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墨書 Inktalez
"What special skills? What military skills do you have!?" Old Li and the others looked at me with smiles, while the Cadets laughed along. "Martial arts, stick and weapon techniques." At this point, I could only tough it out with a thick skin.
The team leader glanced at me, then suspiciously at Old Li. Leaning back, Old Li said, "Very well, in front of so many people, you can have a match with Ding. If you can beat him, you’ll pass the Second Week Combat Assessment and be placed at the end of all the Cadets. We’ll even give you extra points. Do you agree?"
I was more than willing! As long as I got a chance, I would take it! "Get them two sticks," Old Li casually instructed. "Ding, are you okay with this?"
"The weapon techniques aren't my specialty, but I shouldn't have forgotten the staff techniques I learned in the Armed Police Academy," Team Leader Ding scratched his head awkwardly.
Is it the Armed Police's baton techniques? Heh, I'm not afraid at all; even Zhang Xing isn't my opponent anymore. You'll be surprised, I thought to myself. Before long, someone brought over two Long Staffs, about 1.6 meters long—just right for me. Before I could step forward to take the sticks, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
"Wang Instructor, why don't you step back? My specialty is also with sticks. Now it's time for us Cadets to showcase our skills; your qualifying match can be last," said Sun Hu. I looked at him; he stepped forward without looking at me, only casting a sideways glance at Team Leader Ding, filled with provocation. Suddenly, it became clear to me that hand-to-hand combat wouldn't work against Team Leader Ding; no one dared to use close combat as their specialty display. Since no one else was stepping up for weapon techniques, Sun Hu was trying to take advantage of the situation.
I didn't know how to respond because my current position was quite awkward. Just then, another voice rang out from the crowd. "Among the Cadets, how do you know your stick techniques are the best? You should get past me first." It was Old Bi; he pushed through the crowd and winked at me as he passed by.
"Old Bi, let me handle this."
Old Bi waved his hand dismissively. "Let me have my moment too; besides, I've wanted to teach this kid a lesson for a long time. You go get your own stick and challenge Team Leader Ding. Today belongs to us brothers."
Old Bi turned to Sun Hu and said, "Wang Instructor's skills are above yours; I'll take you on first so you know there are mountains beyond mountains."
Sun Hu laughed angrily in response. "You think being a Military Doctor makes you better than us?! Sure, you're all from the same unit; one of you is about to get punished but still wants to cling on as a Cadet. A nobody dares to challenge me? You're just asking for trouble."
I saw Old Bi's grip on the stick tighten; the veins on his hand bulged out. I knew he was genuinely angry now. I turned and prepared to run back to the dormitory to grab my own weapon; let them bicker for now—I shouldn't miss out on the good show.
With that thought in mind, I dashed back to the dormitory on the first floor, dragged my backpack out from under the bed, pulled out two stick bags, quickly formed Nunchaku into Short Staffs, and twisted a card into place until a Refined Steel Rod was ready. To prevent slipping, I sanded both ends down. I stroked it lightly and muttered to myself, "Brothers, today’s your moment to shine; it's time to give our team leader some face."
I rushed to the playground with my stick in hand. When I arrived, I could hear cheers coming from the front, but I couldn't tell who was winning or losing. I quickly maneuvered around the crowd and found myself standing next to Xiao Yu. She was focused on the action below, and when she noticed me, she turned her head and said, "Oh, you're really going to join in? Are you sure you can handle it? Don't end up with your teeth scattered all over the ground!"
"I don't know if I can handle it, but I've lost my teeth once before; this time, it's someone else's turn to lose theirs," I replied with a grin as I tapped the Steel Rod in my hand, producing a dull thud against the Cement Floor. I knew my weakness was a lack of strength, but with the weight and inertia of the Refined Steel Rod, I could hold my own against a powerhouse like Sun Hu. Who would have thought I'd run into someone looking for trouble?
Still, I hoped Old Bi would take care of him; Sun Hu was indeed a bit annoying. Ignoring Xiao Yu's surprised expression, I focused on the match.
Inside the ring, Old Bi and Sun Hu were locked in combat. As expected, Sun Hu relied on his brute strength to launch aggressive attacks using slashes and strikes. In contrast, Old Bi was much more agile, using techniques like feints and counters to redirect Sun Hu's power. Occasionally, he would strike back with jabs and thrusts that left Sun Hu flustered.
After watching for a while, I realized that Sun Hu's skill level was beneath Old Bi's. If it weren't for his sheer strength and some wild swings to fend off close-range attacks, he would have likely been defeated long ago.
"Sun Hu is going to lose!" I whispered.
Xiao Yu looked puzzled. "How can you tell? He seems full of energy to me."
True enough, while Sun Hu still exuded confidence, his movements had lost their fluidity. Each change in attack felt disconnected and awkward; his speed had diminished as well. It was an undeniable truth that he couldn't maintain that level of intensity forever.
I sensed that Old Bi was about to make his move. Sure enough, after deflecting one of Sun Hu's downward strikes, he seized the opportunity when Sun Hu failed to retract his stick in time. With an opening wide open, Old Bi stepped forward with both hands gripping his stick and swung it in an arc toward Sun Hu's head.
Caught off guard, Sun Hu tried to block but was too late; he could only retreat while dragging his stick behind him in an attempt to create distance for a counterattack. However, Old Bi's strike was a feint. Taking advantage of Sun Hu's retreat, he stomped down on Sun Hu's stick with his left foot and brought both hands down sharply toward Sun Hu's right hand.
Startled, Sun Hu let go of his stick just in time for Old Bi to plant his weapon firmly on the ground for support. With a powerful push-off from both feet, he launched himself into the air toward Sun Hu.
There were two loud thuds as Old Bi's feet connected with Sun Hu's chest, sending him staggering backward until he finally collapsed onto the ground. Sitting there in disbelief and shock, Sun Hu wore an expression of utter astonishment while the surrounding cadets fell silent.
Old Bi clearly enjoyed showing off; he spun his stick around in front of him before striking a pose and said to Sun Hu, "Thanks for the match! A brother from the Main Combat Unit!" He then turned away without another glance at Sun Hu and raised his stick high as he slowly turned to face everyone else. The military has always revered strength, and Old Bi’s display clearly excited the crowd once again as cheers erupted from all around.
Even Old Li and the middle-aged man nearby were whispering among themselves about how impressive Old Bi had been.
“Team Leader Ding, would you like to give it a try?” Old Bi smiled at Team Leader Ding.
Team Leader Ding stood still for a moment, then shook his head. “I wouldn’t stand a chance against you with a stick. If it were our former Instructor Zhang, I could at least compete.”
“Instructor Zhang? Is that Zhang Xing?” Old Bi asked curiously.
“Yes, how did you know?” Team Leader Ding seemed quite surprised.
“Hahaha, Old Zhang wouldn't necessarily be my match either!” Old Bi was clearly brimming with confidence. “Today, let everyone see that the Engineering Corps has top-notch soldiers too!”
I felt quite awkward standing on the side. Sun Hu had been defeated by Old Bi, so should I go down and face Old Bi or just stay here? Should I even showcase my skills? Was it going to be a demonstration match with Old Bi?
Perhaps noticing Xiao Yu's attention, Old Bi continued to show off. “Just to let everyone know, besides me in our unit, we also have Wang Instructor, whose skills are even better than mine…”
“Can I give it a try?” a voice interjected.
Everyone turned to look as the crowd slowly parted to reveal Lin Hao stepping forward.
He walked down to the field and bowed respectfully towards Old Li. “My specialty is not with rifles but with cold weapons, specifically the spear. I’d like to have a match with this Cadet.”
Old Li looked intrigued. “Have you practiced this?”
Lin Hao replied calmly, “It’s a family tradition. My father is from Cangzhou in Hebei and has practiced martial arts since childhood. I’ve trained in spear techniques for some time.”
“Great! Ding, go find a long staff for him. This batch of Cadets is getting more interesting by the day. Hahaha!”
When Team Leader Ding went to find the Long Staff, Lin Hao turned around and calmly addressed Old Bi, "This Cadet, Sun Hu, may not be able to match you in this regard, but you should know that not everyone from the Main Combat Unit is at the same level. The Main Combat Unit will always be the Main Combat Unit, and you will always be Logistical Support. Just do what you are supposed to do. It's already impressive that you've made it this far, so don't think about going any further. Let me take down your confidence; if this is the only skill you have, you don't deserve to act so arrogantly here." At this point, I felt as if Lin Hao glanced my way. What did that mean? Did he think we shouldn't have reached this stage? Hey! Interesting!
Old Bi listened to these words, narrowing his eyes. He said nothing but held the staff close to his chest, staring back at Lin Hao.
Before long, Team Leader Ding approached with a white wax Long Staff in hand. He awkwardly handed the staff to Lin Hao, saying, "This is all I could find."
Lin Hao took the staff, weighed it in his hands, and smiled slightly. "This will do, thank you." He then held the staff behind him and walked toward Old Bi.
"Old Bi, let me take a turn!" I shouted as I was about to step forward. Unexpectedly, Old Bi didn't even turn his head; he waved his left hand behind him and said loudly, "Let me go first. I really don't believe there are people everywhere like Ah Huang!"
Speaking of Ah Huang, I always felt there was no one who could surpass him. However, Lin Hao's confidence was so strong that it left me unable to judge. I had no choice but to stay put and watch. After sparring with Ah Huang for so long, I knew that when Ah Huang didn't use heavy weaponry, I was just a little behind him in terms of technique and speed. Old Bi was also slightly inferior compared to Zhang Xing. If Lin Hao wasn't particularly strong, Old Bi should be fine.
Lin Hao stopped two meters in front of Old Bi. As expected, he was skilled; the White Wax Staff was about 1.8 meters long, and he wouldn't allow Old Bi to get too close. Watching them stand facing each other, the crowd around us held their breath in anticipation of an exciting duel.
After a few seconds of silence, Old Bi moved first. With his right hand gripping the staff, he dragged it along the ground and charged forward two steps before twisting his body and swinging the staff toward Lin Hao's upper body!
(To be continued; more excitement tomorrow!)
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