I Know Too Much, My Apologies

Rooftop.

Two figures moved at lightning speed, the wind from their bodies and fists howling and whistling.

Hong Fei's steps planted into the ground like an old tree taking root, his gait as steady as a giant elephant, but his upper body was like an ape in the forest, dodging and turning without a hint of hesitation, almost instinctual.

Frank's steps, on the other hand, were lighter and more agile, his two long arms filled with powerful force like steel spears.

Frank's fighting style was based on Free Fighting, blending the essence of many Modern Martial Arts, and with years of actual combat and life-or-death experience, he was far beyond what ordinary people could match.

But if one looked closely, they could see that Hong Fei had already closed his eyes.

Frank thrust a straight punch, aimed directly at the face.

The faint sound of the fist cutting through the air and the sudden pressure of the oncoming airflow formed a clear feedback in Hong Fei's mind. He dropped his shoulder and turned his body, the fist brushing past the tip of his nose. At the same time, he reached out his palm and laid it on Frank's iron arm.

Instantly, Frank planted his feet and yanked his hand back sharply.

Hong Fei's hand first moved in the direction Frank's fist was coming from, but then he keenly sensed Frank's muscles tighten. He immediately stopped exerting force. When Frank pulled back hard to withdraw his arm, Hong Fei applied his strength in the same direction at the same time.

Thus, the force of Frank pulling back his arm suddenly increased, and his upper body lurched backward. He had to quickly shift his steps to stabilize himself.

But Hong Fei had already stretched out one foot.

With a thud, Frank landed on his butt, a hint of confusion rising in his eyes.

Seeing that Hong Fei still hadn't opened his eyes and was just beckoning to him, Frank gritted his teeth, flipped over, and clenched his fists again.

This time, he didn't rush to attack but slowly moved his steps inch by inch toward Hong Fei.

Hong Fei suddenly changed his stance. He took a step forward, and as he inhaled, his bones and muscles expanded wide, his arms spreading like an eagle's wings. As he exhaled, he sank his elbows and sat back on his hips, his strength quickly contracting inward. His right palm faced outward at eye level, and his left palm faced downward at his lower abdomen.

On the entire rooftop, besides the sound of the wind, there was only the friction of Frank's feet sliding across the ground.

Frank stared unblinkingly at Hong Fei's body, as if every inch of him was etched into his mind. At the slightest movement, he could judge Hong Fei's next action.

As the two gradually closed in, the rustling sound in his ears became clearer, and Hong Fei's judgment of the distance between them grew more precise.

Frank meticulously maintained his fighting stance, shifting his weight back, his right leg moving forward as a probe. At any sign of trouble, he could immediately step back and raise his right leg to defend.

Hong Fei, in a superior position, could afford to stay still, and Frank couldn't afford to rush to seize an opportunity.

White clouds drifted, a breeze swept by, and suddenly, a sharp car horn sounded from the street.

Instantly, Frank's pupils contracted sharply. Without a moment's thought, he pulled his arms tight to his chest, curling his upper body into a ball to brace for an unknown impact.

Hong Fei's right leg muscles suddenly bulged, and he took a big step forward. Though his eyes were still closed, he precisely stepped behind Frank's right foot, blocking the retreat. As he surged forward, he twisted his body, leading with his right shoulder, pulling his arms down, merging his own weight, forward momentum, and explosive strength into one. It was as if an invisible ball of energy formed inside him, driven by his bones and muscles, rushing wildly toward his right arm.

In Frank's eyes, Hong Fei suddenly charged straight in without warning, his small figure rapidly magnifying in Frank's vision, like a massive, heavy beast pouncing ferociously, the interval no more than a blink.

Boom!!

A deeply muffled sound exploded outward. Centered on the leading arm, a perfectly round, unyielding force poured out in an instant. Frank's arms, crossed in front of his chest, were driven further inward under the heavy blow, pressing against his chest. The penetrating power tore through skin, muscle, and even bone with irresistible force.

Immediately, Frank flew backward like a Punching Bag for three meters, crashing into the rooftop's electrical box with a thunderous bang, leaving a deep dent. After falling, he curled up on the ground, motionless for a long time.

Frank felt as if Hong Fei had reached directly into his chest and ravaged his internal organs. His heart, lungs, and everything else had suffered unimaginable shock. His breathing stopped abruptly, his heart ceased beating for an instant, and his brain quickly began to lack oxygen. All strength left his body, and his brain directly took away his control over it, because at that moment, his body needed to restore breathing to supply oxygen to the brain—any unnecessary movement was pointless.

Under the body's self-repair, his stilled heart started beating again. Frank uncurled, lying on his side, opening his mouth as wide as he could to gasp for air, ignoring the fine sand and dust that got sucked into his mouth.

After a long while, his breathing slowly calmed, and his eyes began to focus.

He saw Hong Fei standing motionless beside him, showing him a smile that seemed fairly gentle.

Frank rolled onto his back, lying flat, and said with difficulty while panting, "Last time... I remember... it wasn't like this."

"I know too much. My apologies." Hong Fei helplessly clasped his fists.

What he cared about more was why no Skill Card had dropped this time.

Could it be that each person only drops one? Or did Frank only have that one skill? Or maybe Skill Cards have a drop rate?

An hour later.

Frank was shirtless, his arms and chest glistening with oil—it was the ointment Hong Fei had mixed himself. He lay half-reclining, his arms resting naturally on a pillow, his fingers occasionally trembling involuntarily.

"This is revenge."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"You're slandering me."

Frank said darkly, "You almost killed me. I felt like I was about to die!"

Hong Fei put down his tablet and said helplessly, "But you didn't die, did you?"

"But you had that intention."

Hong Fei shook his head, got up, and walked toward the open-plan fitness area on one side of the living room.

Facing the Punching Bag, Hong Fei said, "If I wanted to kill you, I would have used a different method of delivering force. I wouldn't have gone through your arms. I should have done it like this."

With that, Hong Fei assumed the stance again and then suddenly moved forward.

This time, Hong Fei didn't turn sideways to lead with his shoulder and arm. Instead, he lowered his center of gravity, thrust both hands upward from below like a divine dragon emerging from the water, twisted his elbow joints, and his arms rose and fell abruptly. His two palms struck the Punching Bag one after the other without pause.

Boom!

A crisp sound echoed through the room, yet the punching bag wasn't sent flying—instead, the leather on its back seemed pierced by a sharp blade, a split bursting open in an instant.

Fine sand streamed out as Hong Fei turned around.

Frank felt as if Hong Fei had suddenly closed in, his hands brutally forcing apart the guard Frank held before his chest, then both palms stamped onto his sternum, the force tearing through skin and piercing straight through the heart...

After a moment, Frank set aside all his complaints and stared intently at Hong Fei. "How did you do it?"

"Practice."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two. Don't dwell on that. How long you've practiced doesn't matter—what matters is whether you had the right direction during practice, whether you kept improving with each repetition, and how much you progressed. You can learn, but you don't need to learn from me. You already have techniques that suit you. Your body, reactions, and instincts are all fused with your skills; there's no need to change them now."

Frank fell into deep thought after hearing this.

Hong Fei said, "Actually, put another way, you'd understand more easily."

Frank snapped his head up.

"You're old."

Frank's eyelids twitched violently.

Hong Fei immediately stood up. "Alright, get some rest! I've given you all the materials. In New York, you decide how to act. Come find me when you need help."

"Why aren't you joining in?"

"Because I still have more important things to do, of course."

Going down to the first-floor bookstore, Hong Fei raised the rolling shutter and saw someone already standing outside the glass door.

When that face, bearing a warm smile, fully came into view, Hong Fei was deeply disappointed.