It was still the Demon Bar, still that luxurious private room, but Nancy—that mature beauty radiating allure—was nowhere to be found. It felt like a crown missing a dazzling diamond, leaving everything utterly lackluster.
Lin Lan asked around and learned that after receiving a call yesterday afternoon, Nancy had left with a gloomy expression and hadn't returned yet.
Could she be in trouble? Lin Lan wondered as he left the private room and returned to the bar's main floor. He settled into a secluded corner, quietly observing the bustling crowd.
He relished this lively atmosphere; it made him feel as though he'd returned to his former life, his human identity restored.
The bar was packed. some laughed loudly, others whispered flirtatiously, and still others chatted aimlessly.
At a table to Lin Lan's right, the conversation turned to the dark gladiatorial match he was about to participate in.
"Miracle Skeleton versus Iron Mantis—who'll win?" a young man with stubble asked his bespectacled companion in a low voice.
His companion replied, " I'd say it's Steel Mantis, Ruan Xiong. That Vietnamese guy transforms into a beast over five meters long and two meters tall, his entire body gleaming with a metallic black sheen like he's made of steel. Wait, scratch that—he probably is made of steel. Machine gun bullets can't even pierce him, just leave a few pockmarks. No idea what his armor's made of. Not only that, but Steel Mantis's attack power is terrifying. After beast transformation, his arms become saw blades that slice through steel like cutting cucumbers. I once saw him perform—he turned a mountain of oil pipelines into cucumber slices."
Another nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Steel Mantis has been in the dark arena scene for seven or eight years now. He's a seasoned top-tier dark gladiator, having fought over three hundred matches with only five losses. That alone shows his formidable strength!"
"Pfft, five losses and he's still top-tier? I think Miracle Skeleton has a real shot at winning. He crushed Bloody Polar Bear with ease! Remember, Bloody Polar Bear was once tipped to be the Rookie of the Year!" argued the young man with a full beard.
The bespectacled man replied calmly, " Steel Mantis may have lost five times, but he survived every defeat. That's what matters most. Dark gladiatorial combat is bloody and brutal—how many losers do you think survive? Those who do always rank among the elite. True strength is forged through trials. Bloody Polar Bear fought twenty-nine times, but his path was too smooth. Getting taken out was inevitable. The Rookie Champion title is just that—a title. Veteran gladiators don't give it a second thought. Truth be told, Miracle Skeleton was genuinely enigmatic. I had high hopes for him too. Too bad he crossed paths with a powerhouse like Iron Mantis. Bad luck for him!"
The scruffy-bearded youth seemed unconvinced and pressed on, " Smooth doesn't necessarily mean weak. Didn't Lion King Talik go undefeated through five hundred gladiatorial matches? Does that mean he wasn't strong?"
The bespectacled man laughed in exasperation: "Lion King Talik is a legend of the dark gladiatorial world. How can you compare him to others? Legendary figures defy ordinary reasoning. He's beyond our scope of analysis."
At this, the scruffy youth fell silent, seemingly conceding the point. After a long pause, he sighed softly, "What a pity. He retired ten years ago. We'll never see his glory in the dark arena again."
Lin Lan listened quietly, finding the conversation enlightening. She grew slightly intrigued by this Lion King Talik—it was the second time she'd heard the name, the first being from Nancy.
Just as she considered approaching the trio, Nancy suddenly entered the bar, still flanked by her four bodyguards. Her brow furrowed, her expression grim. As Lin Lan would put it, she was on the verge of exploding, ready to snap at any moment. Any living thing within three meters of her risked getting caught in the crossfire.
Lin Lan had no desire to be that unlucky charm. He was just about to wait until Nancy's mood improved before approaching her when, as if reading his mind, she suddenly turned and fixed her gaze on him.
Spotting Lin Lan, Nancy suddenly beamed and beckoned him over with a finger, as if the earlier gloom had vanished with a breeze. But having dealt with Fat Shen too often, Lin Lan wasn't fooled by such a quick change. He still saw lingering worry and anger in Nancy's sapphire eyes.
Following her into the familiar private room, they exchanged a few meaningless pleasantries before shifting the conversation to the Dark Gladiator match scheduled for three days hence.
"Your opponent is a seasoned top-tier Dark Gladiator, ranked seventeenth among gladiators. He's terrifyingly strong. I don't mean to discourage you, but winning this match will be incredibly difficult." Nancy poured herself a glass of wine, downed it in one gulp, then fixed her gaze on him. "Why not... just give up? There's no point fighting a losing battle..."
Lin Lan chuckled. "What kind of manager does that? Telling me to quit before the fight even starts?"
"I'm doing this for your own good! It'd be such a waste to let you throw your life away like this." Nancy glanced at him. "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't give a damn about their survival."
"Well, thanks anyway. But I've got this stubborn streak—I won't give up until I've tried everything. If there's even a sliver of chance, I'll take it."
Nancy sighed. "Then you're being terribly unwise..."
At that moment, she paused abruptly, as if noticing something unusual about Lin Lan. After a moment, her tone shifted to one of astonishment. "Wait... Why has the flame in your eyes turned deep crimson? It seems even your bones have changed. What... What exactly is going on? How could such a drastic transformation occur in just a few short days?"
"That soul crystal stone provided me with tremendous assistance." Lin Lan brushed it off casually.
"A soul crystal having such an effect? That's unbelievable! It actually allowed your strength to leap two levels in such a short time. When it was in other people's hands, it never showed such power!" Nancy gave him a deep look and changed her tone. "In that case, I won't stop you from participating in the next gladiatorial match. Your opponent's detailed profile and footage from his past matches are all collected on that laptop on the coffee table. Take a look yourself."
Lin Lan walked over and picked up the laptop. It was IBM's latest model, retailing for over two thousand US dollars—equivalent to more than ten thousand yuan. Back when he could only dream of owning such a machine, now he used it casually.
The world is truly strange, he mused, then began scrutinizing the Steel Mantis's profile.
The Steel Mantis was an Insectoid Exile from Vietnam, whose real name was Nguyen Hung. Tall and gaunt with a hooked nose and narrow eyes, his features were passably regular, yet radiated an unsettling, sinister aura.
Lin Lan found himself preferring the slain Bloody Polar Bear in comparison. Though that guy was a psychopath too, at least he looked more agreeable.
After thoroughly reviewing all Steel Mantis's records, Lin Lan finally understood why Nancy had urged him to abandon this gladiatorial match earlier. This Steel Mantis possessed strength equivalent to an undead creature with a deep crimson soul flame—meaning it was on par with Lin Lan's current power level.
Had Lin Lan not evolved two tiers using the soul crystal, had his soul flame remained dark white, then this duel would indeed be hopeless, just as Nancy had said.
Lin Lan mentally assessed his odds: stepping into the arena now against the Steel Mantis would be a fifty-fifty gamble. Whoever remained standing at the end would likely owe it to sheer luck.
Fortunately, three days remained before the fight. Much could change within that time.
Seems I should give the Soul Refining Manual a thorough review.
With that thought, he entered the training room Nancy had specially prepared for him.
Watching the door slowly close, Nancy leaned back on the sofa and murmured softly, "His persistence is truly touching! But even if he wins the next match, and the one after that... in the end, whether he can overcome that enormous obstacle is really anyone's guess!"