Chapter 232: John and Kezli Fight Again
"Referee, she's cheating! She used a dagger!" Mike felt like his world was collapsing. He was so close to breaking even, but Black Spider had pulled a dagger out of nowhere and stabbed Hungry Bear in the gut.
Was this even boxing?! If that was allowed, he might as well go up there with a gun.
However, the crowd seemed used to it.
"Sigh~ lost again! Dammit!"
"Exactly, Hungry Bear is such an idiot."
No one called foul, because this was the house rule Kezli had set: if the weaker side is being crushed, they can randomly accept a weapon handed to them by a companion below the ring. This rule was added to increase the betting odds and keep the suspense high. As long as the weapon wasn't too powerful—like a dagger—it was perfectly legal. Mike had simply failed to notice this detail on the rules board.
"Oh ho~ looks like Lieutenant Mike is out of money," Jenny couldn't help but giggle. Seeing Mike suffer always made her day.
"Sorry, John. We're broke," Mike said, his heart aching for the lost cash. He felt especially bad for John, assuming John had lost everything by betting with him.
John, however, showed no signs of disappointment. He was visibly excited. "No, Captain, I think I won! I put all the money on Black Spider!"
"What?! Black Spider? You didn't bet on Hungry Bear with me?" Mike asked in shock.
"No. I took a look at the counter; Black Spider's odds were much higher at ten to one. So, I put it all on her," John explained.
Mike nearly fainted. After all that, he was the only one who actually lost money tonight!
"Alright, Lieutenant Mike, focus on the big picture. Don't act like a child throwing a tantrum like me," Jenny said with a sweet smile.
"I... How could I throw a tantrum? I was just acting for Kezli's benefit! What if he was secretly watching us?" Mike immediately found an excuse to mask his pain.
"Oh, really? Lieutenant Mike is so professional," Jenny praised with a clearly fake smile. Matthew sighed helplessly; he didn't know why Jenny kept targeting Mike, but he figured Mike deserved it for annoying her earlier.
Ten o'clock arrived.
The announcer walked to the center of the ring and roared: "Let us welcome the owner of the Shadow Boxing Arena! The Invincible God of War—KEZLI!"
"AAAAHHHH!"
"WOOO-HOOO!"
The crowd erupted. It was time for the challenge. The odds for challenging Kezli were the best in the house: one hundred to one!
Click! The lights went out, and a single spotlight focused on the entrance. A man with white wraps on his hands and a bare chest walked out slowly.
"Finally, Kezli shows his face," Mike growled, thinking about how his money had ended up in this black-hearted boss's pockets. John's eyes were locked on Kezli. Tonight is your last night of glory.
Amidst the screams, Kezli stepped into the ring, took the microphone, and said: "Now! Who wants to challenge me? Win, and I give you a hundred thousand dollars! Lose, and I'll pay your medical bills plus ten thousand!"
The offer was generous enough to attract many, but those in the know understood that Kezli never actually paid. Those who lost remained on the ring forever. As for those who won? Sorry, no one had beaten Kezli yet. While his raw fighting skills weren't the best, his power as a Shadow General meant ordinary people couldn't touch him. Furthermore, Kezli's combat ability had improved significantly recently thanks to the learning speed granted by his General status.
"No one?!" Kezli mocked. He didn't believe no one would step up with that much money on the line.
"I'll do it!" John stood up.
Only then did Mike realize John had slipped away to another section of the stands. Mike, Matthew, and Jenny watched in surprise as the spotlight swung over to John. The intense light forced John to shield his eyes with his hand.
"Oh? It turns out to be my old friend, Lieutenant John! Haha! I didn't think a Lieutenant would come to my arena to gamble," Kezli laughed. He hadn't expected John at all.
John had moved to a different section specifically so Kezli wouldn't notice Mike and the others. The people sitting near John instinctively backed away; he was a cop, after all, and most of them had criminal records.
"Come then, my old friend. Let's settle everything here, shall we?" Kezli wanted to test out his new skills.
John walked down from the stands and vaulted into the ring. He refused the gloves and mouthguard offered by the referee. Kezli unwrapped the cloth from his hands. Neither needed equipment.
"No rules, no time limit. Until one side can't get up," Kezli said into the mic. The audience was ecstatic; they had never seen a match like this.
"What do you think?" Kezli tossed the mic to John.
John caught it and said, "No problem." Smash! He threw the mic to the floor, shattering it.
"Lieutenant John's temper is as short as ever. Is it because of those dead cops?" Kezli's words struck a nerve.
John had stepped up primarily for revenge. Without Kezli, those colleagues wouldn't be dead. In his time as a cop, he had made many friends beyond Mike; now they were gone, killed by Kezli.
"Stop talking!" John moved like a lightning bolt, charging at Kezli and throwing a punch aimed at his mouth. He wanted to shut Kezli up permanently.
Kezli sneered, blocking downward with both hands to parry John's fist, then jumped in place, landing a kick squarely on John's chest.
BOOM!
John was sent flying, barely steadying himself before he hit the ropes.
"Lieutenant John, I haven't just been eating and drinking these past few days," Kezli smirked.
Among the three Shadow Generals currently active, John had the lowest natural talent. Even with only a few days of study, Kezli had improved immensely. John had been training as a cop for much longer, but he was struggling against Kezli's brute power.
"Funny, neither have I!" John patted his chest and charged again. This time he was more cautious, using a few feints before a leg sweep that knocked Kezli down.
As John tried to follow up, Kezli—lying on his back—kicked out with both legs. John blocked his abdomen with both arms, but the sheer force pushed him back several steps. Kezli used the momentum to perform a kip-up and get back on his feet.
"You're quite something, Lieutenant John," Kezli noted.
"I've got more. Want a taste?" John's hands were trembling. Kezli's strength was overwhelming. He didn't understand why the gap between them was so large when they were both Generals.
"Sigh~ looks like Lieutenant John is struggling," Jenny noted with disappointment. If he had seized the moment just now, he could have pinned Kezli.
"John is being too impulsive," Mike shook his head. If John had fought more steadily, he wouldn't have given Kezli that opening.
"When do we move in?" Matthew asked.
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