Iron Wire Fist

Guanghua Residential Area

Knock, knock, knock—

A few seconds after the knocking, the door opened.

Xu Feng had just taken off his shoes and put them on the shoe rack by the door. He changed into his slippers and was met by his mother's concerned gaze.

"You're finally home, you rascal! I heard a dungeon appeared near our neighborhood. You weren't hurt, were you?"

His mother still wore an oil-stained apron around her waist. Years of poor health had left her complexion somewhat pale, but her eyes were filled with worry.

"Don't worry, Mom. Your son values his life. If anything happens, I'll run faster than anyone." Xu Feng laughed it off, casually changing the subject as he glanced into the house.

Two people were sitting on the sofa: his father, Xu Shan, and his second uncle, Yang Hu.

"Dad, Second Uncle." Xu Feng politely nodded to his uncle.

"Xiaofeng, you're back." His second uncle grinned and waved at him.

"Go wash your hands and eat! Your second uncle's been waiting for you ages. He must be starving." Xu Shan urged him sternly, though a hint of tenderness was hidden in his eyes.

Xu Feng answered, went back to his room, and set his schoolbag on the desk. After tidying up a little, he hurried to the dining room.

His second uncle, Yang Hu, had gone to Country H to make his fortune years ago. After all those years of struggle, he had built up quite a bit of wealth.

Back then, Xu Shan had also benefited from his brother-in-law's help. It was what gave him the confidence to quit his job back home and come to Country H to trade in monster materials.

With his second uncle visiting that evening, the dishes on the table were especially lavish.

The garlic prawns looked bright and tempting, the steamed tiger grouper was tender and succulent, the twice-cooked pork with garlic shoots smelled incredible, and the spicy boiled pork was mouthwateringly hot...

His mother brought dish after dish to the table, their rich aromas filling the air and making everyone's mouth water.

At the table, his second uncle shoveled rice into his mouth as he chatted with Xu Shan about business. Then he suddenly changed the subject and cautioned them, "Dungeons have been appearing more and more often around Z City lately. Big Sis and Xiaofeng, be extra careful when you go out."

"Of course." Xu Shan nodded, then turned to his wife. "Ning Xia, you should go out less these days. Just buy groceries at the supermarket by the entrance. It doesn't matter if it's a little more expensive; safety comes first."

His gaze then fell on Xu Feng, lingering on his son's still somewhat frail frame. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Xiaofeng, you really need to get some exercise.

"You came in last in your class on the school fitness test. Don't just bury your head in your books—your health is your foundation.

"If you run into dungeon monsters, you might not be able to beat them, but at least you should be able to outrun everyone else, right?"

Once his father got started, he couldn't stop. Xu Feng could only smile helplessly and nod.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried exercising, but for some reason, the more other people trained, the stronger they got, while he only seemed to grow thinner.

Even worse, he hadn't awakened at the age of sixteen.

That was the final age at which ordinary people could naturally awaken as Hunters.

Although a very small number of people awakened after sixteen, the odds were vanishingly low. Xu Feng didn't expect to be one of them.

After all, the statistics were right there: one Hunter for every thousand people.

As for those who awakened as Hunters after sixteen, there was only one in several million.

In the world today, nearly all important positions and economic lifelines were firmly in the hands of high-level Hunters.

Even his father and second uncle had to rely on a C-Class Hunter. They joined raid teams entering low-level dungeons, harvesting materials from monsters and making a living reselling scraps other people didn't want.

Every month, they also had to pay a hefty "tribute" on time.

"Exactly, Xiaofeng!" His second uncle put down his chopsticks and chimed in. With a hint of pride, he flexed an arm to show off his well-defined muscles. "Look at me. I may not be a Hunter, but after practicing Iron Wire Fist for all these years, I've built a body that's solid as a rock!"

Before he'd even finished speaking, he casually demonstrated a few Iron Wire Fist moves on the spot. His fists cut through the air with a whoosh, every movement powerful and imposing.

When he noticed Xu Feng staring intently at his arm, his second uncle couldn't help teasing him with a grin. "What's the matter? Tempted? Want to learn my Iron Wire Fist?"

"Yes!" Xu Feng blurted out, his heart racing uncontrollably.

Just then, a new line of data suddenly appeared on the attribute screen before his eyes:

[Iron Wire Fist: Incomplete]

Could it be...

Xu Feng's eyes suddenly lit up. He hurried to seize the opportunity. "Second Uncle, could you demonstrate the whole set of Iron Wire Fist? Your moves are so impressive. I bet even some Hunters couldn't match your presence!"

"Xiaofeng! Watch your mouth! Don't be so disrespectful!" Xu Shan glared at his son, then smiled at his brother-in-law, looking a little embarrassed.

"Hahaha, what's the big deal?" His second uncle beamed at the praise, clearly pleased by Xu Feng's reaction. "I've practiced this set of punches for most of my life, and hardly anyone's ever seen the whole thing!"

He immediately set down his bowl and chopsticks and strode to the balcony. He sank into a horse stance as his fists slowly rose into position. His body was as steady as a mountain goat standing on a sheer cliff, not moving an inch.

"Salute and begin, set the golden bridge, support the palms..." His second uncle called out the names of the moves as he performed them. Each movement was powerful and fluid.

After completing the set, a faint flush spread across his face, and his breathing was slightly uneven.

But when he met Xu Feng's increasingly bright gaze, the satisfaction in his heart swelled even more.

"See that? Iron Wire Fist was adapted from our Country Z's Hung Gar." His second uncle wiped the sweat from his forehead and explained with a smile. "It won't help you take on Hunters or beat monsters, but it's more than enough to build your strength and deal with street punks.

"If you're really interested, look up some instructional videos online and follow along. Think of it as exercise."

Xu Feng nodded eagerly, but his eyes stayed fixed on the screen before him.

The text on it had quietly updated:

[Iron Wire Fist: Uninitiated]