บท 31: Chapter 31: The Return of the Bear Lord (Don't read its MTL)

A refined man in his forties, dressed in a black robe, walked down with a meticulous hairstyle and a friendly smile. However, there was a hint of fierceness in his eyes.

Zhou Hao smiled and remained silent, stopping his actions and watching the middle-aged man eagerly run over to please him. "Gold Manager, it's just a troublemaker causing a scene here! How did it manage to get your attention?"

The refined man lightly patted the middle-aged man beside him, but the force was so great that it dislocated the man's shoulder. However, the man couldn't understand why and could only grit his teeth, covered in cold sweat.

He walked up to Zhou Hao with a smile. "Thank you for sparing him. He's new here and doesn't know any better. He offended you, and I hope you can overlook it. Please come with me to the upstairs to discuss further."

"Sure, it was just a small matter. Gold Manager, there's no need to be too harsh." Zhou Hao nodded.

The two of them walked up to the second floor, where the deluxe guest room was elegant and quiet. Two graceful and charming maids respectfully presented fragrant tea. Their fair hands gently arranged the fruit tray and kept their heads lowered, showing great respect, never daring to look directly at the two men.

"Hahaha, I wonder what brings Zhou Young Friend here today!" The Gold Manager, named Jin Biao, was a Soul King and the actual person in charge of this Grand Fighting Arena.

Now, he changed from his previous refined and amiable demeanor, unbuttoned his chest, lit a cigar, and leaned back on the sofa, looking at Zhou Hao.

Since Zhou Hao easily defeated his opponent in the previous Gold Fighting Soul Promotion Tournament, his nickname "Xiong Jun" had become well-known in Soto City. However, after that match, he quietly disappeared, leaving countless passionate fans distraught.

"Old Jin, stop pretending to be refined. I came here today just to have a few matches. Make the arrangements." Zhou Hao didn't hold back in ridiculing the guy in front of him.

The two of them had clashed when Zhou Hao first arrived here. They had a fight, and Jin Biao was completely convinced by the strength of this young man. They gradually got to know each other and could now be considered old friends.

"You've been here before. You even brought a Soul Saint with you, scaring me so much that I didn't dare to show my face. I was afraid you would wreck my place!" Jin Biao chuckled.

"Just our academy's dean bringing new students here to train and get familiar with the environment." Zhou Hao replied unkindly.

Jin Biao laughed heartily and casually grabbed a maid from behind, hugging her tightly. He blew smoke rings and used his other hand to forcefully knead her, making the young girl's face grow paler and her body stiff, but she didn't dare utter a sound.

Seeing Zhou Hao frown, Jin Biao spoke up, "There have been a few Gold Fighting Souls who frequently come here lately, and their strength is pretty good. However, they're all lunatics. If you want to challenge them, it will cost you a lot of money."

Zhou Hao's eyes lit up, feeling a bit intrigued. He said, "Is there someone called the Lion King? I heard those ruffians mention him."

"Yes, he's been around these days. He's the craziest one, like a wild man, a dog that eats human flesh," Jin Biao spat, seeming disgusted himself.

"Then let's go with him. I want to see what he's capable of." Zhou Hao continued, "Give me a list of recent participants. I'll choose a few."

"Alright, but be careful. That guy has tremendous strength and a strong odor. I'll go downstairs to open the bets. How much are you betting?" Jin Biao, still greedy, continued to fondle the girl beside him, preparing to leave.

"Five thousand. I'm afraid you'll lose too much if I bet any more."

Jin Biao nodded. After taking one last puff of his cigarette, Zhou Hao told him, "Leave those two girls with me. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

Jin Biao chuckled, "You're still young. Do you think I don't know you? You save two today, and tomorrow there will be four more lining up for you. You can't change the poverty of the people at the bottom all by yourself. Forget it, I'm leaving. You figure it out on your own."

Zhou Hao glanced deeply at him but didn't say anything. The two girls, who were not even twenty years old, trembled in the corner, their curious eyes filled with tears as they sneakily glanced at Zhou Hao.

He was lost in thought, his profile bathed in sunlight, exuding even more confidence and charm.

After a while, Zhou Hao seemed to have figured something out and asked, "How is your income here?"

"Sir, it's quite good here. We can support our families. Please don't make us leave. We're willing to stay." The girl who had been fondled spoke softly.

Zhou Hao's brows furrowed even deeper. In this world, there were only a small number of soul masters, while the majority of the population remained at the bottom, struggling to make ends meet.

Perhaps, Bibidong in the original work didn't make a mistake. A unified Douluo Continent and systematic management of soul masters would be the root solution to the problems faced by the common people.

He glanced at the two girls and said, "Alright, I hope you can live on with hope. Live your lives earnestly!"

Zhou Hao stood up, leaving a bag of gold soul coins for the two girls. He pushed open the door and walked out with long strides. He needed an opponent to vent the pent-up emotions inside him, and the bloodthirsty and combative "Xiong Jun" wasn't just a name without substance.

Following the sound, Zhou Hao headed towards the largest arena in the main fighting arena. There, he saw a giant man resembling a wild person with long, messy, greasy hair. His eyes glowed with ferocity, and he stood at least two meters tall. He seemed to have not activated his martial soul yet, while his opponent appeared to be a leopard-type soul master with extremely fast movement speed. However, it was evident that there was a vast gap in their true strength.

The wild man's slower speed caused him to miss many opportunities as his opponent narrowly avoided his attacks. Finally, he let out a roar, and his body was covered in golden fur. Two yellow and one purple soul rings rapidly rose.

A huge lion shadow appeared behind him, majestic and awe-inspiring, while his eyes were bloodthirsty and filled with an eerie silence, as if emanating from a king.

Under the authoritative roar, the leopard martial soul master's movements became sluggish, exposing his vulnerabilities. The giant man, like a real hunting lion, pounced on him, biting his neck and viciously tearing off a piece of flesh.

Wildly lifting his opponent, blood dripping from his mouth, the bloodthirsty gaze scanning the surroundings, he smashed the opponent down, his right knee thrusting upward. A crisp sound of bones breaking could be heard as the soul master's body contorted at an eerie angle, their life or death uncertain.

Amidst the ecstatic cheers from the audience, the giant man, like a bag being thrown away, was flung off the stage.

The wild man swung his long hair madly, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth crunching on the flesh in his mouth, slowly swallowing it down. Then, he let out an inhuman roar towards the surroundings, accompanied by the ecstatic fans. The atmosphere in the arena reached its peak.

Zhou Hao looked disgusted as he watched the scene on the stage. This repulsive creature could hardly be called human. Jin Biao walked over with a smile, "How about it? It's too late to back out now. The bets are open. You're up next. It would be best if you killed him. If it weren't for you, I couldn't rely on him to make money."

"I also want to kill him. He has killed many people. Those who fought against him just now probably won't survive. It was sickening to watch," Zhou Hao said indifferently.

Killing the weak as a strong was nothing out of the ordinary. Zhou Hao wanted to kill him, just like how the giant man had mercilessly killed his opponent earlier. It was purely a matter of preference, without any need for a reason.

Jin Biao patted Zhou Hao's shoulder, "His martial soul is a rare bloodthirsty lion. He's powerful, but he gradually loses his rationality. Once in a battle state, he becomes extremely bloodthirsty. Be careful." With that, he turned and left.

In no time, the lights on the stage lit up again, focusing on Zhou Hao and the giant man who stood opposite each other. The referee could only tremble as he stood outside the stage and announced, "Let's welcome the two participants. One is the undefeated Lion King, and the other is the deserving king of gold fighting souls, the owner of the Dark Gold Fear Claw Bear martial soul, Xiong Jun!"

A clash between the strong, who will emerge victorious on this narrow path?

Ladies and gentlemen, this will be the most highly anticipated match in our fighting arena in years. Please stay tuned and witness it."

...