The Gym's New Ace

Inside the "Power King" Club's private combat training room, with its thick carpet, the atmosphere was so tense it could almost drip.

The onlookers had been politely asked to leave. Only the club's core staff and Lin Fan remained. Manager Wang stood to one side, his expression tense, caught between anticipation and worry. Lin Fan's palms were sweating as he stared fixedly at the two men facing off in the center of the room.

One was Qin Tian, the club's specially appointed head coach: lean and powerful, with eyes as sharp as an eagle's and a steady presence like a mountain.

The other was Gong Gong, nearly two meters tall, his muscles bulging and a wild aura about him like a primordial beast.

The two stood barely three meters apart, their invisible auras clashing in the air.

"Please." Qin Tian clasped his hands in salute, his posture precise and bearing that of a traditional martial artist. He assumed an opening stance Lin Fan couldn't understand, but which felt incredibly steady and solid. His aura was restrained, as though he were one with the earth beneath his feet.

Gong Gong impatiently waved a hand. "Why all the formalities? If we're fighting, then let's fight!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, his massive body sprang into motion! No complex footwork, no fancy feints—just the simplest, most direct, and most ferocious step forward, followed by a straight punch. Like a cannonball, it roared toward Qin Tian's face, tearing through the air with a shrill whistle!

The punch was so fast it surpassed the limits of the naked eye! Its power was even more terrifying. Before it reached him, the oppressive gust of wind had already blown Qin Tian's hair back and stung his cheeks!

Qin Tian's pupils contracted sharply! He had already estimated Gong Gong's strength to be immense, but only when facing him in person did he realize just how horrifying it was! This was no punch a human could throw!

He couldn't block it head-on!

At the critical moment, Qin Tian displayed his deep martial arts expertise. Instead of blocking or retreating, he slid sideways like a phantom, his footwork mysterious, evading the punch by the narrowest margin. At the same time, his left hand darted out like a serpent, lightning-fast, catching Gong Gong's wrist in an attempt to redirect it with skill. His right hand, fingers together like a blade, struck straight for the opening beneath Gong Gong's exposed ribs!

It was an exceptionally clever technique: using softness to overcome hardness, and turning an opponent's force against him!

However, he had underestimated just how "hard" Gong Gong's body was!

The moment his fingers struck Gong Gong's ribs, it felt as though he had sliced into a piece of tempered divine iron! No—even divine iron wasn't that hard! A force rebounded through him, numbing his fingers and churning his blood and qi! His left hand, which had tried to guide Gong Gong's wrist, felt as though it had grabbed a roaring dragon. That unstoppable force allowed no redirection at all and pulled him into a stumble!

"Oh? Now that's interesting!" Gong Gong's punch had missed, but he had felt the faintest hint of a "sticky" force on his wrist and a sensation beneath his ribs like a mosquito bite. He couldn't help giving a surprised little exclamation. This "little guy" was stronger than all the ants he had met before, at least in that he knew how to use a few "techniques."

But that only piqued his interest. He pulled back his fist and swung his other hand at Qin Tian like a huge fan, sweeping it sideways with a fierce gust of wind. Its range was enormous, and it was still astonishingly fast!

Qin Tian was horrified. Daring not to hold anything back, he pushed his footwork to its limit, darting and weaving through Gong Gong's violent attacks like willow fluff in a gale. When he found an opening, he counterattacked, his fingers, palms, fists, and legs raining down on Gong Gong.

Yet every attack landed against Gong Gong's bronze-colored skin with a dull thud, like a drumbeat, and failed to cause any real damage! He couldn't even make Gong Gong sway!

Gong Gong was like an immovable mountain. No matter how Qin Tian attacked, he remained steady. His strikes were direct and crude, lacking finesse, but his overwhelming strength and speed were enough to suppress Qin Tian completely! The whole combat room seemed to shake beneath his fists and feet, and the paintings on the walls trembled.

Lin Fan watched from the sidelines, his heart pounding. He could tell that Coach Qin was giving it everything he had. His footwork and technique were top-notch, but against Gong Gong's overwhelming strength and defense, he was like a skilled child challenging a fully armed giant—utterly helpless.

The "sparring match" lasted less than three minutes.

Qin Tian was already panting and drenched in sweat. Every dodge and attack drained a tremendous amount of his energy. Gong Gong, meanwhile, was still breathing steadily, and his impatience was growing.

"Quit dodging around. You're annoying!" Gong Gong growled, apparently out of patience. He stopped chasing Qin Tian, raised his right foot, and then stomped down hard on the floor!

"BOOM!!!"

The deafening impact was like a small bomb going off inside the combat room!

The entire room shook violently! The sturdy wooden floor cracked inch by inch from beneath Gong Gong's foot, the fissures spreading out like a spiderweb! The lights overhead swung wildly, creaking.

Qin Tian, moving at high speed, was thrown off balance by the terrifying shockwave that burst from the ground. He stumbled, leaving a massive opening!

Gong Gong seized the fleeting opportunity. His huge body appeared in front of Qin Tian like a phantom, and his fist, as big as a clay pot, stopped just one centimeter from Qin Tian's nose!

The wind from the punch slammed into Qin Tian's face, forcing his eyes shut. The shadow of death enveloped him in an instant!

Time seemed to stop.

Qin Tian stood frozen, his whole body ice-cold. He could clearly feel the terrifying power packed into that fist—enough to smash his head to pieces! A bead of cold sweat trickled down his cheek from his forehead.

Gong Gong looked at Qin Tian's pale face, grinned, and pulled back his fist. He dusted off his hands (though there wasn't actually any dust) and said in a deep, booming voice, "You're not bad. Better than those weaklings. You just don't have much strength. Your hits barely tickle."

Qin Tian: "..."

He felt that decades of martial arts training had been dealt an unprecedented blow—and insult? But more than that, he was shaken to his soul and felt utterly powerless. This wasn't human! It absolutely wasn't!

Manager Wang's legs had gone weak as he watched. Only after Gong Gong lowered his fist did he finally catch his breath. He hurried forward to smooth things over. "Mr. Gong! Your prowess is unmatched! Coach Qin is also an outstanding fighter! You're both pillars of our club! This is... this is wonderful!"

He was looking at Gong Gong as if he were a rare treasure! No—as if he were a living god!

With someone like him holding down the fort, how could the club possibly fail to take off?!

Qin Tian took several deep breaths, barely calming his roiling blood and shaken nerves. He looked at Gong Gong with a complicated expression: frustration and awe, but above all, the burning excitement of someone who had discovered a new world.

"Mr. Gong... I'm impressed!" Qin Tian clasped his hands in salute. This time, his respect was heartfelt. "I've practiced martial arts for over thirty years, and I've never seen anyone with... strength like yours! May I ask who your master was?"

"My master?" Gong Gong scratched his bristle-like short hair, looking utterly baffled. "My strength came from heaven and earth. Why would I need a master?"

Born with divine strength? Qin Tian and Manager Wang exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes. This went far beyond being "born with divine strength"!

"It's our great honor that you're willing to stay at our club, Mr. Gong!" Manager Wang quickly picked up the conversation, afraid Gong Gong might change his mind. "As for compensation, don't worry! A base salary of fifty thousand a month! Class fees are extra! Performance bonuses are extra! Room and board... uh, all your meals are on us! How does that sound?"

A base salary of fifty thousand a month?! Lin Fan was stunned. That was far more than he had made as a programmer! Sure enough, knowledge (or martial strength) was wealth!

Gong Gong had no concept of money, but when he heard "all your meals are on us" (he had only understood the part about the food), he nodded with satisfaction. "Fine! As long as there's meat!"

Lin Fan naturally took charge of the contract as Gong Gong's "agent," discussing the details with Manager Wang. Since Gong Gong had no ID, Manager Wang had witnessed his "value" and said they could make an exception and handle things in a "flexible" manner. All that mattered was that Gong Gong showed up for work.

And so, Gong Gong, the water god of the Primordial Era, officially joined the "Power King" Fitness Club, becoming its... chief fitness consultant and brand ambassador? Manager Wang had racked his brains to come up with the title, thinking it was the only one worthy of Gong Gong's stature.

Over the next few days, the "Power King" Fitness Club entered the busiest period in its history.

A blurry video of the "mysterious giant man punching through a strength tester" had been filmed by a member on his phone. Though the club quickly asked for it to be deleted, it still spread like wildfire in certain circles, sparking intense curiosity and discussion.

But the most direct publicity came from Gong Gong himself.

Manager Wang was well versed in marketing. Instead of immediately having Gong Gong train ordinary members, he arranged for him to put on "daily training demonstrations" in the club's strength-training area.

Thus, club members and spectators who had come after hearing the news had the good fortune to witness scenes like these:

Gong Gong casually performed lateral raises with one hand, holding dumbbells weighing over a hundred kilograms as if they were a pair of chopsticks.

Gong Gong used the bench press, loading it to the maximum weight. He lifted it as effortlessly as if he were doing push-ups, and even complained that the barbell wasn't sturdy enough, worrying he might snap it by accident.

When Gong Gong did pull-ups, he didn't "pull" so much as "bounce." His body shot to the top as if it had no weight, making people wonder whether gravity even applied to him.

Every "workout" drew gasps from the crowd, while people snapped photos and videos nonstop. Gong Gong's inhuman displays of strength became the "Power King" Club's most dazzling and shocking living advertisement!

More and more people came to see him, and the club's membership grew rapidly. It even attracted curious visitors from other cities and fitness influencers who came to "check in."

Manager Wang was so delighted he could hardly stop grinning. He practically worshipped Gong Gong, serving him good food and drink every day (though Gong Gong preferred large portions of filling roast meat and beef). His salary and bonuses were paid on time, straight into Lin Fan's account.

Gong Gong was satisfied, too. He had people to fight (as he understood it, he was advising the overconfident fools who came to challenge him or ask for instruction, usually "guiding" them in ways that made them question their lives), meat to eat, and a chance to stretch his muscles. The "iron lumps" were too light for him, but they were still better than being cooped up in that cramped little room.

Watching the numbers in his bank account keep climbing, Lin Fan finally felt some of his worries ease. The financial pressure had lessened considerably. At least supporting the three saints—especially Gong Gong, with his enormous appetite—was no longer a problem. And with Gong Gong holding down a proper "job" and burning off his excess energy, things at home had quieted down as well.

However, trouble was never far away.

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

The official Dragon Group's monitoring report added a substantial new entry under "Shelter": "Target Four (codename: 'Giant Strength,' suspected connection to Targets Two and Three) has appeared. Possesses extraordinary physical strength and durability. Preliminary threat assessment: B-mid. Currently active at 'Power King' Fitness Club, attracting some public attention. Recommend enhanced surveillance and assessment of behavioral impact."

Chen Jing stared at Gong Gong's inhuman feats in the report and video stills, her brows knitted tightly. One possessed bizarre psychic powers (Tong Tian), another had the power of creation and healing (Nüwa), and now a third was a monster whose body had reached sainthood (Gong Gong)... Just what kind of den of dragons and tigers was Lin Fan's home?! Why had they gathered there, and what were they planning?

Meanwhile, Gong Gong's performance had also caught the attention of certain factions hidden from the ordinary world, who pursued the limits of the human body and strength.

A week after the "Power King" Club had taken the city by storm, several black luxury cars silently pulled up near the club. Several men in black suits stepped out, their bearing sharp and martial. The leader wore sunglasses and had a miniature earpiece hooked over one ear. His cold gaze swept over the club's sign.

"Confirm the target, 'Giant Strength,' is inside?" the leader asked quietly into his earpiece.

"Confirmed. Based on continuous observation, his strength far exceeds that of any known genetic enhancement or ancient martial arts practitioner. He may be... an unknown transcendent life-form. The boss is very interested in him."

"Understood. Prepare to make contact. Be careful. Start with courtesy, then force if necessary."