From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 512

Chapter 512: Stephen’s Resolve (Part 1)

The moment the fight was announced, Max had already placed the bet.

At the time, it had been done with complete confidence, under the assumption that Stephen would be going up against the scarred fighter who had originally been listed as his opponent. Everything had lined up neatly, Stephen’s previous performances, the betting odds, and the steady flow of money pouring in from the other venues.

Now, though, the image displayed for Stephen’s opponent had changed.

Standing across the platform was no longer the scarred man, but Jett.

The system itself seemed to struggle to adjust to the sudden replacement. Although betting on Stephen was still allowed, no one was permitted to place a bet on Jett winning the fight unless they had already bet on the previous fighter before the change had occurred. Even worse, the system refused to allow anyone to retract their bets.

Max clenched his jaw as he stared at the display.

’What kind of betting system works like this?’ he thought.

’This is a completely different fight. They should be forced to reset everything. And how can they just swap out a fighter at the very last second?’

It didn’t make sense, but the rules were clear. If Jett defeated Stephen, as he had done before, then Max would be forced to pay out immediately due to the deal he had made. Given the sheer size of the bet he had placed, it would carve out a painful chunk from his new earnings.

It wouldn’t weaken him outright. Not after everything he had already gained tonight. But it was still infuriating, especially now that he had finally started to feel his strength climbing again.

Of course, Max technically had another option. He didn’t have to send the money right away.

Unlike online betting platforms where funds were deducted instantly, this system relied on manual transactions. The venue itself merely recorded the bets and settled payments after the event concluded.

But that was a dangerous line to cross.

Refusing to pay would invite consequences far worse than losing money.

’What worries me more than anything,’ Max thought, ’is Stephen going up against him.’

Stephen had only just unlocked his vow. He hadn’t had enough time to fully understand its limits, let alone master its use in prolonged combat. Jett, on the other hand, was experienced, brutal, and frighteningly efficient.

"Boss, what are we going to do?" Darno asked quietly. "Do we need a backup plan for this?"

"We need a plan," Max replied, his eyes never leaving the platform. "Whether it counts as a backup or not... I don’t know."

Max quickly sent out several messages, contacting the others scattered across different venues. If anyone could intervene, it would be them. Yet as the seconds ticked by, no replies came in. Even Aron remained silent.

His grip tightened around his phone.

That meant there was only one thing left to do.

He made a call.

Whether it would change anything, Max had no idea, but doing nothing wasn’t an option.

Stephen stood firmly on the platform, his posture rigid and focused. His expression had changed completely from his earlier fights. Gone was the calm confidence he had displayed against previous opponents. In its place was something sharper, heavier.

Jett stood opposite him, towering slightly, his presence alone exerting pressure on the space between them.

"I don’t think I need to explain this to you," Jett said calmly, his voice carrying easily across the platform. "Out of everyone here, you know better than most that this won’t be like the other fights."

Stephen said nothing, his eyes locked forward.

"The opponents you’ve faced so far," Jett continued, "they weren’t random. They were chosen based on who gave me the most trouble in the past."

Jett tilted his head slightly.

"Though maybe ’trouble’ isn’t the right word. More like... the ones that annoyed me."

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