Chapter 421: Chu Cheng’s Tough Break (2/2)

It was important to note that no more resurrection votes would be held.

Lan Jue looked up, and his lips revealed a small smile.

Both he and Chu Cheng would be facing off against female fighters. Lan Jue smirked at the image of his opponent; Sariel.

Sariel was sixth degree, but to Lan Jue it was a fine result. She wasn’t going to embarrass him with how strong she was, and she wasn’t an Avenue representative. This wasn’t a dream pick, but it wasn’t a nightmare either.

Chu Cheng, on the other hand, had been forsaken by luck. He had been paired with the one person he had hoped he could avoid, the strongest competitor in the tournament, and the one heavily favored to win; the Pharmacist!

Like hot oil and water – that was going to be fun to watch.

Lan Jue looked at Chu Cheng, almost with pity. His friend’s face was frozen in shock at first, but eventually hardened in to a cold scowl. Proudly, he said “Ninth level ninth rank, so what? Two ranks, that’s all – not insurmountable. I mean you took out the Angel of War, right? Similar situation.”

Lan Jue’s response was calm and measured. “First allow me to express my congratulations. You deserve to get kicked out of the tournament by a woman who totally emasculates you. Next, it’s important to clarify that I beat Michael as a mecha pilot, not an Adept. Michael is far more deadly with his own hands than behind metal ones. The only reason I came out of that alive was because I chose the means of battle. And last, if you’re expecting the Pharmacist to be as strong as Michael you’re in for some serious disappointment. She’s much… much worse.”

Chu Cheng swallowed hard. “Really?”

Lan Jue burst in to laughter, rich and loud. His face was covered, but Lan Jue didn’t need to see it to know he was gloating.

“Shit, what kind of brother are you?”

He shrugged. “That’s what brothers do, right? Talk shit, poke fun.”

Chu Cheng, clearly anxious, pressed him. “Come on, tell me about her Discipline. What are her strengths? You’ve gotta help me find some angle -”

“Nope!” Lan Jue said, even before Chu Cheng could finish.

“Why?!” Chu Cheng whined. “What, who’s side are you on anyway?”

Lan Jue shrugged. “Hers. She’s the mother of my child.”

“Holy shit on a lightning rod!” Chu Cheng’s eyes almost rolled out of his head. “Y-yo-you…”

Lan Jue smirked. “Go on – you two are first up. Don’t make a fool of yourself.”

Chu Cheng shot Lan Jue a look full of anguish and said, “You really aren’t going to root for me? Not even well-wishes?”

Lan Jue was silent for a moment, but that loathsome smirk spread wide on his face again. “Of the four of us, only my brother is strong enough to compete with her. He would have to fight harder than he ever has to come out on top. Her talent and training is comparable to ours, and she’s been at the peak of ninth level for longer. Her emotional baggage has kept her from immersing herself in the world of protogenia, but that’s her final hurdle. So tell me… do you think you have a chance?”

Chu Cheng felt the cold tightness of impending doom in his chest. He knew Lan Jue, and knew that he wouldn’t say something like that lightly. If that was how he really felt, than there wasn’t anything he could do about it. This was as far as luck would bring him.

“Let’s do this!” Chu Cheng shot to his feet without any further hesitation. He took off to the ring with long, eager strides. He knew what was coming, but losing wasn’t the end of the world. He had to show the world that he wasn’t a coward.

Lan Jue watched his friend go with his determined stride, and silently praised his strength of will. Even knowing he was outmatched, Chu Cheng didn’t let that shake his confidence. This guy wandered round with a flippant look on his face but really, it was clear at least to Lan Jue that Chu Cheng’s determination was legendary.