Chapter 100
The withdrawal of Lan Yuanzhou undoubtedly pushed Lu Jingning back into the center of attention. However, it was obvious that none of this had any effect on his mood. Gossiping carelessly, who cares?
The upcoming matches proceeded smoothly, and after a few days, the day of the finals finally arrived. To be honest, Lu Jingning had serious doubts that the tournament committee had manipulated the event’s arrangements secretly. Otherwise, why had he and Wen Xingchen never crossed paths until now, marching together onto the final stage?
Not that this result was bad. Regardless of who won or lost, the Imperial Navy had already secured the ultimate prize. However, Lu Jingning couldn’t help but ponder a substantial question – who was stronger between him and Wen Xingchen?
Looking back on their journey, it seemed they had never truly faced off against each other. Driven by curiosity, Lu Jingning felt a certain eagerness, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of worry. After all, facing Wen Xingchen’s face, he wasn’t sure if he could bring himself to go all out.
On Wen Xingchen’s side, there was obviously a similar concern, but he had an even more pressing issue to deal with – the agreement between him and Lu Jiyan, the eldest of the Lu family.
Being human is indeed difficult. Compared to the two main parties, the fans of the Tournament seemed to have more fantasies about the upcoming finals. The topic thread about Morning Scenery couple officially meeting on the stage had already raised multiple towers. As other supporters of the contestants gradually withdrew, it seemed like a trend of dominance had emerged in the league’s forums.
The typical thread titles were something like, “Surprise! Former lovers set to battle on stage. What’s the reason?!” or “Place your bets! Who is the ultimate champion? Let the gambling begin!” There were also posts like “How can we watch Lu-ge, he’s too adorable to fight against Lu-lu,” and “Refusing to watch domestic violence on stage; this is the last stubbornness of Morning Scenery shippers!” The comment section was buzzing.
I feel like this year’s finals are extraordinary. Not only will the final champion be decided, but also the final family status!
[Hahaha, what nonsense is the person above saying?]
[It might be a massive domestic violence scene, but strangely, I’m looking forward to it. What’s going to happen?]
[Will there br an internal fight between the couple? Do you really think they will be able to make it together?]
[They’re a couple after all, how could they fight each other? They are just going on stage to put on a show, it’s an exhibition match, you know?]
[With so many eyes watching, they can’t just fake it. Will they still respect the rules of the competition?]
[Who knows? If you had to fight your spouse on stage, would you dare to do it?]
[What you said makes sense; I’m really scared…]
As for the main characters themselves, Lu Jingning and Wen Xingchen, they were sitting shoulder to shoulder on the couch, eating potato chips. Lu Jingning casually popped a cucumber-flavored chip into his mouth and, while chewing, made a crisp, “Crunch, crunch,” sound.
He flipped through the forum posts and, tilting his head, asked with a playful smile, “What do you think, Wen-ge? Should we have a little fun together?”
Although his tone was clearly joking, Wen Xingchen took a moment to seriously consider it and replied, “Maybe.”
Lu Jingning stared at him for a while, trying to read his expression, which revealed nothing. Then, he grinned, “On another note, is that agreement you made with my big brother related to this Tournament?”
Since Lu Jiyan had visited them, Lu Jingning had never mentioned the “secret” between the two of them. But just because he hadn’t mentioned it didn’t mean he hadn’t been thinking about it all this time. After thorough consideration, he had nearly pieced the puzzle together, and the result was quite close to the truth.
Wen Xingchen, surprised that his secret was suddenly exposed, showed a hint of shock in his expression, but it quickly faded away. He reached for his cup, took a sip, and asked noncommittally, “What do you plan to do?”
“To be honest, I’m really curious about my boyfriend’s true strength,” Lu Jingning said, his fingertip lightly playing with a strand of Wen Xingchen’s hair, forming a faint smile. “How about we support each other?”
His eyes were exceptionally bright when he spoke, full of excitement for the upcoming match. Wen Xingchen watched him quietly, feeling that he had been needlessly agitated these past few days. In the few words spoken by Lu Jingning, his worries seemed to dissipate, and he couldn’t help but smile, saying, “Alright, let’s support each other.”
…
Amidst great anticipation, the day of the Tournament’s final match finally arrived.
The opposing sides featured Lu Jingning, an Omega who was a formidable combatant and a rising star in the world of idols, and Wen Xingchen, who had charmed countless Omegas with his extraordinary strength.
Of course, these descriptions weren’t the focus. In this match, what everyone truly anticipated wasn’t who would ultimately win the championship, but how the Xing-Jing couple, this couple, would behave on stage – would they love each other or try to kill each other.
It was too damn exciting!
After so many editions of the Bounty League, for the first time, there was a unique and thrilling aspect, and everyone was looking forward to it.
The two competitors who were about to enter the stage were currently in the waiting area. Wen Xingchen handed a bottle of water to Lu Jingning and asked, “Thirsty? Want some?”
Lu Jingning took the bottle but glanced at him, saying, “Wen-ge, remember, we are opponents. Opponents, got it? Can you be more serious?”
Wen Xingchen chuckled and said, “Yes, we should be more serious.” After a slight pause, he suddenly suggested, “So, who do you think will win? Want to make a bet?”
“Of course, I’ll win!” Lu Jingning replied confidently without hesitation. “What do you want to bet on? You name it!”
Wen Xingchen thought for a moment and said, “How about this: if you win, I’ll let you kiss me, and if I win, you’ll let me kiss you.”
Lu Jingning’s response was a resounding “….”
This was truly a shameless bet.
At the same time, the two individuals waiting outside the arena were also engaged in a similar exchange.
“Another bet?” Wen Ye asked when he heard the suggestion from Bian Yunlin. He looked at him with a puzzled expression and said, “You seem to be unusually interested in making bets lately. You’re about to join the military, and getting into the habit of gambling isn’t a good idea.”
Bian Yunlin hesitated for a moment and then smiled, “Don’t worry, it’s just because of the Bounty League recently. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Wen Ye accepted the answer and asked, “So, what do you want to bet on?”
“I recall that your uncle mentioned arranging a blind date for you, right?” Bian Yunlin smiled slightly. “How about this: if you guess wrong, you let me introduce you to a blind date, and if I guess wrong, you get to introduce one to me. How about that?”
“….” Wen Ye’s face seemed to display a question mark. What kind of bet was this?
Noticing his silence, Bian Yunlin asked, “Who do you think will win?”
Wen Ye pondered for a moment and replied, “Xingchen, I guess.”
Bian Yunlin noticed Wen Ye’s tone seemed to imply acceptance. He smiled with a softer curve to his lips and said, “Alright, I bet on Lu Jingning.”
His gaze casually passed over the introductory video on the big screen, and there was a subtle, ambiguous expression in his eyes.
Maybe it was because of some kind of intuition, but Lu Jingning, in the rest area, shivered suddenly without warning.
Wen Xingchen noticed his movement and asked with a bottle of water at his lips, “Feeling cold?”
“No, no.” Lu Jingning stretched his muscles in place and looked somewhat puzzled. “I don’t know why, but I suddenly felt a bit chilly, like someone was watching me.”
Wen Xingchen chuckled and asked, “Could it be that someone placed a curse on you, wagering on you to win the match or they’ll kill you?”
Lu Jingning couldn’t help but pause. “Don’t talk about it so superstitiously!”
Just as they were discussing this, a staff member knocked on the door and poked his head in, scanning between the two of them. “Uh… you two, it’s time to get ready for the match!”
Without waiting for their reaction, he turned and ran out, excitedly covering his face.
Ah, this was the Xing-Jing couple! Seeing them for real was better than hearing about them. He had finally seen them!!!
Lu Jingning took a moment to catch up with the rapidly spoken words. Were all staff members this irresponsible in their work nowadays?
…
In the live broadcast room, the audience, who had been eagerly waiting, finally saw the official start of the match.
The screen shifted after the short film ended, and the director switched the camera to the perspective from the virtual arena.
At this moment, you could see the two contestants on the stage. One held a rare metal whip, while the other still wielded the longsword from the previous duel with Bai Chen. They locked their gazes on each other, standing at a distance, neither taking any action.
A wave of screams surged through the venue, one wave higher than the next, almost reaching the sky.
The two on stage couldn’t hear the commotion outside, and at this moment, they were holding their breath, not making a move. It wasn’t that they couldn’t act, but rather, it was because they knew each other too well. When they had stepped onto the stage, they were uncertain about how to make their moves.
At least, in this match, they couldn’t release pheromones, or else… ahem, what should have been a dignified final could easily turn into an 18+ play scene before a live audience.
If they accidentally let their pheromones trigger each other’s deepest desires in front of the audience, it could lead to them rolling together. That would be extremely awkward!
So, tens of millions of viewers watched as the two of them struck various poses for quite some time. Finally, they saw them make a move.
Lu Jingning was slightly faster, and he cracked his whip.
Originally, from a very tricky angle, Wen Xingchen’s longsword was seen to rise, and in the instant it blocked Lu Jingning’s defense, it emitted a sharp collision sound. The next second, the sword’s edge shone like a rainbow, aiming to break through Lu Jingning’s defense from the side. Yet, the long whip came whistling, firmly coiling around the sword tip.
The two entangled weapons caused both of them to face each other in the arena for a long time. It wasn’t until Wen Xingchen suddenly exerted force, breaking the stalemate.
Lu Jingning, taken by surprise, was pulled forward, and his steps unconsciously moved, spinning a few times. He ended up colliding with a broad chest, firmly confined in an embrace.
However, this restraint didn’t last too long. Lu Jingning suddenly lifted a leg and swept it from below.
Wen Xingchen had been prepared for this and blocked the attack.
The two collided once more, both involuntarily stepping back a couple of paces, stopping on opposite sides of the arena, facing each other.
Through these intense exchanges, the situation was constantly changing.
All the spectators watched, but they were drawn into an inexplicable silence. Although the battle appeared genuinely intense, producing splendid sparks for a championship match, it felt strangely ambiguous. Perhaps it was because of the special relationship between the two, but the onlookers couldn’t help but sense a peculiar… s3xual tension.
So, where was the massive domestic violence scene they were promised?
Looking at the way they were exchanging punches and kicks on the stage, it seemed more like a flirtatious exchange. The audience was left puzzled, and they collectively thought, “Woof woof woof???”
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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