Qin Hao had really caught a Treasure Fish!
Hong Ming was slightly astonished, and couldn't help marveling at Qin Hao's luck and strength.
It was no wonder Qin Hao had drawn so much attention, with Zhang Tao and the others hunting high and low for him.
Most likely, they all wanted to buy Treasure Fish from him to support their own cultivation.
Having already eaten Treasure Fish, Hong Ming took it in stride. He shook his head slightly, cast aside distracting thoughts, and continued practicing his stance.
No matter how chaotic the outside world became, he remained as still as a mountain, immersed in his practice and unable to pull himself away.
Time slipped by quickly, without him noticing.
Suddenly, a voice brimming with unconcealed excitement rang in Hong Ming's ears. "Hong Ming, you're still practicing martial arts?"
It was Qin Hao. He was back!
Qin Hao was soaked through, but the vitality and spirit radiating from deep within him were far stronger than before.
It was plain to see that good fortune had lifted his spirits.
Hong Ming stopped and greeted him. "Brother Hao."
"How did you know I caught a Treasure Fish?" Qin Hao's grin was so broad that even a mountain couldn't press it down.
Hong Ming: "..."
He pursed his lips and chuckled. "Then congratulations, Brother Hao."
"Ah, it was really just luck. I only caught one by chance."
Qin Hao waved a hand, unable to hide his delight, though it soon gave way to regret.
"Too bad you didn't come with me. Otherwise, you might've had a chance to catch one too."
He felt sorry for Hong Ming. He had seen how hard the other man had been training all this time.
But martial arts couldn't be mastered through hard work alone. Resources and talent mattered even more.
If Hong Ming had gotten a Treasure Fish this time, perhaps he could have seized the chance to change his fate and hold on to hope.
Hong Ming had no idea what Qin Hao was thinking, and didn't take his words to heart.
His own gains this time were no less than Qin Hao's.
Moving on from the subject, Hong Ming told Qin Hao that Zhang Tao and the others had been looking for him.
"All right, I know. You can get back to training." Qin Hao took his leave after hearing him out.
Hong Ming steadied himself and quickly regained his focus, resuming the practice he'd interrupted.
He kept at it until the hour of the Pig. The rain still hadn't stopped.
Feeling the exhaustion weighing on both body and mind, Hong Ming slowly brought his practice to a close.
He glanced at his panel and saw that it had reached over 350 points. Satisfied, he headed back to the dormitory courtyard.
As soon as he arrived, he heard a fierce argument raging inside.
The voices mingled with the patter of rain and drifted through the night, especially jarring in the darkness.
They sounded familiar. Hong Ming immediately recognized Zhang Tao and Qin Hao. The two seemed to have gotten into a quarrel!
His expression turned grave as he sensed something was wrong. He hurried into the courtyard and followed the sound.
His gaze pierced the layers of rain and fixed on Qin Hao's room.
A faint candlelight glimmered inside, casting the shadows of two figures.
Whatever they had said seemed to have enraged Zhang Tao. He roared and lunged at Qin Hao, all claws and teeth.
He was holding a weapon!
Its blade gleamed with a bone-chilling coldness, making Hong Ming's eyelids twitch.
Seeing that Qin Hao was about to be struck down, Hong Ming blurted out, "Stop!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, a deep, deafening boom rang out.
Right after it came a towering figure, crashing out of the room, smashing through the doorway and wall, and bursting into Hong Ming's view.
It was Zhang Tao!
Bang!
Zhang Tao was sent flying as if a charging bull had hit him, slamming hard into the brick courtyard and kicking up a great splash.
The weapon in his hand clattered to the ground with a clear ring.
The sound echoed through the rainy night, as if composing an orchestral symphony of fate.
Hong Ming stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at Zhang Tao. He couldn't even get back up, and blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth.
He had seen it clearly. The force of Qin Hao's counterattack, delivered in an instant, was beyond anything an ordinary person could possess!
It was a power only a true martial artist could wield!
All his strength focused at a single point, punching through the air and making it explode!
This was a Bright Force martial artist!
Thud, thud, thud!
"What happened?"
Several soldiers who had rushed over at the commotion asked what was going on.
But the moment they saw Zhang Tao, their pupils contracted sharply. As though they had guessed what had happened, they asked in trembling voices, "Qin Hao, y-you broke through?"
"That's right," Qin Hao replied coolly.
His face held none of his old joking and bluster, only the calm of a still, ancient well.
The others couldn't help drawing in sharp breaths. Without realizing it, they began looking at Qin Hao with complicated expressions.
That complexity lasted less than a moment before turning entirely to awe.
Silence flooded the courtyard. Not a soul spoke. Only the raindrops pattered and drummed in everyone's hearts.
The rain poured down like a waterfall, weaving a fine mesh across the courtyard, as if fate itself were stitching the final seam.
The mud-legged man of yesterday had finally turned his life around!
"Who's the one who's developed Inner Force?"
The Squad Leader rushed over after hearing what happened and immediately stepped forward to test Qin Hao.
As though delivering the final verdict on this farce, he soon gave a definite answer.
Qin Hao had indeed broken through!
"Come with me, Qin Hao. I'll take you to register."
The Squad Leader cheerfully beckoned Qin Hao to leave with him, never sparing Zhang Tao a glance.
Qin Hao went to register, but news of his breakthrough swept through the entire Training Camp like a hurricane.
"So this is what a martial artist can do?"
Hong Ming stared alone at the wrecked house, his heart stirred.
This was the first time he'd witnessed a Bright Force martial artist in action. The sight had shaken him deeply, and it had also lit a fire inside him.
Deep in his mind, a thought called ambition sprang up and quickly took over his whole being.
Rest?
How could he possibly rest now? All he could think about was training!
Only after wringing himself dry did Hong Ming finally lie down to sleep, still fully clothed and deeply reluctant to stop.
The next day.
Qin Hao became the center of everyone's attention.
Everywhere Hong Ming went, he heard soldiers discussing Qin Hao.
The incident from the previous night had been resolved. Qin Hao hadn't suffered any consequences and had entered the Water Soldier Reserve Camp.
Zhang Tao, on the other hand, had been punished. Word was, he'd paid a hefty sum just to keep his place.
This dramatic turn of events stirred up men from poor backgrounds like Qin Hao even more. They surged with unprecedented passion, training hard along the riverbank.
Qin Hao's breakthrough was like a beacon, lighting the way along their martial path.
The road was dim, but at least there was hope!
Hong Ming went about his usual routine in the morning, rowing for Chen Yao to earn money. But in the afternoon, he didn't go to the water field. Instead, he focused on training.
With such hard work, he was drawing ever closer to mastering the Coiling Dragon Stake.
"Hong Ming, the Scout Battalion's recruiting. Are you interested?"
That afternoon, someone came to find Hong Ming and ask him.
The Scout Battalion was one of the Water Army's five battalions under the Water Army Combat Department. Its main duties were scouting routes during marches and gathering intelligence on the enemy.
Whenever a soldier's service term was about to end and he had failed to break through, they would come recruit him.
For soldiers like Hong Ming, this battalion was one of the few good paths they could take.
It had clear advantages over other options, such as the General Affairs Department and its subordinate branches.
Once you joined, you'd at least have free time to practice martial arts. If you made progress in the future, you could even return to the Preparatory Camp. It was the choice most soldiers made!
Zhang Tao had gone there earlier. It was hard to say whether he feared Qin Hao's revenge or believed he could succeed in martial arts.
Hong Ming had no need to make that choice. Though his remaining service term in the Water Army was shorter than his Fate Grid's duration, it was more than enough for him.
He refused without hesitation.
The man didn't say much. Some people wouldn't turn back until they hit a wall.
When their term was up, they would face reality. By then, perhaps Hong Ming would be begging him to let him join the Scout Battalion.
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