American homeless people, surviving in the city

"What?"

Lin Qi exclaimed in surprise.

He stared intently at the one-eyed middle-aged man in front of him, his eyes wide. "Is there really such a rule? You're not lying to me, are you?"

"Oh dear." Seeing Lynch's intense reaction, Jenkins' grin widened even further, and he nonchalantly spread his hands.

"Why would I lie to you? Besides, the competition hasn't even started yet. If you don't believe me, you can just check with your Razor Clan, can't you?"

Jenkins looked relaxed and natural, showing no fear that Lynch would see through his lie.

...What this guy said makes sense...It seems he's telling the truth!

Upon realizing this, Lynch panicked for a moment.

Until he took the stage this time, he had never heard that he might have to fight a third match, and that his opponent would be Choi Seung-ho, the same Choi Seung-ho who had just knocked Sanchez unconscious with a single kick!

In the last few dozen seconds of the game, Lin Qi had paid close attention to the game content, but at that time he did not know that Choi Seung-ho would become his opponent, so he did not carefully observe the opponent's playing style and habits.

Moreover, given the short match time, he wouldn't have been able to discern anything anyway.

The man who could defeat Sanchez with a single kick... Lynch asked himself honestly, if he were standing in front of Choi Seung-ho, he wouldn't be confident he could beat him.

Unlike the many street thugs in this match, that guy was at least a real fighter, that much is undeniable.

Therefore, the thought of possibly facing such a strong opponent in the next match made Lin Qi feel quite uneasy.

Seeing Lynch's increasingly grim expression, Jenkins revealed a satisfied smile:

"It seems you've thought it through... I have no reason to lie to you."

"What exactly do you mean by telling me all this?" Lin Qi asked coldly, trying to control his expression so that the other person could not see his mental state.

But Jenkins was like a cunning fox. Although he didn't seem threatening, he just narrowed his one eye, and Lynch felt as if he could see right through Lynch's thoughts.

He simply shook his head slightly:

"Sigh, I already told you, you don't need to be so wary of me. I was just thinking, such an important rule, and you only heard it from me, your opponent, once you were in the ring. Doesn't that mean that the Razor Clan behind you doesn't actually value you that much? They might just want to trick you into fighting one more time, without caring about your condition, or whether you'll pay with your life in this ring..."

Lynch's hand gripping the knife hilt trembled slightly. Seeing this, Jenkins was completely relieved.

At first, he genuinely intended to just have a casual chat with Lynch. But he soon realized that Lynch was a newcomer whose cooperation with the Razor Claws didn't seem very close, which made him realize that he might be able to use rhetoric to attack Lynch's mentality.

Now, Jenkins feels he has done it.

He licked his lips with satisfaction, waiting for the young Asian man before him to back down without a fight. In any case, his mental fluctuations would at least give him a slight advantage in the upcoming match.

So Jenkins waited quietly.

But a dozen seconds later, his gaze suddenly sharpened. Under his silent watch, he was somewhat surprised to find that Lynch's hand had stopped trembling.

Then, he saw the young man in front of him slowly raise his head, his eyes calm and firm:

"Actually, I think you have a point."

"Makes sense?" Jenkins hadn't expected Lynch to say something like that, and his tone was momentarily filled with astonishment. "Don't you think this is irresponsible, even a betrayal?"

"Perhaps, but I think you might be overthinking this." Lynch simply shrugged. "I don't care what they're really thinking, but I know that as gangs with vested interests, what they want most is to win this game."

"And for me, having already benefited from them, all I need to think about is to do my best to win the game as beautifully as possible."

"Apart from that, there's nothing more to think about."

"Really?" Jenkins hadn't expected Lynch's idea to be so simple, and he continued to persuade her anxiously:

"Actually, you don't need to push yourself so hard, do you? I have a suggestion. Since we've already agreed that this match should be mainly for friendly competition, and we'll stop when we've reached a point of mutual respect,"

"If you feel you don't want to continue fighting, why don't you find an opportunity to create an opening for me and surrender? That way, you won't have to fight another match, and you won't have to fight that ruthless Choi Seung-ho."

Now Lynch fully understood what Jenkins had been trying to say after all that earnest talking. He simply waved his hand dismissively.

"There's no need for that."

He gripped the hunting knife at his waist tightly:

"It's just two games, I'm not afraid of it."

"Besides, I don't think I'm necessarily no match for that guy surnamed Cui... This might be my chance to prove myself."

Upon hearing Lynch's answer, Jenkins fell silent for a moment. A few seconds later, he smiled with a hint of admiration.

"...Young man, your thoughts are pure. In that respect, I am ashamed to admit my inferiority."

Lynch also laughed:

"Perhaps it's because the troubles I've been facing lately are much more troubling than the current competition."

"Therefore, playing one more match or facing one more skilled opponent is almost negligible."

The more Lynch spoke, the clearer his mind became. He felt almost helpless about his life as a vagrant, the threats from American society and cults. But in this competition, as long as he had power, he could control everything.

This long-lost sense of control... feels great.

He smiled at Jenkins:

"Thank you anyway, sir. But I won't give up so easily."

"Now, let me test your strength... with this sword in my hand!"

"good!"

Jenkins was also ignited by these words, punched his fist hard with both hands, and said no more.

The two chatted amiably for only a few minutes. Soon, Lady Tatiana swaggered back onto the ring, rang the bell, and loudly announced:

"Razor Gang vs. Black Hand Gang! The fourth match is officially underway!"

Lynch also turned his attention away from their past conversation and focused entirely on the current match. He slowly drew his hunting knife from his waist, held it horizontally in front of him, and prepared to observe his opponent's tactics.

As the game officially began, Jenkins' aura suddenly changed.

His relaxed and carefree demeanor vanished in an instant, his muscles bulged, and he exuded the aura of a professional boxer.

"Kid, let me see if you can prove your strength!"

Holding a pair of brass knuckles, he swung a punch and attacked Lin Qi!