294: 289 Small bets add pleasure.
294: 289 Small bets add pleasure.
Jiang Chen had thought that a bloody and violent boxing match would be held in a remote location to avoid attracting attention, such as a suburb far from the city center.
However, he realized how naive he was.
“The boxing match is being held here?”
When Bai Haoran drove into an underground parking lot, Jiang Chen was a bit surprised.
After all, this building was a high-end office building where many white-collar workers might be working during the day.
“The most dangerous place is the safest place—Gu Long.”
Bai Haoran replied.
Jiang Chen chuckled.
After entering the underground parking lot, Bai Haoran did not park the car; instead, he drove around the vast underground garage as if looking for sothing.
Jiang Chen was patient and did not rush him.
About ten minutes later, Bai Haoran seed to have determined the location and found a parking space to park the car.
“Master Jiang, we’ve arrived.”
Jiang Chen nodded, unbuckled his seat belt, and got out of the car.
“Is the boxing ring inside the building?”
Bai Haoran, who erged from the car, shook his head and stomped lightly on the ground.
“It’s underground.”
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
“This garage has a total of eight elevators, but only one can reach the underground, and it’s only accessible during certain tis, so no one will discover it.”
“Thorough.”
Jiang Chen expressed his admiration.
Bai Haoran led him to the only elevator that could reach the underground boxing arena.
Before long, four casually dressed n ca into view.
They stood at the elevator entrance, with sharp eyes, indifferent faces, and muscular builds—their nature was self-evident.
“They are the external security for the boxing arena.
Whenever there is a match, this elevator becos operational.
Their role is to prevent outsiders from accidentally entering.”
Bai Haoran explained softly.
“Understood.”
As they approached, the four n’s gazes instantly locked onto them.
“Master Jiang, please wait a mont.”
Bai Haoran stepped forward and at the sa ti, took out his mobile phone, showing the guards so information on it briefly.
The n nodded and stepped aside to let them through.
Seeing this, Jiang Chen calmly followed Bai Haoran into the elevator.
“To watch the boxing match, one must submit an application to the organizers in advance.
They will reply via text ssage, which may contain a pattern or a ssage; it’s different every ti, but that’s the pass.”
As Bai Haoran explained, he pressed the button for the second basent level.
Life really does imitate art.
Jiang Chen nearly felt like he was in a movie.
“Ding.”
It wasn’t long before.
The elevator doors opened.
At the entrance stood several more security guards.
Compared to the four above, these guards were much more formal, all in suits and wearing headsets, clearly not the friendly type, with a daunting presence.
Indeed.
With people constantly coming and going in the parking lot, it made sense to dress down to avoid attracting attention.
Without any experience in this, Jiang Chen subconsciously looked to Bai Haoran, not sure what was coming next.
He saw Bai Haoran had already raised his hands.
Jiang Chen instantly understood.
It was a body search.
He followed suit, highly cooperative.
Two burly n with tal detectors scanned them from head to toe.
After no abnormalities were found, they stepped back and gestured.
“Please enter.”
Passing through the oval corridor, Jiang Chen finally made it to the boxing ring.
Underground bare-knuckle fighting was naturally entirely different from sanctioned boxing matches.
The venue was semi-circular, with the lowest point being dominated by a huge octagonal cage in the center, emanating a sinister and ferocious atmosphere.
The stands were tier upon tier around it, seating close to a thousand spectators.
There were no other sources of light except for a single spotlight that shot down onto the oppressive cage.
Through the dim light, one could vaguely make out that the surroundings were already filled with people, whispering among themselves, the harsh environnt sohow creating an air of sickly excitent.
“Where shall we sit?”
Although he had not been here before, Jiang Chen roughly understood that one couldn’t just sit anywhere.
Bai Haoran checked his mobile phone for their reserved seats.
Unlike a cinema, perhaps to ensure that every spectator could have a good viewing experience, the seats were spaced quite far apart, about a ter each, which ant that they had to lean in to speak to each other after sitting down.
“Brother Bai, you ntioned earlier that the prize money for the competitors who win is very high, but where does this money co from?
Ticket sales?”
“Ticket sales are just a fraction of it.
A ticket costs ten thousand, but selling them all does not bring in much.
The key source of inco is the betting pool outside the arena.”
“Betting pool?”
Bai Haoran explained in a low voice, “For each match, usually three to five boxing matches, both spectators at the scene and those who can’t make it in person have the opportunity to bet on the outcos.”
“Betting on wins and losses?”
“Yes.”
Bai Haoran added, “There’s also betting on life and death.”
Jiang Chen was silent, gazing down at the empty octagonal cage below.
In so sense.
This was practically a carbon copy of the ancient Roman Colosseum.
Rich patrons waving their cash, taking thrill from the life-risking struggles of others.
Talking with Jiang Chen and schooling him on the rules of underground boxing, Bai Haoran watched as more and more spectators entered.
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
Jiang Chen scanned the room.
Tsk.
The security sure is tight.
By a conservative estimate, there must be dozens of people scattered throughout the stands in a well-organized fashion, all wearing headsets, their faces stern, like demons from hell.
“Brother Bai, how many tis have you been here?”
“Not many, this is a rich man’s ga.
The people who co here are almost all here to place bets, that’s how they get the maximum sensory stimulation.”
“Have you ever placed a bet?”
Jiang Chen asked.
“I have, but I lost.”
“How much did you lose?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
Jiang Chen joked, “Seems like your judgnt is lacking.”
Bai Haoran smiled bitterly, “The person I bet on had already won several matches before, was a hot favorite, I thought it was a sure bet.
Who would have known that it would turn out to be an upset.”
Then he asked, “Young Master Jiang, do you want to give it a try today?”
“How do I place a bet?”
“On your mobile phone, the minimum bet starts at one hundred thousand, up to ten million.”
Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
As a bookmaker, the odds are calculated in advance to ensure they are in an invincible position.
Regardless of the outco, the bookmaker is almost always guaranteed to win.
This place that might be a dark grave for so, for others, it’s a treasure trove.
“Let’s see first.”
Although he had bought lottery tickets for a while, Jiang Chen was inevitably still sowhat uncomfortable with this kind of gambling.
“Snap.”
Suddenly.
The dim fighting ring instantly beca bright.
The eight spotlights around the stands all turned on at the sa ti—the stark white light blinded the guests accustod to the darker environnt.
The eight beams scanned the audience, then changed direction, all shining towards the octagon!
“Ladies—and—gentlen…”
Inside the octagon, a man in a white suit had appeared at so point, and under the dazzling lights, it was impossible to see his face, only the cadence of his voice could be heard through the speakers.
Indeed.
He wasn’t just showing off; there really were won among the audience, and quite a few at that.
The host proceeded as usual, thanking the audience without the irrelevant fluff typical of ordinary events.
“Next, please welco our first fighter of the evening, hailing from the Russian Bear, the at Grinder, Jeb Markus!”
At his call, a burly figure wearing only a pair of shorts, his body covered in hair, entered the octagon amidst cheers and shouts.
He made a round along the ferocious cage, arrogantly waving his thick arms at the spectators in the stands.
The cheers intensified.
Compared to his bear-like stature, the host, not at all short himself, suddenly seed quaint and delicate.
There are actually foreigners?
Jiang Chen had not expected this.
After the “at Grinder” from the Russian Bear finished showing off his muscles, the host continued to shout, “Next, please welco tonight’s second fighter, the tough guy from the southwest, Iron Scorpion!”
Compared to the “at Grinder”, the second fighter to take the stage was not so eye-catching.
Not to ntion standing up to his impending opponent, his physique wasn’t even as robust as the host’s.
The only notable feature was probably his sinister and narrow eyes, which gave an uncomfortable impression when combined with his dark skin, truly reminiscent of a venomous scorpion.
Even before the real fight began, Jiang Chen felt the trip was already worth it.
They were all extraordinary indeed.
With both fighters on stage, the host began to introduce their “records”.
The at Grinder was no newcor, having fought in several matches before, and the fact that he was still standing there spoke volus.
Moreover, with a record of all wins, including “knockouts”, he was undoubtedly the heavy favorite of the battle.
The Iron Scorpion, on the other hand, was competing for the first ti.
The host introduced him in this way, of course, with a purpose—to provide the audience on and off the site with basic information to facilitate their betting.
Betting would stop once the fight started.
Bai Haoran pulled out his mobile phone and entered the dedicated page for the underground fighting event.
“Young Master Jiang, the odds for the at Grinder have reached 0.5.”
Odds of 0.5.
That ant betting one hundred thousand, and if you win, you’d only gain fifty thousand.
Such odds could only indicate that most people were in favor of the at Grinder.
It was understandable.
After all, both in terms of past records and visual impact, the at Grinder had a clear edge over Iron Scorpion.
There’s no kinship in gambling.
Here, there’s no consideration for feelings of compatriotism.
The odds for the at Grinder continued to drop.
“Brother Bai, help bet on Iron Scorpion.”
Jiang Chen spoke up.
Bai Haoran was taken aback and couldn’t help but remind him, “Young Master Jiang, Iron Scorpion has a very low chance of winning.”
“It’s okay, let’s just support our compatriot.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Haoran didn’t say anything more.
“How much do you plan to bet, Young Master Jiang?”
“How much did you lose last ti?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
“Then let’s go with three hundred thousand.”
Jiang Chen was truly making a blind bet without any conviction, but a little gambling for fun; the money didn’t matter much if he lost.
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