Sparring

"Chen Chong, have you gotten a little taller?"

Early in the morning, before Coach Yu arrived for their study session, Li Xiaoguang watched Chen Chong wreaking havoc on the Iron Man Dummy and felt his eyelid twitch.

How had he gotten so much stronger? He was almost as strong as Li Xiaoguang now.

After finishing a round, Chen Chong picked up the towel around his neck and wiped away his sweat.

"Have I?"

He was now 1.75 meters tall, with a well-proportioned build. Of the four of them, he had already surpassed Wang Li in height. Before, they had been about the same.

Li Xiaoguang nodded.

"You look sturdier, too... You've only just started training, so maybe you're entering your second growth spurt. Tsk, if you train hard now, your body and your boxing will both improve by leaps and bounds."

He gave Chen Chong an envious look.

"I started training early, so I missed out on that second growth spurt. I only made it to 1.87 meters. Still a bit short."

Chen Chong had heard of that explanation. Since even Li Xiaoguang had brought it up, he didn't need to come up with another excuse.

"Guess I caught it just in time."

Wang Li and Liu Hetao watched Chen Chong's round from the side and both clicked their tongues.

Liu Hetao said admiringly, "I wish I could learn as quickly as Chen Chong."

"You? Catch up to me first... No, even catching up to me would take you another lifetime."

Wang Li blurted out half a sentence, then hurriedly corrected himself.

Chen Chong had just acquired the First Form. He held back half his strength in front of the others, but that was still enough to leave them speechless.

His improved physique had naturally boosted his Breathing Method and Combat Drill, too. He could hold back his strength, but those improvements were harder to conceal. He worried Coach Yu might notice something was off.

Then he remembered that Coach Yu's eyes weren't X-ray machines. As long as Chen Chong didn't go all out, all Coach Yu could tell was that he was improving quickly.

The four of them had privately discussed Coach Yu's level. He might be one or two stages beyond Beam Setting, but at that level, fighting techniques weren't supernatural powers. It was unlikely he could see right through someone at a glance and spot changes like the Devour Form or Bone Tempering.

There was nothing wrong with Coach Yu simply noticing that Chen Chong was improving quickly.

Sure enough, when Coach Yu arrived and began guiding their training, he only gave Chen Chong a long look. He didn't say a word about it.

Two days later.

In the middle of the Training Room, Chen Chong and Li Xiaoguang faced each other, while Wang Li and Liu Hetao watched from the side.

Li Xiaoguang's large eyes were bright, and his slightly elongated, square face was full of anticipation.

"Come on, Chen Chong. My fundamentals are a bit better than yours, so you can make the first move."

Chen Chong didn't hold back. He raised both fists in front of his chest, set one foot forward and the other back, planted his rear foot firmly, and kept the ball of his lead foot on the ground. He shifted back and forth, slowly circling Li Xiaoguang.

Li Xiaoguang also settled into a standard guard. He stood as solidly as a mountain, only making small turns with his torso and legs. His toes stayed pointed at Chen Chong the entire time.

His fundamentals were solid. Footwork at this pace wouldn't make him leave an opening... Chen Chong narrowed his eyes and stopped wasting time. He pushed off the ground, stepped forward decisively, and slammed a straight punch into Li Xiaoguang's chest!

Li Xiaoguang's expression turned serious. Chen Chong's punch was powerful and heavy. Before it even reached him, Li Xiaoguang felt a slight tightness in his chest!

He quickly shifted his feet and leaned his upper body to the side, nimbly dodging Chen Chong's fierce straight punch. Then he snapped both palms up in front of his face, just in time to block the left hook Chen Chong had tucked behind it!

A dull thud rang out. Both men's bodies jolted, and each felt a stir of alarm.

Chen Chong hadn't expected Li Xiaoguang to neutralize his two-punch combination so cleanly, even at half strength. The combination wasn't anything new, but the power behind his punches was real—

He had improved again over the past two days. He estimated his punching power was close to 300 kilograms, which meant even half strength made for a heavy punch of around 150 kilograms.

Li Xiaoguang, meanwhile, was surprised by how skilled and powerful Chen Chong's punches were. He had trained in boxing for years, and after dodging the first punch, he had instinctively guarded against a follow-up. But he hadn't really thought Chen Chong could throw such a polished combination with both hands.

As a result, Chen Chong's second punch had come almost immediately, and it had hit with such force that Li Xiaoguang had nearly failed to catch it!

His arms tingled slightly, and Li Xiaoguang focused completely. He knew he couldn't afford to be careless for even a moment.

Before he could think further, Chen Chong's fists were coming again.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Li Xiaoguang guarded his head and face with both fists, blocking several straight punches from Chen Chong and holding his defense through a few exchanges.

The fight reached a slight stalemate. Chen Chong was about to change up his attack when Li Xiaoguang suddenly took a wide step, abruptly circling to Chen Chong's side and bringing a punch down!

Wang Li and Liu Hetao both cried out in surprise. They hadn't expected someone as tall as Li Xiaoguang to spot the gap in Chen Chong's combination so keenly, much less move so quickly.

His long legs seemed to slide as he turned a full ninety degrees, and he followed through with a punch aimed at the side of Chen Chong's ear, putting about seventy percent of his strength behind it.

He used a technique his old master had taught him. It was so sudden that Chen Chong probably wouldn't react in time, so he didn't put all his strength into it... Huh?

Li Xiaoguang's vision blurred. To his astonishment, Chen Chong's face was suddenly turned toward him. Chen Chong had crossed his palms and lifted them up, using the Lift-and-Hold Stance from the Combat Drill to knock his arm upward from below.

It was a genuinely sudden move, and Chen Chong had used a deft touch. He struck a spot on Li Xiaoguang's forearm where it couldn't brace against the force, knocking his heavy punch off course. Li Xiaoguang stumbled, leaving his chest wide open.

Chen Chong naturally didn't miss the opportunity. He followed through from his Lift-and-Hold Stance, thrusting sideways into Li Xiaoguang's chest.

With a soft thump, Li Xiaoguang staggered backward several steps before landing on his butt.

Chen Chong exhaled, stepped forward, and pulled Li Xiaoguang to his feet.

"Just got lucky."

Even after standing up, Li Xiaoguang stared at him in a daze. Only after a long while did he manage a wry smile.

"I thought I could rely on my height and reach, and all those extra years of training, to beat you in a real fight. I even used moves I learned before, but I never expected... You're amazing, Chen Chong."

He had already learned the Breathing Method and Combat Drill, too, so at least on the surface, he was on the same level as Chen Chong. And he had a much stronger foundation. He hadn't expected this result at all.

Wang Li and Liu Hetao were still in the middle of their cries of surprise. Now they stood with their mouths half open, and it took them a good while to react.

Chen Chong had always been the fastest learner, but Li Xiaoguang's training had always made the biggest commotion.

He had the most strength, the strongest boxing fundamentals, and the most knowledge of fighting among the four of them. Even if he learned the new material more slowly than Chen Chong, they had naturally assumed he would still be the best in an actual fight.

After all, no matter how quickly you learned martial arts, strength still had to be built up. Chen Chong might have a gift for it, but he'd only trained for a few days. How could his punching power jump from 40 kilograms to a hundred or two hundred in an instant? All he ate every day was toothpaste-flavored Nutrient Paste, not those insanely expensive nutrient supplements.

Without strength as a foundation, even the best technique was just fancy footwork... That was what they'd thought.

But from the looks of it, Chen Chong's strength wasn't inferior either. This second growth spurt of his was something else.

Chen Chong shook his head.

"I just reacted faster and caught you off guard. If we sparred two more times, it definitely wouldn't be this easy."

Although he had held back half his strength, he hadn't limited his reflexes or speed. Li Xiaoguang's sudden sliding step had caught him by surprise, but turning to face him had been easy. Everything that followed had happened naturally.

To put it plainly, he had won by relying on his superior level. His experience and technique were still a little behind Li Xiaoguang's.

But this was Chen Chong's first spar since he had started boxing, and he had already gained some insight.

After a few more bouts, the moves he had mastered in the Combat Drill would quickly turn into practical fighting experience.

It wouldn't be this easy... That meant he wouldn't lose.

Li Xiaoguang felt both that he was being underestimated and that Chen Chong's confidence left him at a loss for words.

He gave a dry laugh.

"Just wait. We'll spar again when we get the chance! Next time, I'm using what I learned before."

"You didn't use it just now?"

"That didn't count! I'll count it after I win."

Chen Chong smiled and said, "All right."

The two moved to the side without continuing their sparring, because Coach Yu had arrived.

Coach Yu walked up to them, glanced over the four of them, and nodded.

"It's good to spar with each other early on. The Iron Man Dummy isn't the only thing waiting for you. Sometimes sparring helps you improve your level more than hitting the dummy ten times.

"But you fought terribly. The Combat Drill is a set of moves, and in a real fight, moves are there to help you use your strength and speed more effectively. If there's a faster way to take down your opponent, it doesn't matter whether you use a technique or not. Li Xiaoguang, why didn't you just slap him with that last punch?"

"Huh? Well..."

Li Xiaoguang froze.

"An open-handed strike would clearly have felt more natural and been faster. A slap might not have been appropriate in your old boxing gym or during an entrance exam. But that isn't the kind of place you're going to. There are no rules in the ring here.

"Chen Chong, the same goes for you. Your moves are smooth, but you're too rigid. You're all form and no flexibility. Once Li Xiaoguang defended himself, you had no idea what to do, just like when you're facing the Iron Man Dummy. Your best move was turning to face him. It was instinctive, pure speed. You didn't need any footwork."

Chen Chong nodded.

"I understand, Coach Yu."

Turn techniques into instinct and don't get hung up on form. That was too much to ask of Chen Chong after his first real fight. It should have been a process—one that plenty of fighters pursued their whole lives without ever completing.

But he could sense something in Coach Yu's tone, so he didn't argue. He simply kept it in mind.

Seeing this, Coach Yu gave him another look but said nothing more.

"You can do more sparring from now on. For now, get back to training."

Before long, the Training Room rang with the sound of air flowing as they practiced the Breathing Method.

For the next week, Chen Chong immersed himself in boxing training.

He paid attention in class during the day and trained at full intensity at night. The Nutrient Paste tasted awful, but its high calorie content and balanced nutrients replenished the energy he used. The Earth Dragon Soup he received regularly was already the best nourishment he could get. Zhang Yao had snatched the normal food, slowing the progress of his talent a little, so he could only eat more Nutrient Paste and lick every last drop of Earth Dragon Soup clean.

He could now use the Breathing Method without having to consciously think about it, but the rhythm always broke when he was in a fierce fight. He was still one insight away from using it in actual combat.

Still, even most Official Fighters couldn't keep their breathing method from breaking during a real fight. They had been training for who knew how long, so Chen Chong didn't expect too much of himself yet.

His Combat Drill, however, improved rapidly. Every day, he sparred with Li Xiaoguang, Wang Li, and Liu Hetao.

Even though they were only sparring, and their abilities were somewhat uneven, each bout was invaluable to him as someone short on experience. He learned a great deal every time.

The four of them often sat cross-legged facing one another after sparring, discussing what they had done well and what they had done poorly. Two heads were better than one, and all of them had something to contribute. Even Liu Hetao often raised key questions that cut to the heart of the matter. Wang Li drew on his years in a gang to come up with vicious but practical ideas, while Li Xiaoguang generously shared all his experience and techniques, almost as if he wanted to teach his companions every move, step by step.

But they had limited energy, and most of their time still went to Coach Yu's instruction. They only discussed a few basic principles of boxing. Chen Chong shared more of what he had learned, helping the other three improve, and benefiting from it himself.

The intense sparring and high-quality reviews had helped Chen Chong tremendously. He had gradually shed his awkwardness, and it was hard to tell that he had been a rookie in the ring for less than half a month.

"Honestly, Chen Chong, it's a shame you didn't get into Wu Yuan."

Sitting on the floor of the Training Room, Li Xiaoguang spoke earnestly.

"Look at how long you've been training, and how good you've already gotten. With a little more formal training, you'd be guaranteed a place at Wu Yuan. And with your talent, you'd definitely stand out there, too. Getting a spot to study in Central City wouldn't be a problem."

Chen Chong pulled out a tube of Nutrient Paste and began tearing it open.

"I considered that path when I joined the boxing gym, but there's no point talking about it now."

Li Xiaoguang's eyes flickered. He lowered his voice and glanced at the other three.

"No point? Are we going to stay here for the rest of our lives?"

Liu Hetao froze.

"What else can we do? Look at how capable the people here are. They even have guns... I had relatives brought to the Park before, and I never heard of a single one making it back."

Li Xiaoguang slowly shook his head.

"Not a moment has passed since I got here when I haven't thought about how to escape."

Wang Li gave a scornful snort and said firmly, "It's impossible! I know better than you what kind of people these are. If we behave ourselves, we might stay alive. But anyone who causes trouble... Remember how they carried out a family punishment at the factory the other day and made us go watch? They turned someone into a human stump..."

Thinking of that horrifying scene, he shuddered and shook his head repeatedly.

"Besides, we've already had Earth Dragon Soup. I've seen what happens when T-Powder kicks in, and this stuff is even worse. I don't want to find out what it'll do."

Li Xiaoguang pressed his lips together.

"But how long can we stay alive here? Even if we survive the first few bouts and become Official Fighters, then what? Two people have already been carried out since we got here. If we don't think about leaving, we're going to die sooner or later! Chen Chong, don't you agree?"

All three of them looked at Chen Chong. He didn't say much, but his progress in boxing spoke for itself. And when he did offer an opinion, it always seemed sensible. Gradually, they had gotten into the habit of wanting to hear what he thought about everything.

Chen Chong set down the empty tube of Nutrient Paste and lowered his eyes.

"Staying here really isn't a long-term plan."

Li Xiaoguang raised an eyebrow.

"See?"

"But we have no way to leave right now, either. I think we should focus on improving our strength and wait to see how things unfold. We've been here ten days already. We could be sent into the ring at any time."

The three exchanged glances, then nodded helplessly.

Li Xiaoguang still muttered, "We've got to make a run for it either way. Chen Chong, once we actually escape, we'll go to Wu Yuan together. I'll introduce you to a senior from my cram school. She's got really long legs!"

Chen Chong smiled but didn't say anything.

Li Xiaoguang was in the same year as him, and he was a martial arts exam candidate from Third Middle School. Compared with Chen Chong, who had lived through another lifetime, Li Xiaoguang was more hot-blooded and proactive, and had more of a student about him.

Chen Chong certainly wanted to leave.

He was always keeping an eye on his surroundings. After ten days, he had gotten a general sense of the Park, but the more he learned, the more he realized how difficult it would be to escape.

The whole place was surrounded by high walls, with electrified wires and cameras covering every angle. The entrances and exits were guarded by watchtowers and men with guns. It was practically a military base.

Trying to escape now was unrealistic, so he kept that thought to himself and focused on quietly getting stronger.

If an opportunity came, he would seize it. But not now.

Even though he and Li Xiaoguang's group were in this together, and they had built a close bond by spending every day together and training side by side, there were still too many unanswered questions. There was no need to talk about it yet.

At the same time, in a luxurious office on the other side of the Park.

The scar-faced man behind the desk lounged in his chair, one foot casually propped up on the desktop. He looked at Coach Yu, who stood before him.

"Are the warm-up acts ready?"