“Y-You… are you telling the truth?” Rena asked with an almost impolite tone, disbelievingly echoing the statement.
“Of course it’s true! We people from Casares always mean what we say!” Zhang Wen displayed displeasure on his face, yet still gave Rena a definite answer.
“Oh! That’s great then!” Rena and Jim exchanged glances filled with astonished delight. “It’s truly improper to doubt a gentleman from Casares! Haha! Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!” Rena stood up, his nervous hands not knowing where to place themselves. Eagerly, he dragged Jim out of the restaurant, fearing that if they delayed any longer, Zhang Wen might change his mind.
“There’s no need to rush, no need to rush at all. While it’s indeed important to go to the arena, we should settle the bill first.” Zhang Wen chuckled deliberately, called the owner to pay, and only after that did he leave the restaurant, following the two ruffians.
With Jim and Rena, local toughs who knew the area well, leading the way, Zhang Wen naturally no longer needed to wander aimlessly according to the note given to him by Shura. The trio soon arrived at the towering entrance of Kemal Arena—the grandest arena in Babylon City.
Seeing the two small-time hooligans circling back to his vicinity, the guard Burton immediately became furious, gesturing angrily with his psychokinetic gun and glaring fiercely at the pair.
“Hey! Rena, Jim, what are you two doing coming back again? Are you ignoring my words?”
“Hmph! What are you getting so cocky about, Burton? We’re guests of the arena now, and is that any way to speak to guests?” This time, Rena paid no heed to Burton’s waving psychokinetic gun, instead smirking boastfully at him.
“G-Guests? You two penniless brats who can’t even afford a meal, you’re saying you can actually afford tickets to Kemal Arena?” Burton’s face darkened, but soon he was shouting at them again, full of suspicion.
“Tsk! Open your dog eyes and look clearly—what is this!” Rena and Jim strutted up to Burton, haughtily waving the two small slips of paper in their hands.
“T-These… you two little rascals, where did you steal these from?” Furious, Burton yanked out his psychokinetic gun, aiming it at Rena and Jim while roaring.
However, faced with the gun barrel glowing blue, Rena and Jim weren’t frightened at all—in fact, they became even more excited.
“Tsk tsk! So this is how you treat guests, Burton? I see how it is today,” Rena sneered with obvious malice.
“Hehe! Brother Rena, don’t you think we should complain to the manager of Kemal Arena?” Jim chimed in knowingly.
“F-F…” Burton instinctively began cursing, but his words hadn’t even left his mouth when a sly glance from Rena scared him into swallowing them back. “P-Please… please, both of you, I beg you, don’t tell the manager about this. My wife and kids at home depend entirely on my wages to survive!” Burton quickly lowered his stance, putting on a pitiful expression to evoke sympathy.
“Hmph! Seeing how hard it is for you to earn a living, we’ll let it slide this time. But if I ever need a favor from you in the future, I expect you to be accommodating. Otherwise…” Rena sinisterly grinned, patted Burton’s shoulder, and glanced around suspiciously as he spoke.
Rena had now realized it clearly. Zhang Wen, his “fellow Casares native,” was absolutely his destined benefactor! In just half an hour since their meeting, Rena had not only solved his lunch problem and taken sweet revenge on Burton, but also started catching glimpses of windfalls waiting for him inside Kemal Arena. What surprised and delighted Rena the most was that he had accidentally caught Burton red-handed!
Though Rena hadn’t planned to completely ruin Burton, if he ever fell on hard times again in the future, he wouldn’t have to worry about ways to sneak into Kemal Arena to make money. Knowing full well that money never stayed in his pockets for long, Rena indulged in satisfaction for a moment before becoming even more attentive and leading Zhang Wen forward.
Earlier, Rena had specially asked Zhang Wen to wait aside for a moment just to get a little revenge on Burton. Zhang Wen, who was more than happy to watch an amusing show, had readily agreed. This brief wait turned out to be a happy ending for all three of them.
Only when Zhang Wen was escorted out with great enthusiasm by Rena and Jim did Burton finally understand how these two broke ruffians had gotten their arena tickets. But with Rena holding a compromising secret over him, Burton naturally dared not show even a hint of dissatisfaction. Carefully smiling, he escorted the three men into the arena.
As the trio entered Babylon City’s arena center, the first thing that caught their eyes was a towering wall made entirely of sea urchin stone, engraved with countless square grooves—just like the arenas in Casares.
The Wall of Honor…
Standing before this towering wall, which symbolized the highest honor and status within the arena, even aimless ruffians like Rena and Jim couldn’t help but sigh with admiration.
“Oh… There are quite a few bounty fighters on Fira Planet! Just Kemal Arena in Babylon City alone has over a hundred!” Zhang Wen remarked half-jokingly as he looked at the over a hundred metal plaques embedded in the tall wall.
“Hehe! You’re absolutely right, sir. After all, Fira Planet is the ‘Southern Capital’ of the Empire. If you add up the bounty fighters from several major cities, there must be around three or five hundred,” Rena eagerly chimed in with a smile. “But if we’re being honest, we Casares people are still superior. After all, we have the legendary Iron Mask, the greatest fighter in the South. Fira Planet may have hundreds of bounty fighters, but not a single legendary one.”
“Mm! That’s true,” Zhang Wen nodded, displaying a satisfied expression as though flattered. “But let’s not talk about Casares for now. After all, we’re on Fira Planet. You seem quite familiar with the arena business. Why don’t you introduce me to the situation here on Fira? I haven’t decided which matches I should watch yet.”
“Is… is what you’re saying true?” Reina asked in a tone that bordered on rudeness, unable to believe it.
“Of course, it’s true. We, the people of Casares, always keep our word!” Zhang Wen, though visibly displeased, gave Reina a firm answer.
“Oh! That’s fantastic!” Reina and Jim exchanged glances, their eyes filled with incredulous delight. “Doubting our lord from Casares was truly inappropriate! Haha! What are we waiting for? Let’s get going!” Reina stood up, his hands fidgeting nervously, unsure where to place them. He eagerly dragged Jim out of the restaurant, fearing that any delay might cause Zhang Wen to change his mind.
“No need to rush, no need to rush. While going to the arena is important, we should settle the bill first,” Zhang Wen said with a deliberate laugh, calling over the owner to pay the bill before leaving the restaurant with the two troublemakers.
With Jim and Reina, the local guides, leading the way, Zhang Wen no longer needed to wander aimlessly with the note given by Shura. The trio quickly arrived at the grand entrance of the Kemal Arena.
Seeing the two troublemakers circling back under his nose, the guard, Burton, immediately grew furious, gesturing with his psi-gun and glaring at them.
“Hey! Reina, Jim, why are you two back? Are you ignoring my words?”
“Hmph! Burton, what are you so arrogant about? We are guests of the arena. Is that how you talk to guests?” This time, Reina didn’t even flinch at Burton’s psi-gun, instead laughing triumphantly.
“Guests? You two paupers who can’t even afford a meal can buy tickets to the Kemal Arena?” Burton’s expression froze, but he quickly shouted at them again, full of suspicion.
“Open your dog eyes and see what this is!” Reina and Jim strutted up to Burton, waving two small pieces of paper in front of him with feigned disdain.
“Where did you two little brats steal these from?” Burton, enraged, drew his psi-gun and aimed it at Reina and Jim.
However, instead of being intimidated by the glowing blue barrel, Reina and Jim became even more excited.
“Tsk tsk! Burton, is this how you treat guests? I see now,” Reina said with a deliberately malicious smile.
“Hehe! Brother Reina, should we complain to the manager of the Kemal Arena?” Jim chimed in, catching on.
“You…” Burton’s curse was cut short by Reina’s cunning glare, “Please… please be merciful and don’t tell our manager. My wife and children depend on my wages to survive!” Burton quickly lowered his stance, putting on a pitiful expression to gain sympathy.
“Hmph! Seeing how hard it is for you to make a living, we’ll let it slide this time. But next time I need a favor, you better help out. Otherwise… I remember there are psi-technicians recording everything at the entrance of the Kemal Arena 24/7,” Reina said, looking around and patting Burton’s shoulder with a sinister smile.
Reina had now realized that Zhang Wen, his “fellow Casaresian,” was undoubtedly his destined benefactor! In just half an hour since they met, Reina not only had lunch and avenged himself on Burton but also saw the fortune of the Kemal Arena beckoning him! And to his surprise and delight, he had inadvertently caught Burton’s weak spot!
Although Reina didn’t plan to completely ruin Burton with this leverage, if he ever fell on hard times again, he wouldn’t worry about finding a way to make money in the Kemal Arena! Knowing he could never hold onto money, Reina savored the moment before becoming even more eager to escort Zhang Wen out.
Earlier, Reina had asked Zhang Wen to wait a moment to get back at Burton. Zhang Wen, amused by the spectacle, gladly agreed. The brief wait turned out to be a win-win for all three.
As Zhang Wen was ushered out by the attentive Reina and Jim, Burton finally understood how the two penniless troublemakers had obtained the arena tickets. However, with his secret in Reina’s hands, Burton dared not show any dissatisfaction, only cautiously smiling as he escorted the trio into the arena.
Entering the Babylon Arena, the first thing that caught their eyes was a tall wall made of a single piece of sea urchin stone, engraved with countless square indentations.
The Wall of Honor…
Standing before this wall, which represented the pinnacle of honor and status in the arena, even aimless troublemakers like Reina and Jim couldn’t help but sigh with envy.
“Oh… there are quite a few bounty fighters on Planet Fira! Just the Kemal Arena in Babylon has over a hundred!” Zhang Wen remarked, half-seriously, looking at the hundreds of metal plaques embedded in the wall.
“Haha! You’re right, sir. After all, Planet Fira is the ‘Southern Capital’ of the empire. The bounty fighters from several major cities combined number around three to five hundred,” Reina quickly chimed in with a flattering smile. “But if we’re being honest, we Casaresians are still superior. After all, we have the legendary fighter, Iron Mask, the number one in the South. Planet Fira has hundreds of bounty fighters but not a single legendary one.”
“True,” Zhang Wen nodded, pretending to be very pleased with the flattery. “But let’s not talk about Casares for now. After all, we’re on Planet Fira. Since you seem quite familiar with the arena, why don’t you tell me about the situation here? I haven’t decided which matches to watch yet.”
“Oh! You’ve asked the right person! When it comes to judging arena matches, no one in Babylon dares to claim they’re better than our Brother Reina!” Jim chimed in with a naive smile, boasting for Reina. “But if you really want to watch Casaresian fights, it’s not impossible. This morning, we…” Perhaps too excited, Jim started to ramble.
“Hey!” Reina, hearing Jim about to spill their secret, quickly hit him to shut him up.
“Oh? What happened this morning?” Zhang Wen, hearing a hint of something, couldn’t help but feel surprised.
He suddenly remembered that when he met Shura at the inn earlier, Shura mentioned that when they, the Casaresian bounty fighters, left the spaceport, two troublemakers had discovered their identities.
Could it be that the two troublemakers Shura mentioned were these two who scammed meals on the streets? Hmm… If it’s them, no wonder they were so eager to get to the Kemal Arena. Zhang Wen thought, suddenly understanding.
Reina, of course, didn’t know that the “fat sheep” before him was also a Casaresian bounty fighter. Hearing Zhang Wen’s question, Reina nervously forced a smile, trying to cover up Jim’s slip.
“Nothing… just a small matter.”
“Oh!” Zhang Wen also pretended not to care, nodding indifferently. “Since it’s nothing important, let’s continue with the previous topic. You, the know-it-all, tell me about the fighters in the Babylon Arena.”
Seizing the opportunity while Reina was flustered, Zhang Wen cleverly brought up the question he most wanted to know. Reina, eager to change the subject, naturally felt relieved and immediately started enthusiastically introducing the information Zhang Wen wanted.
“Speaking of the Babylon Arena! Although it’s not as impressive as our Casares Arena, it’s still top-notch on Planet Fira. After all, it’s the planetary capital! As you saw earlier, there are over a hundred bounty fighters here, and the most famous are, of course, the ‘Five Heavenly Kings of the Empire’ in Babylon.”
“Five Heavenly Kings?” Zhang Wen raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Before coming to the Babylon Arena to gather information, Shura had naturally briefed Zhang Wen on what he knew. From Shura, Zhang Wen learned that the Babylon Arena had four top-tier imperial fighters. But to his surprise, as soon as he entered the Babylon Arena, Reina gave him a huge surprise.
“When I came, I also learned a bit about Babylon from the Casares Arena. I heard that the Babylon Arena only has four imperial fighters?” Zhang Wen asked curiously.
“Haha! Your information is outdated! A year ago, the Four Heavenly Kings of the Babylon Arena became the Five Heavenly Kings,” Reina laughed heartily, patiently explaining to Zhang Wen. “You might not know, but about a year ago, several major organizations on Planet Fira suddenly went crazy, aggressively expanding their territories. Babylon, being the center of Planet Fira, was naturally the most fiercely contested.”
“Oh? Really?” Zhang Wen listened intently, mentally calculating the timeline Reina mentioned.
About a year ago… wasn’t that when the Ruby fell?
“Ah! I found it strange at the time. Those organizations had always coexisted peacefully, but it seemed like they changed overnight. They fought several times in Babylon over territories, causing widespread panic. The governor even asked the Shiro Army to send troops to suppress them once. But that only treated the symptoms, not the root cause. They stopped fighting openly but continued to clash in secret.”
“Hmm… I see,” Zhang Wen said, not showing much on the surface but inwardly sneering, feeling a bit of sympathy for Temiso.
If what Reina said was true, then Planet Fira was a hundred times more chaotic than Casares. The emperor’s decision to revoke Casares’ right to compete for Princess Sophia based on Casares’ security situation was indeed unfair to Temiso.
“In Babylon, there were originally only four imperial fighters, but the most powerful organizations numbered five. You’re a regular at the arena, so you must understand this better than I do. In our empire, the number of bounty fighters in the arena represents strength. If one organization has fewer bounty fighters than others, wouldn’t it be obvious that they’d be looked down upon? So, the major organizations naturally fought tooth and nail in the arena. The organization without an imperial fighter went to great lengths to secure a spot from elsewhere.”
“I see! Now I understand,” Zhang Wen nodded, then showed great interest and continued, “If Babylon is as you say, then the fights between these major organizations must be particularly intense!”
“Absolutely! If you want to watch death matches, you’re in for a treat here. In Casares, no matter how intense the fights between our fighters, they always show some restraint. But when the fighters from Babylon’s major organizations clash… hehe, even if they don’t lose their lives, they’ll at least be bedridden for months. Broken limbs are just routine. In the past six months, aside from the fighters supported by the five major organizations, almost no other fighters dare to come here.”
Reina, finally finding an audience besides his sidekick Jim, naturally became more and more excited, pouring out all the information he had to Zhang Wen.
“Mm-hmm,” Zhang Wen nodded repeatedly, silently memorizing everything Reina said.
Honestly, listening to this troublemaker named Reina, Zhang Wen felt a bit of surprise. Before bringing Reina and Jim into the arena, Zhang Wen hadn’t expected these two troublemakers to know so much about the Babylon Arena.
However, just as Reina was happily talking and Zhang Wen was engrossed, a mocking voice suddenly interrupted.
“Hey! You guys, stop right there!”
Hearing the voice from behind, Reina immediately stopped talking. Jim’s face showed a hint of fear, and he gave Reina a reproachful look before reluctantly turning around.
Perhaps because he got too excited, Jim accidentally let something slip.
“Hey!” Hearing Jim about to reveal their secret about making money, Rena hastily hit Jim hard to shut him up.
“Oh? What happened this morning?” Zhang Wen, catching a hint from Jim’s words, couldn’t help but feel surprised.
Suddenly, he recalled that when he met Shura at the inn earlier, he had heard from Shura that when their Casares bounty fighters left the spaceport, two ruffians had noticed their identities.
Could it be that the two ruffians Shura mentioned were actually these two conmen who scammed free food and drinks on the streets? Hmm… If that’s really them, then it’s no wonder these two were so eager to get into Kemal Arena. Zhang Wen thought to himself with sudden realization.
Of course, Rena had no idea that the “fat sheep” in front of him was also one of the Casares bounty fighters. Upon hearing Zhang Wen’s question, Rena immediately tensed up, forcing a fake smile as he desperately tried to cover up Jim’s slip of the tongue.
“N-Nothing much… Just a small thing.”
“Oh!” Zhang Wen pretended to be indifferent, nodding casually. “If it’s nothing serious, let’s continue our previous topic. You’re such a walking encyclopedia, why don’t you introduce the fighters at Babylon Arena to me?”
Taking advantage of Rena’s flustered state, Zhang Wen cleverly brought up the question he most wanted to ask. Naturally, Rena, who was eager to change the subject, felt a great sense of relief and immediately relaxed, smiling broadly as he began to enthusiastically share all the information Zhang Wen most wanted to know.
“As for Babylon Arena… although it may not be as impressive as the arenas in Casares, it’s still the best on Fira Planet. After all, it’s the planetary capital! As you just saw, there are over a hundred bounty fighters here, and the most famous among them are naturally the ‘Five Kings of the Empire Fighters’ of Babylon.”
“The Five Kings?” Zhang Wen raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Before coming to Babylon Arena to gather intelligence, Shura had naturally told Zhang Wen some of what he knew. From Shura, Zhang Wen had learned that Babylon Arena had only four top-tier imperial fighters. Yet now, barely stepping into the Babylon Arena, Rena had given him a huge surprise.
“When I came here, I had also learned a bit about Babylon from the Casares Arena. I heard that Babylon Arena only had four Emperor Fighters?” Zhang Wen asked curiously.
“Haha! The information you got is already outdated! A whole year ago, our Babylon Arena’s Four Emperor Fighters became the Five Kings.” Rena laughed heartily, patiently explaining to Zhang Wen. “You probably don’t know that about a year ago, several major organizations on Fira Planet, for some unknown reason, suddenly seemed to go crazy and started aggressively expanding their territories. Babylon City, being the center of Fira Planet, naturally became the most fiercely contested place among those major organizations.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Zhang Wen listened intently to Rena’s words, secretly calculating the timeline he mentioned in his heart.
About a year ago… wasn’t that exactly when the Rubicon was destroyed?
“Yeah! I felt it was really strange back then. Those organizations had always coexisted peacefully, but seemingly overnight, everything changed. They fought several battles in Babylon over territory disputes, causing widespread panic. The Governor’s Office even requested the Shinra military to send troops to quell the unrest. But that was just a temporary fix. They stopped fighting openly, yet continued their fierce battles in secret.”
“Mm… So such things happened.” As Zhang Wen listened to Rena’s account, he didn’t say much on the surface, but deep down, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sympathy for Termisso.
If what Rena said was true, then Fira Planet was at least a hundred times more chaotic than Casares. The Emperor’s use of Casares’ public order as a reason to strip it of its right to compete for the Princess Sophia was something that Termisso had every reason to be angry and resentful about.
“In our Babylon, there really were only four Imperial Fighters at first, but the most powerful organizations totaled five. As a regular visitor to the arena, you must understand this principle better than me. In our Empire, the bounty fighters in the arena represent power. You see, if one organization had fewer bounty fighters in the arena than the others, wouldn’t that obviously make them look inferior? Therefore, of course, the major organizations fought tooth and nail in the arena. The organization without an Imperial Fighter tried every means possible to secure a spot from elsewhere.”
“I see! Now I understand.” Zhang Wen nodded with sudden realization, then displayed a look of interest and continued asking, “If Babylon City is really as you described, then the fights between fighters from these major organizations must be especially intense!”
“That’s right! If you want to see death matches, you’ve come to the right place for a treat. No matter how intense the fights between our Casares fighters get, they always show some restraint. But once fighters from the major organizations in Babylon clash… hehe, even if they don’t lose their lives, they’ll at least have to stay in bed for months. Broken arms and legs are practically routine. In the past six months, besides the fighters supported by the five major organizations, almost no other fighters dare to come here anymore.”
Rena, who rarely found someone willing to listen to him besides his underling Jim, naturally grew more and more excited as he spoke. He poured out everything he knew to Zhang Wen like a bamboo tube spilling beans.
“Right, right,” Zhang Wen nodded repeatedly, carefully memorizing everything Rena said.
To be honest, listening to this hooligan named Rena talk, Zhang Wen actually felt a bit surprised. Before entering the arena center with Rena and Jim, he hadn’t dared to expect that these two ruffians could be so knowledgeable about Babylon Arena.
However, just as Rena was happily speaking and Zhang Wen was listening with great interest, a voice laced with mockery suddenly interrupted them.
“Hey! You guys, stop right there!”
“Haha! Reyna, Jim, the moment I saw those pitiful backs of yours, I knew it had to be you two useless idiots. What’s going on? Have you two sneaked into the Babylon Arena again to earn some extra cash? Do you consider everything I say as mere crap? Huh?” The man’s voice from just now rang out again. This time, his tone carried an even more noticeable cruel undertone beneath the mockery.
Zhang Wen turned around along with Reyna and saw several muscular men wearing the typical light short-sleeved shirts of the arena approaching them with cold smirks. The man who had been speaking was leading the pack. He had long silver-dyed hair and deliberately unfastened several buttons on his chest, proudly exposing his hairy torso.
“Who is he?” Seeing Reyna’s expression, which resembled a mouse facing a cat, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper the question.
“H… He’s… Sandro from TK Group.” Reyna’s reply trembled as his teeth chattered nervously. He quickly finished his sentence and hurriedly turned his face into a forced smile toward the approaching men.
“Hey! Reyna, I remember clearly telling you, right? No matter who it is, if anyone wants to earn extra cash inside the arena, they must inform me beforehand and hand over a third of the earnings. How dare you knowingly violate the rule? Are you trying to show disrespect to me?” Sandro started with a smile, but as his speech quickened, his expression turned increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Reyna’s neck and scolded him harshly.
“This…” Reyna swallowed hard, fear evident in his eyes as he looked at Sandro.
Although Reyna was just a small-time hoodlum with no real connection to Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to learn more about the Babylon Arena from him. Judging from Sandro’s manner, he seemed determined to expel Reyna from the arena. Naturally, Zhang couldn’t allow that. Thus, with a barely noticeable frown, Zhang prepared to step forward and help Reyna.
“Don’t!” At this moment, Jim grabbed Zhang Wen’s arm, desperately gesturing at him, “It’s okay. Brother Reyna has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? Just who exactly is this Sandro that you’re all so afraid of?”
“He’s a thug from TK Group, ranked second among the five major organizations, and currently a planetary warrior here. However, several months ago, when Brother Reyna and I were still scraping by in the arena, he had a match against a galactic warrior from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So now, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five champions, he’s among the strongest. Moreover, this guy is ruthless, having killed about twenty bounty warriors. Even if you, sir, are a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Seemingly worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and provoke Sandro, Jim immediately leaned close to Zhang Wen’s ear and anxiously explained Sandro’s background in detail as soon as Zhang asked.
“I see,” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly at Jim, then frowned as he looked at Reyna again, “He really has a way out?” Naturally, Zhang would prefer not to get involved if Reyna could indeed extricate himself as Jim had said.
“Rest assured! Brother Reyna has never encountered an obstacle he couldn’t overcome,” Jim confidently nodded.
Reality soon proved that Jim’s confidence in Reyna wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim had even finished speaking, Reyna had already adjusted his mindset. Although he still cautiously wore a smile, clearly fearful of Sandro, at least he now dared to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how dare I ignore your words? I haven’t done anything to earn extra money this time. On the contrary, I actually have some information I’d like to sell to you, Boss Sandro.”
“Sell information?” Seeing Reyna’s fearful smile, Sandro couldn’t help but burst into laughter, “What kind of information could you useless kid possibly have to sell me? Moreover, even if you really had something important… you dare to use the word ‘sell’ to me. Your nerve is truly impressive!” A flash of anger in his eyes, Sandro slightly tightened the arm around Reyna’s neck, causing Reyna’s face to swell red unnaturally.
“Sa… Sandro Boss, I certainly wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling the information for money. It’s just… I’m in a bit of a difficult situation now!” Nearly suffocating, Reyna painfully squeezed out a few words.
“Hmph! What difficulty could you possibly have?” Hearing that Reyna might genuinely have something, Sandro slightly loosened his grip.
“Hehe! Boss Sandro, you can’t entirely blame me. Before I met you just now, Titan from the Dragon and Tiger Gang recognized me first. As you know, a small fry like me dares not play tricks with Titan. So when Titan asked me, I told him everything I knew. After Titan heard the information, he insisted on giving me a reward, and I didn’t dare to refuse. However, if I accept Titan’s money but then tell you the information for free… well, should Titan find out later, my life might be in serious danger.”
“Tsk! You little bastard, you’re using Titan to scare me?” Sandro angrily glared at Reyna.
“No, no, I’d never dare! I’m just telling you the truth,” Reyna desperately forced a bitter smile, trying his best to appear as honest as Jim usually did.
“Hmph! I know you don’t have the guts to deceive me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he loosened his arm, finally releasing Reyna.
The Titan Reyna mentioned was the reigning champion warrior of the Dragon and Tiger Gang, currently ranked first among the five major organizations in Babylon. In Sandro’s eyes, Titan was indeed a peculiar character.
In the arena, Titan was practically a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill when witnessing Titan’s duels. Yet, off the battlefield, Titan was so serious that he seemed almost inhuman. He never tried to take advantage of others, but he also never allowed himself to be wronged. It was entirely possible for Titan to pay someone for information, just as he had done with Reyna.
With Titan having already paid for the information, Sandro couldn’t force Reyna to reveal it for free. Otherwise, if Titan found out… Sandro certainly didn’t care about Reyna’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him too after eliminating Reyna.
After all, the galactic warrior Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon and Tiger Gang. Right now, the Dragon and Tiger Gang viewed Sandro as a thorn in their side, desperately seeking a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak! What exactly is this important information?” Once Reyna had caught his breath, Sandro immediately asked coldly.
“This…”
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Did you take everything I said as a fart? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced not only with mockery but also an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned around with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront of the group. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, exposing his hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper when he saw Rena’s expression, which resembled a mouse seeing a cat.
“He… he’s… he’s Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered nervously, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning his body towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember telling you, didn’t I? No matter who it is, if they want to make extra cash in the arena, they have to inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules? Do you not take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as he spoke faster, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and began to berate him harshly.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, the petty thug, had nothing to do with Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to continue gathering information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang couldn’t let that happen. So, Zhang subtly furrowed his brow and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang, frantically gesturing, “It’s okay, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What exactly is Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second-largest of the five major organizations, and now a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a star fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So now, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. Moreover, he’s ruthless; nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and whispered all the details about Sandro into Zhang’s ear.
“I see.” Zhang nodded understandingly to Jim, then frowned and glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang would be happy to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena has never faced a hurdle he couldn’t overcome.” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even finished, Rena had already adjusted his mindset. Although Rena still wore a cautious smile and appeared very afraid of Sandro, he at least had the courage to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how could I not take your words to heart? I didn’t come in to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a useless guy like you have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to say ‘sell’ to me? You’ve got quite the nerve!” Anger flashed in Sandro’s eyes as he tightened his grip on Rena’s neck, causing Rena’s face to turn unnaturally red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling the information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult for you?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable, so he slightly relaxed his grip.
“Hey! Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Boss Titan from the Dragon Tiger Gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare to play games with Boss Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Boss Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Boss Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Boss Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little bastard, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just being honest with you.” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s simple and honest expression.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d have the guts to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger Gang, currently the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. To Sandro, Titan was indeed a bit of an odd character.
In the ring, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill when watching Titan fight. But outside the ring, Titan was so serious he hardly seemed human. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be taken advantage of. It was entirely in character for Titan to insist on paying Rena for the information.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare force Rena to give up the information for free. Otherwise, if Titan found out… Sandro didn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him along with Rena.
After all, the star fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger Gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly after Rena caught his breath.
“This…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with pleasant surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me.” Sandro wasn’t a fool; seeing Rena’s actions, he naturally understood what he meant. So Sandro coldly said and beckoned Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a spot some distance away from Sandro and his group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and taking them all out without a trace.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention and eavesdropped on their conversation as the two sneaked to the corner.
“Here’s good enough.” Sandro stopped at the deserted corner, displeased, “Speak up quickly! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course.” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living for a while. So I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, when Jim and I were wandering around…” Rena’s voice dropped even further as he leaned in to whisper a few words into Sandro’s ear.
“What? How could this be?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Did you take everything I said as a fart? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out again, this time laced with not just mockery but also an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned around with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, revealing a hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression like a mouse seeing a cat when facing the burly man.
“He… he’s… Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered nervously, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning his body towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember telling you, Rena! No matter who it is, if they want to make extra cash in the arena, they have to inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules? Do you not take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as he spoke faster, his expression grew harsher. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and scolded him fiercely.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, the small-time thug, had nothing to do with Zhang Wen, Zhang Wen still wanted to continue gathering information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he wanted to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen couldn’t let that happen. So, Zhang Wen subtly frowned and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing, “It’s okay, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What’s Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second-ranked among the five major organizations, and now a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a galaxy fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance then, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, apart from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. Moreover, he’s ruthless; nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim immediately leaned in and explained Sandro’s background in detail.
“I see.” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly to Jim, then frowned and glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang Wen would naturally prefer to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena has never faced a hurdle he couldn’t overcome.” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even finished, Rena had already adjusted his mindset. Although Rena still cautiously wore a smile and appeared very afraid of Sandro, at least he had the courage to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how could I dare not take your words to heart? I didn’t come in to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you, Boss Sandro.”
“Sell information?” Sandro couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a waste like you possibly have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to say ‘sell’ to me. You really have some guts!” Anger flashed in Sandro’s eyes, and with a slight tightening of his arm around Rena’s neck, Rena’s face turned unnaturally red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t intend to sell this information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult for you?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable, so he slightly relaxed his grip.
“Hey! Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare to play mind games with Boss Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Boss Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took money from Boss Titan and then gave you the information for free… well, if Boss Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little bastard, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just being honest with you.” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s simple, honest grin.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d dare to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger gang, currently the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. In Sandro’s view, Titan was indeed a bit of an odd character.
In the arena, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill seeing Titan in action. Yet, outside the arena, Titan was as serious as a statue. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be slighted. Paying Rena for information was something Titan would definitely do.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare force Rena to give the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro didn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him after dealing with Rena.
After all, the galaxy fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly after Rena caught his breath.
“This…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you speak for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m really sorry, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with pleasant surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me.” Sandro wasn’t a fool; seeing Rena’s actions, he understood what he meant. So he coldly said, beckoning Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim knowingly led Zhang Wen to a spot some distance away from Sandro’s group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and eliminating them without a trace.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention, eavesdropping on their conversation as the two sneaked to a corner.
“Is this good enough?” Sandro stopped at the deserted corner, impatient, “Speak up! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course.” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living for a while. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” Rena’s voice dropped even further as he leaned in to whisper into Sandro’s ear.
“What? Such a thing?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena again to make some extra cash? Did you take everything I said as a joke, huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced with not just mockery but an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned around with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the typical light short-sleeved shirts of the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, revealing a hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression as if a mouse had seen a cat.
“He… he’s… he’s Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and forced a smile, turning towards the approaching men.
“Hey! Rena, I remember saying this before! Anyone who wants to make extra cash in the arena must inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules? Do you not take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as he spoke faster, his expression grew harsher. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and berated him fiercely.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, the petty thug, had no real connection to Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to gather more information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he wanted to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang couldn’t let that happen. So, Zhang subtly frowned and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang, frantically gesturing, “It’s okay, Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? Who exactly is this Sandro? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second most powerful organization. He’s currently a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a galaxy fighter from another organization. He didn’t advance, but he only lost by a small margin. So now, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. And he’s ruthless; he’s killed nearly twenty bounty fighters. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly whispered all the details about Sandro into Zhang’s ear.
“I see.” Zhang nodded understandingly to Jim, then frowned and glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang would be happy to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Rena has never been stuck in a situation he couldn’t get out of.” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even settled, Rena had already adjusted his attitude. Although Rena still wore a cautious smile and seemed terrified of Sandro, he at least had the courage to speak.
“Sandro, how could I not take your words seriously? I didn’t come here to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro burst into laughter at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a useless guy like you have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to say ‘sell’ to me? You’ve got quite the nerve!” Sandro’s eyes flashed with anger, and he tightened his grip on Rena’s neck, making Rena’s face turn an unnatural red.
“S-Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling this information for money. It’s just… I’m in a tough spot!” Rena managed to squeeze out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so tough about it?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable and slightly loosened his grip.
“Well, Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare to play games with Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little bastard, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just being honest with you.” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s simple, honest expression.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d have the guts to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger gang, currently the top organization in Babylon. To Sandro, Titan was indeed a peculiar character.
In the arena, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill watching Titan fight. Outside the arena, however, Titan was so serious he seemed almost inhuman. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be taken advantage of. It was entirely in character for Titan to insist on paying Rena for the information.
With Titan having already paid, Sandro couldn’t force Rena to give the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro didn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him after dealing with Rena.
After all, the galaxy fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly once Rena caught his breath.
“Well…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m sorry to trouble you, Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me.” Sandro wasn’t a fool; he understood Rena’s gesture. He coldly spoke and beckoned Rena.
Rena also signaled to Jim, who then led Zhang to a spot some distance away from Sandro’s group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and eliminating them all without a trace.
Although Zhang had a vague idea of what information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention, eavesdropping on their conversation as they sneaked to a corner.
“This should do.” Sandro stopped at the secluded corner, impatient, “Speak up! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course.” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once spent some time in Casares. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” Rena’s voice dropped even further as he leaned in to whisper into Sandro’s ear.
“What? How could this be?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Did you take everything I said as a joke? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced not only with mockery but also an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned his head along with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was leading the group. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons on his chest, exposing his hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression, which resembled a mouse seeing a cat.
“He… he’s… Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered, his teeth chattering nervously. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning his body towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember saying this, didn’t I? No matter who it is, if you want to make extra cash in the arena, you have to inform me in advance and give me one-third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules, don’t you take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as he spoke faster, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and scolded him harshly.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, this small-time thug, had nothing to do with Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to continue gathering information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he wanted to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen, of course, couldn’t let that happen. So, he subtly frowned and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing, “It’s okay, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What exactly is this Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, ranked second among the five major organizations, and now he’s a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a galactic fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, apart from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. Moreover, he’s ruthless; nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and explained Sandro’s background in detail.
“I see,” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly, then frowned and glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang Wen would be happy to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena has never met a hurdle he couldn’t overcome,” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena was not unfounded. Before Jim’s words even finished, Rena had already adjusted his mindset. Although Rena still cautiously wore a smile and appeared very afraid of Sandro, at least he had the courage to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how could I dare not take your words seriously? I didn’t come in to make any extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a waste like you have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to say ‘sell’ to me. You really have some guts!” Anger flashed in Sandro’s eyes, and with a slight tightening of his arm around Rena’s neck, Rena’s face turned unnaturally red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare offend you. Initially, I didn’t intend to sell this information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult for you?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable, so he slightly relaxed his grip.
“Hey! Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare play games with Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t dare refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little brat, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just telling you the truth,” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s honest expression.
“Hmph! I doubt you have the guts to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger gang, currently ranked first among the five major organizations in Babylon. To Sandro, Titan was indeed a peculiar character.
In the ring, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill seeing Titan fight. But outside the ring, Titan was as serious as a statue. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be at a disadvantage. Paying Rena for information was exactly the kind of thing Titan would do.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare force Rena to give the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro wouldn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him after dealing with Rena.
After all, the galactic fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly once Rena caught his breath.
“Well…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! That’s really too kind of you, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with pleasant surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me,” Sandro wasn’t a fool; seeing Rena’s actions, he understood immediately. He coldly spoke and beckoned Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a spot at a distance from Sandro’s group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and eliminating them without a trace.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, as the two sneaked to the corner, Zhang Wen still curiously focused his attention, eavesdropping on their conversation.
“This should do,” Sandro stopped at the secluded corner, clearly impatient, “Speak up! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course,” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” Here, Rena lowered his voice even further, whispering into Sandro’s ear.
“What? Such a thing?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots the moment I saw those shabby backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Do you take everything I say as a joke? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced not only with mockery but also an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned his head along with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was leading the group. He had long silver hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, exposing his hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression of a mouse caught by a cat when facing the burly man.
“He… he’s… he’s Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered, his teeth chattering with nervousness. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning his body towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember saying this, didn’t I? No matter who it is, if you want to make extra cash in the arena, you have to inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules, do you not take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as his words sped up, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and began to berate him harshly.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena was just a small-time thug with no real connection to Zhang Wen, Zhang Wen still wanted to continue gathering information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen couldn’t let that happen. So, he subtly furrowed his brow and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing to him. “It’s fine, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What exactly is Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second-ranked among the five major organizations, and now a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still trying to make a living in the arena, he fought against a galaxy fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five champions, he’s one of the most formidable. Plus, he’s ruthless—nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and whispered all the details about Sandro to him.
“I see.” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly to Jim, then frowned and glanced at Rena. “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim claimed, Zhang Wen would naturally prefer to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena has never been stuck in a situation he couldn’t get out of,” Jim confidently nodded.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even finished, Rena had already adjusted his demeanor. Although he still wore a cautious smile and appeared terrified of Sandro, he at least had the courage to speak up.
“Boss Sandro, how could I dare to ignore your words? I didn’t come here to make any extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro burst into laughter, looking at Rena’s fearful smile. “What kind of information could a waste like you possibly have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to use the word ‘sell’ with me? You’ve got quite the nerve!” Anger flashed in Sandro’s eyes, and he tightened his grip on Rena’s neck, causing Rena’s face to turn an unnatural shade of red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling the information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, nearly suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult about it?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable and slightly loosened his grip.
“Well, Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger Gang recognized me. You know how it is—someone like me wouldn’t dare to play games with Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee for my trouble, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little brat, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just being honest with you,” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s simple, honest expression.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d have the guts to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger Gang, the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. From Sandro’s perspective, Titan was indeed a peculiar character.
In the arena, Titan was a bloodthirsty, maniacal killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill watching Titan fight. But outside the arena, Titan was as serious as a statue. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be taken advantage of. It was entirely in character for Titan to pay Rena for the information he provided.
With Titan having already paid Rena, Sandro couldn’t force Rena to give up the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro wouldn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him as well after dealing with Rena.
After all, the galaxy fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger Gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly after Rena caught his breath.
“Well…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you say it for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with pleasant surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me.” Sandro wasn’t a fool. Seeing Rena’s actions, he understood what he meant. So he coldly spoke and beckoned Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a meaningful look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a spot some distance away from Sandro and his group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and eliminating them without a trace.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention and eavesdropped on their conversation as the two men stealthily moved to a corner.
“This should do,” Sandro stopped at the secluded corner, clearly impatient. “Spit it out! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course,” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice. “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living for a while. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, when Jim and I were wandering around…” Here, Rena lowered his voice even further, leaning in to whisper into Sandro’s ear.
“What? How could this be?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro’s face had already turned pale with shock.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Did you take everything I said as a joke? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced not only with mockery but also with an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned around with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, revealing a hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression of a mouse caught by a cat when facing the burly man.
“He… he’s… he’s Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered nervously, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember saying this, didn’t I? No matter who it is, if you want to make extra cash in the arena, you have to inform me in advance and give me a third of what you earn. You dare to knowingly break the rules? Do you not take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as he spoke faster, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and scolded him harshly.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, the small-time thug, had nothing to do with Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to gather more information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen couldn’t let that happen. So, he subtly furrowed his brow and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing to him. “It’s okay, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What’s Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second-ranked among the five major organizations, and now a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a star fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. Plus, he’s ruthless. Nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and whispered all the details about Sandro.
“I see,” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly, then frowned as he glanced at Rena. “Does he really have a way out?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang Wen would be happy to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena can handle anything,” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even settled, Rena had already adjusted his attitude. Though he still wore a cautious smile and appeared terrified of Sandro, he at least had the courage to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how could I dare to ignore your words? I didn’t come here to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro burst into laughter at Rena’s fearful smile. “What kind of information could you possibly have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to use the word ‘sell’ with me? You’ve got quite the nerve!” Sandro’s eyes flashed with anger, and he tightened his grip on Rena’s neck, causing Rena’s face to turn an unnatural shade of red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling the information for money. It’s just… I’m in a tough spot!” Rena painfully squeezed out the words, nearly suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so tough about it?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable and slightly loosened his grip.
“Well, Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger Gang recognized me. You know, as a small fry, I wouldn’t dare to play games with Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little brat, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just being honest with you,” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s naive grin.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d dare to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger Gang, the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. And Titan’s personality, in Sandro’s view, was indeed a bit peculiar.
In the arena, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill when watching Titan fight. But outside the arena, Titan was so serious he seemed almost inhuman. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be taken advantage of. It was entirely in character for Titan to insist on paying Rena for the information.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare force Rena to give up the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro wouldn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him too after dealing with Rena.
After all, the star fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger Gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly once Rena caught his breath.
“Well…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me,” Sandro wasn’t a fool. Seeing Rena’s actions, he understood what he meant. So he coldly said, beckoning Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a spot some distance away from Sandro’s group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and quietly eliminating them all.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention and eavesdropped on their conversation as the two sneaked to a corner.
“This should do,” Sandro stopped impatiently at the secluded corner. “Spit it out! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course,” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice. “The information I have will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once spent some time in Casares. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” Rena’s voice dropped even further as he leaned in to whisper into Sandro’s ear.
“What? Such a thing?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena again to make some extra cash? Did you take everything I said as a fart? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced with not just mockery but an indescribable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned his head along with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the light short-sleeved shirts commonly seen in the arena, walking towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront. He had long silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, revealing a hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression like a mouse seeing a cat when facing the burly man.
“He… he’s… he’s Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning his body towards the approaching men.
“Hey! I remember saying this, didn’t I? No matter who it is, if you want to make extra cash in the arena, you have to inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules, don’t you take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as his words sped up, his expression grew increasingly stern. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and began to berate him harshly.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena, this small-time thug, had nothing to do with Zhang Wen, Zhang still wanted to continue gathering information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s demeanor, it seemed he intended to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen, of course, couldn’t let that happen. So, Zhang subtly frowned and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing to him, “It’s okay, Brother Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? What exactly is Sandro’s background? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s an enforcer from the TK group, the second largest of the five major organizations, and currently a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Brother Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a star fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance then, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, apart from the top five kings, he’s one of the most formidable. Moreover, he’s ruthless; nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and whispered all the details about Sandro.
“I see.” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly to Jim, then frowned and glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang would naturally prefer to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Brother Rena has never been stuck in a situation he couldn’t get out of.” Jim nodded confidently.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even settled, Rena had already adjusted his attitude. Although Rena still cautiously wore a smile and appeared very fearful of Sandro, at least he had the courage to speak.
“Boss Sandro, how could I dare to ignore your words? I didn’t come in to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a useless kid like you have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to say ‘sell’ to me. You really have some guts!” Anger flashed in Sandro’s eyes, and with a slight tightening of his arm around Rena’s neck, Rena’s face turned unnaturally red.
“Boss… Boss Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling this information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult for you?” Sensing that Rena might actually have something valuable, Sandro slightly relaxed his grip.
“Hey! Boss Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare to play tricks with Titan. So when Titan asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee for my trouble, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little bastard, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared angrily at Rena.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just telling you the truth.” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s honest grin.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d dare to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was indeed the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger gang, the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. Titan’s personality, in Sandro’s view, was indeed a bit eccentric.
In the ring, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill when watching Titan fight. Yet, outside the ring, Titan was so serious he hardly seemed human. He never took advantage of others but also never allowed himself to be slighted. Paying Rena for information was exactly the kind of thing Titan would do, given his temperament.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare to force Rena to reveal the information for free. Otherwise, if Titan found out… Sandro wouldn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him along with Rena.
After all, the star fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” As soon as Rena caught his breath, Sandro immediately asked with a cold face.
“This…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! That’s really too kind of you, Boss Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with pleasant surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me.” Sandro wasn’t a fool; seeing Rena’s actions, he naturally understood what he meant. So Sandro coldly said and beckoned Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a place some distance away from Sandro and his group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning hostile and quietly eliminating them all.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention and eavesdropped on their conversation as they stealthily moved to a corner.
“Here’s good enough.” Upon reaching a deserted corner, Sandro stopped impatiently, “Speak up quickly! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course.” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living for a while. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” At this point, Rena lowered his voice even further, leaning in to whisper a few words into Sandro’s ear.
“What? Such a thing?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already greatly alarmed.
“Ha! Rena, Jim, I knew it was you two useless idiots just by the shabby look of your backs. What? Sneaking into the Babylon Arena to make some extra cash again? Do you think my words are just hot air? Huh?” The man’s voice rang out once more, this time laced with not just mockery, but an unmistakable cruelty.
Zhang Wen turned his head along with Rena and saw several burly men, dressed in the typical lightweight short-sleeved shirts of the arena, walking briskly towards them with cold smiles. The man who had been speaking was at the forefront. He had long, silver-dyed hair, deliberately unbuttoned a few buttons at his chest, revealing a hairy chest.
“Who is he?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but whisper, seeing Rena’s expression of a mouse caught by a cat.
“He… he’s… Sandro from the TK group,” Rena stammered, his teeth chattering. He quickly finished his sentence and then forced a smile, turning towards the approaching men.
“Hey! Rena, I remember saying this before! Anyone who wants to make extra cash in the arena must inform me in advance and give me a third of the earnings. You dare to knowingly break the rules, don’t you take me seriously?” Sandro started with a smile, but as his words sped up, his expression grew harsher. Finally, he grabbed Rena by the neck and berated him fiercely.
“This…” Rena swallowed hard, looking at Sandro with fear.
Although Rena was just a small-time thug with no real connection to Zhang Wen, Zhang Wen still wanted to get more information about the Babylon Arena from him. Seeing Sandro’s aggressive stance, it seemed he wanted to kick Rena out of the arena. Zhang Wen couldn’t let that happen. So, he subtly frowned and prepared to step in to help Rena.
“Don’t!” Jim suddenly grabbed Zhang Wen, frantically gesturing, “It’s okay, Rena has a way to get out of this.”
“Oh? Who exactly is this Sandro? Why are you so afraid of him?”
“He’s the enforcer of the TK group, the second-ranked among the five major organizations, and now a planetary fighter here. But a few months ago, when Rena and I were still making a living in the arena, he fought against a galactic fighter from another organization. Although he didn’t advance, he only lost by a small margin. So, in the Babylon Arena, aside from the top five, he’s one of the most formidable. Plus, he’s ruthless; nearly twenty bounty fighters have died at his hands. Even if you’re a noble from Casares, you can’t afford to provoke him.”
Worried that Zhang Wen might lose his temper and anger Sandro, Jim quickly leaned in and explained Sandro’s background in detail.
“I see,” Zhang Wen nodded understandingly, then frowned as he glanced at Rena, “Does he really have a way?” If Rena could extricate himself as Jim said, Zhang Wen would naturally prefer to stay out of it.
“Don’t worry! Rena has never faced a hurdle he couldn’t overcome,” Jim confidently nodded.
Indeed, Jim’s confidence in Rena wasn’t unfounded. Before Jim’s words even finished, Rena had already adjusted his attitude. Although he still wore a cautious smile and appeared very afraid of Sandro, at least he had the courage to speak up.
“Sandro, I wouldn’t dare to disregard your words. I didn’t come in to make extra cash this time. On the contrary, I have some information I’d like to sell to you.”
“Sell information?” Sandro burst into laughter at Rena’s fearful smile, “What kind of information could a useless guy like you have to sell me? And even if you did have something important… you dare to use the word ‘sell’ with me. You’ve got some nerve!” Sandro’s eyes flashed with anger, and he tightened his grip on Rena’s neck, causing Rena’s face to turn unnaturally red.
“Sandro, of course, I wouldn’t dare to offend you. Initially, I didn’t even think of selling this information for money. It’s just… I’m in a difficult position now!” Rena painfully squeezed out a few words, almost suffocating.
“Hmph! What’s so difficult for you?” Sandro sensed that Rena might actually have something valuable, so he slightly relaxed his grip.
“Hey, Sandro, it’s not entirely my fault. Before I ran into you, Titan from the Dragon Tiger gang recognized me. You know, a small fry like me wouldn’t dare to play games with Titan. So when he asked, I told him everything I knew. After hearing the information, Titan insisted on giving me a fee, and I didn’t have the guts to refuse. But if I took Titan’s money and then gave you the information for free… well, if Titan ever found out, my life would be over.”
“Tch! You little brat, are you using Titan to scare me?” Sandro glared at Rena angrily.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare! I’m just telling you the truth,” Rena forced a bitter smile, trying to mimic Jim’s honest expression.
“Hmph! I doubt you’d dare to lie to me!” Sandro’s face darkened as he released Rena.
The Titan Rena mentioned was the emperor fighter of the Dragon Tiger gang, currently the top-ranked among the five major organizations in Babylon. To Sandro, Titan was indeed a peculiar character.
In the ring, Titan was a bloodthirsty, psychopathic killer. Even Sandro, known for his ruthlessness, felt a chill when watching Titan fight. But outside the ring, Titan was as serious as a corpse. He never took advantage of others but also never let anyone take advantage of him. Paying Rena for information was exactly the kind of thing Titan would do.
With Titan having paid first, Sandro didn’t dare to force Rena to give the information for free. If Titan found out… Sandro wouldn’t care about Rena’s life, but he couldn’t guarantee that Titan wouldn’t kill him after dealing with Rena.
After all, the galactic fighter Sandro had challenged last time was a member of the Dragon Tiger gang. Now, the gang saw Sandro as a thorn in their side, just waiting for a good reason to eliminate him.
“Alright, speak up! What’s this important information?” Sandro asked coldly once Rena caught his breath.
“This…”
“Hmph! Don’t worry, I won’t make you talk for free. Whatever Titan gave you, I’ll match it.”
“Oh! I’m sorry, Sandro. But…” Rena smiled with surprise, glancing around.
“Follow me,” Sandro wasn’t a fool. Seeing Rena’s actions, he understood what he meant. So he coldly said and beckoned Rena.
Rena also gave Jim a look, and Jim, understanding, led Zhang Wen to a spot some distance away from Sandro and his group. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sandro suddenly turning on them and quietly disposing of them all.
Although Zhang Wen could vaguely guess what kind of information Rena was about to sell to Sandro, he still curiously focused his attention and eavesdropped on their conversation as they sneakily moved to a corner.
“Here’s good,” Sandro stopped at a deserted corner, “Speak up quickly! Don’t waste my time.”
“Of course,” Rena nodded with a wide smile, lowering his voice, “The information I have this time will definitely satisfy you. You know, I once went to Casares to make a living for a while. I’m quite familiar with the situation in the Casares Arena. This morning, while Jim and I were wandering around…” Rena’s voice dropped even further as he leaned in to whisper a few words into Sandro’s ear.
“What? Such a thing?!” Before Rena could finish, Sandro was already shocked.
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