Meanwhile, in the coastal Thai city of Pattaya, inside an underground boxing ring hidden in the bustling streets, just a few minutes earlier, a tall Eastern man had also mysteriously appeared in the rest area.
*Thump, thump, thump.* A knock came at the door.
"Dai, are you ready? It's your turn for the next match."
"Got it."
The man's voice came from inside the room. The person knocking outside curled his lips dismissively. "Just a rookie, putting on airs. He'll end up being carried to the hospital soon enough."
If the camera panned into the rest area, a familiar face would come into view—this man was none other than Dai Minghan, who had just endured a terrifying ordeal with Chen Mo! At this moment, he wore a relieved expression, and the eerie, ghostly state of his right hand had returned to normal.
After clearing the cursed game of "Seven Days to Die," Dai Minghan had completed three story cycles, earning him the status of a veteran. Checking the points he'd earned from the last story, a satisfied smile crept across his face.
A full 30 story points.
Not a bad haul.
From his current location and the conversation just now, it wasn't hard to guess his true identity: an underground boxer.
Muay Thai is one of Thailand's most popular sports, but only a rare few ever make it to professional matches. For the rest, many eke out a living fighting in illegal bouts. Underground boxing thrives in Thailand, especially in tourist hotspots like Pattaya, where the blend of spectacle and gambling draws countless thrill-seekers.
Though fraught with danger, the underground ring attracts a steady stream of participants—some driven by necessity, others by the lure of hefty prizes. But for Dai Minghan, the goal was different.
As a listener of the radio, constantly haunted by malevolent spirits and bearing immense psychological pressure, this adrenaline-pumping thrill became a perfect outlet for releasing stress and fear.
Entering the arena amid the deafening roar of heavy metal music, Dai Minghan spotted a man lying in a pool of blood. His slender build and youthful, delicate face suggested he was no older than seventeen or eighteen, at most twenty. Yet there he was, discarded like a dead dog on the cold platform, ignored by all.
In stark contrast, the stands erupted in frenzied cheers for another fighter—a rare Western boxer. Perhaps, like Dai Minghan, he'd come seeking this visceral thrill. Spotting the Eastern man at the entrance, he flashed a contemptuous grin and drew a finger across his throat.
"Don't surrender, I'll kill you."
This blatant provocation ignited even wilder applause from the crowd. A portly, greasy-faced man called the Western boxer over and muttered a few words.
"Win two more matches. Just two."
The Western boxer smirked but nodded confidently.
This money was way too easy.
Then, he saw another face before him.
"Not a local?" he asked in English. Seeing that the other man seemed not to understand, his sneer deepened. "This isn't your place. If you don't want to get crippled, go back to your mommy."
The laughter in the stands grew louder, the audience doubled over.
Fighters like him won their favor easily, while the poor wretch on the ground was utterly forgotten.
Dai Minghan was in a good mood, having just aced his veteran assessment mission. Smiling, he stepped into the ring, casually stretching his limbs.
Unlike formal matches, underground fights had no rules or protection. Injuries rarely received timely or proper treatment, and crippled or dead fighters were common.
Amid the waves of cheers from the crowd, a sultry woman rang the bell. A sharp gust of wind whistled past his ear, followed by a heavy blow.
Intense pain surged with the blood, jolting his nerves. In his clenched right fist, a chilling sensation crept back.
Inside his body lurked a ghost, always ready to stir.
But this wasn't a supernatural world. Unlike when a mission ended and everything abnormal reverted to normal, activating the ghost in his right hand here would summon a creature that might never be contained again.
Pushing aside his tangled thoughts, Dai Minghan's gaze fixed on the opponent who had just struck him. His eyes sharpened, turning icy cold.
Attacking the face—that was beyond sparring or competition; it was a lethal move. In that case...
The next moment, as the boxer raised his arms to the crowd's cheers and turned to deliver another devastating blow, Dai Minghan's body suddenly sprang forward. His right fist, harboring the ghost, slammed into the Western boxer's face at an impossibly tricky angle.
A faint crack of jawbone breaking echoed.
The massive body flew backward, crashing into the ropes, followed by howls of agony and frantic writhing.
The laughter in the stands stopped dead. After a few seconds of stunned silence, an even more frenzied roar erupted.
These spectators had no loyalty. Most had just bought tickets for the thrill of flesh-on-flesh action. They didn't care who won or lost, lived or died. Whoever gave them a good show earned their cheers. Only the heavy bettors hidden in the crowd flashed a trace of barely concealed gloom, their complex eyes fixed on the unfamiliar fighter in the ring.
"Dai, here's your prize money."
The man who had just been whispering to the Western boxer was now all smiles, waiting outside the ring to greet Dai Minghan, who had just defeated three local fighters in a row. From this man, he saw a future of endless cash.
A mysterious fighter, sharp moves, a cold demeanor—enough to put his obscure underground gym on the map!
"Dai, let's partner up. I swear, if you fight here for three months, we'll make a million! Not baht—US dollars! You know what that means, Dai..."
Grabbing the colorful stack of cash, the fighter strode off, leaving the gym owner standing there awkwardly.
Ah, how could his little pond ever hold a big fish? He'd have to find another way to pay next month's rent.
Just as the gym owner was shaking his head in frustration, a voice came from the entrance.
"Besides that, I want thirty percent of the shares."
"Huh? Dai! That's highway robbery!" The owner immediately flared up.
"Up to you."
"Fine, fine, I agree. Dai, don't go—I'll treat you to a late-night snack!"
The Pattaya night reflected a faint smile on the man's lips. This real world was wonderful.
Being alive was wonderful too.
Glancing at his right hand, Dai Minghan let out a bitter smile. After advancing to veteran status, the next story release wouldn't come for at least three months. Was this what the radio called a "perk" for participants?
Three months—he'd treat it as a vacation.
Chen Mo, Lin Hengtian—he wondered when he'd run into them again.
"Dai, what are you thinking?"
Noticing Dai Minghan's distraction, the gym owner, who was personally grilling a lamb leg for him, looked puzzled. "Dai, who are you really?"
"That doesn't matter. What matters is making good money together."
"Making good money, haha, well said! Come on, big brother will take you to see a real ladyboy show—it's a blast!"
Dai Minghan smiled faintly.
"Sure."
P.S. At some readers' request, I'll occasionally write about the participants' daily lives to flesh out character backgrounds, but not too much. Do you all like this? Also, two chapters as usual today, but I need to step out for a bit. I'll write when I get back—definitely two chapters, so don't worry.