A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 182 My First Experience in the City of Fighters

It was a bright and sunny morning with a clear and refreshing sky.

The area outside Violet State's first airport was already packed with vehicles and crowds.

Some people are holding up signs and waiting for friends arriving by plane, but most are taxi drivers looking to pick up passengers.

Guan Luoyang, pulling a suitcase, had just stepped out of the airport gate when a taxi covered in paint graffiti rushed in front of him, forcing him to brake suddenly.

An arm covered in English letters was draped over the car window. The driver, chewing gum, leaned out and had an Asian face. He was in his forties, with rough, weathered skin, but spoke fluent Boston dialect.

"Guests from the Asia-Pacific region? Take my car, and I'll take you to the most famous attractions that best showcase the Violet State style right from the start."

Guan Luoyang had prepared an earpiece simultaneous interpretation device before coming here, equipped with translation functions for eighteen common languages ​​around the world, so he didn't have to worry about not understanding it.

The driver pounded on the car window again, making a loud banging noise, and shouted, "Moreover, this car is a brand new model designed by the Diedrich family specifically for passengers. It can't be penetrated by bullets, and ordinary street thugs won't easily mess with it. It's extremely safe."

Guan Luoyang didn't waste time choosing a driver. After confirming that the driver was also equipped with a simultaneous interpretation device and could understand him, he opened the back door and got in.

The driver quickly got out of the car, put his large suitcase on the roof, and with a pull, a small retractable tent was erected on the roof, covering the suitcase.

"Hehehe!"

The driver let out a meaningless yell, jumped into the driver's seat, slammed the door shut, turned on the car stereo, and as the melody curve on the display screen rapidly fluctuated, the car accelerated sharply and shot forward.

Amidst the intense sound of an electric guitar, the driver reached out and adjusted the rearview mirror inside the car, looking at Guan Luoyang through the small mirror.

"Our first stop will be Diderlichplatz, and our second stop will be the seaside. We'll have fun until 10:30 in the morning. If you don't have a hotel reservation, I can pick one for you. I guarantee the best service and, of course, the best price."

The main road was bustling with traffic, and most of the vehicles would start and accelerate, emitting loud music as they sped out of the windows.

Some vehicles sped past the taxi, but the taxi kept overtaking other cars. The sounds of engines, tires rubbing against the ground, and various voices that could only be heard clearly created an extremely noisy scene.

The journey from the airport to the city center is like a transition for all sorts of outsiders into the bustling and vibrant Violet State.

Guan Luoyang rested his right elbow on the car window, his chin on the back of his hand, watching the scenery rushing past outside: "The biggest feature of Violet City is fighting, right? I'd like to go and see the area where street fights are most frequent."

"I understand, I understand. 100% of the tourists who come here want to see tense and exciting fights with real bloodshed."

The driver, with one hand on the steering wheel and his right fist clenched, swung it in the air, his voice impassioned, "However, the skill level of street fighting varies greatly, and the atmosphere is really not that enjoyable. The fighting arena by the sea is a better choice."

"If you're in a hurry, we can skip the square and go straight to the coast."

"Today in Fighting Arena Number Four, there seems to be a match between a karate master known for his decapitation techniques and a Bajiquan heavy hitter. Rumor has it that if they were to undergo martial arts certification, they would both be rated at least three stars!"

Guan Luoyang: "Karate?"

As he spoke, he took out his phone from the pocket of his imposing jacket and searched for something.

Since the 12th century AD, signs of reincarnation have appeared in this world.

The number of reincarnators is negligible compared to the overall population of this world. However, in order to gain greater benefits, reincarnators always like to get involved in some important historical events. Over the course of nine hundred years, many extraordinary skills from other worlds have inevitably remained in this world.

Various martial arts styles based on physical combat have taken root and flourished in this world because they have the lowest entry barriers.

Among these, "Karate" was one of the first foreign martial arts to gain a foothold in the United States of Boston.

Although those martial arts techniques may have completely opposite characteristics, and may even come from different worlds, they are all under the name of "karate". The public often does not distinguish between them, but only thinks that there are enough people practicing this style. Due to herd mentality, more and more people practice karate.

Among the world's most renowned five-star fighters, three specify in their biographies that they primarily practice karate.

Guan Luoyang put away his phone and gestured to the driver to head to the fighting arena first.

"Wow! That's great!"

The driver stepped on the gas, but instead of driving, he sped off from the side of the road, finding a gap in the guardrail and racing across the barren land full of yellow dust and occasional patches of green.

"I'll take you a shortcut. You don't have to worry about traffic lights here, the toll is less, and you'll get there in no time."

The wilderness may look flat, but if you actually run across it, you'll feel incredibly bumpy.

Guan Luoyang didn't care, but the sleeves of the trench coat he wore as a cloak fluttered against inertia in the air, as if the cuffs of the long sleeves were about to jut forward.

But it was just a trial. As Guan Luoyang's gaze shifted slightly, the long sleeves drooped down limply.

When the divine garment recognizes its master, there is indeed a wave of backlash targeting the mind.

However, Guan Luoyang's ability to "listen to the mortal world" is itself an extraordinary communication ability. He can listen to the dry words and boring diagrams on martial arts manuals as vivid stories, let alone a divine garment that truly has its own life characteristics.

The first time he wore this garment, before the divine garment launched its backlash, he used this two-way communication connection to counteract the ferocity with his own will.

As a result, Guan Luoyang was in great pain, but the garment must have felt even deeper pain as well.

Over this period of time, Shenyi Weiyan's obedience to Guan Luoyang was no longer just due to the restriction of blood oath, but also a spiritual submission.

In less than five minutes, the driver returned to the main road, entered the city, and headed towards the coast.

From a distance, a row of huge hemispherical buildings sits by the sea, backed by the sea breeze and waves, and facing the bustling city center.

Upon closer inspection, one can truly appreciate that each of these hemispherical buildings is at least ten stories high, and on the side facing the city center, there is an electronic screen with a side length of five meters above the entrance.

Outside the main entrance of each building, there are large canopies made of transparent material, with many seats connected to the ground inside, all of which are now full of people, and many more crowding in the aisles.

Everyone looked up at the electronic screen.

As the taxi carrying Guan Luoyang approached, he noticed that many people were clutching several tickets tightly in their hands, their expressions a mixture of tension and excitement, their faces flushed from blood rushing to their heads.

"We're too late, we can't get to the front."

The driver skillfully parked the car, took out two binoculars, handed one to Guan Luoyang, and then eagerly leaned against the car window, adjusting the focus of the binoculars to just be able to see the entire screen.

"This screen is from a high-definition camera inside the fighting arena, showing the action in slow motion at 32x speed. What's on the screen is just the beginning, but the action inside has probably already reached a fever pitch."

Guan Luoyang held the binoculars in his hand and looked into the distance with his naked eye.

Although the identities of the two people were not indicated on the screen, they were actually quite easy to distinguish.

The headless master was dressed in a snow-white karate uniform, with only a black belt wrapped around his waist several times. He had a square face, a prominent nose, and a bluish-black stubble around the lower half of his face, making him look like a bear that was dozing off.

The muscular white man standing opposite him, wearing a vest, trousers, and leather boots, was clearly the heavy gunner.

The images playing on the screen are likely composed of multiple internal camera shots that are rapidly edited together, with a close-up shot followed by a fast-paced overhead shot.

The fighting arena was flat, with a gray, unidentified material on the ground. Based on the height and arm span of the two people, the central area of ​​the arena was roughly 100 meters in diameter.

Surrounding the fighting arena were thick armored shields, some bearing serial numbers from the Boston Armory.

The two on the screen were already engaged in battle. The heavy gunner lunged forward, raised his hand, and his figure shot towards the enemy like an arrow.

Just as the headless master dodged the palm strike, the heavy gunner changed his palm into a fist, swaying his arms and stamping his feet, unleashing a tremendous force that caused the surrounding air to ripple and distort. Although he was a white man, his Bajiquan skills were extremely profound.

Moreover, this so-called Bajiquan is not simply physical strength. The moment the heavy gunner clenched his fist, his entire fist below the wrist was clearly enveloped in golden flames.

The master of decapitation parried with only one hand, then thrust his right arm forward, flicked his wrist, and cleaved his palm like a knife, delivering a vertical chop.

In Guan Luoyang's hometown, the famous writer Lu Xun once said that a black belt in karate can't even beat a pig.

However, due to the differences in the world, the karate that the Headless Master is currently using would probably be decapitated in one blow even if ten adult wild boars attacked together.

The gust of wind from that slash, after traveling approximately forty meters, still left a clear white mark on the armored panels surrounding the fighting arena, clanging loudly.

"The heavy hitter has a 12-game winning streak this year, but the headless master has maintained a 23-game winning streak since two years ago."

As the driver watched, he said, "This is the most watched event in recent months. All the well-known casinos in the city have already opened betting on the outcome. I've placed my bet too. If I win, I'm quitting my taxi job tomorrow."

"It's a pity you're too late, otherwise you could have given it a try."

Guan Luoyang said, "It sounds like the 'Headless Master' has an advantage. Are you buying him?"

"I bought from both sides, but I bought less of the 'Headless Master' and put the majority of my money into the 'Heavy Gunner' side."

The battle on the screen grew increasingly intense. Even at 32x slow motion, some movements were difficult to see clearly. The driver nervously trembled, gripping the binoculars with one hand and pressing the other against his knee. "We need an upset to make a fortune!"

"The heavy hitter was not favored by people before, but he made several comebacks against the odds. I regretted not buying him back then. This time I must take a gamble."

The driver turned to look at Guan Luoyang, "If you really had to buy one, which one would you choose?"

"I don't gamble like that."

Guan Luoyang said, "When it comes to gambling, there are 10,000 losers out of 10,000 people. The real winners never rely on luck."

The driver chuckled and said loudly, "That's other places. You must be visiting Violet State for the first time. Here, we compete on vision and fighting spirit. The more formal and high-level the event, the less likely anyone can cheat."

"Because those who participate in this kind of fighting are simply strong individuals pursuing victory and greater strength; it's a battle where powerful fighters risk their careers and even their lives. They have plenty of ways to make money; what money could they value more than their own lives?!"

Guan Luoyang watched the screen. The battle seemed to be developing just as the driver had said: both of them had staked everything and entered a state of selflessness.

The headless master's right shoulder was dented from the impact, and his entire right arm was immobile. Meanwhile, the heavy gunner had a slanted wound on his waist and abdomen. He tore off his vest, tied it around his stomach, and continued to pounce.

As Guan Luoyang watched, he couldn't help but be moved. He was certain that the person who was gritting his teeth and growling, and striking the Vajra Eight Forms of Bajiquan again, would never care about the wins or losses of the gamblers and the audience.

The bloodshot veins in those azure eyes now reflected an endless yearning for victory and martial arts.

While the two sides on the screen were still locked in a bloody battle, Guan Luoyang closed his eyes and took the initiative to "listen" to the battle situation in the arena.

He was actually multitasking, watching the slow-motion broadcast on the screen while listening to the actual situation, and now he felt he should show some respect for the outcome of this battle.

Focus intently on experiencing the victory or defeat of that strike in the fighting arena.

A loud bang echoed through the fighting arena.

Guan Luoyang suddenly opened his eyes, his brows furrowing tightly.

The battle on the screen was not yet over when the audience in the tent seemed to see something and stood up, cheering loudly. The doors of the fighting arena had already been opened.

Someone was carried out.

Unable to contain himself, the driver pushed open the car door and ran out, squeezing into the crowd and shouting, "What happened? Who won? Who was carried out?!"

Everyone was shouting and asking questions, and soon an even louder wave of noise erupted.

Because a second person was carried out.

Both of the men in the fighting arena came out lying down.

Their relatives and friends rushed over and took them both to the emergency room.

None of the anxious and concerned viewers followed the ambulance, because they all stopped and continued watching the broadcast on the screen before knowing the outcome.

Finally, it came down to that last encounter.

The shockwaves generated by the two people's attack surged toward the screen like a colorless mudslide, and the screen suddenly went black. It switched back and forth many times, showing either a shattered screen or static. After a few seconds, a long shot finally appeared, showing the result.

Both men lay on the broken ground, in pools of blood.

The final result is a draw!

In an instant, countless swear words erupted from the crowd. Some people jumped on their seats and cursed loudly, while others clutched their tickets, their faces suddenly turning pale.

After a while, the driver walked back to his car, grumbling and cursing.

"How can it be a draw? Even if the Headless Master wins, I can at least break even."

As the driver opened the car door, Guan Luoyang's words flashed through his mind, but only briefly.

Given how badly the match went, how could it possibly be a fixed game?

It can only mean that everyone's luck has run out.

He sighed, opened the car door, only to find that the passenger was no longer in the car, with only a few banknotes left on the seat.

The driver paused, took a step back, and looked up to see that the suitcase had also been taken away.

………………

Instead of going to a public hospital, the ambulance carrying the decapitated master sped all the way to Goldfinch Island, the notoriously wealthy area of ​​Violet State, and stopped outside his own apartment. His private doctor came out to greet him and hurriedly carried him inside.

Several Filipino security guards stood outside the white-painted iron gate, peering inside cautiously for a while.

The small wheels rolled across the road with a gurgling sound. Guan Luoyang, dragging his suitcase, slowly passed by and glanced inside.

(End of this chapter)