Chapter 79: The Pact of Life and Death
“Kid, scared? Do you dare to come? Don’t make me despise you!”
“Hmph, you outsiders are always out for trouble. Who knows where you got that wolf head, and now you think you can claim credit? Aren’t you afraid of hurting yourself?”
Long Wu sneered, his ridicule relentless, his right hand gripping Li Xin’s left hand tighter and tighter.
The crowd jeered, for a C-grade adventurer duel was a rare spectacle. After all, anyone who reached C-grade was considered a strong contender. Such people prided themselves on their status and dignity; they rarely fought in public, as losing meant losing face.
“A duel? Are you sure?” Li Xin suddenly retorted.
Long Wu was taken aback, the fat on his face quivering, sensing something was amiss. But he didn’t dwell on it; he’d already been thrust onto the stage and had to fight.
“Yes, and let’s sign a life-and-death contract!”
“A life-and-death contract!”
The crowd was in uproar, their faces shocked.
What was a life-and-death contract? It was the highest, bloodiest, most violent form of confrontation. Once signed, life or death was left to fate, and no matter the outcome, neither party was held responsible.
In the technologically advanced Jialin Continent, the existence of adventurers was already an anomaly, and the life-and-death contract was like a demon from hell—reviled and despised by most, but at the same time the most fervently anticipated.
After all, such battles were the most intense and passionate.
“Long Wu actually wants a life-and-death contract. He’s really going all out to kill this newcomer.”
“Exactly. It could just be a friendly match, why make it so serious? All three presidents seem to favor that outsider—this is clearly a challenge to their authority.”
“True, our support is one thing, but we’d better be careful not to get involved. Best to just watch the fight and stay out of everything else.”
The shrewd among them quickly reached a tacit agreement. Outwardly, they supported Long Wu, but in truth, they merely fanned the flames, ready to withdraw at any moment.
Among the hundred-plus adventurers, Long Wu had many loyal followers, so the atmosphere didn’t diminish—instead, it grew more intense.
Li Xin sneered. If people don’t trouble me, I won’t trouble them; but if someone does, no matter how far, I will retaliate!
He hadn’t always been so assertive. Once, he was introverted and reserved, but after enduring the torment of illness and near death, the humiliation of retirement, and the myriad experiences of the past month, Li Xin had come to understand this truth deeply.
In this society, the strong are revered. Only when you are strong enough can you trample everything beneath your feet.
“A life-and-death contract, I’ll sign it.”
His calm words caught everyone off guard; many had expected him to refuse.
Long Wu’s eye twitched, releasing Li Xin’s hand and preparing to pull out the contract from his pouch. But suddenly, he was startled, finally realizing that odd sensation earlier.
He had nearly used all his strength—how much was that?
A normal adult male’s maximum strength is about 600 Newtons, with 1 kilogram equaling roughly 9.8 Newtons—so about 60 kilograms, or 120 pounds. Many men, through regular training or hard labor, can reach 800–1000 Newtons. Breaking 1000 is rare and marks a true strongman.
How strong was Long Wu?
Scientific evidence shows that ultimate strength depends on the number of muscle fibers at their maximum capacity. The higher the muscle fiber index, the greater the strength. When Long Wu first joined the adventurers, his physical exam revealed his muscle fibers were about twice that of a normal person.
After years of growth, his maximum strength had increased from 1200 Newtons to 1500 Newtons—a man as strong as two and a half, truly terrifying.
Yet, with all that power, this outsider Li Xin hadn’t so much as flinched; he looked completely unbothered.
Strange!
Long Wu secretly wondered—could this kid possess great strength as well?
“Hmph, so what if you’re strong? What matters is combat skills. You’re just a calf out of the pen, hardly capable.” Long Wu scoffed inwardly, pulling out the life-and-death contract.
They quickly signed and pressed their fingerprints, then slipped out through the back.
The front of Roman Avenue No. 333 was a five-story building, but behind it lay a vast open space.
This place was called the Asura Arena.
A courtyard being called an arena sounded odd, but this half-open yard was empty, save for the central ring.
On the ring, adventurers fought to the death.
The name Asura Arena carried deep meaning.
Within a minute, over a hundred people stood around the ring. News had spread, and adventurers across the city dropped what they were doing and hurried to No. 333.
Among the crowd, over ten C-grade adventurers were present, along with two B-grade ones, seated regally on chairs prepared by their followers, conversing and sipping tea.
On the 20-meter-diameter ring, Long Wu brandished a diamond warhammer, standing proud. The warhammer flashed with a blue glow, dazzling the eyes. Many exclaimed in envy—it was a prize given personally by President Zhou.
On the other side, Li Xin stood with his hands behind his back, wielding no weapon. Compared to Long Wu’s raging river-like aura, he was like a tranquil lake—its surface calm and undisturbed.
Even when the wind passed, not a ripple appeared.
“Li Xin, I won’t hold back. Now’s your chance to surrender,” Long Wu laughed loudly, his aura soaring, trying to suppress his opponent through sheer presence.
“Nor will I,” Li Xin replied with a gentle smile.
Long Wu roared, his bulky frame resembling a black ape—almost comical.
Yet his combat skills were anything but; they were agile and swift!
Seeing Li Xin unarmed, Long Wu tossed aside his warhammer, then stamped his right foot fiercely, unleashing tremendous power in his legs and charging forward like a tiger descending a mountain.
This was the adventurer skill: Charge!
It was the simplest, most basic technique—warriors or adventurers often disdain it, as who would foolishly charge in a real fight? Before you reach your opponent, a bullet could take you down.
Yet, its ferocity couldn’t be denied.
Only those with great size and strength could truly display the majesty of a charge.
At this moment, as Long Wu barreled forward, the air erupted with a series of thunderous booms, waves of momentum like the tide. The crowd cheered—Long Wu truly deserved his near B-grade status, his power terrifying!
Even the two seated B-grade adventurers’ eyes glinted with admiration.
Twenty meters—gone in a flash, just 1.5 seconds, a single breath. Long Wu, leaving a long shadow behind, appeared before Li Xin.
His massive body, now like a small mountain, crashed forward with overwhelming force.
The crowd gasped—Li Xin didn’t dodge in the slightest!
From the start, he hadn’t moved, always standing with his hands behind his back, his gaze calm.
“Is he frozen in fear?”
“How would I know? Look at that pretentious attitude, really off-putting.”
“Exactly. He knows he’s outmatched but insists on fighting—what is he thinking?”
The crowd murmured, the two B-grade adventurers whispered among themselves.
“James, what do you think of Li Xin?”
“Steady as a mountain. He hasn’t made a move yet, but I suspect Long Wu’s attack may not have much effect.”
Before James finished speaking, Long Wu had already collided head-on. This charge was enough to send someone flying.
“Cross Strike!”
Li Xin suddenly smiled, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, as he raised a fist and punched out with blinding speed.