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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 91: Gun Staff Decision (Final Chapter)
I dropped those words and turned around, dragging my staff into the arena. Lin Hao had already retreated to the sidelines, and I gave him space; with so many people watching, he would surely follow.
As I reached the center of the arena, I turned around, and sure enough, Lin Hao slowly approached. I could see doubt and unease in his eyes. It was no surprise; it was hard for him to imagine how a Military Doctor could become a martial arts Cadet. However, the Refined Steel Rod in my hand was not lying.
I noticed he was still slightly panting, sweat pouring down his forehead. It seemed that the earlier fight had drained much of his energy. His grip on the White Wax Staff trembled slightly, whether from overexertion or nervousness, I couldn't tell. Old Bi had tested his strength, but he had no idea of mine. I remained still, quietly observing him, knowing he would strike first.
Why? It was quite poignant to think about how similar this scene was to when he faced Old Bi. His strength and sharpness had diminished significantly; if this stalemate continued, his confidence would only wane further. With so many eyes on him, he would find it hard to save face. Thus, a quick resolution was his only option.
Seeing Lin Hao's hesitant expression, I decided to stoke the fire. "Why not just admit defeat now?" I said calmly, taking a step forward and dragging the staff behind me, its tip resting on the ground as I faced him.
Sure enough, Lin Hao furrowed his brows and let out a low growl. He gripped the White Wax Staff tightly and lunged toward my face.
"Come on!" I shouted. Instead of dodging, I swung the Refined Steel Rod up from the ground, completing a half-circle from behind me and striking down hard on his White Wax Staff!
"Thud..." I clearly saw the White Wax Staff get knocked aside while its shaft still vibrated slightly. Lin Hao quickly withdrew his staff to avoid my advance.
But I didn’t move; with that collision, I realized his strength was no match for mine. Given the disparity in our weapons, my only concern was his judgment and reaction time. As long as I played it steady, he would inevitably lose!
I pulled back my right hand and stood tall again with the Refined Steel Rod positioned in front of me. We held our ground for a few seconds before Lin Hao stepped forward into a bow stance and flicked his wrist, thrusting toward my left shoulder.
I kicked the lower section of my staff; the Refined Steel Rod immediately swayed. Seizing the momentum, I grabbed the upper end of the rod and swung it diagonally to the left again, aiming to smash his White Wax Staff like before.
Suddenly, just as his staff was about to pierce in front of me, its tip quickly retracted and then thrust toward my lower right abdomen!
My moves were already becoming predictable; there wasn’t enough time to sweep back my staff in response. In that instant, I stepped forward with my left foot and used the momentum of my staff to swiftly pivot left to evade the thrust. I felt the tip graze along my back. But I didn’t stop; continuing to twist my waist and shift my hips, I turned back around and swung my staff in a wide arc towards Lin Hao with a fierce roar.
Lin Hao was clearly taken aback. He realized he couldn't withstand the force and retreated several steps, increasing the distance between us.
It turned out that Lin Hao knew his strength was inferior to mine, so instead of confronting me directly, he attempted to lure me into making the first move with feints, hoping to find an opening to strike. I wasn't surprised; he had always favored a nimble approach, and now he aimed to use skill over strength.
Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who could be clever. Back when I was weaker than Old Bi, I had relied on techniques learned from Ah Huang and practiced with him.
Seeing Lin Hao create distance, I charged forward a couple of steps, raising the rod in my right hand and thrusting it forward. At the same time, I shifted my grip from a firm hold to a loose one, letting the rod slip from my fingers and aim for Lin Hao's face. Once the rod was fully extended, I stepped forward again, tightening my grip as I caught the end of the rod and thrust it forward with renewed force. The rod shot toward his face with incredible speed!
"You can use a spear technique too!" Lin Hao exclaimed in shock.
Yes, this was what Ah Huang had taught me—the Guest Sending Spear! This technique was originally invented by the Yang Family Generals during the Song Dynasty. The user holds the spear in the middle and thrusts it powerfully toward the enemy. Once the spear is fully extended, they grip the end and add arm strength for an incredibly swift attack. Especially during mounted combat, due to speed and inertia, no one could evade it. With this technique, the Yang Family Generals could often take down an opponent in just one exchange.
The front of my Refined Steel Rod was specially polished into a conical shape, resembling a sharp spear tip, and it was now closing in on his face. Our distance hadn't decreased much; indeed, this was the essence of spear techniques—not needing to close in. Although my rod was just over a meter long, combined with my arm's reach, it was sufficient. Lin Hao thought he could keep me at bay with his long weapon but didn't realize that my spear technique could be executed without needing to break through his defenses.
At that moment, Lin Hao suddenly shouted as he tilted his head away and quickly crouched down while attempting to deflect my rod upward with both hands.
Seizing this opportunity, I closed the gap further and withdrew my Refined Steel Rod just as our weapons clashed. I swiftly twirled it at my side and then brought it crashing down toward Lin Hao!
Lin Hao dared not take that hit and rolled away clumsily. I didn't pursue him but stood still as he got back up covered in sand. "Do you want to continue?" I asked him.
A flash of anger crossed Lin Hao's face. "Instructor, this isn't fair!" he suddenly shouted!
Before I could respond, he continued, "Wang Wei has his own Refined Steel Rod—heavy and easy to handle—while my weapon is unwieldy! In this match-up, I'm at a disadvantage!"
I smiled slightly; I knew he wasn't just shouting for Old Li and the others but also for me and everyone else to hear. He was still trying to hold on. Fine, let's play this out.
"Not allowed to use the refined steel rod? Alright then, I'll try out my modified weapon!" I declared as I raised both hands with the rod. Suddenly, I pulled apart at two separation knobs on either end; with a clatter, each segment detached into sections—the Long Staff transformed into a Three-Section Staff! This was precisely what I had designed it for: using a spear for long-range combat while employing the Three-Section Staff for close quarters; during group fights, it could even split into two Nunchaku!
Lin Hao's face, which was already pale, turned even whiter. He opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, while Old Li and the others remained silent. I knew it was time to continue.
I held a segment of the staff in each hand and charged at Lin Hao. "Let's keep going! You haven't admitted defeat yet!" Clearly flustered, Lin Hao abandoned his usual agile style and swung at me with a horizontal strike, ready to use the staff.
The advantage of a soft weapon against a hard one was undeniable. As I charged forward, I raised my Three-Section Staff to block his attack to the left. Taking another step closer, I was now only about a meter away from Lin Hao, and his center was wide open! I protected my left side with my left hand while thrusting the other segment straight toward his chest with my right hand.
Startled, Lin Hao quickly retreated. Just then, I heard someone shout from the sidelines, "You're at the edge!"
My eyes lit up. Good, I'll force you out! I followed up with another step and aimed my left staff toward his right shoulder.
To my surprise, after retreating a few steps, Lin Hao performed an unexpected move. He discarded the White Wax Staff with his right hand and grabbed the longer middle section of my staff between my hands. Then he pushed off the edge of the sandpit with his left foot and executed a powerful flip to the right. The sudden force yanked on my staff, causing me to loosen my grip on the left end!
Was he trying to take my staff or engage me in hand-to-hand combat? A chill ran down my spine as I saw Lin Hao land and roll sideways before quickly kneeling up, already grasping another segment of my staff! Without time to think, I tightened my right hand and straightened the entire Three-Section Staff. With my left hand, I pressed down on the joint in the middle and twisted it, separating the Three-Section Staff into two segments.
Years of training kicked in instinctively as I swiftly swung the staff overhead in a flourish before bringing it down toward Lin Hao!
Lin Hao stared blankly at the Short Staff in his hands…
As the Nunchaku was about to strike his back, he showed no reaction at all. With a sharp flick of my wrist, I sent the staff flying back into my armpit. I took a step closer and softly said, "This is where it ends."
Lin Hao slowly looked up at me before sitting down heavily on the ground. Letting out a long sigh, he spoke wearily, "You win."
The onlookers were also dumbfounded; everything had happened so quickly. In just a few minutes, who would have thought Lin Hao would be defeated?!
I exhaled lightly and squatted down beside him. "You know, you guys always get caught up in classifying troops into first-rate and second-rate. What’s so special about the Special Operations Brigade? It’s just a different nature of work. Our Logistics Work Uniform unit is still a unit; we undergo similar training—just different subjects. But as you've seen, we also produce talent! Next time, don’t look down on us so much."
Having finished speaking, I stood up and was about to leave when I heard Old Li calling me over.
I walked over with a smile, "Should I call you Old Li, or should I call you Leader?"
Old Li chuckled, "Call me whatever you like, Wang. You've brought us quite a few surprises! This is our Cultural Instructor from the Special Operations Brigade. He is skilled in various forms of combat and weaponry. While your staff techniques and marksmanship may not be the best, he integrates them seamlessly and has developed his own unique style. He admires you; would you be interested in following him?"
Even a fool could hear the underlying message! I glanced at the Cultural Instructor beside him, saluted, and said, "Greetings to both Leaders. Thank you for your care, but I have no intention of joining the Special Operations Brigade."
"Oh?" Old Li's response was drawn out, clearly surprised.
"Actually, I've already come to terms with it. Serving in the military is about dedication no matter where you are. I'm someone who values nostalgia; I believe it's best to return to my own unit," I smiled at them. "Besides, I'm just a Military Doctor transitioning careers; my expertise is lacking. Leaders, please don't waste resources on me. Instead, focus more on these Cadets; there are many outstanding prospects among them."
Old Li pondered for a moment before suddenly laughing, "Haha, you're the first person to refuse me. How interesting."
"Regarding this batch of Cadets—Sun Hukuang and Lin Hao'ao—they need some guidance. Wu Di and Liu Neilian are steady; their perseverance, temperament, and patience far exceed that of ordinary people. They may not be the smartest or the quickest to react, but I have high hopes for them. Unfortunately, Wu Di is getting older; he may not keep up with high-intensity training anymore." Old Li said with a hint of regret. He was right; ten years later, Liu indeed became the Special Operations Standard-Bearer for the Guangzhou Military Region, gaining fame throughout the army and becoming a symbol of excellence. The next time I saw him was at his achievement report meeting; that once shy and reserved Buddy had transformed into a mature and composed Special Operations Battalion Commander. He probably wouldn't remember me, but I felt a wave of nostalgia and wondered how Old Li would feel seeing such a scene.
"Here, this is for you," Old Li said as he handed me something. Instinctively, I took it—it was an insignia I had never seen before! A sharp sword pierced through the center! Wrapped around it was a lightning symbol. As I was still puzzled, he added, "Consider it a keepsake. If we have the chance, let’s meet again under the Southern Sword!"
(End of this chapter; stay tuned for the next chapter titled Retirement: Love Like the Wind, The Work of Chasing the Wind—more exciting content tomorrow!)
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