006. A Job Paying Six Hundred Thousand Dollars an Hour

Some say robbery is the quickest way to make money. Su Ye would simply laugh at that. If he’d drawn a Joker girlfriend card from the start, he would have gone straight to rob a bank. But he drew Gwen, gaining powers akin to Spider-Man—a role bursting with positivity. It would be a disgrace to stoop so low as to commit robbery with such an identity.

Robbery is illegal. If he truly wanted to make quick money through unlawful means, he might as well draw a bunch of grey cards and head out to run a street hustle. Better to earn money standing tall and contribute to society. One must remember: labor is honorable, and earning through honest work is even more so, little brother!

The next day, after school, Su Ye slipped an Iron Man helmet he’d bought from a store into his bag and made his way to the underground wrestling arena near the New York Public Library, following the address printed in the newspaper.

Wrestling, as a sport, usually comes with a script; the fighters are actors, and many throws and slams require cooperation from both sides to achieve the best spectacle. So, a great wrestler must first be a good performer, and after retirement, pursuing an acting career is often a natural progression. Take Dwayne Johnson, for example, or the actor who played Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Upon entering the arena, Su Ye immediately felt the fervor of the wrestling fans. In the ring, two muscle-bound giants appeared to be locked in fierce combat, while the audience around them screamed the wrestlers’ names with wild abandon.

“Titan! Titan! Titan!”

Titan McGuire was a burly man clad in a low-cut leotard, his muscles seemingly as solid as if he’d been injected with steroids. Moments ago, he’d effortlessly dispatched an opponent just as muscular as himself. Now, he stood atop the stage, arms raised, basking in the crowd’s adulation.

The masked loser lay sprawled on a stretcher, shrieking with exaggerated theatrics—so much so that even the sharpest critic would struggle to find any brilliance in his performance.

Titan McGuire had already won more than twenty consecutive bouts. Unless something unexpected happened, he would keep winning until the wagers on his victory reached a staggering sum. Only then would he, from exhaustion or surprise, or from an opponent’s exceptional performance, lose to a rival prepared by the house—one who could match him blow for blow.

Wrestling isn’t just about watching two musclemen brawl, especially in these underground arenas. The real draw is gambling. Right now, the cheers in the arena came from those who bet on McGuire; winners naturally shouted the loudest, while those who hoped for an upset wore gloomy expressions—some so defeated they might as well bet their underwear.

“Anyone who can last three minutes in the ring with Titan McGuire will win a reward of three thousand dollars! Who’s next?”

The host stood atop the ring, stirring up the crowd.

Though fighting such a formidable opponent for three minutes was no easy feat, the reward was tempting—three thousand dollars was enough to drive many street toughs to take their chances.

Greed stirs the heart, and a line of challengers quickly formed nearby. Su Ye donned the Iron Man helmet and joined the queue.

Titan McGuire worked efficiently. Despite the long line, it wasn’t long before Su Ye’s turn arrived.

Registering the contestants was a burly woman, whose appearance was more pig-like than human—her looks didn’t matter, as long as she was pig enough.

Seeing Su Ye, she immediately wore a mocking expression.

“People these days must be crazy for money. Do you even know who your opponent is? That’s Titan McGuire, a legend with dozens of unbeaten matches. With your skinny arms and legs, you think you can challenge him?”

“Honestly, if you’re that desperate for cash, you could come to me. I guarantee it’ll be ten thousand times easier than fighting Titan McGuire, and you’ll enjoy it too…”

She flashed a knowing smile and winked seductively.

The other competitors burst into laughter.

“Kid, go home and drink more milk before you come back!”

“Won’t you be crying for your mother when you’re knocked out?”

“Hey, kid, want me to help you experience the thrill of combat first? I don’t mind that you’re a guy, and I’m really strong!”

Su Ye turned to the burly man who offered to give him a taste of battle.

“Come on, hit me,” Su Ye said.

“What?”

Anyone signing up here wasn’t a coward. The burly man didn’t understand why Su Ye made such a request, but since Su Ye asked, he felt obliged to comply.

“My punch packs a wallop!”

With those words, he swung his fist straight at Su Ye, unconcerned whether he might kill the kid or what would happen afterward.

Boom!

The crowd saw a blur, and the burly man flew backward, landing several meters away.

Su Ye calmly withdrew his leg from a side kick and smiled at the crowd. “That was self-defense. Does anyone have any objections?”

Silence reigned.

With just one kick, sending a two-hundred-pound man flying several meters, no one dared provoke him further.

Su Ye turned to the pig-like registrar.

“The ad says, last three minutes and you get three thousand dollars. What about after three minutes?”

“I... I don’t know.” She shook her head dumbly, her earlier pride and ridicule completely gone.

“Do you have a phone?” Su Ye pressed.

“Uh, yes!”

“Then hurry up and call to ask.”

“Oh, right away!”

She quickly dialed, and soon a man in a black suit strode over, wearing the same arrogant expression she had earlier.

“Did you ask the question?”

He sized Su Ye up. Though someone had told him Su Ye had kicked a burly man several meters, he didn’t believe it. In a wrestling arena, it wasn’t uncommon to see someone kicked dozens of meters—it was all acting.

Still, since someone questioned the advertisement, he didn’t mind adding a supplementary clause.

“Beyond three minutes, it’s two thousand dollars per minute. If you last over five minutes, five thousand dollars per minute. If you make it ten minutes, I’ll add an extra fifty thousand dollars.”

The man in black wasn’t afraid to promise Su Ye more prize money. No matter how much he paid out, as long as there was an upset, he’d earn it all back from the audience.

Five thousand dollars per minute—ten minutes would be fifty thousand, plus the bonus, that’s a hundred thousand. At a rate of sixty thousand per hour, that’s four million in local currency. Incredible!

“Alright, let’s sign the contract!”

Soon, the contract was drawn up, and Su Ye, guided by the staff, headed toward the ring.

The moment Su Ye stepped onto the stage, the entire arena erupted in chaos.