Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Artist in the Ring
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"Richard, I hope you fall in the third round. No surprises."
In New York, on the second floor of the Viper Bar on 34th Street, Bronx, a middle-aged man with a cigar in his mouth said in a rough voice.
"Big Boss Andy, don't worry about me. If you want me down in the third round, I definitely won't make it to the fourth."
Richard smirked as he spoke.
"Haha, you're a good kid. Ever thought about working for me?"
The middle-aged man pinched his big nose, and the Rolex on his wrist, along with several large gold rings on his fingers, gleamed under the lights.
Richard chuckled, "Andy, you know my rules. No killing, no drugs. Working for you, aren't you worried I'm an undercover cop?"
The middle-aged man's eye twitched, "Go to your match. You’ll get your reward afterward."
"Understood!"
Richard adjusted his hat and politely exited the room.
"Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't pull any tricks."
The middle-aged man said in a deep voice.
"Yes, boss!"
Two men in black followed him.
---
"Richard, how did it go?"
In the corner of the bar, a fat man named Anthony asked in a low voice, pressing down on his hat.
"I'll go down in the third round."
Richard said quietly, holding a glass of wine.
"Got it!"
Fat Anthony rubbed his hands together but then hesitated, "Richard, are we really doing this? Andy won’t let us go afterward."
Richard raised his sharp eyebrows, his deep blue eyes staring coldly at the fat man.
"Anthony, there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want the benefits, you have to pay the price. You said your mother is sick and needs money to save her life. Now you have a choice: stick to it or give up?"
Fat Anthony's round face quivered. He suddenly gritted his teeth, "Let's do it!"
"That's more like it."
Richard smirked, "But don't worry. Andy may be a big shot in the Bronx, but outside here, his enemies will devour him. Once we have the money, we can leave New York. The world is big, and we can go wherever we want."
"Richard, I'll follow your lead."
Fat Anthony said excitedly.
"Cheers!"
Richard clinked glasses with him.
---
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the most exciting part of our bar! Can everyone tell me what it is?"
On the ring in the middle of the bar, a big-bellied man in a white shirt shouted.
"Cage fight! Cage fight!"
Thousands of people around the ring shouted in unison.
"That's right, it's time for our fight night. First, let's welcome our undefeated champion, Richard Brad~~~"
The host shouted.
"Richard! Richard! Richard!"
Hundreds of people around the ring waved their fists and chanted.
"Be careful!"
Richard patted Anthony's shoulder and walked into the crowd.
As he walked, he took off his hat, jacket, and T-shirt, revealing his V-shaped torso, with clear muscle lines on his chest, shoulder blades, and abs, looking like a finely crafted iron sculpture.
There were a few noticeable scars on his chest and back, adding a touch of wildness.
"Richard! Richard! Richard!"
The bar's lights focused on him, and everyone's eyes converged on the star of the Bronx underground fight scene â€" Richard Brad.
Richard stood at 6'1", with black hair, black eyes, a high nose, and fair skin, more dazzling than any Hollywood star.
In the aisle, many people touched his shoulders, back, and arms. Suddenly, a hot girl reached for his chest.
Richard raised his sharp eyebrows. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he pulled the girl into a fiery kiss.
"Whoa~"
The crowd went wild.
"Richard! Richard!"
"Richard, me too!"
A woman shouted.
"Richard, stop kissing and get on stage!"
The host yelled.
"Hey~ beautiful, time to let go!"
Richard patted the girl’s butt.
She let go, her cheeks flushed.
"Here's my contact info."
The girl handed him a card.
Richard waved her off and walked onto the ring.
"Jerk!"
The girl stomped her foot.
---
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, here, I'll bring you the most exciting show. Stay tuned."
On the ring, Richard patted his chest and bowed gracefully. With his handsome looks, he stood like a prince in the roughest part of New York.
"Richard! Richard!"
The audience waved their fists and shouted, some even throwing flowers onto the ring.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Richard smiled and thanked them.
---
"Do you know why he's so popular?"
From the window of the VIP room on the second floor, Big Boss Andy squinted and asked.
"Because he's a great fighter. He's had over 20 matches in the underground ring and has never lost."
His subordinate replied.
"No, being a great fighter isn't the main reason. There are many great fighters in New York's underground rings: Viper Sinclair, Iron Tower Vasily, the French Dragon Aubary, but none have Richard's popularity."
Andy took a sip of vodka, his facial muscles twitching as he exhaled deeply.
"Richard is popular because he’s not just a great fighter. He knows Muay Thai, karate, jiu-jitsu, Chinese martial arts, Israeli combat, everything.
Secondly, he's very smart. He knows himself and his enemies, often defeating them before the match even begins. That's called winning beyond the ring.
And most importantly, he's not just a fighter; he's a performance artist. Look at his presence on stage. He's like an actor.
No matter who his opponent is, even if it's a three-year-old child, he can make a fight thrilling and full of suspense. That's talent."
Andy looked at Richard in the ring, his eyes filled with admiration and wariness.
"That kid is good, but he refuses to bow down, wanting to be a man of principles. Hmph, but he forgets, this is my turf. I won't allow any surprises."
---
"Next, let's welcome tonight's challenger. From Mexico, the fighting expert Antonio Barrera. He comes from the professional boxing world and once went five rounds with champion Lewis without falling behind. His professional record is 25 wins, 8 losses, and 18 KOs. He is the 'Boa Constrictor' Barrera~~~"
Under the host's shout, a tall and strong guy stepped into the ring.
He stood over two meters tall, with particularly developed muscles. His bronze skin was tattooed with two large green snakes, their scarlet eyes menacing.
"Richard, kill that ugly brute!"
"Richard for the win!"
"Richard, the forever god!"
The audience shouted.
Some people observed for a while and then went to the bar's betting area to place their bets.
The betting items included several options: win or lose, the method of victory (KO, surrender, fainting, death), and the round in which the victory would occur.
The odds for the first option were small, but the second and third options had the highest odds, up to 1:16.
"Bet on Richard to win, $1,000. Bet on Richard to win in the third round by KO, $2,000."
"Yes, sir!"
Fat Anthony pressed down his hat and looked back at Richard in the ring.
"Richard, it's all on you."
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