Chapter 137: Deliberately Conceding Defeat

"I never expected you guys to be this formidable. I admit I am no match for any of you. But since I am standing here, I will certainly do my utmost to ensure you stay," Brother Bin said, casting his final sentence toward the underling who had been scared out of his wits by Song Nianqiang and his companion.

"Oh!?" To be honest, Song Nianqiang was somewhat surprised by Brother Bin's words. To press the attack even while knowing one is outmatched—was this not sheer stubbornness? Yet there was one thing Song Nianqiang failed to realize: for those roaming the underworld, loyalty and saving face were paramount above all else. Since Song Nianqiang had left him not a shred of dignity, Brother Bin was left with no other choice.

Mid-sentence, Brother Bin had already made his move. Gripping his machete tightly, he strode rapidly toward Song Nianqiang. The primary reason Brother Bin chose Song Nianqiang as his target instead of the large man was that Song Nianqiang appeared less intimidating; given the big man's sheer physical bulk, merely standing there exuded an inexplicable sense of pressure.

Comparatively, the leaner Song Nianqiang lacked that imposing aura. One always picks the softest persimmon to squeeze, but Brother Bin was destined for disappointment. Neither Song Nianqiang nor the large man was someone he could contend with at present.

When Brother Bin was still three paces away from Song Nianqiang, the machete in his hand was already descending toward the latter's head. Song Nianqiang merely stood there with a faint smile, pivoting slightly to evade the downward slash. Then, his right hand shot out like lightning, seized Brother Bin's wrist, and twisted it hard.

Originally, Song Nianqiang had full confidence that this twist would disarm Brother Bin entirely. To his surprise, however, Brother Bin simply endured the excruciating pain, gritting his teeth to hold on.

Realizing things were taking a turn, Song Nianqiang quickly stepped aside. He feared that should Brother Bin recover and manage to land a slash, the gains would not outweigh the losses.

Standing off to the side, Song Nianqiang gazed coldly at Brother Bin. At that moment, Brother Bin's wrist was trembling slightly from the grip Song Nianqiang had applied. Although Brother Bin possessed some skill of his own, his raw strength was unquestionably inferior to Song Nianqiang's, leaving his entire wrist red and swollen from that single grasp.

"Just who are you!? How can you possess such martial prowess?!" Instead of pressing the attack, Brother Bin stayed where he was, looking at Song Nianqiang in utter perplexity. Initially, he had dismissed Song Nianqiang's words as mere stalling, but now, having actually exchanged blows, he realized anew that the young man before him was far from ordinary.

"I am merely an ordinary person, as ordinary as they come. Why must you inquire about my background? I truly possess no grand lineage. Let me reiterate: I am simply the most inconspicuous speck of dust in this vast world." It was an unprecedented occurrence for Song Nianqiang to patiently indulge in such a lengthy and useless exchange of nonsense with Brother Bin.

Yet Song Nianqiang's words were far from the truth; at the very least, he was no ordinary person. If Song Nianqiang were to press the matter, his pedigree was not only extraordinary but utterly terrifying. Putting aside who his father was, his grandmother's family alone was monumental—if the old lady were to stamp her foot, the entire capital would shake three times.

"Are you certain!?" Brother Bin remained somewhat skeptical, eyeing Song Nianqiang with lingering doubt. However, Song Nianqiang's patience had finally been exhausted by Brother Bin. "I say, how is it that someone roaming the underworld can be so utterly long-winded?!" With that, rather than waiting for Brother Bin to move, Song Nianqiang took large strides toward him.

Nor could Brother Bin entirely be blamed. Since when were they the unaligned, lawless punks of the past? Nowadays, Brother Bin weighed every action carefully, terrified lest a single misstep bring unnecessary trouble upon his gang.

Song Nianqiang approached empty-handed, driven by absolute confidence that he could utterly crush Brother Bin. It was no empty boast: while Brother Bin's skills were considered respectable within the underworld, he fell leagues short compared to Song Nianqiang. For reasons unknown, ever since Song Nianqiang began practicing the *Maoshan Daoist Arts*, his explosive power, stamina, and agility had undergone a marked enhancement. In other words, the current Song Nianqiang was an entirely upgraded version.

Gritting his teeth, Brother Bin ultimately banished the fleeting thought that had crossed his mind—refusing to back down from what he believed he must do, even if it meant being beaten flat by the youth before him. He tightened his grip on the machete, burst forward abruptly, and charged at Song Nianqiang.

This time, Song Nianqiang did not hold back. He first retreated swiftly to evade Brother Bin's initial assault, then leapt agilely to the side, positioning himself on Brother Bin's flank. However, Song Nianqiang slightly underestimated Brother Bin's combat awareness; the moment Song Nianqiang reached his side, Brother Bin's machete abruptly slashed across diagonally.

"Oh?"

Seeing the machete arrive with such unexpected speed, a brief flash of surprise crossed Song Nianqiang's mind, though it vanished almost instantly, replaced by a sudden train of thought.

"If I concede defeat, would it elevate Brother Bin's prestige by a notch?" Winning here accomplished nothing for him anyway, and whether he would ever return was questionable. It might be better to deliberately lose to Brother Bin to enhance his standing locally. This would benefit not only Bazi but also the Hawk, and ultimately, himself.

Considering his relationship with the Hawk, if the Hawk were to become the supreme emperor of the entire underground criminal world, wouldn't he himself be able to command winds and summon rain across the underworld, doing whatever he pleased? When the time came, anyone who displeased him could simply be eliminated. The only prerequisite was that the state's machinery did not interfere.

At this thought, a faint smile tugged at the corner of Song Nianqiang's mouth. He had already made up his mind. Even though he intended to lose to Brother Bin, he certainly wouldn't allow himself to be injured in the process. Therefore, Song Nianqiang still sidestepped the blade. The instant the machete swept past his chest, Song Nianqiang surged forward in a sprint, bringing himself face-to-face with Brother Bin.

Had Song Nianqiang not intended to throw the match deliberately, Brother Bin would already be flat on the ground. As things stood, however, Song Nianqiang instinctively raised his fist. When his fist was a mere centimeter away from Brother Bin's face, he snapped back to reality and abruptly checked his motion; otherwise, a single punch would have guaranteed that Brother Bin wouldn't be getting back up.

"Hehe..."

At that moment, the distance between their faces was less than five centimeters; Brother Bin could even see the fine hairs on Song Nianqiang's skin. Startled without any psychological preparation by the laughter, Brother Bin shivered and instinctively took a step back.

"I gave you the chance to hit me and you missed it. I really wonder how you managed to become a boss." After stepping back, Brother Bin immediately retreated another three paces to put some distance between them. Looking at Brother Bin's performance, Song Nianqiang shook his head in mild disappointment.

"Blockhead!"

Cursing inwardly, Song Nianqiang suddenly leaped high into the air, driving his knee straight toward the top of Brother Bin's head. Seeing this reaction, Song Nianqiang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally, damn it, deliberately lose to this guy.

Twisting his body mid-air, he grazed past the machete and closed in tight against Brother Bin. Then, letting out a dramatic cry of "Ah!", Song Nianqiang propelled himself backward as if struck hard, flying through the air and stumbling back five or six steps upon landing before finally regaining his balance.

"You win." Having finally secured this opportunity, Song Nianqiang hastened to concede. He had no desire to continue fighting, fearing that at any moment he might fail to hold back his strength and lay Brother Bin out flat.

"Ah... Oh..." Brother Bin was clearly still lagging behind the events. He had clearly been losing; how on earth had he suddenly won? Seeing Song Nianqiang sent flying through the air left him entirely bewildered. Just a moment ago, he had distinctly felt Song Nianqiang's fist arrive at his throat—he could even clearly sense the pressure of the punch. Why, then, had he not been struck, and why was it his opponent who had gone flying?

So much for an overbearing aura; those roaming the underworld never believed in such nonsense. Recovering his wits, Brother Bin stared at Song Nianqiang with a gaze full of lingering doubt, seemingly waiting for an explanation.