Chapter 137: The Duel and the Wager

At this moment, Bai Zhe finally recovered from the previous shock. Hearing Fang Nian's self-introduction, he almost laughed his teeth out.

"What, you're just at that level? Given your physical prowess, I didn't expect you to be such a brute. I suppose your role in the hunting grounds is just a fighter, right?"

Bai Zhe's words were infuriating. In truth, the fighter class played a vital role in the hunting grounds, with fighters always charging at the forefront of violent and adventurous endeavors. Yet, fighters also received the lowest performance ratings in every hunt, simply because aside from brawling and killing, they could do little more than watch others execute maneuvers.

Even so, team members usually treated fighters with great consideration out of emotional sensitivity. Yet, Bai Zhe had the audacity to publicly disparage fighters in front of a large crowd, grinding many teeth with hidden rage.

Fang Nian paid no mind to their chatter. Before figuring out their true intentions, maintaining a low profile remained his top priority.

Liu Huan recognized Xia Moyan; he had been present when his father previously discussed business with her, and the terms his father offered back then had indeed been quite steep. Returning now undoubtedly meant pursuing investment once more.

Consequently, Liu Huan shifted his gaze to Xia Moyan.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're President Xia? Is your visit today also regarding the potential investment from our Liu family?"

Hearing this, Xia Moyan nodded and said, "Yes, President Liu and I reached a preliminary consensus during our last meeting, leaving only a few concessions to be finalized. Today, Chairman Liu himself invited us over, presumably to discuss the investment matters."

Liu Huan offered a faint smile.

"Ah... indeed that was the plan. However, before any business could be conducted, my father suffered a stroke and became the way he is now. As you can see, he requires assistance just to eat and drink, his cognitive reactions are extremely sluggish, and he retains virtually no memory. Therefore, regarding this investment..."

At this point, Bai Zhe also stepped closer, casting a familiar, frivolous look at Xia Moyan while addressing Liu Huan.

"President Liu, since the old master of the Liu family is in this state, I assume you will be taking over the family's affairs from now on? Our Bai family is also very keen to secure this investment from the Lius. Furthermore, in terms of strength, our Bai family's hunting grounds are arguably much more formidable within the circle. Shouldn't you reconsider our Bai family? At the very least, even our lowest-tier hunting grounds are rated D-minus."

Arrogant as Bai Zhe's words were, they struck straight at Xia Moyan's insecurities. Although the Xia family possessed some foundational standing in District 16, they simply could not compete when encountering high-tier families. Just as Bai Zhe claimed, the D-minus hunting grounds prized by the Xia family were merely the most basic offerings for the Bai family. Such a stark disparity was genuinely disheartening.

Noticing Xia Moyan's dejected expression, Fang Nian felt a slight pang in his chest. He gently grasped her hand, patted it reassuringly, and said, "Don't worry, I'm here."

With that, Fang Nian walked toward Bai Zhe and asked, "Are you also a hunter?"

Bai Zhe paused, turned around, and smiled with absolute confidence. "That's right. One of the Twin Stars of District 6, the White Lightning, Bai Zhe."

Dismissing his reputation entirely, Fang Nian said flatly, "Dare to have a match?"

Bai Zhe was momentarily stunned by the question, and the surrounding onlookers froze in place as well. None of them had anticipated that Fang Nian would issue such a challenge; it was utterly astonishing.

Facing the challenge, Bai Zhe raised an eyebrow slightly before smoothing it out with a confident smirk. "Are you sure?"

Fang Nian curled his lip. "Are you scared?"

His wild instincts thoroughly provoked, Bai Zhe retorted, "Fine, a match it is! Why would I be afraid of a nobody like you? What a joke."

Seeing the palpable scent of gunpowder in the air, Liu Huan began scheming in his mind. Although his original plan had been disrupted by Fang Nian, this kind of showdown seemed even better than his initial arrangement. If Bai Zhe emerged victorious, not only could he alter the old man's investment direction, but he could also...

At this thought, Liu Huan burst into laughter.

"Wonderful! What a splendid idea from both of you; this impromptu entertainment is truly fantastic. Since the two of you have such high spirits, let me propose a wager. Actually, before my stroke, my father was deeply troubled over which of the two families to invest in. Now that you two wish to make a game of it here, let's raise the stakes. I will set the challenge for this duel. Whoever wins will become our cooperative family for this investment. How does that sound?"

Bai Zhe smiled faintly. Having a close alliance with Liu Huan and having even plotted that malicious scheme together, he knew Liu Huan would undoubtedly favor him, leaving him with no reason to decline. "Good, I agree."

Hearing this, however, Fang Nian caught a whiff of a conspiracy. After a brief moment of thought, he said, "I disagree."

Bai Zhe paused, his eyes filled with mockery as he looked at Fang Nian. "What? Weren't you acting all high and mighty just a second ago about wanting to challenge me? Getting scared now that there's a real wager on the line? Aren't you a complete coward? I think Ms. Xia should dump her useless husband and side with me instead. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

With that, Bai Zhe reached out to grab Xia Moyan, completely forgetting the lesson he had just received.

In a flash, Fang Nian swatted Bai Zhe's hand away, leaving a bright red handprint on the back of his hand. Just as Bai Zhe opened his mouth to retaliate, a single glare from Fang Nian forced him to swallow his words. Knowing that if Fang Nian truly decided to strike him down here, Song Jiang's prowess might not be enough to protect him, Bai Zhe wisely kept his mouth shut.

Seeing that no one else was interrupting, Fang Nian stated his terms.

"Here is the situation. I once crossed paths with the elder Liu Quan; he showed me kindness back then, and it truly pains me to see him reduced to this state. Therefore, I'd like to add a condition to the wager: if I win this match, I want to spend some time alone with Elder Liu, just to have a conversation with him."

Sensing something amiss, Bai Zhe was about to speak when Fang Nian continued, "And if I lose, I'll leave both of my hands right here. How about that?"

Bai Zhe and Liu Huan were momentarily startled, but immediately burst into loud laughter, Liu Huan's face beaming with excitement.

"Ha! It seems Brother Fang is a man of deep sentiment, sharing such a backstory with my father. Just for the sake of your persistence, I accept!"

Since the matter had little to do with Bai Zhe—win or lose, it wouldn't impact him negatively—he simply shrugged to indicate his indifference.

Thus, the match was officially finalized, and the atmosphere at the venue surged to a climax. Hunting was, after all, the premier sport of the modern world, and spectators of the hunt could be found everywhere.

Upon hearing the news, the crowd grew overwhelmingly excited. Guests outside the boathouse even opened up small wagers to bet on the winner.

The odds, however, were somewhat skewed: 2 to 1 for a Bai Zhe victory, but a staggering 30 to 1 for Fang Nian. As expected, nearly seventy percent of the people chose Bai Zhe to win. Still, a small fraction opted to gamble a small amount for a massive payout by backing Fang Nian, drawn entirely by the lucrative potential reward.