Once the match began, Chainsaw lived up to his reputation, constantly aiming for Ling Xiao’s face. However, Ling Xiao parried every blow beautifully. I remembered that even in official matches, he had never been hit in the head; such petty tricks posed no threat to a genius with a near-zero reflex arc.
Even the audience could see through Chainsaw’s intentions. Some of the women expressed their dissatisfaction, finding such underhanded tactics—specifically targeting the face—to be despicable. Most of the men in the crowd, however, seemed to relish the spectacle.
Chainsaw remained indifferent to the crowd's debate, even finding the leisure to taunt Ling Xiao mid-bout.
“It’s a waste to wear a mask when you’re this handsome. Why don’t I help you take it off? I’d love to see what you look like without those glasses.”
A girl sitting behind me whispered anxiously, “The Knight is so handsome, but why doesn't he say anything? Is he a mute?”
Despite the tension of the match, I couldn't help but let out a small snort of laughter.
Chainsaw proved his worth as the previous season’s undefeated champion; from the start until now, Ling Xiao hadn't managed to force him to the edge of the platform. Below the stage, a referee was tasked with counting the touches. If no one scored a knockout within ninety minutes, the winner would be decided by the number of hits. Since manual judging has a high error rate, a margin of fewer than ten hits would result in a draw, leading to a sudden-death overtime. If it came to that, it would turn into a grueling war of attrition.
There was another factor working against Ling Xiao: the rule of underground matches was that there were no rules. Several times, Ling Xiao gained the upper hand but was suppressed by a counterattack because he refused to play dirty. The match had been going on for nearly half an hour; if this continued, the odds would only stack further against him.
In a regular fencing match, a coach watches from the sidelines and offers tactical advice during breaks. This is crucial because coaches have more experience and a clearer perspective than the athlete caught in the heat of the moment. But an underground match was a solitary battlefield; you were entirely on your own.
Except today, he wasn't.
I focused my attention entirely on Chainsaw. After thirty minutes of observation, I had gathered quite a bit. As soon as the break was called, I leaped from the stands and sprinted toward the platform. Two security guards rushed out to intercept me. Ling Xiao was sitting in his chair, face buried in a towel. I waved my arms and yelled at the top of my lungs, “Knight! Knight!”
God, that was way more embarrassing than calling him the "Team Heartthrob."
Ling Xiao saw me making a scene and gave a nod to Song Guo, who was standing below the stage. Only then did Song Guo convince the guards to let me through.
The guards wouldn't let me onto the platform itself, so I leaned over the edge. Ling Xiao lowered his head toward me, and I whispered rapidly into his ear, “Attack his right ribs! That guy is too overconfident; he never guards that spot. Just bait him into an attack, then counter into his right side. You’ll definitely land it!”
Ling Xiao glanced toward the other side of the platform, where Chainsaw was grinning provocatively at him. “The right ribs?”
“Your touch counts are about even right now,” I said. “But if you land a few solid hits there, you’ll break his rhythm. Strike where it hurts.”
I wouldn't have dared give this advice to anyone else, as attacking the right ribs of a right-handed fencer is dangerous. But with Ling Xiao’s reaction time and speed, it wouldn't be a problem.
“One more thing—he’s using way more force than you. Look at how his muscles are bulging. You’re much more relaxed. In his current state, he can’t maintain this high-intensity offense for long. You just need to—”
Before I could finish, the bell rang, and the guards came to shoo me away. Dammit, I hadn't finished the most crucial part of the strategy! I gripped Ling Xiao’s hand tightly, wishing I could transmit the thoughts directly into his brain. Ling Xiao squeezed the back of my hand and nodded. “It’s okay. I understand.”
His face was drenched in sweat, and as he spoke, I could feel his ragged breath against my skin. For some reason, despite being a grown man, my heart skipped a beat and I felt a flush creep up my neck. I was led away by the guards in a bit of a daze.
The match resumed. Ling Xiao used his defense as bait, and Chainsaw, as expected, went all out on the offensive. Mid-bout, Chainsaw stripped off his outer shirt because of the heat, drawing roars from the crowd. However, this allowed Ling Xiao to see the state of his arms clearly—the veins on his right arm were bulging.
Once Chainsaw’s momentum started, he couldn't rein it in. His right side was glaringly exposed. Ling Xiao easily struck his right ribs three times. By then, Chainsaw finally realized his weakness and began to prioritize defending his right side. Every time Ling Xiao feinted an attack, Chainsaw would instinctively guard his right, which gave Ling Xiao even more openings. Now, Ling Xiao wasn't just hitting the ribs; he was landing touches all over. While a touch didn't mean an instant win, it was the key to securing the final victory.
Ling Xiao continued to play it safe, even sacrificing a few hits to his own body to keep his lead. I did the math; his touch count was still ahead, proving he was keeping a cool head throughout. Judging by Chainsaw’s current state of agitation, he likely thought he had cracked Ling Xiao’s strategy and was on the verge of a comeback.
I figured it was about time to wrap this up.
Ling Xiao’s blade once again aimed for Chainsaw’s right side. Chainsaw pulled back to parry—and he succeeded. I saw a flash of triumph in his eyes; he clearly thought he had Ling Xiao completely suppressed. At that moment, Ling Xiao’s masked face was exposed right in front of him. My heart tightened—that bastard hadn't forgotten about wanting to slash Ling Xiao’s face!
Ling Xiao had given up hits to his body before, but this time, he dangled the biggest bait of all. Chainsaw couldn't possibly pass it up. He lunged, his arm fully extended. The sudden, violent movement caused his overworked right arm to tremble, but he didn't even notice his form breaking.
What met him wasn't a falling mask, but his opponent’s blade, which had wound around his own like a silent viper in a lightning-fast counter-parry.
*Clang!*
The silver blade flew from Chainsaw’s spasming hand!
I doubt a disarming had ever happened in the history of these underground matches, because the entire arena went dead silent. However, the referee’s whistle soon signaled the end. If stepping out of bounds meant a loss, losing your weapon was an even clearer defeat. In a place with no rules, the ultimate rule was to render your opponent incapable of fighting. This wasn't a regular match where you could just pick up your sword and start over.
He won!
Overjoyed, I was about to rush up to embrace the victor when I was tackled from behind by an even more excited Concubine.
Sissy men are such a hassle! I peeled him off me and handed him over to the guy next to us. While the two of them—one big man and one small man—hugged in a frenzy of joy, I sprinted onto the stage. Ling Xiao was within my reach, but just then, Song Guo appeared out of nowhere, hovering around him with water and a towel.
Poor me, I ended up slamming right into Song the Pimp’s back. It was a bit awkward...
***
After the match, I accompanied Ling Xiao back to the dressing room. Although he wasn't seriously injured, he had taken several hits to the body. I helped him apply medicine, looking at the mix of new and old bruises on his back, unsure where to even start.
Ling Xiao suddenly asked, “Why aren't you talking?”
You have the nerve to ask? If I talk, I annoy you; if I don't, you wonder why. You’re so hard to please.
I said, “You definitely won't like what I have to say, so forget it.”
Ling Xiao tilted his head back slightly. “You want me to break the contract and stop fighting?”
Holy crap! I pointed at him from behind. “You said it, not me!”
For once, Ling Xiao didn't get angry. “...It’s not as simple as just wanting to break it.”
I thought to myself, *isn't it just a breach of contract fee? Don't you have that endorsement deal?* Before I could speak, there was a knock at the door. It was probably Song Guo again—that guy was like a ghost that wouldn't leave. I went to open the door, but to my surprise, it wasn't him.
“...President Li?”
Li Rui smiled at me, then looked past me at Ling Xiao. “Long time no see. Do you still remember me?”
I looked back and forth between the two of them. Good grief, you guys *do* know each other! And the atmosphere was incredibly eerie. Especially Ling Xiao—the way he looked at Li Rui was colder than the way he looked at Chainsaw. If I were Li Rui, I’d have packed my bags and run by now.
Sure enough, a second later, Ling Xiao’s voice rang out, cold as ice:
“Qiao Mai, go wait for me outside.”
***
I was kicked out by Ling Xiao. Although I was curious, I knew better than to cross him when he was in a mood. Seeing as their reunion wouldn't be over anytime soon, I took the Concubine’s car down to the foot of the mountain and bought some food at that ramen shop. The Concubine kindly asked if I needed a ride back up, but I declined, saying I’d walk.
“That’s a twenty-minute walk...”
“I expect they’ll be talking for a while. Ling Xiao definitely doesn't want me to overhear. I already have a 'criminal record' with him; I need to know my place,” I said.
“Tsk, tsk. You haven't even made it official yet, and you’re already acting like a devoted lapdog. I’m glad I didn't fall for you.”
“What lapdog? This is called being the ultimate devoted boyfriend! But I’m so curious how President Li and Ling Xiao know each other...”
“President Li? I heard he used to fence. Maybe they met back then,” the Concubine said, then frowned. “But that doesn't seem right. Ling Xiao would have been so young back then; they couldn't have been in the same class.”
Though my mind was full of questions, I was in an unusually good mood. I hiked up the mountain carrying the snacks, my steps light. The night breeze felt refreshing, and I didn't feel tired at all. When I arrived, Li Rui was just getting into his car, appearing unscathed. Ling Xiao stood by the roadside like a perfect iceberg, his expression unreadable from any angle. I couldn't tell what he felt toward Li Rui—acquaintance, friend, or enemy? Anything seemed possible.
Li Rui still gave me a friendly nod and a smile. The man had "peach blossom eyes"—the kind of charming gaze that could make someone swoon. But it didn't work on me; I was already drunk on someone else.
Li Rui got into the car. Before leaving, he said to Ling Xiao, “Think about what I said. Contact me whenever you’ve made up your mind.”
Ling Xiao only stared at him, not uttering a single word. He was incredibly cold.
I started to wave goodbye to the luxury car, but Ling Xiao caught my hand mid-air and turned to walk away. He looked displeased, as if the conversation with Li Rui hadn't gone well. There was no escaping it—if they weren't enemies, there was definitely some bad blood between them.
“What did you buy?” Ling Xiao asked absentmindedly.
I lifted the bag and opened it. “I got gyoza from that ramen shop, and some other snacks.”
“Sushi, beer, fried chicken,” Ling Xiao muttered, peering into the bag. “Why do you like fried food so much?”
“We can’t get it at the base. Chicken is fine, as long as it’s not pork. You don't like it? I also bought rice balls and sushi from the shop...”
Ling Xiao frowned at the bag in my hand, as if calculating the calories and fat content. Now that the underground match was over, he had reverted to his impeccable Team Captain persona. I was worried he might make me throw it all away, so I cautiously pulled the bag back. He finally glanced at me and said, quite reluctantly, “Let’s find a place to sit and eat.”
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 电锯 | Chainsaw | The ring name of Ling Xiao's opponent. |
| 骑士 | Knight | Ling Xiao's ring name in the underground matches. |
| 中剑数 | Touch count / Number of hits | The number of times a fencer successfully hits their opponent. |
| 二十四孝模范男友 | The ultimate devoted boyfriend | Literally "Twenty-four Filial Exemplars model boyfriend," used to describe a partner who is extremely attentive and doting. |
| 宋拉皮条 | Song the Pimp | Qiao Mai's derogatory nickname for Song Guo, implying he "pimps out" the fencers for these matches. |
| 桃花眼 | Peach blossom eyes | A term for eyes that look watery and flirtatious, often associated with someone who is naturally charming or attractive to the opposite sex. |
