CHAPTER 1524: CHAPTER 1576: A GAME BETWEEN TYCOONS

Li Yifei listened without expression on his face. War syndrome, also known as veteran syndrome, is a condition that ordinary people simply cannot understand. But during his years in the military, he had seen many promising soldiers rendered useless, forced to retire early due to a sudden outbreak of mental illness.

Typically, mild symptoms include muscle soreness, physical discomfort, mild depression, and mild obsessive-compulsive disorder. Severe cases can lead to hallucinations, hearing voices, imagining enemies, thinking they’re still on the battlefield, and displaying aggression, even killing those around them unconsciously.

Transforming from a soldier into a killing lunatic makes one feared, and also pitied.

But generally, those who suffer from this illness have experienced brutal wars or performed tasks in dangerous places for long periods, putting their nerves under extreme tension.

When they’re not having an episode, they’re no different from normal people; the terror of this illness lies in the fact that you can never predict when it might strike.

Li Yifei looked at the silent person, recalling a former comrade who also suffered from war syndrome. During a mission, he suddenly erupted without warning, causing two teammates to be killed. When he came to his senses and realized he had harmed others, he was stricken with anguish and took his own life during a solitary moment.

War, why must there be war? Li Yifei’s thoughts began to wander. Where there are people, there is conflict. Where there are races, there is war. From ancient times to the present and into the future, it is unavoidable. Where there is war, there will always be those who must fight, these soldiers.

If asked now whether Li Yifei would wish to return to his past life, where bullets whizz overhead and even missiles soar above, Li Yifei doesn’t know how he would answer. If he were still alone, he might say yes, but now with the concerns of many women and children at home, Li Yifei would never choose to live that life again.

The sounds of cheers pulled the dazed Li Yifei back to reality. Many princes around were standing and cheering. Li Yifei looked up to see a mercenary in the field shouting, holding another mercenary up before slamming him down hard a few seconds later.

Six people, now only three remained. Sashar’s subordinate, along with one duke’s and one prince’s subordinates.

To break through layer by layer and remain until now, their strength needs no further mention, but each bears injuries.

The three stood in the field, with two clearly much stronger than Sashar’s man. During the recent fight, they had been especially brutal. Li Yifei didn’t like it when he watched, since this wasn’t on the battlefield, there was no need to be so deadly.

Suddenly, the two seemed to reach an agreement. One retreated, and the other pressed towards Sashar’s subordinate, seemingly wanting to pause the fight temporarily to take out this little guy first.

Sashar suddenly stood up and shouted, "Despicable, you damn bastard, do you wish to die?"

The retreating duke laughed smugly and said, "Hey, nephew, that’s not right. How people fight down there is their business. As long as they truly have the strength, they don’t fear how they fight."

Sashar turned his head sharply, glared, and then shouted to his subordinate below, "James, I authorize you to kill the opponent. Any troubles I will settle for you, just win for me."

The subordinate, James, turned back, giving a sinister smile and actively charged towards the opponent.

The two clashed instantly, fist connecting with flesh, showcasing their ferocity.

The screams around intensified the adrenaline rush and made the match even fiercer.

James won, but it was a brutal victory. His face was blood-red from the beating, unclear where exactly he was injured. His ear was cut wide open, one leg was not moving properly, and his right arm hung limp. But the opponent was worse off. Grabbing the opponent by the hair, James pounded over ten punches until the opponent fainted, not to mention how many blows had landed on the body. Even the strongest muscles couldn’t withstand this level of assault; the opponent’s ribcage even caved in.

James is a criminal by nature. If not in the Middle East, he could only hide in Africa, otherwise, if discovered by the state, they would send people to arrest him. So, for the sake of freedom, he must fight.

However, at this time, he had lost the ability to think, his eyes turned blood-red from the beating, his body somewhat sluggish, one hand still squeezing the loser’s neck.

"Maybe just let it go, he might be having an episode." Li Yifei pulled Sashar and said.

Sashar’s eyes widened, urgently saying, "Having an episode? But this is the final showdown, I don’t care about the money, the point is I cannot afford to lose."

Sashar had participated in such contests many times but never won first place. Thus, he didn’t want to let go of this opportunity.

The nearby duke directed orders to his subordinate, urging him to act immediately, to take out James and secure first place.

His men obeyed the order, grinning wickedly as they walked towards James, clashing their fists together with a thud.

James had just fought a life-and-death battle with another person, and had already used up most of his strength. Now, his legs and shoulders were injured, and his mind was somewhat unclear. But he knew how to fight back; as soon as someone approached him, he attacked madly.

Unfortunately, his body wasn’t cooperating, and his attacks were more like a joke. After taking a punch to the face, James was sent flying and landed heavily on the ground. Yet, he struggled to get up again, letting out a beast-like roar from his mouth.

Another punch from the opponent sent James flying once more—the move was simple yet effective. Blood gushed from James’ mouth as he retched, struggling for half a minute before standing up again, stepping toward his opponent step by step.

Li Yifei had been watching, frowning. When James staggered forward again, Li Yifei suddenly moved. He charged forward, leaping into the air with force. In the next second, he landed a few meters away in the combat arena. His toes lightly touched the ground, and in an instant, Li Yifei was between the two.

"Who the hell is this? Get the hell out of here," The Prince initially was about to cheer for his subordinate’s victory but was interrupted by Li Yifei’s sudden appearance, and his anger flared up instantly.

The other princes were also cursing—such a competition absolutely forbade outsiders from intervening. Li Yifei’s reckless entry disrupted the fairness of the competition.

Sashar shouted to Li Yifei, "Hawk, come out. This is a competition. James himself agreed to it. Life or death is up to fate. He volunteered."

Li Yifei gave a faint glance at James’ opponent, a man as strong as a Siberian bear, bare-chested, not with much muscle, but indeed sturdy.

On the other side, James, entrenched in veteran syndrome, with reddened eyes and gasping heavily, bore no goodwill towards the suddenly appeared Li Yifei. Just as he was about to throw a punch at Li Yifei, Li Yifei acted.

A chop to James’ neck made his eyes widen in surprise as he fell down suddenly.

"That was my opponent." The ferocious mercenary on the other side stared with wide eyes, very dissatisfied with Li Yifei’s actions, clenching his fists, looking ready to make a move.

Li Yifei said lightly, "Now, I’m your opponent."

"Who the hell is this guy?" The Prince slammed the table, roaring, "Sashar, is this your guy? Give me a damn explanation, what is this guy doing, and why is he breaking the rules? Once entering that circle, life and death are up to fate, so what does it mean when he jumps in there?"

Under normal circumstances, the Prince wouldn’t speak to Sashar like this. Although he was a senior, Sashar was a member of the royal family, and the status of a prince and a prince varied. Sashar’s status was quite high.

As Sashar heard the Prince’s shout, the anger on his face gradually receded; instead, he smiled, adjusted his robe, and said, "Your Highness, I know this isn’t according to the rules. But rules are made by people. Since my friend is interested in competing, I think we can modify the rules a bit."

"Modify my ass, my guy is about to win, don’t you see?"

"Do you think I don’t know your and Muse’s plan? Send someone first to deal with my guy, and then let another person reap the victory. Nice strategy, my guy indeed fell for it!" Sashar’s expression cooled as he said, "Now my friend will compete for my subordinate. Is it against the rules? Fine. I’ll bet $1 billion. If I lose, I’ll pay. If I win, today’s champion is mine. Of course, the money will also be ours."

In this type of contest, people have bet tens or hundreds of millions, even up to one or two billion before, but betting $1 billion at once had never happened.

Apparently, Sashar was truly envious. He held his body upright and stubbornly, staring at the Prince, who was of his uncle’s generation, and said again, "Bet or not?"

The Prince, provoked by this, replied, "Bet, why not bet, $1 billion you say? I’m following, I’ll have your yellow-skinned monkey fight my guy."

"Good!" Sashar turned his head and shouted to Li Yifei, "Hawk, show your strength, win the money, and I’ll give you half."

This was $1 billion, not in some other currency but one of the most valuable in the world. Sashar offering half to Li Yifei so generously made other mercenaries green with envy. They nearly wished to rush up to fight themselves, even for just a tenth.

With $100 million, you could buy a fighter jet, do countless things, what’s the worth of a single life?

The Prince also shouted, "Beat him to death, and if you win, I’ll give you $100 million."

The Prince’s subordinate laughed loudly. In his eyes, Li Yifei was already a dead man. A yellow-skinned person nearly double his height and weight, what’s there to be afraid of? Isn’t he just something that can be crushed with one hand?