I had a general idea of why Ni Li had pushed me to participate in the competition.
She likely wanted me to confirm if the gold was still at the bottom. This move served two purposes: first, to make me trust her more, and second, to create a divide between us, ensuring others wouldn't suspect any collusion between us.
I had to admit, this woman's calculations were incredibly deep.
After changing my clothes and returning to the spectator stand, I saw that the previously empty Eight Immortals table was now laden with dishes. Master Ghost, the Beihong Mine owner, and Ni Li were already seated around it.
"Brother Xiang, come, come, have some food," Master Ghost beckoned me over, gesturing for me to sit beside him.
The fatty, seeing he wasn't called, didn't join us. Instead, he and Xiao Shan sat at a separate small bamboo table.
There weren't many dishes on the Eight Immortals table, just four dishes and one soup, all local specialties.
These included stir-fried minced pork, braised meat, steak, sour soup, and spring rolls filled with banana. The flavors were quite similar to Chinese cuisine, and they tasted delicious.
Seeing that no one was speaking and everyone was focused on eating, I naturally didn't hold back and scooped up a bowl of rice, taking a couple of mouthfuls.
Just as we were eating, the bronze gong on the riverbank sounded again.
Hearing the sound, I glanced towards the riverbank and saw a person standing there. This person was wearing nothing but a pair of short pants, and his feet were bare.
He looked to be around thirty years old, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a square face, giving him a rather rugged appearance.
Master Ghost then spoke to the Beihong Mine owner in their local dialect, and I couldn't understand a word.
As the two of them began to converse, I sat in my chair, utterly confused.
Since I couldn't understand, I buried my head in my meal. After eating two bowls of rice, I was quite full.
Seeing that I had finished eating, Master Ghost patted my shoulder and, pointing towards Xiao Shan, said, "Brother Xiang, you go over there. I'll have Xiao Shan entertain you."
I nodded, stood up, and walked over.
I understood his intention. Having me eat at the same table was undoubtedly a sign of respect.
Now that the meal was over, I would have felt awkward staying there. He couldn't possibly chat with the Beihong Mine owner while simultaneously translating for me in Chinese.
Rather than let me sit there awkwardly, it was better for me to be with Xiao Shan.
Xiao Shan and the fatty were also eating. Their meals were clearly not as good as those at the main table, but the fatty didn't seem to mind at all, eating several bowls of rice before stopping.
"Who is that guy?" the fatty asked, picking his teeth with a bamboo sliver and looking at the person on the riverbank.
Xiao Shan replied, "That's one of the Beihong Mine owner's men. Everyone calls him Wild Ox. He's the Beihong Mine owner's most formidable fighter."
"Then what is he standing there for?"
"Waiting."
"Waiting for whom?"
"Brother Shui."
Xiao Shan explained to us that the second round of the river section contest was a one-on-one duel.
Each side would send one person to the arena for a fight to the death.
The river section contest was a best-of-three. If Master Ghost's side won this round, the next one wouldn't need to be fought, and the river section would belong to Master Ghost.
If they lost, it would be a draw, and they would proceed to the next round.
"What's the third round?" I asked.
Xiao Shan managed a wry smile. "Each side sends out ten of their best fighters to go all out together..."
"If it really comes to the third round, will you fight?"
"Of course..." Xiao Shan replied with a strained smile.
As we were chatting, a cheer erupted. Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a middle-aged man wearing a white vest walking towards the riverbank from not far away.
This man was clearly Chinese. Although his skin was a bit dark, his eyes were very sharp, and he had a circular mustache around his mouth.
He was also carrying a glass bottle, which seemed to contain alcohol.
His appearance caused the tomb raiders to erupt in excitement. It seemed this man held considerable prestige locally.
Xiao Shan pointed at the man and said, "Brother Xiang, that's Brother Shui!"
I nodded, and he excitedly introduced him to me. "Brother Shui is the best fighter here. No one has ever defeated him."
"You've said that several times," the fatty remarked. "Whether he can fight or not, we'll only know when we see it."
Ah Shui seemed to be an old rival of his opponent. The two exchanged a few words in the middle of the riverbank, and only when the bronze gong sounded again did their duel officially begin.
I didn't have much knowledge of combat, only learning some simple physical exercises from my father when I was young.
Watching the two men already engaged in combat on the field, my mind had already drifted elsewhere.
My thoughts were still on that box of gold. Judging by its weight when I saw it in the water, that box of gold was at least several pounds.
Taking so much gold out would obviously not be a simple matter, and how to transport it out was also a problem.
If this were discovered, not to mention Ni Li's side, the possibility of people getting greedy upon seeing the treasure was not impossible.
Lost in thought, a shout pulled me back to reality. I saw on the riverbank that Ah Shui and the short man had already begun their exchange.
Their movements were incredibly agile, and they fought fiercely back and forth.
The feeling of fists meeting flesh was vividly displayed. In just a moment, both of them had bloodstains on their bodies.
The short man's upper eyelid was broken, and his entire face was covered in blood. Ah Shui's nose was caved in, and he was also bleeding profusely.
They wore no protective gear, fighting purely with their fists.
The cheers of the onlookers grew louder and louder, with some even repeating a phrase. I didn't understand the meaning of that phrase.
The entire riverbank had, at this moment, turned into a Roman colosseum!
I noticed Master Ghost and the Beihong Mine owner sitting peacefully nearby, sipping tea and watching the scene below, occasionally exchanging a few words.
It was as if the duel below had nothing to do with them.
"What's wrong with Brother Shui today?" Xiao Shan asked, frowning. "He seems a bit off..."
I didn't know Ah Shui well and had never seen him fight before, so I couldn't discern anything.
As soon as Xiao Shan finished speaking, Ah Shui was kicked in the chest. The short man immediately charged forward, grabbed Ah Shui by the waist, and with a mighty heave, threw him in a 180-degree arc!
Watching Ah Shui crash heavily onto the pebbles, my heart skipped a beat.
This impact clearly rendered him unable to fight. He lay on the ground without any reaction for a long time, and the surrounding crowd fell silent.
The short man got up and assumed a defensive posture, but after waiting for a while, he saw no sign of Ah Shui getting up from the ground...