile’s icy voice cut from the sidelines. Heh, I was used to it.

I gripped the ropes, climbing down slowly. My steps wobbled like a drunkard’s.

"Let’s find Yeping. Need a hand?"

"Nope~" I waved, signaling I was fine.

Just then, Great White Shark Bing stirred. He shook his head hard, already accepting defeat.

He lurched up, glaring at me.

"Kid! You got lucky this time! Next time, you won’t be so fortunate!" He sprinted to my ropes, roaring down from the ring.

"Heh~ Next time, you’ll lose again~ dumb fish." I glanced back, already heading for the exit.

"Kid! What did you say!?" His furious bellow followed me out.

Coldsmile and I left the arena slowly. Yeping was gone from the stands. We took the same elevator back to the house.

Inside, Yeping sat in the center chair, toying with Coldsmile’s antique vase.

"Miss, careful! That piece is worth over two million!" Coldsmile’s voice tightened with worry.

"Back already? Still breathing?" Yeping eyed me playfully.

"... " I stayed silent. I trudged to the sofa and sat. This time, I met her gaze—my eyes gleaming with pride.

"Hmm~ Your face says you won." Yeping grinned.

"Yeah, I won eight grand! Plus the five thousand you owe me~ When’s payday?" I joked. I’d never seen so much cash.

"... " Her smile vanished, replaced by a stormy glare.

"Ah~ Here’s your eight thousand eight hundred winnings." Coldsmile cut in, pulling a thick wad of red bills from his wallet.

"Give it to me first~" Yeping’s eyes lit up as she reached for it.

"No, hand it here." I stepped forward.

"... " Coldsmile froze, cash in hand. He stood stiffly, shifting awkwardly side to side.

I snatched the money first. Yeping shot me a furious glare, then turned it on Coldsmile. He gave a helpless shrug—collateral damage.

"Coldsmile, we’re leaving." Yeping stood, waving impatiently at me.

"Wait, let me rest! My ribs still ache from Shark Bing’s hits!"

"Check the time! Miss the last bus, and we’re stranded!" She stood by the open door, eyes demanding: *Coming or not?*

"Fine~" I dragged myself up, ready to follow.

"Goodbye, Coldsmile."

Yeping nodded at him and strode out.

"Goodbye~" Coldsmile’s reply was frosty.

Near midnight. We’d waited half an hour outside the bar.

"This is your fault! Fight faster next time!" Yeping snapped.

"How is this... my fault?" I muttered.

"What?" Her icy stare pinned me.

"Nothing~ Ask Coldsmile for a ride?" I suggested quietly.

"Heh~ I’m not stepping back in there."

"Then what?"

"Walk." She turned and marched off.

"... " Walk? Another thirty minutes.

No choice. When the queen commands, you obey.

"Yeping, do you know the way?" I trailed her down the dark, empty street. Beside Dongchuan Guang University’s top beauty—yet I felt zero thrill.

Days ago, I’d walked with another stunning girl. Then I was mysteriously murdered.

"Of course. Hmm? That look—you hate walking with me?" She shot me a disdainful glance.

"No, I’m thrilled." I forced a bitter smile.

"Good! Those dead-fish eyes, though~" She sneered.

"... " Mocking me was clearly her hobby now.

Her taunts filled the walk. I didn’t know the route or distance home. Unfamiliar territory.

We reached a silent park bordering Shadowless Abode.

"Cut through here to reach Shadowless Abode," she said.

"Oh." Still far from my place.

"Hey, Yeping—can I ask something?"

"Again? Spit it out. So wordy." She squinted at me.

"... That Primordial match. Why not send Coldsmile?"

"Heh~ Scared?" She smirked.

"I want the reason." I pressed seriously.

"He refused. Said he’d rather leave Shadowless Abode or die than join. No absolute strength, no entry."

"... So I’m just a giant sucker, huh?" Tragic. Truly tragic.

"Heh~ Didn’t my dad warn you it was risky? You agreed anyway." Yeping’s smile was sharp.

"Can I back out now?"

"Heh~ What do *you* think~?" She chuckled lightly.

"Uh~" I grimaced.

We entered the park. Empty. Eerie. Streetlights flickered weakly.

"Hmm?" Yeping halted abruptly.

"What?"

"Someone’s here. Didn’t you sense it?"

"... " I focused. Ahead, a figure sat on a bench. Exhaustion had dulled my senses—I’d missed it.

"So what? People sit in parks."

"Forgotten what we are?" she said.

"Judges? Heh~ Meeting you is their death wish." I shot back. A Special S Primordial—who’d dare provoke her? Suicide.

"Judges don’t work solo. Probably just a civilian." She stayed calm, analyzing.

"Hmm." Maybe.

At the park’s heart, I spotted him—and froze. I knew that man! Black Zhongshan suit. Squinting, smiling eyes. Reading under a dim lamp.

I squinted harder. *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*.

I grabbed Yeping’s arm as she strode forward.

"What now?" she snapped.

"That man—I know him. An Outsider." My voice turned grave. He was strong. Honestly, I couldn’t rank him against Yeping.

"An Outsider?! Not a Black Rider? The new one?" Yeping’s eyes widened.

"Zhao Jiansheng. Calls himself ‘Sword God’. Attacked me unprovoked last time."

"Zhao Jiansheng?"

"Heard of him?"

"Never heard the name. But ‘Sword God’... Among Mimics, we call him ‘Mad Dog’. An Outsider who breaks rules, ambushing us often. Rumor says he’s strong enough to keep getting away with it." Yeping’s tone grew serious.

"What now? Run?"

"Heh~ Run? Are you an idiot?" She laughed, then marched straight toward Zhao Jiansheng.

Zhao Jiansheng closed his book. He stood, smiling as we approached.

"Hmm? Young lovers out past curfew?" His squint deepened. "Then you won’t be going home..."