by <unknown>
First, whether it was boxing or MMA or even fighting without rules, their purpose was nothing more than to make money. Both the boxers and the organizer of the fight were in it for the money.
However, the world's top UFC fighters could make tens of millions of USD in one tournament. How much would an underground fighter make?
After all, the box office of an underground tournament definitely could not compare to a regular, professional one. Not only that, but there was also no webcast or pre-match publicity for underground fights. Even if underground fights were targeted at this group of wealthy people, there were only a few hundred people. How could it compare to a market that spanned the entire globe?
Therefore, if these boxers were good enough, they could become professional, instead of risking their lives by joining the unprofitable and extremely dangerous venture of underground boxing.
As he thought of this, Chen Chen suddenly recalled the contenders he saw on the deck who had reeked of blood.
Those were not the contenders for this underground boxing. Their identities were…
Time ticked by slowly.
It seemed as if the approaching rainstorm, which turned the air heavy and damp, put the crowd in the casino into a jittery mood.
Leo and the rest kept checking their watches and their faces grew solemn. Although they were still watching the ring, their minds had drifted elsewhere.
The first match between the black man and the white man took only half a minute to determine the winner. The result was truly astounding. Although the white man had appeared to be the more aggressive one, when they fought, he was knocked out by the black man in two or three strikes.
Not only that, but under the inciting cheers of the audience, the black man displayed a ferocious side for the first time. He directly sat atop the white man's body and pummeled the white man's face, until it was reduced to a bloody pulp…
Still, this was just the appetizer.
Following that, ordinary folk, with almost no training, stepped into the ring one after another, fighting to the death with strangers they had just met. Folding chairs, steel pipes, and other weapons were even thrown up from under the stage, increasing the bloodiness of the fights.
This was what they called underground boxing. Although there were no rules, it was bloody and merciless.
The cruel scenes caused some people to withdraw from the audience, but the other type of crazed spectators opted to remain.
These people roared and snarled freely like a pack of wild beasts. They had temporarily put aside the rationality and morality that human beings should possess and only unleash the most primitive trait of violence in mankind.
Yes, there were genes in humans that yearned for violence. The history of human progress was a history of massacres. Without this violent trait, humans could not possibly have come this far.
Therefore, were savagery and cruelty in the inherent nature of some people?
"Mr. Chen Chen…"
Just as Chen Chen was deep in thought, Leo spoke up beside him.
This time, Leo sounded different. When he spoke, he had abandoned the intimate manner of addressing Chen Chen. At the same time, there was a decisive edge to his voice.
"Mr. Chen Chen, it's time for you to choose."
Meanwhile, Davis and the other two looked away from the ring and stared quietly at Chen Chen.
"I can pretend that nothing happened today."
Chen Chen said calmly, "I have no interest in joining your little family games."
"Shame."
When Leo heard this, his face turned icy. At the same time, on the deck outside the casino, one could hear a sudden explosion, then the fearful screams of countless people.
"The pirates we've hired have started their attack on the Symphony of the Seas."
Leo and the rest got up. Davis said, somewhat ruefully, "Mr. Chen Chen, you're really too naïve. There's no middle ground in this world. Even Austria and the other countries who claimed to be neutral had already fallen under the iron boots of the Nazis whereas Switzerland only escaped by luck."
"Although we haven't found out who's backing you, after we capture you, it'll be easy enough," Leo said as he looked down at the arena.
At this point, there was a sudden tumult outside the private room. Everyone looked over instinctively, only to see that the underground boxers who had mixed in with the audience were suddenly rushing out, immediately guarding the casino door and trapping everyone inside.
Meanwhile, a few crew members within the casino did not react at all but instead nodded to each other.
"What's going on?"
"Where did these fighters come from? What's the matter?"
"D*mn it, what's that noise outside? Is someone attacking our ship? Leo, what are you guys planning?"
The crowd was in chaos. A few members from the other plutocratic families even dashed out of their rooms and asked in shock.
Leo ignored their questions and directly looked toward those few crew members. "Where are the weapons?"
The crew members dragged out a few metal cabinets at once and gleaming blades were produced before everyone's eyes. "When we boarded the ship, Prince Steele took away our guns. Sorry, but we couldn't get it back."
The leader of the crew shrugged.
Leo frowned but finally said, "It's fine. In a surprise attack, Wilson's gang should still be able to take over the Symphony of the Seas. We just need to provide support."
With that, they started distributing the weapons. From one side, a young man from another family boldly walked to Leo and questioned, "Leo, what are you doing? Do you realize that doing something like this on Prince Steele's ship will…"
Before he could finish, Leo suddenly drew out a dagger and thrust it viciously into the man's stomach!
"John, did you know that I've put up with you for too long?" Leo's face twisted sinisterly. "Go to hell, you piece of sh*t!"
With that, he tugged the dagger out forcefully and a large spray of blood splattered his clothes.
When the crowd witnessed the man dying on the spot, there was a high-pitched scream. A few of them tried to flee but were hacked to death by the group of boxers.
At once, the stench of blood pervaded the casino, prompting countless screams and tears.
Leo shot a look at the casino doors that were shut tight. He could hear a ceaseless cacophony of gunshots and shouts. He pointed to Chen Chen who stood at the forefront and said grimly, "Kill them! Except for him, don't leave anyone alive!"
At Leo's command, the vicious fighters brandished their blades and rushed into the crowd.
In an instant, the crowd was wailing and howling as blood splashed everywhere! Countless dying screams and desperate sobs could be heard endlessly!
"Mr. Chen Chen, do you now regret turning us down previously?"
At this point, Leo seemed to have become someone else entirely. As he wiped his bloodstained hands, he stared steadily at Chen Chen. "Unfortunately, it's too late now…"
"Yes, it's too late."
Chen Chen silently stood where he was, a peculiar smile twitching his mouth. In his hand, a black handle had appeared at an unknown time.
"Rumble!"
As the thunderous roar split heaven and earth asunder, Leo subconsciously glanced out the window. Beneath the lightning-lit sky, big fat raindrops had started to fall with a patter.
The rainstorm had finally arrived…
Chapter 145: His Highness' Thought Process |
"Whoosh…"
The rain outside was torrential. Within the blockaded casino, bright red drops scattered continuously like rain.
Like precious rubies, they splattered onto the expensive carpet, staining the dark red fabric with an unsettling hue while exuding a nauseating odor.
A headless body stood, stock-still, as raindrops spouted from the throat like a fountain. Then, the body slowly collapsed.
All around this headless body, corpses littered the floor. The mystifying thing was, these corpse
s were all missing limbs. There was even one that was severed cleanly in half from head to toe.
The boundless rain spread out, forming fresh, vivid puddles on the red carpet.
As the last fighting died, the rain within the casino stopped.
Currently, within ten meters of where Chen Chen stood, only two people were standing.
Leo Foster and Davis Wilson.
In the inner depths of the casino, the passengers who were trapped there had hidden far away. Many of them were gravely injured and could only lie helplessly on the ground or huddle in the corner, like a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
"How's this possible…"
Leo shuddered while gaping at the young man nearby who was drenched in blood and the strange long blade in his hand.
It was black all over without any luster. When it swung, one could not even see a glimmer…
However, it was this blade that had easily sliced human bodies as if they were tofu. Each body was only cut once, but was immediately severed into two…
At the moment, the pirates who had mingled with the boxers as well as the crew members who were bought off, were all dead.
Chen Chen held out the long knife and slowly stepped toward the other two.
"Agh!"
Davis trembled all over and suddenly rushed to the door, crying out, "I'm the heir of the Wilson family. If I die, my family won't just do nothing! They'll…"
Before he finished, he felt a cold sensation in his throat and a blade slid out from his neck.
Instantly, there was another large spurt of blood.
"Hurgh… Gurgle…"
Davis' eyes widened as he gripped his throat tightly, trying to prevent his life from leaking out. Nonetheless, his body grew colder and colder as blood rushed into his lungs through the severed trachea, suffocating him completely.
"Thump!"
Davis' corpse slowly fell to the ground.
Drops of cold sweat trickled down Leo's forehead. When he witnessed Davis dying, he seemed to sober up and said softly, "Chen Chen, can I pay for my own life with money?"
Leo pleaded in a whisper, "You don't have to do anything, just return me to my family… I'll tell you the password to a Swiss bank account, which contained the two billion USD I've earned privately throughout the years without letting my family know…"
"Speak."
Chen Chen nodded.
"The account number is… The password is…"
Leo quickly spoke, then subconsciously stepped backward. "Just the account number and password alone isn't enough. You'll need a key too. To get this key, I'll have to get off this ship, then…"
However, before he could finish talking, Chen Chen swiped horizontally again. Leo's eyes froze at once.
Then, his large head toppled off his neck.
There were more screams and sobs behind him.
Chen Chen ignored the noise. He said gently to the head rolling by his feet, "It's a shame that I've never needed any key to take out money."
With that, Chen Chen looked toward the doors.
There was a flurry of footsteps from beyond the door. Chen Chen flicked his hand and the GS Blade retracted instantly, becoming just a handle once more.
In the next second, the doors were kicked open with enormous force. A fierce ocean squall of rain blew in. A group of armed crew members, who seemed to have gone through a fight, quickly rushed in.
However, when they saw the bloody scene within the casino, many of them involuntarily bent over and threw up. Some of them even fearfully aimed their weapons at Chen Chen who stood in the midst of innumerable sliced-up limbs.
The way they looked at Chen Chen was as if he was a demon from hell.
"Put down your weapons!"
Prince Steele's voice rang out. Only then did they lower their guns slowly. At this time, Cheng Cao raced in as well, quickly moving to Chen Chen. "Boss, I didn't carry out my duty…"
"It's fine. I'm the one who asked you to pass the message to Prince Steele. Plus, there's no signal on the ship. It's not surprising that you couldn't locate me." Chen Chen waved his hand.
"Mr. Chen Chen!"
After ordering the crew to clean up the place and treat the passengers who were wounded, Prince Steele walked over with a bleak expression. "I didn't think that Leo's group would be deranged enough to want to kill everyone on board. If you hadn't warned me, I'm afraid that the surprise attack of the pirates would've succeeded."
"Your Highness is being humble. With your wisdom, you wouldn't have fallen for a trap like this even without my warning."
Chen Chen nodded slightly. They exchanged a few more words before Chen Chen, under the pretext of needing to rest from the shock, made to leave the casino and head to his lounge.
Prince Steele immediately sent a team of bodyguards to escort Chen Chen to the lounge.
When they stepped out, the rainstorm had grown weaker. The once-glorious cruise ship was now scarred by burn marks in many places. Moreover, the closer they got to the cockpit, the more bullet holes they saw. A fierce shootout had taken place here.
Below the cruise ship, they could also vaguely make out the wreckage of several ships floating on the sea. Nevertheless, these ships had been blasted by RPGs.
At last, Chen Chen came to the lounge assigned to him on the cruise ship — a two-bedroom, four-parlor presidential suite on the 16th deck.
As Chen Chen and Cheng Cao entered the room, the team of bodyguards remained outside the door, guarding it faithfully.
"Boss!"
Inside, Qian Wenhuan, who had disappeared before, hurriedly sprang up from the sofa with a joyful expression. "Boss, are you okay…"
Chen Chen waved his hand to cut off Qian Wenhuan, then looked toward the door with a grim expression.
There was no denying that the old fox, Steele, was truly cold-blooded and selfish.
Generally speaking, mobile phones had no signal on the sea and only satellite antenna devices on ships could communicate with the outside world.
Therefore, when the cruise ship first docked, there would usually be a peak period of mobile phone usage among the passengers.
It was during this time that Little X discovered Leo, Davis, and the other heirs of the four families had secretly contacted the pirate factions from Africa, promising them the wealth of the entire "Symphony of the Seas".
Their reason for doing this was to kill the patriarchs of the Alexander and the Wilson families.
After all, Chen Chen's appearance had meant that these family patriarchs would enjoy a much longer lifespan and their reigning period would also increase greatly.
Therefore, these young men became restless.
During this trip, the patriarchs of the two families would be on board. This was a golden chance. If they could kill off those two old men, then Davis and the heir of the Alexander family could easily, naturally rise to power.
Thus, the four of them tried their best to rope in Chen Chen. If Chen Chen agreed to support them, of course, they would be delighted. They could even take action during the treatment, effortlessly killing off the patriarch of the Foster family so that Leo could take over.
Nevertheless, if Chen Chen did not agree, they could only send in their own killers and kill off Chen Chen as well.
After all, from their point of view, Chen Chen's death would not matter. The operations of a company would not halt just because of one man. It was even possible that they could obtain the various life-extending technologies from Chen Chen's company in the chaos.
This was what the four of them had in mind. In other words, their targets were the two patriarchs on board the ship.
However, assassinating the two patriarchs alone would surely make their motives too obvious — but what if the entire ship was caught in an incident?
At that point, they would just declare this as the work of pirates and only four of them managed to escape. This would appear perfectly reasonable.
This was the plan of Leo's group.
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Of course, Chen Chen would not allow all this to happen. Even putting aside joining Leo's group, if Chen Chen did as he said and secretly killed the Foster patriarch during treatment, this would be a massive blow to the credibility of the research center.
Chen Chen was not short-sighted. No matter what benefits Leo could promise, they would never match the disadvantages in the long term. Of course, Chen Chen would not choose this.
Furthermore, a power struggle between Leo and his old man was bound to attract attention and concern. Chen Chen did not want this. To him, he would much rather that the eleven plutocrats grew comfortably richer day by day.
Chen Chen had also never considered using these methods to take over these financial groups. In any case, with his company's business, he would only expand further. However, once he started to swallow up other companies or families, then he would be plagued with a crisis of credibility, no matter how squeaky clean or flawless his affairs were.
After all, how could the benefits of conquering one or two families in a short timeframe be on par with the benefits of conquering the entire Earth Federation a hundred years later?
There was a sudden dark gleam in Chen Chen's eyes.
He just did not expect that even after he had warned Prince Steele upon boarding the ship, Prince Steele would merely guard against the sea more stringently, but still allowed Leo's group to kill rampantly on board.
All this was not because Prince Steele did not trust Chen Chen. Rather, it was mainly because Prince Steele had never cared about the lives of his passengers in the first place.
After all, he had no way of verifying the validity of Chen Chen's news and was also afraid of alerting his enemies. Thus, he merely prepared for any eventuality and secretly got ready to defend against any sea attacks.
If Leo's group had contacted the pirates, then he who was prepared would naturally be able to meet the pirates head-on.
As for the guests on the ships, they would have to say their own prayers. In any case, Leo's group did not possess any firearms. As long as the pirates on the sea were defeated, Leo's side would be trapped like a rat in a cage.
This was Prince Steele's thought process.
As for the casualties that might occur among the passengers — well, although those might damage his reputation a little, what were they compared to his own life?
