A Strong Man Locks Up a Man

"Mr. Mu!"

"Mr. Mu, you don't need to pay attention to these traitors!"

"Mr. Mu, don't go out..."

The noisy students parted to make way as a middle-aged man in a gray-white military uniform slowly emerged. Quite a few students tried to stop him, but he was like a steamroller moving at a constant speed. Neither pulling nor blocking his path could slow him down, and every student who tried to intercept him was pushed aside.

Star Engraving Military Academy practiced militarized education internally. Students and teachers normally taught classes in military uniforms. Students wore gray-black uniforms, while teachers wore gray-white ones. The former were durable, while the latter showed one's capability—being able to keep a white uniform neat and presentable in everyday life was a basic demonstration of a Military Academy teacher's ability.

This middle-aged man was clearly a model Military Academy teacher. His white cuffs were spotless as new, his uniform smooth and wrinkle-free. With his hands behind his back, he strode like a dragon and tiger, carrying the bearing of mountains and rivers. His temples were graying, and his beard had been carefully groomed. He looked imposing even without anger.

He stopped five paces from Le Yu and said calmly, "Qian Yuliu."

"This student greets Mr. Mu." Le Yu clasped his fists.

"I wouldn't dare. What grave crime has Mu committed to require Captain Qian of the Statistics Department to mobilize such a force to arrest me?" Mu Feihong glanced at Le Yu's hand cannon. "Could it be that you want me to follow in Lin Jinyao's footsteps?"

Chen Fu produced an arrest warrant. "Lin Jinyao is suspected of colluding with Against the Light and plotting rebellion against the court. We found intimate correspondence between the two of you in his home. You are now suspected of colluding with Against the Light as well. Come back to the Statistics Department for questioning."

Le Yu nodded. "If Mr. Mu is innocent, the Statistics Department will never wrong a good person."

"Pfft, hahaha, the Statistics Department will never wrong a good person..." Mu Feihong could not help laughing, his face full of mockery. "I'm afraid the Statistics Department's definition of a good person differs somewhat from that of ordinary people like us."

"Arguments over definitions are the beginning of chaos." Le Yu shook his head. "It seems we cannot reach a consensus. However, the Statistics Department was established precisely so everyone could stop arguing. Mr. Mu, please."

After a full day of settling in, Le Yu could now perfectly play the role of Qian Yuliu. In particular, he portrayed the man's villainous image with vivid precision: calm, cold, inhuman, utterly without compassion.

He had felt a little hesitant and resistant beforehand, but once he did it, Le Yu found it rather satisfying.

Perhaps everyone had once imagined themselves playing a charming villain.

"Mr. Mu, you can't!"

"Teacher Mu, the Statistics Department is a den of wolves and tigers! If you go, you'll definitely die!"

"Mr. Mu..."

"Everyone," Mu Feihong said in a ringing voice, "no more nonsense, no more idle talk. Disperse now. Go back and study hard. Only then can you serve the nation and build an ideal world in the future."

"But..." Some students were still indignant.

Mu Feihong shouted, "All of you, attention!"

Thud!

The sound of feet snapping together rang out as one, stamping a resounding rhythm into the ground. The previously clamorous students said nothing more. Everyone stood at attention in silence, quietly watching the Statistics Department and Mu Feihong.

Le Yu let out a soft breath. Compared to the troublemaking students who had been so aggressive just now, these reserve soldiers who obeyed military orders filled him with an even more bone-chilling dread.

Mu Feihong, you made the right call.

"Watch carefully. Don't act rashly. You are the future." Mu Feihong revealed a gratified smile. "This is the last lesson I can give you: do not fear the torch going out. You will all become the light."

He looked at Le Yu. In the hands behind his back, he was holding a loop of rope. "Come, Captain Qian. I've already prepared the tools for you."

Chen Fu sucked in a sharp breath. "Brother Qian, do you need my help?"

"Help?" Zhou Guangshi did not understand. Hadn't this man already surrendered? What help did he need?

"Didn't you read the files? Mu Feihong teaches Eight-Grain Flow Bite Combat Arts at the Military Academy. He specializes in close-quarters grappling combat!" Ai Lili, who had just lowered her hand cannon, raised it again. "As expected, he still intends to violently resist the law!"

Mu Feihong shook the rope. A faint smile played on his face, carrying a trace of disdain. "Captain Qian, come over."

Chen Fu took out handcuffs. "Brother Qian, let me restrain Teacher Mu—"

"No need." Le Yu pressed a hand against Chen Fu's shoulder. "Mr. Mu wishes to inspect my studies. How could I refuse such kindness? My proficiency in these combat arts is all thanks to Mr. Mu's instruction and guidance."

"Back at the graduation assessment, Captain Qian, you were first among your cohort. No one could surpass you in Biting Combat Arts." Mu Feihong spoke blandly. "There is no need to credit me. I treated you no differently from any other student, impartial and fair. Your present achievements are entirely your own. You must never mention my name. This old Mu cannot bear such praise, nor can Star Engraving Military Academy."

Le Yu's expression remained calm. He did not get angry at Mu Feihong's veiled mockery. His mind was busy recalling Qian Yuliu's combat experience.

Le Yu had not accepted Mu Feihong's challenge on a whim. He wanted to digest Qian Yuliu's fighting ability as quickly as possible. The battles of Kui Zhao, Lan Yan, Li Shijie, and the others last night had completely overturned Le Yu's worldview. They had made him fully understand that the strong in this world could surpass firearms.

Whether he wanted to continue down Qian Yuliu's path or simply survive, Le Yu needed to transform as quickly as possible from a powerless shut-in into a cold-blooded warrior and turn Qian Yuliu's abilities into his own.

And there was no better way to change than through battle.

The only issue was finding an opponent. If he fought someone weaker than Qian Yuliu and lost, would that not expose Qian Yuliu as all show and no substance? If he fought someone stronger, Le Yu only knew that Kui Zhao and Lan Yan were stronger than him. If they discovered that Qian Yuliu's footwork was loose and his fists and kicks unrefined, would they not look down on him?

At this moment, Mu Feihong's challenge was simply a Heaven's Blessing.

In terms of strength, Mu Feihong was Qian Yuliu's teacher, so it would not be embarrassing for Le Yu to lose.

In terms of danger, Statistics Department agents were standing behind him to keep him safe. Even if Mu Feihong beat Le Yu senseless, someone would stop it in time.

With a battle like this, where winning or losing had no consequences, Le Yu naturally had to seize the opportunity!

Le Yu stepped forward three paces, keeping two meters between himself and Mu Feihong. He crossed his hands into claws and assumed a stance. "Please instruct me."

Mu Feihong held both ends of the rope in his hands and reached one hand toward Le Yu as though completely unguarded. "Come."

The sunlight was perfect, and a breeze rustled through the trees. At the slightest stir in Le Yu's heart, he felt the light on his hands turn tangible, becoming extensions of his limbs. The light around him lessened his body's weight, and the world before him became clearer. He felt as though he had become light itself.

Wherever the light reached was his domain!

At the same time, he clearly sensed Mu Feihong transforming into an enormous ball of light. Both were light, yet they repelled one another. The surrounding light split into two "armies," attaching themselves to their bodies as they faced off!

The battle of the Awakened was a contest of light techniques!

Outsiders could only see the light around Mu Feihong and Qian Yuliu distort, their forms blurring. Then, with a sudden explosive boom of light, the warped radiance transformed into a tiger's maw, blasting out wave after wave of sound!

The Military Academy students and agents were all well versed in the traits of various combat arts. They recognized the origin of this move at a glance:

Biting Combat Arts opening stance—Wild Bite!

The myriad mysteries of Biting Combat Arts lay in the single word "bite." Wild Bite was the foundation and general outline of every technique. When many Eight Rice Flow martial artists sparred, they did not need to compare anything else. Merely seeing how well they performed Wild Bite was enough to determine which side was stronger.

Yet the vast majority of Eight Rice martial artists could only produce Fang Light, distorting light into teeth. Tiger Light, which transformed light into the jaws of a tiger, was enough to show that this martial artist's combat skill surpassed ninety percent of his peers—Tiger Light meant that the light guided by Wild Bite had accumulated to the point of overflowing. Once it erupted, it could certainly split mountains and shatter stones!

Meanwhile, Le Yu had already been stunned by the Wild Bite he had unleashed. He suddenly felt that becoming Qian Yuliu through Life Substitution was not entirely a bad thing—this sensation of wielding the great power of heaven and earth brought him joy comparable to piloting a Gundam!

"Good."

Mu Feihong gave a quiet assessment. Facing Le Yu's Tiger Light Wild Bite without fear, his rope-holding hands suddenly drew an arc. Light gathered into a ring and, attached to the rope, "looped" apart Le Yu's Wild Bite. The rope also looped around Le Yu's right hand!

Tiger Light shattered, light ring locked!

Biting Combat Arts—Cosmic Chant!

Le Yu froze slightly. Cosmic Chant was one of Wild Bite's follow-up moves. The move he had wanted to use had been used by his opponent first—and it had perfectly countered his own attack. It felt like the shit had already come out the moment he squatted down, but he still had not taken off his pants—there was nowhere to start!

Though Le Yu did not know what to do, his body had ideas of its own. The instant his right hand was locked, almost out of instinctual habit, Le Yu launched a left elbow strike and a right knee strike at the same time. Simultaneously, he yanked on his trapped right hand, pulling Mu Feihong toward him!

Light gathered, air screamed, elbow and knee became fangs, and his exhalation struck like a thrust!

Biting Combat Arts—Flood Exhalation!

Eight Rice Flow martial artists' technique for breaking restraints. When any part of the body was bound, they could use this move to reverse the situation, driving all their body's strength through its hardest parts into a nearby enemy. Anyone struck would either die or be crippled!

However, Le Yu was fierce, but Mu Feihong was fiercer!

The same posture, the same elbow and knee strikes—the two crashed directly into each other, and exploding light poured down like a waterfall!

At the sight, many people nearby with insufficient Mental Power felt their vision blur! Trying to observe excessively distorted light would make anyone below a certain level of Mental Power feel nauseous and want to vomit!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The symphony of steel rang out again and again amid the bursts of light. The longer Le Yu fought, the more alarmed he became—he knew every move Mu Feihong used, but every move he used was perfectly countered, restrained, or even crushed head-on by Mu Feihong.

They were clearly using the same combat arts, and clearly wielding roughly the same amount of light, yet Mu Feihong could still completely dominate Le Yu!

Le Yu could only sense minute differences in the details, but those tiny differences gathered into an overwhelming advantage!

His combat arts skill is at least one level above mine... Could it be intermediate? Le Yu's thoughts raced as he used every trick he had to remain locked in combat with Mu Feihong!

Although he could not win, that did not mean Mu Feihong could easily defeat him. The two knew each other's abilities inside out, and Le Yu was young and vigorous. Mu Feihong had an advantage in Mental Power, but his body was nearing fifty, and his stamina had inevitably declined. Thus, though Le Yu was losing, he could still fight back!

The pressure was simply perfect. Le Yu could feel countless pieces of Biting Combat Arts knowledge in his mind entering the Proficient Realm. He was almost done fully digesting Qian Yuliu's legacy!

Suddenly, as the two exchanged Flood Exhalation once more, Mu Feihong suddenly scooped both hands inward. Not only did he defuse Le Yu's elbow strike, he also released a powerful light shockwave that sent Le Yu spinning forty-five degrees. Mu Feihong used the momentum to move behind him!

Biting Combat Arts—Yellow Sigh!

But Yellow Sigh was clearly an explosive technique that gathered light energy for a one-way burst. It was meant for heavy targets, specifically for breaking doors and walls. Usually, it required three or four breaths of charging and was nearly useless in close combat.

Yet Mu Feihong had actually unleashed an incomplete Yellow Sigh directly during Flood Exhalation... No, he had first used the technique of Cosmic Chant to dissolve the elbow strike, then followed through with Yellow Sigh to release a light shockwave. It could not hurt me much, but it could forcibly shift my position!

Le Yu understood Mu Feihong's method in an instant, but the situation had already turned sharply against him—Mu Feihong moved behind Le Yu and pulled the rope, locking Le Yu's bound right hand behind his left shoulder, then locking Le Yu's left hand behind his lower back!

Le Yu, who had come to arrest someone, had now been captured by his target, Mu Feihong!