The Invincible Supreme Medical God
Chapter 411 - 281: The Golden Badge_2

Chapter 411: Chapter 281: The Golden Badge_2

Although these teams constantly push their limits, a single mistake could tip the balance of the fight. As the battles dragged on, their focus was stretched to its breaking point.

The match would not end until someone died or surrendered their badge, and these prolonged battles painted a gruesome scene before the audience as blood streamed down bodies, pooling on the ground below. Watching the brutal fights, Yan Xiaobao immediately understood that most warriors would not make it through the next few days alive.

After observing the fights for a moment, Yan Xiaobao turned around and walked toward the center of the arena. He came to the sudden realization that this tournament was far from the gentle contests he’d encountered before. Death was a near-universal outcome.

As he approached the arena, four guards puffed up their chests, blocking Yan Xiaobao’s path with an air of disdain.

"No one is allowed to enter," one of the guards declared with a booming voice, its tone laced with spiritual energy. His voice carried layers of intimidation with every word.

Staring at the man, Yan Xiaobao felt deeply irritated. Without a moment’s hesitation, his hand shot forward, stopping mere inches from the guard’s face, as he held up his golden badge. The badge gleamed brightly, and the guard’s face splattered with the spittle of Yan Xiaobao’s previous anger.

At first, the guard was startled by Yan Xiaobao’s swift reaction, but as soon as his eyes landed on the golden badge before him, his shock quickly turned into fear. His confidence crumbled, shifting from arrogance to meek subservience in seconds.

With a bow and stammering apologies, the guard dared not display any defiance again. Yan Xiaobao rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Milod, my apologies! Please forgive me! I had eyes, but I failed to see!" The guard nearly grovelled to the ground, but Yan Xiaobao ignored him and stepped past, not even sparing the young man another glance.

If these guards weren’t part of the Mercenary Guild and under the influence of Xu Biao, Yan Xiaobao would have eradicated them long ago. His cloak still showed remnants of the spittle, and Yan Xiaobao’s ice-blue eyes were filled with frustration as he found a quiet corner, surrounded by his companions, to replace his stained cloak.

While he changed his cloak, his friends noticed his foul mood and shivered slightly. They realized that their close friend might be planning to unleash his anger in the upcoming battles. They all knew why Yan Xiaobao hadn’t directly dealt with the guard; it was Xie Lan’s influence that restrained him.

Xie Lan herself knew that her position as a representative of the Mercenary Guild came with a great deal of responsibility and status. She had been tempted to execute the guard herself, as punishing someone for offending her master’s distinguished guest would have been justified.

In the end, the guard was spared. Yet, he fully understood how narrowly he had escaped death by the width of a hair, prompting a sudden transformation in his demeanor. He began showering every nearby person with excessive hospitality.

Having swapped out his cloak, Yan Xiaobao surveyed the area, his mood greatly improved upon noticing that few people had entered the arena so far.

The arena reminded him of the amphitheatres of the old world, except that this stage was square instead of round. All the seating areas were elevated, offering a clear view of the platform where groups would clash.

Currently, there were no warriors on the stage, but the sun was nearing its zenith, signaling that it wouldn’t be long before spectators were allowed into the rest area.

Scanning the surroundings, Yan Xiaobao spotted four groups of mercenaries. One group, like Yan Xiaobao’s team, consisted of just five members, while others had six to ten members each. Observing these groups, Yan Xiaobao knew he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

The first group, also with five members, wore ordinary clothing, but their faces were completely hidden behind masks, not even revealing the color of their eyes.

The masked group’s appearance mirrored Yan Xiaobao, who was concealed beneath his cloak. Cloaked and masked, the groups silently stared at each other, ramping up the tension on the stage. freёweɓnovel_com

Clap, clap, clap. Applause rang out across the stage as a team of seven marched forward. Their gaze locked onto the man draped in a black cloak, with most of their attention fixed on Yan Xiaobao.

"Well, well, well. If it isn’t the newcomer in town," their leader said with a mocking tone. "When we returned from the tunnels, we heard about a mysterious group showing up in the city. Who would have thought you’d actually have the skills to enter the arena right away."

Now, every group on the stage trained their eyes on Yan Xiaobao and his companions, eager to witness their response.

Most of these groups were already familiar with one another, but this new group was an enigma. Any shred of information they could gather about them might prove invaluable. Chief among their curiosities were the newcomers’ cultivation levels, though few believed they’d glean this information right away.

As expected, Yan Xiaobao completely ignored the seven-member group. He walked past them without acknowledging their taunts.

The leader’s face darkened with rage as his hand reached for Yan Xiaobao’s cloak, accompanied by a threatening expression.

All the mercenaries in the arena instinctively leaned forward in their seats with anticipation, eager to see Yan Xiaobao’s features revealed at any moment. Yet, what followed shattered their expectations.

Instead, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air as a hand fell to the ground, severed cleanly at the wrist. Veins bulged on the leader’s forehead as he clutched the stump of his hand, his cries of pain echoing throughout the arena.

"Sorry," a playful voice came from the back as a middle-aged man stepped forward. While they worked to reattach the severed hand at the wrist, another figure performed hand gestures, a green light illuminating his palms.

Although the injured leader didn’t understand what had happened, some among the crowd saw it clearly. The moment his hand reached for Yan Xiaobao’s cloak, a snake tail lashed out from beneath the fabric, whipping through the air and severing it in one swift motion. Then, the tail retreated beneath the cloak once again.

It became evident that at least one member of Yan Xiaobao’s group was not human. Judging by their sudden, decisive movements, the group’s strength was likely at least that of intermediate-level Dantian Experts.

To enter the arena, a silver badge from the Mercenary Guild was required. However, these badges were seldom displayed openly unless absolutely necessary, as everyone aimed to keep their true abilities as hidden as possible. The more mysterious one appeared, the better their chances of survival.

After the hand was severed, no one dared to obstruct Yan Xiaobao and his companions as they walked through the groups toward a comfortable rest area. There, they settled down and studied their surroundings.

Minutes passed before more groups began entering the arena. Eventually, nine mercenary groups arrived in total. Yan Xiaobao watched each one with curiosity, noticing how randomly they chose their seats among the audience. At this early stage, he had no idea which group he would end up fighting.

After the final batch of mercenaries entered the arena, an old man suddenly stepped onto the stage and stood at its center. He remained silent and still, waiting for the mercenary groups to quiet down so he could speak.

Gazing at the man at the center, Yan Xiaobao felt a pang of unease. Not only was the man’s clothing adorned with the Dragon Emblem, marking him as likely affiliated with the Dragon Army, but the aura surrounding him exuded a danger reminiscent of Xu Biao and Xie Lan, if not even greater.

"Forgive me for interrupting," the man said, his voice low yet resonating across every corner of the arena, silencing even the chatter of those who had been loud moments before.

"The tournament will begin shortly. I ask the first group to step onto the stage. Everyone else, please move to the front row and remain seated until it’s your turn to fight."

With that, many mercenaries complied with his instructions. Yan Xiaobao and his team were the first group to be called onto the stage, being the only team in possession of a golden badge—a fact unknown to the other participants.

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