Spar

"Chen Chong, have you grown a bit taller?"

Early in the morning, before Yu Feng arrived for their self-study session, Li Xiaoguang watched Chen Chong wreaking havoc on the Iron Man Dummy, his eyelids twitching.

How had his strength increased so much? It was almost catching up to his own.

Chen Chong finished his set and picked up the towel around his neck to wipe away the sweat.

"Have I?"

He now stood at 1.75 meters, his build well-proportioned. Among the four of them, he was already taller than Wang Li, whereas they had been about the same height before.

Li Xiaoguang nodded.

"You look sturdier, too... Is this the start of your second growth spurt after beginning your training? Tsk, if you train hard now, both your physique and your boxing techniques will improve rapidly."

He wore an envious expression.

"I started training early and didn't get to capitalize on this second growth spurt; I only reached 1.87 meters. Still a bit short."

Chen Chong had heard this theory before. Since Li Xiaoguang had already brought it up, he didn't need to invent an excuse.

"I guess I caught it in time."

Wang Li and Liu Hetao watched Chen Chong finish his set from the sidelines, both of them clicking their tongues.

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

"You? You should try catching up to me first... No, wait, you'd need another lifetime to catch up to me."

Wang Li spoke the first half subconsciously, then hurriedly corrected himself.

Chen Chong had just acquired the First Form and had held back half his strength in front of others, but it was still enough to leave the three of them stunned.

The strengthening of his physique naturally improved his Breathing Method and Combat Drill. While he could hold back his power, these improvements were harder to hide, and he worried slightly that Yu Feng might see through the facade.

But he immediately reasoned that Yu Feng's eyes weren't X-ray machines. As long as he didn't go all out, Yu Feng would only see that he was progressing quickly.

The four of them had discussed it in private; Yu Feng's level was likely one or two stages beyond Beam Setting. Combat arts at this stage weren't superpowers, so it was unlikely he could see through a person inside and out at a glance, or detect changes like the Devour Form or Bone Tempering.

Just seeing that Chen Chong was improving fast wasn't a big deal.

Sure enough, when Yu Feng arrived to guide their training, he merely gave Chen Chong a few deep looks without saying a single extra word.

Two days later.

In the center of the Training Room, Chen Chong and Li Xiaoguang stood facing each other, with Wang Li and Liu Hetao watching from the sidelines.

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

"Chen Chong, come on. My foundation is a bit better than yours, so you go first."

Chen Chong didn't stand on ceremony. He raised his fists in front of his chest, one foot forward and one back, his rear foot planted firmly while his front foot tapped the ground, constantly alternating as he slowly circled Li Xiaoguang.

Li Xiaoguang also assumed a standard guard, standing in the center like a mountain, though his body and legs kept rotating slightly, his toes always pointed toward Chen Chong without shifting.

His foundation is indeed solid; I can't find an opening just by footwork at this speed... Chen Chong narrowed his eyes, deciding not to waste any more time. He pushed off the ground, stepped forward decisively, and launched a straight punch toward the chest!

Li Xiaoguang's expression turned solemn. Chen Chong's punch was heavy and powerful; before it even landed, he felt a slight tightness in his chest!

He shifted his feet abruptly while leaning his upper body to the side. After agilely dodging Chen Chong's fierce straight punch, he slapped both palms in front of his face, perfectly blocking the left hook Chen Chong had hidden behind the first strike!

With a dull thud, both their bodies shuddered, and each felt a jolt of alarm.

Chen Chong hadn't expected Li Xiaoguang to so steadily neutralize his two-hit combo, which had been delivered with fifty percent of his power. Although the technique wasn't new, the force behind the punch was significant—

He had improved again over the last two days, and he estimated his punching power was nearing 300kg; fifty percent power was already a heavy blow of around 150kg.

Li Xiaoguang, meanwhile, was surprised by the proficiency and weight of Chen Chong's strikes. Having practiced boxing for years, he had instinctively guarded against a follow-up attack after his dodge, but he hadn't truly expected Chen Chong to be this proficient at attacking from both sides.

As it turned out, Chen Chong's second punch arrived almost simultaneously, and it was so heavy that he had barely managed to catch it!

As his arms began to ache slightly, Li Xiaoguang focused one hundred percent of his attention, knowing he couldn't afford the slightest bit of carelessness.

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

Bang, bang, bang!

Li Xiaoguang used his fists to protect his head and face, taking several of Chen Chong's jabs and holding his ground for a few rounds.

The situation reached a slight stalemate. Just as Chen Chong was about to adjust his offensive, Li Xiaoguang suddenly took a large stride, abruptly shifting to Chen Chong's side and throwing a punch downward!

Wang Li and Liu Hetao both gasped. They hadn't expected someone as large as Li Xiaoguang to grasp the gap in Chen Chong's rhythm so keenly, nor that he could move with such speed.

His long legs slid almost ninety degrees, and he followed through with a punch aimed at the side of Chen Chong's ear, using seventy percent of his strength.

He used a technique taught by his former master. The move was sudden, and he assumed Chen Chong wouldn't be able to react, so he hadn't used his full power... Hm?

Li Xiaoguang's vision blurred. He was stunned to find that Chen Chong's face was already turned toward him, his palms overlapped and thrust upward, executing a "Lift-and-Hold Stance" from the Combat Drill to deflect his arm from below.

The move was truly sudden and utilized a clever leverage, striking the weak point of his forearm. It knocked his heavy punch off course and sent him stumbling, leaving his chest wide open.

Chen Chong naturally didn't miss the opportunity. Without breaking the stance of the Lift-and-Hold, he followed through with a horizontal push against Li Xiaoguang's chest.

With a soft thud, Li Xiaoguang stumbled back several steps before finally landing on his backside.

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

"Just a stroke of luck."

Li Xiaoguang remained dazed as he stood, staring at Chen Chong for a long moment before offering a bitter smile.

"I really thought that with my height and reach, plus having trained for so many years longer than you, I'd be able to beat you in a real fight. I even used the techniques I learned before, but I never expected... you're too strong, Chen Chong."

Both of them had mastered the Breathing Method and Combat Drill, putting them on the same level, at least on the surface. Given that Li Xiaoguang had a much more solid foundation, he had never imagined this outcome.

The gasps from Wang Li and Liu Hetao had yet to fade, and they stood there with mouths half-open, taking a long time to process what had happened.

Chen Chong had always been the fastest learner, but Li Xiaoguang had always been the one who showed the most progress in his training.

His strength, his foundation in boxing, and his knowledge of combat techniques were the best among the four of them. Even if he was slower at picking up the new material here than Chen Chong, they had taken it for granted that Li Xiaoguang would still be the strongest in a real fight.

After all, no matter how fast you learn, strength requires accumulation. No matter how good Chen Chong's aptitude was, he had only been training for a few days; his 40kg punch couldn't just jump to one or two hundred overnight, could it? He was eating toothpaste-flavored Nutrient Paste every day, not those sky-high priced nutritional supplements.

Without strength as a foundation, no matter how well you practice your moves, they're just flashy but useless... that was what they had assumed.

As it turned out, Chen Chong's strength didn't fall behind at all; this secondary growth spurt was a bit intense.

Chen Chong shook his head.

"I just reacted quickly and caught you off guard. If we went again, it wouldn't be this easy."

Although he had held back fifty percent of his strength, he hadn't restricted his neural reflexes or speed. Li Xiaoguang's sudden sliding step had indeed surprised him, but he had adjusted with ease, and the rest had followed naturally.

To put it bluntly, he was winning through sheer superiority in his state of being; his experience and technique were still inferior to Li Xiaoguang's.

But this was, after all, his first sparring session since he started training, and Chen Chong felt he had gained some insight.

A few more sessions, and the moves he had practiced in the Combat Drill would quickly transform into real combat experience.

Not this easy... which meant he wouldn't lose.

Li Xiaoguang felt both looked down upon and silenced by the sheer presence Chen Chong exuded.

He huffed.

"Just you wait, we'll go again when we have time! Next time, I'm going to use everything I've learned."

"Didn't you just use it?"

"That doesn't count! I'll count it when I win."

Chen Chong smiled and said, "Alright."

The two stepped aside, not continuing their spar because Coach Yu had arrived.

Walking up to them, Coach Yu glanced at the four of them and nodded.

"Sparring early is a good thing; after all, it's not an Iron Man Dummy waiting for you out there. Sometimes, sparring is more helpful for your state of being than hitting a dummy ten times.

"But you fought terribly. The Combat Drill is a set of moves, and in real combat, those moves exist to better unleash your strength and speed. If there's a faster way to knock down an enemy, then it doesn't matter if you use the moves or not. Li Xiaoguang, that punch you threw just now—why didn't you just slap him?"

"Ah? This..."

Li Xiaoguang was stunned.

"That move clearly would have been smoother and faster with a palm. If you were at your old gym or taking an exam, a slap might not have been appropriate. But you aren't going to places like that. There are no rules in the ring here.

"Chen Chong, the same goes for you. Your moves are practiced smoothly, but they are also rigid—you could say they're full of 'craftsman's art.' Once Li Xiaoguang defended, you were as helpless as if you were facing an Iron Man Dummy. The turn you made was actually your best move; it was an instinctive reaction, pure speed, requiring no footwork at all."

Chen Chong nodded.

"I understand, Coach Yu."

Turning moves into instinct and not being constrained by form was a high demand for someone like Chen Chong, who was in his first real fight. It was supposed to be a long process, one that many fighters spent their entire lives pursuing without ever achieving.

But he could sense something in Coach Yu's tone, so he didn't argue, simply keeping the advice in his heart.

Seeing this, Coach Yu gave him one more look and said nothing more.

"You can spar more often in the future. Start your training now."

The sound of air flowing from the practice of the Breathing Method soon filled the Training Room.

Over the next week, Chen Chong immersed himself in training.

He studied hard during the day and pushed himself to the limit at night. Although the Nutrient Paste tasted awful, its high caloric content and balanced elements replenished his consumption. The periodic Earth Dragon Soup became the essence he ingested—since his regular food was snatched away by Zhang Yao, his progress was slightly slower, forcing him to eat more Nutrient Paste and lick every drop of the Earth Dragon Soup clean.

He could now use the Breathing Method without needing to consciously trigger it, though it was still interrupted during intense combat; he was still a hair's breadth away from using it in a real fight.

However, even most Official Fighters couldn't maintain the Breathing Method during real combat, and they had been training for who knows how long, so Chen Chong didn't force it for now.

His progress in the Combat Drill was rapid. Every day, he sparred with Li Xiaoguang, Wang Li, and Liu Hetao.

Even though it was just sparring, and even though his companions' strength varied, every session was precious and highly rewarding for someone lacking experience like him.

The four often sat cross-legged after sparring to discuss their gains and losses. One person's wisdom is limited, but many minds are better; during their post-sparring reviews, even Liu Hetao often raised critical, essential questions. Wang Li, benefiting from his time in the gangs, often offered ruthless but practical tricks, while Li Xiaoguang was generous with his own experience and techniques, eager to teach his moves to his companions hand-in-hand.

However, everyone's energy was limited, so they still focused primarily on Coach Yu's teachings. Chen Chong often shared this part, leading the three of them to progress together, to everyone's benefit.

The intensive sparring and high-quality reviews benefited Chen Chong immensely; he had gradually shed his awkwardness, and no one could tell he was a newcomer who had been on the ring for less than half a month.

"Seriously, Chen Chong, it's a pity you didn't apply to the Wu Yuan."

Sitting on the floor of the Training Room, Li Xiaoguang said earnestly:

"Look at how long you've been training, and you're already this impressive. As long as you get some formal training for a while longer, getting into Wu Yuan is a sure thing. And with your aptitude, you'll definitely shine at Wu Yuan; securing a spot for advanced studies in Central City won't be a problem."

Chen Chong pulled out a tube of Nutrient Paste, tearing it open as he said:

"I actually considered that path when I first joined the boxing gym, but it's useless to talk about it now."

Li Xiaoguang's eyes flickered, and he lowered his voice, looking at the other three:

"Useless? Are we just going to stay here for the rest of our lives?"

Liu Hetao was stunned for a moment:

"What else? Look at how capable the people here are, and they have guns... I had a relative who was brought to The Park before, and I never heard of a single person who managed to run back."

Li Xiaoguang shook his head slowly:

"Since I got in here, there hasn't been a single moment where I haven't thought about how to escape."

Wang Li scoffed and said decisively:

"Impossible! I know what kind of people these are better than you do. If you behave, you might live, but those who cause trouble... Didn't they make us watch when they carried out the 'family law' at the factory building the other day? They actually hacked him into a human stick..."

He thought of that terrifying scene and shuddered, shaking his head repeatedly:

"Besides, we've already drunk the Earth Dragon Soup. I've seen what happens when T-Powder takes effect, and this stuff is even more potent than T-Powder. I don't want to test it."

Li Xiaoguang pursed his lips:

"But how long can we live here? Even if we survive the first few matches and become an Official Fighter, then what? In the few days we've been here, they've already carried two people out. If we don't think about leaving, we'll be dead sooner or later! Chen Chong, don't you agree?"

The three of them looked at Chen Chong. Although Chen Chong didn't talk much, his progress in boxing was plain to see, and his occasional remarks made them feel he was reliable, so they gradually found themselves subconsciously wanting to hear his opinion.

Chen Chong put down the empty tube of Nutrient Paste and lowered his eyes:

"Staying here is certainly not a long-term plan."

Li Xiaoguang raised his eyebrows:

"See!"

"But it's impossible for us to leave right now. My view is to focus on improving our strength and wait for the situation to change. We've been here for ten days already; who knows when we'll have to get into the ring."

The three of them exchanged glances and nodded helplessly.

Li Xiaoguang still muttered:

"I have to slip away regardless. Chen Chong, when we can actually escape back, let's go to Wu Yuan together. I'll introduce you to a senior student I met at the cram school—she has incredibly long legs!"

Chen Chong smiled and said nothing.

Li Xiaoguang was in the same grade as him and was a martial arts examinee from Third Middle School. Compared to him, who had lived another life, Li Xiaoguang was more hot-blooded, more proactive, and had more of a student vibe.

Chen Chong certainly wanted to leave.

He was observing the environment at all times. In the ten days he had been here, he had gained a rough understanding of The Park, but the more he understood, the more he felt that escaping was extremely difficult.

The perimeter was surrounded by high walls with high-voltage wires and cameras with no blind spots, while the entrances and exits were guarded by watchtowers and armed sentries. This setup was essentially a military restricted zone.

It was unrealistic to think about escaping now, so he kept those thoughts buried deep in his heart and focused on silently improving his strength.

If an opportunity arose, he would naturally seize it, but not now.

Even though he and the three others were in the same boat, and their days of living and training together had forged a significant bond, there was no need to voice things that had no clear path yet.

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

The Scarface man behind the desk lay back in his boss chair with his feet propped casually on the desk, looking at Yu Feng who stood before him:

"Is the warm-up ready?"