Three days passed swiftly, and finally, the day the entire nation eagerly awaited arrived—New Year's Day!!!
The previous evening, Lu Ming, Su Wanran, and Jiang Mengxin had dinner together and watched the Spring Festival Gala. Although it wasn't particularly exciting, the feeling of being together was quite pleasant.
Then, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the most important event in Fog City officially commenced.
The Poetry King Competition!
This event had been held for 20 consecutive years. Every New Year's Day, the government would organize an activity jointly sponsored by 30 companies.
The winner would receive a plaque from the government.
Of course, the plaque wasn't the most important thing; what truly mattered was the honor it brought, along with substantial investment opportunities.
This year was as lively as ever.
Even more so than in previous years!
This year, with the Su family having a new head, Su Wanran had spent a fortune to invite a legendary boxer, Wen Song, who hadn't participated in the Lion King Competition for a long time.
The other 29 companies had also invited formidable boxers to support them.
This year's competition was set to be far more intense than usual.
The event was held on Fog City's commercial street. The central roundabout plaza was cleared, and 108 benches were used to construct a 20-meter-high 'pyramid'!
At the apex of the pyramid, a lion绣球 (embroidered ball) was tied with a red rope.
The first team to seize the lion绣球 and land safely would be the victor.
Spectators gazed up the pyramid built from benches. Twenty meters was incredibly high; most people wouldn't even be able to climb it, and those with a fear of heights would likely falter after just five or six meters.
This was without even considering the competition from others.
The pressure was immense!
Soon, the lion dance teams from the 30 companies made their grand entrances, and amidst the sound of gongs, drums, and firecrackers, the festive atmosphere reached its zenith.
The crowd had gathered.
The Mayor of Fog City stood on a nearby stage, holding a microphone and delivering a passionate speech that stirred the emotions of everyone present.
Afterwards.
The Mayor shouted, "The Poetry King Competition officially begins!"
Finally, the most thrilling moment had arrived. The Lion King Competition was underway, and all eyes turned towards the center of the roundabout plaza.
Many waved their colorful flags, cheering for their respective companies.
The lions from the 30 companies simultaneously began their ascent onto the benches.
"Go! Go!" Su Wanran shouted, "Master Wen, Lu Ming, go!"
Beside her.
Fan Xiaoyun's smile vanished instantly upon hearing "Lu Ming." She said coldly, "Lu Ming? That little brat is actually here to perform the lion dance. Fine, then we'll settle old and new scores together!"
It had to be said, Wen Song's skill was truly remarkable.
The fact that he could operate dozens of boxing gyms in Fog City wasn't mere boasting; it was earned through actual prowess!
Wen Song danced the lion's head, with Lu Ming handling the tail.
Lu Ming barely had to do anything; almost all the work was carried out by Wen Song alone. Lu Ming's primary role was to remain vigilant and prevent others from ambushing Wen Song.
Many attempted to attack Wen Song, only to be swiftly defeated. Even Lu Ming, witnessing this, couldn't help but exclaim, "Good!"
It was evident that Wen Song's skill was undeniably top-tier.
If nothing unexpected happened, Wen Song had a very good chance of securing the lion绣球 and helping the Su family achieve victory.
Su Wanran loudly cheered, "Master Wen, you're amazing! Keep going!"
However...
Su Ru silently appeared beside Su Wanran, bringing Yu Shan with her.
Wen Song glanced up and immediately saw Yu Shan, recalling his agreement with Su Ru: lose the competition, win Yu Shan.
No matter what!
To win the beauty, he would abandon all pretense of honor and integrity.
Wen Song deliberately exposed a weakness, luring an opponent to attack him. Normally, he would not only dodge the attack but also counter and knock the assailant down.
But to his utter surprise, Wen Song failed to dodge!
Wen Song took a punch to the face, let out a groan, and tumbled from the six-meter-high bench, landing heavily on the ground.
A skilled boxer like Wen Song should have been unharmed even from such a fall.
But who could have imagined that Wen Song would be unable to get up after falling? He lay on the ground, clutching his waist, wailing incessantly.
"Ouch, ouch, my back."
"It hurts."
"It hurts so much!"
This scene stunned everyone present. Who could have expected Fog City's foremost boxer, Wen Song, to be incapacitated in such a comically ridiculous manner?
The top boxer, indeed.
Amidst the crowd.
Su Wanran was completely dumbfounded. How could the valiant Wen Song, just seconds ago, be knocked out so swiftly? The contrast was too extreme.
Well, the money was wasted.
Beside her, Su Ru giggled and said, "Wanran, what kind of rubbish did you find? They can't take a single hit."
Su Wanran frowned, "That's not right. Wen Song is Fog City's number one boxer, he has so many gyms, he's a genuine martial artist."
Su Ru shook her head, "That was ten years ago. What's Wen Song's age now? They say youth trumps experience, and a wild punch can defeat a master. No matter how good Wen Song's foundation is, he's getting old. Look, he couldn't last long. Now you only have Lu Ming left. You think you can win? Don't be ridiculous."
Su Wanran sighed, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
However.
Some held a different view!
Jiang Mengxin stood silently nearby, not uttering a word. She disagreed with the conversation between Su Wanran and Su Ru.
While Lu Ming was incapable in many areas, when it came to fighting, he had never lost!
This was something Jiang Mengxin had verified multiple times.
Everyone else looked down on Lu Ming, believing that he alone couldn't possibly win, and that the Su family, having lost Wen Song, was doomed. Only Jiang Mengxin still held absolute confidence in Lu Ming!
On the other side.
Wen Song's unexpected incapacitation was also something Fan Xiaoyun hadn't anticipated. It caught her completely off guard.
Seriously...
If she had known Wen Song was so fragile, why would she have spent money to collude with the other 27 companies? The other 27 hadn't even officially joined forces yet, and Wen Song had already collapsed.
This money was wasted, utterly worthless!
Beside her, Fan Xiang said speechlessly, "Sister, isn't this Wen Song too weak? If I had known, I wouldn't have spent the money. It was given away for free."
Fan Xiaoyun was also speechless.
Subsequently, her gaze fell upon Lu Ming. "Wen Song might be useless, but that doesn't mean the Su family has lost. Doesn't the Su family still have Lu Ming?"
Fan Xiang nodded. "That's true. This kid seems to have some skills too. In that case, we won't hold back. Let's unite with the other 27 companies and teach this little brat a lesson! Beat him to a pulp!"
Then, Fan Xiang whistled.
In ancient times, they would "shatter a cup as a signal." Today, it was a "whistle as a signal." The moment Fan Xiang blew his whistle, it was the signal for the Fan family and the other 27 companies to act in unison!
The attention of 28 companies converged on Lu Ming.
Danger.
Had arrived!