Chapter 458: It’s All for You

Chapter 458: It’s All for You

The tournament venue buzzed with excitement, a crowd eagerly anticipating the contest.

For these types of matches and brawls, gamblers gathered, betting on the outcome, with Xu Hu and Shi Kui evenly matched at 1:1 odds.

Various bettors placed their stakes, arriving to catch a glimpse of the heroes in action, creating quite a lively atmosphere.

Some were overjoyed, while others worried, and the one fretting was none other than Mu Yiting. Today marked the final match, and according to the rules, she had to marry the victor.

Of course, if the winner couldn’t defeat her, the marriage contract wouldn’t hold, but Mu Yiting didn’t believe she could overpower any of them; there was a definite gap in strength.

And the person she was waiting for?

He hadn’t shown up, and she couldn’t reach him.

She felt distressed. What was she supposed to do? She certainly didn’t want to marry one of those contenders.

If it came to that, she’d go all out in her final match, slipping in some raucous explosive pills without a second thought.

Sure, going against the rules could lead to terrible consequences if discovered, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Mu Yiting sat in her seat, to her left was her grandfather, Mu Yuanfeng, with her father on the other side.

“Today’s final match is quite the spectacle! I wonder what kind of contest those two young heroes will put on for us!” Mu Yuanfeng chuckled, stroking his long beard. He seemed like a kind old man, but when he was ruthless, he was terrifying.

“Mm, it should be an exciting match,” Mu Yiting replied, wary of opposing him, only managing a smile.

Today, she had brought the explosive pills and was ready for the final showdown.

Waiting, painfully waiting.

Time trickled away, and the final match drew ever closer.

Mu Yiting scanned the crowd, hoping to spot that familiar figure.

But alas, there was none.

Had he given up on her?

The thought made her heart ache.

The audience around the arena waited, shouting energetically, maintaining their enthusiasm for half an hour.

And then they would wait for…

Another half hour.

“What the heck? Where are they?”

“Yeah, weren’t they here to compete? Did they oversleep?”

“Did they elope?”

“Oh man, it’s been this long and still no sight of them! Damn it, refund!”

…

The crowd grew restless, filled with anticipation, yet time passed and the contestants were still absent.

This wasn’t how you played the diva card!

This left the Mu family perplexed as well.

Xu Hu and Shi Kui were both excellent heroes, strong in combat, and seemed satisfactory enough, with solid backing from their sects.

Either of them winning would be commendable.

But with both of them absent, it was quite strange.

“Dad, neither Shi Kui nor Xu Hu has shown up. Do you think something happened? Should we investigate?” Mu Feng suggested to Mu Yuanfeng.

Mu Yuanfeng nodded, agreeing that it was necessary to check the situation, as waiting idly wouldn’t suffice.

Just then, a servant rushed in with urgent news:

“Report, My Lord! Big news! Xu Hu and Shi Kui are dead!”

“Dead?!”

Mu Yuanfeng found it hard to believe. How could those two be dead, especially at the same time?

Could it be that they resolved their issues privately and took each other down?

This put the Mu family in quite a bind.

For a marriage contest, both candidates for the crown dying? What a joke!

“Seriously? They’re dead? No way!”

“Who killed them? Was it a real fight?”

“What about our bets? Damn it, refund!”

“The bookies have bolted; let’s chase after them!”

…

The news spread like wildfire, causing a stir in the arena. Two competitors for the title had dropped dead, and it was shocking!

Another reason for the audience’s agitation was that the bookies had fled.

The Mu family was at a loss; it was all too sudden. With both contestants gone, who would be the one to marry Mu Yiting?

Resuming things would mean organizing a revival match, but the prerequisite for that was having living contestants; with so many already dead or gravely injured, there wouldn’t be much left to fight with.

What a farce!

The Mu family had no choice but to temporarily halt the marriage contest, with plans to deal with it later.

…

Mu Yiting returned to her room, surprisingly in a good mood. With both contenders gone, she wouldn’t have to marry anyone!

This was fantastic!

Yet, how could they have died? It felt too sudden.

Not that it was her concern anymore; despite it not being nice to gloat, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Young Mistress.”

Suddenly, someone knocked on her door, and Mu Yiting opened it.

It was her female confidante, who often gathered information for her and was very reliable.

“You came at just the right time! I’ve got some good news: I just heard that Shi Kui and Xu Hu are dead and can’t make it to the tournament. I’m free from worry about that now.”

“Hmm, congratulations, Young Mistress.”

Her confidante responded respectfully:

“Young Mistress, I came precisely to report this matter. I went to investigate and discovered crucial information. Xu Hu’s death was very likely at the hands of Young Master Ni.”

“His?”

This Young Master Ni referred to Lin Nuo, also known as Ni Daye in Helong Hall.

Hearing that name sent excitement through Mu Yiting.

“Quick, tell me what happened!”

“I found out the site where Xu Hu fell in battle—there were witnesses. According to their accounts, Xu Hu was killed by a young man whose speed was astonishing, and some of his physical characteristics, though not entirely clear, closely matched those of Young Master Ni…”

Her confidante described some features, and Mu Yiting thought they indeed matched Lin Nuo.

“If it’s him, why didn’t he come to tell me directly but went after Xu Hu instead?” Mu Yiting pondered.

“Young Mistress, please let me finish.”

Her confidante continued seriously,

“This young man didn’t say much during the fight, but he did say one line: ‘You shouldn’t insult her.’”

“‘You shouldn’t insult her’? Who is ‘her’?”

Mu Yiting thought over that phrase, sensing its depth.

Her confidante further explained:

“From my perspective, this ‘her’ must be you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, Young Master Ni holds you in high regard. Knowing about the marriage contest, he must have recognized Xu Hu’s malevolent nature and lack of respect for you, which prompted him to act against Xu Hu, and possibly Shi Kui as well. Ultimately, it was all for you.”

“Hmm…”

Mu Yiting contemplated; it made a lot of sense.

Lin Nuo hadn’t come not because he didn’t want to, but because he was aware of the tournament and didn’t want her to marry either of those two. So, he secretly dealt with them, even killing them to break off the contest.

Once she thought it through, it certainly aligned with his style.

After all, he wasn’t one for grand displays or straightforward conversation but preferred to express himself subtly and resolve things quietly—taking out the obstacles while ensuring she faced no trouble.

He was finding a way to help her in his own manner.

He truly cared for her.