Military Boxing, Bionic Style

What the hell!

So that was what the twenty "foraging" sessions required to upgrade [Overgrowth] meant?

Qin Shi's throat bobbed involuntarily. It was as if his body had activated some kind of switch, allowing him to clearly catch the enticing scent coming from Teacher Lin.

The delicate fragrance of a virgin mingled with the instinctive allure of a female creature, like stimulating pheromones that heightened the senses.

It was like mixing a bowl of soul-satisfying dipping sauce before eating hotpot—the kind that would make even shoe insoles taste delicious.

He couldn't resist at all!

Gulp.

Qin Shi swallowed again. His gaze was cool yet fervent, like a diner eyeing the meat on his plate: devoid of any emotion, yet impatient to gobble it down!

"You little brat..."

Lin Yunqing lifted her chin, ready to retort, but then she met that condescending gaze, like that of a creature at the top of the food chain.

Her heart gave a thump.

A chill swept through her, as though she'd fallen into an icy abyss.

I'm actually scared? This is bad! Now it's my turn to have my heart of the Way trampled underfoot!

Lin Yunqing lowered her head despite herself, her whole body trembling.

Her once-defiant posture crumbled in an instant. She was like a pitiful little stray dog, unable to stop wagging her tail as she begged for food.

The reason was simple: the female teacher could clearly feel it.

This genius youth of the Old Martial Arts Faction standing before her seemed genuinely unbothered by the thought of wiping her out.

Like a fish on a chopping board, at his mercy.

And so, an inexplicable sense of terror welled up inside her!

How old was he? How much blood had he gotten on his hands?

How could he already have the fearsome air of a hardened killer, treating human lives like so much trash?

"I'm really hungry."

The words branded onto his retina flickered in and out of view. Qin Shi paid no attention to Lin Yunqing's changing expression and unconsciously raised his hand.

[Basic Achievement—Overgrowth]

[Traits: Extremely sensitive to substances rich in nutrients and energy. Grants greater absorption and digestion abilities than those of similar organisms.]

"So martial artists with a high level of Life Force Development count as 'high-nutrient,' 'high-energy' food, too.

But I'm no Hannibal. It's really hard to bring myself to eat someone of my own kind."

Understanding dawned on Qin Shi. The moment he resolved his confusion, it was as if someone had doused him with a bucket of ice water, bringing him back to his senses.

He suppressed his rather abnormal hunger and prepared to pull Teacher Lin, who had been beaten to her knees, back up.

Then he realized that, at some point, his hand had already clamped tightly around her slender neck.

His strong fingers pressed into her delicate skin, which felt exceptionally smooth.

A look of utter horror covered Teacher Lin's pretty face.

Am I kind of terrifying right now?

Will people think I'm a born killer?

Qin Shi coughed twice and hurriedly spoke.

"I'm sorry, Teacher Lin. I hit you a little too hard just now. Are you all right?"

Lin Yunqing's body was stiff as a board as Qin Shi helped her to her feet.

She was still shaken.

"My big brother told me the Old Martial Arts Faction were all lunatics who drew blood whenever they fought and spilled blood whenever they made enemies. He said never to provoke them lightly.

I never believed him before, but I've learned my lesson now!"

"Teacher Lin, are you all right?"

Qin Shi scratched his head and asked again.

Why's this woman acting like she's been scared witless?

He'd punched her in the eye socket, not the brain.

How come her eyes looked so clear now? She even seemed a little dazed.

"Assistant Teacher Qin, I was in the wrong just now. I offended you. I apologize..."

Lin Yunqing looked aggrieved, like a frightened little girl.

She's gone from a Siberian tiger to a golden-shaded tabby. Her voice is even more cutesy now. What trick is this woman up to?

Qin Shi frowned to himself and quietly put some distance between them.

Just in case Teacher Lin turned hostile and suddenly attacked him.

He'd always known that women didn't play by the rules—and they certainly didn't play fair!

"I know the Old Martial Arts Faction value rules. Challenging someone without issuing a formal challenge, giving them pointers in public, disregarding their status... Those are all taboo."

After taking a punch, Lin Yunqing had become much more docile and sincerely admitted her mistake.

If someone who knew her saw the most famous madwoman in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area acting as meek as a kitten in front of a student, their jaws would probably hit the floor.

Our Old Martial Arts Faction?

Qin Shi looked at her strangely.

What on earth has she imagined?

Her attitude changed completely!

No wonder they say a woman who won't behave will deliberately throw a punch!

After teaching her a lesson, she still won't let me sit at the table and eat. The wisdom of the old generation really is profound!

Qin Shi silently joked to himself, suppressing his surprise as he quickly slipped into the role of the "lone hidden heir of the Old Martial Arts Faction."

"Using martial arts to make friends was considered a fine tradition in the past, too. Teacher Lin's style doesn't seem to come from a professor at one of the top universities."

Whenever Lin Yunqing remembered Qin Shi's cool gaze, fear rose in her heart. It was as though her heart of the Way had truly been shattered, leaving none of her earlier condescending, playful attitude.

She spoke timidly.

"My Three Emperors Cannon Fist is a family tradition."

Isn't the Three Emperors Cannon Fist part of the Old Martial Arts Faction?

Qin Shi narrowed his eyes. The "momentum" in Lin Yunqing's fighting style didn't seem much like the Old Martial Arts Faction, which emphasized natural phenomena and spiritual insight.

"My grandfather modified it. It originated from Old Martial Arts, but incorporated moves from Military Boxing.

The so-called Three Emperors are the Heavenly Emperor Anti-Aircraft Cannon, the Earth Emperor Tank Cannon, and the Human Emperor Cannon.

More specifically, there's also a version called the 'Sea, Land, and Air Amphibious Cannon Fist,' inspired by naval cannons, machine cannons, and howitzers."

Lin Yunqing explained with utmost seriousness.

Please don't tell me there's also a 'Nuclear Light Wave Fist,' a 'Radiation-Worshipping Palm,' or 'One Million Horsepower Magnetic Field Rotation'!

Qin Shi's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help grumbling to himself.

If the Old Martial Arts Faction were a bunch of masochists who enjoyed torturing themselves, the New Martial Arts Faction looked like a bunch of tech-tree-wrecking, "I reckon" lunatics.

Using an ordinary human body and muscle power to imitate the fission reactions of modern weapons?

It really gave him the disorienting feeling that the laws of physics had stopped existing.

"I studied Military Boxing, Bionic Style. My punches and kicks are like artillery shells, and my footwork is like an armored vehicle or a fighter jet. I model all my fighting styles and techniques on modern weapons."

Seeing Qin Shi's interest, Lin Yunqing volunteered a little more.

I have to wonder if they also have a 'Two-Dimensional Foil Strength Palm' or a 'Droplet Sinking Warship Technique.'

High-Martial Bionics really is unhinged!

If I joined the New Martial Arts Faction, could I comprehend a 'Two-Bomb Fist,' a 'One-Star Finger,' or an 'East Wind Guidance Seal'?

Qin Shi shook off his stray thoughts, cut the topic short, and turned to ask about the delinquent youths sprawled all over the ground.

"Teacher Lin, do you know where these people came from?"

"They're just lapdogs raised by some nouveau riche."

At the mention of irrelevant nobodies, Lin Yunqing's expression turned cold, and her original intellectual poise returned.

"Assistant Teacher Qin, don't worry. I'll take care of this trouble for you."

She took out her touchscreen phone, unlocked it, and dialed a number.

The two most prestigious universities in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area were Qiguang Hengda University and Jiakai Keda University.

Both had long histories, founded by Mr. Wei Qiguang and Mr. Zhu Jiakai, pioneers in Eastern Xia's fields of machinery and spirit energy. They had been around for several thousand years.

At Qiguang Hengda University, the red desk phone connected to an internal line rang in the Director of General Affairs' office.

Lin Xiaohan, in his prime at around forty, picked up the receiver.

After listening for a few seconds, his expression turned helpless.

"Little sister, how many times do I have to tell you? Don't call this number unless it's work-related."

"Big brother, I've been bullied!"

Lin Xiaohan shook his head.

"Use my title while I'm at work! At home, you're my sister. Here..."

"Here, you're Director Lin, who teaches and nurtures people and serves the public. I'm a student at Hengzhou University, and a good citizen of the Tai'an Metropolitan Area! Don't you have a duty to help me out?"

The retort from the other end of the phone was merciless.

"Fine, fine, I can't do anything with you. I'll let Dad discipline you when you get home! Now tell me, what trouble have you gotten into this time? Did you hit some young master? Step on some Big Boss's toes?

You nearly broke Qin's leg and got sent to the Youth Palace to reflect on your mistakes. How are you still not behaving?"

Lin Xiaohan felt a headache coming on. His younger sister had been unruly and combative since childhood. After learning New Martial Arts from their father, she had nearly beaten up every rich young master in the Tai'an Metropolitan Area.

Any unlucky fool who had no sense and came up to her showing off or flaunting his wealth ended up with a bruised face.

"He started it! I hate those pricks who act all high and mighty!"

Lin Yunqing's true nature came out over the phone. She was nothing like her dignified, elegant self.

"There's some random nobody who popped up out of nowhere. He goes by Brother Long. I saw him at the Guojin Center last time. He's been chasing after me, and now he brought a bunch of underlings to the Youth Palace to block my way."

Lin Xiaohan knitted his brows and said only, "Give me a moment."

He hung up, then picked up another white desk phone.

"Secretary Xu, come in for a moment. Find out if there's anyone in the Tai'an area who goes by Brother Long."

About half an hour later, a paper file was on Lin Xiaohan's desk.

"Wang Long?"

Secretary Xu stood respectfully.

"I had a friend pull the Youth Palace's surveillance footage and verify what happened. It was him. He's a low-level thug who's made some money in construction over the past few years."

Qiguang Hengda University was part of Eastern Xia's Education Department. It had nearly independent administrative authority, and its status in various fields was only slightly below that of the Governor's Mansion in Central City. It stood on equal footing with the senior administrators of the Metropolitan Area.

Getting the Inspection Department to lend a hand would be easy enough.

Secretary Xu was simply baffled. How had someone like Wang Long, such a nobody, ended up on Director Lin's desk?

"Mm."

Lin Xiaohan nodded. Just as he was about to close the file and put it away, a detail caught his eye.

"His boss is Qin Lihao?"

Secretary Xu had skimmed the file before coming in and committed the key points to memory.

"Yes. Qin Lihao's Yuhai Construction Company has grown bigger and bigger over the years. Wang Long is one of his capable subordinates.

By the way, Yuhai Construction is preparing a redevelopment bid for the slum district on Old Factory Street, along with the East Dangyang redevelopment project planned for the second half of the year."

Had those Metropolitan Area bigwigs started grabbing land again?

Lin Xiaohan tapped the folder with his fingers.

"My little sister beat up Qin Zhijie a while ago, and today she was bullied by one of Qin Lihao's men. It seems the Lin and Qin families are destined to clash."

After giving it some thought, the Director of General Affairs at Hengzhou University, who had recently been transferred in from Yazhou, smiled.

"Tomorrow, rally the students for a debate on land seizures and forced demolitions that endanger citizens' safety and the public interest during urban development. Publish the discussion in the university newspaper, then ask the Metropolitan Area's television station to do an interview.

"In addition, I personally hope the Metropolitan Area's departments will conduct a large-scale investigation into and rectification of such vile conduct."

Secretary Xu was startled. People said that a new official came in with three fires to light.

Why was Director Lin's first fire burning for no apparent reason?

Everyone knew that the education systems of Hengzhou University and Jiakai Keda had always kept out of the Metropolitan Area's administration and vice versa.

"Assistant Teacher Qin, it's taken care of!"

Lin Yunqing looked smug.

"My family's pretty big. Want to come over and sit for a while later?

"The secret techniques of your Old Martial Arts Faction really are extraordinary. With a Life Force of around twelve, you managed to beat me, even though mine was nearly nineteen."

I'm at fifteen!

Qin Shi stayed silent. The level of someone's Life Force Development could only be roughly judged from the peaks of their aura and their movements while fighting.

At least, that was the case for everyone below amateur rank, second tier.

"Teacher Lin, does your family have testing equipment installed?"

Qin Shi had been about to refuse, but suddenly asked instead.

"Hmm."

Lin Yunqing thought for a moment, then answered.

"We can. We can have it installed."