"To think he'd go as far as to use an alias for this competition. Such caution!" Gu Zuo pondered for a moment before sending out a message. In their scheme, Zhou You might be an unpredictable element.

That day, the most viral video wasn't from the martial arts competition but of a Transformer.

No one caught the footage of Yanwu entering the city the previous night, but its morning transformation in front of the neighborhood was widely shared.

The reason for the previous night's false alarm was now clear to everyone.

"Impressive, an actual Transformer. Who's still into these nowadays?"

"Look what I've found. This isn't just any Transformer; it's a mech crafted by Master Fan!" A user uploaded a clip from Yangcheng, a video from when Yanwu first made an appearance in the city.

"Such incredible firepower, towering stature, and the ability to change forms at will; isn't this the mech of my dreams?"

"It's truly controllable! Kudos to Master Fan!"

"Being the top blacksmith in the country, I bet we won't be able to afford his weapons anymore."

"Wait... Doesn't anyone find it odd where Master Fan resides? That neighborhood looks close to my place."

"It's in Zone 1, Butterfly Bay, where the property prices are astoundingly high and privacy is ensured."

"Rumor has it that Marshal Shao lives here."

"Nonsense! Everyone knows the Shao family resides in the military compound."

By the time everyone wanted to see the Transformer in this neighborhood, it had already vanished.

Master Fan took Yan Wu to his home in Dawn City, an old factory converted into a spacious warehouse. From the outside, it looks ordinary, but inside, it's lavishly decorated with a strong sense of modern technology.

After reviewing Shao Qi's medical report, Master Fan decided to modify Yan Wu, enhancing its weaponry to double the firepower.

"He wants the whole world to see that even a cripple isn't to be trifled with."

Over the next few days, Master Fan disappeared from the limelight. Dawn City remained lively, and the martial arts association's betting became the main topic of conversation. The daily leaderboard kept changing.

Each victory for Zhou You advanced his ranking and increased the betting amount, to the dismay of the martial arts association officials. They regretted ever listing his name.

On the final day of the championship, Zhou You ranked third. Today, the top four would determine the champion: Master Shi Kong, Zhang Huaizen, Zhou Shan, and Cheng Yuran.

Cheng Yuran's progress impressed Zhou You. After secluding himself for a while, he emerged more focused, his inner strength seemingly skyrocketed, advancing several levels.

However, as the four young talents stood on the stage, the audience didn't cheer. Their attention was on the judges' panel.

The reason? A photo had surfaced of Zhou You and Shao Qi walking hand in hand. Once extramarital affairs were ruled out, the only logical conclusion was that the man beside Zhou You was Shao Qi.

This photo only started circulating this morning. Then, people realized that the mysterious man from the photo was the same one sitting on the judges' panel every day.

Shao Qi now looked much thinner and paler than before. At a glance, he seemed completely different, but if you looked closely, he was still recognizable.

"Wow, he looks so handsome! Marshal Shao looks even better after his surgery!"

"Tsk, pretty boy!"

"With him in this state, shouldn't the Marshal consider stepping down? The nation doesn't need a weakling as its leader!"

"Hasn't he lost all his martial skills? Why is he even on the judges' panel?"

"Am I the only one who thinks he's become less attractive? He used to be so manly, and now he looks like a mere gigolo."

A tide of malicious comments flooded in.

Chapter 239: The Top Four

Inside the stadium, some audience members held banners demanding Shao Qi's removal from the panel. Some martial artists even openly challenged him, causing chaos.

Supporters and detractors clashed, almost bringing the stadium down, while the competitors on the stage went largely unnoticed.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, the host turned to the judges on the panel for help.

Shao Qi stood up, removed his hat and mask, and began walking towards the stage.

Zhou You grabbed the microphone from the host, and his powerful "Silence!" pierced through the ears of everyone present, echoing thrice.

The stadium fell instantly quiet. Apart from the faint buzzing of equipment, all eyes were on the stage, their minds a blank slate.

"Is this the prowess of a mind-controlling master?"

Shao Qi stood next to Zhou You. His face, now magnified on all the screens, was unmistakable.

"It's truly Marshal Shao!" someone exclaimed. Shao Qi's absence from the public view since his return to Dawn City had worried many.

"I'm sure many wonder why I sit as a judge. But perhaps you don't know, aside from martial art experts, high-ranking members of the Martial Arts Association can also be judges. Am I right?" His last few words were directed at the host.

The host quickly nodded in agreement. "Yes, we invited ten judges primarily to ensure fairness and integrity in the matches. Not all are martial arts masters. The gentleman in the blue uniform, for instance, is Mr. Liu from our city's Notary Office."

Shao Qi continued, "Naturally, many are curious about my health. I won't hide it: I'm recovering, but regaining my past strength might be impossible for the rest of my life..."

Zhou You snatched the microphone, interjecting, "No! It's entirely possible!"

Reintroducing himself, he said, "I apologize for participating under a false identity earlier. I am Zhou You." He tore off his fake beard and wiped away the facial disguise, revealing his familiar face.

"So romantic!" a female spectator shouted, and the audience looked at the duo on stage—one a contestant and the other a judge—finding the situation profoundly touching.