Looking at the excited Baoyu in front of him, Zang Long’s chubby face showed a look of confusion. “Master Baoyu, you know about this? A connoisseur?”
“Uh… I have a bit of knowledge, just a bit!!”
“Alright, how much would you like to bet? Cash, WeChat, or Alipay is all fine!”
“I bet…”
At this moment, Baoyu realized again the seriousness of his stolen package—he didn’t have any money on him!
‘Do I have to borrow money from Zang Long? We’ve just met, and I don’t know him well!’ Baoyu rubbed his bald head, momentarily sinking into worry.
…
“Hey! Master Baoyu, what are you doing?
Zang Long, you’re here too!”
A familiar voice came from the side.
Baoyu looked up to see four figures approaching—it was Zhang Chulan, Feng Baobao, and Xu San and Xu Si who had just finished watching the match.
Zang Long also saw the approaching group and adjusted his glasses. “Oh! Isn’t this the famous Zhang Chulan?”
“Fatty, and Master Baoyu, what are you up to? I just heard my name mentioned?” Zhang Chulan asked, surprised, with his hands in his pockets.
“…”
“Ha ha, Fatty set up odds for the contestants in this grand ritual. Master Baoyu was actually considering betting on you and was preparing to go all in!” Bai Shixue said with a sly smile.
Zhang Chulan was surprised. “All in on me? Master Baoyu, you have confidence in me! Let me see my odds.”
Baoyu handed over the tablet…
Xu Si, puffing on a cigarette, leaned in. “Let me take a look too!”
“…My odds are 1 to 100? And what’s with the note saying ‘Not Shaking Bilan’?”
“Fatty, explain this to me!”
Xu Si, almost in stitches, shook his curly hair. “Hahaha… You’re killing me with laughter! ‘Not Shaking Bilan,’ it’s just too fitting.”
He patted Zhang Chulan’s shoulder. “Bilan, I feel like this nickname will stick with you forever. Haha…”
Feng Baobao, sipping a drink, listened to the conversation with one ear.
“…”
Zhang Chulan, with a black line on his face, held the tablet firmly. “Fatty… You owe me an explanation!!!”
“Ah! Haha… It’s just that your first match was so impressive. This nickname was given by everyone spontaneously; I couldn’t do anything about it!” Zang Long said with an awkward smile, trying to take the tablet back but hesitating.
…
After a while, Zhang Chulan calmed down. “So, Master Baoyu was going to place a bet on me? You believe in me?”
Seeing Zhang Chulan in front of him, Baoyu had an idea…
He walked a few steps to a corner, beckoning Zhang Chulan over mysteriously.
“Is there something you need, Master Baoyu?” Zhang Chulan followed him.
“Could you lend me 1000 yuan? My package was stolen when I was on the front mountain… it’s a bit difficult to talk about…”
Baoyu whispered to Zhang Chulan.
“Ah, I thought it was something serious! It’s a small matter!” Zhang Chulan smiled. “I don’t have that much cash on me. Let’s use WeChat. I’ll transfer it to you, okay?”
“Of course, thank you, Master Zhang!” Baoyu’s eyes flashed with satisfaction.
“You’re too polite. Just call me Zhang Chulan. Calling me Master Zhang sounds awkward…” Zhang Chulan scanned the QR code on Baoyu’s phone, accepted the friend request, and quickly transferred 1000 yuan.
“Here, it’s done. Check if you received it?”
“Yes, received it. Zhang Chulan, thank you so much…”
…
After their communication, the two walked back together.
Zang Long looked at them with suspicion, his gaze shifting. “What were you two whispering about? And why so secretive?”
Baoyu didn’t respond but asked, “Zang Long, how do I place a bet on this? I want to try it too…”
“Sure, just tell me who you’re betting on and how much. I’ll handle it!”
Zang Long adjusted his glasses and replied, having moved past questioning how a monk could be interested in gambling.
Baoyu pretended to hesitate. “I’ll bet on Zhang Chulan, 1000 yuan!”
“Eh???”
Zhang Chulan could hardly believe his ears…
Master Baoyu… is betting the money he borrowed from me on himself? And where does he get his confidence from?
Zang Long, with a grin, said, “Once the bet is placed, it can’t be changed! Master Baoyu has placed his bet. Is there anyone else who wants to place a bet?”
“…”
The crowd fell into a brief silence, with only the sound of Feng Baobao sipping her drink and breaking it.
At this moment, amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Feng Baobao slowly raised her hand.
“I’ll bet on Zhang Chulan too…”
Zhang Chulan darted in front of Feng Baobao. “Bao’er, I don’t even have confidence in myself. Why do you believe in me so much?”
Feng Baobao’s adorably confused gaze lingered on Zhang Chulan’s face for two seconds, as if she had thought of something.
She slowly shook her head with a firm tone. “I have no confidence in you…”
Baoyu saw that when Feng Baobao said this, she had one hand hidden behind her back, as if she was holding something…
From the glint that peeked out, it looked like a small iron shovel.
…
Not long after, there was a burst of commotion from the crowd under the large screens in the distance.
“What’s happening?”
“It seems like all the matches for today are over!”
“Let’s go check it out…”
Baoyu and the others finished their conversation and headed in that direction.
A young Taoist with a cone-shaped loudspeaker called out, “Please gather here, all the winners…”
With a burst of cheerful laughter, the Old Heavenly Master walked over slowly.
It was already dusk, and the orange sun was setting behind the mountains. The Old Heavenly Master walked slowly against the sunset, casting a long shadow.
He stepped up to the high platform where a red box full of draw slips was already prepared.
As the crowd gathered below, the Old Heavenly Master spoke loudly.
“Everyone has worked hard. The first round of the competition is now complete!
The winners advancing are… thirty-two people!
The next round will be conducted in a one-on-one format. Inside this box are the sequence and match-ups for your performances tomorrow.
Each combination of sequence and match-up has only two identical slips…
Now! The draw begins!”
“…”
The crowd gathered around the stage mostly consisted of spectators.
The remaining contestants, just 32 in total, soon completed the draw.
Baoyu opened his slip to find it written in elegant calligraphy:
Jia · White Tiger
He raised an eyebrow: ‘Jia’…
I’m in the first round again tomorrow!
I just don’t know who my opponent is…
At this point, the Old Heavenly Master spoke again from the stage. “Now, my apprentice Rong Shan will call out the numbers. Those with the called numbers, please raise your hands, and we will register you!”
A tall figure in Taoist robes walked up, surveying the crowd below, and called out loudly, “The selected contestants, please come to the front!”
“Jia · Vermilion Bird…”
…
“Jia · Green Turtle…”
…
“Jia · White Tiger…”
…
…
“Bing · Black Snake…”
…
“Bing · Vermilion Bird…”
…
Finally, after a round of calling and registration, the opponents for all thirty-two contestants were confirmed.
Baoyu now knew his opponent…
He was surprised to find that his opponent was one of the three people he had suspected of stealing his package at the Bun shop.
The person wore a white hooded sweatshirt, with a black egg-shaped head visible beneath the lowered hood, large eyes like cow eggs, and two thin mustache-like lines…
Whether this person was deliberately hiding or just keeping a low profile, Baoyu had completely missed him in the earlier matches!
This guy…
At this moment!
Rong Shan was still on stage announcing…
Jia · White Tiger:
Baoyu… versus Cai Lu!!!
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152