Not to mention Huo Zhixing and Lu Lishan, even Huo Jiayuan's parents couldn't stop her from making her decision.
A few days later, Huo Jiayuan arrived in Biandu, the central city of the five border provinces.
Far from the central city, this was a world she had never seen before. Unlike other places, it had prosperity, but also darkness; it was decadent and infamous.
This place is a melting pot of all sorts of people; many fugitives, drug dealers, and wanted criminals have taken refuge here, making Biandu a legendary haven for crime.
"I heard that Xiaoman was sold to human traffickers by her own father!" Huo Jiaxi's words kept echoing in Huo Jiayuan's ears. "There are many human traffickers on the border. They torture girls in all sorts of ways... Sister, that place is very scary. Do you really want to go?"
Huo Jiayuan looked up at the neon sign above her head and took a deep breath.
In reality, human traffickers posed no threat to her. Even without the Huo family's influence here, they wouldn't have allowed her to risk her life alone.
Huo Junyu dispatched elite bodyguards from the Huo family to secretly protect his daughter, while Lu Lishan had also arranged for his men to arrive in Biandu ahead of time.
The Huo family is, after all, a legitimate family, while in a place like Biandu, underworld forces are clearly more effective.
"Don't let Miss find out!" Before coming, they all gave their men this tacit instruction. They just wanted her to know that no matter where she went, she was 100% safe.
Huo Jiayuan was somewhat dazzled by the streets of the border city. Unlike the grandeur of the central city, even its prosperity carried a touch of sinister charm.
Especially at night.
Underground casinos, underground boxing rings, red-light districts... turning this place into another world.
Huo Jiayuan had been wandering around this area for over a week. She knew someone was secretly following her, and she also knew that the button on her bag was a tracking device.
Although she disliked being watched, she understood that she was the apple of her family's eye. Her parents, grandparents, maternal grandparents, and even her great-uncle in Yun City loved her more than they loved themselves.
Of course, she couldn't let anything happen to herself.
Bodyguards are necessary, and her own safety must be guaranteed. Even if she doesn't think of herself, she should at least protect herself for those who love her.
However, things didn't go as planned. In the second week after they arrived, the bodyguards were targeted by the local gang.
Several gangs with mutual grudges suddenly saw these unfamiliar faces and assumed they were all working for each other. So they took the initiative and wiped out all the bodyguards.
Unaware of the situation, Huo Jiayuan, believing she was being followed, continued to wander the street with confidence, searching for Xiaoman's whereabouts...
And she actually found a clue.
A plan to rescue Xiaoman also formed in her mind.
*
In another underground boxing ring, the dim lights filled the air with murky smoke and the frenzied shouts of the crowd. The boxers, who had signed waivers, fought with all their might, not just for the tempting prize money, but for their own chance to survive.
Here, if you fail, you only have two options: either be crippled or be killed.
The intense atmosphere of testosterone stirred the nerves of the women in the audience, who screamed wildly and showered the crowd with gifts. Meanwhile, one of the opponents in this match was Meng Yan, the most famous boxing legend in Biandu.
When he appeared, the screams from the audience were louder than before, almost lifting the roof off. His movements were fluid and clean; a powerful back throw followed by a heavy punch sent his opponent flying out of bounds, lying on the ground, unable to get up.
Bloodstains were visible on the boxing ring. Meng Yan licked his lips and wiped the sweat from his cheeks with his wrist. As the referee gave a piercing countdown, his opponent didn't stand up. The referee grabbed Meng Yan's hand and raised it high, and the screams from the crowd rose in waves. Those who bet on the winner made a fortune, while those who bet on the loser left the ring dejected with huge debts.
Meng Yan calmly walked off the boxing ring and went to a corner. He took off his gloves and gauze, took an ice pack from the bucket, and applied it directly to his head. The refreshing feeling instantly spread from his head to his whole body. Water droplets mixed with sweat, slowly trickling down his muscular chest, landing on his brick-like abs, and disappearing into the edge of his shorts.
“Ah Yan, oh Ah Yan! Hahaha…”
The man's voice sounded particularly clear in the chaotic environment.
Meng Yan glanced at the newcomer indifferently. He was sitting, while the fat man was standing, but the man was not much taller than him.
"Ah Yan, you've struck it rich!" The man grinned so hard his eyes and nose were practically squeezed together. "The audience's begging for another match! Hehe... You're the star of our boxing ring now! How about that?"
He patted Meng Yan's shoulder, squeezed it hard, and then went behind him to massage his back, but Meng Yan grabbed him with one hand.
"Hehe...don't hit so hard!" The man almost lost his balance. "Relax, get ready, and keep it up! You can still win next time!"
"I'm not competing anymore," Meng Yan said in a low voice. "You know my rules, only one match a day."
"Don't be so rigid! One fight a day isn't enough! Of all the boxers, you're the one with the highest support!"
"Even if it's high, it's still just one game." Meng Yan raised his eyelids, his cold gaze like a beast walking in the dark.
The fat man stiffened slightly. Meng Yan, who had stood up, was more than a head taller than him, a towering figure of 1.9 meters, like a wall.
Especially his aura—so fierce and oppressive—made people afraid to act rashly in his presence. Sometimes, even the fat man felt that Meng Yan didn't need to fight at all; just standing in the boxing ring was enough to intimidate his opponents and win without a fight!
"Um... Ah Yan, let's talk this over! As long as you agree to keep playing, I'll give you this amount!" The fat man gestured with his hand.
Meng Yan raised an eyebrow, "Fifty thousand?"
"Five hundred thousand!"
"No comparison." Meng Yan smiled coldly.
The fat man leaned close to his ear. "Plus a girl..."
Meng Yan paused abruptly, her hand gripping the boxing gloves, and turned to look at him suspiciously.
"What did you say?"
"Hehe..." The fat man chuckled lewdly, "I knew you couldn't handle this! When have you ever touched a woman? Let me tell you, it was Sister Mei and her group who brought them. They look like they're from out of town..."
"I took a peek at that girl, she's really beautiful!"
“Hey,” the man nudged Meng Yan, “you’re in for a treat tonight! Hahaha…”
Meng Yan frowned slightly, a dark look flashing across his eyes.
The fat man's words were partly motivated by a desire to see him embarrass himself. The ring tyrant of Biandu had always been averse to women, which gradually led to the rumors circulating that he was impotent.
He has a muscular physique but isn't really a man; he becomes impotent when he's around women—that's the rumor that's been circulating.
So, the fat guy was being so kind tonight, giving him extra matches and his girl, probably just to watch the show.
I want to see if he can shut up.
Meng Yan rolled her eyes at him.
Just then, the door slammed open, and several people dragged in a blindfolded girl. Sister Mei followed behind, giving Fatty and Meng Yan a fawning smile.
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