The spectacle of the fight had morphed from an intriguing display of strength into a tedious, drawn-out affair. It was like watching two toddlers squabble over the last cookie, only these toddlers were hulking brutes and their cookie was the perceived chance at winning over some sort of desired female. Honestly, from their testosterone-fueled perspectives, this was their Hunger Games audition tape. A shot at the good life, with  the good female. I'm sure that's all they were really thinking about and not that this whole thing is barbaric.

XueLing, initially captivated by the raw aggression, now sported a look of profound boredom. It was the kind of expression one might wear while watching paint dry, or, perhaps worse, two men awkwardly trying to beat each other to a pulp beyond the point of any real display of actual strength. These guys clearly weren't going to quit, but, Newsflash! He did not, and neither did anyone else, had all day to watch this ridiculous display of masculine pride.

Both combatants were thoroughly battered, their once-impressive physiques now adorned with bruises and cuts. Even the audience, including XiShi, were starting to yawn. This wasn't entertainment; it was a slow-motion train wreck, and everyone was desperately waiting for it to derail already. XiShi, with the patience of a saint, tugged at XueLing's arm, drawing his attention from the gory mess. He responded with a casual, "Yes, my life?" his tone dripping with an almost comical level of calm amidst the chaos.

"Can we keep both?" she inquired, her voice a mix of practical assessment and a hint of underlying calculation. "They're both strong...so..." She trailed off, hesitant. She wasn't wrong, both of them seemed incredibly strong―well, more like the most durable out of the herd of men and they were clearly the strongest of the lot. Continuing the fight at this point was a complete waste given the fact that there was probably not much more strength to behold . Plus, she didn't want to push XueLing too hard; this was already a bit of an unusual request.

"Of course, they're both strong...they seem reliable," XueLing agreed, a weirdly excited smirk spreading across his face that did not do anything to assuage XiShi's discomfort in this whole ordeal. Whatever, she decided. "My female has spoken, she'll take them both. So lets cut the theatrics!" XueLing announced, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. The host, finally seeing an end in sight, simply nodded, calling XueLing to discuss payment. The crowd, collectively sighing, visibly relaxed. The whole thing was exhausting for everyone involved.

The host then ushered XueLing, XiShi and the two gladiators to a private room, more like a cave hewn in the same area, to hammer out the details of their purchase, as the second round of this bizarre auction was about to begin.

Because, of course it was. The show must go on after all, no matter how absurd it is.