Back at the hotel, Grace—who had been locked in the room—was on edge. Only when she saw Jason Luo return safely did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After a quick examination, they realized Jason Luo's back, legs, and body were covered in bruises. Catherine immediately ran out to ask the hotel staff for some medicine, but Jason insisted on applying it himself. Only for the spots on his back he couldn't reach did he let Grace help.
Catherine puffed her cheeks in frustration, her expression making Grace stifle a quiet laugh. Jason quickly changed the subject, asking how she'd managed to get the police to show up so quickly—she had no proof or credentials, yet she could mobilize that many officers?
Catherine clearly didn't want to discuss it. She simply said she was acquainted with Rogers, then added that they had a match the next day and needed to rest early. She soon stood up to take her leave.
Once Catherine was gone, Grace leaned close with a mischievous smile. "Bro, looks like things are moving fast between you two, huh? Ha! I'm totally telling Dad when we get home!"
"Don't talk nonsense—we just met…"
"Oh, please! You expect me to believe that? There's still a faint lipstick mark on your face! Come on, fess up!"
"Ah! That… that must've rubbed off accidentally…"
Grace laughed even harder, while Jason, flustered, finally said, "Alright, enough teasing. Get some rest early. Tomorrow morning, we'll say goodbye to the old coach, watch the game, and then head back right after. It's better not to stay here any longer."
Grace nodded. "Yeah, I agree. I just want to go home."
After sending her to bed, Jason finally took a moment to check his system notifications.
"Congratulations on defeating your opponent in an unofficial match. The Greedy Wolf System has automatically extracted the following superior attributes from your opponent: Boxing Technique +1, Toughness +1, Elbow Technique +2, Knee Technique +2, Strength +1, Lower Body Strength +2. Keep up the good work!"
Not bad at all—nine points total, including three in primary attributes. It seemed Muay Thai really did offer valuable insights for boxing.
Jason opened the system panel.
System Binder: Jason Luo
Age: 19
Height: 184 cm
Reach: 187 cm
Weight: 79.6 kg
Occupation: Level 2 Professional Boxer
Reputation: Widespread Renown
System Talents:
Greedy Wolf Power (Intermediate)
Absolute Evasion (Intermediate Rare Talent – Beginner)
Agile Physique (Intermediate Minor Talent)
Unyielding Body (Basic Minor Talent)
Boxing Primary Attributes:
Strength: 15
Stamina: 18
Boxing Technique: 18
Footwork: 16
Reaction: 17
Punch Speed: 18
Coordination: 17
Explosiveness: 14
Recovery: 11
Dodge & Anticipation: 17
Toughness: 24
Jab Power: 15
Cross Power: 21
Willpower: 15
Vitality: 16
Free Attribute Points: 2
Professional Boxing Overall Rating: C-Class
Competitive Support Shared Attributes:
Leg Techniques: 9
Leg Speed: 6
Lower Body Strength: 10
Waist Power: 12
Elbow Techniques: 5
Knee Techniques: 5
Takedown Skills: 5
Grappling Techniques: 2
Martial Arts Proficiency: None
His overall rating had quietly risen to C-Class, but Jason wasn't satisfied. With the rankings graded A, B, and C, didn't that still make him a third-rate boxer?
Had all his effort really only brought him this far?
Looking carefully at the stats, his growth indeed seemed limited. His Toughness was already 24—but what was the system's upper limit?
Jason was tempted to allocate both remaining Free Points to test it, but after a moment's thought, he gave up the idea. The cap was likely above 30, and adding two points wouldn't reveal much anyway.
He needed more official matches. Whoever was behind these recent troubles, he hoped the police would uncover them soon. With that thought, Jason finally drifted into sleep.
...
The next morning, after saying goodbye to their old coach, Jason and Grace were picked up by Catherine around nine o'clock and brought to the venue. It was their first time watching a live football match.
This women's lingerie football game was definitely something to see. The players wore protective gear only on their heads and shoulders—just thin lingerie otherwise—yet the competition was fierce.
During drives, the brutal collisions sent players tumbling and sometimes even flying out of bounds. Even Jason winced watching it.
Since it was his first time watching, he didn't fully understand the rules, but by following the cheers of the crowd, he gradually caught on.
Grace, on the other hand, was screaming nonstop. She never imagined girls could play so aggressively! On the field, Catherine wore number 14. Her coordination with number 9, Jennifer, was flawless—they scored multiple times and quickly became the opposing team's main focus.
At kickoff, Jennifer carried the ball forward to draw defenders. When they charged in, she delivered a perfect pass. Catherine took the ball and burst forward with explosive speed—immediately, the opponents rushed to block her.
But Catherine faked a pass, throwing them off, then powered through two defenders in succession. The opposing players quickly recovered and sprinted after her.
Now it was all about speed!
Jason and Grace watched nervously. Catherine sprinted full-force, the ball tucked tightly against her chest. Her movements were fierce and fluid, her long legs kicking powerfully as she dashed across the field like a cheetah. Then, with a leap as graceful as it was bold, she soared over the scoring line.
The crowd exploded in cheers. Her teammates rushed over, dancing and celebrating wildly.
Jason was stunned. That kind of fierce grace wasn't something you saw in most women—he wasn't even sure he could run that fast himself.
Grace's eyes sparkled. "Wow! Catherine and her team are amazing! If it were me, I'd be terrified out there… she's so fast… Go, Catherine!"
Watching his sister's excitement, Jason suddenly felt something stir inside him. Maybe it was time for Grace to go back to school. Even if it was just for a short while, she deserved to experience college life—otherwise, she'd carry that regret forever.
Catherine's team narrowly won the match. Afterward, Jason and Grace presented flowers to congratulate the team. Catherine offered to see them off, but Jason politely declined. He knew the team would have post-match celebrations—they were a unit, after all.
At parting, since Grace was there, Catherine only leaned in for a light cheek kiss. Even so, it left the siblings blushing awkwardly.
...
When they returned to Chicago, Rod called Jason in for a talk.
"Jason, your public buzz has started to cool down," Rod said. "So the company's prepared two plans. First, continue climbing the rankings—but organizing matches will get harder, and the intervals will be longer. Second, you can do commercial fights—participate in events, boost your exposure and market value, then return to ranking matches. We want to hear your preference."
Jason frowned slightly. "What exactly are commercial fights?"
Brown smiled. "In simple terms, they're matches to build your record. At the lower levels of pro boxing, many fighters can't get opportunities and end up serving as stepping stones just to make a living. We arrange fights between boxers like you and them—low risk, mainly to boost your record and market presence. That's what we call commercial fights—or exhibition matches."
"Ah… so they're fixed fights?"
"No, no," Brown waved a hand. "These guys are usually professionals. If they threw fights, their reputation would tank and they'd be done in this business. They fight seriously—it's just that their skill level is limited. And, you know, when a fighter loses his dream, it affects his performance a lot..."
Jason hesitated. Honestly, he didn't want to fight that kind of match—but with the system helping him, those bouts could still accelerate his growth.
"Mr. Rod," he said finally, "let me think it over. If possible, I still want to climb the rankings directly. I promised Coach Pedro I'd earn a title shot before the end of the year—and I intend to keep that promise."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser