"Peter, go! You're about to win!"
"Jason, you bastard, hold on! All my silver coins are on you."
"Jason, if you lose, your wife Maggie is mine..."
Beside the huge arena, hundreds of Chicago residents gathered around, watching the excitement. Many gamblers cheered for the contestants they had bet on, shouting loudly, some with excited expressions, but most wore fierce faces.
On the arena, two burly men clasped their right hands tightly and wrestled each other! They were arm wrestling!
This was the local annual "Strongman" competition! The ultimate winner would not only claim the title of "Strongman" for the year but also receive a generous reward of silver coins.
When Ben and Song Haitang arrived, the contest was already at its peak. However, the fatty on the left still maintained a calm demeanor, even sporting a smug smile. The lean and strong man on the right, however, was visibly struggling with his flushed face, clearly reaching his limit. The difference between them was obvious!
At this moment, the fatty contestant on the left seemed to tire of the game and suddenly exerted his strength...
"Bang!"
He not only instantly knocked down his opponent but also slammed the back of his hand heavily onto the thick wooden table, creating a dull thud.
"Ah!!"
The lean and strong man screamed and quickly covered his right hand, which was bleeding profusely. It appeared to have been fractured by the impact.
From this, it was clear that the fatty had merely been toying with his opponent. As for the lean and strong man's crushing defeat, the gamblers cared little about his injury. They were more concerned about their bets. With the bets lost, many gamblers angrily cursed, sending insults to Jason's entire family. Some emotionally agitated men even threw rotten vegetables onto the stage to vent their frustration.
The host of the "Strongman" competition quickly took the stage.
"The winner is... Peter!!"
As the host raised Peter's hand, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Those who had bet on Peter, the fatty, were ecstatic. Even the onlookers clapped in unison, obliging the scene.
"Peter is incredibly strong!"
"He's already defeated seven challengers, right?"
"This year's Strongman title is definitely his to lose."
"If only I could get my hands on that generous prize money..."
"Want the prize money? You can challenge Peter the fatty, as long as you can win."
"Forget it! My right hand is still needed for other things. I don't want to ruin it here..."
Many in the crowd murmured. Ben's heart stirred as he listened to their discussions.
He grabbed Song Haitang and whispered, "Haitang, if we manage to win against the fatty, we can get that generous prize money. With that money, we'll have a place to stay tonight!"
At this point, everyone was unaware of the anomalies. Therefore, securing a place to stay was the most important task. Having a house would at least provide shelter from the anomalies' attacks, preventing instant ambushes.
Upon hearing Ben's words, a look of embarrassment crossed Song Haitang's pretty face.
"Ben, my training last month focused mostly on mental aspects, and the increase was mainly in mental attributes. I only saw a slight boost in my physical strength... I can't win against that fatty in a strength competition."
Ben was left stunned by her response. He immediately understood that Song Haitang had misunderstood him. It seemed that she thought he wanted her to compete in arm wrestling with the fatty...
It couldn't be blamed on Song Haitang for thinking this way. After all, Ben was a well-known "self-abandoner" in school. He hadn't participated in any training last month. Who would expect a "waste" like him to succeed?
"I don't want you to go up..." Ben started to explain his plan when a voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Song Haitang, what a coincidence! We meet again."
Four young men approached. These were Song Haitang's classmates from Class A.
Seeing them, Song Haitang's expression turned indifferent again.
"What's the matter?"
The leading young man was somewhat displeased with Song Haitang's cold demeanor but, considering his own interests, he still spoke up.
"Song Haitang, since we're all classmates and are going to be transferred together, I think we should form an alliance."
"Isn't your team already full?" Song Haitang replied.
"It's not a team..." The young man explained, "It's just a temporary alliance to resist the anomalies together."
Hearing this, Song Haitang immediately wanted to refuse. She wasn't naive. She knew that with just the two of them, she and Ben were outnumbered, and their strength could not compare to the group's. This alliance could easily become a trap where she'd be discarded as a pawn in a dangerous situation.
Classmates? In the face of life and death, relationships like these were unreliable.
The young man seemed to anticipate her objection. Before Song Haitang could speak, he continued,
"Don't rush to object. If you agree to form an alliance with us, I can arrange accommodation for you."
Song Haitang frowned slightly. "What kind of accommodation are we talking about?"
"Tavern or inn," the young man replied.
"Do you have money?" Song Haitang asked.
"Not yet..." The young man smiled confidently, "But we will soon."
Just then, the host on the arena shouted loudly:
"Our 'Strongman' competition is about to end in the last fifteen minutes. The current winner is still 'Big Head' Peter. Is there anyone who wants to challenge Peter? As long as you win, you'll become the champion!"
As soon as these words were spoken, countless people under the stage were eager to try. However, when they saw Peter's fierce eyes, everyone retreated, unwilling to take the stage.
The young man in front of Song Haitang immediately turned to a very strong teammate and said, "Hales, it's your turn to play!"
The strong young man named Hales didn't speak but walked confidently to the arena.
"Song Haitang, do you remember Hales from class?" The leading young man, while watching Hales walk toward the stage, said to Song Haitang, "Teacher Aryan said that Hales' talent ranks in the top five in the class!"
"His talent is the X-Men 'Colossus' bloodline. Although he can only turn his fists into metal for now, his strength is already amazing."
"During last month's training, Hales' strength attribute increased by a full 29 points. Adding his original strength, his total strength attribute is now over 40 points."
"Song Haitang, do you think Hales can defeat that fatty and win the prize money?"
As he spoke, the young man wore a smug smile, confident in his friend's abilities.