Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Upon hearing me concede, the thin soldier immediately thrust his hands forward, causing Guan to lose his balance and stumble a few steps in this direction. I was taken aback and quickly rushed over to support him, pulling Guan back. Old Bi hurried over to check for injuries, and fortunately, he was fine.
Guan's face showed a hint of shame as he quietly said to me, "Company Commander, I'm sorry." I patted his shoulder and replied, "It's alright; there are still two matches left!"
The thin soldier took two steps back, standing with his hands down, and softly said, "I held back."
"Haha!" Liu Chao laughed from the side. "It's normal for you to lose; this soldier was part of the Henan Provincial Martial Arts Team before enlisting. He specifically trained in Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."
A sense of heaviness settled in my heart; there truly were many skilled fighters in the military! Who should we send out for the next match? At that moment, I heard Xu say to Sheng Xiong behind him, "Big guy! Let me take this one; you can go last."
Xu removed his camouflage uniform, revealing a fitness outfit underneath. He neatly folded the camouflage uniform and handed it to Sheng Xiong before slowly walking to the center of the arena. Facing the thin soldier, he said, "Let’s have a friendly match." Then he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly while casually assuming a Tai Chi starting posture.
When I was in college, I had also learned Tai Chi. Back then, I thought it was just an exercise for old folks with no practical application. However, after meeting Xu, my perspective on Tai Chi's practical functions changed significantly.
He embodied the essence of Tai Chi, where stillness and motion coexist, representing the yin and yang. The starting posture alone is rich in meaning; it signifies the transition from Wuji to Tai Chi. A Tai Chi starting stance can encapsulate the essence of Tai Chi itself. By entering into action from this stance and gradually refining one's understanding through practice, one can grasp its key principles and enter the realm of Tai Chi. Xu noted that although different styles like Chen, Yang, Wu, and Sun have varying forms and intentions for their starting postures, the underlying principle of using intention rather than force remains consistent. During combat, one should not be overly fixated on variations of techniques but should move fluidly according to intent.
I didn’t know much about Tai Chi; what little I did know came from watching The Legend of the Dragon Slayer. However, I personally believed that softness overcomes hardness, which seemed to give Xu an advantage. Regardless of anything else, I had faith in Xu; at least in terms of Kung Fu foundation among these three individuals, Xu was still the strongest.
Seeing Xu's stance, the thin soldier's expression changed slightly as he murmured, "I didn't expect there would be a Tai Chi expert here!"
The chubby soldier stepped forward and asked, "Should I take over?" The thin soldier shook his head. "Are you conceding without trying?"
With that said, he let out a low roar and charged at Xu like a fierce tiger!
Just as he was about to collide with Xu, he swiftly extended his hands toward Xu's right arm, aiming to grab it first before applying a joint lock. However, just as the thin soldier's hand was about to touch him, Xu gently welcomed and deflected it with a light touch of his left hand while shifting his body to the left. The thin soldier missed his target completely and continued to lunge forward uncontrollably.
The thin man stumbled a few steps, steadied himself, gritted his teeth, and lunged forward again. He was quite a clever fellow; the first time he charged in, he was afraid Xu would notice his intentions too early. It was only when they were about to collide that he reached out to grab Xu's forearm. This time, he simply bent down and rushed at Xu, aiming to get close enough to wrap his arms around Xu's waist for close combat, making it difficult for Xu to break free.
However, just as the thin man charged forward, Xu suddenly leaned in, using one hand to pull and redirect him by his shoulder. The thin man veered off to the side, nearly falling to the ground.
He turned around, his face flushed. The key to his joint locks was close-range grappling, seizing the opponent's limbs for reversals and locks. Now that he couldn't even get close, he felt utterly frustrated.
He stomped his foot and shouted through gritted teeth before launching another tiger leap, arms wide open as if he wanted to embrace Xu tightly.
At this moment, Xu bent down and focused on the thin man's movements. When the thin man lunged at him, Xu quickly grabbed his left hand with his right hand, pulling and pushing with force while simultaneously leaning in. He stepped on the thin man's left foot, causing him to lose balance. Just as the thin man was about to fall onto Xu's back, Xu stood up sharply and threw him over his shoulder. With a thud, the thin man landed on the ground.
Xu slowly turned around and quietly said to the thin man, "Brother, I held back too."
Three moves—just three moves—and in the second round, Sharp Blade Company wins!
I patted Xu on the shoulder. He turned back to signal that he was still ready. I glanced at Liu Chao and said, "Well, it seems like calculations can’t beat fate. It's a tie now; should we continue after dinner?"
Liu Chao replied darkly, "Why bother with all that? Let's finish this now. A Hu, it's your turn!"
"Yes!" The bald and burly man named A Hu responded in a deep voice as he took off his camouflage uniform, revealing his bare torso as he approached.
This guy was all muscle and radiated strength. He silently walked towards Xu, clearly larger than Xu by more than a size! There were no grand gestures or furious roars; he advanced like a mountain pressing down on Xu. I noticed Xu couldn't help but take a step back.
A Hu reached Xu and slowly extended his hand towards Xu's shoulder. It seemed like he wasn't using much force at all. Xu looked surprised; it appeared he had never encountered such an approach before.
If it lacked strength, how could one neutralize strength? A phrase suddenly popped into my mind!
It was indeed like that! Xu watched helplessly as the hand slowly approached to rest on his shoulder. He had no choice but to shift his body slightly to evade the grasp. A Hu remained expressionless, bending slightly as his left hand reached out again for another grab. Xu, feeling helpless, took a step back to avoid this attempt.
This couldn't go on like this, I murmured. Xu probably thought the same; he suddenly changed tactics and kicked out fiercely, taking the initiative! Bang! The sound echoed as his kick struck A Hu's right leg. A Hu merely looked down, still expressionless, and extended his large hand towards Xu once more, resembling a giant spirit!
Just when I was watching with bated breath, Old Bi leaned in and whispered, "There's a saying: sheer strength can overcome skill! In the face of absolute power, all techniques are useless. It seems Xu is struggling a bit."
I had to nod in agreement; indeed, strength is the most fundamental quality for a martial artist. The quality of one's strength directly affects the improvement of other qualities and thus influences their overall level. Some people possess great strength; with the same technique, their power is significantly greater!
Perhaps only Sheng Xiong could match him, I instinctively glanced at Sheng Xiong, but my heart sank immediately—if we lost here, Sheng Xiong would be our only hope!
I turned back to see that Xu had completely shifted from a passive defense to an active offense. Relying on his agility, he darted around A Hu, weaving high and low, dodging and striking. Each time he landed a punch or kick on A Hu, it seemed as if A Hu brushed it off without a care, not even flinching.
At first, I thought it was good; after all, he was attacking rather than being attacked. Surely he would find an opportunity eventually? But after a short while, I began to sense something was off—Xu's speed was clearly diminishing! His strength was evidently being drained!
"This time, you don't need to hold back!" A Hu suddenly stopped and said quietly. Then his leg moved abruptly! Without warning, his right leg kicked straight towards Xu's abdomen!
Until now, A Hu had been slowly reaching for Xu with his hands, giving off a clumsy impression. But this sudden kick felt swift and agile—far from what one would expect from such a massive giant. A Hu had been waiting for this moment to strike with full force!
Xu was taken by surprise and could only dodge left at the last second. Little did he know that A Hu had been anticipating this opportunity; with a whoosh, a punch came directly at Xu's head. Xu had no time to evade and could only raise both hands in an attempt to deflect the blow.
However, this punch was incredibly fierce and fast; it barely veered off course as Xu tried to block it with his arms over his head. Still, he took the hit hard—a dull thud echoed as Xu staggered back, shaking his head before crashing to the ground.
"I concede!" I shouted in panic, fearing that the giant would stomp on him again! I rushed over to lift Xu up as A Hu stood still and said softly, "I never hold back!"
"Changshan!" Sheng Xiong rushed forward and took Xu from my arms. "Brother, are you okay?!" he asked with concern.
"That's a relief!" Xu shook his head. "Just feeling a bit dizzy!" He turned to me and said, "Company Commander, I'm sorry, I lost."
"It's fine, it's fine! As long as you're okay!" Seeing that Xu was unharmed, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and patted his hand.
"A-Sheng!" Xu called out to Sheng Xiong. "It's down to you now; it's all on you!"
"Don't worry! I'll definitely win!" Sheng Xiong replied, wrapping an arm around Xu's shoulder. "A-Sheng, in terms of strength, you might not lose, but the problem is, your Kung Fu lacks foundation." Xu stared at Sheng Xiong for a while and sighed.
"At this point, we can only do our best!" I interrupted. " Sheng Xiong, don't feel pressured! They came prepared while we are just rushing into this; if we lose, it won't be your fault!" I reassured Sheng Xiong.
"Understood!" Sheng Xiong slowly set Xu down and suddenly stood up straight. In his eyes, I saw eagerness for victory, a thirst for honor, and a glint of ferocity. Sheng Xiong, how long has it been since you took your medication? I wondered.
Before Liu Chao could start complaining, Sheng Xiong stepped into the arena with determination. "A Hu, right? I'm Sheng Xiong! I'll hold nothing back! Let's go!"
Two towering men, both nearly six feet tall and of similar build, stood facing each other, sizing each other up. A bear versus a tiger? This should be interesting!
(To be continued; tomorrow will be even more exciting!)
Comment 0 Comment Count