Chapter 57: City-wide Search
After the two collateral members finished whispering, one of them opened the door and stepped inside.
The moment the door closed, Yu Xiaogang emerged from behind it, gripping a stool. With one swift motion, he struck the man on the head, knocking him unconscious. The body hit the ground with a loud *thud.*
Yu Xiaogang stood over the fallen man, a rare sense of satisfaction washing over him. For once, he wasn't the victim. It had taken time, but finally, *he* was the one delivering the blows. He allowed himself a fleeting smile.
However, his moment of triumph was short-lived. Another subordinate waited outside the door. Thinking quickly, he let out an exaggerated wail.
"Why are you the only one coming in? Someone else, hurry and help me turn over! It hurts so much—ouch!"
The man outside rolled his eyes at the whining voice. "This second young master is such a waste," he muttered irritably. "Always causing trouble. So annoying."
He pushed the door open cautiously and peeked inside, only to freeze at the sight of his fallen companion. Realizing the danger too late, he tried to retreat, but a stool came crashing down on his head.
With a muffled groan, he crumpled to the ground.
In the bustling Great Fighting Soul Arena, his faint cry went unnoticed.
Yu Xiaogang tossed the bloodied stool aside, looking down at the unconscious men with a mix of guilt and resolve. "I'm sorry, I really am. But I have no choice. When Miss Dong'er and I marry, I'll make it up to you both."
To avoid recognition, he hastily stripped one man of his shirt and wrapped it around his head. Leaning against the wall to steady himself, he limped away. Despite the searing pain, one thought kept him moving: he couldn't be caught. Not now. Not when everything was at stake.
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An hour later, Yu Xiaolong returned to the private room after speaking with the Great Fighting Soul Arena's senior staff. His gut twisted as he spotted the two unconscious subordinates outside.
Throwing the door open, he scanned the room. It was empty save for one of the fallen men, now missing his shirt. Panic surged.
Had the Spirit Hall intervened? Did they discover the presence of a Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family member and kidnap his second brother to sabotage their plans?
Frantic, Yu Xiaolong revived the two unconscious men. Their explanation left him livid. His second brother had attacked them to avoid being taken back to the family.
"This idiot!" Yu Xiaolong spat, pacing furiously. "Poisoned by his obsession with Bibi Dong, no doubt. Why else would he go to such lengths to stay in Soto City?"
He stomped his foot in frustration. No matter how furious he was, he couldn't leave without his brother. If their father discovered that Yu Xiaogang had escaped under his watch, the consequences would be dire.
Without wasting time, Yu Xiaolong mobilized everyone under his command to search the city. He also enlisted the help of the Great Fighting Soul Arena, knowing their local influence would make the task easier.
The arena's person-in-charge, however, could barely mask his irritation. "What is it with this Yu Xiaogang? Does he hold some grudge against us? Why can't he just go home like a normal person?"
Still, the family's reward was substantial, and the arena couldn't afford to offend the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex clan. Half of the arena staff were dispatched to scour Soto City.
Word of the reward spread quickly. Yu Xiaolong had promised 100 gold soul coins to anyone who found Yu Xiaogang, a life-changing sum for many. The other half of the staff, though not officially assigned, joined the search voluntarily, eager for the reward.
In another part of the city, Zhao Ling, Ah Yin, and their Spirit Hall companions were puzzled by the commotion.
"What's going on? Did the Great Fighting Soul Arena's toilets explode?" Zhao Ling quipped, his tone light.
Ah Yin and Bibi Dong rolled their eyes at him.
Qian Hu stopped a staff member hurrying by and asked, "Brother, what's with all the chaos? Are you guys in a rush to reincarnate or something?"
The man shot him an annoyed glare. "You're the one reincarnating! We're looking for someone—Yu Xiaogang. If we find him, we get 100 gold soul coins. Don't waste my time!"
He ran off before they could ask more, leaving Zhao Ling and the others exchanging bewildered looks.
"Yu Xiaogang? Missing? And worth 100 gold soul coins? No wonder everyone is scrambling," Zhao Ling murmured.
Meanwhile, Liu Erlong had also heard about her cousin's disappearance. While she was tempted by the hefty reward, she wasn't here for Yu Xiaogang. Her focus was on Zhao Ling.
As more people left the arena to join the search, the venue emptied to the point where afternoon matches had to be canceled.
Wandering the now-quiet arena, Liu Erlong's attention was soon drawn to two stunning women not far away...
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