48 Hours a Day

Panda Novel

“What’s going on? Are you jealous of me?” Varo’s eyes grew wide. “Hey, if it’s because you have to stay here for the training, and I get to leave here soon, I can understand how you feel right now. I won’t blame you for it, my Eastern friend.”

“I wish it were that simple,” Zhang Heng said.

“What does that mean? Because I really can’t think of another reason… Is there a reason why you are not happy for a friend who is about to leave this hell hole?” asked Varo.

Zhang Heng sighed. “My dear friend from Rome, haven’t you had even the slightest suspicion of how you ended up here? Are you sure the whole thing is just a coincidence or accident?”

Varo was stunned when he heard Zhang Heng’s reply. Before he could speak again, a whip was drawn at the two of them.

Zhang Heng stood still on the spot without even blinking. On the other hand, Varo was so scared that he subconsciously hid behind Zhang Heng. However, he lost his balance and slammed his head into a Parthian behind him. In the end, the whip missed Zhang Heng’s face by mere centimeters.

“What’s wrong with you? Did you leave any on me?” The Parthian said maliciously.

Varo was still a little confused. He did not know why the other party was so displeased with him. When he looked at his surroundings, he saw that everyone was glaring at him in a hostile manner. Fortunately, he was smart enough to realize that he had a problem.

He was unsure about Zhang Heng’s feelings, but one this was for sure. He now realized that his conversation with Mark Reuss had successfully aroused the jealousy of other slaves.

In the eyes of the people around him, Varo was undoubtedly a “deserter.” While the rest had to train hard for the assessment, Varo could just sit there and wait for the good news. It would not be long before he would escape and restart his business.

Although he realized that everyone was not happy with what he just did, Varo had no regrets. Initially, he had no intention to stay in this gladiator school for long, deeming himself different than all these violent creatures around him.

And that was why he preferred to stick with Zhang Heng, the Han Empire’s down-and-out nobleman. Although the latter had come from the mysterious and distant East, he still had a lot in common with him.

Fortunately, the conflict between him and the Parthians did not escalate. After that, more and more trainers drew their whips.

The head of the school put away the respectful appearance that he showed in front of Mark Reuss. Now, with a grave expression, he scolded harshly, “Stand properly, you idiots! Stop whispering! Please pay attention to what I’m about to say next! I’m only going to say it once!” At this point, the head of the school could not help but glare at Zhang Heng. Earlier, he paid little attention to this rather foreign-looking young man.

He could not even remember when he had bought Zhang Heng. He only remembered a couple of small details. All he could remember was that he purchased Zhang Heng when he bought those Sami people. It was all a little strange to him. There was a reason why he was put in charge of the gladiator school. He was a very meticulous person, especially when it came to selecting potential gladiators. He was the kind that made absolutely sure that every penny he spent was spent at the right place.

It was also rare that he forgot about the objects he purchased. This, however, also meant that the young man in front of him must have been someone with no particular talent.

Mark Reuss had been urging Gaby to find a successor to Sethnets because the gladiators in this era were similar to pop idols of later generations. Considering how gladiatorial performances were extremely popular in this era, Zhang Heng was not surprised by how they treated their assets.

This was probably the earliest form of pop-idol culture. Excellent gladiators could significantly enhance the arena’s income, and they could bring unexpected benefits. This, however, did not mean that the gladiator school would focus only on quality when it came to buying potential gladiators. The quantity was essential to them as well.

Their way of doing business was relatively easy to understand. Just like when one wanted to form a soccer team, the legendary soccer player would typically be the most dazzling star on the field. However, if one wanted the team to function normally, the manager would need more ordinary people to fill in other roles. Considering the high-risk nature of the Gladiator profession, the demand for new blood was undoubtedly immense.

Therefore, while the school strived to build on its trump card, they would also need to replenish many ordinary gladiators all the time.

And Zhang Heng was undoubtedly a part of the ordinary gladiator group. However, the way he acted in the face of the incoming whip had managed to surprise Gaby.

But he did not dwell on this matter for too long. His heart was not as calm as it seemed on the surface.

It would be an impossible task to train the next Sethnets in fifty days. All these newcomers might have good potential, and Bach himself was to be considered as a great gladiator as well. However, he was still far from Sethnets’s level. Although Sethnets’s reputation had spread throughout Rome with the gladiator school’s help, the spectators in the stands were no fools.

Sethnets was indeed the strongest gladiator for some time. Born to fight, he was quick to master all his fighting skills. Even if his physical fitness declined severely when he aged, his rich combat experience would make up for it. It wasn’t something that outsiders would usually notice. Coupled with handsome looks, even the queen could not help but feel attracted to him. Once, he was even secretly summoned into the palace.

At that time, Aurelius was still fighting a war. No one knew what happened that night. This matter became one of the many legendary tales of Sethnets.

Sethnets was trained by Gaby, so he knew very well that Bach could not do what Sethnets did. It had to with more than just combat skills. Bach did not possess Sethnets’s unique charm, chicness, and handsome fighting style.

Unfortunately, Gaby was left with no option.

No one knew Mark Reuss better than him. Although he was now a free man after the massive contributions he had made to the arena over the years, Gaby still insisted on calling Mark Reuss his master because of how he dealt with his enemies. And he would never want to be the enemy of this man.

Gaby could only do his best now. He turned his attention back to the matter at hand and muttered in a deep voice, “I know… you have all kinds of experiences and tales before you came here. Whether you are a slave, prisoner of war, debtor, a man who wants to earn a little for his family, or simply looking for excitement, let’s be honest here, I don’t care at all. Since you are here, you all have your reasons to become gladiators. You’d better work hard to achieve it and pass the assessment after 50 days. And don’t take any chances.”

While Gaby spoke, he intentionally landed his gaze on Varo.

“Because this is your only way out.”