GROIKTP Chapter 494

The next day, early in the morning, the Bird’s Nest Plaza was already packed with people.

This massive stadium, which could hold up to 150,000 spectators, was completely full. Even so, outside the gates, there were still crowds of people queuing, hoping to get in and catch a glimpse of the event.

The reason for such a turnout was obvious—it was the day of the National Finals of the Martial Arts Tournament!

The fighters who had made it through the city-level and provincial eliminations were the best of the best. Their battles promised to be thrilling, which is what drew in such a huge audience.

At the same time, many spectators were eager to witness who would claim the championship and represent the Chinese martial artists in the upcoming World Martial Arts Tournament.

“I wonder who will win the championship?”

“I think Sun Zhengying from the Sun family has the best chance. He’s a natural-born grandmaster and a genius.”

“Sun Zhengying’s talent is undeniable, but he’s still young—only 23. He’s lacking in experience. I believe he’ll achieve great things in the future, but right now, he doesn’t have the depth. I think Qian Ming has a better shot.”

“True, Qian Ming has been famous for a long time, and he’s also a natural-born grandmaster. His experience gives him an edge.”

“Don’t forget Cao Xiong. He’s also a grandmaster.”

“Heh, have you all forgotten about that ‘One-Finger Zen’ guy, Chen Ye?”

“Pah! Why bring up someone who’s clearly faking it?”

“Haha, just joking. I’m curious to see how far that guy’s connections go. Does he really dare to continue his act in the national finals?”

“Try pulling that in front of so many officials in the VIP seats? That’s asking for trouble!”

“There are even martial arts legends sitting in the VIP seats. No way he’d dare cheat here. I bet he’ll be eliminated in the first round.”

“Even if he does get eliminated early, his performance so far is good enough to enter the Martial Arts Association and become a formal fighter. That was his goal all along, wasn’t it?”

“Sigh! A perfectly good competition ruined by this one person. He’s like a rat spoiling a whole pot of porridge.”

“Alright, enough talking. It’s about to start.”

…

The audience buzzed with conversation.

Major national television stations had already set up. Dozens of cameras were trained on the stage, capturing every moment for viewers who couldn’t attend in person.

At 9 AM, the host finally took the stage.

“Dear viewers, welcome to…”

After some passionate opening remarks, the host finally got to the point.

“There are 128 competitors in this national final, all hailing from different parts of the country, bringing with them their determination to win. Let’s give them a round of applause as they take the stage!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Thunderous applause erupted in the vast stadium.

From backstage, the competitors began walking out.

Each time one emerged, the applause grew louder.

However, when Chen Ye walked out, there was a chorus of boos from certain sections of the crowd.

Once all the contestants were standing on the large stage, the host continued.

“As with the previous rounds, the competition will proceed through a drawing of lots to determine matchups. Let’s have the participants each draw their numbers.”

Chen Ye stood among the competitors, waiting his turn.

One by one, those ahead of him drew their numbers and handed them to the officials. Chen Ye drew his as well—number 92.

This meant his first opponent would be whoever drew number 91.

After all the competitors had drawn their numbers, they returned to the backstage area, leaving the host to explain the competition rules.

Backstage, Xiao Ling’er immediately approached Chen Ye.

“Chen Ye, the matchups have been posted. Your opponent is Li Shaobin from J Province. His leg techniques are really strong, so you should be careful,” she warned.

Chen Ye nodded.

Though he seemed to listen attentively, in truth, he wasn’t overly concerned.

He knew the plot. According to the storyline, the eventual world champion was Tang Zichen. She was the only opponent who might make Chen Ye take things seriously. The others were hardly worth his attention.

…

The competition began swiftly.

It took the entire day to finish the first round, with 64 competitors advancing to the next stage by 7 PM.

Naturally, Chen Ye was one of the winners.

Oh, and by the way, Chen Ye won again with just a single finger, which earned him even more boos from the crowd.

That night, the internet was once again filled with criticism.

On the second day, the second round of the tournament commenced, lasting most of the day. By the end, 32 competitors remained.

On the third day, the 16 finalists were determined.

On the fourth day, the quarter-finalists emerged.

Finally, on the fifth day, it was time for the semi-finals to determine the final four.

As the tournament progressed, many netizens who had accused Chen Ye of match-fixing started to realize something wasn’t adding up. If this was truly a fix, how could he have made it all the way to the national semi-finals? Was the Martial Arts Tournament really turning a blind eye to such blatant cheating?

Even the highest-ranking members of the Human Alliance wouldn’t dare pull such strings.

Some voices on the internet began to challenge the narrative:

“Is this Chen Ye from Qing’an City really the product of some behind-the-scenes manipulation? Could it be that the martial arts legends are all blind to this?”

“Is this really match-fixing, or is he just that skilled?”

“We’ve seen other fights end in instant knockouts too, just not as dramatic as Chen Ye’s.”

“Maybe we need to be more rational and really analyze Chen Ye’s abilities.”

“Haha, I’ve been saying all along—this guy’s the real deal. Just look at his presence. What other young fighter has such composure? He stands there with an aura that can overwhelm half the competitors.”

…

Regardless of what the public thought, the semi-finals arrived as scheduled.

Today, the Bird’s Nest Stadium was once again packed to the brim.

The four finalists were Chen Ye, Tang Zichen, Sun Zhengying, and Qian Ming.

Apart from Chen Ye and Tang Zichen, the other two were renowned champions, both natural-born grandmasters and considered top seeds for the championship.

These four would battle today to determine the national champion, who would then represent China in the global competition!

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