The Gym's New Ace

In the dedicated, thickly carpeted training room of the "Giant Strength" club, the atmosphere was so heavy it could have dripped.

The onlookers were politely ushered out, leaving only the club's core staff and Lin Fan. Manager Wang stood to the side, his expression tense with a mix of anticipation and worry. Lin Fan, his palms sweating, stared intently at the two figures confronting each other in the ring.

On one side stood the specially hired head coach, Qin Tian, his build lean and powerful, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and his aura as steady as a mountain.

On the other was Gong Gong, nearly two meters tall, his muscles knotted like ropes, exuding a wild, primal aura like a ferocious beast from the Primordial Era.

The two were separated by no more than three meters, an invisible clash of energy rippling through the air.

"Please," Qin Tian said, cupping his fist in greeting, his posture perfect, embodying the grace of a traditional martial artist. He adopted a stance that Lin Fan didn't understand but felt incredibly stable and solid, his presence contained as if he were one with the earth beneath his feet.

Gong Gong, however, waved his hand impatiently. "What's with all the formalities! If you want to fight, let's fight!"

Before his words had even faded, his massive body surged forward! There were no complex footwork, no flashy feints, just a simple, direct, and utterly ferocious step forward. A straight punch, like a cannonball fired from its breach, tore through the air with a piercing shriek, aimed directly at Qin Tian's face!

The punch was so fast it exceeded the limits of the naked eye! The power behind it was terrifying; even before the fist landed, the oppressive fist wind whipped Qin Tian's hair backward and stung his cheeks!

Qin Tian's pupils contracted sharply! He had already estimated Gong Gong's strength to be extremely high, but facing it firsthand, he realized just how horrifyingly monstrous it was! This was not a punch a human could throw!

He couldn't block it head-on!

At the critical moment, Qin Tian displayed his profound martial arts foundation. He didn't choose to block or retreat. Instead, his body slipped sideways like a phantom, his footwork intricate, narrowly evading the path of the punch. Simultaneously, his left hand shot out like a viper from its den, lightning-fast, latching onto Gong Gong's outstretched wrist, attempting to use leverage to redirect the blow. His right hand, fingers together like a blade, sliced towards the exposed gap under Gong Gong's ribs!

This was a highly sophisticated technique of overcoming hardness with softness and using the opponent's force against them!

However, he had underestimated the "hardness" of Gong Gong's body!

The moment his fingers struck Gong Gong's ribs, it felt like slicing into a piece of divine iron, forged a thousand times! No, it was even harder than divine iron! A recoiling force shot back, numbing his fingers and churning his blood! And his left hand, attempting to guide Gong Gong's wrist, felt like it had grabbed a roaring dragon; the irresistible force offered no possibility of redirection and sent him stumbling!

"Huh? Interesting!" Gong Gong's punch missed. Feeling the faint "entangling" force on his wrist and the sensation on his ribs like a mosquito bite, he let out a surprised hum. This "little guy" was much stronger than any of the ants he'd encountered before, at least understanding how to use some "techniques."

But this only piqued his interest. He retracted his fist, and his other hand, like a giant palm-leaf fan, swept horizontally towards Qin Tian with a fierce wind, covering a wide area, its speed still astonishingly fast!

Qin Tian's heart pounded with alarm. He dared not hold back any longer, pushing his evasive techniques to their limit. Like a willow catkin in a gale, he weaved and dodged within Gong Gong's ferocious assault, occasionally finding openings to counter, his fingers, palms, fists, and legs raining down on Gong Gong.

But all his attacks landed on Gong Gong's bronze skin with dull thuds, like beating a drum, yet they caused no substantial damage! They couldn't even make him stagger!

Gong Gong was like an unshakeable mountain, unmoved by Qin Tian's every attack. Although his attacks were direct and crude, lacking finesse, their absolute power and speed formed the most effective suppression! The entire training room seemed to vibrate under his fists and feet, and the paintings on the walls rattled noisily.

Lin Fan watched from the side with a pounding heart. He could see that Coach Qin Tian was already giving his all, his evasive skills and techniques were top-notch, but against Gong Gong's absolute strength and defense, it was like a skilled child challenging an armored giant, utterly helpless.

This "sparring match" lasted less than three minutes.

Qin Tian was already panting, drenched in sweat. Every dodge and attack consumed his immense stamina. Gong Gong, however, still breathed steadily, his impatience growing in his eyes.

"Dodging and weaving, so annoying!" Gong Gong roared, seemingly losing patience. He stopped pursuing and instead raised his right foot sharply, then stomped it down on the ground with immense force!

BOOM!!!

An incredibly deep, muffled sound! It was as if a small bomb had detonated in the training room!

The entire room shook violently! The sturdy wooden floor, centered on Gong Gong's foot, cracked inch by inch, spreading like a spiderweb! The light fixtures overhead swayed wildly, emitting creaking sounds!

Qin Tian, who was moving at high speed, was thrown off balance by the sudden, terrifying shockwave originating from the ground. He stumbled, revealing a massive opening!

Gong Gong seized this fleeting opportunity. His massive body appeared before Qin Tian like a phantom. His fist, the size of a sand pot, stopped a mere centimeter from Qin Tian's nose!

The fist wind hit Qin Tian's face, making it impossible to open his eyes. The shadow of death instantly enveloped him!

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Qin Tian stood frozen, his body ice-cold. He could clearly feel the terrifying power contained within that fist, enough to shatter his head into fragments! A bead of cold sweat traced a path down his forehead.

Gong Gong looked at Qin Tian's pale face, grinned, retracted his fist, and clapped his hands as if dusting them off (though there was nothing to dust), saying in a deep voice, "You're not bad. Stronger than those weaklings. Just not enough strength, your hits don't hurt."

Qin Tian: "..."

He felt as if his decades of martial arts training had suffered an unprecedented blow and... insult? But more than that, it was a shock and powerlessness that came from the depths of his soul. This was not human! Absolutely not!

Manager Wang, watching from the side, felt his legs go weak. Only after Gong Gong retracted his fist did he finally gasp for breath and quickly step forward to smooth things over. "Mr. Gong! Truly divine and invincible! Coach Qin also possesses extraordinary skill! You are both pillars of our club! This is truly... truly wonderful!"

His gaze towards Gong Gong was like looking at a rare treasure! No, it was like looking at a living deity!

With such a figure holding the fort, how could the club not flourish?!

Qin Tian took several deep breaths, managing to calm his churning blood and shaken emotions. His gaze towards Gong Gong was complex, filled with defeat and reverence, but more than anything, it was a burning passion, like discovering a new continent.

"Mr. Gong... I am impressed!" Qin Tian cupped his fist, this time with genuine admiration. "I, Qin, have practiced martial arts for over thirty years and have never seen such... divine strength as yours! May I ask, where did you learn your skills?"

"Learn?" Gong Gong scratched his short, steel-like hair, looking bewildered. "My strength comes from nature; why would I need to learn?"

Innate divine strength? Qin Tian and Manager Wang exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other's eyes. This had already surpassed the realm of "innate divine strength"!

"It is our immense honor to have Mr. Gong willing to stay with our club!" Manager Wang quickly interjected, afraid Gong Gong might change his mind. "Regarding the compensation, rest assured! Base salary of fifty thousand! Lesson fees calculated separately! Performance bonuses calculated separately! Room and board... uh, meals are all-inclusive! What do you say?"

A base salary of fifty thousand a month?! Lin Fan, listening from the side, gasped. This treatment was much better than when he was a programmer! As expected, knowledge (or strength) is wealth!

Gong Gong had no concept of money, but upon hearing "meals and accommodation all-inclusive" (he only understood the "meals" part), he nodded in satisfaction. "Fine! As long as there's meat to eat!"

Regarding the contract, Lin Fan, as the "agent," naturally handled the detailed discussions with Manager Wang. Given that Gong Gong had no identification, Manager Wang, after witnessing Gong Gong's "value," stated they could "handle it specially" and use some "flexible" methods, as long as Gong Gong could come to work.

Thus, Gong Gong, the Water God of the Primordial Era, officially joined the "Giant Strength" fitness club as the club's... Chief Fitness Consultant and Image Ambassador? The title was something Manager Wang had racked his brains to come up with, believing it was the only way to do justice to Gong Gong's status.

In the following days, the "Giant Strength" fitness club entered its most explosive period since its opening.

A video of "Mysterious Giant Punches Through Strength Tester" was secretly filmed by an unknown member and, despite the club's official request for its deletion, it spread like wildfire in smaller circles, sparking immense curiosity and discussion.

But the more direct promotion came from Gong Gong himself.

Manager Wang understood marketing well. He didn't immediately have Gong Gong train regular members, but instead arranged for him to do a "daily training demonstration" in the club's strength training area.

Thus, the club members and onlookers who had heard the news were fortunate enough to witness the following scene:

Gong Gong casually swung a dumbbell weighing over a hundred kilograms with one hand in a lateral raise, as if he were swinging a pair of chopsticks.

Gong Gong used the bench press rack for bench presses, loading it to the absolute limit. His movements were so effortless, like doing push-ups, that he even worried the barbell bar wasn't strong enough, fearing he might snap it by accident.

When Gong Gong did pull-ups, he wasn't "pulling" but "springing." His body shot up to the top instantly as if he had no weight, so easily that one would doubt gravity had any effect on him.

Each "training" session drew continuous gasps from the surrounding crowd, with constant photos and videos being taken. Gong Gong's inhuman display of strength became the most dazzling and shocking living advertisement for the "Li Wang" club!

More and more people came by reputation, and the club's membership numbers soared. It even attracted many curious individuals from other cities and fitness influencers to "check in."

Manager Wang was overjoyed, practically worshipping Gong Gong. He treated him to fine food and wine daily (though Gong Gong preferred large portions of roasted meat and beef), and his salary and bonuses were always paid on time to Lin Fan's account.

Gong Gong was also quite satisfied with this. He had fights (which he understood as "guiding" those who came to challenge or seek advice, usually leaving them questioning their life choices with a casual "pointer"), had meat to eat, and could exercise his muscles. Although these "iron lumps" were too light for him, it was still better than being confined in that stuffy little room.

Lin Fan looked at the ever-increasing numbers in his bank account and finally breathed a sigh of relief. The financial pressure had greatly eased, and supporting three Sages (especially Gong Gong, the big eater) was no longer a problem. Moreover, Gong Gong now had a proper "job," which consumed his excess energy, making their home much more peaceful.

However, trouble always seemed to follow closely behind.

Gong Gong's high-profile actions inevitably attracted attention from more quarters.

On the official "Dragon Group's" surveillance report, under the entry for "Shelter," a significant addition was made: "Target Four (Codename 'Giant Strength,' suspected connection to Targets Two and Three) has appeared. Possesses extraordinary physical strength and defense. Preliminary threat assessment: Grade B Mid. Has become active at the 'Li Wang' Fitness Club, drawing considerable public attention. Recommend strengthening surveillance and assessing the impact of its actions."

Chen Jing looked at Gong Gong's inhuman performance in the report and video screenshots, her brow furrowed. One possessed bizarre mental powers (Tong Tian), another possessed the power of creation and healing (Nüwa), and now there was a monster whose physical body had achieved sainthood (Gong Gong)... What kind of dragon's pool and tiger's den was this Lin Fan's home?! What were they gathering here for?

Meanwhile, Gong Gong's performance also caught the eye of certain forces truly hidden beneath the mundane world, those who pursued the limits of the human body and strength.

A week after the "Li Wang" club became the talk of the town, several black luxury sedans silently pulled up near the club. Several men in black suits, exuding a sharp aura, stepped out of the cars. The leader, wearing sunglasses and a miniature communicator on his ear, scanned the club's signboard with a cold gaze.

"Confirm Target 'Giant Strength' is inside?" the leader asked in a low voice into the communicator.

"Confirmed. Based on continuous observation, its display of strength far surpasses any known genetically modified or ancient martial arts practitioner. Suspected... unknown extraordinary life form. The boss is very interested."

"Understood. Prepare to make contact. Use caution, courtesy first, then force."