When the last opponent finally collapsed, Li Chang'an's clothes remained spotless. Only his hair had become slightly disheveled from all the movement during the battle. So, instead of stepping down from the stage immediately, the first thing he did was fix his hair.
By this point, the cheers from the spectators in the stands were rising in waves. After all, it wasn't every day you saw someone like Li Chang'an—someone who singlehandedly crushed all challengers in a total one-sided beatdown.
At the same time, bits of scattered "Points" began trickling into Li Chang'an's system.
After fixing his hair, Li Chang'an ignored the shouts and cheers and simply turned around, stepping off the stage and heading for the exit.
Thanks to his impressive performance, those who had previously looked down on him—or had been eager to test their own strength—now didn't dare provoke him. And just as he expected, the veiled girl in black gauze was still waiting at the exit.
"I thought I told you that you could leave. Why are you still here?" Li Chang'an asked, feigning confusion.
"Do you have a place to stay?" the veiled girl asked shyly. "If not… you could come to my place for now. I… I have something I want to talk to you about."
Her voice was soft, clearly embarrassed, and even through the veil, her pretty face seemed tinged with a faint blush.
After all, inviting a man to a woman's place was no small thing. It could easily be misunderstood. But for the sake of her freedom, the veiled girl swallowed her embarrassment and forced herself to speak.
"That won't be necessary," Li Chang'an shook his head. "Whatever you have to say, just say it here."
A guy out in the world needs to be careful and keep himself safe. He wasn't the type to randomly follow women home.
"N-No, I can't say it here. It's something very important… it needs to be discussed in private. And it has something to do with how you can leave this place."
When she saw that her offer wasn't working, the veiled girl started to panic a little. Was her judgment wrong? Could it be that he wasn't that kind of man?
So she quickly changed her approach, trying another tactic to persuade him—though in her heart, she couldn't help but feel a bit indignant. What was wrong with her, huh? A beauty like her was right in front of him and he wasn't taking the bait?
What she didn't realize was that from the very beginning, the one who'd taken the bait… was her.
"Really?" Li Chang'an raised an eyebrow.
He wasn't planning to stay the night with the girl, but if it concerned how to escape this place, he couldn't afford to ignore it.
Besides, given her identity—practically a spokesperson for the ruler of the Slaughter City—it was entirely possible that she knew some secrets.
...And of course, a good night's sleep was also important.
The veiled girl didn't say anything, just nodded solemnly.
"Alright then. Let's go to your place. But if you're trying to trick me… I'll kill you," Li Chang'an said and took the lead.
The girl was delighted that he agreed. As for that whole
"kil herl" line? She didn't believe it for a second. She had met all kinds of people—how could she not see what kind of man he was?
Still, agreeing to this in such a short amount of time was a bold gamble for her.
If she won, she'd gain her freedom. But if she lost…
As the envoy of Slaughter City, she lived in the inner district. She had her own small single-story house in a relatively quiet and peaceful area, a rare contrast to the usual chaos and bloodshed of the city.
"Come in. Would you like something to drink?" she asked, leading Li Chang'an inside. Once she confirmed no one had followed them, she quietly closed the door.
"Anything's fine," Li Chang'an said casually. "But I've got to say, you keep this place really tidy."
The house was clean and well-kept, though it lacked the frilly decorations you might expect in a girl's room. Just the basics—but absolutely spotless. There was even a faint fresh scent in the air, completely different from the blood-soaked stench outside.
"You flatter me. I just like to keep things in order," she replied, pouring him a cup of plain water.
"Alright, go ahead and talk."
Li Chang'an took the cup and made a gesture for her to begin. He was curious to hear what this was all about.
But instead of speaking, the veiled girl first removed her mask, revealing a delicate and slightly pale face that looked to be in her early twenties. She appeared gentle and vulnerable, with a strikingly proportioned figure—no doubt a beauty, and the kind that evoked a man's protective instincts.
Without stopping, she reached down to untie the sash around her waist, clearly preparing to undress. Though her actions were swift, they were also awkward and unnatural.
"Wait—wait! What are you doing?"
Li Chang'an quickly stood up, startled. This was happening way too fast. He was honestly confused.
"Miss, even if you're into my body, shouldn't you at least ask first? I'm a decent man, alright?" he said, sounding flustered.
"My name is Ye Xuan," she replied, face flushed but voice firm. "And don't worry, my body is still clean. Today, I'm willing to offer myself to you… I only ask that you take me with you when you leave this place."
After saying that, she continued undressing. Her face remained bright red, but her movements didn't falter. In just a few seconds, she was already naked.
Li Chang'an took a deep breath. His eyes, however, didn't rest on her boobs instead they darted here and there.
Still, he walked over and quickly draped her clothes back over her.
"Let's focus. First, tell me how I'm supposed to take you with me—and more importantly, how are you so sure that I can leave this place?"
He stepped back a few paces, keeping his distance. "And listen—don't take off your clothes again. I'm a decent man."
Though he was clearly stirred inside, he still had his principles. First, he needed answers.
"Alright," she said, seeing his resolve. "If that's your wish, I won't force it. But if you ever change your mind… I'll be here, always."
She didn't answer his question right away, but instead shifted the topic.
"Tell me, do you know who the first person you killed in the arena today was?"
"No idea," Li Chang'an replied with a shrug. "He just seemed a little more dangerous, so I acted first."
Of course, he wasn't about to admit that it was because the guy stole his line. That'd make him seem petty.
"That man… had already achieved twenty consecutive wins in the Hell Arena."
When she said this, her gaze toward Li Chang'an was filled with admiration. Twenty straight wins, and he had been kicked to death like it was nothing. Just how terrifying was this guy's strength?
It was precisely Li Chang'an's overwhelming performance today that had pushed her to make her gamble—to ask him to take her away from this filthy, bloodstained city.
"Twenty wins, huh? Doesn't seem like much," Li Chang'an said with a light chuckle.
Such people wouldn't last more than three moves against him now.
But that also explained why the crowd had gone wild after his match, and why this veiled girl had sought him out. She had seen his potential—or maybe it was just his good looks.