Chapter 428

The names came quick and fast, the handshakes crushing though few made Arthur want to wince like Papa Chin's. Though he might have increased his Body attribute significantly, Arthur had always leaned towards speed and reflexes than brute strength, an inclination not shared by many of the Chin's before him

As quick as the faces and names flew at him, so did the questions as the kids clustered. Arthur idly noted that Papa Chin had slipped away and even Casey had been pushed away as the sharks circled him, seeking blood.

"Top 1000? Sama sama. I 837, you know. How much did you get?'

"What kind of weapon you use? I heard it was a staff was it? You a Wukong fan, ah? Play Black Myth 7 yet?"

"You drink? Come lah. Don't be like that, drink with me."

"Want to spar or not?" 

The last one was the most blatant challenge from a guy that was by far the shortest Chin Arthur had seen. Standing barely five four, the late twenty something jutted his chin out, the bristles of his goatee sticking out, barrel chest thrust outwards with the vocal challenge.

There were a million and one responses to such a question as far as Arthur was concerned, but perhaps the most important one was, “Why?”

“Scared, ah?” the short man snapped.

“You know, the only things I fight that I don’t know the name of are monsters. And I kill monsters,” Arthur said, leadingly.

“You threatening me…?”

“No. Asking your name.”

“George.” A pause, added. “Chin.”

“George.” Arthur smiled down at the man, subtly pulling himself taller so that he could loom over the kid more. Not that he was that tall himself, but he was certainly taller than George. Perhaps because he was extra sensitive to such displays, George narrowed his eyes at Arthur’s motion. “I can’t think of a reason why I should.”

“So, scared.” George scoffed, turned away a little to the crowd. “Told you he was scared.”

“If you want to take it that way, sure.” Arthur snorted, not backing away. He could feel trickles of adrenaline escaping into his system, the way his heartbeat sped up a little from the challenge; but right after coming out of the Tower and having some time to calm down, he found the threat offered to him mild. Added to his Yin body and he just could not take the other seriously. “I prefer to think of it mercenary.”

“So you’d fight him if there was a prize to win?” Melody? Miriam? Melissa? It was an M name of some form, spoke up. Pretty, maybe even prettier than Casey, but in the over-primped way. As though she had a filter placed on her at all times. Not that the tight cheongsam she was wearing received any complaints from Arthur.

“Well, I guess so.” Arthur shrugged. “But what’s the point otherwise?”

“Training?” One of the other cousins said, subtly flexing behind George. A kid, maybe eighteen. Like most of the younger crowd here, they were not Climbers as far as Arthur could tell. Most likely because the parents wouldn’t let them in till after they completed their degrees, even if eighteen year olds were technically allowed to enter the Tower. “Got to fight lots, to get better, right?”

“So-so.” Arthur held a hand up, the movement enough to cause George to step back automatically or get hit. The man froze, glared at Arthur as he waggled his hand side-to-side, palm down. “We fight monsters, right? So humanoids are so-so only.”

“But the Tower got lots of humanoids, right? Malaysia got the jenglot, the ghosts, the monkeys.”

“True.” Arthur clomped his mouth shut, deciding that jokes about his challenger throwing shit around would just push the other man further.

“I offer a prize!” Mimi – that was it, super cute and kawaii he remembered – piped up, smiling wide. “For you two to fight.”

“Not kiss? Because George seems to be inching in real close," Arthur said, mouth moving before his brain caught it.

"You!" That was too much for the man who shoved Arthur back. "Now we have to fight."

"I don't have to do anything." Arthur paused, considered. "Well, sleep, eat, cultivate. Watch Fist of Legend and Die Hard." He ticked those off his fingers. "Play the sixth Black Myth. Build my Clan. See my family." Rubbed his chin, ignoring George. While he might have not wanted the fight, a part of him knew it was coming anyway. It was obvious the group intended to see him throw hands at some point, justify his presence.

Which was all kinds of idiotic posturing, since his value was not in his physical strength – at least, not directly – but his Clan.

“I said, I’ll pay.” Mimi stomped her feet, and Arthur revised his opinion of her from being likely ‘in’ for the plot to get him to fight to just a girl who needed to be the center of attention. Which…

“What is it?” Arthur said, talking over George who continued to mutter threats. “And if you say a date, I’m going to say ewwww.”

“What? Why? And no, he’s my cousin!” Mimi pointed at George and then added. “Also, he’s old.”

“I’m only five years older than you!” George protested, spinning on his cousin.

“So you want to date me? Ewwww!” Mimi shuddered and the crowd laughed, causing George – someone, Arthur was realizing might be the butt of the jokes constantly – to growl.

“No, I don’t. But I’m thirty one. Not that old.” George growled.

Huh. Arthur would have put him around his own age. Good skin, and probably a bit of the Tower influence on his aging there. Which meant the man was likely stronger than him, with multiple runs in Beginner Towers. Had to be Beginner Towers though, or else he wouldn’t be used as a cat’s paw for these type of games.

Casey by his side was silent, watching to see what Arthur would do. He wondered if she wanted him to fight or not. If it made her position stronger or worse if he acceded to it. On the other hand, the way George was now going defensive around his cousins…

Maybe.

“The prize?” Arthur urged Mimi. “If it’s worthwhile, I’ll take up the challenge.”

Now George looked interest too, staring at Mimi.

“A shopping trip!” She threw her hands up with a big grin, as though expecting everyone to acclaim her pronouncement. “With me, of course.” Surprisingly, that did elicit reactions from the crowd, mostly the younger group in their late teens and early twenties.

“Will you stream it?”

“What’s the budget?”

“Where?”

Mimi threw a hand up. “Of course I’m generous and will stream it.” She mocked the kids and looked at the two of us. “And I’ll make sure the winner is appropriately dressed. They need it, don’t they?”

Lots of choruses of agreement and for the first time, both George and Arthur found a moment of shared comraderies at the taunting.

“Fine.” Arthur stuck his hand out for George, utilizing the moment. “Let’s have a spar. Get me your contact info, I’ll let you know when.”

George was shaking the hand before Arthur had finished speaking, so that he blinked, staring at the man. “What?”

“You wanted to train right, like he said?” Arthur jerked a chin to the kid who had spoken. “So let’s train. But I got to see my family, get settled,, make sure my Sifu is okay with it, all that, you know? Promise it won’t be too long.”

“I thought…” George started.

Arthur smiled, released the other man’s hand and patted him on the shoulder. “I know how it goes, right? You challenge, I get to set time and place? And we’ll both use our favored weapons. Or unarmed.” He shrugged. “I could use practice there too.”

“I…”

“Mimi. Contact info too, please. Or I guess I can ask Casey,” he turned to the girl. Smiling. “She’s got all yours, right?”

“I do,” Casey said. “And talking of family…” She gestured upwards, to the hidden stars and moon. “It’s late. We should get you home.”

“Oooh, right.” Arthur smiled, waved to the others. “Sorry if I didn’t get a chance to talk, maybe another time, okay?”

Together, the pair beat a hasty retreat, brushing off questions or requests with savage indifference. They had gotten what they wanted, and right now; it was time to beat a retreat. Not his best showing, but on the other hand, Arthur had to admit; a new sparring partner might not be the worse thing.

At the least, the Chin’s wouldn’t get their show right now.