章節 148: Yang Clan's Trial's (4)

As Yasushi approached what was to be the second-to-last trial, his mind buzzed with anticipation about what lay ahead. The anticipation didn't last long, as the trial came into view: a sleek, high-end computer sitting on a desk, its screen illuminated with an open Amazon page.

A wave of confusion washed over Yasushi. "What's this for?" he asked, his eyes darting between the computer and Anfeng.

Anfeng, her arms crossed and a proud smirk on her face, made her intentions clear. "The second-to-last trial is quite simple. All you have to do is use this computer to buy things."

Yasushi's expression turned to one of incredulity. "That's it?" He turned back to the computer, his confusion deepening. The task seemed too straightforward, almost trivial. Shrugging his shoulders, he settled into the chair and began to explore the Amazon website.

As he navigated through the site, Yasushi's practical nature took over. He wasn't the type to indulge in unnecessary purchases, so he focused on finding items that would be genuinely useful. After a few minutes of scanning through various options, he identified several items that met his needs. With a gesture, he called Jingliu over, who promptly came to his side.

Jingliu immediately settled onto Yasushi's lap as he pointed at the computer screen. "Weren't we looking for this? Do you think it'll be a good fit for our bedroom? I know it's not the right color, but it seems to have all the other features we wanted."

Yasushi had clicked on the item and allowed Jingliu to examine the details. After about a minute of scrutinizing the information, she nodded. "Yeah, it looks about right. Why don't we message the seller to check if they have the color we want and when it might be back in stock?"

Yasushi agreed with the suggestion and started typing a message to the seller, inquiring about the availability of the specific color. To their surprise, the seller responded almost immediately, informing them that the color they were interested in would be available in just a few days. They also offered the option to place an advance order. The young couple agreed to the offer and completed the custom order right then and there.

Instead of Yasushi alone handling the task, the couple spent the next ten minutes browsing through a few more items on the website. When they finally wrapped up, they had managed to spend a total of forty-three thousand yen, roughly equivalent to three hundred dollars. Their purchases were practical items aimed at enhancing their home, rather than impulsive buys.

Anfeng looked at the pending orders with a chuckle. "Well, I guess this worked out fine. I didn't expect Lady Jingliu to be involved in the shopping. Congratulations, Yasushi. You passed. The purpose of this trial was to observe your spending habits and understand what you typically choose to buy."

Yasushi nodded and offered an explanation. "If it had been just me making the purchases, the total would have been much lower. But I took into account Jingliu's preferences and the needs of our home in Japan." Anfeng acknowledged his explanation with a nod of agreement.

"Alright, since you've passed this trial, we'll take a brief break to get ready. Yinhaie and the others will guide you to the next location. And since it's the final trial, you might have already heard, but you'll be facing me in a match — a fight, essentially. So, make sure you're prepared," Anfeng explained. She turned to head towards the door but then paused and looked back with a grin.

"Oh, and don't hold back just because I'm a woman," she added playfully before stepping out of the room.

Yasushi watched as she left, a sigh escaping him. Jingliu slid off his lap, and Yasushi stood up, stretching his muscles. He felt a mixture of uncertainty and unease about the upcoming fight. Despite having known about it earlier, the prospect of battling Anfeng still made him uncomfortable, but there was no avoiding it.

"Well, I guess I get to take on a woman again," Yasushi said with a tired tone, raising his hands. The others around him chuckled at his attempt to lighten the mood.

+-+

An hour later, Yasushi arrived at the final trial area. Before him stood a large boxing ring, and to his surprise, Anfeng was inside, dressed in her maid uniform. Yasushi had anticipated she would wear something different for the match, but this unexpected choice brought a hint of amusement.

As Yasushi stepped into the ring and positioned himself at the opposite end, he asked, "Why the maid uniform? I thought you'd be wearing something more practical for this."

Anfeng shot him a smirk and replied, "These uniforms are designed to be quite comfortable. Even in the sweltering heat of summer, they keep us cool. Isn't that remarkable?"

Yasushi, already familiar with this fact, nodded in agreement. "Hmm, Yinhaie mentioned that before. Anyway, what are the rules for this match?" he asked, scanning the area around him.

Anfeng's expression remained steady. "It's straightforward. The match ends with a knockout or a surrender. Everything else follows standard rules. Of course, we can't actually kill each other," she explained.

"Fair enough," Yasushi said as he removed his shirt, revealing a tank top underneath. He glanced around the ring and noticed the absence of boxing gloves. Without hesitation, he took out some tape and began wrapping it around his fingers and hands, preparing for the match.

Anfeng watched him as she stood at the opposite end of the ring. "Hand-to-hand combat is a crucial skill for anyone who wants to be part of the Yang family, as well as the Cheng family. But this is more of a light-hearted final event. I saw how you dealt with Yan Jia. Even though she was trained here, she couldn't keep up with you, which made me quite interested in your skills," she explained.

Once Yasushi had finished preparing and both participants were set, Heinz stepped forward. "Are both fighters ready?" he asked. Receiving nods of confirmation from both Yasushi and Anfeng, he raised his voice and announced, "Begin!"

Anfeng moved with lightning speed, seemingly vanishing from Yasushi's line of sight. Despite this sudden change, Yasushi remained calm and composed, refusing to let the surprise unsettle him. In an instant, Anfeng reappeared beside him and launched a straight punch aimed at his left cheek.

Yasushi quickly jerked his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the punch. Anfeng's smile widened, and she followed up by raising her leg, trying to land a kick to his side. Yasushi intercepted the kick with his hand, effortlessly blocking the attack. He then pulled his head back to evade another punch from Anfeng.

Yasushi pushed her away to create some space between them. Although he understood this was a match and he had to engage, he wasn't entirely sure of the extent to which he should push himself. In an ideal scenario, pinning her down and compelling her to surrender would be the best approach. However, Yasushi knew well that Anfeng would not give up easily. Thus, he realized that his only viable option was to knock her out.

Anfeng charged back toward Yasushi, aiming an uppercut at him. Yasushi effortlessly blocked the punch, but Anfeng's true intention was not just to land the blow. As soon as the uppercut was intercepted, she thrust her left hand toward his face, her fingers aiming directly for his eyes in an attempt to poke them out.

Yasushi was momentarily surprised by this aggressive move, as he hadn't anticipated Anfeng using such tactics. However, he quickly reminded himself that this was a "fight" in every sense of the term. In a true fight, there were no formal rules — anything went, except for causing fatal harm.

Determined to respond, Yasushi used his superior strength to twist Anfeng's other hand. The sudden pressure made her yelp in pain, causing her to halt her advance and leap back. Yasushi felt a pang of regret but recognized that it was necessary to defend himself.

Anfeng examined her hand and wrist, her expression turning to a frown. She hadn't expected Yasushi to counter with such forceful tactics, but then she chuckled to herself, realizing that his response was only natural given the circumstances she had set.

"I didn't expect that, Yasushi, but let's—"

Before Anfeng could finish her sentence, Yasushi decided to end the match swiftly, having no desire to prolong the fight. He took a single step forward and instantly reappeared beneath her. Anfeng barely had time to react as Yasushi drove his fist into her stomach with a powerful strike.

The force of the blow knocked the wind out of Anfeng, causing her to cough up a small amount of saliva. Not giving her a moment to recover, Yasushi followed up with a punch aimed at her face. Anfeng managed to drop to the ground just in time to avoid the hit. She quickly wrapped her legs around his, attempting to pull him down. To her surprise, Yasushi remained firmly rooted, as if she were trying to topple a sturdy pillar.

Realizing her attempt was futile, Yasushi grabbed Anfeng's leg and squeezed tightly enough to force her to release her hold. He then lifted her off the ground and threw her across the ring to the opposite side.

Anfeng landed on her feet, but the impact from Yasushi's throw made her wince slightly. She attempted to move, but the pain persisted, causing her to click her tongue in frustration. Determined to find a way to turn the tide, she quickly devised an unconventional and daring plan.

As Yasushi approached, Anfeng lifted her maid skirt, revealing her thighs and pantyhose in a provocative display. She hoped that Yasushi would react with embarrassment or awkwardness, but his response was far from what she anticipated. Instead of averting his gaze or showing any signs of discomfort, Yasushi's expression darkened, and he charged at her with renewed intensity. He delivered a punch directly to her stomach.

The force of the blow left Anfeng feeling nauseous, though she managed to suppress the urge to vomit. In an attempt to counter, she thrust her hand toward Yasushi, aiming for a palm strike. However, Yasushi effortlessly dodged her attack, causing her to miss completely. It became increasingly evident to everyone watching that, despite Anfeng's status as one of the top fighters among the Yang family's skilled maids and butlers, she stood no chance against Yasushi.

"Thanks, but I think it ends here," Yasushi said, his voice steady as he delivered a powerful punch to Anfeng's face, sending her sprawling to the ground.

He watched her closely, noting the stillness that followed. After a few seconds, he was certain he had won. Yasushi turned to leave, but a sudden spike in his instincts made him react. He sidestepped just in time as Anfeng shot past him, her movement sudden and unexpected.

Anfeng had faked unconsciousness, biding her time for a chance to launch a counterattack. Yasushi, both surprised and amused, realized that his earlier punch, though powerful, hadn't been enough to end the fight. He had underestimated her resilience.

"Sorry, I really did misjudge you," Yasushi said, his tone filled with newfound respect. As Anfeng landed on her feet, he pulled back his arm, preparing for a more forceful strike. "I'll put in more effort then. You're quite the fighter, Anfeng," he declared, and with that, he unleashed another punch with added strength. The blow struck Anfeng with greater force, propelling her out of the ring and ending the match.

+-+

A few minutes later, after the commotion had settled and the energy of the match had faded, Anfeng's eyes fluttered open. She pushed herself up and found Yasushi, along with a few others, standing around her with concerned expressions.

"Are you alright?" Yasushi asked, extending a bottle of water toward her.

Anfeng blinked a few times, her gaze clearing as she took in the scene. A chuckle escaped her lips as she accepted the bottle. "Yeah, I'm fine. Looks like I lost. You're quite the force, Yasushi. That strength of yours is something else," she said, taking a sip from the bottle. "I suppose you've completed all the trials now, huh?"

"It only took a day, which is a relief," Yasushi replied, his tone tinged with concern. "But are you sure you're okay? I may have used more force than necessary."

Anfeng waved off his concern with a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. I've dealt with worse during business trips with Master Liang and Lady Yuhan," she said, giving Yasushi a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Let's get this place cleaned up and start preparing dinner. I imagine you're ready for a break after all this, right?"

Yasushi nodded in agreement and extended a hand to help Anfeng to her feet. Despite his gesture, it was clear that the earlier intensity of their match had left her feeling some discomfort. They worked together to tidy up the area, efficiently putting away equipment and clearing any remnants of their bout.

Once everything was sorted and the space was restored to its original state, they made their way back aboveground. The transition from the intense trials to their routine lives was stark, but they settled back into their everyday activities, resuming the normal pace of their lives.