"System, you're finally here! I thought you'd abandoned me!"
[Rest assured, Host. The System may be late, but it will never be absent.]
[The Simplification System is designed to simplify all martial arts, making them easier for the Host to practice while providing data for direct observation.]
[System benefit: The first martial art simplification is free. Simplify Black Wolf Fist?]
"Yes, yes! System, hurry up—I can't wait any longer!" Zhao Han shouted at once.
Fortunately, things were chaotic. Everyone was rushing outside, and Zhao Han was keeping out of sight, so no one noticed him talking nonsense.
[Simplification successful]
Martial Artist: Zhao Han
Realm: None
Martial Arts: Black Wolf Fist
Simplified: Black Wolf Fist [Simplified, unclassified, not yet initiated 0/10, Learn Wolf Howl]
"What does that mean?"
[Unclassified: martial art grade (simplifying an unclassified martial art costs 5 taels of silver)]
[Not yet initiated: the Host's level of mastery of a martial art]
[0/10: a direct, visual representation of proficiency]
[Learn Wolf Howl: the method by which the Host increases proficiency after simplification]
"So all I have to do is howl like a wolf, and my martial arts will improve?"
Zhao Han's face lit up with joy. There was such a good deal?
From his memories, Zhao Han knew just how difficult it was to practice martial arts in this world.
It required not only exceptional aptitude, but also a determined, diligent heart—and vast resources for training.
Without all that, the Skin Refining Realm might be the limit for most Martial Artists, and their Martial Way would end there.
[That's right. The Simplification System is extremely powerful. The Host only needs to follow the simplified method, and he'll soar ninety thousand li into the sky.]
"Excellent, excellent, excellent! As expected of the System!" Zhao Han said, praising it three times.
He'd thought himself unlucky to have crossed over without a System. And now, look—the great System had arrived!
With a System, what was there to be afraid of?
Still, Zhao Han decided to keep a low profile.
The situation was bad right now. Outside, cries of slaughter rang everywhere. If he rushed out, there was an eight-in-ten chance he'd end up dead.
It was safer to stay in the Mine Tunnel.
Besides, he had his martial art now. There was no need to rush. For the time being, keeping a low profile was the way to go.
He backed away a few steps, then found an empty spot in the Mine Tunnel. With the noise outside drowning everything out, he began to howl like a wolf.
"Awooo... ah-woo... woo-woo..."
His voice was quiet, and his attempts were awkward. Not a single one registered.
The data panel showed no increase at all. It still read [Not yet initiated 0/10].
Zhao Han asked gloomily, "System, what's going on?"
[The Host needs to be louder and fully immerse himself. Once he reaches a certain rhythm, he'll succeed.]
"So that's how it is. Hah..." Zhao Han took a deep breath, steadied himself, then continued howling like a wolf.
This time, he was a little louder.
"Ah-woo..."
"Awooo..."
After trying five more times, Zhao Han was delighted to find that his proficiency had increased.
[Not yet initiated 1/10]
"This is way too easy. Keep going!"
While the Poisonous Snake Gang and the Black Wolf Gang fought bitterly, Zhao Han kept howling like a wolf.
At first, only one attempt in five or six succeeded. Later, it was one in three or four.
His proficiency climbed rapidly, too.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, Zhao Han felt a cool sensation wash over his head, and his strength increased considerably.
A complete set of boxing techniques appeared in his mind out of nowhere. It was none other than Black Wolf Fist.
Martial Artist: Zhao Han
Realm: None
Martial Arts: Black Wolf Fist
Simplified: Black Wolf Fist [Simplified, unclassified, beginner 0/50, Learn the Wolf's Posture]
"T-this is it? I've mastered it?"
Zhao Han was a little dazed. Everyone said martial arts were difficult to learn. Even reaching the beginner level took a month, or even three months—sometimes half a year.
Many ordinary people practiced for ten or twenty years and were still in the Skin Refining Realm. And he'd already reached the beginner level?
His strength had certainly increased a little, but why hadn't his realm advanced?
"System, this realm..."
[Black Wolf Fist is an unclassified martial art. Its low grade makes it easy to practice, but it has little potential and limited benefits. The Host must practice more to advance his realm.]
[Martial art grades are divided into: unclassified, classified, lower, middle, and upper.]
[Martial art proficiency levels are divided into: not yet initiated, beginner, practiced, proficient, and mastery.]
[Martial Way realms are divided into: Body Refining (Skin Refining, Muscle Refining, Bone Refining, Organ Refining, Blood Refining), Qi Refining, and Essence Refining.]
"So I just haven't practiced enough—and Black Wolf Fist is way too lousy!" Zhao Han suddenly understood.
By then, the cries of slaughter outside had gradually died down.
The clash between the Black Wolf Gang and the Poisonous Snake Gang seemed to be over.
When a foreman finally came in and shouted for a group of mine slaves to come out and deal with the bodies, Zhao Han knew the Poisonous Snake Gang had won.
Li Dalong, the Hall Master of Poison Dragon Hall, which was stationed at the Fine Iron Mine, had been hunting in the woods when he received the news and rushed back.
With his Muscle Refining Realm strength, the Black Wolf Gang had no chance against him. The situation had been reversed in an instant.
Zhao Han volunteered to go outside and deal with the bodies, hoping he might be able to loot them and make a little money.
More than a dozen others had the same idea.
Quite a few others were planning to work hard and make a good impression.
The Poisonous Snake Gang had lost so many ordinary members this time. They would probably recruit new ones.
The mine slaves were the likely candidates.
They would have a chance to escape their suffering and go from being forced laborers to managers.
It wasn't as if this had never happened before. Some ordinary gang members had once been mine slaves themselves.
When he reached the Mine Tunnel's entrance, Zhao Han saw bodies and flesh strewn everywhere. The air was thick with a foul, bloody stench that turned his stomach.
Fortunately, he managed to grit his teeth and hold it in. Otherwise, throwing up would have been humiliating.
"Get to work! Drag the Black Wolf Gang members' bodies onto the carts!"
The foreman's expression improved when he saw so many mine slaves volunteering. He didn't crack his whip; he only kept urging them on.
"Got it!"
The mine slaves hurried to work, sneaking little searches over the bodies from time to time, but they found nothing.
The Poisonous Snake Gang members had probably already picked them clean.
The mine slaves were remarkably eager. Before long, they had loaded more than thirty bodies onto the carts.
These thirty-odd bodies belonged to newly recruited members of the Black Wolf Gang, commonly known as "cannon fodder"!
The ten elite members in the Skin Refining Realm had withdrawn without a scratch.
The Poisonous Snake Gang, however, had suffered heavy losses.
Half of the fifty ordinary members guarding the mine had been caught off guard in the ambush and killed.
Not one of the twenty foremen had been harmed, but around fifty mine slaves had died in the chaos.
This would seriously affect iron ore production.
And an impact on production meant an impact on the Poisonous Snake Gang's income.
Li Dalong's face was grim. He hadn't expected the Black Wolf Gang to be so ruthless, using a bunch of useless cannon fodder to trade for the lives of their gang members and the mine slaves.
The gang leader, Liu Gang, said anxiously:
"Hall Master, more than fifty mine slaves are dead, and we can't replace them right away. I'm afraid the iron ore output will..."
Li Dalong gave a cold snort.
"Afraid of what? Hmph. Starting tomorrow, all mine slaves will get up at three in the morning and work until nine at night. Make up the shortfall!"
"Keep at it until we've captured more than fifty mine slaves to replace them."
Liu Gang's expression changed. "But..."
"This is their good fortune! Hmph! If I tell you to handle it, then handle it. Why all the nonsense?"
"Do you still want to be the gang leader? If you don't, I'll give your position to Wang Bao."
"Yes, yes. I'll take care of it right away."
"Hmph. By the way, with so many gang members dead, we'll need to recruit some more to make up the numbers."
"Hmm... We'll recruit from among the mine slaves. Find ten who are young, healthy, and eager to work."
"Yes!" Liu Gang replied, and immediately went to carry it out.
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