The doorman led the way, not into the hotel lobby but turning aside to circle behind the building.
"Sir, the fights are indeed on the third basement level — not beneath the hotel, but beneath the parking lot out back."
Li Qingshan nodded and followed with Cao Shaoyu.
Behind the hotel was an open surface parking lot, dim, with only a scattering of streetlamps.
As the three approached, a scrawny, sharp-featured middle-aged man's eyes lit up and he came forward to meet them.
"Boss, what do you like to play? Let me show you the way."
The scrawny man bowed and scraped; the doorman clearly knew him and introduced him to Li Qingshan:
"Sir, his name is Cheng An. He can take you down."
Li Qingshan nodded in understanding, waved the doorman off, then turned to Cheng An.
"There's a casino down there too?"
Cheng An's eager manner reminded him of a profession he'd heard of in his past life — a "junket runner."
"You don't know, Boss?" Cheng An asked back, surprised.
Cao Shaoyu grew impatient and urged:
"We're here for the fights — hurry up and lead the way!"
"Got it, got it."
Cheng An nodded repeatedly and led the two toward a small booth-like hut in the distance, his mouth never idle.
"Boss, there are three levels built under this lot. The top two are casino; the fights are on the third."
"If you've got a fighter you fancy, I can place your bet. If not, no matter — my information's the most complete around, I can definitely help you pick a 'winning horse'!"
"Complete information?" Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow and said evenly:
"Then tell me — how many people on the third level are above Body Forging Layer 5?"
"Boss, you're joking, right?" Cheng An grinned exaggeratedly and looked back:
"Luoying isn't a provincial capital like Wuyi. Apart from the third-years in the Martial Dao Class, where would you find that many Body Forging Layer 5 experts?"
"And those who last into their third year of the Martial Dao Class are all stuck-up; they sign contracts with big companies before they even graduate. Why would they ever come to a place like ours?"
"Huh?" Cao Shaoyu rubbed his hair in disappointment and muttered:
"I thought the fights here would be exciting — turns out it's just chickens pecking chickens!"
"Little friend, you can't say that!" Cheng An grew anxious at once and hurried on:
"Even if their Body Forging realm isn't high, it far surpasses an ordinary person's physique. A fist-to-flesh fight like that is the most thrilling kind."
"If you put real experts in there, their strikes faster than your eyes can follow, what do you think you'd even see?"
Hearing this, Li Qingshan laughed.
"You know quite a bit!"
"A little, a little!" Cheng An laughed apologetically and lowered his voice:
"Boss, actually the Yinhui fighting ring does have one ace. He's billed as Body Forging Layer 4, but he's never lost against several Layer 4 fighters."
"And though he always looks like he wins the hard way, he never actually takes much injury! My guess is he's very likely Layer 5. If you bet heavy on him, Boss, you're sure to come out ahead!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Li Qingshan smiled but didn't take the bait, asking instead:
"Tell me about the security down there. A place this big should be packing plenty of laser guns, right?"
Cheng An's expression hitched; his eyes swept over the blade in Li Qingshan's hand, and he said cautiously:
"Boss, why are you asking that?"
"Nothing, just asking."
Li Qingshan's smile was casual; he didn't press.
Underground fighting existed outside the rules, like a lawless land.
As a law-abiding citizen, the moment he stepped in here, everyone automatically became Li Qingshan's hypothetical enemy, so it was only natural to scout the "enemy situation" in advance.
For now, it looked fine.
But after that question Cheng An clearly grew wary, his expression uneasy, his mouth falling quiet.
His smile unchanged, Li Qingshan spoke up:
"Don't overthink it. The truth is we came mainly to watch the 'beast fight.'"
"Beast fight?" Cheng An paused, hesitant:
"Boss, by 'beast' you mean..."
"A savage beast!" Li Qingshan said, his brow gradually furrowing.
As a peripheral junket runner, there was no reason Cheng An wouldn't know about a "beast fight," much less hide it from a client.
Unless...
"How could the Yinhui Hotel have a savage beast?" Cheng An's face was full of shock.
"Boss, where did you hear this? No, no..."
Cheng An's face grew more uneasy as he paced back and forth.
Cheng An really doesn't know about a "beast fight."
The thought flashed past, and Li Qingshan's brow furrowed deeper.
Was the Yinhui keeping the news that tightly sealed, or was the kid's "tip" unreliable?
"What's not right about it?"
Cao Shaoyu grew impatient and said righteously:
"I worked hard to dig up this tip — there's definitely a 'beast fight' tonight!"
"You don't know shit!" Cheng An cursed, no longer minding his client's status.
"The Yinhui is just a small operation — there's no way it has the channels to bring in a savage beast, and a beast would draw the Inspection Bureau..."
Cheng An, full of worry, looked at Li Qingshan and said gravely:
"Boss, I'm out of this job. Take my advice — true or false, don't get mixed up in this tonight."
"If there really is a beast and it draws the Bureau, not one of us gets away."
The words barely out, Cheng An turned to flee.
Shing!
A cold blade rested on his shoulder, and Cheng An froze in place.
"A sharp one, aren't you!"
A soft laugh sounded behind him; Cheng An's legs trembled, cold sweat beading on his back.
"Boss, what... what's the meaning of this?"
"Just helping you calm down."
Li Qingshan sheathed the blade and said pointedly:
"You know a beast draws the Bureau. But have you considered — why am I here?"
Cheng An's eyes lit up, his legs steadying; he turned to look at the blade in Li Qingshan's hand and said in a trembling voice:
"Could it be that you're..."
"Don't ask what you shouldn't!"
The question was cut off, but Cheng An's eyes only shone brighter.
It all added up.
No wonder he'd asked right away whether the Yinhui had experts and what its security was like.
This young man wasn't here to gamble at all — he was an investigator sent by the Inspection Bureau.
"Rest assured, Boss — I'll cooperate fully with the investigation!"
Cheng An straightened up and thumped his chest until it sounded.
The Inspection Bureau held supreme standing over the Old Continent; even its lowest-ranking investigator was not someone the Yinhui Hotel could afford to cross.
"Enough, no more talk. Lead the way, quick."
Li Qingshan lifted his chin, his tone a touch impatient.
Cheng An didn't dare delay; he hurried to the booth ahead and opened the door.
The hut held no furniture; a two-meter-square stairwell mouth filled the floor.
The stairway extended downward, brightly lit.
"Boss, here's the entrance."
Cheng An explained over his shoulder and went down the stairs ahead of them.
"Coach, what were you two talking about just now? Why's he suddenly cooperating with an investigation?"
Cao Shaoyu rubbed his hair, unable to make sense of the exchange.
"The imagination he fills in for himself is the deadliest of all!"
Li Qingshan's mouth curved up, and he patted the kid's shoulder.
"Once you grasp that line, you'll understand."
The Bureau, the investigation — none of it was his concern; after all, he'd never confirmed a thing.
Li Qingshan had come for one purpose only: a savage beast!
There was no longer any need to pursue where Cao Shaoyu's tip came from.
Whether the Yinhui had a beast — he'd know once he went down to look.
If not, chalk it up to a false alarm.
If there really was one, he'd find a way to kill it first, then turn around and report it — and pocket a reward in the bargain.
Lovely!