Going to the Boxing Club

"Then thank you for the encouragement."

The corners of Wang Qinghe's lips lifted slightly, her smile sincere.

She changed tack, her bright eyes turning toward Ling Yun with anticipation.

"By the way, junior Ling Yun! How about joining our Boxing Club? With your strength, winning the provincial men's youth free-combat championship would be a piece of cake! By then, you might even have a chance to enter the professional arena!"

Though she sounded as if she were asking, her eagerness had practically turned into a plea.

Seeing the anticipation flickering in Wang Qinghe's eyes, Ling Yun's heart stirred.

He needed to complete the "Become Famous in One Area" achievement quest, but completing it wouldn't be simple.

He needed to become an iconic figure in some massive field.

Free combat seemed like an excellent opportunity for him to enter the sports world and make a name for himself.

"I can give it a try."

Ling Yun didn't hesitate. He nodded firmly at Wang Qinghe.

"That's great! I'm heading to the Boxing Club right now. Come with me, junior!"

Wang Qinghe's face lit up with delight, and she almost instinctively reached for Ling Yun's wrist.

Ling Yun gently pulled free, looking slightly helpless. "We're going now? We still have class later."

"It's fine!"

Wang Qinghe immediately cut in, her expression full of certainty.

"Just have junior Zhou Da ask for leave on your behalf. With your skills, winning the Provincial Champion title is practically guaranteed! Once the school finds out, they'll be thrilled. Why would they stop you?"

She pointed at Zhou Da beside them.

"In that case... Da Zi, you deal with the trash can yourself. I'm going to take a look."

Ling Yun understood and turned to wave goodbye to Zhou Da.

"Brother Yun! Take me with you!"

Watching Ling Yun get to skip class, Zhou Da was so envious his eyes nearly popped out.

"You?"

Wang Qinghe couldn't help laughing.

Then she teased him, "If you're confident you can take third place in the provincial competition, you can go too. But if you can't... heh heh, do you think the school won't come looking for trouble?"

Zhou Da wilted instantly, but he quickly perked up again, scratching his head and chuckling.

"Forget it, forget it... But Brother Yun, isn't this a little ridiculous? Is there anything you can't do? Tsk, great. The protagonist in my novel gets another awesome... Uh, flashy skill!"

He stopped himself just in time before saying the two words "showing off," then sank back into his own world of fantasies.

Looking at him in that state, Ling Yun helplessly shook his head. After saying goodbye to Zhou Da, he went with Wang Qinghe toward the Boxing Club.

By the time Zhou Da came to his senses, all he could do was hug the trash can and watch the two of them stride away with a desolate expression.

The moment he stepped through the Boxing Club's entrance, a mixture of sweat and disinfectant rushed over him.

His ears filled with the dull thuds of fists striking sandbags, the friction of moving footsteps, and short, powerful shouts.

"These are all members of our Boxing Club."

The members were undergoing high-intensity training, and the atmosphere was tense yet heated.

"Today is the club's internal selection. We'll choose one strongest representative from each of the men's and women's divisions to compete in the upcoming city-level competition."

Wang Qinghe introduced the club as she led Ling Yun farther inside.

"Oh? The women's division is choosing a representative too?"

Ling Yun looked around. Every person sweating through their training in the practice area was male.

He couldn't help feeling puzzled. "But I don't see any female students training here."

"We have small competitions within the club normally too." Wang Qinghe's tone was flat, without the slightest hint of boasting. "They... well, they all know my level, so the female students directly forfeited this selection."

It sounded rather like humblebragging, but her calm face truly showed no trace of pride.

Perhaps this was the mindset of a true powerhouse? Little interest in the weak, yearning only to challenge stronger opponents.

Ling Yun understood.

"Qinghe! Who's this?"

A rather muscular male student walked over, his scrutinizing gaze settling on Ling Yun.

"Zheng Chenyang!"

Wang Qinghe's brows immediately drew together, and her voice held clear impatience.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Qinghe! We're not that close."

She rolled her eyes at him without the slightest courtesy.

"All right, all right. Wang Qinghe, Wang Qinghe."

A trace of awkwardness flashed across Zheng Chenyang's face, but he quickly pasted on a smile and shamelessly edged closer. "And this new face is...?"

"This is junior Ling Yun." Wang Qinghe raised her voice, introducing him to Zheng Chenyang while also announcing it to the members looking over. "He's here today to take part in our city-level selection!"

"The selection?"

"He's new?"

"There's only one spot..."

The instant Wang Qinghe finished speaking, the atmosphere in the practice area subtly changed.

Many members who had been training stopped their movements, all their gazes focusing on Ling Yun. Their eyes instantly filled with wariness and undisguised hostility—a new person meant the competition for that precious spot had become more difficult.

Zheng Chenyang looked Ling Yun up and down. Seeing that he didn't appear particularly strong, he curled his lips in contempt and deliberately spoke loudly. "Wang Qinghe, it's not that I'm saying this, but before the selection starts, you'd better persuade this junior to make a 'strategic retreat' and leave while he can. Otherwise, once he gets in the ring, fists and feet don't have eyes. We won't go easy on him just because he's new."

He deliberately emphasized the words "strategic retreat," making the provocation unmistakable. His gaze at Ling Yun was filled with undisguised jealousy as well—Wang Qinghe's attitude toward this newcomer made him extremely uncomfortable.

He secretly resolved that if Ling Yun really dared to enter the ring, he would teach him a harsh lesson.

"Zheng Chenyang, the selection hasn't even started. Don't speak so confidently!"

Wang Qinghe immediately stepped forward to defend him. She didn't want Ling Yun to be underestimated the moment he arrived. "Junior Ling Yun's strength absolutely exceeds your imagination!"

Wang Qinghe's defense was like a stone thrown into a calm lake.

The members who knew her personality understood that she took combat extremely seriously. She never praised people lightly, much less boasted to favor anyone.

Her firm endorsement of a newcomer instantly turned the contemptuous gazes into solemnity and caution.

The smile on Zheng Chenyang's face froze for a moment. Then an even stronger fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. He turned toward Ling Yun and said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "Oh? Wang Qinghe thinks that highly of you? Perfect! When we're divided into groups for the matches later, junior, why don't we have a little 'exchange'? Let me broaden my horizons too."

He deliberately emphasized the word "exchange," his provocative gaze fixed firmly on Ling Yun.

Ling Yun met Zheng Chenyang's malicious stare. That hypocritical smile finally exhausted the last scrap of his patience.

The corners of his lips curved into a calm yet chilly arc, and he nodded. "Since senior has invited me so 'enthusiastically,' I'll naturally... risk my life to oblige."

Seeing the two finally square off amid such intense hostility, excitement flashed in Wang Qinghe's eyes. She almost clapped and cheered.

She finally had a chance to see the annoying Zheng Chenyang get thoroughly beaten up! The reason was simple: Zheng Chenyang was widely recognized as the strongest male student in this year's division and the seeded competitor with the greatest hope of representing the school in the city-level competition.

During ordinary training and internal matches, he could hardly find an opponent capable of standing against him.

Although Wang Qinghe herself possessed exquisite skills and was far superior to Zheng Chenyang, the difference in physical strength between men and women was too great. Even she couldn't truly suppress him in an actual fight.

Ling Yun's appearance made her see the possibility of an "archenemy's nemesis."

"All right! Everyone participating in the city-level selection, gather in the center of the practice area immediately!"

A woman whom Ling Yun vaguely recognized from his previous life clapped her hands. Her booming voice overwhelmed the noise in the room. "The group assignments are about to begin. Stop dawdling!"