Era of Mist

Chapter 227 -226: In an Age of Turmoil, Power Reigns Supreme (Part 1)

Shi Tiexin looked up and blinked, dazed. A beauty pageant? ‘No way, can’t do that.’ He continued to the second item.

He looked down—the Tokyo Swimsuit Model Competition.

A model competition? ‘This…’ On to the third item.

He looked down again—the Kantou Magical Girl Transformation Competition.

‘Skip, skip. Fourth item!’

He looked down again—the Charming and Hot Idol Public Audition.

‘Why is it all beauties and idols?’ Fifth item!

He looked down yet again—the Sweetest and Best Voice Actor Competition.

‘I… Is there really not a single competition a man can enter? It’s either swimsuits or magical girls. How am I supposed to compete? Am I supposed to be some muscular, swimsuit-wearing, magical, well-endowed pretty boy?’

‘I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! I have to see the sixth item!’

He continued to look down—the Tokyo Metropolitan Area Culinary Competition.

‘Hm! There it is! Finally, a competition a man can enter!’

‘But, cooking… Forget it, forget it. I don’t stand a chance. I’ve never trained in any related skills.’ All six were a bust. He could only look at the seventh.

Not giving up, he looked down one last time—the World Billiards Championship.

‘This one’s good! It has a wide reach, it’s a high-class competition, and it’s worldwide. If I win this, won’t I get a few hundred points of Celestial Golden Light?’

However, Shi Tiexin thought about Miss Red Skirt, who was a billiards championship contestant. Then he thought about himself, who had only touched a cue stick twice. In the end, he decided it was best not to even try. If he went for it, the only light he’d get would be the light of disgrace.

“What is all this crap!” Shi Tiexin was instantly displeased. “Can’t the people of Tokyo hold some proper competitions?”

“Boss, these are already the proper ones. There are several improper ones I didn’t dare tell you about. I was afraid you’d hit me if I did.”

“I absolve you of your crime. Speak.”

“Uh, among the improper competitions, the most proper one is a small gathering started by a rich young master. At the party, they have to play… ‘roulette insertion’ with the other rich young masters and see who can last the longest.”

Shi Tiexin didn’t understand. “Compete in what? Roulette what?”

“Roulette… It’s where you have a group of women kneel in a circle, and then with music playing, you switch partners in a circle to the beat… Uh, to put it simply, it’s a competition to see who’s better with women, who can last longer.” Ah Fei didn’t dare to go into too much detail. He watched Shi Tiexin’s expression and said carefully, “About that… The other, even less reputable ones, I… I’d better not say…”

Shi Tiexin immediately grew agitated.

‘What are all these god-awful competitions? Besides the culinary competition he couldn’t enter and the billiards championship he definitely couldn’t win, couldn’t the people of Tokyo host some normal events?’

“Track and field, arithmetic competitions, things like that—are there none? Not even something like an eating contest?”

“None,” Ah Fei said with certainty. “The situation has been unstable lately. The Japanese Government is basically hands-off and has no money, and the wealthy people in charge won’t invest in things like this. Forget track and field; even baseball, the Japanese people’s favorite sport, hasn’t had a single game this year.”

Hearing this, Shi Tiexin calmed down.

‘It’s true. With Japan in such turmoil and the people living in fear, it really doesn’t seem like a time for proper competitions.’

As for fighting competitions, Shi Tiexin had heard some things. There were no more legitimate ones. Underground deathmatches, on the other hand, were rampant. However, those matches were rife with corruption, purely for entertainment, and blatantly unfair. There was no point in participating. Besides, he was now in the class of people who should be entertained, not the one in the cage.

‘So, where can I get some Celestial Golden Light?’

Just as he was thinking, his phone suddenly rang. Shi Tiexin took it out and saw it was a call from Wang Dafu.

“Hello, Brother Fa, it’s me. Yes, yes, I’m free tonight… Huh?! Er, no, no problem. It’s just a little unexpected. Okay.” Shi Tiexin put down the phone, a rare, dumbfounded expression on his face.

“What is it, Boss?”

“Talk about a coincidence. Turns out I actually am going to a competition tonight.”

“What competition?”

“This one.” Shi Tiexin’s finger tapped the table, landing right on the very first item on the list Ah Fei had provided—the Miss Tokyo Beauty Pageant.

At six in the evening, a luxurious Rolls-Royce pulled up in front of Shi Tiexin. CLICK. Someone opened the door from the inside. It was Wang Dafu. Dressed in a white suit and beaming, Wang Dafu personally opened the door for Shi Tiexin, extending an invitation to his trusted and favorite general, “Get in. I’m taking you to an event tonight.”

“Alright, Brother Fa.”

Shi Tiexin got into the car. Wang Dafu patted the sofa next to him, inviting Shi Tiexin to sit beside him.

The Rolls-Royce started moving, as smooth as a great ship. The spacious interior didn’t make Shi Tiexin feel cramped at all. On the sofa opposite him were two beautiful girls, so pretty they looked like they’d stepped out of a painting. Both wore low-cut evening gowns, revealing deep cleavage, and were demurely preparing luxuries like red wine.

Wang Dafu made no move to avoid the girls. Instead, he looked at Shi Tiexin and smiled. “This car, what do you think?”

“Looks familiar.”

“Of course it does. This was Ouyang Hong’s car. We just took it, so now it’s ours.” Wang Dafu was blunt, looking at Shi Tiexin seriously. “The victor enjoys everything; the loser’s family is broken and scattered. The winner is king, the loser is a bandit. That’s just how it is.”

Shi Tiexin glanced at the girls. “Then these two, are they also… from that?”

“Hahaha, I’m not that classless. I wouldn’t go so far as to abduct Brother Ouyang’s women. Besides, for this kind of enjoyment, you don’t need to go out of your way to capture anyone. In today’s Tokyo, there are many things you no longer have to take by force. They’ll come to you on their own.”

As they spoke, the Rolls-Royce came to a stop again.

“Come, Stone, with me.” Wang Dafu beckoned, standing up to get out. The two girls obligingly opened the doors. From outside rushed in a sea of flashing lights and a cacophony of noise.

FLASH, FLASH, FLASH. People were taking pictures outside. The flashing lights made Shi Tiexin’s pupils contract. Wang Dafu, in his white suit and white leather shoes, looked perfectly at home on the red carpet, full of spirited zest. His grand air seemed a perfect match for this kind of adulation.

Shi Tiexin glanced down at his own leather jacket. ‘Hm… A leather jacket is a leather jacket. Nothing wrong with it. Not shabby.’

With that thought, Shi Tiexin stepped out of the luxury car. He politely declined the beautiful girls’ offer to accompany him and strode forward to catch up with Wang Dafu.

He was flanked by crowds of people, a high-end red carpet beneath his feet. It was his first time in a scene like this, yet surprisingly, he felt no nervousness. He clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. Power, real and tangible power, was the source of his confidence.

This confidence was changing his grassroots mentality.

More self-assured, more domineering, more aggressive.

“Good, very good. Ah Hui and Sanfan could never compare to you.” Wang Dafu, up ahead, chuckled and beckoned. “Come, let me show you how this world adores and submits to power and influence.”