Chapter 407 - 364: Iron Fist and Samurai

Wu Yun said in a low, serious voice, "We move out tomorrow morning, into the desert! If they follow us, take them out!"

Wei Wu and Da Xiong were both excited, but Wei Wu was clearly the more level-headed of the two.

After seeing Wu Yun to his seat, Wei Wu said, "Boss, I’m going to step out for a moment. I need to check on the situation with Hawkeye and the others."

The casino on the second basement level had signal jammers installed, so cell phones were completely useless. As for using a walkie-talkie, Wei Wu was worried they might be monitored.

Besides, a man-portable radio was too conspicuous, and they didn’t normally carry one for small-team operations. That’s why Wei Wu decided it was best to go in person.

Wu Yun nodded and had Wang Hao give Wei Wu the pass.

Fifteen minutes passed quickly. As the MC’s voice echoed through the venue once more, the previously boisterous arena quieted down a bit.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The second, thrilling round—the quarterfinals—is about to begin! Who will be the four fighters to advance? Let’s find out!"

"First up! Let’s have a welcome for contestant number 16, from Huaxia... I~ron~ Fiiist~!" The MC drew out the name, and the arena instantly erupted with cheers.

Iron Fist had scored a quick KO in the first round, winning him a lot of fans. As a result, the many spectators who had bet on him to win started screaming and roaring, as if the sheer volume of their cheers could make him the champion right then and there.

Iron Fist flexed his wrapped wrists. After a quick inspection by the referee at ringside, he slipped between the ropes, his expression relaxed.

Hearing the voices of support from the crowd, Iron Fist turned to each side of the ring and offered a traditional Huaxia fist-and-palm salute. This earned him more cheers, though there were, of course, some boos mixed in.

The MC gestured for silence. After the arena grew a little quieter, he raised the microphone and drew out the last few syllables: "And next, let’s welcome contestant number 15! From the African Savannah... Ja~~ckaaal~~~!"

"Jackal! Jackal~....."

"Tear him a new one!"

...

The MC said a few more words to hype up the atmosphere, then handed the ring over to the referee.

The black-clad referee waved a hand and shouted, "FIGHT!"

Iron Fist and Jackal stepped forward. The moment they touched gloves, Jackal lunged, trying to repeat his signature move from the last fight: a match-ending back suplex.

But Iron Fist was ready. The instant their gloves touched, he sidestepped to the right and landed a low roundhouse kick to the back of Jackal’s knee, making him stumble.

Iron Fist saw his opening and moved to press the advantage with a combination,

but Jackal reacted with astonishing speed. Using his forward momentum from the stumble, he scrambled away, giving Iron Fist no opportunity to attack.

Iron Fist took a few steps in pursuit but then let Jackal create some distance.

The enormous ring undeniably gave agile fighters a huge advantage. Kiting tactics were entirely viable here.

In the first exchange, Iron Fist had come out slightly ahead.

The two quickly closed the distance again, clashing once more within seconds.

Jackal lunged forward again, attempting to tie up Iron Fist. But Iron Fist was expecting it; he instantly backpedaled, snapping out left and right jabs that landed squarely on Jackal’s face.

The tactic was highly effective. It allowed Iron Fist to control the distance while also scoring two clean hits on Jackal’s face.

Three times in a row, Jackal’s rushes were shut down by Iron Fist’s straight punches, and Iron Fist’s point lead rapidly grew.

To the untrained eye, however, the fight looked one-sided. With one fighter constantly advancing and the other constantly retreating while striking, many in the crowd thought Iron Fist was afraid of Jackal and didn’t dare to engage head-on.

Boos and angry jeers erupted from all around.

"Iron Fist, you coward! Stop running and fight him like a man!"

"Jackal! Kill him! Grab his balls!"

...

Iron Fist was long past the age of fighting on impulse; he wasn’t about to change his strategy because of the crowd’s taunts.

He maintained complete control over the tempo of the round.

Jackal’s striking was utterly amateurish. On the rare occasion Jackal did get close, Iron Fist would unleash a combination, with every punch aimed squarely at Jackal’s head.

However, wary of Jackal’s grappling, Iron Fist didn’t dare commit his full power to his punches. He refrained from using any kicks or knees, determined not to give Jackal the slightest opening for a takedown.

Jackal, for his part, was incredibly durable. His face was bruised and swollen, and blood from his nose trickled down past his mouth and onto his chest, yet he was still bouncing on his feet as if they were only superficial injuries.

The sight of blood, however, only made the crowd more ecstatic. They roared with excitement, cheering for the fighter they supported.

The fight fell into a stalemate. Occasionally, Jackal would give up on his lunges and try to trade strikes, but his technique was only at the level of a practiced amateur. His attacks caused Iron Fist no damage whatsoever—they were either dodged or blocked with ease.

DING DING DING! The bell signaling the end of the first round rang. Both fighters instantly relaxed and walked to their respective corners.

Watching Iron Fist, his chest rising and falling as he was attended to by the ring staff, Takeda Nobuyoshi said with admiration, "Wu Yunsang, your country’s fighter is very experienced! His strategy is the safest possible approach. As long as he continues to defend against the grappling, this fight is in the bag!"

Inwardly, however, Takeda Nobuyoshi was delighted. ’I hope this goes the full three rounds!’ he mused. ’That’s the best way to wear down the stamina of the Huaxia People!’

Wu Yun wasn’t so optimistic. "That Jackal’s ability to take a punch is impressive," he said. "He’s starting to weather Iron Fist’s strikes. Jackal can afford to make mistakes, but Iron Fist can’t. The moment he gets taken down, it’s over."

As they spoke, the brief rest period came to an end.