Chapter 41: The Training Hall of New Moon City
"D*mn."
"Tian Xiao, do you have to be this boring?"
"New Moon City! This is a metropolis!"
"You're not even going to buy anything? At least we could hit up a bar, have a drink, maybe even flirt with a cute girl—who knows, you might even end up in bed with one…"
As Chen Wuling stepped out of the Sea Horse, he didn't go off on his own. Following Luo Fei's signal, he decided to stick with Tian Xiao, only to be taken by surprise when Tian Xiao made a beeline for the New Moon City Training Hall. The sight of Tian Xiao heading straight for what looked like a waste of precious time—lifting weights—left Chen Wuling seething. His skin crawled with frustration as he spoke in an exasperated tone:
"Even if you don't care about yourself, at least think of Brother Chen! I've been stuck at the base for months!"
"I never forced you to stay with me," Tian Xiao replied, unwavering and dismissive.
The lizard clawed insect pancreas, worth hundreds of thousands to even millions, was no small matter to ignore, and it was a waste not to make the most of it.
As they continued their conversation, they had already arrived at the New Moon City Training Hall's entrance, marked by its grand sign.
Two rows of receptionists greeted them with a synchronized bow.
Chen Wuling, completely out of ideas now, sighed in resignation:
"Fine!"
"You want to lift weights here? Go ahead! I'll come back to find you in three hours. Don't wander off!" Chen Wuling decided to make the best of the situation and try his luck at a bar.
Tian Xiao waved him off and walked into the training hall.
Being the largest training facility in New Moon City, this place was far more advanced than the one at the base. The equipment was top-tier, and even the weighted sprints came with training robots that could adjust their difficulty based on the user's condition, providing the most precise training experience.
Of course, it wasn't cheap.
The hourly training fee was an eye-watering 500 credits.
Not long after Tian Xiao started his workout, an announcement echoed throughout the hall:
"Congratulations to member number 7482, who successfully completed the G-level Survival Base challenge at the No.1 Training Arena and won a prize of 100,000 credits!"
The moment the announcement ended, a screen displayed a live feed of the challenge.
The scene was heavy with intensity, suffused with a strong sense of oppression.
In the center of a fifty-meter diameter octagonal cage, a spotted Ironback Panther dragged its claws across the metal floor, sending out shrill scraping sounds as it pounced towards a man standing in the middle.
The man remained calm. With a push of his foot, he left a faint footprint on the floor and shot forward like an arrow, letting out a roar as he surged through the air.
His eyes were sharp, and he barely avoided the Ironback Panther's strike, narrowly passing by it.
The Panther howled as it lost balance mid-air and crashed violently into the ground, tumbling several meters away.
"Underground fighting technique: Tiger Roar!"
"Underground combat skill: Heart Extraction!"
Tian Xiao was immediately captivated by the intense exchange on the screen.
With his keen eyes, he could tell that the man had executed two combat techniques in a split second as he dodged the vicious beast.
The Tiger Roar technique, when unleashed, was not only devastating to the ear but could also disrupt the opponent's balance and mental focus. If perfectly timed, it could even rupture the enemy's eardrum, rendering them vulnerable.
Heart Extraction, a deadly finger technique, was used to pierce through flesh and bone with pinpoint precision, often delivering a lethal blow. It was a skill commonly practiced by elite soldiers in the military.
Tian Xiao never expected to encounter such a close-combat expert inside the New Moon Training Hall.
The announcement and the footage brought back memories.
This place indeed offered some unconventional training, with a distinct underground betting atmosphere.
In addition to underground boxing matches, there were also battles between humans and vicious beasts or insect creatures—extremely brutal and bloody.
But to participate in such combat, one had to pay a hefty deposit and sign a death waiver, acknowledging that the facility would not be held responsible for any accidents.
The deposit ensured fairness in the betting—participants had to honestly declare their abilities.
Anyone who defeated an opponent would receive a cash reward.
Of course, participants could also place bets on themselves, attracting others to wager on their matchups.
Tian Xiao had come here before.
Back then, as a C-level fighter, he had taken down several fierce beasts and insect creatures, making a tidy sum from the fights. However, that had led to his being blacklisted by the training hall.
Those were memories that now made him smile.
Just then, Tian Xiao overheard a conversation from other members nearby who were using the training equipment.
"G-level beasts are so easy to defeat."
"100,000 credits really does seem like an easy win."
"This guy doesn't just have G-level strength. He's probably already reached F-level."
"Of course!"
"Combat against beasts of the same level? You'd be lucky to win. The prize money starts at 5 million credits! I heard the odds for these matches are as high as 10 to 1!"
"…"
Tian Xiao's heart stirred.
10 to 1? Wasn't it only 3 to 1 before?
Back when he participated in the training hall's challenges, the odds for a same-level fight were 3 to 1.
Wait!
He quickly realized the change.
Many military techniques were still not widespread, and the enhancements for beast and insect creature pancreas were not common knowledge. The general physical abilities of participants were much weaker now compared to three years later.
That explained the current odds!
Suddenly, Tian Xiao's heart began to race.
He had 3.25 million credits on hand. With a 100,000-credit deposit and a 3-million-credit bet, the 10 to 1 odds would earn him 30 million credits with a single trade.
That thought quickly vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Stop dreaming.
It wasn't possible.
He knew well the shady background of New Moon Training Hall.
A corporation operating in the gray area, with deep ties to black market factions, strong military connections, and rumored associations with star pirate organizations.
Had he not been in the Earth Federation's military, commanding a group of tough officers, he might not have managed to walk out of the training hall years ago with over 50 million credits in gambling earnings.
And now…
He was just an H-level security officer for a minor company.
Could he really walk out with millions of credits from New Moon Training Hall unscathed?
Even Luo Fei didn't have that kind of pull!
Anyone who thought otherwise was just living in a fairy tale.
Still, now that he was here…
Tian Xiao knew he couldn't just ignore it.
At the New Moon Training Hall, all members could participate in wager-based betting.
By inputting their membership number and betting funds, members could place bets on the ongoing matches, with the outcome determined by both skill and luck.
In this regard, the training hall had a solid reputation for not going back on its word.
Tian Xiao quickly contacted Qing Long to get access to the ongoing betting system.
He paid the 1,000-credit fee to unlock the betting rights, and soon all the available matches were displayed.
New Moon City was bustling with energy, and there were plenty of spectators. Nearly every fifteen minutes, a new match began.
The betting system was simple: select the match, view the odds, and place your bet.
With as little as 1,000 credits, anyone could bet, with no upper limit.