Chapter 27: The Battle Continues (Part 2)


    “Who’s causing trouble here? Step forward!” Kael demanded, his face dark as he glared at Han Ming and Li Chengfeng. His eyes, however, were fixed on Li Chengfeng. In his mind, the troublemaker had to be Li Chengfeng. The moment he laid eyes on him, he sensed an imposing aura. It was no wonder his men had been defeated. After all, how many people in a border city like Wildlands could reach the level of a grand warrior? As for Han Ming, Kael completely dismissed him. In his eyes, Han Ming was nothing more than a weakling, incapable of even harming a chicken.


    To Kael’s surprise, it wasn’t Li Chengfeng who stepped forward, but the “weakling” he had ignored.


    “First, let me correct you. I’m not the one causing trouble,” Han Ming said with a faint smile.


    Kael immediately felt a sense of relief. *Of course, it couldn’t be you.* But his expression darkened further. If it wasn’t you, why are you stepping forward? Are you trying to make a fool of me in front of all these people? He was certain that very few in Wildlands would dare to mock him openly, and Han Ming certainly wasn’t one of them.


    Han Ming paused, then continued, “The ones causing trouble aren’t me—it’s your men. If you’re looking for the person who injured your subordinates, then yes, that would be me.”


    “You?” Kael looked at Han Ming skeptically, then glanced at Li Chengfeng, who was still sitting leisurely nearby. His face was filled with disbelief.


    Seeing that Li Chengfeng showed no reaction, Kael nodded. “Fine. Show me what you’ve got. Let’s see if you have the right to be so arrogant.”


    Han Ming chuckled. “Aren’t you going to ask what happened?”


    Kael shook his head. “Is there any need? No matter the reason, you openly defied the military. There’s only one outcome: either you come with me willingly, or I force you to come. But now I’ve changed my mind. Even if you kneel and beg for mercy, I won’t let you leave this hall on your own two feet.”


    Han Ming laughed heartily. “Well said! Birds of a feather indeed, equally unreasonable! I told your men earlier: I’m a reasonable man, but if you refuse to reason with me, I’ll be even more unreasonable than you! Consider this my gift to you as well!”


    “Such arrogance!” Kael’s hands trembled with anger as he drew his sword. A surge of powerful battle aura erupted from his body, instantly filling the hall with an oppressive pressure. Everyone quickly backed away, leaving a large circular space in the center of the room. The mercenaries pressed themselves against the walls to watch, while the nobles sauntered in and took seats near the entrance, smirking with amusement. Kael’s battle aura was on a completely different level compared to his subordinates.


    “How many rounds do you think that skinny kid can last?” one wealthy onlooker asked.


    “The one sitting down seems more promising. The one standing? No chance.”


    “I disagree. If he dares to step forward, he must have some skill. Care to make a bet?”


    “Sure! I bet he won’t last a single round against Kael. Five hundred gold coins!”


    The man who had faith in Han Ming smiled. “I bet he’ll last ten rounds. Five hundred gold coins.”


    Soon, the upper-class spectators had started a betting pool. Even the most optimistic bettors didn’t believe Han Ming could last more than ten rounds. The question wasn’t whether Han Ming could win—it was whether he could survive ten rounds.


    “Kid, make your move!” Kael said. In front of so many people, he didn’t want to be accused of bullying a weakling. Whether he won or lost, this fight wouldn’t reflect well on him. If he won, people would say he had picked on someone weaker. If he lost, it would be even more humiliating. To salvage a shred of dignity, he decided to act like a true expert and let Han Ming strike first.


    Han Ming understood Kael’s thoughts perfectly. Seeing that Kael had assumed a stance that suggested he wouldn’t dodge, Han Ming decided to play along. *You want me to strike first? Fine. You want to save face? I’ll make sure you lose it.*


    Just as everyone expected Han Ming to attack, they were surprised to see him turn and pick up an empty bowl. He slowly poured wine from the barrel into the bowl, then turned and walked toward Kael.


    Even Kael was baffled. *What is this kid doing? Is he offering me a drink? What kind of act is this?*


    Han Ming smiled as he approached Kael and extended his right hand.


    Kael stared at Han Ming’s outstretched hand, unsure of what to do. *A handshake?* Without thinking too much, he extended his own hand and clasped Han Ming’s. *This kid is full of nonsense,* he thought, but as an elder, he couldn’t afford to be rude.


    To Kael’s shock, the moment their hands met, Han Ming’s grip tightened with astonishing strength. *How is this kid so strong?!* Kael tried to pull away, but he couldn’t break free.


    With Kael immobilized, Han Ming raised his left hand and, in full view of everyone, splashed the wine in Kael’s face.


    No one had expected such a move. The entire hall erupted in laughter.


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    Han Ming quickly stepped back, smiling. “As you requested, I made the first move.”


    *Pfft!*


    Li Chengfeng couldn’t hold back and spat out the wine he had just sipped. *This kid is ruthless. But I like it.*


    Kael’s face turned beet red with rage. Letting out a furious roar, he charged at Han Ming, abandoning all pretense of dignity. He unleashed his full power, determined to crush Han Ming.


    Han Ming, however, was ready. With his right hand, he deflected Kael’s blade, while his left swung the wine barrel toward Kael’s head.


    Kael’s eyes widened in panic. *First the wine, now the whole barrel?!* He raised his arm to block, but it was a feint. Han Ming’s foot shot out, landing a solid kick between Kael’s legs.


    Even with his battle aura protecting him, Kael couldn’t withstand the pain. He doubled over, clutching his groin, his body trembling violently. *What a dirty move!* Han Ming had known from the moment he saw Kael’s battle aura that his own strength was only slightly superior. A prolonged fight would be exhausting. When Kael had invited him to strike first, Han Ming had already planned this series of underhanded tactics. *You want dignity? Dignity isn’t given—it’s earned.*


    The hall erupted in even louder laughter. Some people were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.


    “Ha… how many rounds was that?”


    “Haha, hold on, let me catch my breath. Kael’s really lost face this time. Haha!” The man was laughing so hard he couldn’t even keep count.


    Seizing the opportunity, Han Ming aimed a heavy punch at Kael’s head. If it landed, Kael’s skull would likely explode like a watermelon. But just as the punch was about to connect, a hand yanked Kael back, and a fist met Han Ming’s with a thunderous crash.


    The impact sent Han Ming stumbling back several steps, his arm numb from the force. The man who had saved Kael only swayed slightly, taking half a step back.


    *This guy is strong,* Han Ming thought, shaking his tingling arm. His expression turned serious. Anyone who could send him reeling with a single punch had to be at the level of a War Madness expert.


    The man who had rescued Kael was none other than Baldur, the commander of Wildlands’ garrison. He, too, was shocked. This skinny kid, who didn’t even use battle aura, had managed to withstand his punch with only a few steps back. Baldur himself had been forced to take half a step. As a first-rank War Madness expert known for his immense strength, Baldur was arguably the most powerful person in Wildlands.


    Baldur had no idea what had led to this confrontation. He had only been informed that several of his men had been injured, and the incident had caused quite a stir in Wildlands. To prevent further escalation, he had come personally. He had expected to face a powerful outsider, but instead, he found Kael clutching his groin in pain, while his opponent was a young man.


    “Such underhanded tactics!” Baldur glared at Han Ming, his anger rising. Regardless of the circumstances, humiliating a deputy commander in front of so many people was going too far.


    Han Ming licked his lips and smirked. “Likewise.”


    Baldur nodded. “Then let me see what you’re truly capable of.” He didn’t understand what Han Ming meant by “likewise,” nor did he care. Today’s humiliation had to be avenged. At the same time, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration. For someone so young to possess such strength was remarkable. If he could subdue Han Ming and recruit him into the military, this incident could be framed as an internal dispute, saving face for everyone. With that in mind, Baldur unleashed his full power, his third-rank War Madness battle aura surging forth.


    Unaware of Baldur’s thoughts, Han Ming assumed he was just another unreasonable brute. Without hesitation, he kicked a stone stool toward Baldur.


    “Well done!” Baldur shouted, smashing the stool with a single punch. He charged at Han Ming, his right fist aimed at Han Ming’s chest.


    Han Ming quickly blocked the punch, but the impact sent a numbing shock through his arm. He was stunned. In terms of raw strength, Baldur wasn’t significantly stronger than him. If Han Ming removed his weighted accessories, he might even surpass Baldur. But from the moment they clashed, Han Ming realized that Baldur’s battle aura was the real threat. It was the reason he had been forced back earlier and why his arm was now numb.


    *Is battle aura really this powerful?*


    Despite his shock, Han Ming didn’t hesitate. He met Baldur’s attacks head-on, trading blow for blow. The two fought fiercely, neither backing down. In just twenty exchanges, both were astonished.


    Han Ming was amazed by Baldur’s combat experience, which far surpassed his own. Combined with Baldur’s third-rank War Madness battle aura, Han Ming found himself on the defensive. Even when he managed to land a punch, it only produced a dull thud against Baldur’s protective aura, failing to cause any real damage.


    Baldur, on the other hand, was stunned by Han Ming’s raw strength and resilience. Several times, Han Ming’s punches had nearly shattered his battle aura. This kid was fighting him purely with physical strength, yet he showed no signs of injury. In fact, he seemed to grow more ferocious with each exchange.


    The spectators were equally shocked. Everyone in the hall, including the nobles, stared in disbelief. *Who is this skinny kid?* They all knew how powerful Baldur was. In Wildlands, if Baldur claimed to be second, no one dared to claim first. Yet this young man was holding his own against Baldur. If he ever learned to use battle aura, the possibilities were unimaginable. *A true hero among the young!*


    Even Li Chengfeng, who knew Han Ming was strong, was astounded. *If it were me facing Baldur, I wouldn’t last two rounds.* As a fourth-rank grand warrior, Li Chengfeng was well aware of the vast gap between ranks. The higher the rank, the more pronounced the difference. Facing someone a full rank above him was a hopeless situation. Yet Han Ming had completely shattered his understanding of rank disparities. Han Ming didn’t even use battle aura. *How did he train to become this strong?* Li Chengfeng couldn’t help but feel a pang of inadequacy. He had always been hailed as a martial prodigy, but compared to Han Ming, he felt like an amateur. But Li Chengfeng was a straightforward man. The moment this feeling arose, he dismissed it. *There’s always someone better. I won’t belittle myself because of him—especially when I admire him.*


    Han Ming and Baldur, however, were too focused on their fight to notice the crowd’s reactions. Baldur, using his full strength, landed a punch on Han Ming’s right shoulder, sending him stumbling back with a mouthful of blood. But Han Ming retaliated with a kick that forced Baldur to take half a step back, nearly losing his balance.


    Han Ming wiped the blood from his lips. *It seems I’ll have to go all out.* Even if he removed his weighted accessories, he could only last a few hundred rounds at most before being severely injured. Strength alone wasn’t enough. His combat experience paled in comparison to Baldur’s, and the opponent’s battle aura was simply too overwhelming. *If only I had battle aura… With my strength, I could definitely take him down.*


    *Battle aura… What a mysterious power…*


    “Stop!”


    Just as Han Ming was about to remove his accessories, Li Chengfeng’s voice interrupted him.


    “Uncle Baldur, congratulations on advancing to War Madness. It’s been so long. How have you been?”


    “You brat! You finally remembered your Uncle Baldur!”


    Han Ming stared in disbelief as Li Chengfeng walked over to Baldur and the two men shook hands, then embraced.


    *What the…? These two know each other?!*