Now that everything was out in the open, Jason Luo saw no need to make more trouble for Charmu. VADA wouldn’t let him off the hook anyway—a formal complaint alone would be enough to make him suffer...
After regrouping with Mr. Rod, the team wasted no time and hurried back to Chicago.
Once they boarded the plane, everyone finally felt at ease. Rod, still full of curiosity, asked, “Jason, what kind of background does your friend have? You didn’t see it—the manager was practically bowing and groveling when we left! Not only did he refund all our money, he even tried to give us an extra hundred grand as compensation!”
Jason Luo was surprised. “Did you take it?”
Harold Huo shook his head repeatedly. “How could I? Just being able to get this idiot out safely is already a blessing. We’re not the kind to profit off others’ misfortune.”
Jason Luo nodded. “That’s the best choice. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. With people like that, it’s better to cut ties cleanly—no strings attached.”
Harold Huo glared at Tony. “You brat, listen to him! Do you have any idea what kind of risks Jason’s whole family took to pull you out of this mess? You’ve completely embarrassed me this time!”
Tony hung his head, looking like a child being scolded, too ashamed to say a word.
Jason Luo quickly spoke up for him. “Uncle Huo, Tony got dragged into this because of me. I should be thanking him! Tony, you’d rather get caught than sell me out—for that alone, we’ll be brothers for life!”
Tony gave a wry smile. “Jason, thanks for still calling me your brother. This mess was my fault—I wasn’t thinking straight. But when they wanted me to drug you, no way! I’ve watched you fight your way up step by step. Ruining your boxing career would be the same as ending your life. I just... couldn’t do it.”
“That’s more like it!” Jason Luo leaned over and wrapped his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “When brothers stand together, nothing can break them! Don’t worry, I’ve got a solid idea. Once I get through this rough stretch, we’ll start something of our own and make it big.”
“Really? Tell me!”
“Not yet—the timing isn’t right. We’ve got to make sure Mr. Rod doesn’t steal our idea...”
A few light-hearted exchanges eased the tension. The crisis seemed to have passed for now. On the plane, Jason Luo finally had a moment to check his system notifications—things had been too intense lately.
First came the message from his fight with Tomio:
“Ding! Congratulations on your victory in an official match. The Greedy Wolf talent has automatically extracted the following superior attributes from your opponent: Strength +1, Stamina +2, Boxing Technique +3, Footwork +2, Punch Speed +1, Coordination +2, Jab Power +2, Vitality +1. Please review promptly.”
Only 15 points in total—Tomio was about the same level as Charlison, still a bit behind Siham.
Scrolling down—
“Ding! You defeated a gunner in combat. The Greedy Wolf talent has automatically extracted the following attributes: Strength +1, Grappling +2, Shooting Accuracy +2, Firearm Proficiency +3. Note: Attributes unrelated to the main system will not be displayed.”
“Ding! You defeated a novice free fighter... Extracted: Coordination +1, Waist Strength +1, Knee Techniques +2, Takedown Skills +2, Firearm Proficiency +1...”
He hadn’t expected beating up those two bodyguards to yield any rewards, but it turned out they had more than just gun skills—some fighting experience too.
Too bad the boxing organizations were so strict, not even allowing underground fights. Otherwise, with the Greedy Wolf talent, farming rookies could’ve been a decent grind. But clearly, that wasn’t realistic.
Jason Luo pulled himself back to the moment. He’d made his stance clear with Tutkason—now the question was, what would Tutkason do next?
Still, as long as the man kept his word—no dirty tricks, no targeting family—Jason Luo had nothing to fear. Sooner or later, they’d have to face each other anyway.
This whole ordeal had only been resolved thanks to Catherine stepping in. Without her, they wouldn’t have even gotten past the casino, let alone trapped that old fox Charmu. But who exactly was she?
He’d thought she was just a rich girl, but her influence clearly ran far deeper than he imagined. The realization left him uneasy. Even though he was on the verge of becoming a champion, the gap between him and the true upper class was still vast.
Could there really be a future between him and Catherine? He didn’t dare to think too far. Their different upbringings, family backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs would inevitably lead to clashes. Catherine probably hadn’t thought about any of that; maybe she was just intrigued for the moment...
Still, she was a good person—generous, lively, sincere, and loyal. Sometimes mischievous, sometimes fiery, but all in all, Jason Luo admired her deeply.
Ah... love was always the hardest thing to figure out. He’d deal with it later. Maybe Catherine was just testing him anyway.
Back in Chicago, Jason Luo immediately called Catherine, explaining everything in detail and thanking her earnestly.
“No big deal! You think they call me the New Jersey Princess for nothing? Who would’ve guessed Tutkason was behind all this? Hmph! I won’t let him off easy. Just wait—I’ll have someone warn him right now. Unless he plans to never step foot in the U.S. again!”
“No, no, Catherine. I told you this because I trust you as a friend, but this is something I need to handle myself. You’ve already done so much for me, and I’m truly grateful—but I can’t rely on others every time something happens. That’s just not who I am.”
“Heh, alright, I get it. But how are you planning to thank me this time? My idol, Tom Brady, is coming to town in a few days. I want you to come with me to watch the game. Deal?”
“Uh... sorry, Catherine. I can’t promise anything yet. Things are really sensitive right now. I might get a shot at the championship soon—you know how important that is. If it happens, I’ll have to focus on training. But if there’s no update, I’ll definitely go with you.”
“Oh, never mind then! I’ll be happier if you become champion anyway. You know why... Good luck, dear! I’m rooting for you!”
“Thanks...”
...
All the recent chaos had disrupted Jason Luo’s training rhythm. After returning to Chicago, he quickly got back on track. But Coach Brown told him that David Morell still hadn’t made a move in the past two days. Could it be that he’d seen through Jason’s act?
Just as everyone was speculating, Morell’s challenge letter finally arrived!
The ever-cautious David Morell had watched Jason Luo’s last match in person. At first, Jason’s poor performance filled him with confidence—but after learning it was due to special circumstances, he began to waver.
Back home, his coaching team analyzed the situation repeatedly and concluded that this fight was unavoidable. And since Jason was currently in a rough patch, this might be Morell’s best chance!
With that in mind, Morell quickly issued a formal challenge, setting a tight schedule—demanding the fight take place within half a month, and requiring a rematch clause in the contract. Otherwise, they’d withdraw the challenge altogether...
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