Back at the Peak

Back at the Peak

Just as he was thinking, the doorbell rang.

It was Aunt Cao from the Residents Committee.

Behind her followed three crew-cut men wearing tactical goggles and Camouflage Uniforms, their expressions fierce and rugged.

All four had red armbands tied around their upper arms, bearing the words "Joint Defense."

"The whole family's here. Have you eaten yet?"

Aunt Cao peered inside. "There are monsters out tonight, so we're checking every household's Weapons and Ammunition preparedness. Oh, you've been drinking!"

"Not much. I'm definitely not drunk."

A little embarrassed, Meng Yishan offered cigarettes to the men in Camouflage Uniforms.

The leader waved him off, declining the cigarette. He took out a breathalyzer and had Meng Yishan blow into it.

Only after seeing that the alcohol concentration was indeed low did he nod, his expression relaxing somewhat.

"This is our community's newly appointed Joint Defense Tactical Squad. Captain Li," Aunt Cao introduced.

Meng Yishan hurriedly shook his hand. "Hello, Captain Li!"

"Li Dayong."

The Joint Defense captain shook Meng Yishan's hand, his voice low and grave. "Director Cao just told me that you're an old veteran, one of the military's ace marksmen back in the day. So, do you have enough Weapons and Ammunition at home?"

"A true man doesn't boast of past glory. That was decades ago." Meng Yishan beckoned. "A Chao, bring out the gear."

Meng Chao answered and moved aside the small sofa. Kneeling on one knee, he lifted the floorboards.

From a hidden compartment, he took out a submachine gun, a Semi-Automatic Rifle, a pistol, and two grenades.

Meng Yishan was about to disassemble and reassemble the firearms according to procedure.

But before he had taken even half a step, Meng Chao's hands turned into two clouds of gray mist.

A rapid series of clicks rang out, and everyone's vision blurred.

As though in a magic show, the guns before Meng Chao had all become their most basic components.

Meng Yishan froze.

Captain Li gave a surprised "Huh."

Calmly, Meng Chao flicked his hands. His ten fingers danced lightly like living sprites, and within mere seconds, he separated the mixed parts and assembled them into three firearms.

Having awakened "Basic Gunmanship," even if it was only Ordinary Level, felt pretty good.

He still did not rise. From his kneeling position, he braced the Semi-Automatic Rifle against his shoulder and checked the sights with practiced ease.

The firearm seemed like an extension of his limbs, exuding a faint killing aura.

Half a second later, Meng Chao nodded and tossed the Semi-Automatic Rifle to Captain Li.

Captain Li caught it in one hand, shouldered it in a standing firing stance, and with one glance, was visibly moved. "A fine gun. It's well maintained, and even better tuned. It hits wherever you point it!"

"This is Meng Chao, one of Ninth High School's top students." Aunt Cao smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits.

For a public housing community like theirs, producing even one student admitted to a key district high school was no easy feat.

"So that's how it is. Good lad—if you joined the military, you'd definitely become an ace marksman too!"

Captain Li praised him, then continued, "So, do you have enough bullets at home?"

"We still have three hundred regular bullets. As for Armor-Piercing Bullets, there are only two magazines left—twenty rounds," Meng Yishan said.

"Fine. Since there are two firearm experts in this household, you can't be short on bullets. I'll allocate another twenty Armor-Piercing Bullets and one hundred regular bullets to you. If monsters really show up, I hope you'll bring honor to the community!"

Captain Li waved his hand. The two men in Camouflage Uniforms counted out the bullets, had Meng Yishan sign for them, and completed the handover clearly.

Meng Yishan happily accepted the magazines, then pushed his luck. "Twenty Armor-Piercing Bullets really isn't much, and we're short on grenades too. Can't you give us a little more?"

"There's no helping it, old veteran."

Captain Li sighed. "Who told our community to fall short of last year's monster-kill quota and miss out on being rated a Five-Star Community? The higher-ups only issued this much Weapons and Ammunition. Even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice!"

"Can you blame us?"

Meng Yishan said, "There aren't any cowards in Tianfu Garden, but ours is an old community in the old city. Back then, we scared the monsters senseless by killing so many here. They haven't come our way in ages—where are we supposed to kill them?"

"Isn't that a good thing? Do you want Beast Tides charging at us every day?"

Captain Li smiled. "Bear with it, old veteran. As long as we can become a Five-Star Community this year, our ammunition quota will increase by twenty percent next year. Then we'll have plenty.

"Also, if monsters really do spawn, don't forget to collect the shell casings—Dragon City is short on resources, so all bullets have to be reloaded."

"I know. I've been killing monsters for decades; how could I not know?" Meng Yishan escorted Aunt Cao and Captain Li out, then went to knock on the door of apartment 706 next door.

"Old Meng."

Aunt Cao lowered her voice. "Grandma Wang in 706 lost both her son and daughter-in-law. Her granddaughter boards at school, so she's all alone. The old lady is stubborn and refuses to go to the shelter no matter what. If monsters really cause trouble later, please keep an eye on her, all right?"

"Fine. If anything happens, I'll invite the old lady over to my place," Meng Yishan promised.

"What are you whispering about? Talking behind this old woman's back?"

The door to 706 opened, and a white-haired old woman with a face full of wrinkles and not a tooth left in her mouth waved an oversized shotgun as she roared with astonishing vigor.

After much effort, they finally placated Grandma Wang. Meng Yishan returned home and distributed the Weapons and Ammunition.

"A Chao, I didn't expect your high school's firearms education to be so good. All right, you can have some fun today. Use the Type-22 Rifle. I'll give you another twenty Armor-Piercing Bullets. Remember, when using Armor-Piercing Bullets, install the reinforcement kit.

"Suxin, keep the pistol on you. Don't stand if your leg hurts. I'll switch your wheelchair to combat mode."

Meng Yishan picked up the submachine gun himself, expertly stroking it a few times before clicking his tongue.

He had never expected Meng Chao to assemble the gun so well.

Even the tuning of the sights suited his shooting habits.

"Dad, what about me?"

Bai Jiacao looked at him longingly. "Let Mom give me the pistol. They teach us how to shoot in middle school too, and I came first in live-fire shooting!"

"What does a little girl like you need a gun for? Take this." Meng Yishan drew a cold steel recurve military knife from the back of his waist, modeled after a kukri and gleaming with a chilling light. "This is powerful too. Back in the day, your old man used it to chop off a Wild Wolf's head in one stroke!"

Bai Jiacao muttered, "You've told that story more than eight hundred times."

Meng Yishan glared. "What did you say?"

Bai Jiacao shrank back, pursing her lips. "Old Dad, lots of my classmates are allowed to use guns at home. My deskmate Lili even used a Rocket Launcher last time!"

Meng Yishan sneered. "Lili uses a Rocket Launcher, so you have to use one too? At the last parent-teacher meeting, the teacher said Lili could hold a stance for three hours straight. Why can't you?"

Bai Jiacao stubbornly argued, "I-I'm not unable to do it. I just think middle school Stance Training is too easy and too boring!"

Her parents clearly did not believe her.

Meng Chao came over too, his face utterly serious. "That's right. The National College Entrance Examination is demanding more and more from Stance Training now. Our high school teachers keep stressing it: fear no hardship, fear no fatigue, fear no tedium. Stance Training, Breathing Technique, and Meditation Technique—those three form one whole, the foundation of cultivation.

"Dad, Mom, I think Little Sister has been a little restless lately. She needs proper guidance. From now on, why not make her stand in stance for two hours every day when she gets home?"

Bai Jiacao sucked in a sharp breath and stared at Meng Chao as though she could not believe her ears. "Y-you're so cruel!"

Meng Yishan and Bai Suxin exchanged a glance, wearing kindly smiles. "Xiao Cao, your brother is right. How about..."

"How about I use the knife instead? Lots of Peerless Experts use knives!"

Bai Jiacao hurriedly grabbed the kukri, flourished it in several beautiful arcs, then took the sheath and strapped it to her short little leg. She secretly shot Meng Chao a glare before stomping off angrily to continue washing the dishes.

Eight o'clock that evening.

The entire community cut off its electricity and Spiritual Energy supply on schedule.

All energy had to be concentrated to power the searchlights, High-Voltage Grid, and automated defense systems.

Alloy armor more than twenty centimeters thick descended, covering every household's windows and leaving only fist-sized firing ports and observation holes.

Automated Combat Fortresses rose from beneath the neighborhood vegetable market, mini-supermarket, Small Plaza, and elementary school.

A battered old anti-monster self-propelled artillery gun rumbled out from the Residents Committee, while the Joint Defense Tactical Squad rolled out a rust-covered Infantry Fighting Vehicle, forming a mobile force.

Tianfu Garden's fortification was complete.

The room was dim. Everyone lay down early, resting with their eyes closed and preparing for slaughter.

Only the crystal radio continued broadcasting intermittent news from the front lines:

"The first wave of monsters has appeared near the Steel Mill in the city's north and is breaking through the Wufu Road defensive line. The main force of the monsters is the Flame Black Beetle Swarm, numbering around one thousand. The military and superhumans have already entered combat."

"Scattered monsters have appeared in Nine Sands District. Residents are hunting them on the spot by street and community."

"Attention: the fog is descending, and Spiritual Energy is in turmoil. It may interfere with human Brainwaves. Many monsters also possess Mind Attack abilities. To raise morale and ensure the mental health of all citizens, we will now broadcast classic military songs from the Earth Era."

"...Forward! Our blood burns hot! Show our gleaming edge, shake tigers and wolves!"

As the fog grew thicker and the free Spiritual Energy in the air became increasingly violent, interference with radio waves also became more severe.

The rousing military songs gradually blurred until only static remained.

The residents turned off their radios and listened to the distant cannon fire through the heavy Reinforced Concrete and alloy armor.

The cannon fire brought peace of mind. It was humanity's roar.

Held in their parents' arms, the children slept soundly to the rumbling artillery.

Meng Chao locked his bedroom door.

Their home had only two bedrooms and a living room. Originally, his parents slept in the master bedroom, Bai Jiacao slept in the second bedroom, and he set up a camp bed in the living room.

In the second half of his senior year, Bai Jiacao had temporarily switched rooms with her brother so he could prepare for the National College Entrance Examination without distractions.

"Glug."

Meng Chao twisted open a bottle of High-Energy Nutrient Solution and gulped it down.

Their teachers had said that High-Energy Nutrient Solution contained abundant Spiritual Energy, more than a hundred times that of ordinary monster flesh and blood. Every dose had to be taken with caution, preferably by using the bottle cap and drinking it one small capful at a time.

After taking it, one had to immediately practice Stance Training, sprint, and throw punches in high-intensity training to release the medicine's potency and let it gently nourish every cell.

Yet Meng Chao drank it as though he were guzzling an ice-cold sugary soda on a sweltering summer afternoon.

As violent Spiritual Energy surged into his bloodstream, a succession of thunderous sounds erupted from within Meng Chao's body.

Something incredible happened.

His thin arms and legs, which had gradually withered after a year of letting himself go, along with his sunken chest, all swelled and filled out.

His hair and skin gradually regained their luster. Faint wisps of heat could be seen escaping from his pores, forming a fierce-beast-like aura around him.

His eyes shone even more brightly, sharp as a hawk's.

Meng Chao drank to his heart's content, bottle after bottle, squandering all the nutrient solutions and medicines he had just earned before finally letting out a satisfied burp.

"Awesome!"

As though a Main Battle Tank had been loaded full of fuel and ammunition, he laughed aloud and casually threw a punch. His fist tore through the air with a hiss like a venomous snake's bite.

Compared with Chu Feixiong's heavy punches, Meng Chao's punches sounded sharper, as if all their force had been compressed into a single point. In actual combat, they possessed even more terrifying destructive power.

"My strength has returned."

Meng Chao clenched his fist, and it felt as though he were gripping a piece of red-hot steel in his palm.

Although his treatment progress had not yet reached seventy percent, Meng Chao felt that he had already surpassed his peak from his sophomore year.

"This feeling of growing stronger without end, inch by inch tightening my grip around fate's throat—it feels incredible."

He threw over a thousand punches in one breath, then did three uninterrupted minutes of high-knee running in place. Drenched in a satisfying sweat, he absorbed every last drop of the medicine's potency and was just about to rest his head on the Semi-Automatic Rifle and restore his energy.

Suddenly, a soft click came from the other side of the wall.