Martial artists can never be ultimately insulted

As he said this, Tianma also peeled open a edamame and put it in his mouth.

Although Pegasus Nozomi was currently experiencing intense resentment and indulgence, a flicker of amazement inexplicably flashed in her eyes as she chewed, accompanied by a cool sensation in her mouth.

"Oh! It tastes pretty good!"

As he said this, Tianma Xiwang put five or six edamame beans into his mouth, chewed them, and then drank them down with a sip of ice-cold beer. A look of comfort appeared in his eyes.

"Phew~ Perfect! Drinking alcohol really does require eating something first~ And I feel so much better now!"

Indeed, he felt much more comfortable. Yuan Chen had originally planned to wait until the dishes were finished before sitting down to chat, but who would have thought that Tianma Xiwang was clearly at the lowest point in his life, and his melancholy became the perfect accompaniment to his drinks. If the dishes weren't served sooner, Yuan Chen was really afraid that this fighting-style drunkard, Sigu Jianzi, would drink himself to death on the table.

Yuan Chen also activated the Golden Flame he had recently mastered, injecting it into the bean to accelerate alcohol metabolism in coordination with his body's organs, in order to prevent him from passing out from drinking too much.

Yuan Chen had already prepared today's menu before opening for business, saving time on food preparation and braising. The remaining dishes were quickly served one by one by Yuan Chen.

Garlic-flavored clams in butter, braised chicken wings with fermented bean curd, marinated salmon belly, fried chicken platter, dried beef, steamed seafood...

Seeing the dazzling array of ingredients Yuan Chen brought out, Iori Kazuka was slightly taken aback, then slapped herself on the face and said, "You bastard... you're not just taking advantage of my friend's visit to rip me off, are you?!"

"Today's a special day, let's grab something to eat together, it's on me~"

Yuan Chen waved his hand and then sat down on the other side of the bar with a natural expression.

Seeing that Yuan Chen was also preparing to eat and drink, Iori Kazuka remained silent at first, and then revealed an expression that all men would understand.

"Oh~ I see, so you've got your eye on my friend, haven't you? What's up? Hope or Hana? I'll play matchmaker for you~"

Seeing that Iori Kazuka betrayed the two of them without hesitation, Miyako Kana showed a slightly resentful expression on her face. Then she looked at Yuan Chen beside her, and after a brief silence, her eyes lit up.

"Oh, I was so focused on Little Hope's condition that I didn't even notice there was a handsome guy here!"

She didn't stand on ceremony at all. After seeing Yuan Chen, Miya Kana smiled and said, "He's handsome, strong, and tall—perfect for my area!"

Despite saying this, Miya Hana maintained a proper distance, fully expressing her goodwill while also making people feel that she was a nice girl.

That's strange.

Miya Kana comes from a yakuza background; her father was the former leader of the "Jinguji-gumi," and her mother was a mistress.

Although her father was the leader of a yakuza organization, he was not the child of her legal wife, so she still lived an ordinary life.

Her first job after graduating from university was as a hostess at a hotel—simply put, a bar hostess. Through this experience, she developed an extraordinary ability to observe things.

After working as a hostess for a year, her father suddenly died, and Miya Kana was forced to take over the management of the Jinguji group and become the successor group leader.

However, because the leader died suddenly and Hana was not born to the main wife, the development of the Jinguji Group is not optimistic. Any action must take into account the actions of other large yakuza groups.

Just like now, although before, my attention was focused on Tianma Xiwang and I didn't notice Yuan Chen who had been cooking at the table, now that Yuan Chen has come to the table, I look at Yuan Chen and feel the calm, casual, and even playful gaze in his eyes...

He... seems to be quite familiar to us?

Did Yihua tell you about us? No, that doesn't make sense. If that were the case, Yihua could simply say, "These are the two friends I've often told you about," without needing to elaborate further. A simple explanation would have sufficed...

and……

Although she wasn't particularly proficient in martial arts techniques, she had studied them before and occasionally reviewed them for self-defense after entering society. Miya Kana could vaguely sense an invisible pressure emanating from Yuan Chen.

Although it's only our first meeting... it feels like we're on completely different levels in terms of 'fighting'.

Seeing Yuan Chen approaching, Iori Ichika didn't take it to heart, and instead said with a smile:

"Oh, okay? Then let's eat together—I specially invited two beautiful ladies to dine with you! It's only right that the meal is free, hehe~"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen chuckled, picked up his wine glass, clinked it with Yi Zhi Yi Hua's, and then drank it all in one gulp.

Iori Kazuka was not to be outdone; upon seeing Yuan Chen's actions, she downed her drink in one go, displaying remarkable boldness.

Although Iori Kazuka seems very unreliable, and is a super derelict cop who would make people think 'this country is doomed' once they find out that this guy is actually a policeman, he is undeniably loyal.

Since arriving in the old city, Yuan Chen's family hasn't encountered a single troublemaker or even a thug around their home. Some delinquents have even deliberately avoided them. When asked briefly, the delinquents' answer was always, "The boss has spoken."

After drinking a glass of wine, Yuan Chen felt much more open-minded. He then looked at Tianma Hope beside him and said, "I just heard you guys talking about underground fighting. I happen to be a semi-professional in this field. Would you like to chat about it?"

Upon hearing that Yuan Chen was also involved in underground fighting, Pegasus Hope, who was already a little tipsy, raised an eyebrow, stared at Yuan Chen for a while, and asked, "Um... how old are you now, young man?"

"Eighteen," Yuan Chen replied.

"Eighteen?" Upon hearing this, Miya Kana looked astonished.

She stared again at Yuan Chen's tall, muscular, granite-like, chiseled body and rugged, handsome face... You call this eighteen?!

Tenma was also surprised to hear this, but he quickly relaxed.

They don't even spare 18-year-old teenagers... I guess it's just some low-level little group, right?

Volume 1: Chapter 134: Is underground fighting really that profitable?

Although the underground fighting arena has fewer rules and restrictions compared to the large group competitions in the surface world, it is still subject to corresponding rules due to the promulgation of the "Violent Combat Law" and the "Violent Martial Law".

This includes age restrictions.

Although such restrictions are more often an unspoken rule, underground fighting arenas are inherently shady businesses—

Kengan is ultimately a tiny minority. The vast majority of underground fighting arenas are similar to the loser fighting arena that Pegasus Nozomi previously participated in, attracting attention through either violence or softcore pornography.

Under such circumstances, anyone with a brain would not allow minors to get involved in underground fighting—although due to the special nature of the fighting world, the Violent Mobile Force tacitly approves of the existence of underground fighting because people need an outlet to vent their violence.

But the key to this kind of thing is that it weighs less than four ounces when you don't weigh it, but weighs a ton when you do.

If a minor or a young adult enters the underground fighting ring, you'll see if the Violent Weapon Mobile Squad will try to reason with you or care whether the child is acting voluntarily.

In this situation, the larger the group, the further away they tend to distance themselves from these young people.

Even from an aesthetic point of view, eighteen-year-olds are still in the stage of physical development, and their physical abilities and combat experience will gradually become more complete after the age of twenty-five.

Thinking this, Pegasus, also tipsy, chuckled and said:

"Dude, you should wait until you graduate from university before getting involved in underground fighting. Otherwise, if someone with ulterior motives notices you, it won't just be a matter of whether you can participate in fighting anymore."

Yuan Chen simply smiled at this, then looked at Tianma Xiwang and said, "There's no need to worry about that... But compared to that, you don't seem to be in very good shape?"

"Yes, it should be said that it's quite bad."

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's question, Tianma hoped to pick up his glass and take a big gulp: "You'll understand the adult world in the future, little brother..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen remained silent, while Iori Ichika, standing to the side, merely scratched her head without offering any further comment.

On the contrary, Kana Mitani showed an expression of agreement.

Miya Kana's father died suddenly. She had only been in the workforce for a year, and her previous job was as a hostess. Now she's the leader of the Jinguji group. With the enactment of the "Violent Law" and "Violent Martial Law," her entire group can barely make a living in places that large groups don't even look at.

Thinking this, Miya Kana said with a sigh, "When Xiao Yi was still playing against the school, things were alright, but now there's really no way to make any money."

"That's because my friend is using all her connections to protect you." Hearing Miyako Kana's words, Iori Kazuka also pouted unhappily.

"Who knew I'd run into such a useless leader? He was so incompetent that I taught him a lesson, and now he's here retaliating... But whatever, I'm not here to vent today."

Iori Kazuka turned her gaze to Pegasus Nozomi standing to the side.

"So? Hopefully, you have a clue about your next job?"

“Absolutely none.” Tianma Hope waved his hand with a self-deprecating laugh: “Absolutely none, neither underground nor above ground.”

As he said this, Pegasus Nozomi glanced at the three people in front of him.

Miya Kana, a poor yakuza. Iori Kazuka, a disobedient cop. Themselves, unemployed.

And then there's this restaurant owner who suddenly barged into the dinner party... Opening a late-night diner in a place like the old town? Didn't this guy do his research before opening the shop? He probably only gets some business at lunchtime, right?

And yet, he's a student who spends his lunch breaks in the central school district, and even joined an underground fighting group...

To go astray.

Thinking about it, Pegasus couldn't help but sigh, "We really do fit the definition of a stray dog."

Upon hearing this, Miyako Kana and Iori Kazuka exchanged a glance and smiled, their expressions tinged with bitterness.

They were all good friends and wouldn't break off their friendship in anger because of a few words from Tianma Xiwang. But undeniably, sometimes the hurt caused by such a fact is much heavier than people imagine.

In contrast, Yuan Chen, standing to the side, looked casually at the three people in front of him, tapped the table slowly, and quietly gazed at Tianma Hope.

"Underground fighting must have developed very rapidly recently, right? Why did you retire?" Yuan Chen asked knowingly.

Tenma Nozomi gave a wry smile and then calmly explained that he had retinal detachment and was not accepted by mainstream large groups.

Feeling Yuan Chen's tranquility, Tianma Hope also felt agitated. His restless mind cleared slightly, and then he said somewhat numbly:

"Thinking about it carefully, it's really frustrating. There are already many groups in Osaka and Tokyo holding women's competitions, and professional women's combat sports are booming... but at this critical juncture, my eyes have betrayed me."

"Let's summarize the problems you're facing now."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chen tapped the table, interrupting the man's rambling.

Despite feeling the stench of the poisonous substance, Yuan Chen showed no unease or emotion on his face. Instead, he calmly said:

"Hanatani Mina wants an easy way to make money. The dereliction of duty cop wants to end his aimless life in the juvenile division. Tenma hopes to take a step further in the path of fighting, but because of his eyes, he can only watch helplessly as the thriving women's fighting industry shuts him out."

"Pretty much, maybe I should add you too~" Upon hearing this, Tianma Nozomi said with a smile, "Eighteen years old, running a late-night diner that only opens after seven o'clock in an old town where you can't see a single person on the street after seven o'clock, and accidentally joined an underground fighting group that doesn't even understand the unspoken rules about age... A boss who went astray?"

Perhaps.

Yuan Chen did not refute, because he did not feel ridicule in Tianma Xiwang's voice, but rather a strange sense of shared pity.

Meeting Tianma's hopeful gaze, Yuan Chen calmly said:

"Actually, this problem can be solved all at once simply by changing our perspective, right?"

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's words, Hanaya Mina and the others subconsciously paused, still puzzled. Meanwhile, Tenma Nozomi slapped her forehead, her gaze towards Yuan Chen filled with astonishment. She then involuntarily swallowed and said:

"what do you mean……"

“Be your own boss,” Yuan Chen said succinctly.

Upon hearing Yuan Chen's suggestion, Tianma Hope also fell into thought, and then his dim eyes gradually brightened.

"If that's the case... then it's true!"

Pegasus said with great interest:

“The Jinguji clan in Mina has enough space and people. Although Ichika has left the Violent Squad, he still has many influential people around him and knows a lot about delinquents and ruthless characters in the yakuza! And I know a lot about fighting! Whether it's the real world or the underworld, I even know the structure of underground fighting clubs by heart! If you look at it from this perspective, there is indeed no problem!”

"Oh, that sounds really promising!" Hearing Tianma Xiwang and Yuan Chen's words, Yizhi Yihua, who was standing nearby, also became interested and said:

"And if I can bring those damn juvenile delinquents under control, I'll definitely be able to return to the Violence Department! Then I'll have access to even more official resources!"

“That’s indeed a good idea,” Hanaya Mina nodded enthusiastically upon hearing this.

"Running a Kabuki theater is becoming increasingly difficult. With a little training and a change of costume, they can immediately become quite reliable service staff!"

Yuan Chen showed no surprise at the three of them discussing so enthusiastically. He knew that even if he didn't say anything, Tianma would soon realize that the problems they faced could be solved by establishing an underground fighting group.

However, compared to the three of them's little squabbles, Yuan Chen clearly wanted to add something more.

Thinking this, Yuan Chen simply waited silently.

She had participated in numerous mainstream fighting events, even coming within a hair's breadth of joining a major professional league. Then, she ended up in an underground fighting arena, specifically one of the lowest-tier, trashy fighting groups that relied on 'women fighting' to attract attention…

With ample experience, although it seems that Tenma hopes to contribute the least among the three, in order to develop the team, Tenma hopes that the experience of participating in and competing with different fighting teams in the real and virtual worlds is the most important.

While they were chatting, Tianma Xiwang quickly realized that things were definitely not as simple as he had imagined.

Subconsciously glancing at Yuan Chen beside him, Tianma hoped to hesitate for a moment before asking, "Speaking of which... what are your thoughts? Don't you have anything to say? After all, you were the one who brought this up."

"I'll share my thoughts later."

Yuan Chen looked at Tianma Xiwang and said, "Women's MMA is indeed in a period of rapid growth, which is good. But Xiwang, you come from modern MMA, so you should know why no one watches the lightweight division and women's MMA in the main competition, right?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Tenma Nozomi fell silent. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "...Because of the lack of KOs?"

"Pretty much," Yuan Chen nodded and said, "Whether it's martial arts, combat, classic or modern... it's all about the aesthetics of the sport, the way it's played, and the way it's performed."

"Women's combat sports are naturally at a disadvantage in terms of violence. The reason why women's combat sports have been able to gradually develop is because the existence of 'qi' (vital energy) has made up for this innate difference."

In terms of physical strength, women are naturally weaker than men—this is not discrimination, but simply an objective conclusion based on physiological characteristics.

The vastly different levels of testosterone secretion result in a significant gap between men and women in terms of physical strength, endurance, muscle recovery, and growth.

In fact, in a considerable number of competitions, men are explicitly prohibited from participating in the women's division, while there are no such restrictions in the men's division—in other words, at the level of rules, it is a true transgender competition.

The development of martial arts in this world also reflects this. For a considerable period, the cultivation of Qi was exclusively passed down to men, not women. It wasn't until modern society began martial arts reforms that more women embarked on the path of martial arts cultivation, using the amplification brought by Qi to offset their natural physical disadvantages and become able to compete with men.

The so-called flourishing of women's combat sports is also based on the background of martial arts reforms that allow more women to access, learn, and master ki through more channels.

“And if we really only build underground fighting groups based on the standards of weak gangsters, corrupt cops, and unemployed people…” Yuan Chen said calmly while eating, “Even if we can earn a decent income at the beginning, it will be a waste of resources…”

“…Ah, yes.” Upon hearing this, after a brief silence, Tianma realized that what Yuan Chen had said was very likely to happen.