Zhou Qing was the kind of person whose energy was terrifyingly abundant.
When she set her mind to something, she wouldn't feel tired even after going a day or two without sleep.
In high school, she ran away from home with Zhou Kai—who was still in middle school at the time—and stubbornly pedaled a broken bicycle one hundred and thirty kilometers in a single night.
In university, she dragged her entire dormitory to sit in hard seats for seven hours to climb a mountain and watch the sunrise.
After they started working, Zhou Kai had also come across similar feats of hers on his social media feed.
Zhou Kai rarely admired anyone from the bottom of his heart; if forced to name one, it was only his older sister.
"Little Kai, how do you like the gym? You've been looking much better lately."
"Last night around midnight, Yanzi even called me and praised you for a full half hour."
Because Zhou Kai was present, Zhou Qing and Sui Die's conversation would always intentionally or unintentionally circle back to him.
She asked with concern, "How about I renew it for another month? Take your time adjusting your body and mindset; don't rush out there to take risks."
Zhou Kai shook his head. "No need, Sis."
Zhou Qing glared at him. "As long as you know what you're doing. Don't let those irrelevant things... I'm your biological sister, after all."
Zhou Kai immediately raised his hand and patted his chest, replying exaggeratedly, "I guarantee I won't!"
This made Zhou Qing burst into loud laughter.
Meanwhile, Sui Die's expression would occasionally become somewhat subtle.
She seemed to care a great deal about Zhou Qing and Zhou Kai...
After breakfast, Zhou Qing still wanted to take Zhou Kai to the newly built mall in Xishan City.
But Zhou Kai tactfully spoke up, "Sis, Sister Sui."
"I may need to head to the gym first..."
Hearing this, the smile on Zhou Qing's face stiffened, and her eyes dimmed somewhat.
"Ah... then, you go ahead."
But Sui Die suddenly reached out to block Zhou Kai's path. "Leave a contact."
"Sure."
……
Zhou Kai spent a dozen or so minutes getting to the gym. The member area had already finished a round of warm-ups with the coach.
Zhou Kai changed his clothes and walked into the group. Immediately, someone whispered that Coach Chen Ping might be in a bad mood later.
But when Chen Ping saw Zhou Kai, his expression was very gentle.
"Lu Yan told me everything... It's good that you came."
"This morning, you'll still train with me."
This was preferential treatment that only those with outstanding talent could enjoy.
"Thank you, Coach Chen."
Zhou Kai thanked him again. He didn't dislike this kind of special treatment.
Although envious or jealous gazes would sweep over him from time to time, in his clear-headed state, he received all these emotions...
But who cared?
One should keep a low profile when necessary, but when it wasn't necessary, one shouldn't wrong oneself either.
……
[MMA EXP +2]
[Light Footwork EXP +1]
In the half-hour sparring session at noon, Zhou Kai's progress was visible to the naked eye.
The two of them fought with increasing proficiency, their movements filled with an aesthetic beauty, inevitably attracting the gazes of many people in the trainee area.
A short, stocky man coming down from the second floor called out to Du Feng, lifting his chin toward Zhou Kai's direction. "What's that kid's background?"
A flash of disgust flickered through Du Feng's eyes, but he still answered truthfully, "He came last week, or maybe the week before... or perhaps even earlier. It feels like he comes and goes."
"Senior Brother Wang, why have you started caring about these members who just come to exercise?"
Wang Jinquan's face instantly lost all composure. He swung a slap over. "Fuck off, can't you speak properly?"
"You've got some goddamn nerve, talking to me with that attitude!"
Du Feng easily dodged and replied perfunctorily, "I wouldn't dare. See you, Senior Brother Wang, I'm rushing to eat lunch."
After speaking, he left without looking back.
The several hangers-on following Wang Jinquan didn't dare to stop him either.
Among these basic disciples in the gym, who didn't know that Du Feng ran with Chen Ping?
"Damn, a bunch of filthy trash!"
Wang Jinquan already had a fiery temper. Being talked back to by Du Feng like this, his neck turned red with anger.
His gaze toward Chen Ping... and Zhou Kai grew increasingly hostile.
"That dog Chen Ping, does he really think the gym is his family's?"
"And he's still giving private lessons like this?"
"Who knows how much membership fee he's pocketed in private..."
The people around him immediately started chiming in agreement.
……
In the afternoon, Chen Ping called Du Feng over again to substitute for the class.
He himself led Zhou Kai, taking the elevator to the second floor.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a small training room exclusive to Chen Ping.
He opened his mouth. "Tomorrow is the minor exam. Are you confident?"
Zhou Kai's heart was calm like still water. "I'll do my best."
Chen Ping laughed despite himself. He stood by the window with arms crossed, his back to Zhou Kai.
"Stop joking, kid."
"Although I don't know how you did it, a mere minor exam can't stop you."
"In six days, your technique, physical fitness, and combat awareness have exploded across the board... You're very unusual."
Zhou Kai's heart chilled.
Even though he had deliberately concealed it, having sparred with Chen Ping every day for the past two days, Chen Ping had still discovered it after all.
"But I'm not surprised, nor curious."
Chen Ping turned around, his gaze burning as he looked at Zhou Kai. "I've seen people with even more terrifying talent than yours, who awakened even earlier."
Zhou Kai dropped his guard, showing sincerity, and asked seriously, "So, Coach Chen... what do you mean?"
Chen Ping reached into a sand bucket beside him, his fingertips rubbing against the iron sand, producing a rustling sound that was somewhat unnerving.
He thought for a moment before speaking. "Do you really want to learn martial arts?"
"The minor exam is only the most basic screening. After passing, you'll still have to stay on the first floor with those members who are just killing time, tempering your basics for at least a month, familiarizing yourself with foundational martial arts before you can truly take on a master."
"A month is too long."
"I can take you to directly compete for the qualification to become a formal disciple."
Zhou Kai lowered his eyelids. "There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Coach Chen, what do you need me to do?"
Chen Ping smiled. "It's still too early to talk about that."
After speaking, he distanced himself from Zhou Kai and assumed a standard fighting stance.
"If you can endure it, from now until the minor exam tomorrow morning."
"You can come at me anytime."
Hearing this, Zhou Kai bowed deeply.
"Coach Chen, I shall do as you say!"
Bang!
Zhou Kai was still bowing, his words not yet finished.
A fierce gust was already blowing in his face!
Chen Ping's figure blurred and enlarged in the instant Zhou Kai raised his head. A completely unexpected hook punch came straight at him!
The fist hadn't arrived, but the wind arrived first.
Chen Ping's fist tore through the air, producing not the sound of wind breaking, but a piercing shriek that made one's eardrums ache.
In Zhou Kai's vision, that fist seemed to drain away all the light and sound along its path, smashing ruthlessly toward his face.
Fast.
So fast that neural reaction was a luxury.
Zhou Kai's heart suddenly stopped.
"Old bastard, are you training me or trying to kill me?"
In a flash, this thought exploded in his mind.
No... this wasn't a personal grudge.
This was forcing me.
Forcing me to release... that madness from my instincts, the one honed through killing in nightmares.
He could already smell that familiar scent mixed with blood and death.
This was the scent of the body being pushed to its limits when life and death hung by a thread.
Stomp!
The survival instinct overwhelmed all thought.
Zhou Kai didn't retreat. Instead, he suddenly stepped forward.
His entire body's center of gravity poured forward like mercury. In a posture that defied common sense, he shifted his body sideways by a hair's breadth.
Dodging the vital point.
But it was still too slow.
Rip—