CHAPTER 240: A DANGEROUS BET

Dud tried his best not to show any reaction. He couldn’t afford to make it obvious to the Black Hounds that he recognized the kid, not yet, not until he knew exactly what they were planning to do with him.

Descending toward the fighting ring, Dud casually took a seat near the front. It was the same area reserved for certain guests who preferred to witness the bloodshed up close, those who wanted to see every bruise, every strike in vivid detail, as well as fighters waiting for their turn in the next match.

There was a separate locker area, of course, a space for warming up and training, but that was for the types who took these underground fights a little too seriously. Dud wasn’t concerned about his own match in the slightest. Instead, his thoughts were tangled in the information he had just stumbled upon.

’The manager... he called them Sterns. Plural. And he seemed surprised when I said I’d spoken to both of them?’ Dud mulled it over, his eyes locked on the ring but his mind racing. ’How’s that possible? Doesn’t the kid go to the same school as Dipter?’

And the way the kid fought, it wasn’t like someone born into money. Dud had met rich kids who could fight, but their style was always too clean, too hesitant. There was none of the raw, unpolished edge that Max had shown in the ring.

’And besides all that... what the hell would a Stern be doing getting involved with the Rejected Corps in the first place?’

Dud tried to come up with a reason, but nothing logical fit. Maybe Max was close to Chad, and this was some kind of revenge mission? But even if that were true, the Rejected Corps wasn’t the one who took the money. If anything, Dud remembered it was Chrono himself who had sent him to track down the man responsible for taking down Dipter. There hadn’t been any further explanation beyond that.

’The more I try to make sense of this, the more confused I get,’ Dud thought, rubbing the back of his neck. ’If I can’t understand his motives, then it means one thing, I was right. He’s dangerous. Incredibly dangerous. A type of person that needs to be taken out before he causes real trouble.’

His gaze flicked up. ’I wonder... is there a way to get rid of him here, tonight?’

The fight had just started.

Unlike official matches, there was something eerie about the way the two fighters stepped into the ring dressed in their everyday clothes. Whether it was street gear or a uniform representing their gang, there were no rules here, no ceremony, only violence.

From one side came the fighter known as Sniper, the man Chad and Max had placed their bets on. He had long, almost unnaturally extended limbs, and wore a faded denim jacket that hung loosely from his frame.

His opponent, a man nicknamed Hawk, wore a scuffed leather jacket with a faded skull design on the back. He looked heavier, broader, and just as confident as Sniper, striding into the ring like he owned it.

Some members of the crowd burst into cheers, hyped for the brawl ahead, while others stayed seated, casually sipping drinks and eating their meals like it was any other Friday night.

"Haha, isn’t it exciting, Max?" Chad chuckled, not even looking at him. "Based on this fight, we might not be in trouble at all. If our guy wins, you won’t lose a single cent. And even if he loses... well, with the kind of money you have, it won’t affect your life one bit."

Chad grinned, already imagining the payday if they won. He was also scheming, wondering just how to get Max to part with some of that wealth. Maybe he could strike a deal with the Black Hounds after all.

As soon as both men entered the ring, the bell rang, and the fight began. There was no feeling-out phase. They clashed immediately in the center, fists flying.

Sniper held the advantage early. His unnaturally long arms whipped through the air, landing a quick, sharp punch directly to Hawk’s face. The speed and reach made it difficult for Hawk to get in close, but the man wasn’t weak, he stayed solid, his defense tight, using his slightly larger frame to try and press in.

"Can I ask you something, Chad?" Max said, his eyes still on the fight. "How did you even hear about these events?"

"Oh, that?" Chad replied, his voice casual. "I was just gambling at the regular casino. I guess I made a bit of a name for myself, placing large bets, being a valued customer and all that. But they had betting limits, caps on how much I could wager at one time."

He chuckled at the memory. "Then the manager approached me. Said he knew of something more thrilling. A place where I could bet as much as I wanted, with way bigger stakes. That’s how I ended up here."

The explanation sounded typical enough. Max could almost picture the Black Hounds pulling the strings behind both the casino and this place. Given Chad’s reckless behavior, they probably knew exactly who he was, and the fact that he was part of the Stern family. That made him a prime target.

Which meant, Max realized, there was a high chance they’d already scammed him before.

"Then let me ask you something else," Max continued. "Of all the events you’ve bet on here, have you ever actually won?"

Chad didn’t even glance his way. He was completely engrossed in the fight, eyes locked on Sniper’s movements. The younger man was controlling the rhythm of the match, striking with sharp precision.

Chad leaned forward in excitement as Sniper dodged another attack. "Yeah, I won the first few fights. But after that... I’ve been in a bit of a rut. Loss after loss."

He laughed. "But maybe your beginner’s luck will rub off on me, huh?"

Max exhaled through his nose, shaking his head inwardly. Chad had fallen for the oldest trick in the book.

It was textbook manipulation, classic scammer tactics. Either you let someone in on a fixed match, make them win big to build confidence, or if they’re a known gambler, you let them win a few in the beginning to hook them. Then, little by little, they lose everything.

Max was sure of it now. The whole operation was rigged. But if that was the case, then maybe... just maybe... he could figure out how to turn that rigged system in his favor.