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Shawn Young knew little about the people of the underworld, so naturally he had no idea who the "Ghost-Hand Gambling Sage" was. But Simon Bai, standing nearby, suddenly widened his eyes in shock and stammered, "Ah! Gh—Ghost-Hand Gambling Sage! You—you’re actually the legendary Ghost-Hand Gambling Sage, Zach Chow!"
"Heh heh—indeed, that's me. But—after witnessing this young man's skills today, I truly understand what it means by 'there’s always someone better out there!' Although this young man isn’t from the gambling world, I believe with his abilities, making a name for himself would be a piece of cake! But I think this young man is a dragon among men, destined for greater things, and perhaps his ambitions aren’t in the underworld!" Zach Chow was humble, giving Shawn Young a thorough round of praise.
As soon as Zach Chow finished speaking, a deep male voice laughed from behind him: "Heh heh heh—what a surprise, truly unexpected! To think that someone as proud and talented as the Ghost-Hand Gambling Sage would look at this young man with such respect! Interesting! Very interesting!"
Shawn Young followed the voice and saw a middle-aged man walk out, dressed in a white Tang suit, with a square face, big ears, an air of wealth, short and stocky, and bald. Needless to say, this was the secret boss of the New Orient Hotel—Martin Yang!
Behind Martin Yang was a burly man in a black suit, with high, prominent cheekbones and a fierce look on his face. He was silent, like a black-faced Gatekeeper come to life, and strode toward the front door. Only now did Shawn Young get a good look at Martin Yang up close—his eyes were sharp and full of energy, his temples slightly raised, and he walked with the stride of a dragon or tiger, clearly possessing impressive internal martial arts skills!
No sooner had Martin Yang stopped in front of Shawn Young than the black-faced man behind him was already glaring at Shawn, impatiently saying to Martin Yang in heavily Cantonese-accented Mandarin, "Boss, since Mr. Chow says he’s a master, I—I’d like to spar with this kid!"
"Enough—Gatekeeper! This young man is my guest now! Don’t mess around!" Martin Yang frowned and snapped coldly at the black-faced man.
"Uh—forget it then!" The black-faced man could only glare at Shawn Young and grumble reluctantly.
Unexpectedly, Shawn Young spoke up to the black-faced man, "Heh heh—hey, buddy, are your fists itching? Coincidentally, I haven’t had a good workout in days. If you want to try your luck, I’ll play along! But if I hit a bit too hard, don’t blame me!"
The black-faced man’s expression lit up with joy. Before Martin Yang could stop him, he leapt in front of Shawn Young, clasped his fists, and announced loudly, "Heh heh—I'm Hugh Barron from Kowloon, Hong Kong. Folks in the underworld call me Gatekeeper. I've spent years mastering the Thirteen Protectors Iron Body technique and the Hung Society Iron Wire Fist. I love sparring with fellow martial arts enthusiasts. Now, tell me your name!"
Shawn Young wasn’t familiar with all these martial arts rituals, so he scratched his head awkwardly and mimicked Gatekeeper Hugh Barron’s greeting. "I’m Shawn Young, uh—no fancy nickname, and I’m not even sure what kind of martial arts I practice! But since you want to play, I’ll risk my life to entertain you!"
"Hmm—Boss, does this count?!" Gatekeeper was momentarily stunned, then couldn’t help turning to Martin Yang and asking in Cantonese.
"Oh, just go with the flow!" Martin Yang shrugged nonchalantly, clearly wanting Gatekeeper Hugh Barron to test Shawn Young’s skills.
"Alright, then I won’t hold back!" Gatekeeper Hugh Barron might seem rough on the surface, but he’s actually sharp. He understood Martin Yang’s intentions right away.
"Hmph—trying to probe my background! Not so easy!" Shawn Young smirked to himself, fully aware of their intentions. He stood with his feet apart, eyes narrowed, and looked at Gatekeeper Hugh Barron with a relaxed expression.
Gatekeeper Hugh Barron paused for a moment, a surge of energy rising within him. His muscular frame trembled, hands clenched into fists, and his knuckles crackled menacingly. Like a hungry tiger leaving its mountain lair, his aura was overwhelming. He powered up his Iron Body technique, then with a roar, planted his right fist forward and left fist back, rooted in a solid horse stance, and unleashed a 'Tiger's Heart Punch' straight at Shawn Young’s chest. The speed and power were truly astonishing.
Shawn Young raised his eyebrow, casually flicked his left hand, and neutralized the ferocious punch with ease. Gatekeeper was a bit surprised, but quickly stepped into the center position and launched a 'Skyfire Uppercut' at Shawn’s face. The attack was suddenly much fiercer in power, speed, and angle!
Shawn Young simply lifted his left hand and used a common military boxing block—"Bang!"—perfectly deflecting the attack and instantly dispersing its force. Gatekeeper Hugh Barron was genuinely shocked. Although these first two moves were just tests, he’d never met anyone who could so effortlessly neutralize his attacks.
Gatekeeper Hugh Barron gathered his strength, let out a strange roar, and darted forward with a bizarre move—switching from fists to elbows, he unleashed his ultimate technique, 'Tiger’s Charge,' aiming straight for Shawn Young’s throat like a lightning bolt. With the two men so close, this was one of Gatekeeper’s killer moves, packing terrifying destructive power.
As soon as Gatekeeper Hugh Barron unleashed his move, Rainie Bai—who didn’t understand martial arts but could still sense the danger—screamed in fright, "Ah!!"
Even Martin Yang and Zach Chow frowned at the sight, but Shawn Young just sneered, pressed his hands together, and pushed down—"Boom!" With a muffled thud, he instantly neutralized the 'Tiger’s Charge.' Before Gatekeeper Hugh Barron could retreat, Shawn Young darted forward, his hands flashing like lightning—
"Boom—boom—" Two heavy thuds followed. Gatekeeper Hugh Barron barely registered Shawn Young’s movements before feeling as if his chest had been struck by lightning—a terrifying force pierced straight through his lungs. In a flash, he took two hits, and his burly body flew backward like a snapped kite, crashing into the room’s wall and knocking over a rosewood table. He landed face-up, struggling desperately, only to find the energy in his dantian shattered by a strange, overwhelming force. His Iron Body technique was broken, his bones felt disjointed, and not only was the pain unbearable, he couldn’t even stand up. All he could do was lie on his back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, gasping for breath.
"Ah! Flash Strike Force!" Martin Yang exclaimed in shock, having seen it clearly.
"Uh—wait, is that the legendary Triple Fist Lightning Strike?!" Even Zach Chow’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Heh heh—you two have sharp eyes. That’s exactly Flash Strike Force!" Shawn Young laughed and clapped his hands after sending Gatekeeper Hugh Barron flying.
"Ah—Gatekeeper, is he... is he still alive?" Martin Yang couldn’t help but ask worriedly.
"Oh, relax! I only used half my strength. He’s protected by his Iron Body technique—he won’t die, but he might need to lie down for about three months!" Shawn Young replied casually.
"Oh! Then I’ll thank you on Gatekeeper’s behalf for sparing his life! By the way, may I ask—what’s your relationship with Grandmaster Owen Yuan?" Martin Yang’s tone became much more respectful.
"Oh, Master Owen? He’s one of my teachers!" Shawn Young saw that Martin Yang had recognized his 'Flash Strike Force' and, knowing he couldn’t hide much, simply admitted it.