Chapter 97: Rivals in the Same Trade [Ninth Update in the Promotion Surge]

On June 1, 1998, the first Red Jade Cup King of Fighters Tournament officially began. That very day, the eight groups plunged into fierce preliminary matches, while headquarters held the opening ceremony, celebrating the launch and welcoming guests from all quarters. This chapter was uploaded by a reader.

There were quite a few people who came to offer congratulations. There was no need even to mention Zhang Xiuxiu, Huang Juan, and the others; business partners of Red Jade Internet Cafe and representatives from all manner of sponsors had also come in person.

Zhang Zhi and Yang Tian had already agreed on this: no one who came would be turned away. Every guest attending the opening ceremony would be entertained at noon today. Tables had already been booked at the Golden Coast Grand Hotel, the finest hotel in Binhai City.

Yang Tian sat to the side with Huang Juan, eating fruit, while Zhang Zhi and the others arranged the flower baskets over there. Everyone looked cheerful. Zhou Bing and Ah Gui, meanwhile, seemed as if they had been injected with stimulants, bouncing back and forth in excitement.

No wonder. They had been looking forward to this tournament for more than a month, and now it was finally opening in grand style. Who could possibly not be thrilled?

“Zhang Zhi, what do you think you’re doing?”

At that moment, a group of burly men came to the entrance of Red Jade Internet Cafe and blocked the doorway so tightly that not even a sliver of space remained. A few of them went straight for the flower baskets and kicked them over.

“Sun Big Mouth, what are you trying to do?” Zhou Bing and Ah Gui immediately rushed out, grabbing chairs nearby as if ready to throw down.

Sun Big Mouth also ran an Internet cafe, called One Net, Deep Affection. He had several branches in the city, and by coincidence, quite a few of them were next to Red Jade Internet Cafe branches.

At first, One Net, Deep Affection had been doing the best business of all. But ever since Red Jade Internet Cafe appeared, their profits had begun to slide downhill. Now Red Jade Internet Cafe was hosting such a huge King of Fighters tournament, and their business had grown even worse.

Yang Tian had known all along that Sun Big Mouth bore a deep grudge against Zhang Zhi. Bringing so many people here today, he was obviously looking for trouble, and choosing this day meant he was probably trying to muddy the waters of the tournament.

“Zhou Bing, stop acting tough in front of me. I’ve been out in the streets since I was fifteen. What scene haven’t I seen? Your little bit of skill doesn’t even amount to half of what your big brother had back then!” Sun Big Mouth shouted. He knew Zhou Bing would not dare lay a hand on him. He had a younger brother named Sun Monkey. Though not very tall, he was ruthlessly vicious. He had committed crimes before and even done time in prison. Now he was helping guard the cafe, a notorious thug in the area. Anyone who heard Sun Monkey’s name would have to give way by three parts, for he was the sort of man with nothing left to lose.

Zhou Bing had also come up through the ranks of the underworld, but ever since following Yang Tian, he had wanted to live properly and no longer wished to disappoint his parents back in the countryside. The old roguish swagger and wildness in him had faded.

Before Zhou Bing and Ah Gui could even reach Sun Big Mouth, Sun Monkey led his gang of hoodlums to block them off. Each of them had a steel blade tucked at the waist, clearly prepared for trouble.

“Zhou Bing, Ah Gui, come back!” Yang Tian shouted urgently. He was afraid they would suffer in the fight. If they were beaten by Sun Monkey and the others, it would be like stepping in a filthy mess—pointless and disgusting.

“Mr. Sun, what are you doing?” Zhang Zhi strode out and asked with displeasure. Though somewhat gentle by nature, once someone tried to destroy what he had built, his temper flared as well. Red Jade Internet Cafe was his life’s work, and he had been looking forward to this King of Fighters tournament for a very long time. Now that someone had come to stir up trouble, how could he not be furious?

“Don’t play dumb with me, Zhang Zhi! Run your little game competition all you want—why did you put all those flower baskets and the rest of that junk right in front of my cafe? Do you think I’m easy to bully? Let me tell you, Zhang Zhi: if you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll tear your cafe apart!” Sun Big Mouth roared. The men behind him were already itching to move, ready to strike.

By now, the surrounding streets were packed with onlookers, including many people who often went online at Red Jade Internet Cafe. They all knew Zhang Zhi’s character, and they knew all too well the thug-like nature of Sun Big Mouth.

Some were indignant on Zhang Zhi’s behalf. How could such a fine gaming competition be ruined by a pack of gangsters like Sun Big Mouth and his men? Others were secretly pleased. Zhang Zhi’s business had been getting better and better, and naturally there were plenty who grew jealous.

Still others were simply there for the spectacle. The tournament was lively enough already, with free fruit and pastries, free drinks, and free gifts to take home. And now there was going to be a fight to watch as well. What could be better?

“Sun Big Mouth, you’re deliberately picking a fight. All our flower baskets were placed by the roadside. How could they possibly be in front of your cafe?” Zhou Bing said angrily when he saw Sun Big Mouth making such an unreasonable scene. Ah Gui had already taken up a fighting stance, and his brothers had gathered around as well, ready to go toe-to-toe with Sun Monkey.

“They were blocking my business anyway! I might as well tell you this: every flower basket that stood in front of my cafe has already been burned by me!” Sun Big Mouth said with a sinister grin.

Both Yang Tian and Zhang Zhi were stunned. If Sun Big Mouth had really done that, then the preliminary matches at the branches must already have been affected.

Zhang Zhi was burning with rage, yet there was nothing he could do. Reasoning with a gang of thugs was pointless.

“Sun Big Mouth, you’re really asking for it!” Zhou Bing exploded the moment he heard that and charged forward, intending to teach Sun Big Mouth a lesson.

Sun Monkey immediately stepped in front of Sun Big Mouth and fought with Zhou Bing. Though Zhou Bing was bigger, he was not as cunning or agile as Sun Monkey. Several of his attacks missed, and instead he took a few kicks, getting knocked flat to the ground.

Meanwhile, Ah Gui and the others were surrounded by Sun Big Mouth’s men and could not break through to help Zhou Bing. The two sides instantly fell into a chaotic brawl.

“Sun Big Mouth, don’t you go too far! Zhou Bing, are you all right?” Zhang Zhi panicked and rushed over at once to save Zhou Bing, but his health was poor and, in his agitation, he had not run far before he stumbled and fell.

At that moment, Sun Big Mouth pulled an iron rod from behind him and lunged at Zhang Zhi. It was clear he had come for Zhang Zhi today, and he had every intention of using heavy force.

“Little Tian, don’t go over there. Call the police instead. You’re no match for them!” Huang Juan clutched Yang Tian tightly, refusing to let him rush in and get hurt. But in the end, Yang Tian still broke free of her grip and charged forward.

Crash!

Before Sun Big Mouth’s iron rod could come down on Zhang Zhi’s head, Yang Tian struck out with a sweeping punch, knocking the rod clean from his hand. Sun Big Mouth staggered backward again and again, nearly losing his footing.

“You little punk, you dare hit my big brother? Let me tell you, if I weren’t the kind of man who never bullies children, you’d already be lying on the ground!” Sun Monkey shouted as he rushed up to Yang Tian, full of contempt.

“This little brat is Zhang Zhi’s most capable helper, Yang Tian. Don’t let his age fool you. Beat him half to death for me!” Sun Big Mouth snarled. He knew that everything Red Jade Internet Cafe had achieved today was thanks to Yang Tian’s efforts, and his resentment toward him was no small thing. Even if he was just a boy, he intended to deal with him properly.

“Oh, so you’re Yang Tian. Then don’t blame me for showing no mercy,” Sun Monkey said smugly, raising a large hand as if to slap Yang Tian across the face. He had been able to bring down even a big man like Zhou Bing, so what was a high school student like Yang Tian? He did not take him seriously at all and thought a few slaps would be enough to settle it.