A Card In Hand

Chapter 22: Forgive Me, I’m Easily Amused!

Boom!

The ear-splitting explosion, comparable to thunder, sent a terrifying shockwave that blew away the surrounding rookie students who were spectating.

The competitors on the nearby five arenas were greatly affected; many couldn’t withstand the blast and chose to step down temporarily to avoid the brunt.

Only a few could remain steadfast amidst the shockwave of the Mammoth’s Rage, like Tie Zheng and Cang Yue, who looked over in astonishment.

Ling Long extended her delicate hand.

In front and behind her, a miraculous energy shield emerged.

It blocked all the stormy uproar outside, keeping Ling Long and Yue Sha perfectly safe inside, not even a corner of their garments fluttered.

At that moment.

Fuxi, who was busily getting an autograph from Huo Mei, was oblivious to what was happening.

He was blown away by the shockwave, flailing as he was hurled through the air.

A flame thorn timely appeared.

Full of spirit.

It accurately coiled around Fuxi’s ankle among the airborne rookie students and forcibly dragged him back in front of Huo Mei.

Huo Mei casually tapped, and a blazing, mysterious mirror appeared, floating automatically in front of her.

She pulled out a ruby-studded golden comb and faced the shockwave.

Uninhibitedly combing her fiery long hair.

The terrifying shockwave seemed to have no effect on her.

“Godess Huo Mei, please take my knees, I am your forever faithful follower!”

Fuxi knelt down with a smack.

“You’re Fuxi, right? The little guy fighting Prince Jinxi on arena no. 1, who is he to you?”

Huo Mei asked nonchalantly, combing her hair without even glancing at Fuxi.

The goddess was talking to him.

And her voice was especially gentle.

Fuxi, overwhelmed with joy, was almost ready to tell her his ancestors’ history: “His name is Li Ao, he’s my junior brother!”

Huo Mei laughed upon hearing this, her laughter trembling like flowers: “Are you sure? He really is your junior brother?”

Fuxi immediately slapped his chest: “One hundred percent sure!”

Huo Mei’s laughter grew sweeter, her eyes twinkling like crescent moons: “As a big brother, can you tell me a little about your junior? What are you looking for?”

Fuxi saw nothing wrong with this; it wasn’t a leak of family secrets, just inquiring about a little cousin: “Are you interested in his Stone Bear? Don’t worry, Goddess Huo Mei, I will persuade him to give the Stone Bear to you! Li Ao, he’s not good at anything, he’s barely diligent!”

Huo Mei seemed to find this the funniest joke in the world: “He really is just as you described, nothing good about him, stingy too, can’t even let go of a measly Stone Bear… By the way, what’s his combat power?”

“Previously, it was measured at 62, but with the Stone Bear, I guess he could reach 100, though he’s too lazy to check, says it’s to save money.”

“Save money?”

“Yes, he didn’t bring much money.”

“Wait, aren’t you his big brother?”

“I certainly am, but as a responsible big brother, I must consider Li Ao’s pride! Goddess Huo Mei, think about it, Li Ao is a particularly naive rookie, inwardly insecure and fragile, I’d definitely hurt his feelings if I just give him money. Ah, you don’t know my struggles, for his sake, I’ve been worried sick; just now he went to compete in the arena, and I was so anxious!”

“He’s a particularly naive rookie? Inwardly insecure and fragile? Hahaha… Please forgive me, my sense of humor is a bit low! Hahaha!”

While they conversed.

On the arena.

The storm carrying smoke and dust caused by the chaotic Source Energy gradually drifted away.

As the dust cleared.

People discovered that half of the arena had vanished.

Only a shocking expanse of rubble and debris remained.

At this moment, Prince Jinxi, who had punched most of the arena into rubble, finally regained some of his composure.

He took a deep breath.

Regret gnawed at him internally.

It wasn’t the fact that he had killed the insolent weakling that he regretted, but rather that he had struck the assistant referee, Stone Hand.

Hitting a referee, under any circumstances, was a colossal mistake…

As Prince Jinxi was contemplating how to apologize to Stone Hand, who, despite being propped up by his colleagues, was still vomiting blood, someone gently tapped his shoulder, signaling him to look.

When Prince Jinxi turned his head instinctively to look.

He saw a fist.

A fist that was rapidly approaching.

Bang!

Prince Jinxi felt a tremendous force strike his cheek, forcing him involuntarily to step back twice.

He shook his head, dispelling a trace of dizziness from his mind.

Thanks to the protection of his combat suit, such a blow couldn’t truly injure him.

More than the pain, he was concerned about who had struck him.

Who was it?

Could it be another assistant referee?

Could it be Supervisors Dou Guang and Chang Chi who had come in person?

Prince Jinxi turned his head, eager to see who had attacked him, but as he did, he saw another fist growing rapidly in size right before his eyes…

Bang!

Another massive force smashed into his cheek.

Fury raged within Prince Jinxi, but a sliver of reason forcefully suppressed it. Attacking a referee again would truly be the end of him.

Perhaps this was Supervisors Dou Guang and Chang Chi’s way of giving him a way out… “I need to apologize, sincerely apologize in front of all the newcomers to the injured assistant referee, asking for his forgiveness for my loss of control. No matter what, this performance cannot be annulled.”

“I’m sorry!”

Prince Jinxi sincerely bowed to his shadowy assailant.

“I lost control just now!”

“No need to apologize, the magnanimous me has already forgiven you,” Li Ao said earnestly, shaking his head.

He raised his fist.

Swinging a giant windmill in mid-air.

The third punch landed heavily on the bridge of Prince Jinxi’s nose, who was raising his head in astonishment.

The force of the punch pushed Prince Jinxi back several meters.

Staggering several steps, he eventually lost his balance.

With a loud smack, he fell hard onto the fighting platform.

At that moment, Prince Jinxi seemed unaware of what pain was, only staring at Li Ao with a bewildered expression.

Wasn’t this brash rookie pulverized by him?

How was he still alive?

Impossible!

How had he escaped from his own Mammoth’s Rage – Thunderous Momentum attack?

It simply wasn’t possible!

Li Ao, smiling, walked towards Prince Jinxi.

Under the bewildered gaze of the prince and the watchful eyes of everyone around, he extended his hands in what seemed a friendly gesture.

Everyone thought he was going to call a truce, reaching out to help Prince Jinxi up.

Instead, Li Ao grabbed the prince’s long golden hair, raised his right knee high, and brutally slammed it into the prince’s face.

Thump, thump, thump…

One, two, three times…

After an unknown number of relentless knee strikes, his actions were so barbaric, so violent, that they left the onlookers speechless.

The crowd stared dumbfounded at Li Ao, who remained completely unfazed.

As if beating up Prince Jinxi was the most natural thing in the world.

Even the supervisors, Dou Guang and Chang Chi, who had rushed to the platform to intervene, were completely taken aback.

Is this for real?

What exactly is going on here?