Chapter Thirty-Nine: Beasts in a Cage, Humans in a Cage

The four of them were nearly scared out of their wits by that loud roar. Only then did Hu Mo realize he had truly offended that wild girl beyond repair.

"Young Master Hu, do you think there's a back door to this arena? I'm afraid that savage princess might ambush us at the entrance," Du Zhong said with an air of grave concern, his words tinged with anxiety.

"Are you stupid? If someone is lying in wait at the front door, what makes you think there won't be anyone at the back? Since we've already boarded this pirate ship, we might as well be pirates for life. Don't be afraid—with Young Master Hu watching over us, we've got nothing to worry about," Lin Meng said nonchalantly, giving Hu Mo a hearty slap on the shoulder.

Hu Mo shot him a glare and snorted coldly, "If anything happens, you'll be the first one I toss out. And you talk about being on a pirate ship? I'll slap you to death!"

The others chuckled at his words, and laughing and chatting along the way, they soon arrived at their private box.

The Divine Fire Arena was truly immense; if every seat were filled, it could accommodate nearly a hundred thousand people. The private box for the Four Misfortunate Men of Heavenly Fire was top-tier—aside from the royal family, only boxes of this caliber were the largest and most comfortable. The arena was highly stratified; while the general admission wasn't expensive, only those with status could access these exclusive boxes.

Once inside, sinking into the plush furs of their seats, the four finally managed to relax. The service at the arena was excellent, especially for VIPs like them—nearly every request was catered to. The maidservants who came to attend to them were all remarkable in appearance, each one in full bloom, casting flirtatious glances that left nothing to the imagination, as if they were desperate to shed their clothes and leap into their arms. The predatory gleam in their eyes was enough to send a chill down Hu Mo's spine.

It was Lin Meng and Du Zhong who truly suffered! Ever since taking Hu Mo's medicine, they'd felt their manhood become noticeably more robust, and their vigor far surpassed what it had been. Surrounded by scantily clad women swaying before them, with ample bosoms, seductive hips, and long, creamy thighs, they felt as if they were about to explode.

"Young Master Hu, are you sure we can't?" Lin Meng asked plaintively, pointing to the tent in his lap.

"No! It's been less than half a month. If you want to lose a chunk of flesh, go ahead and try! If you give in to wine or women, you'll only be able to watch for the rest of your lives," Hu Mo sighed, looking at them with deep sympathy.

Du Zhong and Lin Meng pulled long faces and turned their backs to the maids. No drinking, no women—this was worse than death. But Hu Mo had made himself clear: they would endure these three months, even if it killed them!

Huang Sheng sat alone on the other side, surrounded by a dozen flowerpots and burning incense to mask his scent. Only then was his odor temporarily subdued.

In the private box, Huang Sheng was a different man. He sat quietly, sipping tea, seemingly savoring a rare moment of tranquility.

Only now did Hu Mo truly see that, perhaps, the most remarkable person in the entire Flame City was this second scion. He could bend or assert himself as the situation demanded, mastering his emotions—surely someone destined for greatness. Hu Mo even wondered if this fellow, too, was a transmigrant; if so, it would explain quite a lot.

Ignoring his two friends who were driven half-mad by lust, Hu Mo strolled over to Huang Sheng with a smile. "Since when have you become so pensive? That's not like you."

"Ah? Heh, Young Master Hu, I'm not that bored. I'm just enjoying something worthwhile," Huang Sheng replied mildly. Thanks to his scent, his side of the room was the only spacious area, and aside from Hu Mo, no one paid attention to what he was doing.

"Something worthwhile? What, are there naked beauties running wild?" Hu Mo asked with his usual lecherous grin.

Huang Sheng shook his head and shifted his seat, offering the spot he'd just vacated to Hu Mo. He knew Hu Mo wasn't bothered by his smell.

Indeed, Hu Mo didn't mind at all. He plopped down and followed Huang Sheng's gaze, which landed upon a mass of cages—there were so many that they seemed endless.

Within those cages, battle beasts roared in defiance; some, exhausted, curled up in the corners, their spirits utterly broken.

"Young Master Hu, do you see? What do you feel?" Huang Sheng suddenly asked in a low, oddly intoned voice.

"Feel?" Hu Mo smiled. "Are you about to tell me that you're like those beasts, trapped in a cage?"

Huang Sheng shook his head. "Not me, but most people in this world. Everyone is a caged beast—born to fight, yet powerless to decide their fate." As he spoke, he uncorked a jug of wine, its fragrance filling the room and overpowering the stench.

"I understand you," Hu Mo replied with a sudden sharpness in his gaze. "Even among beasts, some are stronger than others. Men are like beasts: the strong thrive, the weak perish; the victors become kings, the defeated, outcasts. Even a beast, if honed to its peak, becomes something no one dares provoke. Huang Sheng, you want to rise above the rest, don't you?" His eyes were piercing, fixed intently on Huang Sheng.

Huang Sheng paused, then burst out laughing. "Young Master Hu, it seems we really are the same kind. Come, a toast!"

Hu Mo filled his cup and downed it in one gulp. His gaze returned to the cages; with a cold snort, he clenched his right hand, crushing the wine cup to powder, which drifted away on the breeze.

"Young Master Hu, we really can't take it anymore! These women are too seductive—Du Zhong and I are about to burst. Are you really saying we can't touch a single one?" Lin Meng pleaded, longing for a different answer.

Hu Mo sighed deeply. "It seems I need to explain this clearly, or you won't understand my good intentions. Your conditions are dire: your vital yang is leaking with no means of replenishment, which is draining your bodies further and further. With yin overpowering yang, your lifespan is drastically shortened. If I'm not mistaken, at your current state, you won't even reach twenty! The prescription I gave you is an ancient remedy, its main purpose to stabilize your foundation and rapidly restore your yang energy. In three months, once your energy is stabilized, you can have all the fun you want—at least until you're eighty."

"But if you keep leaking yang now, with the medicine's effect, the rate of loss will increase tenfold. In other words, one time would drain you completely! Do you think you can survive that?" Hu Mo sneered at Lin Meng and Du Zhong, making their hearts tremble. His words were more sobering than a bucket of cold water—their formerly proud manhoods instantly wilted. Who would joke with their own lifeblood?

"You two, get out. Unless I call for you, don't come back in!" Lin Meng stood up at once and shooed the maids away. These vixens thrived on chaos—if one of them tried to force herself on him, that would be a tragedy.

"What’s with those four young masters? They can't possibly have fallen apart in just a year, can they?" grumbled the most voluptuous woman. She'd served these four last year and nearly lost herself to pleasure, but this time was the complete opposite—she was burning with desire, while the four men were unmoved. How could she not be angry?

"Looks like they're all finished. What a waste of all our effort to tease them—we're exhausted," another muttered as the women left the box, still complaining.

Only Lin Meng and Du Zhong remained, fuming, along with the wryly smiling Hu Mo and Huang Sheng.

"Dammit, those little minxes—just wait till my three months are up! I’ll have my revenge!" Lin Meng growled, slapping his once again swelling pride, wincing in pain.

"Alright, enough griping. The beast fight will start soon; let's make some bets and blow off some steam. Wine and women are off limits, but gambling is fair game. They say eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling go together—since we can't do the first three, maybe gambling can make up for it," Huang Sheng said, pulling out a thick stack of banknotes with a sly grin.

Just as he finished speaking, a tremendous boom echoed from the arena, followed by the crackling of firecrackers. Hu Mo was startled—firecrackers in this world really were deafening.

"Heh, it's finally starting. Young Master Hu, don't lose so much this time—I’m tired of winning!" Huang Sheng waved his banknotes, eyeing Hu Mo like a hungry wolf.

Hu Mo smiled faintly. "That’s my line. Don’t lose your underwear—I have no interest in your yellow drawers. Watch me clean you out!"

With full confidence, Hu Mo pulled out a one-hundred-tael banknote from his breast pocket and placed it slowly on the table before him.