Chapter 5: You Had Your Chance, But Let It Slip Away

From the outside, the unfinished building looked unremarkable, overgrown with weeds and seemingly abandoned. But inside, it was bustling with activity. Following the blueprint of the original shopping mall, one entered into a vast atrium where an octagonal cage had been set up, and inside, two fighters battled each other with no rules.

The crowd shouted and cheered, while Xingmei Ye crooked her finger at an old man, who bent his back and shuffled over. After a few whispered words, the old man cast a look of pity at Cao Mang before disappearing deeper into the ruins.

Xingmei Ye then turned her eyes to Qiu Tianyi. “Let’s make a big bet. If I lose, I’ll spend a night with you—you can do as you please…”

But before she could finish, Qiu Tianyi shouted with delight, “Deal!”

“Let me finish,” Xingmei Ye continued. “If you lose, I want the Skywave Hotel.”

The Skywave Hotel was a property managed by Qiu Zhenhu for Qiu Tianyi, situated in the prime district of the southern city. Losing it would mean the Ye family planting a firm stake in the area.

Blinded by desire, Qiu Tianyi agreed without a second thought. This time, Xingmei Ye had even prepared a contract for Qiu Tianyi to sign and seal, lest he tried to back out if he lost.

Cao Mang sensed there was more to this than met the eye, but he had no right to object. As the fight in the octagonal cage ended, he was ushered in, left to wait for his opponent.

A thunderous roar, as if from a tiger, sent a collective gasp through the crowd. Incredibly, they brought in a ravenous tiger.

At this point, Cao Mang could not leave—the cage door had already been locked.

Qiu Tianyi finally realized he’d been tricked. “This isn’t fair! You’re cheating!”

Seated on the sofa, Xingmei Ye lit a cigarette, a triumphant smile curling her lips. “I never said your opponent would be human. You can concede now—at least Cao Mang will survive.”

Cold sweat broke out on Qiu Tianyi’s forehead. He didn’t particularly care about Cao Mang’s fate, but if he lost the Skywave Hotel, his father would break his legs when he got home.

Yet, what if he won?

Clinging to this sliver of hope, he rushed to the cage to cheer for Cao Mang. “If you win, you’ll have money, women, everything—I'll treat you as my right-hand man.”

Cao Mang seemed genuinely excited, replying with honest fervor, “Rest assured, young master. I will do my utmost not to let down the family’s trust.”

The beast cage was joined to the octagonal ring. When the gate opened, the vicious tiger leaped out with a roar, reeking jaws wide as it lunged at Cao Mang.

Cao Mang did not dodge. The crowd thought he was paralyzed with fear—many turned away, unable to watch. Others, faces alight with anticipation, were eager to witness a live mauling.

Xingmei Ye sighed, murmuring, “You had your chance and didn’t take it. What a pity…”

In the next instant, shock overtook her face; her cigarette slipped from her fingers as her alluring eyes widened in disbelief.

Cao Mang had seized the tiger’s upper and lower jaws, and before its claws could tear into him, he roared and wrenched them apart.

A sickening crack echoed. The tiger’s maw was forced wide open, cheeks torn, blood spraying over Cao Mang’s body as the beast’s claws fell limp against him.

When he released his grip, the tiger collapsed, struggling to rise—only to receive a brutal punch to the eye socket.

An eyeball flew out of the cage, perhaps intentionally, landing in Xingmei Ye’s cleavage.

A stunned silence fell, then the crowd burst into a deafening roar.

Xingmei Ye reached into her blouse to retrieve the tiger’s eye, standing up trembling—not with fear, but with excitement, her desire to win over Cao Mang now bordering on obsession.

Qiu Tianyi was beside himself with joy. “I won… I won… Tonight you have to keep your word!”

Xingmei Ye looked at him with disdain. But the contract was already signed; reneging would bring disgrace to the Ye family.

Her eyes sparkled with a new idea. “Don’t worry, I keep my promises. Let’s go book a room right now.”

Under the crowd’s awestruck gaze, Cao Mang walked out of the cage, tearing off his blood-soaked shirt to reveal a body as powerful as a wild beast. The socialites and married women in attendance shrieked with excitement.

Qiu Tianyi had already forgotten his promise to Cao Mang, too preoccupied with following Xingmei Ye straight to the hotel.

Once inside the presidential suite, he could barely contain himself, but Xingmei Ye picked up an expensive bottle of red wine.

“No need to rush, the night is young. Let’s have a little ambiance. Go wash up first.”

Qiu Tianyi had no choice but to shower, while Xingmei Ye sneered, took a small vial from her bag, smeared its contents onto a wineglass, and poured the wine. She filled another glass, deliberately leaving a lipstick mark to distinguish it.

Qiu Tianyi finished his quick shower, emerged wrapped in a towel, clothes in hand. Xingmei Ye raised her glass. “Let’s have a drink first.”

But Qiu Tianyi urged, “You should wash up too. I saw something fall into your clothes earlier.”

Only then did Xingmei Ye remember and, feeling disgusted, took her bag to the bathroom, reminding him, “Start without me—I’ll be quick.”

Once she’d closed the bathroom door, Qiu Tianyi swiftly pulled a pill bottle from his pants pocket, dropped a tablet into Xingmei Ye’s glass. He always kept these on hand for his escapades; he never believed Xingmei Ye would willingly submit.

Xingmei Ye intended to wait until Qiu Tianyi passed out before coming out—but he kept urging her, refusing to drink alone. Left with no choice, she quickly rinsed off and emerged wrapped in a short towel.

The sight of her nearly made Qiu Tianyi’s eyes pop out of his head.

Xingmei Ye checked her marked glass for reassurance, and they raised their glasses, even linking arms for a toast. Each harbored their own secret, but both drained their cups in one go.

Meanwhile, Cao Mang had reached the rooftop. Grabbing the edge of the building, he swung his body lightly onto the balcony of the presidential suite. Peering through the floor-to-ceiling window, he was momentarily stunned to see both of them collapsed on the sofa.

Qiu Tianyi was fast asleep, dead to the world, while Xingmei Ye lay flushed and sweating, hands weakly tearing at her towel, her body writhing in delirium.

What on earth happened?

Drawing closer, he quickly understood. Searching their belongings, he found pill bottles in both Qiu Tianyi’s pocket and Xingmei Ye’s bag—though they contained different drugs.

He poured all of Xingmei Ye’s pills into Qiu Tianyi’s mouth, then stuffed Qiu Tianyi’s pill into Xingmei Ye’s.

Xingmei Ye kept writhing unconsciously, murmuring in a voice so sweet and desperate that no man could endure it.

News of the bet soon reached both families. Qiu Zhenhu was full of satisfaction—his useless son had finally accomplished something. And it was all thanks to Cao Mang; otherwise, the Skywave Hotel would have been lost.

In contrast, Ye Zhien, Xingmei Ye’s father, was enraged. How could the Qiu family’s scoundrel be worthy of his precious daughter?

He immediately called Blade, instructing her to bring Xingmei Ye home.

Though violating the terms of the bet, Blade knew her master would have a solution—but the family head’s order had to be obeyed.

Finding the door unanswered, she fetched a key card from the front desk. Entering the room, her mind went blank at the scene before her, leaving her utterly stupefied.