Chapter 26: The First Win (1/2)

Chapter 26: The First Win

Translator: IreneEditor: Lis

Lou Lan stood in front of the stage, feeling extremely nervous. The mask on his face concealed it well but his tightly clenched fist gave it away. While he was a stranger to battling, even he could tell that the situation onstage was subtly and abnormally dangerous. With a single moment’s carelessness, anyone would be knocked down immediately.

On stage, Ai Hui used a simple yet exceptionally fierce technique to take the last contestant down. Lou Lan, who had been tense from the start, suddenly jumped up and cheered loudly with both arms raised.

Ai Hui got down from the platform with a few bruises and ten thousand yuan.

“You’re too amazing!” Lou Lan’s eyes shone brightly with unending respect for Ai Hui. Ever since his creation, his daily life revolved around the same routine: shopping for groceries, cleaning the rooms, and learning Master Shao’s designated lessons like medicine.

Fighting was a novelty to him. His first time launching a fist at anyone was when Ai Hui had taught him.

And now, for the first time, he witnessed his first battle today. It was so intense that he felt breathless, completely forgetting that breathing was unnecessary for a sand puppet. Affected by the stifling atmosphere, his eyes stayed glued to the match in total concentration.

His current lifestyle was peaceful and repetitive, and he had never thought to question it until today, when he suddenly felt that something was missing from his life.

He never thought it a bad thing in the past, until today. He suddenly felt that something was missing from his life.

His gaze fell onto Ai Hui’s face.

There were a few bruises on it, making it look somewhat pitiful. Ai Hui, however, was not bothered in the slightest; his bruised face carried a trace of firm austerity, as if nothing could obstruct him. His gaze was determined, the light in them not bright like the stars but rather deep and reserved. Their depths were cold and distant like the faraway horizon when the morning sun had yet to rise.

Lou Lan’s emotions were stirred. He felt a different kind of ice-cold passion from Ai Hui. It was a passion that never died out in spite of this dull life. A lonely passion that fought on through difficult times.

Ai Hui’s silence was like the deep, dark sky, waiting quietly for the next break of day.

Lou Lan realized then what he was missing—it was this very passion for living. His own life and fate had already been decided, and he had no choice but to abide by these commands.

Lou Lan knew these thoughts were senseless.

He was a sand puppet, he reminded himself.

Ai Hui noticed Lou Lan’s gaze and assumed it was for the bruises on his face. He said carelessly, “I’m fine, they’re all small injuries. Such superficial wounds look scarier than they actually are.”

As they made their way out, someone yelled from behind—

“If you’re capable, stay where you are! Let’s have another match!”

It was the last contestant defeated by Ai Hui. Unwilling to accept his defeat, he came to the conclusion that it was due to his carelessness. Seeing that fellow’s course techniques that seemed to come from street gangsters made him even more unwilling to admit his loss to such a guy.

Lou Lan stopped but Ai Hui said while walking onward, “Ignore him.”

“Spineless! Good-for-nothing! Coward!” Flustered, the contestant continued his verbal assault.

One after another, the other defeated contestants started chiming in, also feeling that their loss was unfathomable.

“He had an accidental win. You can’t count on him being so lucky every time.”

“Scram!”

……

Lou Lan took offense. How could these people act like that when they shouldn’t? They clearly lost—how dare they spill such ugly insults!