Chapter 820: Zeger’s Gladiator Game

Zeger held everything firmly in his grasp, just like a script, and this dominating pride grew stronger within him. He thoroughly enjoyed this thrill.

The Zeger henchman, ready to drag out Little Joy, constantly watched his boss’s expression, prepared for the command. At a single word, he would not hesitate to pull out the little boy and crush his bones under the heavy soles of his military boots.

“Your tone is quite annoying. I wouldn’t mind crushing this thing with my own hands. Worst case, we both walk away empty-handed. Mr. Zeger, you are clever; you surely wouldn’t want to leave here with nothing.”

Lin Mo’s face darkened as he pulled out the USB drive shaped like a key, flashing it in front of Zeger. This indeed caused Zeger’s breath to momentarily slow.

The Dragon Knight’s threat was not just empty; if he crushed the fragile storage chip inside the USB, the data would vanish from the world forever—no one, not even God, could retrieve it.

“Ha! Right, I am a smart man, and so are you. So let’s solve this like intelligent folks,” Zeger responded confidently. Despite the strong stance from the other side, everything was within his expectations. Zeger chuckled, revealing a sly grin like a cat playing with a mouse, and continued, “How about we play a game?”

As the president of the Igarashi Group’s subsidiary in America, Zeger, who prided himself on never making a miscalculation, had taken complete control of Tiger Energy—once reliant on the parent company for support—in just three months. He had turned it around swiftly, showcasing his exceptional capabilities.

To arrange today’s performance, he had prepared several plans that left no room for the other side to escape.

Thinking himself at the top of the food chain in the survival of the fittest jungle, Zeger delighted in using unexpected methods to toy with his prey, making the hunt all the more enjoyable, satisfying his pathological psyche.

He would not hesitate to swallow his prey whole once they had exhausted their last spark of entertainment value, ending the delightful game.

“What kind of game?”

Lin Mo replied in a low voice. He found himself at a disadvantage, able only to react to each move and awaiting Zeger’s decision.

Since he abandoned the idea of slaughtering everyone, he needed to find a way to save Bob’s family, willing to compromise for their safety.

As for the two agents, the Dragon Knight was powerless to help them.

“Gladiators! To be precise, it’s a gladiatorial arena,” Zeger said with a mischievous smile, snapping his fingers effortlessly. With his looks and physique, every movement exuded a masculine aura. He was rich in wisdom, strength, wealth, and status, making him a natural at social gatherings.

If any women were present, they would surely be captivated and entranced by Zeger’s demeanor.

“Gladiators?”

Lin Mo furrowed his brows.

Zeger’s smile widened, confident that no matter how brave one was, they would fall into his grasp and be toyed with at his will.

Due to differing worldviews, Zeger miscalculated; he had not anticipated that Morin’s current mindset was entirely different from his predictions.

The word "gladiators" was familiar to Lin Mo, as the Dragon Knight’s youth training camp functioned like a living gladiatorial arena.

Almost all potential Dragon Knights in the empire were gathered, thrown into this camp, notorious for its deadly training.

Nobles and commoners alike were treated equally in the face of harsh death counts.

The Dragon Knight was the strategic force of the entire empire; no one dared challenge this limit, not even the royal family.

After multiple eliminations, only a handful could become reserve Dragon Knights, and when the moment came to ignite the Soul Resonance, the true Dragon Knights who successfully signed the dragon deity contract with a Giant Dragon were even rarer than phoenix feathers.

For this reason, the Su Lan Empire held a significant focus on this special group of warriors.

Even a beggar or a slave could instantly ascend to nobility if they successfully signed the dragon deity contract, gaining a Giant Dragon as a battle partner, becoming a strategic protector and offensive force of the nation, thus enjoying glory and a prosperous life.

If enough war achievements were earned, that noble status could even be inherited and recognized by the country and the aristocracy, becoming a true noble family.

“What’s the matter? Afraid?”

Zeger smiled confidently, holding the hostage in his hands without fearing the other side’s refusal. “Since I want the Hydrogen-Oxygen Decomposition Tank technology, and you want it too, plus we each have part of it, why don’t we just put everything on the table as a bet? You enter the gladiatorial arena, and if you make it through, the technology will be yours. If you fail, well, I don’t think you have any power to oppose my claim on all the technical data. How does that sound?”

Making Lin Mo fight while he sat back and enjoyed the outcome? Zeger had a clever plan.

Lin Mo smiled coldly and replied, “You really have a good plan. I will enter the gladiatorial arena, but you should participate as well. Why don’t we have a one-on-one duel? Whoever wins takes the technology. Isn’t that simpler?”

The Dragon Knight was unwilling to fall for such a trap; Zeger was employing an overbearing tactic. Although Lin Mo did not see through Zeger’s true intentions, he felt something was off.

Zeger looked around, then laughed out loud, seeing through Lin Mo’s provocation. “Haha! Just take a look at the situation before us; you have no say in this. In a one-on-one duel, I might not even be your opponent, which wouldn’t be fair. Only in the gladiatorial arena can we find a worthy match for you. Don’t worry; I, Zeger, always keep my word, so you can go ahead with confidence.”

You’re fast and ruthless; so many people have fallen at your hand. I’m just a Kung Fu black belt. Only an idiot would duel you. Zeger wouldn’t fall for Lin Mo’s trick.

The Japanese man was correct; the current situation did not favor Lin Mo, but he hadn’t completely fallen into passivity. The fragile USB drive shaped like a key he held firmly in his grasp slightly turned the tide.

In Zeger’s ideal plan, he would force Lin Mo to hand over the USB drive and then kill everyone else. He would then throw Lin Mo into the bloody gladiatorial arena, with a few beautiful women and fine red wine nearby, savoring the wine and beauty while watching this poor martial artist get consumed by one wave of challenges after another. That would bring him great pleasure.

However, his perfect plan had shifted slightly but still remained within his control.

Even if Lin Mo offered the Hydrogen-Oxygen Decomposition Tank technical data as a bet, it wouldn’t change the final outcome.

Let’s not even mention the dozens of powerful underground fighters in the gladiatorial arena, who could take a life in an instant. He had also arranged his ultimate trump card the night before, a top-notch product from a military secret biological laboratory: number five.

Alone, it was impossible for anyone to stand against it, and he had obtained four of them—enough to easily wipe out an infantry battalion. No matter how powerful this Chinese man was, he could not escape, destined to be torn apart and devoured.

“Fine, it’s a deal, but you need to let Bob’s family go. They’re of no use to you now.”

Lin Mo, unable to find any openings, decided to turn the tables and play along. If he could also resolve Bob’s family’s peril, he was willing to step into the gladiatorial arena.

“No, no, no. I can’t let Bob’s family go for now, but I guarantee that as long as you participate in the gladiatorial arena and we have this ‘fair’ wager, my people will not harm them and will treat them politely. I promise not to hurt a single hair on their heads, but of course, this is under the condition you cooperate,” Zeger said with a smug smile, knowing that martial artists in China often valued their promises. Once he got them into this trap, he could sit back and enjoy the show.

This day was turning out to be quite amusing.

“Alright!”

Lin Mo remained expressionless, ensuring this sly Japanese man wouldn’t see through him.

“Excellent! Truly a hero who stands by their word—one that once given, cannot be taken back. Please forgive my slight rudeness.” Zeger flattered Lin Mo for a moment, then his expression changed. He gestured, and several armed personnel swiftly pulled metal rings from a box and placed them around Bob’s family’s necks, even putting one on each of the two agents.

“What are you doing?”

Lin Mo’s voice was filled with anger once again. This guy was too ruthless. The rings around their necks were definitely not good news.

Bob’s family was confused by the metal rings suddenly placed around their necks, but the two CIA agents realized something immediately. No matter how resolute they were, their faces turned pale, trembling as if possessed by a demon.

“This represents your sincerity and is for your own good!”

Zeger interlocked his fingers and tilted his head with a devilish grin. “This is a safety ring, commonly used for identity verification and tracking. However, I made a little modification: I added some C4 explosives inside. But don’t worry about it going off by accident, because it’s remote-controlled. As long as you cooperate and participate in the gladiatorial arena, nothing will happen. Perhaps after the arena is over, I might even generously let them go since I will have everything I want from you. We will have no more disputes, right? But if you do anything you shouldn’t, heh, the power of these rings isn’t great, but it is enough to snap their necks.”