Chapter 70: A World Full of Blood

As Claire stepped into the Black Horse Underground Boxing Ring, the massive glass doors loomed before her. Striking slogans boldly proclaimed the venue's unique identity: "Black Horse: A World of Freedom, Where You Can Create the Impossible"; "Black Horse: Be the Stallion, Conquer the World." The logo, wild and unconventional, resembled an abstract impressionist painting of a horse—chaotic yet captivating.

Upon entering, Claire was greeted by a colossal boxing ring at the center, surrounded by seating that resembled a concert venue. The space could easily accommodate around 100,000 spectators. Everything seemed perfectly normal until she stepped closer to the ring and noticed the floor was layered with a thick coating of bright red blood. Fresh and old, it covered the entire surface, mixed with various footprints, handprints, and bodily imprints, creating the unsettling impression of stepping into a world drenched in blood. The sight triggered memories of her harrowing experiences in prison.

“New here?” A man in his forties, sporting thick black-rimmed glasses, approached her, snapping her back to reality.

“Yeah, I’m new,” Claire replied instinctively, nodding.

“Good. Get in the ring and fight. Win, and you stay; lose, and you leave.” He said this without any introduction or further questions, casually puffing on a cigarette as he summoned someone over.

“Wait, I…” Claire started, but her words were cut off by a gruff voice.

“Since you’re here at the underground fight ring, I assume you’ve got some skills. Listen, sweetheart, I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a girl. In this place, it’s all about skill. If you don’t have what it takes, you might as well head for the door. Especially someone as delicate as a flower. I’d hate to accidentally knock you out with one punch.”

The man, appearing to be in his fifties with flecks of gray in his hair, looked spry and spoke with a sneer that dripped with disdain.

“Alright,” Claire said, realizing she had no other options. She nodded, steeling herself for the fight ahead.

“Ha! You probably don’t even know who I am, huh? No worries, ignorance is bliss. I’ll give you some time to think it over. Or, for your first match, I could use just one hand.” Seeing Claire’s determination, he was eager to assert his dominance over her.

“No need for that. Let’s go,” Claire replied firmly. She needed the money; with no way back to the Eclipse Nightclub and nowhere else in Kingstown to turn, she had to make this work. Otherwise, she’d starve before Frederick even considered letting her go once he won the presidential campaign.

“Perfect! Come on, baby, it’s been years since I’ve felt this excited!” The man’s eyes lit up with a thrill at her response. Claire had no idea what she was up against.

As Claire changed into her fighting gear and stepped onto the platform, she overheard the murmurs from the audience.

“Oh my God, it’s the first time in years someone’s dared to challenge Brian!”

“Yeah, and it’s a girl! This is going to be one hell of a show!”

The name “Brian” echoed in her mind, leaving her utterly stunned. Brian Adams was Kingstown’s most notorious fighter, renowned not only for his skills but also for his ruthless nature. The reason for his infamy was simple: anyone who faced Brian either ended up dead or severely injured. To date, no one had managed to go the distance with Brian and walk away on their own two feet.

Meanwhile, Frederick had just returned from a session at the prison, where he’d been interrogating inmates. His phone buzzed with a new message, and when he checked, he found a photo showing Claire in the underground boxing ring, standing face-to-face with Brian.