Chapter 109: The Showdown

The other four team members were somewhat worried about Ye Fei going alone to rescue someone. Although they all wanted to save the middle-aged man, Li Guozhong, what if it was a trap? Not only would the man not be saved, but Ye Fei might also be put in danger.

“Don’t worry! The other side said I could choose the location. You all just need to be ready to back me up at any time. It shouldn’t be a big problem,” Ye Fei reassured them.

Just this morning, the other party had contacted Ye Fei again. To ease his concerns, they suggested letting Ye Fei choose the place for the fight, so there would be no worry about ambushes.

“That’s the only way,” the four teammates murmured. To save Li Guozhong, they had no other choice.

Ye Fei casually picked a location that was advantageous to both sides and could eliminate mutual doubts: the Deep Sea City Fighting and Martial Arts Arena.

The Deep Sea City Fighting and Martial Arts Arena was the main venue for all combat sports competitions in the city. It had a ring for them to demonstrate their skills, and there was no fear of hidden ambushes—truly the best place.

When Ye Fei proposed this location, the elderly man in the green robe was momentarily stunned, then burst into hearty laughter. “He’s clever, actually thinking of this place. Good.”

The long-haired man found Ye Fei’s choice somewhat odd. Picking such a place lacked the gritty aura of the underworld, dampening the fiery spirit in his heart.

He had imagined a remote, abandoned location where both parties would fight to the death—an all-or-nothing battle fitting the underworld style, thrilling and blood-pumping. But Ye Fei’s choice meant no one could get seriously hurt; it would have to be a genuine sparring match.

“Uncle Qing, are you satisfied? Choosing this place means we can’t go all out,” the long-haired man said. By “going all out,” he meant fighting to the death.

“No matter. Xiao Fang’s suggestion is for us to give Ye Fei a warning first. After all, he has Zhang Linsheng backing him; we don’t know Zhang’s attitude toward him. Plus, the current political climate is so delicate that if someone dies here and Zhang Linsheng decides to pursue it recklessly, it would be troublesome. We’ll defeat him first and see if he knows when to back down. If he still insists on opposing us, then we can be ruthless later,” the elderly man said calmly. So this was their plan all along.

“Yes,” the long-haired man replied.

By the time the elderly man in the green robe and the long-haired man entered the Fighting and Martial Arts Arena, Ye Fei and his team were already waiting.

“Sorry, the ones you captured were their four team leader. They insisted on coming along, so I had no choice,” Ye Fei said to the elderly man.

The elderly man smiled faintly. “Haha, it’s fine. You picked this place; it doesn’t matter whether you bring people or not. With so many eyes watching, no one dares to act recklessly here.”

Indeed, the arena was always crowded. Many martial arts enthusiasts came here to spar, learn, and train—karate, Muay Thai, kendo, traditional martial arts practitioners of various schools.

When the elderly man and the long-haired man arrived, they attracted many curious glances. Their vintage robes and dignified demeanor, along with the long-haired man’s ancient-style appearance, made it clear they were no ordinary people.

Ye Fei knew that apart from actors in period films, only elders from ancient, long-standing families in China or those who had fled overseas carrying traditional heritage would dress like this.

The elderly man in the green robe was one of those overseas elders.

“Where is our captain?” The four secret squad members couldn’t hold back upon meeting.

“Heh, as long as you beat us, you’ll see him,” the elderly man said indifferently.

“Enough with the noise,” Ye Fei interrupted.

The group then chose a suitable area within the arena.

“Hey, it looks like those guys are about to spar.”

“Yeah! That old man and the long-haired one—looks like a movie scene. Are they filming?”

“Seems interesting. Let’s go watch—”

The crowd inside the arena was intrigued, mainly by the elderly man and the long-haired man’s appearance, which was unusual and fresh. People loved to see something novel, so many followed them to watch.

Soon, they paid the fee and rented a large enough space.

Ye Fei stepped into the ring and said to the elderly man and the long-haired man, “Which one of you will come down and show me your skill?”

“I’ll fight you. You’re not worthy of Uncle Qing’s hand,” the long-haired man said as he stepped forward, cracking his knuckles and joints loudly.

The elderly man stood by the edge, chuckling, “Then let Xiao Zhen spar with you!”

“Are they really going to fight...?”

“Wow, it’s a real sparring match! Where’s the camera? No camera? So it’s not a movie.”

“How special! A fight between an ancient man and a modern one?”

The onlookers, a mix of adults and children, men and women, murmured with excitement. Seeing Ye Fei and the long-haired man enter the ring, they all gathered around to watch.

“Hey, hope you can hold your ground for a few moves,” the long-haired man taunted.

Ye Fei smiled indifferently, stretched his limbs casually, then stood firm in the center, saying, “Come on.”

“Hey—”

The long-haired man launched a fierce attack, even stronger than the black boxer Ye Fei had met before or Li Guozhong. But Ye Fei was stronger.

With a whoosh, Ye Fei’s fist cut through the air. Their first strike was a direct clash—straightforward and brutal.

With a loud bang, the long-haired man staggered. His power was no match for Ye Fei’s, and their initial collision shook him. He ceased underestimating Ye Fei and began to treat him as a serious adversary.

“You’ve got some skill,” the long-haired man admitted, launching a fierce continued assault.

Ye Fei’s expression remained calm throughout. Though the long-haired man was strong, he was still no match. Ye Fei deliberately restrained himself to better understand his opponent’s style, so their fight was evenly matched for now, with no clear winner.

The crowd cheered enthusiastically, as if watching an international competition.

After failing to knock Ye Fei down for some time, the long-haired man grew anxious. In his view, Ye Fei was no match, but he was slippery and elusive.

During close combat, Ye Fei took advantage of the long-haired man’s lengthy hair, grabbing it to gain the upper hand and landing several heavy blows.

“Your hair is too long,” Ye Fei said with a smile.

“Ah!” The long-haired man roared in anger and lunged forward again.

Ye Fei remained utterly composed. The angrier his opponent grew, the faster he would be defeated. After a while, Ye Fei’s flurry of strikes battered the long-haired man like a punching bag.

Everyone could see the long-haired man was no match, but he refused to admit defeat. As long as his body held up, he fought back fiercely.

“Xiao Zhen, stop. You’re not his match,” the elderly man said.

“Uncle Qing—” the long-haired man called out unwillingly.

“Step back. I’ll spar with Ye Fei,” the elderly man said. The long-haired man had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw.

Ye Fei stood quietly in the ring, watching. Everyone knew the long-haired man was no match, but his pride kept him fighting.